Author Archives: The Forking Truth

Asian Inspired 5 Spice Turkey Meatballs Recipe

Something different. Some of the meatballs I used for appetizers and just wrapped wonton wrappers around them. Serving size is difficult to determine. I made 69 meatballs. I think for dinner depending on your appetite you need 4-5 meatballs for a dinner serving per person. Maybe three meatballs for a lunch sandwich. And only one or two a person if you are serving them as appetizers.

Ingredients for around 15 dinners

3 lbs ground turkey

4 oz mushroom powder

4 Tablespoons soy sauce

4 Tablespoons shaohsing

3 Tablespoons sesame oil

1 oz garlic cloves – ground to paste

4 oz grated ginger

1 cup scallion slices

2 Tablespoons 5 spice

6 eggs

1 cup panko

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

non stick spray

Sauce

1/2 cup hoisin

2 Tablespoons sriracha (to taste they all taste different)

2 Tablespoons tahini

2 Tablespoons date syrup

2 Tablespoons ketchup

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 Tablespoons mirin

1 Tablespoon black vinegar

cilantro, scallions, chives for finishing

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and spray sheet pans with non stick spray.

In a large mixing bowl mix together the ground turkey, mushroom powder, soy sauce, shaohsing, sesame oil, garlic, grated ginger, scallions, 5 spice, eggs, panko, and dark brown sugar. Use a meatball scooper and space them slightly. They need 15-20 in the oven.

In a small mixing bowl mix together the hoisin, sriracha, tahini, dare syrup, ketchup, ginger, mirin, and black vinegar. You can warm it up to go on fresh meatballs or apply it when cooking or serve it on the side.

Finish with cilantro and more scallions or chives.

Enjoy!

Asian Inspired 5 Spice Turkey Meatballs

Or you can add a wonton wrapper and re-heat in oven at 350F for about 30 minutes from cold and serve like appetizers. Then top with warmed sauce.

Asian Inspired 5 Spice Turkey Meatballs with Hoisin Sauce – just wet wrapper and wrap around meatball and reheat at 350 (when chilled) for about 30 minutes
The Forking Truth

Winchell’s Pub & Grill – North Las Vegas – Large Portions & Low Prices – Good if you don’t care what it tastes like

Winchell’s Pub & Grill is a 24/7 American Restaurant, Bar, and Gaming Type of Place with 2 locations. The North Las Vegas Location has a separate bar and gaming area.

Then here is part of the dining area. I noticed behind this room is another dining room and a patio.

I sat in a booth and the springs seem busted.

It’s not a wine place so I tried a Bloody Mary.

I don’t know what I am tasting?

It also doesn’t seem like there is alcohol in it…..I don’t know why but this is very difficult to drink. (yuk)

My husband tried a cup of chili.

He said it’s not seasoned much. It’s mostly ground beef and beans and is very thick like a sloppy Joe.

I tried the Fish and Chips with sweet potato fries.

They forgot to give me the slaw that comes with it.

The sweet potato fries came with a small cup of cinnamon sugar on the side for the fries. I think the fries are ok. The cod is fried nicely but seems to be unseasoned. The tartar sauce seems mostly unseasoned too. I don’t know why this doesn’t taste good to me? I used lemon and added stuff to the tartar sauce to make it taste better but this still doesn’t taste good to me. I took a bunch home for my dogs. My older dog was extra crazy about it. It was prepared just right for her and the elderly.

My husband tried the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich.

The menu reads THIGHS but this chicken was white meat.

I tasted a small piece. It’s not spicy and it taste burnt to me.

My husband did disagree about the burnt taste but did agree not spicy and weird tasting.

He thought the potato salad tasted like from a tub and also lacked seasoning.’

The slaw was kinda weird and had walnuts in it.

Large potions – Low Prices – Good if you don’t care what it tastes like.

Winchell’s Pub & Grill

702-636-4949

www.WinchellsPub.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Parsley Modern Mediterranean – Rampart – Las Vegas NV – Much Better than Similar National Chain Place – Worth a Try!

Parsley Modern Mediterranean is a fast/casual “Chipotle Style” Mediterranean Restaurant with four locations in Las Vegas Nevada. You build your platter as you go down the line.

We both ordered plates – one was a chicken schnitzel plate and the other was 1/2 beef, 1/2 chicken shawarma.

