Vegas / USA Round Up

So I just got back from Las Vegas (work, I'm not much of a gambler) and as ever I made the trip more bearable with some decent food here and there. And Nathan's Famous too.

Starting with Sushi Roku at Caesar's Forum, which I mildly prefer to Sushi Samba in the Venetian (technically the Palazzo but it's all the same).

$17 might seem a lot for a bowl of ramen, but it's really good ramen; which is rarely the case outside ramen specialists IMHO. Wontons, salmon carpaccio and dragon roll were all good too.



Also in Caesar's is Carmine's, a Vegas copy of a NYC institution. This place is family style and don't be fooled by the entree prices - one of these dishes will serve two - three people. It's not amazing, if you want Vegas' best Italian head over to B&B in the Venetian, but it is fun. Good for groups, as they say.

My favourite dish is the meatballs, available as a starter or with pasta. The bread pudding rocks too. 

Rounding off the best of Caesar's The Palm is a steakhouse institution with out posts in many major cities. Check out seared tuna and of course a giant steak...

  

For the best breakfast on the strip I still rate Bouchon, though having now been to the Napa original (in Yountville) I've got to say the Vegas version lacks panache. Still for $24 you get coffee, juice, a pastry and le petit dejeuner americain (eggs, bacon, croquettes and sausage).



When I go to the USA I like to get a fix of Mexican food and this time I went to Border Grill in Caesar's (yep, I ate a lot at Caesar's, since it was right by my hotel). Their Yucatan pork shoulder is rubbed in achiote and braised in banana leaves for something unusual and very tasty indeed. Portions are extremely generous for $24.

Another cuisine America does so much better than anyone else is Creole. In fact one rarely sees it outside of the States. I love Emeril Lagasse's Table Ten and head back there often when I'm in town.
Right now their four course tasting menu is probably the best deal on the strip for just $48 ($28 more for paired wines).

I had the BBQ shrimp with biscuit, gumbo, french onion braised beef shortrib and the signature banana pie. It was a struggle to get as far as dessert. They say the portions are a couple of ounces shy of the regular menu version but that's a necessity if you are going to manage even a bite of pie.

     


For fast food, on this trip I tried breakfast at Nathan's Famous where they make a passable Egg McMuffin imitation (sort of omelette rather than sort of fried egg) and very decent fried.

 

I also tried Jack In The Box's tacos (two for $1.29!) as a result of this WSJ article. They are pretty bad. Stick to Taco Bell (there's a fractionally upscale Taco Bell Cantina now in Vegas too).

Lastly I got White Castle one night while pretty drunk and jetlagged. And hell, I liked it.