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Nobu Restaurant at Caesars

Thanks to an epic royal dealt by a generous video poker machine earlier in the evening, two of us recently dined with wild abandon at the newest Nobu, this one located at Caesars Palace. Pricey, yes, but worth the price of admission if faultless seafood, impeccable service and legendary Nobu ambiance is on your Las Vegas list of things to-do.

Fans of Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and his global restaurant empire are drawn to his exquisite traditional sushi as well as his modern twists on classic Japanese cuisine. We enjoyed a couple of unique cocktails (we loved the Cracked Basil), while navigating a menu that required a bit of expertise from a well-informed waiter. The sizable menu with a small, pricey list of exclusive sakes tends to be a bit tricky to sort the starters and small plates from the main dishes. Highlights of our dinner, an assortment of sushi (the toro was divine), shared plates of buttery Kobe “sashimi” and skewers of grilled squid set the stage for the stars of the evening-the legendary Miso Black Cod and a flawless lemony lobster and shrimp combo. We’re still dreaming about the buttery Black Cod.

Would we dine at Nobu again? Sure, especially if we were at Caesars and had another lucky evening in the casino (or dining on someone else’s corporate expense account). With a normal dining budget and with so many outstanding Japanese restaurants in Las Vegas, Nobu may not be our first choice, but it certainly was one of the more memorable meals we’ve had on the Strip.

Nobu at Caesars Palace
3570 Las Vegas Blvd South,
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(Inside Caesars Palace

Phone: (702)785.6628

2013: 05/12
CATEGORY: Restaurant Reviews
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Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace

The majority of Las Vegas buffets are pretty much the same. Given the nature of a buffet, the food from one to the next is going to be standard, non-descript fare. Reviewing Las Vegas buffets is pointless unless the food is comically bad (like the one at the Rampart Resort in Summerlin), or notably good. The newly renovated and re-defined Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars is notably good. At $45.99 for the dinner seating, it’s not the cheapest buffet on the Strip, but when it comes to buffets, you’re likely to get your money’s worth.

If you are a meat-eater, you’ll stand a very good chance to get your money’s worth at the dinner buffet. On the evening we dined at Bacchanal, the prime rib was very good, as was the sirloin. Lamb chops were an overcooked, dry disappointment, but there were at least six other grilled, roasted or barbecued meat choices that looked impressive. We actually went back for seconds for the truffled scallop potatoes that were a good choice with our prime rib.

Other notable stations on the buffet line were the Mexican, Italian and Asian offerings (nice little dim sum selection and noodles cooked to order). The bread, cheese and charcuterie sections midway through the buffet were also outstanding, and would have been a great way to begin our meal if they had been closer to the start of the line. We went back for seconds for the raw oyster shooters from the seafood bar, but wished we hadn’t put the crab legs on our plates. They were watery, salty and a few days past their prime.

Any buffet worth its price of admission should end with a memorable choice of deserts and Bacchanal certainly stands above many of the other buffets on the Strip in the desert department. An endless assortment of very fine pastries, brulées, and gelatos was a fun way to top off what really is a outstanding buffet (we loved the creme brulée that we topped with fresh fruit).

The hits outweigh the misses at Bacchanal. To maximize the cost of admission do what seasoned Vegas buffet diners do and cruise down the line to check things out before you grab a plate and start loading up. Very often the treasures in a buffet are near the end of the line.

Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace
Website

2013: 04/21
CATEGORY: Restaurant Reviews
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Lilly’s Thai and Vietnamese

We were pleasantly surprised by a recent weeknight stop at this small, unassuming, neighborhood restaurant on W. Sahara (between Buffalo and Tenaya). A few dishes prepared by a cook who obviously knows their way around a southeast-Asian kitchen were exceptional. The menu here isn’t expansive, we always take that as a good sign. We’d much rather choose from a short list of well-prepared dishes than an ambitious list of dishes slapped together by someone taking a wild guess at an unfamiliar recipe.

