Craftsteak (Mashantucket, CT/Foxwoods Resort Casino)

I was really excited to try Craftsteak, one of the Craft family of restaurants owned by celebrity chef (and "head judge" of Bravo's Top Chef franchise) Tom Colicchio, and arguably the flagship restaurant of the MGM Grand at Foxwoods; sadly, I ended up a little disappointed by the food.  That is not to say that the food was bad, or even mediocre; in fact, it was quite good, but when eating at a restaurant owned by someone who is supposed to be among the masters of the steak world, I really expected something transcendent.

The bar at Craftsteak

I sat at the bar, which, while dimly lit, is a pretty decent atmosphere to grab a drink or a bite to eat if you do not feel it necessary to sit in a fancy dining room; there is a flat screen television in the middle of it that was playing the Red Sox game, and the chairs are relatively comfortable.  The darkness wasn't a huge problem for me,  but if you don't have good eyes, it probably would be a bit too dark to easily read the menu; I can guarantee that my grandparents would not be able to read in that light.

Spinach salad with bacon and blue cheese

I went with the prix fixe menu, which includes a salad, a choice of two entrees, and a choice of two desserts.  The salad, consisting primarily of spinach, was the highlight of the meal, with cubes of crispy bacon a centimeter across, some Bayley Hazen blue cheese from the Cellars at Jasper Hill, and some kind of delicious dressing that I could not quite identify.  The bacon was spectacular, salty and succulent, and the cheese was great, with a sweeter taste than most blues, but with that classic flavor you associate with the variety.  There were also balls of what I think may have been confit pearl onions, which were pretty tasty, as well as some hard-boiled egg that did not really add anything.  This was a good example of what a salad can be; not something you eat just because you need some green vegetables, but a legitimately good, major part of a meal.  With the salad came a small skillet of "Parker House" rolls, which are pretty boring with the exception of the fleur de sel sprinkled over the top.

The entrees were a Scottish Salmon with spring garlic and fava beans or a Filet Mignon with black garlic and confit potatoes.  Figuring it was a steakhouse, I went with the filet; it was a pretty big

Filet Mignon with black garlic and confit potatoes

piece, considering the $45 price of the prix fixe, and it was reasonably well cooked, but for some reason, they slice it for you!  I do not get this; why would you take a beautiful piece of meat and cut it into pieces?  It makes the filet look terrible on the plate, like it has been mangled, and does not add anything to it as far as enjoying the meal.  That said, it tasted fine, though it was a little chewy for a filet; I do not know if this is an issue with the quality of the meat or what, but it was nowhere near as good texturally as the filet at David Burke Prime.  The potatoes were great, as was that black sauce you can see drizzled around the plate, but that was not enough to make up for the fact that the filet was lacking.

Raspberry Rosé and Mango sorbets

The dessert options are a Chocolate Espresso Tart or two scoops of your selection from a dozen or so ice creams or sorbets.  I went with the Raspberry Rosé and Mango sorbets, which were both good, but the mango far, far outstripped the raspberry.  The raspberry was a little bit too tart, giving me a pretty nasty canker sore, but the mango was spectacular, probably the best sorbet I have had in many years, and equal to most ice creams.  It was similar in texture to a good gelato, though clearly without the same level of fat content, which was fine with me.

Mystic Bridge IPA

With the meal I had the Mystic Bridge IPA, one of four beers on tap, from Cottrell Brewing Company, a Connecticut brewery that has some pretty well regarded beers on BeerAdvocate, including this one.  I was not paying a huge amount of attention to the beer, quite honestly, focusing more on the food, but it was quite good, a really solid IPA, though admittedly it did not stand out to me.  I would love to pick up a six pack of it to really get a better idea of where its strong and weak points are.

Overall, it seems like the restaurant makes an effort to keep things relatively local where they can, including the beers, the cheese, and some other produce.  This is a distinct positive in my mind, but at the same time, if they cannot make the overall quality of the meal stand up to that of the ingredients, then it is a waste.  I would absolutely choose Burke Prime over Craftsteak if I were eating at Foxwoods, and it would not be a difficult decision at all.

******

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Jasper White's Summer Shack (Uncasville, CT/Mohegan Sun)

I have mentioned in the past that Mohegan Sun is a veritable dining wasteland in comparison to it's primary competitor, Ledyard's Foxwoods Resort Casino, a building that houses numerous fine places to grab a delicious bite to eat; Jasper White's Summer Shack's Mohegan location is one of the few exceptions to that.  Offering fresh seafood and a few other, primarily southern inspired, entrees to their customers, the Summer Shack is not up to the level of a David Burke Prime Steakhouse or Craftsteak, but it is a good place to grab a beer and something to eat during a night at the casino.

I have had some truly fantastic meals at the Summer Shack, including their fried chicken, which took forever to make but was, as the waitress assured me when she overheard me gripe about the wait, absolutely worth the time, and the gumbo was superb, especially the time I didn't make the mistake of ordering it with the jerk sauce mixed in...oh, my, god.  Tears of pain just remembering that.  Delicious though.  Just ask my buddy Joe.

On my most recent trip, I tried a special, seared sea scallops with mashed potatoes and roasted brussel's sprouts.  Each meal begins with a soft roll and a piece of corn bread served with some soft whipped butter; both are fine, nothing special, but a good way to start dinner.  The scallops, though perfectly cooked, with a nice sear on one side, were essentially flavorless; only the pieces of fatty bacon added some real flavor to the primary part of the dish.  The potatoes were fantastic, but it's not a really good thing when the side is better than the main part of the meal.  Sadly, the brussel's sprouts did not match up well with the potatoes, as they were boring, not that well cooked, and lacking seasoning.  They were, in fact, reminiscent of the brussel's sprouts I remember having eaten as a kid; aka, the reason I didn't actually like them until a couple years ago.  The best thing I can say about this entree was that it was all very fresh tasting, but that's just not enough to make me happy.  It was definitely not worth the nearly $30 the dinner cost (including beer, of course), and I was thankful that I had some bonus points from the casino to pay for most of it.

