Tag Archives: Restaurants

All Posts, Food, Travel

Top Ten Restaurants in Las Vegas

I’ve been going to Las Vegas with different groups of people, such as friends, family, and co-workers in the past years (why I like to go to Vegas). After trying so many restaurants on the strip, I came up with my top ten list of restaurants in Las Vegas. Depending on who I am going with, my top restaurant list might vary. Below is a list ideal for trips to Vegas with anyone who enjoy great dinner.

It is in no particular order. I will go into details in my future posts.

  1. Allegro at Wynn
  2. Bardot Brasserie at Aria
  3. Harvest at Bellagio
  4. Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand
  5. Le Cirque at Bellagio
  6. The Mansion at The Mansion
  7. Michael Mina at Bellagio
  8. Picasso at Bellagio
  9. Sinatra at Encore
  10. SW Steakhouse at Wynn

Las Vegas has way more great restaurants than I could fit into my list. There are three more I would have considered to add to my top ten list, except that they were closed in the past few years, mainly for economic reasons. They are: Restaurant Charlie by Charlie Trotter, David Burke, and Switch. I will explain why I like them later.

LasVegas Restaurant AquaKnox
American Red Snapper from AquaKnox at Venetian
LasVegas Restaurant Allegro at Wynn
Osso Buco D’agnello from Allegro at Wynn
All Posts, Food, Travel

Five of My Favorite Places for Brunch in Vegas

I love Las Vegas. When I am in Vegas I often eat breakfast, which is something I don’t normally do at home. Here are five of my favorite places to eat breakfast in Las Vegas.

1. The Mansion at MGM Grand

The Mansion is a semi-secret, very exclusive invitation-only restaurant. I was offered the chance to eat breakfast at The Mansion when I stayed at the Skylofts at MGM Grand. The Mansion was unbelievable!

2. Tableau at Wynn Hotel

Tableau is a fantastic restaurant at the Wynn hotel. The breakfast menu is incredible and I love some of their unique items including White Chocolate and Orange French Toast.

3. Bardot Brasserie

Bardot Brasserie is a French restaurant, by Michael Mina. Bardot Brasserie opens for brunch only on Saturday and Sunday. Among all the amazing food it offers, the French Toast is a must-have. It’s made with brioche bread and vanilla mascarpone, toped with the almond brittle, and orgeat syrup on the side.

4. Zen Kitchen at Waldorf Astoria

Zen Kitchen at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel was an unexpected surprise. One morning when I was at the Mandarin Oriental I wasn’t feeling like going out and so I ate there and I was pleased. The restaurant was casual but elegant and everything on the breakfast menu was great!

5.  Bouchon at Venetian

The Bouchon at the Venetian was a bit hard to find, at the fourth floor overlooking the pool area. The restaurant is mostly French inspired but the breakfast items are all fantastic!

Fiave Favorite Breakfast Places in VegasFiave Favorite Breakfast Places in Vegas

All Posts, Food, Travel

The Picasso Restaurant at the Bellagio Hotel In Las Vegas

The first fine dinning experience I had in Las Vegas was at the Picasso restaurant (French cuisine) in the Bellagio hotel, back in year 2005. I was there celebrating our best friend’s engagement. My memory of the restaurant was upscale decoration, fancy food, and great  wine!

It has been a long time since my last visit to the Picasso restaurant, because there were too many great restaurant options on the Vegas Strip, and the Picasso restaurant was closed sometime during last year for renovation. But I finally had the chance to eat there during  my recent trip to Las Vegas!

As I walked into the Picasso restaurant by the award-winning chief, Julian Serrano, I recognized the newly renovated interior. It looked different than what I remembered, but the restaurant was still unique and colorful. And the Picasso paintings were all over the walls just as they used to be.


I’ve dined at most restaurants in the Bellagio property many times, such as the Prime Steakhouse, Le Cirque,  and Todd English’s Olives. I’ve also sat at the tables right by the window, where I could enjoy the closer view of the Fountain of Bellagio. But for this time at Picasso, we preferred to sit at the table a slightly away from the window, so I could sat back and get a bigger view of the fountain via the window frames throughout the night.

My friend and I ordered the prix fixe menu ($118 per person). We got to choose from the menu for each part of the three-course meal and a dessert in the end.

