ELV Interviewed By Chicago’s Hungry Hound

In case you’re in love with ELV’s voice, and let’s face it who isn’t?, here is a recent interview of him by Steve Dolinsky (The Hungry Hound of Chicago), conducted as we were on our way to, and eating in, Lotus of Siam last week. Besides being a great guy and a man of impeccable taste (especially when it comes to dining companions and interview subjects), Steve is an official FOELV (Friend Of ELV), whose weekly broadcasts can be accessed by clicking on his name under ELV’s Friends In Food on the right.

And here are but a few of the dishes we shared at Lotus that night….along with some views of Dolinsky’s hand saucing a succulent red snapper.

ELV Taking A Break – The Food World Weeps

Yes food fans, for the next four days, ELV shall be attending the Mediterranean Flavor Odyssey at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley. Therefore, because he’s not yet a laptop and Twitter kind of guy, he will not be posting anything until early next week.

Try to contain your sorrow, and look forward to my complete: Eating Napa Valley story, whence I return!

Two Lunches – MIMMO FERRARO’S and MESA GRILL

Sometimes you’re just in the mood for something basic and uncomplicated, wouldn’t you agree? No fancy plate stylings or exotic garnishes, just a bowl of good old spaghetti and clams (aka pasta alle vongole),

and boy can Mimmo Ferraro’s fill that bill. This may be the best version of this Italian-American classic we’ve had since we visited Umberto’s Clam House in NYC’s Little Italy years ago, to see where Crazy Joey Gallo bought the farm.

As we were double-booked for lunch (a common occurrence for ELV), we then hightailed in to Caesars to Mesa Grill to chow down on a Bobby Flay Cuban burger — that was tastier than anything we’ve had there in a long time. Equally surprising: good grilled mahi-mahi tacos, a quesadilla more agressively spiced than we remember the food being here, and a cornbread pudding dessert that had three grown men fighting for the last bite.

To hear how tough I’ve been on Mesa Grill in the past, click here. And to read Frank Bruni’s review in the NYTimes (echoing my thoughts of three years earlier), click here.

To hear a past review of Ferraro’s, click here.

Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant

5900 West Flamingo Rd.

Las Vegas, NV 89103

702.364.5300

Mesa Grill

In Caesars Palace

3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

877.346.4642

www.mesagrill.com/lasvegas/