Top 10 San Diego Food Trucks

It's no secret that I'm a legitimately crazy person- just most notably when food trucks are involved. If I could eat at a food truck for every meal every day, I would without hesitation. I'm not quite sure what my fascination with the mobile revolution is, but maybe I'm just enthusiastic about any major trend in American dining and I happen to live in a place where it's nice outside constantly. Maybe.

Anyhoo, this list has been a long time coming for me personally. I'm sure that many, many people would disagree my list below or want to throw me off a cliff for not mentioning their absolute favorite San Diego food truck, but no matter. I've done the research (a.k.a. stuffing my face) as much as I can, and with my (limited) knowledge and (unlimited) enthusiasm, I've come up with what I think are the best San Diego food trucks around.

My somewhat loose criteria are things like a mix of menu options (creativity, number of dishes, rotation, etc.), locations (more mobility is a good thing), cost (over the top gourmet food trucks really might just be missing the point), taste (duh, but also very arbitrary), friendliness (you can tell the legit people who are stoked on what they're doing vs. those cashing in on a trend who carry the shit kitchen attitude to the streets), and marketing (some have got it and some don't. Not a dealbreaker, but everyone likes a fun truck gimmick). I didn't make an actual grading scale or anything. I just know what I like and have no qualms about telling you what you SHOULD like.

I'll also note that I personally tend to gravitate towards the more gratuitous trucks (sorry MIHO - I tend to dig cheeseburgers more than beet salads) and more savory than sweet, so even though there are some BOMB dessert trucks on there, I'm gonna lean towards the lunch/dinner ones and leave the dessert trucks to another post. Last disclaimer: I haven't eaten at EVERY SINGLE food truck in San Diego. If there's one that I absolutely MUST TRY and I really should kill myself for writing this without trying them, then let me know (minus the death threats, please). There's always time for Round 2!

Without further ado... the top 10 San Diego food trucks.  

10. Asian Persuasion
This truck is solid. Their pork sliders are seriously amazing, their sauces are great, and even their complimentary won ton chips with sweet and sour dipping sauce aren't your run of the mill stale chip shards so often served at shitty Chinese restaurants. There's certainly a time and place for cheap Chinese food (you know the kind- the farty, bloat-inducing, MSG-laden limp beef with soggy broccoli that you really shouldn't enjoy as much as you do), but Asian Persuasion hits it right every time. They really could work on changing up their menu a bit, and I've heard a few horror stories about working with them to arrange an event, but overall, top notch stuff. Definitely the best Asian food truck in San Diego.  

9. Mangia Mangia
Italian staple of San Diego. They're at every food truck gathering and their staff always has big smiles on their faces. There's no real surprises (ever) on the menu, but what you get it always stationary-restaurant quality fresh ingredients from friendly people. Two thumbs up.  

8. MIHO Gastrotruck
O.G. S.D. food truck. Everyone knows 'em, everyone loves 'em. As far as I'm concerned, MIHO speared the food truck revolution in San Diego. They are to San Diego what Kogi is to LA. They're all over the place, they give a crap about sustainability and local sourcing, and they are creative as hell on their ever-changing menu. A little pricier than run-of-the-mill trucks, and this isn't the place for gluttons (woe is me), but their marketing hits it spot on. Not to be missed.  

7. Operacaffe
Their meatball sandwich made me want to cry. Placing them over MIHO will be sacrilege for some (despite their excellent cuisine), but what can I say. I'm a sucker for them. I also tend to run into them more than other trucks, which makes me pretty brand loyal. Seriously. Get the meatball sandwich.  

6. New York on Rye
Most legit Jewish deli style sandwiches in San Diego since the German deli on 30th in North Park closed. They don't toast their bread (legit!), they have big ass pickles (legit!), and they pile their thinly sliced meat to the sky. LEGIT. Pastrami on rye and Ruebens are NOT to be passed up. Dammit. I'm salivating.  

5. Devilicious
Another San Diego fave! They're nationally known and adored, plus babes man the truck. My only qualm with them is they steer a little too far over into the crass gratuitousness with their signature butter poached lobster grilled cheese sandwich, but I mean, seriously? What's not to like? I'm SUPER bummed that their kimchi dog didn't stay long on the menu because OMIGOD, but you will never, ever, EVER be disappointed with ANYTHING you get off this truck. Plus, their logo of a baby devil eating a sandwich is rad.  

4. Mariscos on Texas
Yup. I gave a "roach coach" the #4 spot. Wanna know why? EVERYTHING HERE IS BETTER THAN ANYTHING YOU'VE EVER EATEN. What they lack in marketing or even menu rotation is 100% made up with their food, plain and simple. Do yourself a favor. Drop what you're doing and drive to the liquor store on Texas and Meade. Park. Get ceviche. Also everything else on the menu. Do not trust the white man with your ceviche. Only trust Mariscos with your ceviche. Eat it. Order more. You'll thank me.  