Overall, I actually do recommend this restaurant, I simply had a poor meal there; this was a first, and I suspect it will not happen again.  Order the right things, and you'll be fine.  The beer list is a disappointment most of the time, offering primarily crap (you know, Bud Light and such) on tap, but there's also usually a Harpoon IPA or similar in there, so you'll be fine in the end.  Vegetarians...uh...good luck.

******

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Bobby's Burger Palace (Uncasville, CT/Mohegan Sun)

Exterior view of the menu boards

Bobby's Burger Palace is Bobby Flay's semi-upscale, semi-old school style burger bar, with twelve locations in five states and the District of Columbia, including one at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, CT.  Among the largest casinos in the world, Mohegan Sun has many fine features, but quite simply, food is not their focus, so when I go, I tend to have trouble finding decent food other than an old stand-by, Jasper White's Summer Shack, which closes by 11:00pm Sunday through Thursday.  Since I was there on a Wednesday and hungry around midnight, I figured a burger was my best option.  I had been to BBP once before, and wasn't displeased by the burger I had, though it was unremarkable to the point that I can't remember what I ate the first time; it may have been the Bobby Blue Burger, consisting of a patty with blue cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato.  The pistachio shake I had was by far the best part, but even that wasn't perfect, as it was slightly bitter and a little overpowering.  Thankfully, this was a much better, and more memorable experience. 

Napa Valley Burger (I couldn't resist taking a couple bites) and sweet potato fries

I chose the Napa Valley Burger this time, which is a certified Angus beef patty with fresh goat cheese, watercress, and Meyer lemon honey mustard, along with an order of sweet potato fries, that come with a honey mustard horseradish sauce.  The burger, ordered (and served) rare, was fantastic, almost as good as the burger from Burger Bar in Las Vegas, failing to match up only because the bun was nothing special and the meat was just not quite as high quality as at Hubert Keller's restaurant.  The beef was solid, however, with good flavor, and it held together nicely.  The cheese, strong but not overwhelming, was perfectly creamy and demonstrated exactly why chevre tends to be my cheese of choice, as it really compliments most other ingredients without taking over.  The watercress was a background ingredient, and worked essentially the same as any other green would have, but it's a nice change of pace from iceberg lettuce.  The least successful part was the sauce, not because it didn't taste good (it was pretty awesome, actually), but because it was just too messy.  I think a burger should be messy, but when almost as much sauce ends up on the plate afterwards as stayed on the burger, not to mention carrying off some of the cheese with it, there is a problem.  The sauce wasn't complicated, really just a thinned out honey mustard with a nice citrus bite, but quite tasty; if they had made sure it was a little thicker I think it would have been virtually perfect. 

The sweet potato fries were really good, but not so good that after trying to put the burger down and make a dent in the (rather large) cup they came in, I had two and then finished the burger.  The fries were crispier than I have ever seen with sweet potato fries before, covered in a visible amount of kosher salt, which I was worried would lead to them tasting over-salted, but only a few, which were completely doused in salt, were.  The honey mustard horseradish sauce was good, simple like the sauce on the burger, but instead of a bit of a citrus bite, there was instead the sinus clearing spice of horseradish, which could have been stronger but is likely designed to not offend people who are less accustomed to that particular root.  I also used the chipotle bar-b-que, one of about five sauces that are placed at every table, and this spicy sauce went perfectly with the slightly sweet and salty flavors of the fries.  You get a rather large serving of fries, which I could easily have split with someone else and not been left wanting.

So, overall, I had a really good meal, for a pretty reasonable price ($7.75 for the burger, $3.00 for the fries, and I went with water since I had to drive home), that makes me think either my first trip was an aberration or that I just picked the wrong thing that time.  I will likely return to BBP at some point, and it's worth trying if you're at Mohegan or near one of their other locations.  That said, however, if given other options, I probably would choose something else, partially because the burger is not that much better than most, and also because I find Bobby Flay to be a bit of an asshole.  I watch a lot Food Network, on which he is omnipresent, and I am constantly struck by just how poorly he treats people, both those who work for him and those around him.  He is a showman who puts on a good face most of the time, but he consistently lets his true colors out, and they are not positive at all.  If his food was far and away better than everything else, I'd probably find a way to ignore that completely, but with it being very good, but not great, I always end up just thinking about how little I want to put more money into his pocket; too bad Mohegan doesn't have better options available.

******

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Chimay Blue Cap Grande Reserve/David Burke Prime Steakhouse 3

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*****

So apparently a trip David Burke Prime Steakhouse is my new post poker tournament ritual, making getting knocked out by idiots who don't know math or strategy rather more palatable.  I try to pick new things each time I go, having the bartender (I always sit at the bar) make suggestions on the food.  I pick my own booze, but I have gotten a "thumbs up" on the choices I make each time.  I have had the same bartender, "Tim" each time, and he has yet to steer me wrong.

Chimay Blue Grand Reserve, in a wine glass

Having thoroughly enjoyed my first experience with Chimay Brewery beer, I decided to go with it again, trying the Blue Cap Grande Reserve despite its (extremely) hefty price-tag.  At $25 for a 750ml (aka wine) bottle, it is definitely not a beer for the cheap, but it's honestly almost like drinking four beers, at just over 25oz and 9% alcohol, and it really isn't a bad deal if you think about it that way.  A light (in feel, not flavor), slightly sweet, crisp beer, it was a great choice.  My first impression was it just flat out looks good, with a rich caramel color, which is actually borne out in the taste, and a thick, tall head that slowly dissipates into a light lace that covers the entire surface of the remaining beer, rather than simply clinging to the edges.  It smells of fruit and grain (as beer should), and you can taste just a hint of caramel and fruit in the beer.  This ordinarily would not be something I'd be interested in, as I despise most "sweet" beers, but this is no Blueberry Beer or Raspberry Hefeweisen; it is a hefty, strong, beer that is a perfect example of why Trappist monks are so famous for the goods they sell.  Despite its high alcohol content, for someone who is looking to try some higher quality beers this may be a good introduction; it is not the least bit bitter, and the alcohol does not come through...at least until you finish the whole bottle and then wonder why the damn hallway keeps moving!  Really though, this is one of the best beers I have ever had, and highly recommend it.

