Il Bel Lago; St Louis, MO

The Anniversary Dinner That Wasn't Supposed to Be

**Modified from the original**

So there we were at 7PM on a Saturday night ... Jay in his three-piece suit and me in black silk crepe and high heels ... all dressed up and nowhere to go. Jay finally pulled into a parking lot, whipped out the phone, and fired up the Urban Spoon application. There wasn't any place on our side of the river that sounded appealing; the weather was foggy and rainy; there were all kinds of festivals and such going on downtown which meant access was going to be limited; and we were now overdressed.

Luckily with help from our dear friendie Chelsi we got our hands on a phone number for Il Bel Lago, which is located in Creve Coeur. I called while Jay was driving, asked if there was any availability, explained briefly what had happened, and was assured that there would be a table waiting for us by the time we arrived.

Il Bel Lago is an elegant Italian place that Jay and I have dined at before only through work functions, so it was nice for just the two of us to share a meal there together. The staff took wonderful care of us throughout the night and we really did have a terrific meal. We had some laughs along to way, too, since there was live music in their bar and we suspect there was some Karaoke. White men shouldn't try to sing Lou Rawls ... that's all I'm going to say.

We ordered a bottle of Pouilly-Fuisse to share and then got down to the serious business of eating.

Smiling Jay ...


Bendy ... with makeup?


First up was some complementary bruschetta with an herbed tomato spread. This was just delicious - grilled garlic bread with 'maters that had been lightly coated in herbed olive oil which smelled and tasted wonderful.

Bruschetta


We decided to split two appetizers: Housemade Lobster Ravioli in Cream Sherry Sauce and Beef Carpaccio. These were both really tasty - I think we both preferred the ravioli just because it was something a little different but the carpaccio was excellent, too. I have to admit that I did find myself wishing that we had a big hunk of parmigiano to gnaw on, but you can't have everything.

Lobster Ravioli


Beef Carpaccio


For our entrees Jay and I both went with specials; I chose a variation of Veal Spedini - veal pounded really thin and then rolled up with spinach, prosciutto, and fontina cheese. I have never ordered veal anything before but this sounded so good that I had to give it a try and it was fabulous! I think it could have been easy for one flavor to overpower another in this dish but it was perfectly balanced and oh-so-enjoyable.

Jason decided on the grilled halibut and it was just as good as my veal. Lightly grilled, dressed with lemon and olive oil, and as fresh as one could hope for in landlocked Stinktown ... it was delightful. We both shared back and forth and were quite happy with our choices. And not being a vegetable person, I have to give a shout out to those veggies on both our plates - they were well cooked and really flavorful.

Veal & Veggies


Veggies & Halibut


We weren't given the chance to look at a dessert menu; our server simply showed up with a complementary tiramisu and said, "We thank you for choosing to spend your anniversary with us."

Wasn't that a kind gesture?

And this tiramisu was awesome. We don't usually order it because it's too heavy and thick and sweet, but this was light and airy and plain old delectable. Turns out their pastry chef is Sicilian and she makes it the "right way." If everyone else made it like this I would order tiramisu all the time and then I would weigh 300 pounds and Jay would divorce me.

Tiramisu


Cappuccino


So ... how do I end this entry?

Well, I must give a huge shout-out to Mike and the staff at Il Bel Lago, who squeezed us in (without pushing anyone else out) and gave us a terrific meal with lovely service. We can't say enough good things about this establishment and will definitely be returning to sample their wares another time.

Le Burger Brasserie; Paris Hotel, Las Vegas

It's Le Good if You Can Le Find the Damn Le Place!

With so many other places to choose from why did Jay and I decide to have lunch at Le Burger Brasserie? If you suspect that it had something to do with their 100-ounce beer tower you would only be 97.6% correct; the other 2.4% was based on a recommendation from my parents who said the "lamburger" was quite tasty. After spending the previous evening imbibing in Red Square's vodka vault we needed some fresh air and exercise and fully enjoyed the walk from our hotel down to Paris.

We did not, however, enjoy trying to find the restaurant especially after three loops through the Paris Hotel casino / shopping district, two stops at a "YOU ARE HERE BUT WANT TO BE THERE" directory, and a run-in with a Marriott timeshare salesperson who reminded us more of a goodfella than a family-friendly resort representative. He wouldn't take no for an answer until I confessed that Mickey Mouse would break our kneecaps if we tried to purchase outside the Disney Vacation Club.

