The Divine Dish

Dinner at Okada Restaurant, Wynn Las Vegas

Posted on Jul 29, 2011 under Archives | No Comment

The last time I was in Vegas I stopped by Okada restaurant to chat with new executive chef Devin Hashimoto.  The restaurant has a series of rooms and a nice sushi bar, all with nice views of the pond and waterfall.  Chef Hashimoto prepared a fabulous feast of Japanese cuisine with modern twists.  Here is what we ate during our tasting menu:

We started off with kiwi and mango coolers.

Our first dish was a heirloom tomato and tofu salad with black sesame and balsamic reduction.  It was topped with a sumiso dressing.  A nice play on the traditional tomato mozzarella salad.

Next came a sashimi salad roll with cucumber, daikon, greens, kombu and Yuzu Ginger vinaigrette.  The field greens replaced the traditional rice in the roll which is a nice option for those counting carbs.

A huge platter of very fresh and tasty sushi and sashimi followed.  It was almost too beautiful to eat.  Our hunger won and we devoured all of the raw fish.

Next came the robatayaki skewers, a very nice selection of pork belly with Korean chili sauce and Asian slaw, roasted corn with truffle butter (very tasty), marinated cuttlefish with lemon, diver scallops with chili oil and miso sauce, and American Wagyu short ribs with fingerling potatoes and wasabi horseradish cream.  This was so delicious.

Then came okonomiyaki, a Japanese style seafood pancake made with shrimp, cuttlefish, shrimp, cabbage, pickled ginger, tonkatsu sauce, creamy mustard aioli, aonori and katsuo.

Our last course before dessert was Okada Oscar, with tempura King Crab and filet with  Wasabi-Shiso Bearnaise and shitake mushroom sauce.  Yum.

Dessert was equally delicious, with a lovely trio of a chocolate roll, panna cotta, and pie.

Our dinner was outstanding with every dish full of surprise twists on traditional Japanese dishes.  Okada is located in Wynn at 3131 Las Vegas Boulevard South, reservations recommended at 702/770-3463.

Interview with Chef Devin Hashimoto, Okada Resaurant, Wynn Las Vegas

Posted on Jul 29, 2011 under Chefs, Interviews | 2 Comments

On my last visit to Las Vegas I visited with Chef Devon Hashimoto.  Chef Hashimoto was recently appointed the new executive chef of Okada, the fine dining Japanese retaurant at Wynn.  I enjoyed a fabulous tasting menu, see the next post, of new menu items created by Chef Hashimoto.

Raised in Honolulu, Hashimoto worked at Sam Choy’s in Hawaii before traveling to Vegas to attend the University of Nevada Las Vegas.  He worked at the Mirage in Vegas until Chef Alex Stratta recruited Hashimoto to work at his signature restaurant, Alex, at the Wynn Resort.  When Alex closed earlier this year, Hashimoto was chosen to head up the kitchen at Okada.  We sat down and chatted about his new role as chef, the revised menu at Okada and his philosophy about food and cooking.

 

Dinner at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant, Paris Resort, Las Vegas

Posted on Jul 29, 2011 under Uncategorized | No Comment

I recently visited the beautiful Paris Resort for a story I was writing for travelhoppers.com.  I was lucky enough to be able to dine at their famous Eiffel Tower restaurant.  Located on the 11th floor of the Eiffel Tower replica, Chef Jean Joho’s restaurant offers outstanding French cuisine with great views of the Bellagio fountains and Las Vegas Strip.    Guests take a glass elevator to the restaurant which opens in the kitchen area and are then escorted to the dining room which features metal framework of the structure and wrap around windows providing stunning views.

We were seated at the side corner table offering sweeping views of the Bellagio.  This is the best seat in the house as diners can view the sunset and spectacular fountain shows throughout the meal.

We started with a refreshing asparagus soup.

Next came a nice crab, beef and mushroom set of amuse.

I got the lobster and pea salad and my friend Sheila got the summer greens salad.  Mine was full of sweet lobster meat and Sheila’s comprised of baby greens and shaved beets in a banyus vinaigrette, the best salad dressing either of us have ever tasted.

I had a main course of roasted bacon wrapped monkfish with fennel fingerling potatoes.

Sheila had the olive oil poached halibut with tomato basil sauce.  Both dishes were moist and flavorful.

We also were served potato croquettes and asparagus with brown butter.

Next came dessert, a fabulous plate of assorted gelato and berries, including a sour cream flavored gelato which was our fave.

We also had a chocolate souffle and a creme brulee.

As we dined, the view changed as the sun set on Sin City.

The Eiffel Tower restaurant provides one of the best views of the Strip as well as outstanding French dishes.  It is a perfect spot for a romantic date, proposal, anniversary or just a special night out.

Reservations strongly advised.  Located at Paris Resort, 3655 South Las Vegas Boulevard, open Monday through Thursday 5:30 to 10:30 pm, Friday through Sunday, 5:00 to 11:00 pm, call 702/948-6937 for reservations.

Chatting with Music Legend Engelbert Humperdinck

Posted on Jul 07, 2011 under Archives, Interviews, Other interesting people | No Comment

Engelbert Humperdinck has sold more than 150 million record throughout his forty plus year career.  With four Grammy nominations, a Golden Globe for Entertainer of the Year (1988), 63 gold and 24 platinum records and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he returns to Las Vegas to perform four shows at the Paris Resort on July 21.  I talked with Engelbert over the phone before he heads to Sin City to perform for his many fans and receive a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars.