Monthly Archives: September 2017

Estiatorio Milos Las Vegas NV 2017/$29.00 3 Course Lunch is Worth a Fork!

 

Estiatorio Milos is a Fine Greek Seafood Restaurant in the Cosmopolitan Casino/Hotel and Shops on the Las Vegas Strip. The Seafood is flown in daily and everything they serve is Greek. They happen to offer a “Killer Lunch Deal” on fine seafood. The 2017 price is only $29.00 for a three course lunch with several options. The atmosphere is modern, airy, stylish and crisp.

 

On your way to the table you get to see the fish and produce.

Soon after we got seated they served us a generous basket of fresh baked bread and quality Greek Olive Oil.

For my first course I picked the Greek Spreads. Tarama (fish roe dip), Hummus, Htipiti (Feta/Tomato dip) and Raw Vegetables. All the dips were tasty but my favorite was the Feta Tomato dip.

My husband had the Shetland Island Organic Salmon Tartare with Fresno Chili, Shallots and Cilantro.

My Main Course was the Dorade Royal Grilled Mediterranean Sea Bream.

Wow! The fish is so fresh and prepared so perfect! It’s just amazing! The fish is seasoned just so and melts in my mouth! This is as good as it gets for fish. You can pay $100.00 for 3 ounces of fish this fine at certain high end Fish Restaurants…….. Thrilled!

My husband got the Shrimp Saganaki with cous cous tomato and feta.

The Shrimp were prepared to perfection. The sauce was delicious! Just a really great plate.

We both decided to try the Karidopita with Kaimaki Ice-Cream (Greek Walnut Cake with Greek Ice-Cream).

Everyone was waiting on us were great. The food was incredible. We enjoyed ourselves!

Estiatorio Milos is Work a Fork! Ompah!

Worth a Fork! If you like seafood…….You Should Love your meal here!

www.Milos.ca

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Lago The AMAZING $29.00 3-Course Lunch Las Vegas NV

 

Lago is the first Italian Restaurant by James Beard Award Winning Chef Julian Serrano. Lago serves small plates with big flavors. Lago is located in the Bellagio Hotel/Casino and Shops on the Las Vegas Strip. When I heard about the $29.00 3 course lunch special at one of the hottest most desirable restaurants in Vegas I know I had to try it. So here I am.

The dining room is classy modern. The seats are covered in leather and the tables have attractive stone tops.

They have a fancy oven in the kitchen. Looks like it might be a wood burning oven from Italy….?

We have a nice view of the water and the Paris Tower and Hotel Casino/Shops across the Strip.

My starter course was the Caprese Salad. It was made of Heirloom Tomatoes, Creamy Buffalo Mozzarella and fresh Basil.

It was simple but oh so good. Quality olive oil, balsamic, maybe trace amounts of honey? fresh pepper and this extra delicious scant amounts of crunchy sea salt.

My husband started with the Antipasto Misto. ($5.00 extra)

He was in hog heaven with this plate. The plate included Burrata, Prosciutto, Porchetta, Interesting Olives, Roasted Bell Peppers and wafer thin crisp breads. He just kept saying this is really good. This is really worth it!

My main meal was the Branzino Livornese.

Delicate Branzino with a crisp seasoned skin and delicate flesh that picked up the lovely carefully seasoned slow roasted tomatoes. Two large tender crisp charred asparagus completed the plate.

My husband had the Lasagna Verde. Four Cheese Lasagna with Spinach.

A Nicely made Lasagna topped with fresh spinach and swimming with sweet slow cooked tomatoes.

But then comes the Chef’s Choice dessert!

We get this STUNNING Amazing wonderful plate that is so detailed with so many wonderful things! We get a lemon layer cake with lots of fancy chocolate work. We get mini meringues, dots of apricot. The most incredible lemon ice. A chocolate layer cake with lots of fancy chocolate work and some gold, dots of raspberry, nut crunch and some incredible Chocolate ice.

This wasn’t just dessert.

This was more like a gift.

This made my day!

A really wonderful lunch with wonderful service in a strikingly beautiful restaurant and the most stunning painstakingly prepared dessert.

That was the AMAZING $29.00 3-Course at Lago at the Bellagio Las Vegas.

Yes,,,Lago is CERTAINLY Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork! So good it left be Breathless! Food and environment exceeded my expectations!

www.Bellagio.com

Everything is subject to change and it is possible that your experience could differ.