And then we ran ... without looking back ... and that's how we found the burger joint, which is actually right outside the entrance to Bally's. In fact, the receipt reads Bally's instead of Paris, so maybe it belongs to both hotels ... or neither. Perhaps it's the demilitarized zone of hamburger spots? Mmmmmmmm, a DMZ burger!!

Ceiling outside the restaurant


Interior


More interior


Happy is the couple not at work!


So what is this place supposed to be anyway? They claim it's a French take on the classic American burger bar. The problem we had with that is the Paris Hotel is an American take on a French take on France if it were in America. That means the French take on American burgers is really the American take on the French take on American burgers if France were in America or America's burgers were in France, all of which was far too confusing and contradictory for the first meal of the day. There was only one way to deal with this ... alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems!

Jay and I tried to be all American in Paris pretending that Paris was really Paris and not America, but they didn't even have the Kronenburg 1664 French beer that we ordered. At that point we threw up our hands in disgust and decided to go back to the Mother Country with a British beer. Take that, not French Paris in America pretending to be French!

Second choice beer; first class taste!


I will say this: they do have a nice variety of burgers from which to choose, including beef, chicken, salmon, and lamb. They even try to compete with Hubert Keller's Burger Bar and offer a ridiculously overpriced burger called the 777 - Kobe beef and Maine lobster with caramelized onions, brie, crispy pancetta, and 100-year aged balsamic served with a bottle of Rose Dom Perignon Champagne all for the bargain price of $777. I guess when you compare that with the $5,000 price tag on Keller's Rossini burger it is a pretty good deal, but we were not tempted. And having now eaten at both establishments I feel totally comfortable telling you that Keller's Burger Bar is the better restaurant - their burgers were bigger, tastier, and better prepared and they offer those amazing sweet potato french fries. The Paris burger joint was good, but nothing special and it just wasn't in the same league as Burger Bar, although it tried really hard and failed.

So what did we order, anyway? Jay chose Le Bleu: a beef burger with bleu cheese, bacon, and avocado.

Le Bleu, deconstructed


Le Bleu, constructed


They offer three different types of french fries, including some sampler options, so Jay and I opted for two after our server told us that the triple choice was enough fries for a party of six. We chose the Waffle Pomme Frites and Petit Pomme Frites (the other option was the Grande Pomme Frites - their version of steak fries).

Frite sampler


Waffle Pomme Frites


Petite Pomme Frites


The fries were better than we thought they would be - they were nicely seasoned and crisp without being overcooked. I especially liked the waffle fries which no one seems to offer these days because they tend to get so cold so quickly. The serving size was quite impressive - far too many fries for two people, unless they just happen to be addicted to french fries ... which we are not.

For my burger I selected Le Kobe with cheddar cheese. Nothing too out of the ordinary but it was good - not great, but good. Keller's Kobe beef burger was better and I still remember it vividly even though it's been three years since I first tasted it.

Le Kobe, deconstructed


Le Kobe, constructed


Overall Le Burger Brasserie was a decent lunchtime venue - at the end of the day it's a sports bar with semi-upscale burgers trying really hard to compete with the Burger Bar and falling a bit short. I also think it's suffering from an identity crisis ... French? American? French-American? American-French? It might just be for the best if we let the Germans take it - they've wanted Paris for a really long time.

The Lounge; MGM Signature, Las Vegas

The Lounge ... The Drinks ... and The Sliders, Oh My!

Jason and I were endlessly amused by the way certain things were named at The Signature. For example, the property doesn't just have a lounge ... it's The Lounge; each tower at the hotel doesn't just have a lobby, they have The Lobby. The Staff; The Pool; The Elevator ... you get the general idea. It's a lovely property, though, and quite conveniently located to the Strip once you realize that you can walk out the gated entrance to Harmon and are only a three-block stroll from Las Vegas Avenue.

But I digress.