3. Super Q
BBQ fans from the South, rejoice! Your time has come to SoCal on 4 wheels with Southern hospitality to boot. Best BBQ truck in San Diego. Everything is slow cooked and an extra bonus is they don't take forever to make it for you. It's not fussy and it's not rocket science. It's just damn fine eatin'.  

2. Hoangies
Banh mi sandwiches are maaaaaaaaaaaaybe my favorite food ever, so I'm perhaps a little biased on Hoangies. Nah, it's just that good. The menu is straightforward, and even though I have to admit that it's not the most unbelievably authentic banh mi in the entire universe, it does the trick and then some. It's family owned, they roll all over town, and it legitimately makes me weep when I see them. I'm ALL about Hoangies. I want everyone and their mom to patronize it. The people rock and are always super appreciative, plus they remember you! I may or may not have freaked out with ecstasy in front of them more than once (which tends to make an impression), but I think I bankroll them pretty hard so whatever. Fun fact: I almost wrecked my car when I drove by them one time, started screaming, pulled an illegal U-Turn, and then hopped my way across the street in glee. I. Fucking. Love. Hoangies. They ALMOST made it to my #1 absolute favorite food truck in San Diego spot, but there's only one other place that is higher in my heart.  

1. Tabe BBQ
Korean BBQ. Are there any sweeter words in the English culinary language? I'm honestly having a hard time not jumping in front of a car because I don't have a plate of sweet pork in front of me. Tabe's marketing sucks, they're hard to find, and their menu never changes. WHO CARES. It's absolutely, unequivocally, the best truck in San Diego, I'd wager it would give any truck in the country a run for its money. It gets overlooked because their branding is garbage and it honestly could pass for a roach coach, but it's so, so, so much more than that. I honestly pity you if you've never experienced the glory of Tabe. I VIVIDLY remember eating it for the first time and after my first bite I had a revelation. I've eaten some damn fine food in my life, but there are very few things that come close to Tabe. Tabe, I love you.

PLEASE feel free to recommend your favorite food trucks and dishes to me! I can always use a good excuse to check out a new place.

Fleet of Eats: 57 Degrees 3rd Friday Food Truck Gathering

Food truck fever has hit San Diego HARD, and this is in no way depressing. Besides the individual truck schedules, there's plenty of "gatherings" where an assortment of trucks get together and create a mobile food court to the delight of locals. One of the ones that I kept missing was the 3rd Friday Gathering at 57 Degrees in Little Italy, but NOT THIS TIME! Parking was a challenge, especially since the closest trolley stop is out of commission for awhile, but we managed to hoof it, fork over the $2 entrance fee, and beeline it through the wine bar to their back parking lot filled from end to end with mobile yumminess!

I knew that I wanted to see what every truck had to offer before committing to anything, so we started with the Eat at Recess Truck, Operacaffe, CurioCity, Tabe BBQ, MangiaMangia, Food Farm, the Gathering Spot, etc. etc. etc. (one immediate complaint is that the list on the 57 Degrees website wasn't really accurate). However, that didn't REALLY matter since there was plenty to choose from and to kick things off we got the Fried Pizza Dough stuffed with cheese from Operacaffe Mobile.

It was pretty much exactly what you'd expect- doughy balls of fried goodness with bubbling cheese spewing from the tops like tiny volcanoes with a side of marinara for dipping. Hot, cheesy balls. What's not to like? We munched on these as we studied the rest of the boards for our entrees. One noteworthy trend is that almost every single truck had some version of sliders and/or parmesan fries (some with, some without truffles). I guess it makes sense since sliders are a little more manageable on the go, but come on people! A little variety would be nice!

Next up was the Spicy Brat from The Gathering Spot Bistrotruck. It seemed to be the recommended dog, and it sounded pretty unusual/great with cream cheese spread and a jalapeno/onion mix. When we got it, I was pretty disappointed with the grayness of the brat, generic cream cheese, and limp, leech-like jalapenos that looked more like sad kelp than spicy pepper. It wasn't spicy in ANY respect, and was just pretty bland. Disappointing. (HOWEVER - we did run into this truck the next day at Green Flash Brewery and decided to give it another go. Their Slidertini with angus beef, dill aioli, sauteed mushrooms & onions with a block of cheddar toothpicked on top was GREAT. Shockingly tender and the perfect amount of dill - which I find can be easily overdone. Not to be missed!)

