Vegas Lunch: Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina

Even before I stepped onto the plane for Las Vegas, I was already daydreaming about eating at a Wolfgang Puck restaurant.  I just knew it would be amazing, no matter what I order or which of his wonderful establishments I visit.  And I was right.  I call myself a foodie and enjoy blogging about food, but now I can officially call myself a food snob after being spoiled by the infamous Wolfgang Puck!  We went for lunch on Sunday (my last full day in Vegas) after an epic night of dancing at Rain in Palms Hotel/Casino.  Some friends suggested a local diner or Hash House A Go Go, but the wait for Sunday brunch was about 45 minutes, and we were starving!  I couldn't give up my dream, so I took the liberty of looking up information for WP's Pizzeria & Cucina and called immediately.  Just our luck, there was no wait and it was not a far walk to Crystals at CityCenter from our hotel on a nice Sunday morning!

When we first got to Crystals at CityCenter, I got distracted by luxury brands calling my name to spend $$$$ on materialistic items that I don't need, but the group's stomachs brought me back to reality.  Food comes first, naturally.  Shopping can wait.  We were extremely lucky to have been seated at a long round table that was located off to the side, isolated from the rest of the restaurant and bar area.  No reservations, yet we got our very own private dining area to enjoy a fabulous lunch.  Again, we're just a lucky bunch.  The service was superb, waiter looked out for each and every one of us, the food was amazing, and even the bathrooms were a wonderful experience!

For starters, we ordered...

*Calamari "Fritto", Garlic Aioli, Lemon, Paprika

*Tomato Bruschetta, Basil, Parmesan

*Steamed Mussels, Chorizo, Marjoram, Grilled Ciabatta

I highly recommend all three appetizers, best of each I've ever had.  The calamari was lightly battered/fried, not greasy by any means, nor chewy/tough.  So what happens when you dip the perfect calamari in the most delightful garlic aoili?  You get a match made in heaven.  If you've ever had a bad calamari experience, this will convert you.  I always hesitate when ordering bruschetta because in previous experiences, they've been too small, bread rock hard, too few chunks of mushy tomatoes... but what I've captured (above) obviously shows the opposite.  The tomato bruschetta was lightly toasted and adorned with loads of tomato chunks & cheese in every bite!  As for the mussels, no words can really describe how the meat just melted in our mouths.  It was lovely.  Everyone loved the sauce at the bottom of the pan as well, great for dipping complimentary bread!

Next are the salads for those who eat lightly.  The Caprese and Asparagus salads were both beautiful (sucker for presentation) and delicious.  I ordered the Caprese salad and as a tomato lover, my tastebuds almost jumped onto the plate when I saw how big they were!  The heirloom tomatoes were large enough to share, were so juicy & flavorful, and couldn't have been complete without the soft mozzarella that sat on top.  The Asparagus salad seemed more like a starter than an actual meal, even for lunch, not too much food on the plate.

 Caprese Salad

*Asparagus Salad, Parmesan Panna Cotta, Proscuitto

The rest of the group ordered various pizzas for everyone to have a little taste.  They were more satisfying for the stomach compared to the salads (above) and were just the perfect amount for sharing (swapping pizza slices).  My favorite had to be the Mushroom, but I'm biased since I enjoy eating fungus.  The Duck Confit was a close second favorite as the taste was very unique, a special surprise unlike the other classic pizzas on the table.  Having said that, I do wish the other pizzas had more unique flavors, but maybe some people like to stick with the classics.  To each their own.

Duck Confit Pizza

Mushroom Pizza (*Bechamel, Fontina Cheese, Thyme, Arugula)

Proscuitto Pizza (*Basil Pesto, Kalamata Olives, Parmesan)

Margherita Pizza (*Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce, Basil, Parmesan )

Finally, we arrive at the sweetest part of this dining experience, the desserts.  Of course, I shouted tiramisu when I saw it on the menu before we even ordered the main meal!  Sadly, it was not real tiramisu, but a modern version of it with chocolate chips mixed in.  It was a different twist on tiramisu, but in a good way.  The Italian Doughnuts were little bites of absolute goodness!  The insides of each were so fluffy and warm, but once it is dipped in the caramel & gelato, your tastebuds will go insane because of the warm, cold, sweet, salty explosion in your mouth!  If you dine here with a party of six, and only choose one dessert (not possible but let's pretend), these doughnuts are perfect as you each get one.  And then there was the Hazelnut Mousse, which was not too memorable compared to the first two. 