On our many strolls through the interior walkway between The Signature and the MGM Grand, we noticed happy hour signage for The Lounge, which is located in Tower 1. They are open daily from 4PM - 12AM and change up their specials on a daily basis. We never seemed to make it for the early specials but did end up there twice for late-night drinks and snacks. It's a fairly small lounge but there are comfortable sofas and chairs scattered about as well as a bar with decent seating. The service was great both times we visited - the drinks and the food were worth a second visit, and that should speak for itself!

The Lounge and The Bar


The Lounge and The Television


On our first visit we both ordered a Basil Gimlet, made with Tanqueray Rangpur, Lime, and Fresh Basil. It was a thing of beauty ... well blended and refreshing. It's a drink we're going to try to re-create here at home ... as soon as we remember that we need to get our hands on some fresh basil.

Basil Gimlet


During our second visit a few nights later, I decided to order something different while Jay stuck with the Gimlet. This time I selected a Spiced Sidecar which included Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Cointreau, Fresh Sour Mix, and a Cinnamon-Sugar rim. Oh, yum! I am not much of a rum drinker but this drink has just about converted me, it was just that good.

Spiced Sidecar


And predictably, on both visits we ended up splitting The Lounge Sliders: Angus Beef, Caramelized Onions, Cheddar, Smoked Bacon, and Herb Aioli. Actually, now that I think about it, the second time around we ordered them without the onions. Either way, these sliders were delicious. The perfect late night snack cooked to order with a plateful of crispy fries to help soak up any excess booze from the evening's indulgence. We thought they were wonderfully tasty and just the right serving size for sharing. The Lounge ended up being one of our favorite discoveries on this most recent trip and we hope to visit them again in The Future!

The Sliders and The Fries


The Fries and The Sliders

Fiamma Trattoria & Bar; MGM Grand, Las Vegas

Who Needs Dinner? We're Just Going to Keep Hopping From Lounge to Lounge ...

One of the best things about staying in the MGM Grand complex was having such a wide array of fabulous eateries all housed under the same roof. Why, when we were feeling lazier than usual (and that's saying something because we're two of the laziest people you've never met) we didn't even have to venture outside and brave the natural light or desert breezes. And thus was a night of hungrily hippin' and hoppin' from one establishment to the next set in motion.

Jay and I tend to avoid Italian cuisine on vacation because it's so prevalent in Stinktown but the happy hour / lounge menu at Fiamma caught our eye, in part, because it didn't have a time limitation like many of the other MGM establishments. While there is no celebrity chef affiliated with Fiamma, the restaurant has been a 4-diamond AAA award recipient for the past four years in recognition of its traditional Italian fare and extensive wine list. Jason and I were immediately won over by their cozy fireside lounge which we had to ourselves when we first arrived. I kid you not; there was no one else there when we sat down. It was quiet and intimate and almost romantic for Vegas ... until approximately 647 drunk and disorderlies shattered the mood by joining us.

Thankfully the rapid arrival of our snacks and drinks, and a fun little table for two, distracted us from the crowd around us. Jay and I ordered two items to share: traditional meatballs with butter, sage, and white wine sauce; and a cheese and olive plate. The cheese selection included parmigiano reggiano and fontina while the olives, I was pleased to note, were segregated from my cheese and soaking in their own gacky oils.

I'm not normally a fan of meatballs but these were quite good - I think it must have been the sauce which was just lovely. I enjoyed the cheese as well but wish the restaurant would have included some balsamic vinegar for dipping. As for the drinks, they were among some of our favorites that evening and we did try quite a few while visiting four different establishments. Jason ordered an Italian Fire: Grappa, Strega, Tangerine Juice, and Moscato. He said this was a really flavorful, strong drink that would probably put hair on your butt if you drank too much. I ordered La Bomboniera: Boulard Grand Solang Calvados, Lemon, Cava, and Cinnamon. It could have been either too sweet or too tart but the bartender struck just the right balance and it was perfect - like drinking bubbly, alcoholic apple cider with a lemon kiss.

All in all this was a short but highly satisfying stop with good food and service and freaking amazing drinks. It was enjoyable enough that on our next visit to Vegas we might think about having a real dinner there ... if we don't get distracted by something else along the way!

Feed us ... more!


Why sit at the bar when you can sit at the fire?


FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!


I haven't seen a TV tray in decades!


