Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill Review

This is for a 2015 Las Vegas trip including Bacchanal Buffet, Bouchon Bakery, Heart Attack Grill, Serendipity 3, Rao's Las Vegas, Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, & Mesa Grill.

After checking-in at Caesars, the GF's family and I was hungry for some lunch. We were all in the mood for some simple pub fare so after stepping off the elevators, we went straight to Gordon Ramsay's Pub & Grill.

It seems to be the perfect venue for sports fans as there were a myriad of TVs around the surrounding bar and dining room, with plenty of soccer (excuse me, "football") fans watching what seemed to be a fairly important match. Color me clueless because I can't watch a sport that doesn't count down to the end of a match or doesn't always end with a winner. But on to the food!

Warm Salty Pretzels [$8 / $7 Total Rewards]
Innis & Gunn Beer-Cheddar sauce, English granary mustard 

Make sure you get a Total Rewards card from Caesars because you get a dollar knocked off most menu items. We started off with the pretzels, which came warm and salty indeed. But fair warning, you only get three! The accompanying beer-cheddar sauce was nicely sharp with depth from the beer. The English granary mustard was great, with a sinus-clearing horseradish kick that was highly reminiscent of my favorite Holman's.

Dublin Corned Beef Brisket Sandwich [$18 / $17 Total Rewards]
Dark caraway rye, Gruyere cheese, sauerkraut, pickled onion and cucumber dressing

The corned beef brisket sandwich featured great rye, with a nice heft of corned beef brisket that was balanced by the tangy sauerkraut and pickled onion and cucumber dressing within. The Guyere imparted a nice nuttiness that melded the flavors together nicely.

Yorkshire Ale Batter Fish & Chips [$30 / $29 Total Rewards] 
Cod, fresh dill tartar sauce, minted mushy peas, lemon
 

The fish and chips featured moist and flaky cod without its skin (luckily for the GF). The batter was crisp and light. The thick steak fried were not crisp, but came with more of a roasted texture. The minted mushy peas were light on mint and were a bit watery.

Grilled Lamb Burger [$21 / $20 Total Rewards]

8 oz, caramelized onions, goat cheese-feta spread, rosemary brioche bun

I went with the stellar lamb burger, which was cooked to a nice medium and housed within a perfectly proportioned brioche bun. The grassiness of the lamb was accented by the goat-cheese and feta spread, with the caramelized onions adding a nice richness to each bite. 

So if you're looking to indulge in proper gastropub fare while watching a game with some friends, Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill will set you right.

Lazaro's Pizza Review [2]

Lazaro's is a favorite of ours for takeout pizza. Only downside? It's cash only, but delivery is usually quick! And I was recently in the mood for a Sicilian pie so I was interested to see their take on this classic.

Mozzarella Sticks ($4.75)

 

The GF is a sucker for mozzarella sticks, so we had to get those. Surrounded by a well-seasoned bread crumb crust, the mozzarella oozed out. Nice.

Cheese Whiz Fries ($3.50)

We asked for a side of whiz for our cheese fries. The spuds were fried crisp and the whiz was appropriately salty and gooey. Nothing wrong here.

Buffalo Wings [6] ($4)

The buffalo wings were slightly crisp, juicy, and moist. Ordered mild, they didn't have the typical buffalo flavoring. Rather, the wings had a sweet glaze with some slight heat. 

Chicken Cutlet Sub ($7.50)
Provolone, lettuce, tomato, mayo

The GF went with a half order of the chicken cutlet sub, which gives you a sense of what a foot long looks like. I think they've got a larger ruler than most! The bread was soft, pliant, and housed crisp, juicy chicken cutlets, fresh lettuce, and ripe tomatoes. The mayo ad sharp provolone really made each bite. 

Sicilian Pie ($16)
Half cheese, half white 
  

But I was here for the Sicilian pie, which they were able to do half regular cheese and half white. While the pie was fresh, the dough wasn't as buttery as I normally like it. Still, the crust had toasted sesame seeds crusted throughout which gave it extra texture and a nutty taste.

Cheese Sicilian
Fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella 
  

There was plenty of cheese for the regular Sicilian, with a sweet tangy marinara underneath.