I ordered Poached Oysters, Roasted Langoustine, Roasted Milk-Fed Veal Chop. And my friend ordered Crème of Butternut Squash, Sautéed Filet of Scottish Salmon, and Sautéed Filet of Black Bass. (The pictures are presented below in the order of the list.)

Poached Oysters

Roasted Langoustine


Roasted Milk-fed Veal Chop

Crème of Butternut Squash

Sautéed Filet of Scottish Salmon


Sautéed Filet of Black Bass

My friend and I were craving for different food on the night we went to Picasso (as you could tell from the items we ordered). But all of our dishes were delicious.

I love to sample a variety of foods. I was very satisfied with my choices. The Poached Oysters (garnished with Osetra Cariar) were slightly warmer than the regular chilled oysters, but they were delicious.

The Roasted Langoustine was prepared exactly to my liking. The other restaurant that makes a great langoustine is Joel Robuchon in MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. And the Roasted Milk-Fed Veal Chop is the perfect main course. It was tender and flavorful.

I tried a bit of my friend’s dishes; they were also very tasty.

I’d say no fancy meal is completed without a nice drink. I ordered a Hemingway Daiquiri cocktail drink. It is made of Bacardi Light, Luxardo Maraschino Cherries, Fresh Grapefruit Juice, and Fresh Lime Juice. The drink tasted different than other Hemingway Daiquiris I’ve had in the past, but it was definitely very good.

Hemingway Daiquiri

After we finished our delicious three-course meal, we were pretty stuffed. When it came to ordering the desserts in the end, I got to make the choices for both of us, because my friend wasn’t as into desserts and I was.

For desserts, we ordered Chocolate Bread Pudding and Pineapple Tart. My friend only had a few bites of each dessert, and I basically ate all of the them. (When it comes to desserts, I just couldn’t resist the temptation of the delicious sweets sitting right in front of me! )

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Pineapple Tart

Our overall experience of the Picasso restaurant in the Bellagio hotel was great! The services was outstanding, food was unique, and the ambience was perfect.

I’d say for a fancy restaurant like the Picasso in the Bellagio Hotel, the price we paid for our meal was well spent.

 

 

All Posts, Food, Travel

Harvest by Roy Ellamar Restaurant at Bellagio Las Vegas

Last year July, I ate at the Harvest by Roy Ellamar restaurant in the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. The Harvest by Roy Ellamar restaurant was the new additional to the Bellagio property. It replaced the Sensi restaurant (Italian, Asian, American and Seafood fusion), at the location by the Bellagio Spa Tower.

It has been too long since I dined at the Sensi restaurant (in Year 2009), so my memory of the dinning experience at the restaurant is limited to good service and some pictures of my meal. It was good, but wasn’t good enough for me to have the urge to go back there again.

During my first visit to the new Harvest by Roy Ellamar restaurants in July 2016, my friend and I shared a bone-in ribeye steak and pork chop for the main entre, crushed potatoes, creamed spinach, and sautéed spinach for side dishes.

(Picture of the Bone-in Ribeye steak)

(Picture of the Pork Chop)

(Picture of the Sides: Crushed Potatoes, Creamed Spinach, and Sautéed Spinach)

The sautéed spinach wasn’t on the menu. But my friend and I were craving for it, so we asked our waiter to put in a special request for it.

And as always, our craving was much bigger than the amount we could actually eat! I walked into the Harvest by Roy Ellamar restaurant with an open mind for trying the new restaurant and ended up with a fully satisfied tummy. The food and the service at the Harvest by Roy Ellamar were great! Especially the bone-in ribeye steak we had.

During the past holiday season, I came across the picture of the ribeye steak I ate at the Harvest by Roy Ellamar restaurant, and it made me crave for the same ribeye steak I had.

A few months later, I finally got the chance to go back to the Harvest by Roy Ellamar restaurant. My friend and I shared the bone-in ribeye I’d been longing for and the Harvest rotisserie chicken. We limited our sides to just crushed potatoes and brussels sprouts. (We learned our lesson from last time; three sides was too much!)

(Picture of the Harvest Rotisserie Chicken)


(Picture of the Brussels Sprouts)


My second dinning experience at Harvest by Roy Ellamar was as great as the first one! The bone-in ribeye steak tasted even better than I remembered (given that it was very good on my first visit already). The Rotisserie Chicken was surprisingly flavorful and tender.  Both the crushed potatoes and the brussels sprouts complemented the ribeye steak and the rotisserie chicken perfectly.