Olives and Cheese


Traditional Meatballs


Italian Fire & La Bomboniera

SushiSamba; The Palazzo, Las Vegas

We Walked All the Way Down Here from the MGM Grand ... Give us Fish!!!

SushiSamba was on the digestive radar last year but we ran out of time and stomach space. I was determined that we would try it on this visit, in part because it receives pretty good reviews and also because the idea of Japanese-Latin American fusion is just too weird and funky to pass up. But in the interests of full disclosure I must confess to you that SushiSamba was our second lunch choice on this day - we actually planned to stop at Carnevino and take advantage of their lunch special which included two tall, strong, alki-holic drinks with a big meaty burger of some kind. Much to our chagrin, after walking all the way down the strip to gorge on meat, meat, meatily-meat, we discovered that Mario Battali and crew had done away with their great mid-day deal.

Woe! Woe! Woe!

Woe to the lovers of meat; to the thirsty; the famished, and weary of feet!

And so we told Carnevino to cram it with walnuts and went in search of culinary delights at SushiSamba where the most dizzying selection of food and boozes was just waiting to be discovered. The menu is a blend of Brazilian, Peruvian, and Japanese influences; initially it seemed like a disaster waiting to happen but the restaurant has a talented, clever culinary staff and their food and beverage selections were bold and playful with terrific taste profiles. We had a fantastic lunch experience that was one of the highlights of our week in Vegas.

Follow the signs ...you know you want to!


The restaurant wasn't busy at all when Jay and I arrived and we were seated immediately. The decor was designed to evoke Carnaval but to be honest I thought it was just kind of confusing; it was certainly colorful and spacious and interesting, but the visual mix of Rio and Japan just didn't work for me. There were also large projections being shown on some of the walls but Jay and I couldn't make much sense of them and wished that a good Godzilla rampage would have been shown instead.

Restaurant interior


Ambiance ... that's what this is!


As always on a warm day in Vegas, one must begin the lunching hour with refreshment of an alcoholic nature. I ordered a Caipirinha (Leblon Cachaca, lime, and sugar with muddled fresh fruit) and Jason ordered a Chu-Cumber (Shochu, St. Germain, and cucumber). My drink was good - tart and refreshing - but it was so full of fruit that I really felt like I'd ended up with a glass of limes. The Caipirinha, by the way, is actually the national cocktail of Brazil while Cachaca is the country's most common distilled alcoholic beverage. I have to say, however, that Jay won round one in the drink wars - his drink had the better name and was chock full of boozie goodness. Wondering what the heck Shochu is? It's a smooth, white spirit from Japan that is often compared to vodka although its production is similar to that of sake.

This concludes today's booze lesson; go forth and find your own interesting and unpronounceable beverages to share with the world at large!

Chu-Cumber & Caipirinha


SushiSamba had a wide variety of appetizers and small plates to choose from that included items like edamame, sawagani (flash fried Japanese river crabs), seaweed salad, green bean tempura, salt and pepper squid, and much much more. Jason and I decided on the crispy taquitos and had one of each: Maine Lobster Taquito with lemongrass, frisee, and hearts of palm; and Yellowtail Ceviche Taquito with shiso, avocado, and roasted corn miso. These were both tasty but very sloppy to eat - I always assumed taquitos were rolled up in a neat cylinder yet this presentation was much more reminiscent of a taco. If we are fortunate enough to dine here again I think I'd like to order something along the lines of tuna tataki or berkshire pork goya, both of which sounded just as delicious as our taquitos.

East meets West via the taquito


For fish gorging Jay and I ordered two rolls - the Carnival Roll and the Bobo Brazil Roll - as well as a chef's sushi surprise called the Samba Sushi. The Carnival included shrimp, avocado, yellowtail tartare, and rice paper while the Bobo Brazil incorporated seared Kobe beef, avocado, kaiware, shiso, red onion, and chimichurri. The Samba Sushi included a mouth-watering selection of nigiri sushi and an amazing roll called the Green Envy which combined tuna, salmon, asparagus, wasabi-pea crust, and aji amarillo-key lime mayo.

Holy Mother of Fish Mongering! This was some of the best sushi we've had in a long time and we loved the creativity of the various roll selections. Some of them were a bit on the spicy side for me but they all had wonderful flavor and were so fresh! The Carnival was my favorite but the Bobo was right behind ... how can you go wrong with a Kobe beef sushi roll???