By now Ashton-the-sweet-tooth was itching for some dessert, so he headed over to The Chubby Truck for their fried cheesecake with either strawberry compote or chocolate dip. He brought back what appeared to be two egg rolls with a cup of fudge, and I felt like I was back at the gluttonous state fair in Del Mar all over again! Things like this are fine in their own way, I suppose... I mean, yes, it was fried cheesecake. Great. Nothing surprising, and honestly just a little gratuitous. The rest of their menu looked pretty amazing, so I'm anxious to give this new truck another go and get one of their tasty-looking burgers next time!

Last on the list was Tabe Korean BBQ, which I'd had once before and LOVED. To wrap things up we got their Tabe Asada Fries with the sweet pork, and let me just tell you that I give it the rating of "Die, die, must try!" Perfectly tender, sweet and just a little spicy, their pork is drippingly fantastic in everything they offer. It's going to be difficult for me to get any other their other meats because their pork is stellar! The little side cups of hot sauce, chili garlic spread, and spicy aioli were all delightful in their own right, so just do yourself a favor and get some Tabe. Korean BBQ, my new favorite food group?

OMG

Sup ya'll?? A LOT has happened since the last post, up to and including marriage and a ton of meals! I'm feeling a bit rusty but I've had a few things catch my eye lately and I can't resist sharing them.

First off is this great-sounding recipe that I StumbledUpon (if you don't know what that is, sign up immediately and prepare to be addicted) that I can't wait to try. Straight from The Pastry Affair blog, it's Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread and it sounds amazing. You can skip through the entire article which goes on about dry pancakes and whatnot, but in the end I can't help but anticipate this tasting like a savory version of my mother's fantastic monkey pull apart bread. Super stoked to give it a whirl. (Pastry Affair- I hope you don't mind me using your picture- it just makes me drool!)


Secondly, The Daily Meal had two articles that tickled my fancy, the first having the tantalizing title "4 Restaurants Where You'll Never, Ever, Get a Table", which goes into ridiculous detail on 4 of the zaniest, most absurd, downright daffy "restaurants" (which seems to be a loose title) from around the world. From a terrifying white water rafting destination to a beauty requirement, if you pass the test, get selected at random from a city of millions, or even survive, you aren't guaranteed to have your tastebuds tickled. A challenge- most certainly!

The second article is merely a categorized list of the 150 Best Bars in America as chosen by The Daily Meal, and while obviously New York and LA dominate, there's a great selection from even the corners of suburbia and the tumbleweeds of Middle America. I for one might prefer a jukebox bar over molecular mixology, but even if you're lookin' to get lucky there's a bar for you!

Lastly, another addiction (Incredible Things) led me to a miraculous discovery of a bottled iced coffee only to dash my dreams by alerting me to its location- Australia! I'm partial to the chilled version of my daily cuppa joe, and the thought of having it potentially ready made at my beck and call was enough to get my synapses doing Jazzercise. That bottled Starbucks chilled junk just doesn't get my mojo going, but until One Tree Coffee is available Stateside, I suppose my cold brewing will have to suffice. Plus, I think we can all agree this is a pretty snazzy looking bottle (courtesy of Incredible Things)


That's all for now- I solemnly swear that I am up to SOME good and won't leave you hanging for another few months.

arrivederci

Yellow- the color of daffodils, butter, cozy things, happy thoughts, and my personal favorite color-of-choice for most things decor. Arrivederci in Hillcrest appealed to me with their comforting yellow and white striped decor with small, intimate wooden tables and a seemingly inviting atmosphere. With pasta on the mind, Ashton and I took our chances on weekday evening hoping that a later dinner would help us to avoid the crowd that seems to be a permanent fixture at this neighborhood bistro. With only one entrance door and a constant flood of waiters, food runners, hostesses, and patrons, it was a tight squeeze to even reach the hostess stand, which was unmanned and we were ignored for about 5 minutes before a harried hostess rushed up and asked if we had a reservation. Sadly no, but she looked around and dashed off, promising to see what she could do. Not exactly a casual way to begin a meal, but the heavenly aromas pouring off of every table were strong indicators that we should stick it out and see what they had to offer.



After a short wait, we were led to the right side of the restaurant which held a separate wine bar; the entire building seemed to be broken into tiny rooms, seemingly toeing the line of claustrophobic and intimate, but at least we were able to be seated quickly. The menu looked extremely promising, and we had plenty of time to look it over as the waiter did not even glance at our table for a solid 20 minutes. By then, we had decided on wine, appetizers, entrees, and had discussed skipping dessert due to the amount of time we'd already spent without tastebud compensation. Happily, once we were acknowledged it was a steady uphill climb in terms of service and experience.



