Eating Our Way Across Las Vegas

My wife and I recently took our first trip to Las Vegas as a late honeymoon. I did lots of online research about buffets, sushi restaurants, and fine dining before we left, so I had an idea of what we wanted. But, wow, there are sooo many interesting looking places to eat!

Our first night there, we went to The Buffet at the Bellagio on the north end of the strip. I had read that they had the best overall buffet of all of the casinos, and from my research I knew that they serve king crab legs on their dinner buffet. That was one of the things that Steffie (my wife) really wanted to try. I have to say, the compliments that I had read on review sites and blogs were not unfounded. The Bellagio buffet had a bit of everything. They had a huge salad bar, several antipasto dishes, and at least four different soups to choose from. They did have Steffie's king crab legs already split in half and on ice. We weren't expecting them cold, but the flavor was an awesome mixture of sweet and salt goodness. Already having them cut in half lengthwise made them so much easier and less messy to eat as well. They had prime rib, rotisserie and fried chicken, several Asian and Italian dishes, a sushi bar with very tasty spicy tuna, and much much more. Did I mention the giant dessert bar of bite sized goodies? Nom nom! I can honestly say that they served the best creme brulee that I have ever had stateside or in France.  The dinner buffet was $29.95 per adult. I would highly recommend this one for anyone doing the buffet thing in Vegas.

After a relaxing late night soak in the jacuzzi tub that came with our room and a luxurious morning of sleeping in (we don't often get to do that on a Thursday morning), we were ready for a hearty lunch. We had some food credit on our account because of a mistake made with our room, so we decided to try out one of the buffets that were close to us for a quick meal. I had read some awful reviews of the buffet at the Excalibur, so we skipped that one all together during our trip even though we were staying in that hotel (not that we'd planned on staying there, but that's a whole different story). We opted to walk through the connecting tunnel to the Luxor and try their buffet entitled MORE. It was a very pretty restaurant, and we appreciated that it was far enough from the main casino floor that the noise didn't bleed in. It was designed to look like the inside of an Egyptian temple. Better even, the line was not massive, which meant food quickly. The fruit and salads were delicious and fresh. We had no complaints there. The complaints came when we got to the hot bars. If you take out the three standard, battered and fried Asian dishes there really were very little in meat options. Steffie did not care for the prime rib (which I never eat), and I cannot eat fried chicken. There was no seafood, no grilled chicken of any sort, and no other beef options. I was expecting perhaps a pasta dish with meat in it or perhaps a roast of some sort. It was all very lackluster from the poor selection of proteins to the not quite done steamed vegetables to the overdone stir fry dishes that turned to mush. Steffie and I both ended up picking out the little bit of chunked chicken that was in the Kung Pao Chicken dish (very nicely flavored by the way) and throwing away the rest of the dish. The only thing that was good was the dessert bar, and it had nothing stand out special compared to anywhere else we ate in Las Vegas. We were not impressed at all. I sincerely hope that the dinner selections are better. $15.00 each for a lackluster lunch ... I'd suggest passing this one up during your trip to Sin City unless you are going strictly for the decor.

The third and last buffet that we tried was Bayside Buffet at Mandalay Bay. I have to say even though the one at the Bellagio was good, this one was our favorite. First off, this restaurant is absolutely gorgeous! They led us through the main part of the restaurant to seat us in the wing that overlooks their "beach." Breathtaking views. The wicker style bamboo furniture, wooden shutters, and abundance of plants along with the color palette of lush greens, light and dark caramel tones, and splashes of red made me feel like I was on a colonial Indian safari. I was in love instantly with it, and I hadn't even tasted the food.  Oh my gosh, the food ... I almost forgot that! Keep in mind that we were there for an early lunch, and they still had everything you could imagine. I have never seen so many meat choices on a buffet: American Kobe beef, roasted turkey, rotisserie chicken, shrimp, crab, two kinds of mussels, oysters, three kinds of fish, pot roast ... the list goes on an on. The turkey was so delicious! And the green lip mussels in black bean sauce were divine. The sword fish in lemon sauce was my favorite. Their Asian dishes were much less of the battered and fried variety and more of what I would consider to be traditional dishes. They had a whole bar of fresh fruits, and am impressive salad bar as well. The desserts were fabulous. They also had a small bar set up for mix drinks and wine to order. I was so tempted by a mimosa to start my day. I have read that on the weekends, you can pay around $5.00 extra and have an unlimited mimosa bar added to your buffet. I will definitely do this next time.  While most of the breakfast and lunch buffets are about $10 less than the dinner buffet, this one is different. They charge the same $30 each adult all day long. It was Well worth the higher cost. We were so impressed by the restaurant's food, service, and ambiance that we are thinking about staying at Mandalay Bay when we go back to Vegas.