I have to say the two dinning experience at Harvest by Roy Ellamar were equally great! I will definitely include this restaurant in my Top Ten Restaurants in Las Vegas Strip list!

All Posts, Food, Travel

Le Cirque Restaurant at Bellagio Las Vegas

I was in Las Vegas recently, staying at the Bellagio Hotel. It’s one of my top three favorite resorts in Vegas.

One night during my stay, I decided to eat at Le Cirque restaurant with a friend who had never eaten there.

CaviarAppetizer

Before I go on, let me say that the Bellagio, for many years, had two restaurants right next to each other — Le Cirque and Circo. Many people, including me, would confuse these two restaurants because their names were so similar (and owned by the same family).

Anyway, after 15 years, Circo closed down in late 2014 and was replaced by a new restaurant “Lago” by chef Julian Serrano. Circo was an Italian – Mediterranean style place. Le Cirque is more French inspired.

CircoRestaurant

So, one evening I ate at Le Cirque with my fried. The restaurant was very fancy. The experience was every bit as excellent as the last time I was there with a gang of girlfriends, the last time I ate there.

If you’re ever in Vegas, Le Cirque at Bellagio should be on your list of places to consider if you’re in the mood for a very fancy dinner!

 

All Posts, Food, Travel

My Dinner at Canlis Seattle Restaurant

Canlis is one of Seattle’s oldest restaurants. It was established in 1950 and has been popular ever since then. Canlis has an elegant but relaxed feel — not really traditional and not really modern. I guess what I’m trying to say is that Canlis is unique, at least for Seattle.

I went there with two of my friends on a Friday, for no special reason other than we all like food. None of us had ever been to Canlis before. My bottom line is that I liked Canlis a lot and I’d go back again for some special occasion.

I had a four course meal that started with scallops, seared with a vegetable presentation. Next, my friends and I shared an order of raw oysters. They were very fresh and tasty. Next came a mixed green salad. It was better than the average mixed green salad but it wasn’t amazing in any way. Then we all shared a pate foie gras. It was excellent and it came with really good toast — some of the best I’ve ever had.

CanlisOysters

CanlisSalad

My main course was duck, which I shared. The duck was whole roasted with a honey glaze. The entire duck was presented at the table, then taken to the back where it was carved and then retuened to our table for serving. I’ve had duck quite a few times, and this was probably the best duck I’ve had. I’ve had good duck at some Chinese restaurants too, but the preparation was so different I can’t really compare the Canlis duck to any of the Chinese duck dishes I’ve had.

CanlisWholeDuck

CanlisPrepared Duck

We finished our evening with coffee and dessert. For dessert I had a vanilla souffle. It was good — maybe the second best souffle I’ve ever had (next to a souffle at Joel Rubicon in Las Vegas).

CanlisSouffle

CanlisChocolate

All in all, I was very happy with my Canlis dinner experience. It was quite pricey, but that was expected and I felt I got good value. If you’re ever in the Seattle area and are in the mood for dinner at an upscale restaurant, consider Canlis.

All Posts, Food, Travel

Sunday Brunch at St. Regis Monarch Beach Hotel at Dana Point

During the past weekend I visited my family in California. We went to St. Regis Monarch Beach at Dana Point for Sunday brunch. Dana Point is known for its beautiful beach view and the St. Regis is always a nice hotel to visit (regardless of location). The opportunity of eating at the St. Regis at Dana Point was too good to pass up.

The restaurant we went to in the St. Regis Monarch Beach hotel is called Motif. It was named the best brunch place in Orange County, California. I booked the reservation a few weeks before my trip. Being a Seattle person, I got tired of the rain and cold. I was longing for the Sunday brunch in the sunny Dana Point.

We arrived at the St. Regis Monarch Beach a bit early before our brunch reservation. We walked around the hotel and enjoyed the stunning view as well as the hotel’s interior and exterior designs. I’ve stayed in the St. Regis in San Francisco before, but the hotel design completely different from the St. Regis Monarch Beach at Dana Point.

The Sunday brunch at Motif was great. There was a variety of food options, including international dishes, and a dedicated dessert bar. In addition to the typical brunch items, such as made-to-order omelets, pancakes, classic eggs benedict, and French toast, Motif also offers sushi, Korean beef BBQ, dim sum, salad, fresh seafood, desserts, etc.

