Just a quick shout out about tonight’s event. It’s 20something: The New Vintage time! Hopefully I’ll be able to take some pictures of the food and have a review for y’all. Cheers to wine, food and good times!

This one is just going to be a quick “shout out” review for Nishino.  No pictures because we forgot to take them.

My guests: Trevor, Woo and Emily

If you like sushi, you should definitely check out Nishino in Madison Park.  http://nishinorestaurant.com/  We went there for their Dine around Seattle 3 for $30 and had a great meal.  Check out the menu here http://www.dinearoundseattle.org/restaurants_show.php?rdx=16.

I got the Spicy Sour Seafood Miso Soup (with Shrimp, Mussel and Salmon), The Assorted Sushi and Roll (Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail, Albacore, Shrimp, Surf Clam, Vegetarian Roll, Today’s Special Roll), and the Green Tea Tiramisu.

The miso was really good.  Not at all spicy, kinda sour but good overall.  The seafood was fresh and cooked well but I thought the shrimp was a little too firm.  It also had two pieces of my most dreaded veggie, the baby bok choy.   It soup made the bok choy actually quite enjoyable.  I can’t believe I just said that.   I also got sunimono with it too.  Sunimono is basically a seaweed and cucumber salad.  It was really great!  The assorted sushi was amazing.  The fish was so fresh!  The salmon, my least favorite sushi, was really good and looks so bright and orangey-red!  The roll was a mix of tobiko, tuna and something.  It was huge!  We each got two slices but they were more than a mouthful each.  Surprisingly, the three little pieces of veggie roll (cucumber and pickled diakon?) was really tasty.   Skip dessert.  They were all … Blah.

Overall, nice place, great décor.  Service was good.  Sushi was fresh and yummy.  Small.  Parking can be a hassle.  Small parking lot shared with other businesses.  I would go again just to try their main menu.

Go check it out!

Have I got a treat for you!  Last year, around this time, you got a review about the Herbfarm.  This year, you get a review about The Georgian!  Two amazing dining establishments in the Greater Seattle Metro Area.  Now you all know what this time of the year is right?  Yes, it is the start of the holiday season but there is another special event that happens that seems to require me to eat at the most amazing restaurants.  No, it is not because it is Dine Around Seattle, which is happening THIS MONTH! (3 courses for $30!!!)  It just so happens to be Trevor’s Birthday!

What a great experience that was!  A little more detail on the place.  The Georgian room is located at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.  It bills itself as a AAA 4 Diamond restaurant that features French-inspired Northwest cuisine.  Side note: one of the reasons why we went there was because Trevor wanted foie gras for dinner.  This was one of the places that popped up and we liked the menu.  This place is pricey.  Appetizers from $11 – $22, Soups and Salads from $9 – $20, and Entrees from $29 – $50.  You can also order their 3 course or their 5 course dinners also, prices $49 or $75 for dinner with no  wine pairing and $69 or $99 with wine paring respectively.  Complimentary valet if you are a diner at the Georgian.  You don’t have to drive around and around to find parking!  Have the restaurant validate your ticket.

Our guests for the night: Jamie and Ryan Prins (our fellow diners at the Herbfarm!)

While perusing through the menu, we couldn’t really make up our minds on what to eat.  Jamie did know she wanted the soufflé for dessert and Trevor did know he wanted the foie for the appetizer but we were flipping back and forth about what to eat.  After much deliberation, Jamie and I decided to go with the 5 Course without wine because we decided to order a bottle instead,  while Trevor and Ryan opt to create their own.

Before our meal arrived, we were given two slices bread and these crazy thin triangle crackers with 4 different kinds of butter (plain, basil, saffron and balsamic) and a delightful little Amuse Bouche.  It was a ball of  bleu cheese rolled with walnuts and on top of a fig disc.

Crackers and Butter

I’m not sure what the crackers were. They had sesame seeds on them and were fun and really thin and crispy. The best of the four butters was the saffron butter. It had the most flavor. The others look fun and full of flavor but I didn’t really get the basil or the balsamic from them, just butter.

Amuse Bouche

It was delightful.  You can taste every different component of the Amuse.  It was a little big.  When you take the bite, it fills your whole mouth.  At first, you get a blast of the bleu cheese, then the nutty crunch of the nuts and finally the sweetness of the fig disc.   A great way to start the meal!

