Eat (Don’t Eat) This Now: Birria, Paella and Tres Leches Cake at BORDER GRILL

Chef Mike Minor is whipping up a mean birria (goat stew/soup) these days at Border Grill:

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The word ELV is getting is Chef Mike is getting whole goat carcasses, breaking them down himself, before putting all that kosher goodness into a rich and deeply spicy stew. It’s damn good goat…and a steal at $12/bowl.

Unfortunately, we can’t recommend the paella:

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…as we found it gummy and starchy and not worthy of the generally fine cuisine put out by this Mandalay Bay Mexican.

Fortunately, all was salvaged by the tres leches cake:

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…that was as milky and rich as this cake can get.

Our  bill for two was $55 – including a $10 tip – with no booze).

Just thought you’d like to know.

BORDER GRILL LAS VEGAS

In the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV 89919

702.632.7403

www.bordergrill.com

LE CIRQUE (New York) Reviewed in The Virtual Gourmet

By: John Mariani


Seven years into its fourth decade, Le Cirque has seen the American dining landscape change, shake,  rock, roll, slide, soar, and come back to the need for a sense of refinement that the restaurant has always represented under the Maccioni family (below), which includes paterfamilias Sirio, his wife Egi, and their sons  Mario (far left, who runs the Maccioni restaurants in Las Vegas), Marco, and Mauro, whom I have literally watched grow up and become various reflections of their parents while having each his own style and distinct degree of savoir-faire. Le Cirque–the circus–is still a daily draw for international celebrities, winemakers, Hollywood stars, even royalty, as it has been from the start. Continue reading “LE CIRQUE (New York) Reviewed in The Virtual Gourmet”