Soulbelly BBQ is located in the Downtown Arts District of Las Vegas that’s not too far from the famous Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. This restaurant is by Chef Bruce Kalman who is a former Bravo Top Chef and was also James Beard Nominated. He was also victorious on Food Network’s Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay Shows.
On your way in there is a good sized patio and a large smoker that is usually smoking meat.
Inside there is a bar, an open kitchen, dining area, and a stage for bands.
Every time we go the menu seems to change some.
Maybe half the time I get the ground in-house smoked brisket burger occasionally. (I get it with slaw instead of cheese)
It’s always good!
My husband often orders a sandwich called The Belly of the Soul. (smoked brisket, fried egg, cheese sauce, pickled onions, spicy bbq sauce, and crispy onions)
It was really good to him and the Mac-n-cheese was also good too.
It’s pretty rare that the best and worst of the week come from the same restaurant. The Best plate of the week was from Amador Cocina Fina. When there GET THE MUSHROOMS!
This was oyster mushroom yakitori with hoja Santa pesto, Tokyo negi, and sesame seeds. Other plates were good too especially the branzino, and the eggs with shrimp and house made potato chips. It was more good than bad but this one plate just didn’t even seem like it came from the same restaurant and chef.
The Flambe Tarte – Pastrami, Manchego Cheese, Caramelized Onions and NOT MENTIONED ON MENU TONS and TONS of Creme Fracihe -, BLECH!
In other FOOD NEWS –
Any Day? – Aroma Latin Cocina – 3355 Spring Mountain Rd
April 4- Haru Matsuri Spring Fest – Lorenzi Park – Twin Lakes Dr 10-5pm
April 5- LAST DAY OF OPERATION – Siegel’s 1941 – El Cortez
April 9- Pappalecco (espresso, gelato, panini) 4700 S Maryland Pkwy
April 11+12 – Taco & Tamale Festival – Desert Breeze Events Center – 8455 Kids Zone Pkwy
April 16 – May 31 – Michelin Starred & James Beard Awarded – Alinea POP UP in the Bellagio in the Micheal Mina Restaurant
April 18 – A Taste of Station – Red Rock Pool – GM $100.PP+ & VIP $175.PP+
April 24 – Maroon (Caribbean Steakhouse by Bravo Top Chef) Kwame Onwuachi – Sahara
April 26 – Unstripped Food Festival – Palms 6-9pm
May? – Sometime in May The Hat (Pastrami Dip Restaurant) 6215 S Rainbow Blvd
Rumor READ ON FACEBOOK? May 9th – Last day for Tony Roma’s?
May 16 – Tailgate Beach Club Opens – Snoop Dog to perform – Mandalay Bay
Silly and or Cute FOOD NEWS – My Dogs enjoying In-N-Out Burgers
That was The FORKING Las Vegas FOOD Buzz of the week
Wicked Donuts is a Doughnut Restaurant located in the Sun City Part of Summerlin in Las Vegas Nevada. They offer your usual doughnuts.
And doughnuts that are different.
The atmosphere is also a mix of the usual doughnut shop and something different.
My husband tried a triple chocolate doughnut.
It was very chocolatey cake-ee doughnut.
I tried the Blue Suede Banana Doughnut (with peanut butter banana filling)
For my liking this is too large of a doughnut so I cut it in half. The other half I ate the nest day.
The doughnut seems freshly made and has a nice chocolatey topping that was adorned by a banana chip. Inside the doughnut is a creamy banana + peanut butter custard. For me the flavors work well together.
Chip Off The Block is a sandwich and burger shop that is connected to The Butcher Shop (Butcher Shop) in the northwest part of Vegas. They offer a variety of Boars Head meat sandwiches, some house smoked meat sandwiches, burgers and more!
First you order and pay at the counter.
Then you seat yourself.
They run your order to you when it’s ready.
I tried a pastrami sandwich on rye bread with house sauce, slaw, and sweet potato tots.
This sandwich is not going to win a prize for beauty but I’m happy to tell you that it tastes better than it looks. They cooked the pastrami in au jus and that embellishes the flavor and tenderness of the pastrami. This is also a very large sandwich and most people will get two meals out of it. The sweet potato tots are also very tasty.
My husband tried the Smoked Tri Tip Sandwich with added cheese and sidewinder fries.