Five Course (Ly and Jamie’s meal):

Hot & Cold Kusshi Oysters (Crispy Tempura, Chilled Tuna Tartare)

I love the way this looks.  Both are served in their shell but seated atop the Chilled Tuna Tartare.  The cold one is on top of a, I think, hand carved ice cube.  This one is little compared to the one Ryan got for his Massive Prawn Cocktail (you’ll see that later).  Jamie and I preferred the tempura oyster over the raw one but I liked the chilled tartare on the chilled one better compared to it’s warmer counterpart.  I like the play on textures though with the tempura and the tartare.  Jamie noted that her tartar had a slightly aggressive ginger flavor  but I thought it was perfect.  I kind of like the taste of ginger.

Roasted Baby Beet Salad (Candied Pecans, Goat Cheese, Walnut Vinaigrette)

The best thing about this dish is the Goat Cheese.  See that little while round thing on the rose petal?  THAT! is the goat cheese.  It’s not just a round of goat cheese, the goat cheese is encased in a gelatin!  It was so cool!  The beets were nice.  They were slightly sweet and still had a nice give to the bite.  I preferred the yellow one on the end the best.  The middle one is a “candy cane” beet btw.  How fun is that?  The Candied Pecans is the thin bar underneath the beets. Those different dots of color were the Walnut Vinaigrette and Balsamic I believe.  I thought the flavors of the beets, goat cheese and vinaigrettes were muted while the pecans were overly sweet.  I didn’t really understand this dish but Trevor and Jamie liked it.

Dungeness Crab Bisque (Tarragon infused Mini Crab Cakes)

This picture was taken after the bisque was poured into the bowl.  When it was came out, there was just crab meat sitting on top of a mini crab cake.  Then, they came with a vessel filled with the yummy, smooth and creamy bisque and filled our bowl up.  This was one of my favorite dishes of the night.  It was just perfect.  There is a slight sweetness from fresh crab and this soup really enhanced that sweetness in the most delightful way.  You can taste the crab in this dish.  I ate the whole thing and was starting to get full but I couldn’t help myself.  Jamie had more restraint even though I knew she wanted to finish the whole thing too.  Best part is that nugget of crab meat sitting on top.  Once you ate that with the soup, you kind of go in a little state of Nirvana.

Smoked Alaskan Wild King Salmon (Olympic Rooftop Honey, Shaved Apples, Locally Foraged Morel Mushrooms) or

I put this in because this was Jamie’s dish.  It is like a flash back from L’Atelier in Vegas when we had our first tasting menu.  She got the salmon along with Trevor while Ryan and I went for the beef.  LOL.  I didn’t get to taste the dish but Jamie ate almost of it, so it must of have been great.  Oh, special note, see those round things the salmon is sitting on?  Half of it is apples and half of it is potatoes.  Which is which?  I couldn’t tell ya and neither could Jamie until the very end where she deduced that the way to tell them apart is to stick your fork in them.  If it went through easily, potato.  If it is firmer, then apple!  Good times!  Btw, what a beautiful dish no?  Practically all the dishes were beautiful.

Filet of Angus Beef (Shallot and Oxtail Braisage, Young Organic Carrots)

This was my dish.  Look how pretty it is!  The beef was cooked perfectly.  Perfect crust, seasoned really well and medium rare.  It was so tender and so delicious.  On top is the shallot and oxtail braisage which had so much flavor!  It was one of my favorite parts of the dish along with the potatoes, they make a lovely pair.  I ate it all up.  I also had to share it (the braisage) and both Jamie and Trevor agreed that the oxtail was delightful.  I love cooked carrots and they gave me two kinds, yellow and orange.  Perfectly cooked of course.   Underneath the beef were hericot verts that were perfectly cooked.  They gave an extra crunch to the dish and works very well.  I really wanted to finish this dish.  I left half of the potatoes on the dish and I was really sad but I had to save room for the soufflé!  Overall though, a great dish!