The Thai spring rolls ($4.95) were first-rate. Four crackling-crisp, nicely seasoned rolls filled with vegetables and thin rice noodles were everything a perfect Thai spring roll should be. The menu features several duck dishes (a personal favorite). Fans of Thai basil will love the Ka Pao Duck $16.95, a generous portion of outstanding, crisp-skinned, boneless duck topped with stir fried vegetables and fragrant Thai basil. We were also impressed by the Beef Sam Rot ($9.95), super-tender, battered and fried beef served with broccoli and a light sauce that didn’t overpower the dish. We have been told the pho is very good here, and we plan a return trip soon to confirm that.

We topped things off with an interesting, chunky coconut ice cream served with crisp banana-filled wontons ($5.95). Service was lovely; our server was charming, patient, and efficient. Our only issue was the rice. We don’t mind paying an extra $1.50 for a bowl of plain rice, but ours was either reheated rice from the day before or a low-quality brand. But that won’t stop us from another visit to see what this cook does with noodles and pho, and another order of that terrific Ka Pao Duck.

7365 W Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89117
Phone:(702) 778-7731
menu

2013: 03/02
CATEGORY: Restaurant Reviews
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Bomas Bar and Grill

With recent legislation banning smoking in restaurants and bars that serve food, Las Vegas has seen the demise of many of our beloved neighborhood 24/7 video poker bars that served some of the best burgers, steaks and bar food known to man. One newer lounge, Bomas, is brilliantly complying with the smoking ban as well as carrying on the video poker tradition Las Vegas locals know and love with a new building that features an attractive, attached, smoke-free dining area with a separate entrance from the smoky classic Vegas video poker lounge area. That issue being solved, Bomas, located on S. Durango also features a menu with a few gems, including a 12-ounce boneless ribeye steak far better those we’ve had recently at posh restaurants (see our prior post, “Flemings”).

For $16.95 this 12 ounce, boneless ribeye steak from Bomas on S. Durango does everything a steak should do. Tender, juicy and expertly grilled exactly as ordered, this was one of the best steaks we’ve had in recent memory. A fine side salad with a terrific chunky, house-made blue cheese dressing was a worthy companion to our steak.

We also loved the hot, crispy, house-made potato chips that were included in an impressive appetizer combo platter ($11.95), and a substantial French Dip sandwich ($8.95) that was very good with side of not-overly-salty jus. The menu also includes a few interesting takes on pasta, sandwiches and burgers.

Service wasn’t the speediest in town, but it’s possible we were dining during a shift change. Our pleasant server happily accommodated our request for a substitution of a salad for the two sides with our entrée. Offering a variety of happy hour and graveyard specials, Bomas is open 24 hours a day.

Bomas
8020 S Durango Dr
Las Vegas, NV 89113
website and menu

2013: 02/23
CATEGORY: Restaurant Reviews
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Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar

A group of us dining midweek at Fleming’s recently were mesmerized by a lonely petit filet ($39) on a rather large plate served only with thirty-three festive flecks of parsley. Forget that this filet was ordered medium rare and it came out something close to Ash Wednesday. To be fair, we were a large party, and serving a steak prepared as ordered can be problematic when cooking for a group. Much better was the salmon with a light BBQ glaze ($33), served over sautéed mushrooms. Sides are all ala carte, the norm for most classic steak houses. Good choices were the Fleming’s house salad ($9), sides of green beans ($9.50) and garlic mashed potatoes ($9). A loaf of herb bread with two interesting spreads was a hit.

In spite of the size of our group, service was upbeat and friendly. We weren’t exactly wowed by the food, but the service and ambiance made for a generally pleasant dining experience. While it may just have been an off-night for the grill cook on the steaks, there are better steaks at these prices around town. We’ve been told a Sunday Prime Rib special is very good here and worthy of standing in line (reservations are highly recommended). Fleming’s offers an impressive 100 different wines available by the glass.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
8721 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 838-4774

website and menu

2013: 02/20
CATEGORY: Restaurant Reviews
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808 Tapas

Village Square on the corner of Ft. Apache and W. Sahara is quietly hiding a few culinary gems. We’re already big fans of the innovative spins on gourmet burgers at Bachi Burger. That corner of town has become even more interesting with another stellar casual dining option a few doors away from Bachi. We’re talking about 808 Tapas, a “small plates” restaurant with a Japanese/Hawaiian twist on the Spanish concept of small, beautifully prepared dishes meant to be shared.

