Author: John Curtas

Grand Tasting Tasty Snaps

As ELV leaves the snug, cozy, gastronomic confines of Las Vegas for Reno,* he thought a few tasty and personal iPhone snaps from last Friday’s Vegas Uncork’s Grand Tasting might be in order:

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As our day job is calling, we haven’t the time to label each of the 28 pictures, but we will do so upon our return, as well as do another posting or two of some of the other extraordinary food we experienced over those three fun-and-fat-filled-days. (ELV estimates he added another pound or two to his already bulging, size 44 frame.

Bon appetit indeed!

* Or, as attorney John A. Curtas, Lawyer-at-Law likes to refer to it: The Shittiest Little City In The World.

Oysters, Oysters, Oysters!

Never eat oysters in any month without a paycheck in it. – P.J. O’Rourke

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It’s something of a tradition around the ELV household to chow down on ersters in our humble burg before the hot weather hits.

Usually we hit Bouchon and/or RM Seafood for a dozen or two, washed down with some of that there Fussy-Pussy wine, and then forget our shellfish hankerins until October rolls around. (Despite what oysters producers, restaurants, and more than a few writers tell you, oysters are not as sweet or firm in the summer months, because that’s when they breed — becoming tired, flabby and watery in the process — sorta like humans.)

This year we decided to break with tradition and check out the varieties at Morels Steakhouse — long known for its French-i-fied steaks, erotic murals: [imagebrowser id=1122]

….cheese platters and freshly displayed bivalve mollusks.

We knew they’d be good, but we didn’t expect them to be this good. The Hama Hamas and Kumamotos tasted like they just lept off a boat…and the flatter, bigger Malpeques had just that light, clean essence they are known for.

If those weren’t good enough, the parsley-olive oil dip here (along with the yeasty, crusty bread), is worth a special trip all by itself.

Morels seems to be a good joint in the process of trying to make itself a great one. Now that the Wynn/Encore seems to be abandoning its haute gourmand mission, it may soon become our first steak stop along Las Vegas Blvd. South. (and yet another in Venetian/Palazzo’s Murderer’s Row of Steakhouses)

MORELS FRENCH STEAKHOUSE

In The Palazzo Hotel and Casino

3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

702.607.6333

http://www.palazzo.com/morels.aspx

ELV Thought for the Day

Good writing should write up to its audience. The trouble with our newspaper (the Review-Journal) is that it writes down to its audience. – Max Jacobson (at Culinary Conversations at Vegas Uncork’d)

Translation: Writing down is not talking down. When you write up to your audience, you seek to raise their level of consciousness and elevate the conversation. The R-J (at least when it comes to food/restaurant writing), is hopelessly mired in writing for, and speaking to, the lowest common denominator of its readership. Pity.