Evening Soufflé (Two choices: Grand Marnier or Black and White)

Jamie and I got the Grand Marnier while Ryan and Trevor got the Black and White.  This was my first soufflé and I have to say I like it!  Jamie noted that this is the only place in Seattle that you can get souffle.  Cheers to them for tackling this dessert.  I heard and saw from the movies and TV shows that this dessert is hard to make!  LOL.  It came with this glaze that you can ladle on AND next to it is a chocolate covered strawberry.  I tells ya, they go all out.  Oh I forgot!  I didn’t get to take a picture of it but, apparently, there are 3 honey bee hives on the roof of the Fairmont Olympic where the Head Chef is raising bees and making honey (Olympic Rooftop Honey!)  We got to taste the 3rd batch they made EVER!  It came with a round of dark chocolate and shaved white chocolate.  You dip the dark in the honey, then dip in the white, then proceed to mange.  The honey was superb.  OMG.  Like, real high grade honey.  You taste it even with the dark and white chocolate in your mouth!  We had a ton left and ask if we could take it home.  LOL.  The waiter looked a little perplexed but entertained the notion and put it in a little to go cup!

Trevor’s Dishes

Seared Foie Gras with Peppered Black Mission Fig Tart (Warm Spinach Salad, Caramelized Shallot Vinaigrette)

When this plate came out, I think Trevor was really happy.  I mean, this was one of the reasons why we went there.  Check out the size of the foie.  There is two of them too.  It was really nice.  The figs went really well is the foie.  Not to sweet but very savory.  The foie was cooked very nice.  I was able to sneak two tastes of it.  LOL.  I liked the fig compote with the foie the best.  I didn’t really care of the tart shell.  I don’t think it added much.  I’m not sure where the warm spinach salad was or even aware if I got to taste it at all.  I do like the flavors of this dish and recommend you try it if you are not opposed to eating foie gras.

Roasted Baby Beet Salad (Candied Pecans, Goat Cheese, Walnut Vinaigrette)

See Above for picture.  The only difference between Trevor’s Salad and Jamie and my salad was that his was a little larger

Butter Poached Lobster (Black Truffle and Celeriac Gnocchi, Carpaccio of Aged Pecorino)

I think this is one of the prettiest dish of the night.  Look at the bright colors and the way it is stacked on each other!  It looks so inviting.  The lobster was cooked very well.  I thought I had a little too much give but overall it was a good bite.  I didn’t really get the flavors of black truffle but I did enjoy the texture of the celeriac gnocchi.  I tried each of the components of the dish separately because Trevor asked that I did so I can’t really tell you how it tasted together.  That is a job for Trevor I guess.

Ryan’s Dishes

Massive Prawn Cocktail (Horseradish Crème Fraiche, Brandy Cocktail)

LOL I hope you enjoy this picture as much as I do!  Thanks Ryan for the cameo!  Check out that HUGE block of ice that the prawn is sitting on!  Gianormo!  Also, did you noticed I said… prawn?  LOL That is one MASSIVE prawn cut up into pieces lying on top of a MASSIVE block of ice.  Also see that orange thing sitting of top of the ice too?  We thought it was decoration.  Maybe a coral or something.  Jamie mentioned something about how all decorations or garnishes should be edible.  She then took a bite of it and said it was full of flavor.  Ryan said she just ate coral… LOL we asked the waiter what it was and it turned out to be … ready for it?  Tomato foam!!!!  LOL  I got a kick out of that and so did the waiter.

Olympic Caesar Salad (Aged Pecorino, Toasted Crouton)

No picture here.  I didn’t get my phone out in time before Ryan dug in.  LOL Sorry.  It looked great though.  It looked like a spear of romaine lettuce with a strip of pecorino on top.   I can’t remember anything else.  Sorry folks.  Maybe Ryan can help describe it in the comments section.  (Hint, Hint Ryan)

Seattle Surf & Turf (New York Steak and Butter Lobster, Yukon Whipped Potatoes)

Ryan's Entree

Another beautifully plated dish.  The whipped potato is wrapped with more potato I think but wow look at it.  It must have been good because Ryan ate it all.  I didn’t get a chance to taste it.

My overall impression and experience with my first visit to The Georgian room was great.  We went on a Wednesday night at 8 pm and had the whole place to ourselves.  LITERALLY!  I joked that I rented out the whole restaurant just for Trevor’s birthday.  It could of worked.  I think because we were the only one’s there that late we were able to have exceptional service.  We had like 3 or 4 people waiting on us.  It was such a great and unexpected experience.  The wait staff were all really nice, answering our many questions.  At the end of the meal, after we given them our valet tickets, they even had the cars waiting for us as we walked out the front door!  I love this kind of treatment.  I need to become rich fast.  I could get use to this kind of life.