One especially nice thing about Motif’s omelet and pancakes/French toast bar was that they offer about sixty toppings. My three-year old niece was excited to order her ideal pancakes with chocolate M&Ms and sprinkles, with fresh berries on the side. I even added Macaroons to her plate from the dessert bar. I ordered French toast with Grand Manier and fresh berries. The combination was perfect for me.

Another thing I like about having Sunday brunch at Motif is its intimacy. Unlike typical brunch buffet places where they were too crowded with too many tables, Motif is just about the right size. I didn’t have to worry about running into people while I was getting food.

Motif Sunday brunch is more about quality than quantity. They might not offer as many items as other brunch buffet places, but their dishes are freshly made in small quantity. They replenish their items continuously.

The service at the Motif was excellent. I have to say no matter how delicious the food a restaurant offers, the dining experience wouldn’t be as memorable without great service. I really enjoyed my Motif Sunday brunch at the St. Regis Monarch Beach at Dona Point. When I return to CA to visit my family in a few months, we will definitely visit Motif at St. Regis Monarch Beach again!

Some people said that Motif offers the most extravagant Sunday brunch in Orange County. After my first-hand experience, I can’t agree more. The beach scenery, the quality of the food and the services made Motif stand out!

  • The price for an adult is $69 ($79 with unlimited Champagne) and $39 per child (age 5-12).
St Regis Monarch Beach at Dana Point, CA
St Regis Monarch Beach at Dana Point, CA
St. Regis Monrach Beach at Dana Point, CA
St. Regis Monrach Beach at Dana Point, CA
Sunday Brunch at Motif at St. Regis Monarch Beach
Sunday Brunch at Motif at St. Regis Monarch Beach
Sunday Brunch at Motif at St. Regis Monarch Beach
Sunday Brunch at Motif at St. Regis Monarch Beach
Sushi Boat at Motif
Sushi Boat at Motif
Oversized Omelet and Korean QQK at Motif
Oversized Omelet and Korean BBQ at Motif
Desserts at Motif
Desserts at Motif
Desserts at Motif
Desserts at Motif
Pastry at Motif
Pastry at Motif
Pancakes with fresh berries and macaros
Pancakes with fresh berries and macaros
French toast with Grand Manier and fresh berries
French toast with Grand Manier and fresh berries
Fresh Berry Crepe with Coconut & Berry Sorbet
Fresh Berry Crepe with Coconut & Berry Sorbet
All Posts, Food, Travel

Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas

Image

Joel Robuchon is one of my favorite restaurants in Las Vegas. It is located inside the MGM Grand Hotel. The last time I was there I had one of their preconfigured four-course meals. The food was very good and the experience was great!

Before my meal began, the server pulled up a cart full of freshly baked bread for us to pick. There were about twenty options and each of them looked very tasty. I wished I could just sit there and sample the bread the entire night. I had to stop myself from eating the bread, so I could leave some room for my meal.

Each part of my four-course meal was delicious, but especially the grilled spiny lobster wrapped in buckwheat frill. The dish was cooked perfectly; the lobster was tender and full of taste. So was my beef cheeks braised with red miso and ginger.

My last course was Joel Robuchon’s famous Le Soufflé. It was a freshly baked chocolate soufflé. The server put it right in front of me and placed the ice cream on it. Although I was already beyond being full, the anticipation of watching the ice cream been absorbed by the hot soufflé raised my appetite again!

Just when I though I was done with my meal for the night, the server pulled up another cart. This time, instead of variety of baked bread, it was chocolates and sweets. I am a weak person when it comes to desserts and chocolates. It was hard for me to limit my option to five treats, but I had to.

After my first time eating at the Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas, I highly recommended it to anyone who is into food. Joel Robuchon is an upscale fancy restaurant. The food was delicious and the service was great. Although it was pricy (the four-course meal was $190 per person), the experience is priceless. After all, you are in Vegas, why not indulge yourself!