Now onto fine dining in Las Vegas. We splurged on one really great meal while we were there, and it was at Tender Steak and Seafood at the Luxor. There is so much leather in this restaurant that you should be able to smell is from outside. Plush, overstuffed leather everything in a rich dark burgundy. Dark stained wood and molded ceilings. I got the immediate impression of an upscale English gentleman's club. I could easily see a group of men gathered around the large fireplace smoking cigars and having a brandy while talking politics. We started our meal off with a selection of cheeses and a basket of three kinds of bread. They have at least a dozen types of cheese to choose from. We chose their Bermuda Triangle goat, San Andreas sheep, and Marieke gouda. They served the cheese on a large piece of slate and included a honey mango sauce, a fig and cranberry chutney, candied walnuts, fresh dates, and a dollop of honey still in the comb to accompany them. The goat cheese was soft and tangy with a very earthy, wild taste. The sheep cheese (my favorite) was smooth and creamy with a slightly nutty but not overpowering flavor. The gouda was everything a smoked gouda should be. 

For our main courses, we chose very differently. Steffie went with a ribeye of Silver Fern New Zealand range-fed beef, and I went with a wild game trio of  Nilgai antelope osso buco, axis venison medallion, and wild boar loin. Mine came with farro, fig chutney and cranberry demi-sauce. Steffie preferred the mango sauce while I absolutely loved the fig chutney. Put that on any bread and it is instantly tastier.

All of their main sides are served family style. Because we had the cheese starter platter, we opted to just go with one side of Yukon potatoes, but they offered a wise variety on their menu. Steffie said her steak was cooked perfectly, and selections were divine. The wild boar loin was melt in your mouth good, and the venison was flavorful and juicy. The antelope osso buco though was to die for. Who knew antelope was so tasty?! Great atmosphere, delicious food, courteous and efficient service. This one is a hit all around. We will definitely keep Tender in mind next time we are in Las Vegas.

Steffie's "No Ricotta Zesty Lasagna" Recipe

1 24 oz container of cottage cheese
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
1 bag pizza blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb hot Italian sausage
1/2 medium sized onion diced
1 jar Newman's Own Sockarooni spaghetti sauce
1 jar Classico Organic Tomato, Herbs, and Spices spaghetti sauce
1 box lasagna noodles
Spices & Herbs (italian blend herbs, red pepper flakes, seasoned salt, Garlic Garlic, cheyenne pepper)




Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat water in large pot until boiling. Added a teaspoon salt along with 12-15 lasagna noodles (12 if you want fewer layers and 15 if you want more). Follow directions on box for cooking, but remember to stop a bit short of done because they will continue to cook in the oven. It is best to drain right away and pour in cold water over the noodles to stop  cooking and keep noodles from sticking together until time to layer ingredients.

Mix onion, beef, and sausage in a skillet and brown. Add full jar of Sockarooni and half of the Classico THS sauce to skillet and let simmer. Add in spices and herbs to taste.

In medium sized mixing bowl, mix half a container (12 oz) cottage cheese with Parmesan cheese and two eggs. Stir until thoroughly blended and set aside.

In a 9x11 oven safe pan, begin layering your ingredients. First layer should be meat sauce to prevent noodles from sticking. The sequence goes as follows: red sauce, noodles (3 or 4 across depending on your preference), cottage cheese mixture, noodles, red sauce and cheese, noodles and so on until your layers near the top. The top layer should be meat sauce topped with a layer of shredded cheese. Sprinkle on additional herbs and spices as desired.

Cook for 30 - 40 minutes until cheese on top is lightly browned.

Some other ideas for ingredients to include would be spicy pepperoni, switching out half of the beef for turkey, and swapping out sauces for whichever sauces you and your family like best.

Semi-Homemade Cheddar, Broccoli, & Chicken Wellington

1 Sheet of Puff Pastry
1 Package of Knorr Cheddar & Broccoli Rice
1 Package Green Giant Broccoli Florets Steamers
1 package shredded Pizza Blend Kraft Cheese
4 - 5  Boneless Chicken Strips or 2 Medium Sized Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 Pat Butter
1 Egg

Cube or cut chicken into chunks and brown in skillet. I like mine a little spicy so I normally brown it in a combination of olive oil and chili oil. Season to taste. I used Seasoned Salt, Onion Onion seasoning, Fiesta Party Dip Mix, and Garlic Garlic seasoning all by Tastefully Simple. You could also use standard onion and garlic powder, seasoned salt, and chili flakes or cheyenne pepper.