They do have a dress code, business casual or smart casual (?), a jacket is not required, so beware.  It is a pretty expensive place to dine so I recommend for special occasions. The do have a room you can rent out for large parties if you want.  I would definitely go again once my bank account has replenished from the last meal.

Website: http://www.fairmont.com/seattle/GuestServices/Restaurants/TheGeorgian.htm

By the way, sorry about the pics.  I took some without flasher per some of my fellow diner’s request, then I just ignored them and used flash anyways.  So, there you go… Oh and…

Happy Birthday Trevor!!!!!

Photo Gallery:

Last night started like any other day.  Woke up.  Got ready for the day.  Went to work.  Got off from work.  Decided what to have for dinner.  For the night, leftovers and the free potato that I got from a generous patient that day, or will it?  Turns out, my boyfriend and my best friend were chatting with each other and decided that I was lonely (Trevor is in Ohio for work) and that Woo should ask me out for dinner that night to keep me company.  Turns out that I really did need the company.  We had a discussion about where to go… Ciccheti or Anchovies and Olives… Of course I choose Anchovies and Olives.  A restaurant that I have wanted to go too for years!  Actually, ever since Ethan Stowell  opened it up in February of 2009.  One reason and one reason only… Oyster Power Hour!  Each oyster is only $1 from 5pm  to 6pm and then again 10pm to 11pm.  So here was my chance.

(Un)Fortunately we decided to make reservations at 715pm on a Wednesday night.  I got there early, 708pm.  I walked in those doors and was gitty.  Why?  Basically, you walk in through the door and you are in the kitchen.  The first thing you notice is that the kitchen is right there, out in the open.  The 3 Chefs are right there, doing there thang in the same room as you.  No walls separate you and them.  CRAZY cool.  I got seated near the kitchen but close to the door.  Luckily there wasn’t much traffic in an out that it was too distracting, it wouldn’t have been anyways since both Woo and I were totally in the moment eating everything there was on our table!  I ordered my drinks, a Sapphire Martini with olives which was perfectly made, and enjoyed the ambiance and the view.

This is the kitchen! Crazy Cool.

The dining area has this intimate feel to it.  The dining area was not very big, darkly lit with candles all over.  The kitchen was the only area that was fully lit.  The tables were a blend of metal and wood, while the chairs and benches were dark in color.   It was quiet, well as quiet as a restaurant can be.  It wasn’t that crowded, it was a Wednesday night.  I would assume that it would get more rowdy during the Power Hour or if it had been a weekend instead.  Luckily, we had a night where we could take in the sights, sounds and smells of the place.  The noise level was low enough that we could hear the fish cooking on the grill, the pops and sizzles as the chef throws things in his sauté pan, the clink and clatter of the silverware and plates.  It… was… bliss… except for the couple near us who seemed to be on their first date.  That is a story I will tell you in person if you care to hear.   Oh! The smell.  You definitely know that you are in a seafood restaurant right when you walk in but the smell isn’t pungent, it is fragrant!  The fish and seafood are fresh and the restaurant takes you to seafood heaven

The menu is simple and right to the point.  You choose from Cicchetti, Crudi, Primi and Secondi.  Cicchetti is like Venetian small plates.  Crudi is raw.  Primi consists of salads and pastas.  Secondi, the fish.  Check out the menu here: http://ethanstowellrestaurants.com/blog/menu-anchovies-olives/.

We decided to skip the Secondi and instead go for the Cicchetti,  Crudi and the Primi.  With the help of our waiter Evans and after what seemed like a very long time, everything just sounded amazing, we made our decision.  (BTW, if you go there, get Evans as your waiter and have him describe the food… serious… I was sold on EVERYTHING!  BTW, there is an everything button he can push to get you… EVERYTHING!  Some day!)  For Cicchetti, we decided on Castelvetrano Olives (w/ orange rinds, bay leaves, chili and garlic), Fried Chickpeas (w/ smoked paprika and lemon), Prosciutto di Parma (w/ Pecorino Sardo), and Burrata (Mascarpone wrapped with Mozzarella and Fig Mostrada and Saba).  Crudi, Hamachi (w/ fennel, rhubarb, pickled mustard seeds).  Primi, Risotto (w/ Gulf prawns, clams, butternut squash, roasted pepper) and finally the Potato Gnocchi (w/ octopus, prosciutto Bolognese, mint, oregano).  A lot huh?  We didn’t think so until the last bite.  Boy oh BOY!