Double-Cut Maple Pepper Bacon Strips

For dinner I once again went with the prix fixe menu, as it really is a great deal and I figured the beer was expensive enough.  At Tim's suggestion, I tried the Double-Cut Maple Pepper Bacon Strips, three giant strips that are probably five times thicker than standard bacon, served rather cleverly hanging from what looked like a tiny clothesline.  It is a huge portion, and I felt pretty well stuffed after finishing it, but I wouldn't change a thing.  Glazed with maple syrup, it was sweet, fatty, and succulent, leaving me craving more in spite of my stomach's protestations to the contrary.  The pink peppercorns are a bit heavily applied, and I brushed most aside, but they added both a nice snappy bite and a really great peppery flavor, without the overly spicy taste of a full corn of black pepper.  I would like to try making this at some point, because quite honestly I don't think it would be difficult; it seems to just be slow cooked pork belly, but exceptionally well done.  Once I get through all the options on the appetizer menu (I've only got three more to go among the prix fixe choices) I'll definitely be coming back to this.

Braised Short Rib Stroganoff

Since I had yet to try it, Tim suggested the Braised Short Rib Stroganoff, which was offered topped by a truffle sour cream that was to die for.  The short rib itself was slow braised and falling apart, but after the the short rib at Bouchon Bistro, it was hard to appreciate this one.  It was certainly tasty, but it was a little dry, and lacked the absurdly rich flavor of Bouchon's; maybe it's unreasonable to expect anything else to match up to a Thomas Keller creation, but it's very tough not to compare the two.  The rest of the dish was more successful for me, with housemade (I presume) cavatelli, succulent wild mushrooms, and, again, the truffle sour cream.  The cavatelli had just the right amount of tooth, and were perfectly dense, so as not to feel overwhelmed by the creamy, beefy sauce it swam in.  The mushrooms were not remotely overcooked, a problem I think most of us have encountered at restaurants (and our own homes, for that matter), instead maintaining their natural plumpness.  The sour cream was coolly refreshing with a rich creaminess that only added to the sauce.

For dessert I didn't pick something new, since the only option I hadn't had was a chocolate cake thing that quite honestly doesn't interest me in the least, sticking with the last trip's success and the crème brûlée, which was just as good as last time.

There was one negative to this trip, as the couple sitting to my right at the bar were exceptionally loud, profane, verbally abusive towards each other and the staff, and quite simply offensive.  I don't mind profanity (in fact, my friends would inform you that I'm quite a big fan of it at times) but this was not only overboard, it was really uncomfortable, including references to physical violence between them that I'm pretty sure foreshadowed the remainder of their evening together.  I asked Tim's partner, a lovely young woman who along with the remainder of the staff, was forced to put up with their verbal abuses and rudeness, if they were regulars, and she said that not only are they there at least once or twice a week, this behavior was normal, or even good for them.  The manager came around to ask how my meal was, and I asked him about it as well; he said they can't really do much since the two are "high rollers," so be aware this could be an issue for you.  If so...good luck.

Las Vegas Trip 2

I was in Las Vegas, NV for the second time in about a month for my mother's 60th birthday (or as she'd want me to put it, the 32nd time she's celebrated her 29th birthday).  This time I really didn't do much but eat, which is pretty much fine by me; after all, that's what Las Vegas is good for if you don't feel like doing much gambling.  I arrived on Friday evening, and left Monday morning, and in that short four days I ate some very good food.

Friday Night
On Friday night after arriving, I went straight to d.vino,  a moderately fancy Italian restaurant at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino.  This was probably the worst meal I had with the family, though it wasn't bad at all.  We started with the Shrimp and Artichokes appetizer, which had probably the best artichokes I have ever had, with perfectly cooked hearts cooked in a lot of butter, tender but with a little bit of "tooth" to it, and it was clearly very fresh produce.  The shrimp were cooked properly, but lacked flavor despite supposedly being butter braised as well, being overshadowed by the artichokes.  I tried a little salad that my mom ordered, the d.Vino Salad, which was pretty good, but nothing special, certainly nothing compared to the salad I had the next night.  My cousin's Roasted Beet Salad, on the other hand, was fantastic, the beets perfectly roasted and the goat cheese combining nicely. 

Seafood risotto; those little balls are the confit tomatoes

For an entree, I had Seafood Risotto, which was only okay; while it was creamy, it appeared to be more from using heavy cream than the actual cooking process of the rice contributing to the texture.  Essentially, they appeared to add a lot of fat unnecessarily instead of taking the time to do it properly; I could be wrong, but that was my impression of the dish.  The shrimp, clams, mussels and calamari were all really well cooked, which was nice, but they didn't have a huge amount of flavor, nor did the confit tomatoes. 

Panna Cotta

My dessert choice was the Panna Cotta, which tasted a little weak, but having never had it before I don't know if that's normal or not.  It was served with a couple raspberries and a raspberry sauce drizzled on it, though not enough to make any real difference in the taste or overall experience.  I enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't recommend it.

The most disappointing thing was the beer; I was excited when I arrived to find that my brother had ordered a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, among my favorites, but upon ordering it I was informed that the keg was empty.  I instead ended up with a Full Sail Brewing beer, that may have been their IPA, but certainly didn't taste like one.  This was one of the worst craft beers I have ever had, having almost no flavor whatsoever.  This was equivalent to Bud Light, but three times the price.  Avoid at all costs.