Set aside one sheet of puff pastry to thaw. It is easiest for later if you place it on a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I bought mine at U-Bake in Savage, MN. You get two sheets in a package for $5.99.  Some grocery stores also carry Pepperidge Farm brand puff pastry in their frozen foods sections.

Cook Broccoli & Cheddar Rice according to stovetop directions. If you prefer more sauce in your finished product, cook rice between 12 and 15 minutes instead of the 20 minutes that it directs on the package. When it is about half way done, cook Broccoli Steamer according to microwave instructions.

When both are complete mix together with chicken along with about two hand fulls of shredded cheese and two tablespoons of Italian herbs (more or less to your taste).

Set oven to 350 degrees to preheat.

If puff pasty is pliable (it should be) spoon out mixture down the middle of the sheet of puff pastry lengthwise.  You don't want to overfill, otherwise you will not be able to fold over the sides of the pastry to seal. I ended up using a little over half of the mixture and set aside the rest to be used in a dish later in the week.

Crack 1 egg and lightly stir in small bowl.  Use brush (or paper towel/napkin if you don't have a brush) to paint the egg down the edge of each end of the puff pastry. This will act as glue to seal the down together. Fold over one side of the pastry and then brush the same egg mix along the top edge before folding the other side of the puff pastry on top of it. This should be fine, but if you are worried about it sealing, you can paint a little more on top of the pastry. You can also lightly crimp the ends with a fork as well to ensure seal.

Cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until puff pasty is golden brown. I like to pull if out half way through baking and brush top with softened butter before finishing baking.

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I served mine with sauteed summer squash and onions and a mixture of steamed green beans and wax beans.  This recipe is the a semi-homemade version, but you can always make it from scratch if you have the time and the knowledge.  I love doing that myself, but sometimes I just don't have the time.  It's nice to have a list of quick alternatives that you can have on hand for those days when you want or need to cook something but don't have a lot of extra time. 

You can fill these puff pastry pockets with almost anything sweet or savory.  We are thinking of trying one with shredded pork in a green chile sauce next time around or maybe a Spanish rice with taco meat and cheese. I had one with a variety of seasonal vegetables in a marinara sauce at our wedding reception that was excellent.  Really it can go anywhere your imagination and taste buds can take you.  I hope you like the recipe and would love to hear about and see what type of meals you decide to make from it.

Steffie's "Make Me Feel Better Chicken Soup"

I haven't been feeling well for the last couple days, so my beautiful, awesome, wonderful wife  made me her homemade chicken soup for supper tonight. I call it her "Make Me Feel Better Chicken Soup" because it always does make me feel better. The bonus is that it is super tasty too and full of things that are good for you. Here's the Recipe:


2 large or 4 small chicken breasts grilled or pan seared and cubed
4-5 cans of chicken broth
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped baby carrots
3 small potatoes cubbed
1 cup frozen green peas
1-2 cups frozen mixed cauliflower/broccoli
1-2 cups button mushrooms chopped
1 cup corn drained
1 bundle diced green onions
3 cups tri-color noodles
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon


Mix chicken, chicken broth, and all vegetables other than potatoes together in large pot and bring to boil. While it is coming to a boil place potatoes and 1/4 cup water in microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 4 minutes on high. Add potatoes to pot.

Once mixture has come to a boil add in noodles and cook until tender. This is the time also to add in any herbs and spices that you would like. It really is to taste and preference, but we will list the ones that we like to use: 2 tablespoons Italian herbs, sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, cheyenne pepper, garlic powder or minced garlic.

Servings: 10-12

Curry Experience at Magic Thai

Last night Steffie and I went to Magic Thai in Eagan, MN. I hadn't been there in years, and it was Steffie's first time there. I went in with the simple hope that it was as good as I remembered it being, and I wasn't disappointed.

We started off the meal with a couple of sodas and an order of fresh spring rolls. The spring rolls were really fresh and they had a combination of both roasted pork and shrimp inside along with  lettuce, noodles, and cilantro. It was served with a typical honey and peanut sauce. Steffie and I both thought that the sauce was good but on the thin side. We ended up asking for chili oil to mix in with the sauce to give it more substance. For those of you like us who like a good chili oil, this one isn't bad. I will warn that it's more of a roasted chili paste than an oil though.