Castelvetrano Olives – Cicchetti

Not your olives that you have in your martinis my friends.  These are those lovely green, round olives you usually find in the mix.  These olives were brought to another level my friends.  You taste the orange, you get a hint of the chili, bay leaves and garlic.  It wasn’t salty, but sweet and mildly olivey.

Fried Chickpeas – Cicchetti

Out of all of the things we ordered, these were the one ones that we went back and forth on and decided to get anyways.  They were good but not the best out of all the things we ordered.  They were full of duality.  Salty and sweet with a crunchy exterior and a soft interior.  They were clever and complex and you definitely taste the citrusy undertones that came from the lemons but more resembles orange.

Prosciutto di Parma – Cicchetti

Classic Italian dish.  The Prosciutto was delicious and slightly salty.   The Pecorino was sweet and nutty.  It was a little dry, could of used a little more olive oil.  There was a little that was drizzled on top of it.

Burrata – Cicchetti

When Evans described the Burrata, you couldn’t help but wanted to order it.  It looked amazing once it came to the table.  I just didn’t get it.  Woo did, I didn’t.  It was chilled, which was unexpected.  I was expecting it to come room temp but was pleasantly surprised.  The cheese was really soft.  It looked like it was melting when you cut into it.  The fig mostrada was a bit bitter for me.  I think it is because of the mustard powder.  I’m not a big bitter fan so that was a distraction for me.  I do love figs though and the seeds add a different feel to it when you bite onto them.  If the cheese had a little more flavor to it, a sweetness or a stronger flavor, I think it will cut the bitterness down more and make it a little more pleasant.

Hamachi – Crudi

This had to be the best dish out of the whole night.  It was unforgettable.  The complexity of the dish alone was amazing.  Texturally, you have softness of the fish balanced with the hard crunch of the rhubarb and the soft crunch of the fennel.  The mustard seeds popped in the mouth as you bit into it.  The fish was fresh.  The rhubarb was tangy and sweet which adds to the depth of the dish.   The slight licorice flavor from the fennel helps balance the dish.  BTW, who knew rhubarb goes well with fish?!

After the Cicchetti and the Crudi, we had our plates and silverware changed.  I love it.  They took everything off and replaced it all.  LOVE IT!

Risotto – Secondi

This is Woo’s Secondi so I only had a taste of it but from what I tasted, it was pretty awesome.  First thing you notice is how it is presented.  It’s kinda beautiful right?  That golden hue with the red swirl and the bits of clam shell and shrimp popping out?  It was creamy, sweet and seafoody, in the best way possible.  (Oops, just turned into Andrew Zimmerman for a bit there.)  There is also a slight kick to it too.  Woo loved it but thought it was a bit salty.

Potato Gnocchi – Secondi

This is one of the dishes that Evans recommended.  I was a little nervous about ordering it because it has octopus in it.  I am very picky with octopus.  I think I have only had it good/great once so I was taking a leap of chance here.  Usually it is chewy and ew.  Also, gnocchi can be easily made wrong.  It can be gummy and heavy, not that lovely pillowy softness you want from it.  Oh it sinks like a stone in your stomach but the mouth feel is what you really want.  So to my surprise, everything was … perfect.  The gnocchi was perfect, soft and delicate but looks like caterpillars in my bowl.  LOL.  I LOVE the octopus!  It was firm but gave to the bite.  Kind of like biting into beef but the taste is definitely octopus.  The Bolognese was sweet, tangy and slightly salty.  The mint breaks through and adds an extra dimension to the sauce.  Overall, my second favorite dish of the night.  I needed something to cut into it though.  The flavors, amazing, yet strong.  I should have had bread or something to cut into it but I cleaned the plate anyways.  After 5 other dishes before and then this… I cleaned… the plate. Big deal!  Haven’t done that since… Herb Farm?

My impression of Anchovies and Olives?  A must go for any seafood lover.  Worth the price.  For all this food plus 4 drinks (2 each people!!! not all for me), the cost was $123.75  (w/o tip) for two people.  What a deal!   (OK, so we were thinking with our stomachs more than our wallets)  Food was superb, service was nice plus a free show.  I loved watching the chefs work.  Oh, quick tip, you need to ask for bread.  They do not just serve it to you.  Next time I come here, Ima have to try the oysters!