As a duo of calamari enthusiasts, we decided to begin with the calamari appetizer which featured thin slices shaved over a bed of fresh greens with a citrus vinaigrette. Fresh, light, and plentiful- it was a pleasant way to begin the meal, despite the fact that no where on the menu did it mention that it was a salad and came with anything besides actual calamari. If we had known that, we might not have also ordered the warm duck salad with bacon vinaigrette with pine nuts and golden raisins. However, I'm glad we did because this was absolutely fantastic. Definitely recommended.





By then, we had seen the portions that other tables were being served and opted to split an entree of seafood pasta, which they kindly served in two bowls with some of the best bread I've ever sopped up pasta sauce with. I don't know how or where they get their bread, but it was spectacular. The pasta itself was great- it's always nice to go to a place that puts as much emphasis on the actual pasta as it does the sauce. There was a hearty helping of mussels, clams, shrimp, and scallops, and even with sharing we both left with smiles.

Overall, the service was lacking, the rooms themselves were stuffy, but the food booted it up high enough for me to go back again. Worth a shot- but don't go expecting the white glove treatment. Also, apparently you need reservations for even a Tuesday night, so plan ahead, and don't be surprised if you're met with a hostile wait. It's worth it though!

Papalucci's, Long Beach/Belmont Shore

Guilt is a strange feeling associated with eating. It's most often experienced after something unusually decadent or fatty, a brain warning letting you know that what you just enjoyed, while delicious, in copious amounts could kill you. However, I experienced my first guilty meal last night not because I ordered something overly fatty or sugary, but because I found myself in a restaurant 100 miles from home in a city I was only in because my grandmother is in the hospital. Luckily, I don't have a lot of experience with the wishes of the ill and balancing being there for them along with giving them much needed rest, but it was somewhat difficult to enjoy a meal of this magnificent magnitude knowing she hasn't eaten since Tuesday and is lying in agony after gallbladder surgery. I guess you gotta eat though, right?

Regardless of how or why I was there, in between visits my uncle, aunt, and myself traversed to Belmont Shore (also home to Frosted Cupcakery) for some highly-recommended Italian eats. Papalucci's is a family establishment smack dab in the middle of bustling 2nd Street, and while many of the overpriced, overcrowded restaurants around them serve underwhelming food with glitzy decor, Papalucci's is a welcoming understated joint complete with rickety wooden chairs, mismatched silverware, and red checkered tablecloths. The decor is rustic without being tacky, and the smells coming from the open kitchen caused my tastebuds to ululate with desire. As creatures of habit, my relatives knew that the linguine with clams (extra sauce, extra garlic) and the Tutti Mare on linguine (no mussels, extra calamari) would be their dishes of the evening, and with the waters of the Pacific only blocks away how could I order anything but fruit of the sea? Mussels marinara with linguine it was to be!



Of course, when they have an appetizer called Garlic Rolls, how could we resist a dish infused with such a wonderous herb? Dipped in butter, sprinkled with basil, heavily seasoned with fresh crushed garlic and parmesan, there was absolutely nothing about these balls of heaven that were anything less than orgasmic.

Also, as a oil and vinegar based salad dressing enthusiast, the simply dressed green salad, paired with extra tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs from the simply named Tomato appetizer, was a light and surprisingly flavorful way to begin our meal. Whether the dressing is homemade or store bought, it doesn't matter. The perfect amount was drizzled across obviously fresh greens, and with a bit of extra black pepper for kick it was a screaming success.





Personally, I don't find clams to be the most mind-blowing sea creature of all time, but the sheer amount of them adorning the crown of pasta with a simple garlic butter sauce was impressive enough. And when I say he asked for extra garlic, I can honestly say I have never been served a plate with that amount of garlic in my life, and in no way was that depressing. However, it was obvious that as this was his regular request, the overwhelmingly powerful flavor that bordered insanity isn't the norm for Papalucci's. Unobtrusive, all of the dishes that were being served placed an authentically delicious emphasis on simple and fresh without depending upon heavy sauces that American crowds tend to favor. The perfect choice for a summer meal!



Unfortunately, this picture doesn't do the Tutti Mare justice. Plump, ripe shrimp were in full force, and the fresh tomato sauce did absolutely nothing to unpleasantly weigh it down. I would say this rivals the infamous Mamma Zu's in Richmond, which I will easily place as the #1 restaurant in the city. Actually, Mamma Zu is probably the reason that I ordered the mussels here- linguine with mussels and marinara is my usual choice, so the opportunity for comparison couldn't be missed!



I'd be hard pressed to say which was my favorite, and I think it would take a few more visits to be able to say for sure. I'm definitely planning on making Papalucci's a regular place for me, and with the scent of pizza wafting from all around, and an entire Internet full of recommendations, it seems as though anything I would be served would be absolutely first rate. Grandma, when you get out, we're going to Papalucci's!