The Forking Truth

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar Las Vegas NV – Worth a Fork

 

Yardbird Southern Table and Bar is located on the Las Vegas Strip in the Venetian just pass the Casino on what they call Restaurant Row. This restaurant serves Southern American Foods and has been nominated for prestigious awards including a James Bread Award.

The atmosphere is loud and the restaurant is sort of casual and sort of farm inspired like….

I couldn’t get a photo of it but they have a projector that features Southern Singers on one of the walls.

It’s Southern Food Y’ All so git on your stretchy pants and don’t hold back Yaw……. (excuse my bad fake Southern Accent….well I tried)

Started with Deviled Eggs. These are a little different and are made with dill chives and smoked trout roe.

The eggs are very tasty indeed! Flavorful but not too much and are just right!

We had to try the Black Angus Burnt Ends with Blue Cheese Fondue, Tater Tots and Pickled Chili Peppers.

The Beef with Juicy, Flavorful and Crispy. The Tater Tots were nicely seasoned and it all was really great with the spicy pickled chili peppers seem to cut the fatty sauce and meat. It was really great.

My husband had to order the Peppered Gnocchi Pot Pie.

I have NO IDEAL how Gnocchi have made it to a Southern Restaurant but here they are (and they are VERY GOOD)  in a Sage Chicken Gravy with lots of mushrooms and a Biscuit Crust. Somehow it taste like Thanksgiving…..

We HAD to share the restaurant’s specialty plate.

The Chicken “N” Watermelon “N” Waffles.

OMG this chicken is FORKING GOOD. Full of Juice that’s so delicious. The crust is amazing too. Umm the sweet hot sauce is extra yummy with the chicken. This is really good. The watermelon is slightly spiced. I think I got a HIT of Bourbon from the maple sauce for the waffles…The waffles have an excellent texture and do taste laced with cheese. It’s too much food but it is hard to stop eating. It’s so FORKING Good!

The food and Service were Phenomenal.

Yardbird Southern Table and Bar is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork! Winner winner Chicken Dinner!

www.RunChickenRun.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Gordon Ramsey’s Fish & Chips Restaurant Las Vegas NV

 

Gordon Ramsey’s Fish & Chips is located on the Las Vegas Strip by the Link Hotel/Casino. This is a small fast food restaurant that offers a very limited menu of battered Fish, Chicken or Sausage, a variety of chips and several dipping sauces and a few other items.

You order and pay at the counter. Get your beverage and wait for your number. Seating is very limited with only three tables inside and some counter chairs so you might have to sit outside somewhere.

Soon we get our Fish & Chips.

The Fish is hot and fresh. The batter is thin but very light and crispy. Fries seem like fresh hand cut and very soft but didn’t turn soggy. You can pick up malt vinegar but you also get two dipping sauces. My favorite sauce for the fish was the Gordon Ramsey’s Tarter Sauce. It was an extra delicious kind of creamy base with a perfect balance of dill, lemon and other delicious spices. I also really enjoyed the Curry Mango Sauce and the Sriracha Mayonnaise but for my taste they overpowered the tasty fish. I sure didn’t mind poking a few fries in those sauces for fun!

I wouldn’t mind if Gordon Ramsey opens some of his Fast Food Fish & Chips Restaurants in Phoenix.

ATM & FYI -Gordon Ramsey offers Fish at Chips at three of his restaurants on the Las Vegas Strip.

Gordon Ramsey Steak House – $45.00 – Loup de Mer, Truffle Chips, Creme Fraiche Tarter Sauce

Gordon Ramsey Pub – $30.00 – Yorkshire Ale Battered Cod with Tarter and Mushy Peas

Gordon Ramsey Fish & Chips – Cod , Chips and Choice of two sauces & Beverage $14.99

Soon to Open – (don’t know if Fish and Chips will be on menu?) Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen

www.GordonRamseyRestaurants.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

 

Where the Fork I Ate in Las Vegas

 

Vegas is a place like no other. It’s sort of like Disney Land but Micky had some botox and Dumbo ain’t so dumb and sells souvenirs for more than peanuts.

You can land the finest in clothes and jewelry.

You can stay in the highest end hotels.

Everywhere you go it’s a show.

You can find and see all kinds of things that’s only in Vegas. HONEST to GOD…We were in an elevator with an Elvis impersonator who was disabled and on a scooter. (dressed as an older Elvis in the white jeweled jump suit) He was drunk with a large can of beer that he accidentally spilled in the elevator.