Check out their website here!  http://ethanstowellrestaurants.com/anchoviesandolives/

OMG, where have I been hiding all these months?  I did tell you earlier that I’m not very good at this writing thing.  I think I have ADD or something and just can’t keep this up on a regular basis.  Any who, I am back for this lovely review of a place that I have been dreaming off for a very long time.

When you think 5 Diamond, 4 Star restaurants in the PNW, what do you think of?  There is only ONE!  The only one north of San Francisco, west of Chicago.  Which place has the Chef who scored a perfect 30 points for food by Zagat Guides?  BTW, that’s Chef de Cuisine Tony Demes.  Who also has the youngest Chef to oversee a 5 Diamond restaurant in North America? BTW, that’s Chris Weber.  Which is it?  Its in the title silly!  LOL It is of course, the one and only Herbfarm.

The Herbfarm is the pinnacle of Northwest Cuisine.  As they say on their website, the Herb Farm is “A celebration of the FOODS and WINES of the Pacific Northwest. A Thematic nine course dinner with six matched wines and a single seating nightly.”  The menus changes ever other week.  The theme changes ever month or so. You can have multiple amazing dinners, if you can afford it, every month.  It is, one, the most amazing dining experience and two, one of the most amazing tasting dinners I have ever had!  I ranked it as high as L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon.  Our theme for the night was Uber Tuber.  “A celebration of the amazing spud.”  My dining mates for the night, Trevor, Jamie and Ryan.

First, we’ll discuss the décor.  Going in, you enter this beautiful lobby where there is a fireplace and comfy chairs for you to sit in before dinner starts (note, if you go early, you can have a tour of the Garden 6:30 Mon – Sat and 3:40 on Sunday).  There is a coat check as you enter the main dining room.  Off to the side is a private dining space for parties.  I call it the red room.  As you enter the doors to the main dining room, you sweep your head to the right and see an open kitchen that faces the dining area.  You have about 15 tables that can sit from 2 to I think like 10 people.  It was a small yet cozy room, decorated with wine bottles, paintings, mirrors, sweeping fabrics, a central chandelier and other fun décor.  The table setting was a little overwhelming for someone who’s not used to this kind of dining. There were 5 wine glasses, a silver goblet for water, 4 forks, 2 knives, a spoon, and a partridge in a pear tree.  Just kidding about the partridge , but they did have a Guitarist from the Royal Conservatory, Madrid, Patricio Contreras, there playing live music for us.  I forgot to take a picture of him for y’all.  Sorry about that.  In our napkins were little floral accents, mine was lavender, Trevor’s was thyme, Jamie’s was rosemary and Ryan’s was some fern or something.  They also tucked in a booklet with the menu and wines they were serving.

Now that we were seated, one of the waitstaff came around with a basket of herbs.  I wish I could remember them all for you, but my senses were on overload right then that I can only remember bits of it.  There was lemon verbena, sage, pineapple something and something rose.  LOL.  I really wished I’d taken notes.  Anyways, you pick an herb, they pinched a bit off and put it in your champagne glass.  You get to smell the herbs before they come around with “bubbles” and fill your glass up.  It was a nice touch, the herbs.  And so, it began.

First course was a trio apply named “Tryst of the Tater Trio.”   The first was a “Helix of Duck-Fat Triple-Cooked “All Blue” Potato with whipped fresh jersey cream, Montana paddlefish caviar and chives.” The second was “Mussel-Saffron “all Red” potato mille-feuille with saffron aioli, mussel & pickled peppers” and finally, the third was a “”La Ratte” potato-leek-an-mustard green fritter with nasturtium salad.” This dish was paired with the “bubbles,” a sparkling wine: Capitello Oregon Brut with the herbs.  This dish was to show us the different ways potato can be used.  I really enjoyed the first one.  It was shaped like a curly fry to “maximize crunchiness” and boy was it crunchy and delish.  The paddlefish caviar just melted in the mouth and the jersey cream was luscious.  The mussel one was OK for me.  I wasn’t too fond of the potato mille-feuille but the saffron aioli and saffron mussels were nice, chilled and the saffron was mild and not overpowering but still pleasant.  The fritter was the other fave.  It was crunchy, hot and flavorful.