After dinner we went to see Blue Man Group, who I also saw several years ago in Boston.  I was completely exhausted, having barely slept in the previous 24 hours, but it was quite fun, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has a chance to see them.

Saturday
I spent Saturday with my brother, watching football mostly after sleeping for a solid ten hours (don't judge, it was great), and we grabbed lunch at some Chinese/Vietnamese combination restaurant, that also had a couple of Thai dishes.  I went with pho, which was good, though honestly, it's kind of hard to mess up.  He had some approximation of pad thai that he thought was only okay.  Thankfully, this was just the beginning of the day's meals.

My mom's scallop dish; perfectly seared scallops

Saturday night was when we officially celebrated my mother's birthday (which was actually on Wednesday), going to The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino for dinner at Bouchon Bistro, a Thomas Keller creation, one of three of the same name.  My mom and step-dad had eaten at the Yountville, CA restaurant a few years ago and loved it, so she felt this would be the perfect choice.  There were eight of us in all: my mother, step-father, my mom's first cousin, my uncle, aunt and cousin, and of course me and my brother.  The restaurant experience was incredible, from the food to the atmosphere to the decoration to the service, it was impeccable.  The only complaint anyone could make was that the restaurant was a little dark, though this was not a problem for me.  Our waitress, Julie, was wonderful, funny and engaging, and really making the overall experience perfect. 

My step-father and I split the Salade Maraîchère au Chèvre Chaud, with mixed greens, herbes de Provence, and goat cheese with a red wine vinaigrette.  It is pretty simple to make a good salad, but tremendously difficult to make a great one.  This was a great salad, with incredibly fresh greens, bright and vibrant, with a perfect little disc of goat cheese, really high quality product, presented beautifully atop the mixed greens.

Short ribs

There were two specials that night, one with seared scallops that my mother ordered, and was perfectly cooked and delicious, and a slow braised short rib dish that I ordered. Braised for 12-14 hours according to Julie, the short ribs were fork tender, with a deep, rich beef flavor that was only enhanced by the braising liquid on the plate.  Those little white balls are confit chestnuts, which I could not identify while I was eating them, but which were really quite nice, with a woody, earthy quality that is unique to them but quite pleasant.  There were also bits of roasted quince that reminded me of pear, but rather less crunchy; very tasty.  The short ribs were placed upon a nice pile of wilted collard greens that tasted great with the braising liquid.  As good as all this was (and the short ribs were the best I've ever had, by far) the best part was what they labeled a "pain perdu," though this was a bit of a play on the term.  It was really more of a savory bread pudding, only very slightly sweet, with a flavor that almost reminded me of really good pumpkin pie (you know, not the stuff from a can), with some cinnamon flavor really coming through.  I don't think I could even ever hope to replicate it, but I would love to find a recipe.

French fries

We also ordered a side of frites, or french fries.  They don't look like anything particularly impressive, but they were incredible.  Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, with just the right amount of salt.  I'm not sure what they were fried in, but it was a stronger flavor than normal fries, and there was no greasiness.

Crème Caramel

For dessert I ordered the Crème Caramel, a classic caramel custard that was, to keep up the trend, perfect.  Smooth, gelatinous, and a little creamy, with just a mild caramel flavor, and not too much sweetness.  Among my favorite desserts of all, this was really quite fantastic, and I highly recommend it. 

The beer list wasn't bad at Bouchon, though their focus is clearly on the wine list.  I went with the Chimay Trippel, a fantastic trappist ale that I enjoyed for the first time.  Mild, slightly hoppy, with a nice citrusy flavor, served in a goblet like glass bearing the Chimay name.  This was a great beer to have with this meal, as it complemented the short ribs nicely but was not so strong as to overwhelm even the salad.

Sunday
Sunday was a fairly lazy day as well, which consisted mostly of my step-dad and I reading by the pool (until it got cold) and wandering around CityCenter and checking out some of the many shops containing clothes we could never afford (including an $8700 leather jacket at Kiton that my step-dad wanted until I told him the price, and a $4400 Ermenegildo Zegna wool jacket that I may have considered selling my car to buy), before grabbing a beer and some food at the Aria Resort and Casino (also home to the previously reviewed Julian Serrano, where my family went on Thursday night...I am still displeased with them for that) where the family was staying.

After wandering around CityCenter, my step-dad and I adjourned to the wine bar at Sirio Ristorante, another moderately fancy Italian restaurant not entirely dissimilar to d.vino.  They have a "happy hour" menu from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, which includes "cheap" (it's a relative word) drinks and small plate options.

For beer I went with a Birra Moretti Lager (picture on right), a beer similar to that old standby Stella Artois, extremely crisp and light, with no hops to speak of.  The head dissipates quickly, like a lot of these super light beers, and there was no aftertaste.  This was nothing to write home about, but if it weren't imported (aka, expensive) it would be a great session beer.

There were five options for food (mozzarella bites, pork cheeks and tomato bruschetta, salted cod croquette, chicken meatballs, and spinach and ricotta ravioli), and we picked three initially.  Once the rest of the group arrived we ended up having all five.

All three of the original "bites" from Sirio's wine bar

The pork cheeks and tomato bruschetta were amazing, with thin, crisp slices of baguette topped with fresh tomato and slices of fried pork cheek that were incredibly salty, fatty, and crisp.  It was a little too fatty for my step-dad, but I loved it; after all, fat is flavor, right?  It was my favorite of the night.

Better view of the ravioli

The ravioli, which came in a sage butter sauce, were unremarkable, less impressive than the similar ravioli my mother occasionally makes from scratch.  They tasted fine, but I really doubt there was anything homemade about them.  There was a nice earthiness that almost tasted of mushroom, but that is really it.