There’s booze, gambling, prostitution, weed, a mob museum.

For about a week every year Las Vegas gets spaced out with the Star Trek Convention.

Vegas is a busy crowed place filled with people from all over the world.

Vegas can be insincere and is artificial.

BUT The FOOD is mostly so GOOD! Not just good. If you hit the right spots FORKING GREAT!

Over the next week or so I will be writing about the places I ate at while in Las Vegas.

Here is a sneak peak of what’s to come.

Just a taste!

Table Ten Las Vegas

In The Venetian

In the Venetian

Don’t worry about the calories. Everything stays in Vegas.

The Forking Truth

 

 

Every Forking Thing is Subject to Change

 

Every Forking thing is subject to change. I went to a certain restaurant in Peoria AZ. This is a casual small brewery that offers a limited menu of food. I was here before and enjoyed a mouth watering plate of salmon. It was seasoned just so and seared crispy with a silky interior. It came with a mix of carefully prepared vegetables and garlic lemon confit. (pictured below)

sometime pre-2017

So I thought I’d get the salmon again since I was craving a good salmon.

I didn’t get a salmon like the last one I had. It appears and taste like the chef has been 86th and they have someone filling in.

The salmon is edible but not the same as you can see.  It sure isn’t seared or seasoned with the same finesse either. It’s kind of very average….just average at best.  Did you ever go to the shore and get a mouth of seawater in your mouth? Well that’s what the couscous tasted like studded with squishy squash that was sprinkled with dry oregano.  The waitress asked me how it was and I said the couscous only tasted like salt. She did offer to get me something else….I declined for two reasons. One was because the menu is very limited and I don’t recall anything else I wanted to eat……and I seriously doubted the person cooking was capable of preparing anything that taste good. I asked for some lemon so I could taste something other than salt on the couscous. She gave me two thin lemon slices that were impossible to squeeze. When I got home I re-read the menu and saw that my plate was suppose to come with lemon confit that I didn’t get.

 

The food was really great last time.

sometime pre-2017

Seems like the Chef is gone and they just have someone slapping out whatever now.

The Forking Truth is that EVERY FORKING THING is subject to change and your experience or my experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Lighter Healthier Twice Cooked Potatoes with Jicama Recipe

 

Twice Cooked Potatoes and Jicama

Maybe you’ve already tried twice cooked fries and found them incredibly crisp but creamy on the inside? Do you know that you can boil potatoes and then crisp them up in the oven and they turn out more delicious than fried potatoes? They aren’t as crisp as fries because they aren’t fried but they come out with a more delicious potato flavor. Do you know that you can cook jicama? Well jicama is considered a super food and it’s very healthy with lots of nutrition and fiber. Jicama is also very low in calories. Jicama in my parts is normally eaten raw because it’s delightedly crispy with a mild sweet flavor. Many people describe it like a cross between an apple and a potato but I think it’s more like a cross between a pear and a water chestnut. I treated a pound of potatoes and jicama the same. First they were boiled for about 15 minutes in salted water. (till the potatoes were fork tender) then they got drained and placed on non-stick sprayed baking sheet(s). I gave them a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Then they went in a 350 degree F oven for about 45 minutes. Fresh cracked sea salt and black pepper were applied. The potatoes are the most delicious potatoes and do have much better flavor than a fried potato. The jicama is a surprise treat. The jicama doesn’t compete with the potatoes but it adds interest. The jicama adds a slight sweetness and a different texture. Almost like a meaty pear.

Ingredients for about 6 servings

1 lb potatoes  – waxy taste better (my favorite are red skin yellows) – peeled – cut in about inch size pieces

1 lb jicama – peeled – cut smaller than inch size pieces

Tablespoon salt – sea salt or kosher salt (heaping for boiling the potatoes and jicama)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

sea salt – fresh ground to taste

black pepper – fresh ground to taste

non – stick spray (canola or vegetable)

Directions

Turn oven on to roast at 350 degrees F. Get out the baking sheet(s) and spray it with non – stick spray.

Put the potatoes, jicama and tablespoon of salt in a sauce pan. Cover the vegetables well with water and bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are fork tender about 15 minutes. Drain.

Place the drained potatoes and jicama on the sprayed baking sheet(s) in one layer with a little room around each piece.

Let roast until the potatoes have a nice color. (about 45 minutes)

Apply fresh ground sea salt and black pepper.

Serve.

