Archives for December, 2011

Dinner at Sinatra restaurant, Encore Las Vegas

Posted on Dec 28, 2011 under Archives | No Comment
Sinatra restaurant

Sinatra restaurant

Sinatra at Encore houses 152 seats and pays homage to the late crooner.   Frank’s everywhere – on the stereo, on the walls (with family, celebrities, and Mr. Wynn himself at the Golden Nugget circa 1981) and his Grammy and Oscar can be found in the entrance.  Chef Theo Schoenegger (formerly of Patina in LA) offers up classic northern Italian fare in an open sophisticated retro-designed space with floor to ceiling windows facing a lush garden patio.  Here’s what we (my friend Sheila joined me) enjoyed when Chef Theo hosted us for a tasting menu.

Sinatra sign

Sinatra sign

Mr. Wynn and Mr. Sinatra

Mr. Wynn and Mr. Sinatra

Sinatra restaurant offers an outstanding variety of cocktails, Sheila had a berry lemonade and I had a rose champagne.

berry lemonade

berry lemonade

Rose champagne

Rose champagne

We started with a plate containing four small samples of Chef Theo’s most popular appetizers.  These included Carpaccio di Tonno – big eye tuna carpaccio, pine nuts, raisins, pickled vegetables and a balsamic reduction, Panzanella con Granchio – jumbo lump blue crab, brioche croutons, tomato, cucumber and tomato fonduta, Gamberoni – jumbo shrimp, blood orange cocktail sauce, navel orange and baby fennel salad, and lobster crostino.

sampling of appetizers

sampling of appetizers

panzanella

panzanella con granchio

lobster crostino

lobster crostino

Gamberoni

Gamberoni

Carpaccio di tonno

Carpaccio di tonno

Next came a sampling of two pastas.  These dishes were much more than a tasting portion but whole portions of each dish.  Both were fantastic.

Agnolotti

Agnolotti

Our first pasta dish was Agnolotti, small pockets of pasta filled with buffalo ricotta cheese and herbs over an asparagus sauce.  Chef Theo came out and shaved fresh black truffle over the pillowy ravioli.  We gobbled this down.

lobster risotto

lobster risotto

The second pasta dish was a rich luxurious lobster risotto with big chunks of Main lobster on top.  In addition to lobster, the risotto included parmesan cheese, forest mushrooms and chives.  This was also delicious and a must have if you visit Sinatra.

branzino

branzino

Next came a refreshing course of branzino.  the grilled Mediterranean sea bass was served over a tasty melody of artichokes, fennel, tomatoes and white wine.

grilled lamb chop

grilled lamb chop

Our main meat dish was a tender perfectly cooked grilled Colorado lamb chop served with polenta and asparagus.  This is also a definite must to order.

lamb chop

lamb chop

Our dessert consisted of three of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, all were excellent.

chocolate dessert plate

chocolate dessert plate

chocolate mousse

chocolate mousse

We started with a chocolate sampler which included a luscious chocolate mousse and a hot molten chocolate cake served with hazelnut ice cream and berries.  A great choice for any chocoholic.

molten cake

molten cake

Our next dessert course was a rich ricotta cheesecake.

ricota cheesecake

ricota cheesecake

Our third and final dessert course was a warm berry tart topped with vanilla ice cream.

warm fruit tart

warm fruit tart

If you are a big Sinatra fan, or a fan of fantastic Northern Italian food, make sure to put Sinatra at Encore on your list of restaurants to dine at the next time you visit Sin City.  Located at Encore, 3131 Las Vegas South Boulevard, reservations can be made at 702/770-5320.

New articles on Dog Vacations and New Year’s Eve Celebration Spots

Posted on Dec 28, 2011 under Archives | No Comment
Chow Chow, waiting to go on holiday

Chow Chow, waiting to go on holiday

Here are my latest articles up on travelhoppers.com – where to take your dog on vacation, at http://www.travelhoppers.com/2011/12/28/california-resorts-must-love-dogs/ and at AOL on where to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Toluca Lake, at http://northhollywood.patch.com/articles/nearby-new-year-s-eve-celebrations.  I posted a cute pic of a chow chow, my favorite type of dog.

Dinner At Taberna, Beverly Hills

Posted on Dec 19, 2011 under Archives | No Comment
Inside Taberna

Inside Taberna

A few months ago Taberna, an upscale Mexican restaurant, opened in Beverly Hills.  Taberna makes all dishes fresh daily and offers a wide ceviche selection, DIY tacos, rabbit enchiladas and mole-rubbed filet Mignon, as well as traditional Mexican dishes.  There are tons of chain Mexican restaurants in LA, but it’s hard to find good authentic South of the Border cuisine.  I visited Taberna to check out the menu with my guest Dalbert.  Here is what we sampled:

chips

chips

Salsa

Salsa

Immediately after being seated, we were served crispy chips and two salsas.  We also ordered the guacamole, garnished with pumpkin seeds and queso fresco.

guacamole

We also ordered poached octopus with roasted jalapeno, caper aioli and garlic chips and ahi tuna with guajillo oil, serrano peppers and jicama.

poached octopus

poached octopus

ahi tuna

ahi tuna

We also received a nice plate of mushroom quesadillas with Oaxaca cheese, roasted poblano peppers and wild mushrooms in fresh tortillas.

mushroom quesadilla

mushroom quesadilla

Our fave of the evening was the main courses, a crispy chile relleno roasted with a vegetable and Oaxaca cheese filling and a Yucatan pork stew served in a banana leaf with fried plantains, crema and pickled red onions.

chile rellano

chile rellano

Yucatan Pork Stew

Yucatan Pork Stew

Everything we sampled was fantastic and the menu is reasonable priced.  The next time you crave high end Mexican fare, head to Beverly Hills to Taberna to sample fresh authentic dishes.  Located at 369 North Bedford Drive, call 310/858-7070 for reservations.

New Articles Up on AOL and Travelhoppers.com

Posted on Dec 03, 2011 under Archives | No Comment
Garry Marshall and Fritz Coleman and Toluca Lake Xmas Open House

Garry Marshall and Fritz Coleman and Toluca Lake Xmas Open House

Last night I attended our yearly Toluca Lake Xmas Open House for an article on AOL, http://northhollywood.patch.com/articles/toluca-lake-hosts-sparkling-xmas-open-house-e770ba3f.  Also, a new article is up on www.travelhoppers.com on where to get hitched in Sin City at http://www.travelhoppers.com/2011/12/02/wedding-jackpot-best-bets-to-get-hitched-in-sin-city/.

-->