The chicken meatballs in a tomato-Gorgonzola fonduta were more successful, as they were still moist, with a mild chicken flavor that really should have been stronger, but was pleasant nonetheless.  The fonduta was the best part, tasting (and looking) rather more like a roasted red pepper sauce than tomato, but was really fantastic, with just the right amount of salt imparted by the cheese.  These were a great option.

The mozzarella bites were nothing special, with virtually tasteless cheese on skewers with delicious oven roasted tomato and some basil pesto.  The salted cod croquettes were better, crispy and moist, and the puttanesca coulis was nice for dipping.  It did not match up with the pork cheeks, but it was pretty darn good.

We ended up having dinner at Sirio as well, which had a slightly better result than the bar food.  I went with the gnocchi, served in a very heavy green sauce that I can't really describe too well.  The gnocchi were fine, having a good flavor, but they were a bit too light.  I know that lightness is a virtue in gnocchi, but these had almost no substance to them, and a little more density would have been nice.  Dessert was a platter of small Italian doughnuts, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, and served with three dipping sauces.  Happy Birthday was written out in chocolate on the side of the platter.  These were actually pretty awesome, though a little overly sweet with the sauces, which included a caramel sauce and a "tropical" sauce (aka, lemon).  Overall, this was not my favorite meal, but it wasn't the worst either, and I would not object to going back, though there are certainly better options both in the Aria and in the surrounding casinos.

******

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David Burke Prime Steakhouse (Mashantucket, CT/Foxwoods Resort Casino) Trip 2

One side of Prime Steakhouse's bar

I apparently lack originality, since I'll be talking about the same restaurant twice in as many posts, but I went back to David Burke Prime Steakhouse on Thursday, again as part of a trip to play poker at Foxwoods.  I again sat at the bar, and had the same bartender, who was as superlative as last time, and the food held up nicely again.

Widmer Brothers Pitch Black IPA

I went with the prix fixe again, but chose entirely different options for everything except my drink option, going with Widmer Brothers Pitch Black IPA.  This was less of a perfect choice this time, as I went with the Lobster Bisque for the appetizer and the "Angry" Filet and Jumbo Shrimp for the entree, and it sort of overwhelmed the filet.

Popover with butter

I forgot to mention last time that the meal comes with a large popover, with a healthy dose of pepper in the batter, which is apparent both visually and flavor-wise, and really separates the popover from most others I've had.  They're all good, but Burke's are pretty damn great.  Served with butter, it is a great start to the meal, a light, crispy, savory pastry that also worked well with the bisque.

Lobster Bisque with "crisp lobster stick"

The Lobster Bisque was pretty damn good, with all the richness and creaminess you would expect from a good bisque, and little chunks of lobster floating in it.  There are few things I enjoy more than a good bisque, and Burke does a really nice job with it.  It's a lovely, deep, rich flavor, and you can clearly taste the lobster in every spoonful, something that is just not true in a lower quality product.  The lobster tasted really fresh, which is exactly what I'd expect from a place that prides itself on high quality products.  The menu states that the soup has a "green apple essence" in it, which you can't really taste, though there is a tartness to it that could be from that.  It also comes with what they call a "crisp lobster stick," which is really a stick of lobster in a tempura batter.  It's a little doughy, but that's actually not a bad thing in this case, as the doughiness allows it soak up the bisque if you dip it, which of course I did.  It was actually a really pleasant surprise, seeing as I hadn't actually read the menu this time and didn't know it was going to be there.  Dipping the popover in the soup was pretty great as well.  Overall, a really nice, albeit heavy, appetizer, which went exceptionally well with the bitterness of the beer.

"Angry" Filet and Jumbo Shrimp, with garlic spinach

The "Angry" Filet and Jumbo Shrimp included a perfect 6oz filet mignon crusted with what can only be described as a mild blackening rub, two legitimately jumbo shrimp, and a little pile of garlic spinach.  The filet was cooked rare, and was exceptionally tender, with a nice beefy flavor accented perfectly by the spice rub, which had a little bit of spice, though a little more would have been welcome.  The shrimp were also mildly spicy, with a glaze that had an east Asian flair to it that the menu labels as "chipotle bbq," but they were just slightly overcooked, becoming a tiny bit tougher than I prefer my shrimp to be.  That said, it was very tasty, again lacking the overall spice that I look for in something like this, but certainly tasty.  The spinach, however, was the highlight, with a light garlic-y flavor, perfectly wilted leaves, and a healthy dose of fat clearly having been used in the cooking; it was delicious, exactly what I look for when I eat a green of any variety.  The flavor of the spinach was still there, something that isn't guaranteed when you cook it to the point that it's extremely soft and almost melts in your mouth, and it balanced nicely with the meatiness of the beef and shrimp.  I do wish I had gone with wine instead of beer, however, as the flavors were a bit milder in this entree than in the prime rib, and the heaviness and strength of the Pitch Black IPA was a bit overpowering.

Crème brûlée

For dessert I went with the crème brûlée, and this was quite well done.  Soft, creamy, a perfect custard underneath a crisp sugar crust, it was light enough at the end of a good meal to not make me feel sick, but with a strong enough flavor to not be lost in the mix.  I love simple classics, and vanilla crème brûlée certainly qualifies.  When prepared properly, it's a wonderful thing, and this was the perfect end to a good meal.

David Burke Prime Steakhouse's bar, from outside

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David Burke Prime Steakhouse (Mashantucket, CT/Foxwoods Resort Casino) and Widmer Brothers Pitch Black IPA

David Burke Prime Steakhouse is exactly what its name implies; a top of the line steakhouse utilizing the recipes of America's king of steak.  Along with Tom Colicchio of Top Chef and Craft Restaurants fame, David Burke is at the top of the steak-centric restaurant world, and I have been dying to try Burke Prime for a couple years, ever since I started playing poker at Foxwoods Resort Casino, but hadn't had a chance.  Burke Prime is pretty damn expensive typically, but with Foxwoods rewards points I was able to cut the bill in half before tip.