None of the plates we ordered were a disappointment, but one dish was so outrageously good, you’ll want to order a plate just for yourself. The luscious, buttery grilled black cod, pictured above, a dish made famous by Chef Matsuhiso Nobu of the famed Nobu Restaurant, is unbelievably good. Thick pieces of black cod are marinated in miso and sweet Japanese wine for two days before grilling. The result is a mild, melt-in-your mouth, silky fish that is simply amazing. Let’s not tell then we’d be happy to pay twice the price of $9.00.

Other dishes we’d order again were the Wagyu beef sliders with Wasabi mayo ($7.50), and two pork belly dishes-one stir fried with asparagus ($5.00), the other seasoned and grilled on skewers ($4.50). Korean style beef ribs (kalbi-$8.00) were a little on the chewy side, but were seasoned and grilled to perfection. Because we dined during happy hour and sushi rolls were half-price, we also ordered a Banzai Pipeline Roll ($12). It was good, but nothing special. Ordered during happy hour, it’s well worth the $6 price.

With an extensive, very creative menu, and most dishes under $10, two people can dine very well for around $50, even with a few bottles of the house sake.

808 Tapas
9350 W. Sahara Ave
Ste 150
Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 485-3433

website

2013: 02/09
CATEGORY: Restaurant Reviews
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Bahama Breeze

It’s winter in Las Vegas and the holidays are over. We’re in the middle of a string of days with below-freezing temps and cabin fever is rapidly setting in. Time to get out of the winter doldrums before Prozac is the only escape.

If you happen to be a Las Vegas local, you might head to a casino to kill some time playing video poker until it warms up outside, or perhaps jump in the car and head to California for a few days. And then, there’s the Bahamas–Vegas style.

We recently accepted a timely invitation to join the hospitable folks at Bahama Breeze for cocktails and appetizers, and are very glad we did. A tasty tropical cocktail can be found anywhere in Las Vegas, but not like the drinks they’re making here. These aren’t the syrupy-sweet tropical drinks served at other theme restaurants. Juices squeezed from fresh fruit, and refreshing sugar cane juice extracted on-the-spot using a fascinating machine we’ve never seen before are the stars of many of the rum-based tropical beverages

Exceptional cocktails deserve exceptional appetizers. We particularly enjoyed the savory, curry-scented beef empanadas and the caveman-sized Jamaican jerk wings. Enormous coconut-crusted shrimp served with a citrusy dipping sauce were the best version of this often poorly executed dish we’ve ever had.

Service from an upbeat, thoughtful staff as well as a tasteful Caribbean-themed decor (as opposed to the silly tropical themed restaurants on the Strip) made for an extremely pleasant break from our mid-winter blues. Shame on us for taking so long to discover this gem located on the corner of Hughes Center Drive and Flamingo, just a few minutes from the Strip.

Bahama Breeze
375 Hughes Center Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-731-3252

Sunday – Thursday: 11:00 A.M. – 11:00 P.M.
Friday – Saturday: 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 A.M.
Happy Hour
Monday – Friday: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

2013: 01/17
CATEGORY: Restaurant Reviews
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Casa di Amore

Maybe it’s because Casa Di Amore courts tourists staying on the Strip with free limo transport back & forth to their hotel and they need to recoup the cost of the limo…or perhaps it’s because they are active in the Groupon/Living Social/Restaurant.com coupon circuit and they need to stop the bleeding from that action, but we think adding an automatic 18% gratuity to a bill is sneaky business unless it’s a large party (and there were only two of us).

It’s a shame, too, because in spite of the fact that Casa Di Amore isn’t exactly in the best part of town, and we had to wait in our car while police chased two youths across their parking lot, we intended to write a completely favorable review. We actually love this place. The classic Italian-American comfort food (steaks, veal, pasta and things covered in marinara sauce), as well as the old-school Vegas rat pack ambiance are the real deal. And, while a bit pricey, you’ll not find any better East Coast, Soprano-style food in Las Vegas.

The Hot Antipasto Sampler ($19) with it’s enormous breaded fried shrimp, best fried calamari in town, fried ravioli and mozzarella sticks, was fabulous. It’s good enough to be a meal all by itself. Lovers of marinara sauce will enjoy any of the pasta dishes that are served with it. Chicken Parmesan ($24) can be a dreadful piece of dried chicken breast, but not here. Large, perfectly cooked chicken cutlets are smothered in cheese and broiled until bubbly. Heavenly little pillows of potato gnocchi with a cheese sauce studded with prosciutto and spinach ($21) were a big hit and worth every single calorie. A surprisingly good Umani Ronchi’s Montepulcian ($8/glass) was perfect with the entire meal.