Joel Robuchon - Fresh Butter
Joel Robuchon – Fresh Butter

 

Joel Robuchon - Bread from the top of the cart
Joel Robuchon – Bread from the top of the cart
Joel Robuchon - Bread
Joel Robuchon – Bread
Joel Robuchon - La Langouste (girlled spiny lobsters)
Joel Robuchon – La Langouste (grilled spiny lobsters)
Joel Robuchon - Soup
Joel Robuchon – Soup
Joel Robuchon - Le Bceuf (beef cheeks braised with red miso and ginger)
Joel Robuchon – Le Bceuf (beef cheeks braised with red miso and ginger)
Joel Robuchon - Le Black Cod - semi smoked black code with eggplant puree
Joel Robuchon – Le Black Cod – semi smoked black code with eggplant puree
Joel Robuchon - Le Souffle - Chocolate Hot Souffle
Joel Robuchon – Le Souffle – Chocolate Hot Souffle
Joel Robuchon - Chocolate and Sweets
Joel Robuchon – Chocolate and Sweets

 

All Posts, Food, Travel

Bourbon Steak Restaurant in San Francisco

Recently I was in San Francisco for a wedding and I stayed at the Westin St. Francis Hotel. It’s an old hotel, originally built in the early 1900s and had a different feel from the hotels I frequently visit in Las Vegas and also different from the other Westin hotels I’ve stayed at elsewhere. On one evening, I ate dinner at the Bourbon Steak restaurant in the Westin St. Francis. Bourbon Steak is a Michael Mina restaurant. The restaurant is very woody — meaning somewhat dark and traditional. I really didn’t know exactly what to expect but let me get to the point and say I was very pleased with my dining experience.

Before dinner I had a drink at the small bar in the restaurant. I had a glass of Volver house red wine. It was good but nothing exceptional, but the bartender, Adam, was very personable and made the pre-meal drink very nice. Before being seated in the dining room I ordered the house specialty French fries. There were three types, with three distinct seasonings and three sauces. These French fries were really good.

After I was seated in the dining room, I ordered the pan roasted halibut with crab, almonds, and fennel. On a scale of 1 to 10 I’d give the meal a solid 8. Because my friends and I had side dishes of mashed potatoes, and Michael Mina’s special black truffle mac & cheese, and sauteed spinach, the meal was more than filling.

Overall, I give Bourbon Steak restaurant by Michael Mina a strong recommendation. The prices are a bit high but I felt the environment, the service, and food were well worth the price.

Halibut
SideDishes
Candy

All Posts, Food, Travel

Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina in Vegas

Wolfgang Puck has several restaurants in Las Vegas, ranging from casual (Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill in the MGM Grand) to fine dining (Cut at the Palazzo). On my most recent trip to Vegas I ate at the Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina located in the Crystals Shopping Center right next to the Aria Hotel. I’d classify WP Cucina as a mid-range restaurant, somewhere between casual and fine dining.

I was looking forward to ordering lasagna so I could compare it to other lasagnas I’ve had in Vegas. To be honest, the lasagna at WP Cucina was a mild disappointment. It wasn’t bad by all means but it clearly didn’t come close to the lasagnas I’ve had at Sinatra (Encore Hotel) or Allegro (Wynn). The WP Cucina lasagna’s cheese was a bit too mild and soft for my taste.

I also shared an Italian Sausage pizza with Rapini, Caramelized Garlic, and Pecorino Romano. The pecorino (sheep’s cheese) and rapini (a type of broccoli) gave the pizza a very different but good taste. And it is one of my traditions to always have at least one side order of meatballs every trip, so I ordered the Grilled Meatballs, Red Pepper-Olive Ragu, Pecorino Toscano. The meatballs’ taste was also different but interesting and good. My friend had Rigatoncini (pasta), Piedmontese Meat Sauce, Parmesan, which was the best dish of the evening, and Tuscan White Bean Soup, Prosciutto, Rigatoni Pasta, that was also excellent.

All in all, I highly recommend Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina at the Crystals Shopping Center if you’re in the mood for an medium-upscale Italian restaurant in Las Vegas.

Wolfgang Puck Bread
Wolfgang Puck Bread
Wolfgang Puck Grilled Meatballs
Grilled Meatballs, Red Pepper-Olive Ragu, Pecorino Toscano
Italian Sausage pizza with Rapini, Caramelized Garlic, and Pecorino Romano
Italian Sausage pizza with Rapini, Caramelized Garlic, and Pecorino Romano
Wolfgang Puck Lasagna
Wolfgang Puck Lasagna
Rigatoncini (pasta), Piedmontese Meat Sauce, Parmesan
Rigatoncini (pasta), Piedmontese Meat Sauce, Parmesan