Secret of Siam is a Thai Restaurant located in the Centennial Area of Las Vegas Nevada. They offer most of your usual Thai Dishes, a good amount of sharing plates, seafood dishes, beer, and wine.
Most of the seating are booths.
The crispy spinach is an interesting starter.
The spinach is shattering crisp and seems free of oil. The dipping sauce on the side is on the sweet side and is adorned with red onion and cashews.
I tried the basil eggplant with chicken.
The heat level (3 out of 5) is good to me. The chicken was moist, tender, and developed with flavors. The eggplant is creamy and sweet and doesn’t seem oily.
My husband tried the drunken noodles with beef (heat level 4 out of 5)
Today the #4 heat might be running more like a #3 but everything else is good….Good flavors, tender beef.
On a second visit my husband tried the spicy basil #4 heat with combination (chicken, pork, beef, shrimp) that was reasonably good like everything else so far………..
I tried a dish I never noticed on a Thai Menu before. The Green apple pompano (green apple salad green apples, tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, cashews, lime sauce) over crispy fried fish).
I have to say that the slaw is delicious……..but
The fish is not edible. It’s like it was fried in glue. You can’t dig the flesh out and when you manage to get a little morsel it’s fishy.
The Secret of Siam is not to order the Green Apple Pompano……..I wouldn’t take a chance with the red snapper or salmon either because of the taste of the morsel I tried.
Secret of Siam ….The Secret might be………….. (not to get the fish)
Secret of Siam
5705 Centennial Center Blvd Las Vegas NV – 702-331-4406
El Dorado Cantina is a Mexican Restaurant with Three Locations in Las Vegas Nevada. The Tivoli Village location in Summerlin is adorned with amazing light fixtures indoors and outdoors.
Very detailed cut glass chandeliers of flowers and parrots accent the patio and also look amazing from indoors.
Inside are red star light fixtures and hanging light fixtures with butterflies.
Eater Las Vegas wrote that the chips and salsas are the best from this restaurant so we gave them a try.
I should note that the chips and salsas are not on the Happy hour menu (3-6 Monday-Friday & 12am-3 daily) but they were only $3.75 and they are good. My Golden Cadillac Margarita was 1/2 price and it’s good for $11.00 but if I paid $22. for it I might feel different?
They offer EIGHT different tacos on the happy hour menu, a quesadilla, nachos, Mexican seared tuna, and a few other things.
I tried a roasted corn and poblano taco, a pulled chicken taco, and a carne Asda taco.
They are smaller sized tacos but are double shelled and well stuffed.
The carne asada is infused with good flavors and is tender today.
The chicken taste fresh made and is mildly seasoned and is as tender as tender can be…..
The roasted corn and poblano taco is maybe the tastiest but also is almost free of corn.
I see two corn kernels….It’s mostly caramelized onions with poblanos and lots of rich sour cream. It’s extra tasty from the cheese that was grilled on the tortilla.
He liked the carnitas best out of the meat tacos. He liked the shrimp but didn’t like the generous amount of guacamole on them. The chicken mole tacos seemed similar to the regular chicken tacos……just with a dab of thin mole on them. Cauliflower taco was tasty.
That was Happy Hour at El Dorado Cantina – Tivoli Village Las Vegas NV – Worth a Try!
My 2020 recipe for pastrami was the best ever. I wanted to delete my earlier pastrami recipes but as luck would have it I always got a complaint from someone that I deleted a recipe while they were working on it. I wasn’t planing on changing my 2020 recipe but I accidentally grabbed granulated onion so I’m giving it a try with the addition of granulated onion. Making pastrami is easy but is also very risky. Even if you are a professional sometimes the meat won’t cure and preserve everywhere because of the natural fat in it and it can spoil even if you did everything correctly. That is the reason most delicatessens who use a lot of pastrami pay companies to do the brining for them.
To start with you need a whole brisket…..The pounds of it can differ. (I think it’s a waste to do all this work for only a half brisket. After-all you can freeze the leftovers.
The hardest part is trimming the pastrami. You have to trim off all the really hard fat.
I might have trimed off more fat than you would? I also separated the point from the flat. After the trimming you need to puncture the brisket all over on both sides so it gets brined correctly.
Ingredients for the pastrami brine. (You might want to prepare the brine the day before because it takes a very long time to cool down. IT’S ESSENTIAL FOR THE BRINE TO BE COOL.