We also shared an order of falafels.

The Falafels are very good here. They have crisp exteriors and very herby middles.

Much better than a similar National Casual Mediterranean Chain.

Worth a Try!

Parsley Modern Mediterranean – Rampart

2239 N Rampart Blvd Las Vegas NV

www.EatParsley.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

A Taste of Via Via Food Hall at the Venetian – Las Vegas NV

A New Food Hall recently opened in the Venetian on the casino floor called Via Via Food Hall. We did a little sampling here and there.

Eater Las Vegas said one of the best bites of the month was the Medium-Hot Chicken Sando from Howl’in Ray’s so I had to try it.

And we tried Shake Fries with Comeback Sauce.

Fries are hot and fresh, nicely seasoned, and with fluffy interiors. The sauce is tasty.

The Sando is quite large.

The white meat breaded chicken is nice and moist. The exterior is crisp and not oily. It does have layers of flavors, some heat and an added slight sweetness to it. The slaw, dill pickles, and sauce complement it well. The only thing that I am not sure about is the choice of bun they used because it disintegrates as you eat it….

Next we share one order of wagyu pastrami buns from Ivan Ramen. (pastrami made in house with sour kraut and Japanese/Russian Dressing)

They accidentally burnt our order and said we had to wait a little for a re-make.

The pastrami is almost burnt again and is slice too thin. I can taste that it is almost good but looks nothing like what they serve at their New York Location. Below is how it can look from the New York location.

Above photo is the Wagyu Pastrami Bun from Ivan Ramen New York.

I did try a few bites of Scarr’s Pizza.

It is good and does remind me of an actual slice of pizza from New York because it has that special oiliness that pizza from New York has. Scarr’s variation might be slightly thinner and lighter.

My husband gives a fried bologna sandwich a try from Turkey and the Wolf.

Of course he got it without the mayonnaise. This sandwich is made with house made potato chips, cheese, lettuce, honey mustard, and fried bologna on what looks like Texas Toast. He thought the flavors and textures were very good but would have liked better on regular white bread because it just was too much bread for his taste.

That was a little taste of Via Via Food Hall at The Venetian on the Casino Floor.

3355 S Las Vegas Blvd Las Vegas NV

702-414-1000

www.Venetian.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to the NEW Superior Grocers 390 S. Decatur Blvd Las Vegas NV – Superior Produce Department

The Newest Superior Grocers opened on the west side of town. It’s about a block away from Arizona Charlie’s Hotel/Casino. Superior Grocers are an independently owned California Grocery Chain and as of summer 2025 have two location in Las Vegas Nevada. They offer all your typical supermarket items plus many hard to find Hispanic items like FRESH Chile Chiltepe peppers!

They also have Cacahuate Espanol seasoning and lots of dried Chile Peppers.

Where else have you ever seen miniature fresh corn?

They also have lots of Chicharrons here!

And great prices on potatoes (10 pounds $1.79) I noticed that many things were just .99cents a pound like all the different kinds of apples today.

They also offer the hard to find Pink Pineapples.

Superior Grocers has a Superior Produce Department!

They also sell different Coke.

Superior Grocers

390 S Decatur Blvd

www.SuperiorGrocers.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

8282 Korean BBQ Express – N Las Vegas NV – NOT Worth a Try! – One of the worst of the year so far…..

8282 Korean BBQ Express is a casual fast Korean Food (?) type of eatery located in North Las Vegas Nevada. You order at the counter and someone fills a big Styrofoam Container with food from behind the glass for you. In addition to the buffet behind the glass they also offer a menu of a few side dishes or appetizers.

Then you seat yourself.

We both tried two meat platters. They came packed enough to serve four people each and also came with a cup of soup and some kimchi.

I got Korean Fried Chicken (?), beef bulgogi (?), japchae (noodles), and steamed white rice.

The chicken tastes like chicken nuggets but has a gooey textured exterior. The chicken is dry inside and most pieces contain a chicken joint that you have to spit out.

The Beef Bulgogi is dried out and has little flavor of any kind. Also nearly every piece of beef contains hard grizzle that you have to spit out.

Not a big fan of the noodles.

The steamed white rice is really the only thing I can eat.

I ate very little but had all these chicken joints and grizzle that I spit out.