Papalucci's
4611 E 2nd St
Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 434-4454

Blind Lady Ale House

San Diego was recently named the Best Beer Town in America by the Men's Journal, and one of the places that helped us to acquire such a noble title is Blind Lady Ale House in Normal Heights. We had first attempted to drop by for a pint and a bite a few months ago, and unhappily were never served or helped. You know that feeling when you walk into a new place for the first time and you can tell it's not quite the standard way of doing things, but you can't quite put your finger on how it works? That's BLAH. It's a small joint on Adams Ave., in between 34th and 35th Streets with open shared seating (not unlike Pizza Port Solana Beach), and the "waitstaff" is more of a one to two person bussing and food running operation. To order, there's a cashier line for food, and a small bar to take your drink orders. The beers of the day are written in chalk above the plain taps (no fancy tap pulls here!) and it seems to be a consistently rotating and well thought out selection. Read here about their "Honest Pint" Certification!

Our second attempt proved more fruitful- after spotting their weekly ad in CityBeat, I noticed that they were kicking off their Saturday with a cask of Stone Vanilla Bean Smoked Porter. Generally, porters aren't my bag, but this sounded like something I couldn't pass up. Our initial plan was to head to Hamilton's Tavern for their Green Flash night, with 19 Green Flash beers on tap, free BBQ, and 3 hours of David Bowie in honor of his birthday weekend, but by the looks of the line wrapping around the corner half of San Diego got that memo too! Not discouraged, we decided that this was a sign to spend our evening at Blind Lady, which proved to be a wise plan. Families, foodies, and beer-o's alike were swarming the place, but even with 7 of us in tow we managed to finagle a spot after a few minute's wait. Now that we had our bearings, the separate food-and-drink ordering lines became less daunting, and the food selection promised to be top notch.

I'm still getting used to the idea that San Diego is filled with people who love beer as much as me... most of them more so! It's refreshing to know that the bartender at any given "beer" bar is going to know just what the hell they're talking about. He enthusiastically recommended the Stone brew, describing it as a beer milkshake. After an endorsement like that, how could I resist? The pour was perfection; the head took minutes to fall and the smell reached my nostrils even with his back turned to the pour. Generally, vanilla makes itself known much more by smell than taste, which remained true for this brew as well. Nonetheless, it was a surprisingly pleasant porter that went down more like a stout with a quick sweet bite during the aftertaste. It took a while to down the pint (this is definitely a "sipping" beer) but by the time I'd reached the bottom of the well-poured glass I was a little saddened by the lack of beer that I held in my hand.

Since we were nibbling as well, a second porter wasn't in the cards for me, so it was a Delirium Tremens next, which served as a great pairing to the clam appetizer and prosciutto pizza we had ordered. The clams were good, the broth was hot, buttery, and the sausage was a light and tasty side afterthought, but nothing spectacular. The pizza was fantastic- the crust, prosciutto, and all ingredients met in a sweet harmony of bliss that was well worth the $13 it cost. Others in our group also got the vegan butternut squash pizza with mushrooms and lemon zest, which tasted a little too clean and not enough like pizza to tantalize my tastebuds. The margherita pizza looked and smelled great, but unfortunately didn't make it into my mouth. Just something to look forward to next time- it's a definite recommendation for casual dining that's a step above the norm!

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan is one of those dishes that looks as if someone already ate it but still tastes unbelievably dissimilar to vomit. Personally, I think the sloppiness adds to the deliciousness. Even though I think Joe's Inn has some of the best egg. parm. around, I wanted to give it a go at home to see if we couldn't beat Stella at her own game. Unfortunately, we didn't start as early as we should have to rub the eggplant slices with salt to enhance crispiness potential, so going into it we understood that there was to be an element of unavoidable sogginess. Not deterred, we forged ahead with some farmer's market Parmesan Reggiano, slices of red pepper, 1/4 sliced eggplant slices, and mushroom sauce with more parmesan, crushed red pepper, oregano, basil, and black pepper. Using 2 eggs and some bread crumbs, we fried the eggplant slices in oil before baking it all together in a square pan for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. What came out was hot, bubbling, spicier than expected, and friggin' delicious. I think Stella has us beat (for now) but another try at this and we'll put them out of business.

LAS VEGAS

If gluttony is a mortal sin, then to dine in Sin City is to dine well. My first trip to Vegas might have been for work, but my true goal was to eat well, eat often, and eat a lot. I absolutely succeeded in that goal, and through the good, the bad, and the expensive I experienced some of the Vegas greats. I won't bore you with the details of how I got to each place, but prepare to experience a 5 day extravaganza of food and drink second to none.

