Photo a Day: Week 10

March 4, 2012 ~ I just love the desert!


March 5, 2012 ~ Menu planning


March 6, 2012 ~ What to make for dinner? Yeah, sushi does sound good.


March 7, 2012 ~ Another sign of Spring. I should buy stock in Puffs.


March 8, 2012 ~ Oh yes! The time has come.


March 9, 2012 ~ Addicted.


March 10, 2012 ~ Making a stand for change at the Clark County GOP Convention.

Hiking Calico Basin

Brand Steakhouse

After a week full of lackluster meals off strip, we concluded Spring Restaurant Week at Brand inside Monte Carlo. We ate at Brand once before and it was very good. This return visit did not disappoint. We had 7 o'clock reservation for three. Our friend, from Chicago, was in town for work so he joined us.

We started with warm buns that are simply delicious then I had French onion soup. It was fantastic. Rich broth, well seasoned, but not salty. Onions carmelized to perfection, gooey cheese and bread slices to soak up all the goodness.



The guys skipped the restaurant week menu and opted for the 40oz porterhouse for two. It comes with one side, they chose mac & cheese which is the truest form of comfort food. They also ordered an extra side of asparagus. Sublime, comes to mind.



I had the filet with garlicky mashed potatoes. What my dish lacked in presentation it made up for in flavor. The filet was perfectly seasoned with a beautiful sear. I'm not a big fan of mashed potatoes but I had no trouble finishing these.



For dessert, we shared my banana s'mores. A broiled banana stuffed with chocolate and marshmallows. It was tasty and fun! It could have only been better if they used nutella in the banana rather than milk chocolate.



It was good to be back on the strip. The caliber of restaurants far exceeds those that are off the strip. It was a great end to a less than stellar week of Restaurant Week dinners.

I look forward to September to enjoy round two.

Addiction

Saturday night, we got out for another restaurant week meal. We had reservations for four at 5:45 at Addiction inside Rumor.

Frank and I got there early, we grabbed a couple Stellas at the bar and headed outside. They have a lot of outdoor seating, even mexican style hammocks. It wouldn't be a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Our friends arrived and we headed into the restaurant. We had the place to ourselves. Not a single other diner until we were nearly done with dessert. I didn't realize it, but the food is tapas style. We probably would've been better off ordering ala carte, rather than the prix-fixe three course Restaurant Week menu for $30.12. At least our tab benefited charity.

We started with French Onion Soup and Mac Bites; Deep Fried Smoked Gouda and Cheddar Mac & Cheese. The Mac Bites were real tasty, the soup wasn't very good. It lacked the richness it should have and it was overpowered by salt.





Next up was Mixed greens with Toasted Walnuts and a Citrus Vinaigrette. It was lightly dressed and the greens were crisp. Nothing too notable, however.



The salad was followed by Seared then Braised Short Ribs with Sweet Potato Puree, Crispy Potato Strings, Smoked Salt, and a Wild Honey Port-Burgundy Sauce. Tasty, but the portion was small and without the potato strings it would've been like baby food.



Dessert concluded our meal we had the gossip sundae with green tea ice cream, bananas and fried wontons. Not bad, nor memorable. The lava cake was a bit dry. Not recommended.



Weird place. I like what they are trying to do, and on occasion they may successful, but this Saturday? It was a ghost town. We actually felt like we were part of a horror movie at times. We dined early to avoid the Saturday night crowds, I guess you could say we suceeded. But we're certainly not addicted.

Due Forni

Friday, we went to Due Forni for dinner. It's a good thing restaurant week supports a good cause, because it was not worth $65. Not in the slightest.

We started with eggplant caprese: Roasted Eggplant, Bufala Mozzarella, Basil Pesto. It was very good. I want replicate this at home, but make it a sandwich.



Next, Frank had the Calzone: Turkey Meatballs, Mozzarella, Ricotta, San Marzano tomatoes. The dough was very doughy and bland. The meatballs were better than expected and I really enjoyed the freshness of the marinara sauce. I used it on my pizza.



I had Pizza Speck: Smoked Prosciutto, Bufala Mozzarella, Roasted Mushrooms, Fresh Parsley neopolitan style. Baked at 900 degrees for a chewy crust with crisp exterior. Only it wasn't at all crisp and bland as could be. The center was soggy and it tasted like it wasn't cooked thru. The prosciutto was tough to bite and it was a mess.



Dessert was more successful. Frank enjoyed his vanilla gelato and I liked the savoriness of the Sweet Bufala Ricotta, Toasted Pistachios, and just a hint of sweetness from the Artisanal Honey.





I've read review after review that sing the praises of Due Forni and I wanted to love it, but I didn't. We agreed that we'd only return for dessert on a hot summer night.

Photo a Day: Week 9

February 26, 2012 ~ Wetlands Park


February 27, 2012 ~ Finally, the elusive royal.


February 28, 2012 ~ The search for hiking boots is over. I love Zappos.


February 29, 2012 ~ Making cupcakes!


March 1, 2012 ~ Laundry. It never ends.


March 2, 2012 ~ Plum trees are in full bloom, spring has arrived.


March 3, 2012 ~ Admiring the rock climbers while hiking Calico Basin.
It's something I could never do.

Todd's Unique

We kicked off Restaurant Week with dinner at Todd's Unique. I was told years ago this place is a neighborhood gem and I figured it was about time we gave it a try. We had reservations for a five at 6:30. We arrived a bit early and there was no room at the bar so we went to the Coyote Cafe next door for drinks. They had old school video poker and ice cold Modelo Especial.



When we returned to Todd's they prepped our table and we were promptly seated. We made our selections and nibbled on bread while we waited for the first course. Each of us chose the Sweet Corn Ravioli with Chipotle Sauce to start. It was tasty but very rich.



For entrees, two Filet Medallions with Wild Mushroom Cabernet were had, one with the lobster tail for $20 supplement There were also two Prime Rib of Pork with Apple Pan Sauce and Sausage Stuffing. And I had Grilled Steelhead with Meyer Lemon Aioli, and Toasted Cous Cous. I was told the lobster tail was very good, those that had the filet were happy. The pork was decent, but overcooked. My trout seemed to be one of the better choices, I enjoyed it.







Majority of us had the Hazelnut Creme Brulee. Myself included, even though I generally do not like creme brulee. It was the hazelnuts sold me. I did not regret my choice. There was also an order of Vanilla Ice Cream and Butterscotch Pudding which was too sweet for my liking.





The food was solid, but nothing blew me away. It doesn't rival options on the strip, but it's good to support the little guy and you can stretch your dollar at Todd's. Long lulls between courses was the weakest link. It was no fault of the wait staff, they were attentive, the kitchen must have been in the weeds. I think they were overwhelmed by the restaurant week crowd. At least, I hope that was the excuse.