Tiramisu

*Italian Doughnuts "Zeppole", Caramel Dipping Sauce, Vanilla Gelato

*Chocolate Glazed Hazelnut Mousse, Frangelico Cream, Chocolate Shortbread

3720 Las Vegas Blvd

Las Vegas, NV

$$

Overall Group Grade: A-
The average rating among my gluttonous friends on this wonderful Sunday lunch in Vegas 

*Descriptions taken from Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina's website

Thrice: Brio Tuscan Grille

Let me start by saying: This is the third time I've eaten at Brio Tuscan Grille at the Christiana Mall (hence the title Thrice).  The first two times did not make me want to go back because the food I ordered were not good.  They say the third time's a charm... well, it may be true but not charming enough!  In my opinion, Brio is like Olive Garden's big sister.  The restaurant is more upscale, bigger bar area with huge flatscreens to watch sports during happy hour, nicer decor, has a nice patio to eat outside, more interesting/special dishes, pricier menu, and better wait staff.  But what good is all of that when the food is just average.  I keep thinking, "I just ordered a dud. I should have ordered X instead."  I wasn't even going to post this review because this is a chain restaurant and I didn't have too much to say about it.  But I can't be raving about every restaurant I go to, now can I?  Continue reading if you want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Appetizer: Roasted Garlic, Spinach & Artichoke Dip $10.95

The dude (aka DB) and I always order Spinach & Artichoke dip as an appetizer whenever we go out.  It's something that has been going on since the first day we met, when I introduced him to this delicious appetizer on our first date at Home Grown!  Ever since then, he was spoiled by the best spinach & artichoke dip, so nothing can compare to that first bite.  Brio's version was still good, the wow factor being that they used crispy flat bread instead of pita or toasted, sliced Italian bread.  It's no Home Grown, but at least the cheese isn't greasy or too heavy like some places (aka Applebees).  As far as appetizers go, I can recommend their Margherita Flatbread, which I had during my second visit and that was the one thing that I really enjoyed that night!  I do recall grabbing for the Calamari Fritto Misto during the second visit as well.

The first time I dined here, I ordered the Pasta Pomodoro with Chicken, which was a huge mistake on my part.  I like tomatoes, chicken, pine nuts, and cilantro pesto sauce, but it did not mix well together at all!  The bed of angel hair only made the dish worse.  I remember how sad I was eating the bland pasta with bites of sour tomatoes here and there, and just wishing I chose something else!  For my second Brio experience, I chose another regretful dish, Chicken Limone.  Three words: dry sour chicken.  So behold, I finally chose the right entree... but it took me three tries.

Entree: Grilled Salmon $21.95
(*Romano crusted tomatoes, citrus pesto, asparagus and shoestring potatoes) 

My salmon was a good choice, but I actually did not like the crispy potato shoestrings all that much, really wish it was not there.  It was nice for garnish (if they add so much of it) but I didn't really want to eat it.  The fried tomatoes were definitely unique and presentation wise, it was really gorgeous!  I did enjoy my grilled salmon and tomatoes, but not the party of string thin fries on top.  I was also fine with the side of fresh asparagus, but they weren't magical or anything.

Pasta Fra Diavola $19

(*Penne with a spicy tomato cream sauce and green onions)

The dude's pasta was penne with a bland cream sauce that a little bit spicy and lots of grilled chicken and big shrimp. I commend them on the portion size and lots of good shrimp, but the entire dish was just okay.  After my dude's first bite, his facial expression said it all, "Meh, it could be better."

I think going there for lunch would be good because the first time we went, the table next to us were raving about the Brio chopped salad and this time, the couple next to us were in love with the Brio salad too, as well as the lobster bisque soup!  For us, we'll stick to Olive Garden for dinner because Brio is expensive for the mediocre entrees they serve.

Overall Dude Grade (food, service, decor): C-

Originally just a "C" but got bumped down because he did not enjoy all the tables being packed together, "The tables were way too close together.  It's like we were dining with strangers!"

*Descriptions taken from Brio Tuscan Grille's website

New Years Eve 2012: Girasole Ristorante Atlantic City

While 2011 introduced me to many delicious and unique bites, it ended rather perfectly and sweetly at Girasole Ristorante & Lounge in Atlantic City. Let me start off by saying it was not my first choice when looking for a special New Years Eve restaurant. I had my mind set on Cuba Libre, but they required credit card information upon reservation. To my understanding, they do this to prevent no shows, especially on a busy night like New Years Eve, but the bf did not feel comfortable with that policy. It was a week before NYE, so I frantically searched on OpenTable and Yelp for a special, classy restaurant that did not break the wallet. I was craving good Italian. Arturo had more reviews and they were consistently good on Yelp. I still hesitated because it was tucked away inside Bally's and I wanted to enjoy my dinner outside of the casinos. Luckily for me, there were no tables available before 8pm. I say luckily because Girasole was the only choice left and it was one of the best Italian rest. I've ever tried!