Grizzle and Chicken joints from the meats I tried from 8282 Korean BBQ

My husband tried some potstickers (we were told that they are beef & pork)

He said they were flavorless

He had a two meat platter of pork bulgogi, soy grilled chicken, japchae, fried rice.

The soy grilled chicken contained chicken joints in nearly every piece. He said the pork bulgogi wasn’t good but maybe was the best of the meats we’ve tried. He didn’t care for the noodles. The fried rice wasn’t so great either and also contained lumps of white rice in it.

We had POUNDS of leftover food (? food) that wasn’t good enough to donate to a homeless person.

I do not recommend 8282 Korean BBQ Express.

8282 Korean BBQ Express

1975 W Craig Rd N Las Vegas NV

725-205-3814

I haven’t found a website for this restaurant.

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Tacos Los Barrios – Las Vegas NV – Worth a Fork!

Tacos Los Barrios is a casual type of taco restaurant with all day breakfast with a a few (4 locations at moment) and one food truck in the Las Vegas Area. The Craig and Rancho or North/West is one of the locations that just opened. They offer 12 varieties of tacos, all day breakfast, tortas, quesadillas, burritos, bowls, nachos, birria ramen, combo plates, and more. Soft beverages are served here. Inside they have a few booths, and a few high tops for seating and outside is a small patio.

They offer a salsa and condiment bar to embellish your goodies.

We tried chips with the salsas and a side order of guacamole.

All tasty but the top two salsas are very spicy HOT.

We tried –

Crispy Fish Tacos

Pollo Asada and Birria Tacos

Carne Asada, Carnitas, and Adobada Tacos

Shrimp Taco

All the tacos were SURPRISINGLY GOOD! Not a bad one in the bunch! That’s pretty rare. (Oh and they didn’t cost much either)

Tacos Los Barrios is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

Tacos Los Barrios – Craig & Rancho

4343 N Rancho Dr Las Vegas NV

702-600-4080

www.TacosLosBarriosLV.com

www.TacosLosBarriosLV.Square.Site (This one is better)

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

The Meat Wagon – DIFFERENT – Maybe a Little WEIRD – But Worth a Fork! Las Vegas NV*******UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS

*******UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS*****The Meat Wagon is a different kind of mostly American Restaurant with a sense of humor. They offer a Brussels sprouts appetizer in a ceramic toilet. Inside you will notice a space theme. Sometimes you get picked to spin a wheel and you might win a prize like a rubber duck. This restaurant is located on the west side of Las Vegas Nevada. They offer a lot of very cheesy sandwiches on house made flat breads. They also offer a lot of unique “stick to your ribs” type foods like tacos on house made flat breads, burgers, wings, chicken and waffles, potato skins stuffed with Korean BBQ, and MORE!

Below is part of the inside.

Below is part of dining area.

So far we’ve tried –

In a ceramic dish that looks like a toilet –

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Truffle Butter, Aged Parmesan, and Honey Butter – This was surprisingly good.

They also serve Beer Battered Onion Rings in a Toilet.

Between us we tried a bunch of the tacos.

The above tacos are –

Queso Birria

Hot Korean

Habanero Carne Asada – All delicious and tender but was surprised that the Habanero Carne Asada was mild. Below are –

Three Tacos with House Made Chips

Green Chili Chicken Taco

Ale Battered Fish Taco

Truffle Garlic Mushroom Brie Taco with Spicy Raspberry Sauce

All the tacos were delicious. Better than most I’ve tried in Las Vegas.

My husband tried the special of the called The Conspiracy Theory of the day.

It was a BBQ Sirloin with Caramelized Onions, Bacon, Cheese on a house made pita with Fries.

And I got to try the Free Bird Sandwich with Rocket Fries.

It’s embellished with white balsamic slaw, tasty crisp pickle chips and hot honey. The chicken might be the juiciest fried chicken breast I’ve ever tried and the fries are tasty and freshly made.

*********UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSSINESS

The Meat Wagon is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

The Meat Wagon

7905 W Sahara Ave Las Vegas NV

725-735-7381

www.TheMeatWagon.US

Every THING is Subject to Change.

The Forking Truth

NEW WEirD DiFFERENt Limited and Special Edition Foods Out There July 2025

There is always something new, weird, different, limited, and special edition in the wonderful world of food. We just never know WTFork we’ll come across when we shop for food.

