Letters of the Month – The Unimpressiveness of Vegas Uncork’d

May 21, 2013 By: John Curtas Category: Celebrity Chef Hell, Events

When Uncork'd was headed up not down - March 2008

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ELV note: For the first time in the last six years, yours truly did not attend a single event at Vegas Uncork’d. In this past half-decade, we have gone from being both a participant and reporter at the event to one whose excitement about it ranks somewhere between the interminable NBA playoffs and who is in town to win some stupid country music award. This makes ELV sad — both for the event and himself — as there was a time he when he felt these four days in May would be the defining event in the history of the Las Vegas dining revolution. Alas, like Camelot, it was a fleeting aspiration that was not meant to be.

There’s plenty of blame to go around, of course, but the real fault lies with the petty, internecine casino politics that have always plagued our community. Instead of the LVCVA using its muscle to force the hotels to play nicely together to celebrate our entire gastronomic scene (as it did for the first six years), it basically sold the event to Bon Appetit magazine a couple of years ago. and now let’s a bunch of p.r. types from New York dictate how they want to use our town to benefit their magazine. Like any good carpetbagger, Bon App doesn’t give two shits about the place its looting. All it cares about is creating revenue for its publisher. That’s why ticket prices (and the pay-to-play fees charged the restaurants and hotels) have gone up, and why such epicurean anchors as Wynn/Encore and Venetian/Palazzo have said: “Include us out!”

We touched upon some of these issues in an article we wrote for Vegas Inc. almost two years ago. If anything, things have gotten worse. Since our local titans of tourism don’t see the value of our collective food scene, and think of our world-class restaurants as nothing more than stores in a mall, there’s nothing else to do but watch this event devolve…out of apathy, complacency and ignorance.

And if Vegas Uncork’d wants to keep pretending it is a world class epicurean affair (on par with the South Beach, Pebble Beach and Aspen food and wine festivals), then we will leave them to their delusions.

For two more reports from two (former) avid fans, we submit for your approval our Letters of the Month (written in response to our own Mitchell Wilburn’s underwhelming experience):

Epicurean Adventurer, Official Friend of ELV and Gallivanting Gourmet David Ross writes:

I’ve had a growing malaise about Uncork’d in recent times so I took a much-needed sabbatical this year. As a veteran of the affair from the start, I’ve seen Uncork’d slide from the glory days where we celebrated what makes Las Vegas a glorious city for dining into a narrow feeding trough that is not much different than some of the other food classics feted around America.

Last year, at the final event I attended, I pulled the short straw. Billed as “Mother’s Day Brunch with Charlie Palmer” at Aureole, two things were strikingly missing. Caviar, apparently the mystery act at Uncork’d again this year, (as noted above), was absent at the scrambled egg station. Even more striking was the fact the diners didn’t ask for it, even though it was noted on the dainty menu card. I did ask and forthwith came jar after jar of the stuff. Good stuff from some ancient fish somewhere.

Yet the most notable absentee at brunch with Charlie Palmer was Charlie Palmer. When I sent a post Uncork’d note to the executors of the Uncork’d estate, I received nary a response. An indication, I suppose, that they didn’t care what this poor sap had to say, even though I’d poured in a sum equaling the cost of a moderate home over the course of my Uncork’d relationship.

Gone are the glory days when we could sit and chat with a notable Food Writer, say Alan Richman and have him sign a copy of his latest tome about the craft of food writing. Gone are the events where we discussed the food culture of Las Vegas and interacted with noted local scribes with names like John, Max and Al. Gone are the discussions with Chefs about how they craft a local, seasonal cuisine in a desert oasis. Gone are the tours of the vast kitchens, wine cellars and seafood shrine that is the house of Wynn.

One hopes that Uncork’d will have an epiphany and realize that the success of the event isn’t solely dependent on a man who liberally uses the F word and throws pots at hapless cooks. Las Vegas deserves more.

Jay chimes in with a report from this year’s trenches:

I posted my thoughts and observations, mainly stemming from the Bellagio Block Party, here:
http://reaper-g.livejournal.com/#item549264

It strikes me that there are fewer and fewer participating chefs every year, not to mention entire resorts that aren’t represented. And the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority doesn’t want star chefs from out of town. No wonder the Grand Tasting was only $225 this year. And my manager told me that Bon Appetit charges way too much for participants, so expect fewer next year.

I want Vegas Uncork’d to be successful, but like David Ross, there’s less and less that’s grabbing me each year. It’s the same names that I’ve (mostly) seen already. I’m more interested in the Lucky Rice Night Market, Life Is Beautiful, and other events that are bringing in fresh blood. VU is getting upstaged more and more.

Hey, any food writers reading this — do some investigating! I think there’s a real story here.

ELV final note: Well said by both writers. If you pay attention to these things, you will notice that there was almost zero local buzz about the event this year. The R-J ignores it entirely (no surprise there), but our plethora of other food scribes gave a colossal “meh” to an event that should be a week-long celebration of all the wonderful things that have happened here over the past twenty years. A pity, but more than just pitiful, a shame…on our hotels and tourist authorities.

Artistic, Alliterative Tres Leches at BORDER GRILL

May 20, 2013 By: John Curtas Category: Food

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ELV likes this pic ‘cuz he thinks it’s art-y.

The tres leches cake at Border Grill is pretty damn art-y too.

In fact, it might be an artistic apotheosis and an admirable ending affecting your alimentary adventures at this admirable agency of appetite and agave attractions.