For our main entrees, I ordered their Red Curry Pad Thai with the combo meat (pork, chicken, and shrimp). One of the problems that I have with many Pad Thai dishes that I've tried is that there just isn't enough flavor. Many of them turn out to be dry noodles with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts, bean sprouts, and maybe basil. So, when I saw that they had an option that included red curry, I had to try it. I ordered it medium hot, but then I added in more chili sauce. Next time I will order it hot instead. The red curry boosted the flavor and mixed well with the traditional peanut sauce.

Steffie ordered the Pad Po Tak, which includes stir fried shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels, and crab in a green curry sauce with bamboo shoots, red and green peppers, onions, and coconut milk. Mine was delicious, but I have to say hers was easily the best green curry dish I've had. The lemon grass was subtle and didn't give off that overwhelming lemon pledge smell that some dishes have, and there were hints of cumin and coriander and ginger. Steffie ordered it hot, and you could see the flecks of cheyenne pepper in the sauce. Nothing over powered anything else. It was flavorful and spicy and balanced. We would both highly recommend it.

With two main entrees and an order of two spring rolls, the total only came to $33. We brought enough home for a left over lunch. So, we're looking at $11 a meal. That's not much more than a lot of fast food places and much tastier.  We will definitely have to start keeping them in mind for the future. I love rediscovering places that I've enjoyed in the past but haven't been to in a while.

The Quest for a Good Egg

Here begins the search for any and all restaurant eggs cooked at that ever elusive perfection labeled over-medium. Over hard is easy ... just cook the egg into a horribly dry and rubbery death. The goosh all over your plate queasiness of over-easy eggs I have likewise found hundreds of examples. The truly over-medium egg is not at all so easy to find, however.

I've tried sooo many  places (Cracker Barrel, Perkins, Village Inn,  Denny's, IHOP, Waffle House, Huddle House, and Waffle King to name a few), and every time I end up feeling like I've encountered some sort of language barrier that causes the cook to read my over-medium request and immediately decide that I actually wanted over-easy. After about the fourth or fifth try, I actually looked up the definition of what an over-medium egg should be. I found that an over-medium egg is one that is described as being cooked on both sides; the yolk is of medium consistency and the egg white is thoroughly cooked. Sounds yummy to me! Instead I get an egg where the white is barely or sometimes not even cooked all the way and a yolk that when I poke it with my fork erupts and pours all over my plate.

I am not a toast dipper. I don't want egg juice soaking into my toast, covering my bacon, and turning my breakfast potatoes slimy. This only leads to one of two things: (1) I don't eat my breakfast because it has been "contaminated" with slimy orange egginess or (2) I send my plate back sometimes more than once to be recooked. I have yet to ever receive eggs back from the kitchen that have been cooked correctly. They are either once again over-easy or so overdone you could substitute the yolks for your kid's rubber bouncy ball without him/her noticing. So, at the end of breakfast I walk out dissatisfied, annoyed, and sometimes still hungry.

One might start to believe that the over-medium egg is a myth, but it is not! I have had wonderful over-medium eggs on multiple occasions ... just never at a restaurant. My wife, Stephanie, makes the best eggs that I have ever had. I had almost given up ordering anything but scrambled when she changed my mind by making me Saturday morning breakfast when we were dating. Not only is the yolk perfectly cooked every time, but the eggs aren't greasy either! It was and is amazing to behold. The egg whites are completely cooked with a thin line of golden crispiness around the edge only. And the yolks ... mmmm, the yolks ... are this perfect slightly gelatinous, creamy bubble of yellowy goodness. It rarely ever oozes past the confines of the indent the yolk makes in the white as it cooks, and even when it does it never goes past about half way to the edge of the white. I asked her how she did it and she said she cooks it part way in the skillet with the lid off and then pops a clear lid over it to sort of steam it finished. She said she cooks it until it no longer giggles and then immediately puts it on the plate for eating. And, she isn't a fluke. My friend Pork Chop or PC for short (yes that's how he introduces himself) cooks fantastic over-medium eggs as well. He can even get them right over a campfire!

If they can do it at home (and I'm sure many of you can as well), why can't your average restaurant do it too? This is the million dollar question.mI keep ordering my breakfast eggs over-medium at every restaurant we go to, hoping and wishing and dreaming of finding two perfectly cooked yolks that do not sploosh their yellowy ooze beyond the edge of the whites. I'm open to any and all suggestions of where to order my next plate. One day ... one day ... I have faith I will find eggs in a restaurant that are as good as the ones that Steffie makes me on the weekends.