Up above is –

DIFFERENT – General Mills – Chocolate Chex

DIFFERENT – Niramay – Jalapeno Chutney Naan Pretzels and Pink Salt Naan Pretzels

DIFFERENT – Niramaya – Tandoori BBQ Naan Pretzels

DIFFERENT – Premium – Korean Sweet & Spicy Puffs Yangnyeom Style with Korean Fried Chicken Seasoning – Sounds delicious but don’t know till I try it.

NEW – Lay’s Potato Chips in Valintina & Lime, Bacon Grilled Cheese, & Wavy Korean-Style Fried Chicken

WEIRD – Tochi – Salted Egg Salmon Chips – A little fishy treat?

DIFFERENT – Nutty Fruity – Thai Crispy Rice Korean Sauce flavored

Really Different – Trader Joes – Japanese Mini Taiyaki Custard filled Fish Waffles….HAhahahaha

DIFFERENT and maybe WEIRD – Trader Joes Celebration Mini Cake Pretzels

DIFFERENT – Veggie Vice Freeze Dried Zucchini Chips

DIFFERENT – Veggie Vice Freeze Dried Broccoli Chips

WEIRD – Sahale – Pomegranate Vanilla Cashews

WEIRD – Manna Loa – Maui Onion & Garlic

WEIRD – Salsa Verde Cashews

WEIRD – Blue Cheese Cashews

DIFFERENT – Fresh Fizz Soda – Date Cola (sounds good?)

DIFFERENT – Fresh Fizz Hibiscus Ginger Ale (might be good?)

Saw some unusual treats for dogs.

Maybe WEIRD – Dole Strawberry Banana Dog Biscuits

WEIRD – Dole – Strawberry Pineapple Chews

WEIRD – Canine Carry Outs – Sweet Scoops

And there is usually something Oreo.

LIMITED EDITION – Oreo Chocolate Covered Pretzel – ? – Sounds Delicious………?

Limited Edition – Nabisco S’mOreo with Graham flavored cookie with marshmallow & chocolate flavored cream.

That was the New Weird Different Limited and Special Edition Foods Out There for July 2025. Who knows WTFork we’ll find next month.

The Forking Truth

Dining With DOGS in Las Vegas NV – July 2025

Dining with dogs is a “FLUFF” story and is usually about taking my dogs out to eat. It all sort of started with my late dog Louie. He always enjoyed going out to eat. When he got elderly poor Louie came down with aggressive cancer. We were told that Louie only had 3-maybe 6 months to live. Since Louie enjoyed going out to eat I took him out to eat as often as possible. Instead of his 3-6 month diagnosis Louie made it another 17 months. Today I take my current dogs out to eat when I can and when the weather is right.

At the end of June we got lucky and had one cooler afternoon so the dogs got to go to the California Fish Grill.

The dogs got to eat branzino, parmesan green beans, feta cheese, fried fish, and fried shrimp today. (the Brussels sprouts had balsamic so I couldn’t give them to dogs. Anything grape and anything vinegar is harmful to dogs)

We always enjoy the California Fish Grill.

California Fish Grill

6440 Centennial Center Blvd Las Vegas NV

725-231-7444

www.CAFishGrill.com

Then it got HOT and the dogs got a car ride to In-N-Out Burger. The Giant Aussie got so excited she smacked the Beagle Mix dog out of his seat so she could watch the In-N-Out action.

It was boarder line hot (89F) So I thought I could feed them quickly on the shaded patio.

www.In-N-Out.com

We were buying bagels at NY Bagel N Bakery and I noticed on the counter some TastyKakes and some house made DOG Biscuits for sale so I purchased the dog biscuits and some bagels.

It seemed like they enjoyed the dog biscuits.

It’s still too hot to dine out with dogs so we gave them a car ride to pick up a Five Guys Cheeseburger. (plain no bun)

Of course they enjoyed this.

They always enjoy a Five Guys Cheese burger

Very Hot this week so it was In-N-Out again.

Too hot for the patio so we brought it home.

The dogs always enjoy a ride with cheese burgers.

www.In-N-Outt.com

That was Doing with DOGS for July 2025. We hope that you’ve enjoyed and we hope to see you next month.

The Forking Truth
In Memory of Louie 5-5-2001 – 3-3-2017