Twice Cooked Potatoes and Jicama

The jicama lightens up the side of potatoes and makes them much healthier for you too. The potatoes are extra tasty this way too!

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

 

My Trip to La Santisma Gourmet Taco Shop – Old Town Glendale AZ****UPDATE Glendale Location Now Closed for Business ******

****UPDATE Glendale Location Now Closed For Business *****La Santisima Gourmet Taco Shop is located in Old Town Glendale AZ. They offer a very long menu of various tacos. They also offer the largest salsa bar I’ve ever seen and some hard to find Mexican foods that you don’t come by often like the “Quesa” that I can only describe as a sort of Mexican calzone. The building is interesting inside and out. It’s detailed with Mexican crafts and artwork there is a Day of the Dead Theme going on.

We ordered and start by taking a trip to the salsa bar.

All kinds of salsas there…What to pick? They offer strawberry salsa, peanut salsa, pecan salsa, sesame salsa, cactus salsa, chipotle salsa, avocado salsa, Mexican salsa and many others.

We tried a variety of salsas. (Pecan, Peanut, Sesame, Mexican,  and others)

I had to go back to try a few more! Here is Strawberry, Chipotle and Tomatillo Salsas. Some of my favorites were the strawberry, Mexican, chipotle and  peanut.

My tacos arrive!

I received two double shelled very packed tacos. They have so much food in them that I have to eat some with a fork first before I attempt to pick them up. On the left is smoked marlin fish and on the right is battered white fish. Both tacos are topped with shredded crisp cabbage and cilantro dressing. The whitefish is fresh tasting and has a nice crispy coating. This taco needs some condiments. A squirt of fresh lime, A little cilantro salsa and a touch of strawberry salsa and good flavors are going on. The marlin taco was really delicious the last time I was here so I ordered it again. Today it’s good but not delicious like last time. They didn’t smoke the marlin like they did last time and the fish taste like tuna today. This taco also needs to be kicked up some so I added some chipotle for a little smoke and a touch of peanut for heat. Still tasty.

These are the tacos I had on a previous visit.

Smoked Marlin and a Chicken Mole.

My husband got a three taco platter with rice and beans.

He got Pork, Chicken Tinga, and a Brisket Tacos that was grilled. The favorite was the chicken tinga. It was developed with delicious flavors and was made with a generous amount of moist dark chicken meat.

I learned from previous visits that two tacos is my limit here as they are very filling but on my first visit I discovered the Vegetable Stuffed Quesa.

It’s similar to an Italian Calzone but the dough taste like corn tortilla so I guess I’m tasting masa flour. The dough seems like it’s fried and it’s very tasty. Inside it’s packed with vegetables……I remembered I thought this was really delicious so we ordered one to go to have latter.

This quesa seemed to differ. It wasn’t squirted with the avocado cream and it was filled with mostly onions with a tiny bit of spinach and a few mushrooms. Oh well! I guess a different cook was working today. Still tasty. If vegetables aren’t what you fancy feel free to try a meat quesa. You might find it to be a tasty treat!

*****UPDATE Glendale Location Now Closed for Business******

www.SantisimaGourmet.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

My Visit to Grassroots Kitchen & Tap & Sweet Provisions Sweet Shop Scottsdale AZ YUM!

 

Scottsdale Location

The Grassroots Restaurant isn’t fancy but it is comfortable and they offer very American Comfort Food. We both like to dine at the Grassroots every now and then because they offer a great variety, the food is always tasty and technically great all the time. Another reason we like to visit is because the pies are exceptional. The Chef is famous for his Key Lime Pie and is proud to make each pie with a crazy number of maybe 30 hand squeezed fresh key limes….At this time (Sept. 2017) there are two locations of the Grassroots…..one in the Phoenix Biltmore area and the other in Scottsdale. The Biltmore area is closer for me but I wanted to try the Chef’s new Sweet Provisions Sweet Shop located next door to the Grassroots Scottsdale location so we picked that one to visit.

Today I went for the Scottish Salmon with a Side Chop Salad.

The Salmon is moist and buttery with nice grill marks. The tasty salad is filled with many textures and flavors and it’s filled with all kinds of goodies like edamame, grapes, corn, cucumbers, radish, fresh herbs and more in a champagne vinaigrette.

My husband went for the special of the day.

House prepared Pastrami Sandwich on Pretzel Bun with Cheese and Jalapeño Grits.