White Sicilian
Ricotta, mozzarella, garlic, EVOO
  

The white Sicilian was money, with the garlic notes really coming through, with salty mozzarella and creamy ricotta strewn about. A drizzle of EVOO helped to make each bite really rich. 

It's clear to see why Lazaro's is a hit in Philly. Their regular slices and sandwiches are always on point, but their take on a Sicilian is just as delicious. 

Serendipity 3: Las Vegas Review

This is for a 2015 Las Vegas trip including Bacchanal Buffet, Bouchon Bakery, Heart Attack Grill, Serendipity 3, Rao's Las Vegas, Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, & Mesa Grill.

Whether it's because of the eponymous movie or their famed frozen hot chocolates, Serendipity's original location in NYC is a tourist hotspot (trap?). And with offerings that include a ridiculous $1,000 Golden Opulence sundae, a Vegas outpost was only right.

It's located outside Caesars Palace, on the walkway towards the Bellagio. Pro tip: If you want to sit inside, you need to order a full-on meal. However, they do offer the option of ordering at the to-go window if you're fine with enjoying your dessert al fresco!

Frozen Hot Chocolate [$10]
 

Over the years, I've been dulled to all that is the frozen hot chocolate. Overrated and overpriced in my opinion, this features chilled "hot" chocolate. You can essentially taste the texture from the crystallized sugar from the hot chocolate packet mix, with a huge dollop of whipped cream on top.

Red Velvet Sundae [$12 / $10 Total Rewards]

If you have your Caesars Palace Total Rewards card, there are quite a few offerings that offer bargain prices. The red velvet sundae offers rich red velvet cake with a great cream cheese frosting, paired with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.

Deep Fried Oreos & Ice Cream [$12 / $10 Total Rewards] 

If you're looking for a gut bomb, check out the deep fried oreos, which had a crisp surrounding batter, revealing gooey Oreos within. The vanilla ice cream was a nice cooling base for each bite. 

So if you're looking for sweet treats, I'd personally recommend skipping the frozen hot chocolate and trying out the other options on Serendipity's dessert menu.

Primanti Brothers Review

This is for a 2015 trip to Pittsburgh including: 

The Commoner, Hotel Monaco, Meat & Potatoes, Primanti Brothers, Steel Cactus, and Waffles Incaffeinated.

During my weekend trip to Pittsburgh, I knew there was one place I had to try other than Meat & Potatoes. Primanti Brother's is a hometown classic that some may call a tourist trap, but for many it's the place to go after a late night of drinking.

Joe Primanti sold sandwiches in the Strip District during the Great Depression to hungry truckers looking for a filling, yet affordable meal. With sandwiches filled with fries, it's no surprise they became popular. Primanti Brothers changed hands a few times since, but current owner Jim Patrinos has been continuing the tradition for the past 40+ years.

It was quite exciting to enter the Strip District location and if you look closely you can even see long-time employee Toni Haggerty!

Spicy Pub Pickles [$5.29]

I started with the spicy pub pickles, which were crisply battered and had the faintest hint of spice. These briny hits of goodness were accompanied by a pat of ranch dressing.

The Pitts-burgher [$6.89] + Fried Egg [$0.50]

Sadly, I was disappointed with what was designated as the #2 best sandwich here (read: it's a Primanti Brothers joke). I loved the bread, which was fresh, soft, and housed a huge mound of fries and slaw. The fries could have benefited from a crisper fry to provide some texture to each bite, but the tangy slaw really made each bite. And who can complain about the fried egg I added? But the steak was a sad sausage-like patty. If this was fresh-sliced steak grilled a la Philly style, this sandwich could have been money. But the consistency of the "meat" was sad to say the least. Next time I'll need to try some of the other sandwiches because unfortunately I was not having it with the meat on the Pittsburgher.

Raw Sushi & Sake Lounge Review

In the Midtown Village area, there aren't many options for sushi. The majority of Philly's favorite sushi hotspots are clustered closer to Rittenhouse or Fairmount. But close to El Vez and Chef Marcie Turney's bank of restaurants (think: Barbuzzo, Little Nonna's, Lolita, Jamonera), Raw Sushi is hidden away.