2 Tablespoons Prague powder (buy online…This makes the pastrami pink, helps to preserve it and you get that certain flavor that you can’t get without)
8 oz Crystal Brand Kosher salt (Mortons salt crystals are a different shape and don’t penetrate the meat as well)
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup honey
4 teaspoons juniper berries
6 Tablespoons coriander seeds
4 teaspoons allspice berries
6 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons whole cloves
4 teaspoons mustard seeds
4 Tablespoons Tellicherry black peppercorns (not the same flavor from other black peppercorns)
4 teaspoons white peppercorns
2 teaspoons ground ginger
6 oz garlic (around 40 cloves) rough chop or slice
2 Tablespoons granulated garlic
2 Tablespoons granulated onion
4 hot dried chilies – crushed
4 teaspoons smoked paprika
16 cups water
Directions – bring to boil and boil for about ten minutes. Let cool. Brisket can’t be added to a hot or warm brine.(I divide the brine into three bowls and make an ice bath to cool them down)
If you separate the brisket (or cut in half…but you will have a big line of fat in the middle with meat that needs to be cut in different directions….) You can use turkey cooking bags to hold 1/2 of each of the pastrami. You also try to squeeze as much of the air out as you can. Today I used canned sodas to help keep the brine all around the brining briskets.
The pastrami should be turned over every day.
I brine mine for 6 days. (the longer you brine the chances of spoilage are higher)
After 6 days you remove the briskets from the brine and blot them off.
Then you have to add the rub using a spice blender.
8 Tablespoons coriander seeds
2 Tablespoons Tellicherry black peppercorns
2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
This gets blended up and you rub it all over the brisket.
Smoke with pecan wood at least 5 hours but 7 hours is better changing the wood as needed.
This gets finished over night in a low 185- 200 degree F oven. (last time I did last time at 185.. did 200 this time because my oven doesn’t do 185.
If you make pastrami then you might want to make rye bread or rye rolls. (My recipes are in search)
Made Rye Rolls today!
Same recipe as before but in the Whirlpool Oven They needed 25 minutes at 425 degrees F.
Here is 1/2 of the pastrami cold. (it’s better to slice uo the pastrami cold)
BBQ Pastrami and Rye Rolls
I don’t mean to brag but The FORKING Truth is that the pastrami and rye rolls are far better than from most restaurants!
There is always something new, weird, different, limited, or special edition in the wonderful world of food. We never know WTFork that we will come across when we shop for food.
Up above is what I’m guessing is-
LIMITED EDITION – Kellogg’s Shocking Orange Rice Krispies. I wonder if they make your teeth orange too! That could be shocking.
DIFFERENT and maybe SPECIAL EDITION – Kellogg’s Mindcraft Frosted Flakes with CREEPER BIT Marshmallows…??? I wonder if those green creeper bit marshmallows taste like weird?
DIFFERENT – Duncan’ Hines – Dolly Parton’s Southern Style Banana Cake Mix with OTHER natural flavors…..(WTFORK are other? natural flavors? Otter butts, lizard spit, beetle poop?) Haven’t tried this so it could be great or a BUST!
Found a bunch of different puffs.
DIFFERENT – Outstanding Puffs – Kansas City BBQ flavored……Ummmm?
DIFFERENT – Shrewd Food – Protein Puffs in Brick Oven Pizza Flavor. Too bad I didn’t buy them. I’d like to try them right now!
DIFFERENT – Outstanding Puffs – That are Hella Hot flavored. They sound too spicy hot but I don’t know if they are. I enjoy regular hot…..Hella hot just sounds too hot. I wonder how hot they sell?
DIFFERENT – Moon Cheese Yum Inferno – Dam I should have bought them. They sound yummy but hot. But what flavor is moon cheese?
DIFFERENT – Outstanding Puffs in Chill Ranch…??? Not sure about that flavor. Much taste like a mouthful of buttermilk powder?
DIFFERENT – Chester’s Poppers in jalapeño cheese whirlz…….sound tasty they might be?
Done with puffs for now.
DIFFERENT – Ronilli premium cauliflower crumbs……..I don’t know how they are so I can’t judge………I know I tried cauliflower crackers before and they had a really sour taste so I’m afraid to try cauliflower crumbs…..
WEIRD – Blue Diamond almonds that are blueberry flavored……
DIFFERENT – Simple Truth Nut Butter Bites in Cocoa Beat Almond flavor…OPPS! I mean Coca BEET Almond…….I’m thinking that these seem like filling for a chocolate candy…..
DIFFERENT – Jeni’s Ice Cream in flavors I’ve never seen before….Brambleberry Crisp and Gooey Butter Cake
I saw lots of interesting flavors of Haagen Dazs….
DIFFERENT and maybe NEW – Haagen Dazs Summer Berry Cake Pop, Black and White Cookie, Bourbon Vanilla bean Truffle
and
DIFFERENT and maybe NEW – Haagen Dazs Dulce de Leche Churro
and
DIFFERENT and maybe NEW – Haagen Dazs Rum Tres Leches and Bourbon Praline Pecan….OH GOSH they all sound fabulous! I think I just gained ten pounds just by thinking about tasting all those ice creams. I didn’t buy any either…this time.