I arrived fairly early in the evening, around 5:30pm, having busted out of a poker tournament.  Needing something to perk me up, I decided to treat myself to a nice dinner, and I'm quite glad I did, as this was some of the best food I've ever had.  As I didn't feel like spending $150, I went with the three course prix fixe menu, which for $50, allows you to choose from six appetizers (French Onion Soup, Lobster Bisque, Double-cut Maple Pepper Bacon Strips, Clams Casino, Surf and Turf Dumplings, and the Mixed Green Salad), four entrees (Slow Roasted Prime Rib, "Angry" Filet Mignon and Jumbo Shrimp, Braised Short Rib "Stroganoff Steak," and Grilled Salmon), and the various desserts on the menu (I suspect the "Can 'O' Cake," the restaurant's signature dessert, is not available).  I would like to have had the chance to try the Himalayan Salt Dry Aged Steaks, aged using a proprietary process that he has even managed to patent, but I wasn't in the mood to spend $65 for a steak; following a tournament win, I'm sure that will change.

The beer list was at once disappointing (the draughts) and promising (the bottles), and the beer I initially was going to go with, an IPA on draught I had never heard of before, had actually just run out, but I was changing my mind even as the bartender informed me of that.  I instead went with the Widmer Brothers Pitch Black IPA, a 6.5% "black IPA" or "black ale" offered in 12oz and 22oz bottles (I went with the latter, of course, which my waiter/bartender, Timmy, applauded, making a crack at McDonalds and "super-sizing" in the meantime).  I wanted something that I knew would go well with steak, and IPAs, especially these new black IPAs, offer a great compliment, having enough flavor to stand up to even a very heavy, beefy steak.  I absolutely loved this beer, my first foray into Widmer's lineup, as it approaches even the best of this genre that I have had (the Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale I had at the ACBF).  Poured into a 12oz flute glass, the color matches the name, as it is a pure, deep black color, reminding me of liquid onyx, and it has a truly beautiful look with the lacy, cappuccino colored foam forming on top.  The taste is heavily of hops, with a great bitterness as it hits your tongue, which subsides quickly, leaving a subtle, but pleasant, aftertaste.  The mouth feel is smooth, almost porter-ish, and I would say overall this beer seems to me to be almost the result of a marriage of a porter and an IPA.  I will be searching for this at my local beer stores.

When it came to the food, I needed a little help, so I relied on Timmy's knowledge of the menu.  I was struggling to decide between the Clams Casino (clams on the half-shell cooked with butter, bacon and breadcrumbs) and Lobster Bisque for the appetizer, and the Slow Roasted Prime Rib versus the "Angry" Filet Mignon and Jumbo Shrimp, all of which sounded fantastic.  Timmy suggested pairing the Clams Casino with the Prime Rib or the Lobster Bisque with the Filet, matching light with heavy in the first case and heavy with light in the second; at his recommendation I went with the former, because, as he put it, "I like fat in my steak," and the Filet lacks that.

The Clams Casino were well cooked, with the breading crisp but not to the point of shattering when you touched it.  The clams themselves were juicy, though a couple had a little grit to them.  With a little Tabasco sauce and lemon juice, they were perfectly tangy.  The clam shells were nestled into small piles of whipped potatoes, which were really good, but could have used more butter (but then, what couldn't use more butter?).  Overall a really good, but small, appetizer, that went nicely with the beer.  (I thought I had a picture of this, but apparently my phone crapped out on that one.)

The Slow Roasted Prime Rib was truly incredible, the best I have ever had, beating out even Lawry's The Prime Rib (I went to the Beverly Hills location) and Kimo's in Lahaina, HI.  They won't serve it less than medium rare, because the method they use to cook it, a very long, slow roast, actually makes it extremely difficult to get a true rare, but this was closer to rare than medium rare anyways (Timmy put in the ticket a request for "As rare as possible"), and it came floating in a lake of au jus so strong it tasted like beef stock.  So tender that it essentially melted in my mouth, the prime rib tasted of just three things:  beef; salt; and pepper.  This is exactly as it should be.  Nothing else is necessary to make a quality hunk of beef perfect, and Burke Prime embraces that.  Along with the prime rib itself came a large baked potato crusted with kosher salt, served with butter and what I believe was homemade sour cream.  The sour cream was the best part of that, as the potato just tasted like...well...a potato.  Nothing special there.  I didn't finish it, but that was less because of how it tasted than the fact that the portion was huge, and I was attempting to save a little room for dessert.
 
I don't particularly love super sweet dessert, and I was already so full that I didn't want someone too rich, so Timmy suggested that I go with the Carrot Cake, which I agreed to.  Carrot cake as a general rule isn't my favorite, but it sounded perfect in this case, since it's typically very light and airy, and since this doesn't come with a super heavy cream cheese frosting, sweetness wasn't as big an issue.  This was probably the best carrot cake I've ever had, but it was a little sweeter than I was hoping for.  It was served with shredded carrot on top, which was the saving grace in this case, as it cut the sweetness to a manageable level.  That little smear in the bottom left corner of the plate was pineapple sauce (there were also little chunks of it in the cake itself) that was absolutely freaking divine.  Seriously, if they could bottle that I'd pay exorbitant amounts of money for it.  I was so full by the end I couldn't even finish the cake.

The service here bears some additional mention.  Timmy was probably the best waiter/bartender I have ever had.  His knowledge of the menu, beer list, scotch and wine was impressive, he was entertainingly funny (I was eating alone, so it was nice to have him occasionally stop by to chat), and he was happy to discuss all of the above.  He easily earned his tip (about 30%, and honestly, he should have gotten more) and I made a point of finding one of the managers on the way out to ensure that he received some recognition.