Samba Sushi Platter: Green Envy Roll & Nigiri


Bobo Brazil and Carnival Rolls


Jay and I were having such a good time at our leisurely lunch that we decided to order a second round of drinks - SushiSamba's cocktail menu is really fun and they also have a very extensive sake menu. I won the second round in drink wars with my selection: The Beijo which was Cruzan Rum, St. Germain, Canton Ginger Liqueur, muddled raspberries, and a Cava float. It was a beautiful, girly drink with a floating flower but don't let that fool you - this drink was seriously potent and not at all too sweet. Jason chose The Palmia for his second beverage which included Silver Tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and muddled mint. It was good but for all intents and purposes nothing more than a margarita with some mint leaves.

The Beijo


The Palmia


We didn't need dessert; I'm pretty sure we didn't even want dessert, but I'm a sucker for the dessert menu and that's how we ended up ordering Rosca, homemade doughnuts with chocolate-hazelnut dipping sauce. The presentation was charming and the doughnuts were phenomenal - similar in consistency to a cake donut but they were made with a cornmeal mixture and then covered with glaze. I actually preferred the doughnuts without the chocolate dipping sauce, which I thought made them overly sweet, but either way they were yummy in our tummies!

Rosca, is there anything they can't do?


We thoroughly enjoyed our extended lunch at SushiSamba and look forward to the day when we can once more sweep the seas clean in their dining room. The restaurant's menu is so extensive and tempting that it begs another visit for Full Belly Achieved!

Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina; CityCenter, Las Vegas

Mr. Puck, You Continues to Make the Food What Satisfies My Gutworm!

This may be the Puck's newest addition to his Vegas restaurant portfolio - it's located in Crystals, which is the uber-upscale shopping mall inside CityCenter. Aside from the lounge area, seating is primarily open to the mall so that patrons can eat and drink and people watch simultaneously. Maybe that's how it works in the evenings after the drunken club-hoppers crawl out of the woodwork, but at lunchtime there's not much to look at other than a bunch of stores that people like us can't afford to shop at even when there's a 50%-off sale.

That's OK, though; we'd rather food watch. And that's just what we did, ogling the selections of a couple seated next to us and then going so far as to ask their opinion of the pizzas they were having for lunch. We ended up ordering something similar to what they were sharing and they were spot on with their recommendation.

The drink menu had some interesting selections but I decided to play it safe because we had double dinner plans later in the day and I didn't want to upset the gutworm. I chose the house made sangria with red wine, brandy, and fresh fruit - it was lovely and refreshing! Jason, on the advice of our sever, ordered an Italian beer called Nuova Mattina. He told us that this was a Saison, or farmhouse ale, and that it was very hard to find. The beer had a gorgeous golden color and a clean, slightly spicy flavor with an herbal aroma - we both thought it was terrific. And that server of ours wasn't kidding - it's extremely hard to find, at least here in Stinktown where I have already exhausted every resource in trying to get my hands on some for Jay's upcoming birthday. Apparently no one around here has heard of it ... or they are lying and just don't want to share!

Sangria


Nuova Mattina - Italian Artisan Beer


We wants it ... we needs it!


For food we shared the Insalata Mista which included fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, and shaved parmesan cheese. It was fresh and tasty but they used a heavy hand with the vinaigrette which made the salad much more oily than I prefer. Jay and I also shared an Italian Meat Pizza which included pepperoni, salami, sopresatta, and sweet peppers. This was the perfect size for sharing and absolutely delicious! We've never tried any of Puck's pizza efforts but after eating this I understand why people like them so much - it was a great blend of flavors and the sweet peppers really finished it off well.

Insalata Mista


Italian Meat Pizza


For a quick, tasty lunch before heading back to the hotel and an afternoon at the pool, Puck's Pizzeria and Cucina was the perfect stop - portions large enough to share that also provided great taste. And we had the extra bonus of walking away with a new beer quest thanks to our server's suggestion to try the Nuova Mattina. Puck continues to be one of our vacation dining stand-bys ... his cuisine is tasty and reliable and always leaves the gutworm smiling!