Good old ketchup is new and different now too!
NEW – Heinz Ketchup in habanero and chipotle…..Both flavors do sound good to me.
And there is usually something Oreo.
DIFFERENT – Nabisco Soft Baked Oreo Cakesters.
Well that was the new, weird, different, limited, and special edition foods out there for September 2023. Who know WTFork we’ll come across next month.
SNS Diner & BBQ is also known as Southern Nevada BBQ and is located in North Las Vegas Nevada. They offer breakfast, and a lunch/dinner menu of comfort foods. They also offer daily specials and of course barbecue. If they look or sound familiar it might be because they’ve been featured on Food Network’s Diners Drive-ins and Dives.
They have all kinds of seating inside.
Outside was only three tables but we managed to get one and the dogs were very happy about that.
We tried a bbq corned beef sandwich with a side salad. The side salad came out first.
The dogs got to eat my cucumbers from the salad.
My husband started out with a cup of gumbo.
He thought it was good and my digs were excited to eat some of the sausage in it.
I gave my dogs a small amount of the smoked corned beef.
They do a mild kind of corned beef here but it is tender. (The smoked pastrami here is more like an east coast style…Well it was last time…) The dogs got mostly bbq chicken that was very good! It was really tender, lightly smoked with crispy skin and really perfect! They also got bbq pulled pork, the tender brisket, some macaroni and cheese, and a little sweet cornbread (not pictured).
The dogs were very pleased with SNS Diner & BBQ and can’t wait to return.
That was Dining out With DOGS at SNS Diner & BBQ North Las Vegas NV
3229 Losee Rd North Las Vegas NV – 702-269-9696
www.SNSDiner.com
The Forking TruthIn Memory of Louie 5-5-2001 – 3-3-2017
Pizza Rock will soon have three locations in Las Vegas Nevada. This pizza restaurant is like no other. The chef and co-owner is a 13 time world pizza champion. This restaurant serves a variety of pizzas (Neapolitan, classic Italian, classic American, Sicilian, Roman, and gluten free) from four different ovens. They also offer 23 rotating drafts, craft cocktails, and 60 bottled and canned beers.
This isn’t your grandpa’s pizza shop.
Interesting “Rock” music fills the air.
We started out by sharing the gorgonzola and apple salad.
It’s a good size for two people and contains mixed greens, spicy candied walnuts, gorgonzola, apples, dried cherries, balsamic vinaigrette.
We tried an Italian Style Artichoke Joe.
This one is mozzarella, marinated artichokes, spinach, garlic, provolone, ground pepper, and a squirt of fresh lemon. It’s a nice sturdy pizza that doesn’t seem too heavy. It’s actually on the thin side but sturdy with a crisp chewy crust.
We also tried the WORLD CUP WINNER OF NAPLES ITALY Pizza Napoletana Margherita (San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella fior di latte, basil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt)
It does differ in every way from other Neapolitan pizzas I’ve tried. The crust is not wet in the center like some and is an all over moist, thin, and foldable. The sauce is rich and much heavier applied than others I’ve tried. The cheese isn’t melted as much and is in thicker chunks instead of a thin layer across the surface.
888 Korean BBQ has a location in Chinatown Plaza in Chinatown Las Vegas Nevada. They are an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ that is halal. They offer three levels of menus. Menu “A” black Angus $25.95, Menu “B” Prime $31.95, Menu “C” Kobe Style $42.95 (prices are subject to change). All the menus offer many appetizers, many selections of proteins, vegetables, soup, rice, and more. We picked from menu “B” and we had close to 50 choices. There are a few rules for dining here. You have a 90 minute time limit, no leftovers, and no to go.
Whatever you order they start you out with some banchan (side dishes). Today we got salad, thin radish slices, kimchi, macaroni salad, bean sprouts, onions with peppers and a slice of some kind of vegetable.
Between us we tried a lot of appetizers.
corn cheese
snow crab
fried beef & pork dumplings
spicy tuna on crispy rice
chicken karaage – THIS ONE WAS FORKING AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!OMG YUM!!!! The MOST DELICIOUS chicken karaage by a mile………Even the sauce was incredible I wish I could buy just this to bring home……The others were good and or tasty but……Next time I’m eating more of this. I’m coming back to eat more of this for sure.
For the bbq they set up a sheet tray next to your table with your dishes that include the items you need to bbq up.