Don’t be put off by that shifty 18% automatic gratuity thing, just double-check your bill closely, be aware that it exists, and decide to tip more (or not) accordingly.

Casa di Amore
2850 East Tropicana Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89121
(702) 433-4967

Hours: Mon-Wed-Sun 5 pm – 5 am (closed Tuesdays)
Website

2012: 12/15
CATEGORY: Restaurant Reviews
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Cantina Laredo

All the positive buzz about this newest restaurant in the Tivoli Village development caught our attention-and rightly so. Calling it’s menu “modern” Mexican cuisine, Cantina Laredo is tweaking standard Mexican classics just enough to give them new vibrancy utilizing exceptional ingredients.

We fell in love at first sight with a duo of two memorable fire-roasted salsas and an outstanding guacamole prepared tableside. With the help of a few remarkable ingredients (we went for the fire roasted jalapeños), and an amiable server, top-notch avocados were transformed into the poster child of what all other guacamoles wish they could be. It renewed our faith in restaurant guacamole.

Carne Asada, another standard in Mexican restaurants, can be a miserable, leathery disappointment, but not the case here. A large portion of skirt steak so tender no steak knife was required was served with a zesty chimichurri sauce and topped with crisp pickled onions. The dish was a winner.

Chile Relleno, a substantial fresh poblano chile filled with an almond and raisin studded version of beef picadillo, then battered, fried and sauced just right with a ranchera sauce was absolutely delicious. We appreciated the side of roasted zucchini chunks that bore no resemblance to limp, precooked/reheated veg we usually leave on the side of our plate.

We normally pass on desert, but were enticed by a dense, Mexican brownie served with a brandy butter sauce served hot on a sizzling platter. With the texture of a British sticky toffee pudding and loaded with pecans and walnuts, the desert was a decadent, dreamy delight (and worth every calorie).

We enjoyed the comfortable upscale-casual décor as well as the cordial service that was efficient and right on point. The Mexico City-style menu includes grilled fish, chicken and steaks complimented by signature sauces with several vegetarian and gluten-free options. We plan a return visit soon…the impressive selection of tequilas we spotted in the bar must be explored…and very soon.

Address:
Tivoli Village
430 South Rampart Blvd Suite #110
Las Vegas, Nevada 89145
702-202-4511

Hours of Operation:
Sunday – Thursday 11am – 10pm
Friday & Saturday 11 am – 11 pm

Website

2012: 12/11
CATEGORY: Restaurant Reviews
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Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza and Grill

Las Vegas has no shortage of pizza places, sadly, most of them aren’t worth discussing. Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza and Grill, however, is worth talking about out-loud. It was our first favorite pie when we first moved here over a decade ago. Years later, it still has a place in our top ten.

Yes, the pizza is very good, as would be expected from any place that goes through the trouble of a wood-burning pizza oven. Sammy’s delivers the holy trinity of hand-stretched crust (either thick or thin), tomato sauce that contains no corn syrup, and quality toppings. And while pizza is the star of the show at Sammy’s, an expanded menu of tapas, salads, pasta and few specialty items is not to be missed.

We recently accepted an invitation from the West Flamingo at Ft. Apache location to sample menu items new to us on the Sammy’s roster, and fell in love with the mini duck tacos. Five crisp taco shells filled with duck confit, shredded napa cabbage, feta cheese, and an addicting crema were terrific. Almost too good to be true was an entrée of creamy cheese grits topped with sauteed swiss chard, cubes of smoky chorizo and perfectly cooked shrimp. And just because it’s Sammy’s we couldn’t resist a Hawaiian pizza topped with fresh pineapple and seasoned with rosemary, a good move on our part.

Sammy’s has five locations around the valley, an interesting wine & beer list, and a menu with something for everyone (including vegan and gluten-free), all served in a comfortable, casual atmosphere. Happy hour from 4-6 daily will get you half off all tapas and $2 off all beer and wine by the glass.