From the outside, you cannot see anything since they close the curtains on the tall windows and keeps the romantic, elegant dining area private. They do have tables outside as well and at night they had a nice fire going to keep you warm. The entrance includes a small bar with a whole wall of fine wine and a lounge with comfortable couches that gave me a mediterranean feeling. There were sunflower paintings and decor everywhere as Girasole is Italian for sunflower. For NYE, they had made it extra special with white balloons floating in the candlelit restaurant and strings of white lights neatly placed around. It was very romantic and classy, not overwhelming. As far as the service goes, Yelp reviewers warned me waiters would be slow and are not good hosts. It did take us a while to be seated, even though our reservation was at 5:45pm and we were on time, with barely anyone else in the restaurant. The host was seating a big party and told us to wait, but she seemed to have been distracted and forgot about us until I got her attention again. The service could have been better, but we did not mind because it was an early dinner, we were not starving, or in any rush to leave. Waiters were hustling and bustling to the quickest of their abilities because after we ordered, the restaurant quickly filled with 6pm guests. They were completely booked from 6-8pm that night, but it did not get loud or noisy.

Now to the heart of the evening. Girasole had a special NYE menu, but being a prepared foodie, I had already taken a long look at their regular menu online (click Dine). Their pastas are under $20 and the Farfelle al Salmon naturally sparked my interest. But since the bf was going all out with Filet Mignon ($36), I also wanted to indulge as well, so I ordered the Agnello: New Zealand Lamb ($36).

Before I could whip out the camera, DB already cut into the filet and was munching away, hence no picture.

It tasted as good as it looks. I wonder if the lamb really was from New Zealand...

Excellent, amazing, delicious! Need I say more? The lamb was so tender and there were many more bites to come after my first taste. This was not overpriced meat, it was $36 worth of delicious lamb! I was worried the portion would be small having experienced let downs of few pieces with only two bites of meat on each bone (you would think it was a lamb on a diet!). But there was plenty of meat to munch on, enough that I could give the bf a whole bone and not feel stingy about it. The filet was medium rare and melted in our mouths. It actually was a whole lot of cow, maybe an 8 or 10 oz? It didn't look like much, with truffles scattered on top and a thin aoli sauce surrounding it, but that's all that was needed. DB said it was so good, it made it to his top 3 best filets, after Wolfgang Puck and MGM's SeaBlue in Las Vegas. Normally, he does not wipe his plate clean (never finishing big burgers...) or even like mushrooms... but he ate all of it and would have licked his plate clean of the aoili if we were not in a classy restaurant. The portions were just right, leaving you happy and satisfied, with a bit of room for dessert.

One of the things that I was excited for after making a reservation for Girasole was their tiramisu! With no sweet tooth, I do not care for dessert and rarely order it. But the only one that makes me weak and I have cravings for is my beloved tiramisu. My love affair dates back to high school when I thought it was Japanese and saw a picture online with a caption "Tiramisu too!" I used to rave about Olive Garden's pre-made, frozen & thawed tiramisu, but I have grown and matured after tasting real authentic tiramisu a couple times in London, but this one was love at first sight.

Here it is, my one & only, in all its beautiful glory

::Credits to DB Photography::

(for this magnificent piece of art that has become my blogger, twitter, yelp icon)

The sight of it took my breath away. I could hardly contain my excitement and had to slap DB's spoon away so I did not miss a shot of this beauty, which he took. It was perfection. You can taste every layer, from the cocoa to the light, fluffy cream (not sure what kind of cheese they used), to the ladyfingers that were soft and moist (not soggy like some), and the dip of chocolate sauce on the plate. It was everything I wanted from a dessert. I enjoyed the bitterness of the espresso that was not overpowering, but lingered like 72% dark chocolate. The balance of bitterness and sweetness was about 60:40 with a hint of liquer, which I think is perfect. It was without a doubt the most perfect ending to a crazy year, bittersweetly.

A toast to 2012! I have a feeling it will be one to remember, filled with lots of joy and happiness with friends & family, eating better & healthier, and hopefully a better economy so those currently unemployed can start fresh with a new job!

Happy New Year everyone!