It’s delicious as we expected it would be. No it’s not like a Deli Pastrami Sandwich it very American on a Pretzel Roll and made with Sharp Cheddar Cheese.

It killed me not ending my meal with that amazing Key Lime Pie.

Key Lime Pie from a past visit

www.GrassrootsAZ.com

We finish and go next door to Sweet Provisions.

It smells like a sweet doughnut or sweet cupcake when you walk in.

There is candy, baked goods and house made ice creams.

Cakes, Pies, Cookies, Lemon Bars and More OH MY!

“drooling”

I made the most of the situation…..Ice cream for now and a lemon bar to take home for latter.

I try the Banana Walnut Ice Cream and my Husband picks his usual….the Chocolate.

Ummmmm They are BOTH Very Good!

The Banana Walnut is very creamy and natural tasting…Not too sweet and more like a natural sweet banana with toasted walnuts.

The Chocolate is rich with Chocolate Flavor. It taste just like a high quality Belgium Chocolate.

Can’t wait to try the Lemon Bar….

www.SweetProvisionsAZ.com

That was my visit to Grassroots Scottsdale and Sweet Provisions…….YUM!

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

 

Macaroni and Cheese Style Potato Casserole Recipe

 

Macaroni and Cheese Style Casserole

Macaroni and Cheese Style Casserole

I have  a bunch of potatoes I needed to use to I made a casserole so I could freeze the leftovers. I made a potato casserole that taste like macaroni and cheese. I didn’t use any orange cheese but the seasonings I use turn the white sauce orange. My recipe sounds spicy but I assure you it isn’t. You need to add a lot of seasoning and flavors to a potato casserole because the potatoes really absorb salt and pepper like nothing. I didn’t use non-fat milk or a scant amount of butter to cut calories. Instead I choose to make the sauce rich with lots of cheese. You have to decide on what you want when you make a cheese sauce because the more fat you add to the sauce the less cheese you have to use because your sauce can only take so much fat or it breaks. Sorry I couldn’t get the best pictures. The casserole is very creamy and cheesy with a tasty crust….but hard for me to photo.

Ingredients for about 20 servings

2 cups non-fat milk

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 oz unsalted butter

8 oz mature English Cheddar – shredded – (I like Coastal Brand from Costco)

4 oz mild provolone – this usually comes sliced that’s ok or shred

1/2 cup parmesan – shredded

1 1/2 Tablespoons aged cayenne pepper sauce (preferably Frank’s Red Hot)

1/2 teaspoon Hungarian Paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 large eggs – beaten

1 large sweet onion – sliced very thin on a mandolin

1 Tablespoon course sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 pounds potatoes (about…after peeling and removing spots I might have had less)

non-stick spray preferably canola or vegetable)

1 cup panko – for topping

1 cup parmesan – for topping

1 teaspoon Hungarian Pepper – for topping

pinch cayenne pepper – for topping

pinch white pepper – for topping

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Get a large baking dish or half pan. Spray the baking vessel with non-stick spray and have a piece of aluminum foil also sprayed with non-stick spray that will stretch across the pan and won’t stick to the food.

Melt butter in a medium size pot on medium heat and then whisk in milk and cornstarch. Keep whisking so you don’t get lumps and keep it going till mixture is thick and it is bubbling. Next turn down the heat to low and stir in the cheeses. Then add the pepper sauce, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/8 teaspoon white pepper and take off the heat and stir. Set to the side.

In a large bowl slice the onion very thin. Add the 1 Tablespoon sea salt and the black pepper. Mix. Do one peeled potato at a time over the onion mixture. When you are done each potato mix it threw the onions. The onions will keep the potato slices from browning and the seasoning will spread evenly. Keep going till you have finished the potatoes.

In a small bowl beat the eggs well and add them to the cheese sauce that should be just warm now. Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Mix and pour mixture into the sprayed pan.

In a medium bowl mix together the remaining ingredients panko, parmesan, paprika, cayenne, white pepper and spread evenly over contents.

Cover with the sprayed foil. (clean side up and sprayed side goes against food)

After about 90 minutes in the oven it should be cooked threw and look like this. (you might want to check it at about 75 minutes)

You should let it cool a little bit before you serve.

I tried to show the layers of potatoes and the creamy cheese in-between. (it’s cold here)

“It smells Forking Delicious…Why can’t I eat any?’

Macaroni and Cheese Style Casserole

#CROWDPLEASER about 98% of the population will find this delicious!

The Forking Truth