Planet Dailies at Planet Hollywood Towers:
Upon arriving to the Las Vegas Hilton I stopped by the Sports Deli to grab a Cuban sandwich before heading to the trade show to set up (it was no Kuba Kuba, I can tell you that). I met up with some co-workers to begin the booth, but by around 10 we were famished and decided to try a late-night spot for drinks and nibbles. The VIP lounge attendant suggested Planet Dailies at PH Towers, so we headed over there where I promptly knocked back a few rum and cokes to soothe my caffeine cravings while also achieving the higher purpose of forgetting my problems. Michel decided that dessert was in order, and with reassurances that he would definitely not leave hungry he ordered the monstrosity you see below:

Part cookies, part brownies, 3 scoops vanilla, 2 scoops chocolate, 100% delicious. Between 3 of us we finished about half before our bellies were strongly protesting the sudden excess of lactose. Let's just say it was worth it. As you can see, Michel is obviously impressed.


Benihana at the Las Vegas Hilton:
The second night was an entire group event, and someone suggested Benihana despite my protests that you can eat Benihana anywhere! Let's eat somewhere classically VEGAS! I was outnumbered, however, and the convenience couldn't be argued since it happened to be in our hotel. The service was pretty mediocre-to-bad, but I'm still a sucker for the little show they put on. I like to be entertained while eating. Since it wasn't on my dime, I started with the Sashimi sampler, and soon followed with the 3 S's: Sapporo, Steak, and Shrimp. I didn't bother with pictures of the main course (yes, Benihana is always good, but everyone knows what their shrimp and steak look and taste like. Not too much innovation there). I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the sashimi- definitely a B+ grade. Not the best, but for a chain certainly nothing to sneeze on.


BLT Burgers at the Mirage:
First day of the show! Months of planning, lots of money spent, spilling blood, sweat, and tears- the efforts were finally realized once the show opened. What better way to celebrate a long-awaited kickoff then by getting hot, steaming piles of beef? Since the Mirage is right across the street from the Venetian (where the expo was held at the Sands expo center), we toddled across the street to enjoy some famous burgers at BLT Burger. Without calories in mind, I ordered an All-Nighter milkshake (Kahula, Bailey's, Espresso, and Coffee Ice Cream) with a BLT Burger + Vermont Cheddar and "fat fries" (from options of skinny, fat, waffle, or sweet potato- excellent!) Let me just tell you something. When you've had a long, hard day that you have worked towards for a LONG time, there is NOTHING like having the first sip of an alcoholic milkshake, followed by a bite of one of the best gourmet burgers in the country. The All-Nighter was one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth, and that's not even a sexual joke. The burger had only the best ingredients, was cooked to perfection, and the fries were not too salty, not too soggy, and had a great flavor. These guys obviously know what's up.








Tintoretto at the Palazzo:
Ashton arrived just in time to meet me for a late lunch, and we had Italian on the brain. Since we were at the Venetian, I wasn't surprised to hear they had at least 5 possible restaurants, so we figured we'd stroll by them all and wait for one to jump out at us. Tintoretto seemed to have it all, "patio" seating (the confusion of time and environment in Las Vegas is a constant sensation that I don't know if I would EVER get used to), good prices, fast service, and a tasty-looking menu. I started with a Caesar salad, which had a really great dressing. Halfway between a cream and vinaigrette, fresh croutons, crisp lettuce- I'll give it a B+ for deliciousness.


I didn't hesitate to order the calamari to start. I love squid and eat it almost every chance I can get. This was lightly fried, with a pretty normal marinara dipping sauce. It's not hard to make calamari (or anything fried) taste good, so I'll give it a B- for already being delicious, but Tintoretto not doing anything to make it more so.


There were a few pasta dishes I was deciding between (also the pizza, which looked incredible), but I ended up going with the ravioli in a vodka sauce. It was the perfect portion, and the fresh Parmesan brought was the best part of it. The sauce was nice, nothing spectacular, and there was more of a focus on the actual ravioli than what it contained. Granted, it was good pasta, but nothing you couldn't get from the grocery store.


Ashton got the Brie-Spinach-Tomato panini, which I can only praise. The Brie was second to none, the bread was crisp and perfectly flavored, the spinach was cooked wonderfully, and everything melted together for a marriage of flavors that were delicious to experience. I'm fairly certain that the man-statue standing directly across the piazza from us scaring children and winking at women made the meal even better, though.


Sushisamba at the Venetian:
I had been craving sushi for some weeks now (it's an expensive food to like!), and since the sashimi "sampler" at Benihana wasn't exactly a pile of fish, we decided to go to Sushisamba at (where else?) the Venetian. I'd heard seriously good things about the Japanese-Peruvian-Brazilian fusion, and since it was our last night in town we decided to throw caution to the wind and go balls out. I'll give it an A+ for atmosphere and service, an A for innovation, but overall a B for general taste. I had a few good, a few bad, and a few simply yummy dishes. However, what REALLY drew me in was the SUSHI BAR. It was tantalizing to be sitting only a few inches away from the piles of sashimi, and it took all of my strength to not break the glass, brandish a knife, and cut my way into heaven.