Overall this was one of the finest meals I've ever had, at an exceedingly reasonable price (except the beer; the beer was expensive) considering what I got.  I'll definitely be going back, and I highly recommend it to anyone who finds themselves at Foxwoods and hungry for some meat.

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Las Vegas, NV

Homelessness is a clear issue in LV, but some homeless are more
creative with their fundraising efforts than others

I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of Las Vegas.  That said, I enjoy many of the things that come with the city, including gambling, good nightlife including great bars and occasionally clubs, and incredible food.  I've already detailed my trips to Julian Serrano at Aria and Burger Bar in Mandalay Bay, but my trip included several other good experiences, both for food and entertainment.

My trip was with my best friend from college, Joe, and one of his classmates at the Harvard Kennedy School, Renee.  On Friday Oct. 5th, my first night, upon arriving at the Palazzo Joe, Renee and I went to grab some food at I ❤ Burgers, which is conveniently located on the second floor of the hotel, tucked in among The Shoppes at the Palazzo.  Like Burger Bar, I ❤ Burgers offers both the option of building your own burger or selecting one off the menu.  I chose the "Inferno" burger, made with ground Angus beef, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, roasted jalapeños, and habanero-jalapeño mayo.  The waitress recommended having the mayo on the side, and she was 100% right; that was hot.  Unlike the chipotle aioli at Burger Bar, which was not spicy enough and got lost in the rest of the flavors, this mayo was exceptionally hot, and risked overwhelming the burger, though I didn't use much after tasting it before putting it on the bun.  The burger itself was great, made perfectly rare (slightly less so than at Burger Bar, but still within that perfect range), on a nice brioche bun that complimented it very nicely.  Joe had a "Plymouth's Pride" turkey burger (I know, I know...it's not really a burger) because he was running a Tough Mudder in a couple days, and figured it would be a good idea to eat light.  He seemed to enjoy it.  Renee had already eaten dinner, so she stuck with a shake, which Joe shared, and both liked, though I don't know what kind it was.  We also got some onion rings, which were exceptional; hot, crispy, with the batter clinging perfectly to the onion so that when you took a bite it doesn't fall apart.  It was served with a dipping sauce that was pretty good, though I can't for the life of me remember what it was.  For a drink I went with a Kona Brewing Company Big Wave Golden Ale draught.  Very smooth, very tasty, and a nice, subtle compliment to the burger.

After dinner, we dressed up and hit TAO, a nightclub at the Venetian, which is the sister/adjoining hotel to Palazzo.  Because we were staying at the Palazzo, we were able to get right into the club, which saved us a lot of time waiting in a line and also meant we didn't pay a cover.  When we got in, it was just Renee and I at first, as Joe went to get drinks before we figured out we could be in a much, much shorter line, and it took him a while to find us once we got in.  At first it was a lot of fun, as there weren't too too many people there, and we had a little space to move and breathe, but it quickly got extremely crowded.  One couple next to us were literally humping each other, and the guy ended up knocking my beer out of my hand without even so much as an apology; this is a significant part of why I don't frequent clubs, along with the fact that I'm hilariously bad at dancing.  After a while, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and a couple other members of the LA Clippers showed up, and at that point, it went from being fun to being a little over the top.  We had accidentally ended up in a spot only about 10 feet from where the "celebrities" were hanging out, so we ended up getting crushed by the crowd.  We spent about another hour there before we got sick of getting squeezed by people and made our way out with some difficulty. 

Saturday we grabbed breakfast at Wolfgang Puck's Solaro Poolside, which had a limited menu, and quite honestly awful service.  The food received mixed reviews, as Joe did not even remotely enjoy his buttermilk pancakes (made with fresh blueberries and blueberry compote), but Renee and I, who wanted both the breakfast burrito (with scrambled eggs, mozzarella cheese, chorizo, potatoes, and two salsas, one a fresh salsa and the other a spicy tomatillo, which I preferred) and the granola parfait (house made granola, vanilla yogurt and fresh berries) just ended up each getting one and splitting them and loving them.  The parfait was really good, not too sweet, and the granola was really nice, but it did not come close to the breakfast burrito, which was exceptional, and I sort of regretted agreeing to share it, as I wanted the second half after finishing my part.  Everything in it was perfectly cooked, and the chorizo and tomatillo salsa added a really great kick that assisted with getting rid of the little hangover I had from the previous night.  The coffee was merely acceptable, though Joe liked it, and he's a coffee addict.  As I previously said, the service was terrible, as we waited at least 10 minutes from when we sat down before the waitress came over to take our order, and when she did she neither said hello nor offered any sort of pleasantries, simply stating "Go ahead."  The service did not particularly improve over the course of the meal, either, and was not worthy either of the hotel or a chef like Wolfgang Puck.

After breakfast we lounged by the pool for a couple hours, reading, chatting and attempting to get some sun, which I badly needed.  It was quite pleasant until the sun came down in full force, at which point it got extremely hot, jumping in temperature a solid 15 degrees the second the sun hit us.  I ordered a piña colada, which was great, but cost me a whopping (and surprising) $17 dollars, which the waitress (or Joe, who had previously gotten one) didn't feel the need to tell me ahead of time.  We then went inside and got to gambling, which was entertaining but doesn't make for much of a story.

