Wednesday, January 14, 2009

las vegas: aureole

tommy has an amazing 7 course (plus amuse bouche and petit fours), 3-hour meal at aureole in las vegas...


amuse bouche of tomato bisque with crawfish


ahi tuna and cured salmon composition with american caviar and lemon creme fraiche


house-made potato gnocchi and seared scallop with organnic leek fondue, sauteed wild porcini, and champagne foam


grilled halibut with confit tomato, roasted asparagus, and tuscan olive oil


asian spiced braised pork belly with creamy polenta and chinese longbean


duo of beef tenderloin and flat iron with caramelized onion, soft potato cake, seasonal vegetables, and a cabernet reduction

tasting of cheese [not photographed]
morbier moco rouge, westfield goat cheese, served with a roasted tomato green olive focaccia, apriocot-green peppercorn chutney


fresh blackberry tart and white chocolate blackberry float


complimentary petit fours

tommy says: an indulgent and delightful meal! so much great food makes it difficult to choose favorites. the amuse bouche and the first 2 courses were absolutely amazing! the soup was smooth and had a nice kick to it and a small piece of crawfish was at the bottom. the first course were delicate and yet had wonderful flavors - the fish was fresh, caviar was tasty, and the squash blossom had wonderful flavors stuffed in it. and the second course was velvety and creamy without being heavy - the gnocchi were fantastic! the braised pork belly (fourth course) melted in your mouth and was quite tasty! and from the desserts, the white chocolate blackberry float was delicious. all in all, a phenomenal meal!

aureole
3950 las vegas blvd s
las vegas, nv 89119
(702) 632-7401
http://www.aureolelv.com/

Monday, January 12, 2009

las vegas: bouchon

tommy brunches at bouchon in vegas...


bouchon french toast: bread pudding style with warm layers of brioche, custard & apples


moule au saffron with pommes frites: mussels with saffron and mustard

tommy says: a tasty brunch! the french toast is a nice option for those who like a sweet treat for breakfast/brunch and could even be served as a dessert. the wine sauce served with the mussels had good flavor with a hint of mustard, and the fries were good too.

bouchon bistro
venetian
3355 las vegas blvd s
las vegas, nv 89109
(702) 414-6200
http://www.bouchonbistro.com/

las vegas: raku

tommy gambles by dining off the strip and wins big at raku...


complimentary mochi with crushed edamame


kurobuta pork cheek


agedashi tofu


enoki mushroom wrapped in bacon


sanma (pikefish)


kobe beef miso skewers


steamed egg custard with foie gras


tomato wrapped in bacon


chicken wings


tsukane (grilled ground chicken)



tommy says: the best agedashi tofu! they make the tofu on-site and the broth is delicious! steamed egg was incredibly smooth, but topped off with a piece of duck, not really foie gras, but still so yummy. kobe beef was tender, juicy and very flavorful. pork cheek and enoki mushroom skewers were really good as well. tsukane could've used more seasoning and flavor, but everything was amazing!

raku
5030 spring mountain rd
las vegas, nv 89146
(702) 367-3511

marina del rey: aunt kizzy's back porch

tommy goes for some soul food at aunt kizzy's...


complimentary corn bread


cousin willie mae's smothered pork chops with a side of greens and mac and cheese


spicy hot links, red beans & rice with greens and mashed potatoes and gravy

tommy says: pork chops were dry, hot links were good. mac and cheese tasted like it was from a school cafeteria. greens were so-so.

aunt kizzy's
523 washington blvd
marina del rey, ca 90292
(310) 578-1005
http://auntkizzys.com/