Our waiter was superb and offered lots of recommendations, including the Japanese "Sawagani" river crabs, which were fried whole and sprinkled with rock salt and served with lemon. The gimmick definitely outweighed the flavor, but the crunch outweighed it all. It wasn't terribly interesting to eat, but to look at was great!






Another recommendation was the Yellowtail sashimi app with jalapeno and lemongrass. The sauce was supposed to be the key part of it, and it was. The lemongrass was somewhat the overwhelming flavor, but the jalapeno ends the bite. Simple, fresh, three solid flavors melded into one. A great dish.


I LIKE sushi rolls, but if I'm really in the mood I tend to stay away from them in favor of just straight up fish. Why bother with all the rice and filler when all I REALLY want is sashimi? Still, the Capoeira roll caught my eye, so we snagged one of those as well. Softshell crab, avocado, boston lettuce, scallion, and chipotle sauce melded together for a very fresh and warm roll that was pretty okay. The chipotle and crema dipping sauce served on the side was so spicy that a minor amount completely dominated the entire roll, but with the warm unagi sauce as another option it flourished. The end pieces contained the fried limbs of the crab, and the fried taste was the entirety of the bite. All in all, this was good. Not great. A little bland, over-fried, and depends too much on the sauce for flavor (but I'll give that saucier an A for his efforts).


Next up was the Sea Bass and Miso skewers with Peruvian corn. If you've ever been curious about the differences between Peruvian corn and perfectly respectable American corn, just keep in mind that size DOESN'T matter! It was larger, starchier, and a little sweeter than American corn, but was an interesting, fresh new flavor to me. Apparently it's very difficult to get fresh in the United States, but the owner or chef's brother (conveniently!) has a produce farm in Peru so they've got the direct source.
Niiice.
They marinate the sea bass for 36 hours in red miso paste, and then grill with butterscotch ice cream topping to create a sweet shell that provides a little tang and locks in the miso flavor while keeping the freshness of the fish alive. Ingenious. A delectable dish.


The Kobe beef appetizer was something that I especially wanted to get. Lightly seared otoro kobe beef, with warm Japanese mushrooms, ponzu gelee, and a truffled tofu crema. It was a fantastic variety of temperatures- cool beef, warm mushrooms, and room temperature crema delicately flowing on top. The gelee was apparent without adding an overwhelming spice, and the dish seemed to get sweeter with every bite. It was the most complex of the dishes, with a lot going on in the palate without becoming confused. A lot of light flavors melded together perfectly for a great dish.


Since we were such excellent, enthusiastic patrons, our superb waiter brought us an after-dinner treat to keep us talking sweet. Our choices were banana or mango, and we selected banana and eagerly awaited what might follow. The presentation was the best of the night, and the dish was perfect in its own right. One "taco" provided 3 small bites, exactly enough to get a sweet taste without getting stuffed. A honey crust enveloped a candied banana drizzled with homemade chocolate and finished with a smattering of dulce de leche. Light flavors, light snack. Perfect end to a great meal.



Thomas Keller's Bouchon at the Venetian:
Thomas Keller is like a modern day Michaelangelo that cooks. A classic in his own realm, a god in the kitchen, known worldwide for his emphasis on FRESH. Going to his French Laundry in Napa is a dream unfulfilled for me, but this was a fantastic opportunity to sample his cuisine in a brasserie setting.


I've only recently become a bloody mary drinker, but I spied one on the bar that just looked great. I ordered it spicy, and it came in a glass of absolute deliciousness. Even with stirring pretty heavily, the bottom of the glass ended up pretty salty, but in its entirety it was solid.


A mussel fanatic, I almost never visit a French restaurant without getting some mussels. The only ones on the menu here were the standard white wine/garlic, so we ordered a dozen of them and this is what came:

Obviously not a dozen. Our waiter was, for lack of a better term, crappy. He was completely unsure of himself, took a VERY long time to do anything, and I get it. Brunch gets busy. Don't think I don't sympathize, but this was pretty bad. Anyway, once the runner dropped off the mussels and the waiter didn't come by for some time to see if they were all right, we just figured we needed to eat them ASAP. They were spectacular. Absolutely perfectly cooked, no empty or barely open shells, and the container was perfect for actually dipping the mussels into the sauce and sopping it up with the bread. I'd say they were in the top 3 of well-cooked mussels I've ever had, but they should definitely consider some innovation as far as the flavor goes. Classical French is understandable, but it IS 2009. Perhaps a red sauce? Just a thought.

