Are You Ready for the White Out?
Coming this fall to Las Vegas.
With the whitest guy you know leading the way.
Eat This Now – Goi Cuon at PHO 87
What’s that we said about all Vietnamese food tasting alike?
All it took was one look and bite of these beauties to to disabuse us of that notion.
Unlike too many other versions, these are wrapped to order — not too tight and not too loose — in delicate rice paper that barely holds the rice vermicelli, roasted pork, shrimp and veggies inside.
The slightly sweet tamarind dipping sauce is a big plus too, and beats the pants off the peanut/nước chấm sauce that usually accompanies these summer rolls. Or Spring rolls. Or salad rolls.
ELV isn’t quite sure what the proper nomenclature is, but does know this is the best version he’s had of these tasty little packages anywhere near Spring Mountain Road.
Best of all, a complete order, more than enough for two to share, only costs $7.
Just thought you’d like to know.
PHO 87
3620 South Jones Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89103
702.233.8787
ELV’s Thought for the Day
If only it was as easy to banish hunger by rubbing the belly as it is to masturbate. – Diogenes the Cynic (c. 390-320 B.C.)
LAKESIDE Longings
ELV is of two minds about Lakeside.
On the one hand, he hates the name — since it is neither on a lake nor near anything like a lake. (Cementpondside would be a more appropriate moniker.)
Plus, we’ve never really forgiven the Wynncore for running off Daniel Boulud from this spot. (“Running off” may be a bit of an exaggeration — the truth is, after five years of dealing with the penny ante politics of the Wynn’s F & B hierarchy, Boulud was off like a prom dress as soon as his five year deal expired. And who could blame him?) But there’s no doubt, for the first couple of years of its existence, when Philippe Rispoli was at the helm, it was one of the finest restaurants Vegas had ever seen.
Now that the space has been re-configured in bright white and orange, and the kitchen turned over to David Walzog (along with his able lieutenant Joe Zanelli), there’s almost no faulting the food — such as this beautifully fried squash blossom, stuffed with runny/tangy goat cheese:
…or this porcini-crusted halibut which may be the most perfect piece of fish we’ve had all year:
…or this vegan (yes, we said “vegan”) carrot cake:
…that was deeply satisfying and practically guilt-free — in other words, just about the perfect dessert.
So is there anything to dislike about Lakeside? Not really. The place is gorgeous and comfortable (notwithstanding the Chilewich place mats), the service top notch (criticize the Wynncore’s restaurants all you want – and we have – but the service throughout the hotel is unfailingly excellent), and the cooking is done to a fare thee well.
But there’s something missing. And what’s missing isn’t unique to Lakeside. It’s what’s missing in any number of restaurants in Vegas. It’s the missing component that makes the rest of the food world look upon us with disdain — no matter how excellent our final product is. It is the thing that foodies yearn for and critics sense the presence or absence of like a wolf sniffing the wind.
And that thing, that missing component, that je nais se quoi is passion. Individuality. An intensity of purpose driving things beyond the need for a business to “make its numbers” according to the dictates of its corporate masters.
All restaurants are businesses, of course, and all need to crunch their numbers to survive, but big, expensive hotel restaurants that exist by committee will never garner the respect of smaller places that reflect the vision of a single person.
So, as we said, we are torn about Lakeside. Walzog and Zanelli are doing some fine work here. You will properly oh and ah over many of the bites you take during your meal, but ELV would love it a lot more if it didn’t feel like a something-for-everyone spot on a fake “lake.”
In other words, if it had an identity. And those three dishes above would be a great place to start.
“Lakeside Vegetarian” anyone?
ELV’s meal was comped.
LAKESIDE GRILL
In the Wynn Hotel and Casino
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702.770.3310
ELV’s Thought for the Day
And do as adversaries do in law,
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew (1593-1594)
Banger? I Hardly Know Her.
So the evening is proceeding quite swimmingly Friday night. We’re ensconced on the second floor of Gordon Ramsay Steak, watching Ramsay work the crowd like a master, chatting everyone up, posing for pictures and stopping by every table — basically charming the pants off the lassies while impressing the lads about what a down-to-earth bloke he is.
GORDON RAMSAY STEAK Opens – ELV Eats
ELV is just kidding about the wine bottle above — although the gracious neighboring table allowed us both a few sips and a picture of it. But it was an appropriate magnificent wine to kick off the magnificent transformation of the space below into the destination restaurant it is sure to become.
ELV’s Thought for the Day
If it is good to have one foot in England, it is still better, or at least as good, to have the other out of it. – Henry James
Rick Moonen Drinks Dead Babies
Do you enjoy a tasty libation on occasion?
Rick Moonen does.
Hot Bartender Watch – Amanda at GORDON RAMSAY STEAK
Amanda has bartending in her blood. She comes from a family of serious foodies and meticulous mixologists (Dad Coop whips up potent potables at Carnevino), and she has beautified the bar at several top shelf operations up and down the Strip. (She has also done some serious modeling, and looks pretty damn good in next to nothing, which has zero relevance to her drink-mixing skills, but gave us a good excuse to link to those tasty snaps.)
Restaurant reviews, quips, picks and pans-with some seriously salivating history-from the man who eats his way through Sin City every day.