So for Restaurant Week, the GF and I decided to stop by to see what they had to offer. The interior is sleek, reminiscent of an Asian-themed lounge. There's an outdoor area out back as well - a perfect area to grab an after-work drink. The restrooms? Interesting communal troughs. I'll leave it at that. 

But on to the food and drink - apologies for the phone pics!

Hara-Kiri ($12)
Gekkeikan sake, Sobieski vodka, wasabi, sriracha, Worcestershire sauce, tomato juice
  

I opted to start off with a spicy tipple, an ode to that ritualistic self-suicide administered by Japanese samurai. The booze is hidden by the combo of wasabi and sriracha and had hints of a Bloody Mary with the tomato juice and Worcestershire coming through. Not exactly consistent with sushi, but a fun take nonetheless. Also, I had a bit of a cold so thought it would set me straight.

In any case, on to the meal proper. As most of you know, Restaurant Week is $35 per person for dinner, but I've provided pricing for some of the a la carte items I ordered as well.

Gyoza Soup
Shoyu fish broth, pork dumplings
 

The shoyu fish broth had umami undertones from the soy, with the fresh pork dumplings providing some additional savoriness. 

Tofu Soup 
Tofu, spinach, vegetables, enoki, kombu broth
 

The tofu soup was a bit lighter, with the delicate soft tofu, fresh enoki mushrooms, and spinach providing some freshness. 

Spicy Tuna Tartare ($14)
Chopped tuna, masago, scallions, special spicy sauce 
  

I was in the mood for tuna tartare so ordered this a la carte. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the fact that this was finely ground rather than chopped, and the sweetness (not at all spicy) from the mayo-based dressing on top really detracted from detecting any flavor from the tuna.

Cracklin' Calamari Salad ($15) 
Sweet Thai chili sauce  

I did enjoy an order of calamari, which were perfectly crisp, yet had a nice delicate chew. The sweet and spicy sauce came on the side and really complemented the squid.

Uni Sushi ($6)

I also went with uni sushi. The server wasn't sure where it was from other than "out West," so I assume it was Santa Barbara sea urchin as it was sufficiently creamy and sweet.

Uni Sashimi ($11)
 

I couldn't get enough so also had the uni sushi, which was interesting in that it took on the essence of the bed of cucumber, which provided a lightness to the butteriness of the urchin.

Sweet Potato Tempura Roll ($7)

 

If we get sushi, the GF always needs to get her sweet potato tempura fix. Sadly, these could have been crisper and needed a bit more salt. 

Sushi Red & White Platter 
Salmon, Yellowtail, Tuna, Tuna Roll

Restaurant Week purportedly allowed us to choose which roll accompanied our sushi platter of salmon, yellowtail, and tuna nigiri. However, our waitress simply brought us a standard tuna roll without asking. The nigiri was fresh and the rice had a light vinegar acidity with a decent bit of bite to it.

Salmon Volcano Roll

We also had the salmon volcano roll, which came with tuna within and salmon on top, with plenty of masago to provide pop and some panko to add texture. Slightly spicy and definitely crunchy, this is what you expect with Americanized sushi joints. Overall, it was fine, but the abundance of rice and dressing overpowered the fish for my taste. 

 Mochi 
Red bean, green tea

Mochi was nice, with a great chew and gluttonous texture, with the sweetness of red bean and the lightness of green tea coming through.

Mango Sorbet
 

The mango sorbet was creamy and provided a sweet citrusy brightness that really cleansed the palate. 

Overall, Raw Sushi seems to have fresh tuna and salmon for its standard offerings. However, I would expect more of an Asian fusion element to sushi.

Meat and Potatoes Review

This is for a 2015 trip to Pittsburgh including: 

The Commoner, Hotel Monaco, Meat & Potatoes, Primanti Brothers, Steel Cactus, and Waffles Incaffeinated.

If there was one place I wanted to try in Pittsburgh, it was Meat & Potatoes. As Pittsburgh's first gastropub, Chef Richard DeShantz knocked it out of the park by featuring a veritable montage of some of my favorite foods. And since the 2011 opening of Meat & Potatoes, he's taken over the Downtown Pittsburgh scene by opening up Butcher & the Rye and Tako, in addition to his bistro, Nine on Nine.