Of course, what would an order of mussels be without their fries? They didn't come with aioli, or even ketchup, and either would have been welcomed. Lightly salted, but not fried enough. They tasted good, and I use that word as a generality. Anything fried with salt is going to taste good, but did it satisfy me? Eh.


The Bouchon French Toast came immaculately displayed, exactly the quality of simplicity and elegance that I had expected. Flaky, soft, perfect warmth and texture were melded in a tower of perfection. The first bite was pure ecstasy, nutty, with no overwhelming flavors- simply a harmonious union of textures and flavors. The thin sliced apples on the top provided the perfect crunch to match the brioche and custard layers which flaked beautifully the entire time. Top notch.




Ashton got the Tartine du Tuna, which looked great and tasted even better. This was no Chicken-of-the-Sea mayonnaise crap. This was wonderfully fresh tuna whipped into a spread and served open-face with chilled eggs, fresh lettuce, and kalamata olives on fresh baked levine bread with even more fries. If you are a tuna fan, I'd recommend it, but I prefer my tuna in steak or sashimi form, not the sandwich form. Just personal taste, but this was obviously a grade A catch.


All in all, I dined well, and came out exactly $1 ahead in slots. I'd say it was a win-win week.

Orlando

Well, I survived my first trade show in Orlando. It certainly wasn't stress-free, but the amount of relief felt after the fact more than made up for it. Unfortunately, beyond the show being an unbelievable learning experience for me, the city of Orlando (or at least the part around the Convention Center) is one of the tackiest places I've ever been in my entire life. If anyone has been to Pigeon Forge Tennessee (home of Dollywood!), let me just compare it to a watered-down version of that. I've never seen so many Denny's in my entire life in such a small area. Brunch clearly was not even an afterthought to these people. Ugh.

The redeeming culinary value of Orlando was found in the unlikeliest of places. Next to our hotel, in a completely standard tacky strip mall (think liquor stores and Subway) there was nestled a small, unassuming Italian restaurant called Ciao Italia. Thankfully a coworker who'd gotten to Florida before me had unwittingly stumbled across it and returned singing its praises. Being somewhat of a food snob (unbelievable, I know), I had low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere inside. There were plenty of tables for large parties, white napkins, a great wine list, and a casual attitude with what seemed to be a very nicely put together menu.

We started with the Bruschetta al Pomodoro, which was FRESH FRESH FRESH. I maybe snuck a few pieces of calamari from my co-workers plate... and enjoyed it thoroughly. I also split a bottle of St. Andrews Pinot Grigio, which is one of the most flavorful ones I've had in a long time. I ultimately settled on the Penne alla Contadina (penne with imported prosciutto di parma, mushrooms, and peppers in a light tomato basil sauce.) It. was. fantastic. Just a fabulous, melt in your mouth experience. Their saucier should be given a raise and offered a 24 hour harem at his disposal. The prosciutto was flawless, the mushrooms were fresh, and the pasta could not have been cooked more perfectly.

Feeling full, I packed up half to eat later in my hotel room, but when they brought us out dessert menus, I couldn't help myself. My boss and I split a New York cheesecake and their Tartufo Nero (let's just say it involved chocolate, hazelnut, and a creamy center that I can't even describe). I mean, I LIKE cheesecake, but there is a huge difference between even mediocre cheesecake and GOOD cheesecake. I think it's a safe bet that this was by far the lightest, tastiest, and most wonderful cheesecake my tongue has ever been privileged enough to experience.

In fact, the next day after raving about it to our reps at the show, they asked if I would be opposed to going again the next night. Um, no. I would not be opposed to that. Not only was it fabulous, the alternative is Denny's, so yeah I think I can manage a repeat. This time I started with a Peroni and a Caesar salad (I love it when the dressing is a bit more oily and not just a straight cream- to die for) and a basket of garlic bread was gladly torn into by our party. This time I opted for the Ravioli de Pesce (Artisian ravioli stuffed with mixed seafood in a vodka basil sauce.) Keep in mind I was THIS impressed with the lower end of the price spectrum. Others who went even more balls out than I reached levels of ecstasy that until then were uncalculated.

From the rest of the party, their lasagna was impeccable, the salmon was just ridiculously orgasmic, and the veal chop was melt in your mouth excellent. In no way was I disappointed, and my expectations were blown out of the water. If you ever find yourself in this city dedicated to mass consumerism and commercialism, take a moment to locate this hidden gem on Westwood Blvd. You won't regret it, and maybe, just maybe, pass this info along and together we can give Denny's a blow they won't soon forget. Chalk up one more for the little guy!