It’s also a big generous sandwich with a half pound of meat. Also those fries are really great. They almost are like they are filled with creamy mashed potatoes.
Wild Fig BBQ is located in the Sun City Part of Summerlin in Las Vegas Nevada. They offer things such as brisket, pulled pork, smoked turkey breast, house made pastrami, spare ribs, house made sausage, and smoked tri tip. They also offer various sandwiches, combo plates, side dishes, party platters, desserts and more!
It’s not a fancy place. Also they are without indoor seating. You either have to do take out or sit at one of the picnic tables.
On our first visit we tried a lot but not everything (also the house made pastrami on every visit so far) Above is the Pulled Pork, Turkey Breast, Brisket, Macaroni & Cheese, Brussels Sprouts, Corn Muffins, and Pickles. All was very good.
The above sides were chili crisp rice (too spicy hot for me) Macaroni and cheese (they now add hot Cheetos Dust to it), BBQ Eggplant (my favorite) and the Brussels Sprouts (very good)
Once a week they offer a Wagyu Brisket that is VERY GOOD!
The house made Pastrami is always VERY GOOD but does differ slightly each time. This fist one I had was to me PERFECTION and like it was “Made by GOD”
This second one might be even better for those who enjoy more jiggly meat. It was the same but more fatty.
This third one was similar but slightly more lean and had more bark (outer seasoning) with more black pepper taste than the previous ones. (I note maybe I am the one that notices the slight differences?)
Last visit combo plate was all very good. Pulled Pork, Turkey Breast, corn muffins, macaroni and cheese (we asked them to leave off the Cheetos Dust), side of Green Chili.
We periodically go to Soulbelly BBQ downtown in the Arts District. The menu changes some from time to time and they also offer specials. But maybe on half our visits I usually get a fresh ground in house Smoked Brisket Burger. It’s usually very good and reasonably priced. My husband also maybe on half our visits get this sandwich called Belly of Soul (Smoked Brisket, Cheese Sauce, Pickled Onions, Spicy BBQ Sauce, Fried Egg, Crispy Onions).
A really great surprise came from Haochi Mama. The Crispy Eggplant Strips really are amazing!!!!!! They are a BOMB of deliciousness. They also have this shattering crisp caramelization and inside is sweet mild creamy eggplant. GET THIS! (but I do note that this dish does lose the shattering crisp exteriors for taking it home but still is delicious)
In other FOOD news –
Soon? – Zippy’s 5485 Camino Al Norte – N. Las Vegas
Soon? – Marker 40 (Bar with some food) 14 W Wyoming
Soon? – Bajamar Seafood and Tacos (NEW SECOND location) 7960 S Rainbow Blvd
Soon? – Soulbelly BBQ (New SECOND location) Miracle Mile Shops
Soon? – Meril (Emeril Lagasse Group) M Resort
Soon? – Master Kim’s Korean BBQ – Palace Station
Soon? – Pop Up Bagels (rip and dip style) 1685 E Cactus Ave
Soon? – Hello Kitty – Shops at Caesars
Soon? – MariaCheez Pizza – 5770 Centennial Center Blvd
Soon? – Blue Martini – Planet Hollywood Shops
Soon? – Porfirio’s Place (Mexican) 6085 S Rainbow Blvd (In a Gas Station)
Soon? – Able Baker Bomb Shelter – 6371 Centennial Center Blvd
Soon? – The Hat (CA Pastrami Dip Restaurant) 6215 S Rainbow Blvd
Soon? – 888 Vegas Buffet – Craig Rd
Soon? – Slim Chickens – Craig Rd
March 27 Fiorella by Marc Vetri Closes in the Durango
March 28 Cantina Contramar Opens in the Fontainebleau
March 27-29 Foodieland – Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 31 LPM to CLOSE in the Cosmopolitan
Late March-April? Aroma Lation American Cocina to OPEN 3355 Spring Mountain Rd
April 4 – Haru Matsuri Spring Fest – Lorenzi Park – Twin Lakes Dr 10-5pm
April 5 – LAST DAY OF OPERATION – Siegel’s 1941 in the El Cortez
April 9 – Pappalecco (espresso, gelato, panini) 4700 S Maryland Pkwy
April 11 + 12 – Taco & Tamale Festival – Desert Breeze Events Center – 8455 Kids Zone Pkwy
April – MIDDLE – NSDC (Not a Damn Chance) Burger 124 S 6TH St
April 16 – May 31 – Michelin Starred & James Beard Awarded – Alinea POP UP in the Bellagio in the Micheal Mina Restaurant
April 18 – A Taste of Station – Red Rock Pool – GM $100.PP+ & VIP$175.PP+
April 24 – Maroon by Kwame Onwuachi (Bravo Top Chef) (Caribbean Steakhouse) Sahara
April 26 – Unstripped Food Festival – Palms 6-9pm
RUMOR READ ON FACEBOOK? May 9 – Tony Roma’s – TO CLOSE ? Not Sure RUMOR READ ON FACEBOOK
May 16 – Tailgate Beach Club OPENS in Mandalay Bay and SNOOP DOG Preforms for the opening.