Above are brisket, pork toro, tempura shrimp, and corn cheese.
above are mushrooms, brisket, bulgogi beef, bulgogi chicken, and spicy chicken. We also got onions. Now we go and bbq things up.
Out of what I tried……(I’m not a beef person….but)….The bulgogi beef was the best. It was infused with delicious flavors and was so tender it melted in my mouth. The brisket was also very good but wasn’t infused with delicious flavors. The better chicken was the what I think was the spicy chicken that was red in color. That one was delicious and moist. My least favorite was what I think was the bulgogi chicken. It seemed like it was over marinated and had a sort of leather-ee weird texture and not the best flavor.
This is some of the better chicken in a radish slice.
My husband’s least favorite was the pork because it came out chewy. My husband’s two favorites were the bulgogi beef and the spicy chicken.
You probably won’t go wrong with the bulgogi beef, the spicy chicken, and the chicken karaage.
888 Korean BBQ is Worth a TRY!
4215 Spring Mountain Rd Las Vegas NV – 702-480-6552
I came up with this recipe and it came out so tasty and so easy you will love it. You don’t have to use a piping bag like I did. I did mine with a professional sized tip and it was not real hard but some work to do. I found out on my 2nd try with a home cooks star tip that it was even harder because the tips are meant for frosting not dough. It’s easier and better to roll the dough. You can just roll the dough into 24 logs (half, half, half again, and so on). If you eat one then you have 24 servings. If you eat two at a sitting then you have 12 servings.
Ingredients for around 12 servings
3 ounces mature cheddar cheese (I buy the cheddar that Costco sells) – shredded
4 ounces flour
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
2+1/2 ounce sweet butter – melted
1 egg – lightly beaten
non stick spray.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly spray a baking sheet with non stick spray.
In a large mixing bowl mix together all the ingredients (expect non stick spray) (cheddar, flour, smoked paprika, Old Bay Seasoning, butter, egg, baking powder)
Either pipe (with a large professional sized tip) or roll logs with the dough.
I piped and used a tip like this.
When you have your cheese straws made put the baking sheet on your middle rack and keep them in the oven until you start to brown. Ovens do differ and the size of your straw may differ. Mine took 25 minutes.
Yelp is a review site that many people use to find out about or write about local businesses. I’ve been invited to many Yelp events. I usually don’t go because they usually are at a time that isn’t convenient for me or sometimes that are on the other side of town. This one wasn’t too far and was at a time that I could do. This one benefited Miracle Flights. They asked for an optional $20. donation and around 40 local businesses offered treats, drinks, entertainment, and photo opps.
This particular Yelp Event has a Space Cowboy Theme.
There was all kinds of foods to try and acrobats were swinging from the ceilings.
Here are just a few of the food tables.
What it’s really all about is supporting and reviewing local businesses.
Houston TX Hot Chicken is a fast but higher quality than regular fast food chain of hot chicken restaurants. They have several locations in Las Vegas and several more coming. This restaurant was featured on the news here and everyone enjoyed the food so much on TV that I wanted to try it too!. These restaurants also have amazing ratings on review sites so I wanted to give Houston TX Hot Chicken a try. They offer a variety of chicken sandwiches, tenders, fries, salads, milkshakes, cookies, soft beverages and more. You also have to decide on a heat level for your chicken. Do you want no spice, honey butter, mild, medium, spicy, liftoff, or Houston we have a problem?
The 7155 W Ann Road location is very casual. You order and pay at the lite up glowing stone counter.
You grab a number and seat yourself.
Pretty quickly our order arrives.
We both got original hot chicken sandwiches “spicy (habanero)” with cheese fries.
The eggy bun is nicely toasted and the slaw is fresh and crisp. This sandwich also contains dill pickles and they do give you a generous piece of fried chicken breast. I try a small piece of the chicken I sort of worry that I might not be able to eat it…..The “spicy” is CLUCKING HOT!……But it is crispy and the chicken is tender…….I’m tasting more heat than flavors when I taste the chicken by itself..Then I try a bite with the sweet sauce that is on it and with the slaw, bun and pickle I can manage it but it is hot…..Maybe between 7-8 on a 1-10 Thai Food scale. It is tasty all together but is also a mess to eat. You don’t want to eat with someone on a first date.
We also try one tender in liftoff- scorpion pepper (not the hottest that they offer)
In my opinion and I am a fan of spicy food this is too hot for anyone to enjoy….It also lacks flavors besides heat. We can’t eat it.
I do think the fries are fluffy and tasty. The cheese sauce taste ok but it has a texture that is strange to me.
If you are thinking something fast food this is probably better than the majority of fast food out there. If I try again I’d try a medium next time.
Houston TX Hot Chicken 7155 West Ann Road Las Vegas NV