In other words, it’s pretty f*cking great (sorry, Mom) and this ain’t the first time we’ve obsessed over it.

There is nothing more to say….except we’ve never found a better one…and this portion can easily be split 3-4 ways.

Quite a bargain for nine bucks….as is our absolutely free, art-y photograph.

Just thought you’d like to know.

BORDER GRILL

In the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino

3590 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV 89119

702.632.7403

www.bordergrill.com

Fear and Loathing in Vegas Uncork’d

May 19, 2013 By: mitchell Category: Celebrity Chef Hell, Events, Food

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs… Oh wait, this is something else entirely, although I’m fairly certain I listened to “Sympathy for the Devil” at one point, and I recall there being amyl nitrate somewhere.

Tobey Maguire not included

The build up to this story held a great many undertones of personal danger, but mostly calling in favors, tracking down PR types and weaseling my way into whatever it is I could.  My fervor was motivated less by testing my true grit against a weekend of a gluttonous bacchanalia, although I am always eager to do that, but to test my earlier prediction about the Hubert Keller/Sarah Johnson Beer Garden being the best real event (“real” referring to any that isn’t a Michelin starred chef cooking a dozen-by-a-dozen degustation-athons).  Really, honestly, with the trend of overselling the food booth and TV chef selfie events AND making the grievous omission of any Le Cirque/Circo/Sirio things, I would say my prediction had sadly come to fruition.  Grand Tasting: consider the ball dropped.  It all kind of ran together…

Chicken livers, beef and octopus carpaccio, and crudo by... some guys I guess

This strange old French dude grabbed my rump because there was a tiny bottle of champagne in it. True Story.

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Bad Ideas Abound at PARK ON FREMONT

May 16, 2013 By: John Curtas Category: Food, Reviews

We like everything about this place except the food

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Al fresco fashion modeling by Sonny Ahuja and Dayvid Figler

Bad ideas abound at Park on Fremont, but fortunately, the setting and the decor (seen above) are not among them. That setting, and that outdoor patio in the rear, are so charming you will want to while away hours sipping and kibitzing with friends.

If you happen to get hungry during your visit, our staff has but a single recommendation:

RUN AWAY!

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Holy Molting Batman! It’s Soft Shell Crab Season!

May 15, 2013 By: John Curtas Category: Chefs, Food, Reviews

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As sure as the cool April winds give way to blistering, 100 degree days in our humble burg, you can be sure that the east coast delicacies known as Callinectes sapidus (“beautiful savory swimmer” – aka the Maryland Blue Crab) will be hitting our better restaurants, ready to be munched on whole, without the necessity of pounding, poking and pricking your way into all those crabby delights.

Yep….that’s right….you eat ‘em whole, skin and all, biting right through the claws and the soft carapace to get to all that good meat.

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Bon Breads’ New Digs

May 14, 2013 By: John Curtas Category: Food

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The greatest thing about the best bread in town is that it’s free.

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Eat This Now – Octopus Tiganito at THE FAT GREEK (+ one unique cheeseburger)

May 13, 2013 By: John Curtas Category: Food, Reviews

We told you some time ago that The Fat Greek was being run by Russians.

At first, this disturbed us, but a recent visit demonstrated no slippage in the souvlaki or doldrums in the dolmades.

As solid as those standards continue to be, it was two unexpected dishes that brought hosannas to Hera. One was simple grilled octopus (called octopus Tiganito on the menu):

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…that was as tender and lemony as this cephalopod can get.

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CARNEVINO: Grandmaster of Meat

May 12, 2013 By: mitchell Category: Food, Reviews

After a meal at Carnevino and having one of their amazing 90-120 day aged cuts of meat, I’m going to have to totally agree with Mr. Curtas’ classification of them as one of the best steakhouses in the country (his repeated, vitriolic endorsement certainly motivated me).

It’s like if the cold-war era wasn’t fought over nuclear stockpiles, patrolling bombers, and space travel, but rather steaks.  And while the Kremlin was trying to cross breed a Holstein with a Pachyderm, or putting the first person to stop clapping for Stalin in an abattoir, we were perfecting Carnevino.  Behind the facade of a giant Italian castle’s dining halls, there is a well-oiled (with artisanal olive oil, of course) machine working in back and off-site to turn cows into gold.

The Head Honcho, Exec Chef Nicole Brisson is a true Gangsta for real.  I was quite pleased to find that she was doing a couple items with ramps, an east-coast seasonal foraged green, that I was interested in trying.  In fact, I ended up trying quite a few things.  I would even go so far to say, just weighing in on food alone, Carnevino could stand as a wonderfully unique and creative restaurant even if there were NO STEAKS on the menu.

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Pea-ness Perfection

May 08, 2013 By: John Curtas Category: Food

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Many years ago, on KNPR-Nevada Public Radio, the pre-moniker ELV described a meal by quoting the great James Beard: “Great cooking should reflect and exalt the essence and the uniqueness of the ingredients,” Beard said. “A lobster dish should possess  lobster-ness; a great steak: steak-ness.”

We went on to say that we didn’t know anything about those dishes at the place we were reviewing, but we did have the pea soup, and it certainly contained the requisite…well, it was pretty darn good too.

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Yippee! More Mediocrity!

May 08, 2013 By: John Curtas Category: Food, Openings

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Just what Vegas needs: another lousy Eye-talian restaurant — in a hotel and mall (Caesars Forum Shops)  already crawling with them.

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