And in Silly and or Cute Food News – My Dogs eating In-N-Out Cheeseburger
That was The FORKING Las Vegas Food Buzz of the Week
There is Always something New, Weird, Different, Limited, or Special Edition in the wonderful world of food. These days we never know WTFORK we will come across when we shop for food.
Up above is –
LIMITED EDITION – Froot Loops called Sweethearts — What-The-Loop it’s a heart and not a loop – Whatever-
WEIRD – Marrowfat Peas from Erin and Batcheio’s
WEIRD – Baby Bologna – Is it for babies? or made of babies?
WEIRD – Blood & Tongue Sausage – WOW does not sound appetizing
Dining Out With DOGS is just a “Fluff” Story about taking my dogs out to eat. It all Started with my late dog Louie who always enjoyed going out to eat. When Louie got elderly he came down with aggressive cancer. We were told that poor old Louie probably only had another three months to live or possibly up to six months. Well I took Louie out to eat as often as I could and Louie made it another seventeen months. Today I take my current dogs out to eat when I can and when the weather is right.
We tried Riva’s Mexican Grill again because we enjoy the community patio there. I tried a fish salad and shared some fish with the dogs.
My husband tried a Carnitas Platter and shared some Carnitas with the dogs.
That was our trip to
Rivas Mexican Grill
6885 Aliante Pkwy North Las Vegas NV
www.RivasMexicanGrill.com
The next week we all went to Mezzo Bistro. They started us off with bread and embellished oil.
Then our cacciatore dishes have arrived.
Chicken Cacciatore
Sausage Cacciatore
Then the dogs got some.
Mezzo Bistro & Wine
4275 N Rancho Drive Las Vegas NV
702-944-8880
www.MezzoBistro.com
It’s already getting HOT in Vegas but was about 75 today and we had some shade so we did alright going to SNS Diner BBQ. If they seem familiar to you then you might have seen them on Food Network on the Diners Drive Ins and Dives TV Show. I must say that their 1/2 smoked chicken is always delicious there. Today my husband got the Brisket Philly and a Sausage Link.
Somehow I got three meals out of this 1/2 chicken ($17.) and plenty to feed the dogs too!
We all did well at SNS Diner BBQ.
SNS Diner BBQ
3229 Losee Rd N Las Vegas NV
702-269-9696
www.SNSDiner.com
This week it was too hot to dine out with dogs so we took them for a quick In-N-Out Burger.
She Whacked my other dog out of his seat so she could look in and watch.
In-N-OutBurger.com
That was Dining Out With DOGS for March 2026. We hope that you’ve enjoyed and we hope to see you next month.
The Forking TruthIn Memory of Louie 5-5-2001 – 3-3-2017
Amata Modern Thai opened just before the New Year is about a ten minute ride before or after the Las Strip. And it’s also about a ten minute ride away from Ikea and the Durango. The chef and owner of this restaurant was regarded as one of the top Asian Chefs on the Las Vegas Strip for a long time. So I thought this restaurant was well worth a try.
It’s very modern and rich looking inside.
I was hoping to try a specialty dish but by Wednesday Lunch this dish was not available. So I went with the Basil Chicken (Pad Gra Pow) 3 out of 5 for heat.
For me this is the perfect amount of heat. The chicken is masterfully tender and is infused well with basil. This is very good and is a large portion that comes with steamed rice.
My husband tried the Drunken Noodles with Beef (4 out of 5 for heat).
The beef is also masterfully tender with a good amount of basil flavor. He also like the amount of heat.
I didn’t get to try the dish that I wanted to try but the dish I did try was very good so I can’t be unhappy.