Later on we grabbed some food at Ra Sushi, which serves non-traditional sushi and Japanese influenced dishes.  We were there right at 3:00pm, when happy hour starts, so certain drinks and food were significantly marked down.  A bowl of edamame, some shrimp tempura, a spicy shrimp roll, spicy yellowtail roll, and two straight fish preparations later, we were pretty happy, and got out of there for a very reasonable amount of money.  The sushi was, as I said, non-traditional, so if you only like pure, unadulterated sushi this is not the place for you, but the fish was very fresh and flavorful, and presented in a pleasant way that made it well worth it to go, at least during the happy hour period from 3pm-7pm Monday to Saturday.  The Seared Tuna (perfectly done) and Garlic Citrus Yellowtail were ridiculously good, especially the yellowtail, which is my favorite fish.  Sadly it's also supremely overfished, so hopefully farming gets better (aka, more ecologically friendly), ensuring a continuing supply of this delightful fish.  There are, of course, many better options for real sushi, but this was a fun, nice little place to go have a snack.

On Sunday I went to lunch with my brother while Joe and Renee were at the Tough Mudder, and we went to a Greek restaurant that I do not recall the name of, though I will try to remember to ask him since it was really fantastic.  I had stuffed peppers, which were great, with lamb and olives being the dominant flavors, served with a huge amount of rice and a salad.  We also got hummus to share, served with pita bread; now, hummus being both delicious and quite ordinary most of the time, I wasn't expecting anything different from what I've had elsewhere, but this was really great.  I have no idea what the difference was between what I'm used to and what they do, but it was really great.

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Among the things I really do enjoy about Las Vegas is simply walking up and down the Strip, seeing the sights, and it's best at night, where amidst the dozens of Central American immigrants attempting to hand you fliers for "escorts," you can see some pretty cool stuff, such as the Bellagio's Fountain Show, or cool street performers.  So, while there are plenty of places I'd rather go, when I do end up in Las Vegas there are also many, many things I can find to do (or eat) that lead to a fun trip.  Coming up in about a month, I'll be headed back so the family can all celebate my mom's 60th birthday together, and I'll be reviewing Bouchon Bistro, a Thomas Keller restaurant.

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Burgar Bar (Las Vegas, NV)

Burger Bar is the creation of the master French chef Hubert Keller, whose Fleur de Lys is considered by many to be among the finest restaurants in the United States.  Burger Bar is the more laid back of Keller's concepts, focusing on the classic American dish with a strong nod towards fresh ingredients.

A small selection of "Chef's Burgers," recipes of Keller's own making, which include an "American Classic," "Vegas Vegan," and "Spicy Lamb Burger," make up the backbone of the menu.  The crown jewel of these offerings is the "Rossini," a "Kobe Style Wagyu Beef" burger, with sauteed foie gras, and shaved truffles on an onion bun.  Getting past my objections to the whole the "Kobe" and "Wagyu" naming issue, this does sound like one hell of a burger, though at $60 a pop, it's tough to justify it if you haven't had a great weekend at the tables.

Along with the "Chef's Burgers," the customer can choose to build their own burger, using one of five base burgers:  Black angus beef ($9.75); Naturesource ($10.50); Lamb "Merguez Style" ($15.00); Buffalo ($17.75); Kobe Style Wagyu beef ($17.25).  You can also pick from "non beef" options, including the vegetarian burger, chicken breast, salmon steak, and turkey burger.  Upon choosing your burger, you then choose among a few bun options, including a classic plain bun, onion, or ciabatta.  There are 46 topping options, split into categories:  The Garden, including such things as baby spinach, avocado, and chopped jalapeño; The Dairy, with a number of cheese offerings; The Grill, with peppers, zucchini, and carmelized onions; The Farm, with various bacons, egg, and foie gras; The Ocean, which has lobster and shrimp; The Pantry, with such offerings as guacamole, homemade beetroot pickle, and truffle mayo; The Earth, containing the $30 black truffle shavings, and other less expensive mushrooms; and lastly sauces from Keller's Fleur de Lys, including an au poivre cream sauce.  Your last choice is accompaniment, including "skinny" and "fat" fries, referring to their cut, not their caloric or fat content, sweet potato or zucchini fries, onion rings, and croquettes.  Each item adds a certain amount to the cost.

I went fairly simple, sticking to things I knew I would like.  For the burger I selected the Naturesource beef, which is USDA prime beef raised without antibiotics or hormones, cooked rare, to which the bartender/waitress said "you know, that's really rare..."  I wanted to settle in and live there from that moment.  I selected a ciabatta roll for a bun, with bleu cheese, bacon, grilled onions, and a chipotle aioli, with tomato, lettuce, sliced onions (which I didn't use) and a dill pickle coming standard on the side.  As an accompaniment I ordered the skinny fries, which quite honestly were disappointing.  The burger was fantastic; perfectly rare, almost cool inside, with a soft, melting texture to the meat; my only complaint was the lack of a good crust on the burger, though that is a risk with a rare burger.  The toppings were great, the bleu cheese nicely melted into the grilled, slightly caramelized onions, while the bacon added a nice, slightly crisp, meaty, piggy taste.  The onions provided a little sweetness that cut the intense meatiness of the beef and bacon, and the roll was a great vehicle for the burger.  The aioli was disappointing, as it was completely lost in the midst of everything else, and lacked the spice that I was expecting from something made with chipotles.  It did serve well as something in which to dunk the fries, which while perfectly cooked lacked flavor of their own and needed something to make them a little more impressive.

Along with the extensive list of available burger options, the drink list is incredibly impressive.  Between the milkshakes, which can be ordered off the menu or customized, both virgin and alcoholic, the beer floats, and the beer list itself (which is pretty impressive) you have a ton to choose from.  I ordered the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, which ended up being the perfect beer to go along with the burger, as it was strong enough not to be overpowered, but also not to overpower the food.

Overall, this was a great experience, and a great burger, easily the best I have ever had.  The ingredients were fresh and delicious, the service was friendly and welcoming, and the setting was nice, a real sports bar feel despite the upscale nature of the food, with televisions lined up behind the bar.  Price-wise, it's not cheap, clearly, and I got out with a $30 tab after leaving an extremely generous tip, but it was well worth it and I'll absolutely go back.

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