Meat & Potatoes features a bustling, yet cozy space with a central bar as the focal point. The GF and I met up with some friends and grabbed a drink at the bar while we waited for our reservation. After waiting an extra 10 or 15 minutes past our time, we were graciously offered a private dining room.

But as we were about to head to our table, a perfect table for 4 by the corner opened up so we could enjoy the animated atmosphere.

Cameron's Kick [$10]
Chivas Regal 12 year scotch, Irishman whiskey, orgeat, lemon, nutmeg
  

I started off the night with the Cameron's Kick, which featured smooth Chivas Regal and the kick of Irishman whiskey. The orgeat syrup imparted nice undertones to complement the scotch and in combination with the lemon and nutmeg, this was a surprisingly light and subtly sweet tipple.

Fried Pickles [$5]
Spicy ranch
 

For our meal proper, we began with the fried pickles, which were spot on. A pet peeve of mine is when fried pickles come in spear form. Clearly, they're meant to be in chip form. These had a great crunch and a nice brininess that was accented by the spicy ranch.

Kobe Corn Dog [$7]
Wasabi aioli, spicy ketchup, radish, sesame seeds
  

The kobe corn dog had a nice cornmeal crust that had a sweetness that was balanced by the richness of the beef dog. The light crunch of radish added some levity, with the wasabi aioli providing some spice. The ketchup had just the right amount of kick to provide some brightness to each bite as well.

Braised Pork Belly [$18]
Carrots, English peas, pork jus, baby turnips, pea tendrils
  

On special for the day was the braised pork belly. So obviously, this was a must order and I'm so glad I did. The pork was unctuous, well-braised, and had a nice final crisp to provide some texture. Three huge hunks provided triple the pleasure. But not to be outdone, the English peas and gorgeous carrots had a wonderful sweetness that provided that countervailing element to balance out the heft of the pork belly. The baby turnips provided some starch and additional texture, with the pea tendrils adding an herbaceous element to each bite. This isn't just meat and potatoes people. Pittsburgh can cook!

Meat & Potatoes for Two [$59]
34 oz ribeye, confit steak fries, mushroom ragu, housemade steak sauce, bone marrow gratin 

But the main reason I was here? Behold the hallmark dish - meat and potatoes for two. A huge 34 ounce long-bone ribeye is featured, though I'm fairly certain there was more than 34 ounces of beef on this particular night. Though I could have used a bit more of a salt-seasoned crust, it was cooked perfectly medium-rare. And more importantly, the beef cut and ate like filet. In fact, I don't remember the last time I had ribeye so tender. This was all topped by a mushroom ragu that provided earthy heft to each bite. The gratin provided wonderful texture to the fatty bits of marrow - easily a cup's worth of God's butter. The confit potatoes were perfect - a light crunch on the outside with creamy tenderness within. Perfect to dip with either the spicy ketchup or the housemade steak sauce. This dish can easily be shared by 4. Safe to say, there were leftovers, even for me.

Lobster Mac n Cheese [$16] 
Taleggio, white cheddar, Doritos, truffle
  

You don't think I stopped there did you? I had to get the lobster mac, which featured the delicious combo of taleggio, white cheddar, black truffles, and yes, Doritos. The cavatappi was al dente and had great bite. The cheese sauce was a bit soupier than I typically like, but the earthiness of the truffle and the salty of the Doritos definitely came through.

Lemon Berry Pie [$7]

And since we were celebrating the GF's birthday weekend, we had to end with some dessert. The lemon berry pie was layered in a mason jar. Light, sweet, tart, and tangy, it was the perfect palate cleaner.

It's safe to say that Meat & Potatoes is a must if you're visiting Pittsburgh. Service was helpful and on top of things, despite it being a busy night as well. Not only are the dishes well-executed and delicious, I also couldn't believe the price point of the meal. It's not to say the meal was cheap and I'm sure there's the element of cost of living when compared to Philly or NYC, but I would have gladly paid more. The next time I'm in town, I know I'll need to check out Butcher & the Rye and Tako. But I know a part of me that will feel the urge to simply return to Meat & Potatoes.