In between the first course and second, they stopped everything and gave us a presentation of the nights meal by Chef Cory Barrett, along with the reasoning for the wine pairings by Sommelier Tysan Dutta.  We also got a brief history of the restaurant and also an introduction to the Herbfarm family, the chefs (BTW, read their bios.  These guys are crazy skilled and accomplished Chefs), kitchen staff, the waitstaff (also skilled and accomplished) ,the sommelier and the owners themselves, Ron Zimmerman & Carrie Van Dyck, who, by the way, served us dishes  and wine throughout the whole meal.  It really felt like you were an invited guest to a family dinner that consists of 9 dishes and cost $200+ a head.  Ok, on to the second course.

Second course was the “Oh, Rare Ozette” dish.  A “Native Ozette potato with B.C. scallop crudo, shaved fennel & radish, and a cedar bud-prickly ash leaf broken vinaigrette” paired with a 2009 Love & Squalor Riesling, Willamette Valley, Oregon.  This was one of my favorite dishes of the night.  I loved the flavors and textures that the chefs were playing with in this dish.  The scallops were large, plump and not “fishy” at all.  They were very clean, soft and added just the right seawater flavor that makes this dish sing.  The vinaigrette was amazing too.  Cedar infused with shitake mushrooms, smooth and light.  The fennel added a nice subtle sweet anise flavor with the potato slices that fell apart with a bite and crunchy beet stained radishes that make this plate a textural dream.  Soft, crunchy, smooth and fresh all in one bite.

In between the second and third courses came the bread and herb butter.  The breads consisted of a potato onion roll, an “All Blue” sourdough potato bread and everyone’s favorite, an herbed potato focaccia bread.

Third course was the “Maxim on Black.” This was my second favorite dish of the night but the favorite amongst my dinner mates.  It was “Pommes Maxim on black cod with smoked “German butterball” potato butter, clams & savoy cabbage, “Red Thumb” potato dice, shallots, carrot and pealed celery” paired with 2009 Maison Bleue “Petite Joie” Marsanne, Yakima Valley, WA.  The neat thing about this dish we were told, is to drink the wine before you take a bit, then have a bite of the fish, then take another sip of the wine.  The wine changes in flavors with the addition of the smoke from the butter that the fish was cooked in!  I was skeptical, but it really did change!  Also, this dish was suppose to remind us of a clam chowder.  The fish was cooked perfectly.  It was firm and melted in the mouth.  Trevor really enjoyed the red potato dices under the fish.  Jamie loved the fish, since black cod is her all time fave fish.  We were all impressed with the smoky flavor of the fish and wanted to get some of that smoked butter!  I was a little underwhelmed with the Pommes Maxim.  It was beautiful to look at, they were so thin and beautifully golden but it was hard to cut and when it hit the sauce, it became chewy.  Overall though, the dish was well executed and the flavors were amazing.

Fourth course was the “Pillows and Balls.”  One of the most beautiful plates of the night and suppose to remind us of potatoes being plucked from the ground with the greens still attached and it did!  This plate, for me, was the most anticipated plates, only because I was really interested in what it would look like and boy was I impressed!  Look at it.  It is beautiful!  The dish was “”Russet Burbank” potato Gnocchi pillows, confit “Peanut Potato” balls, roasted wild mushroom, wild chickweed, and sage brown butter” paired with 2007 Hillcrest “Nonich,” Cabernet Franc, Umpqua Valley Oregon.  Special note, The winery only made one barrel of this wine and the Herbfarm only had enough of the wine for this one weekend.  How special was that?!  We were supposed to keep this a secret but really, who reads this blog anyways so I feel like I am keeping the secret, its just on the web now.  The gnocchi were the best gnocchi I had ever had.  It was soft and melted in the mouth.  The sage brown butter was in POWDER form.  POWDER!!!!  LOL how did they do that?!  It was delightful. When it hit the tongue, it totally vaporized and you get this delightful sweet buttery sagey punch.  The salad was nice, light and slightly peppery with tiny roasted Chanterelles and some black mushroom.  The Peanut Potato balls were so tasty, a crunchy skin with a smooth interior.  The dish worked so well together.

Fifth course was the “Steak ‘n’ Spuds.”  If you have potato as a theme, you have to have steak with it, or so says the Chefs who were transplants from New York and the Midwest. This dish was “Rosemary-seared Long Valley Ranch pastured ribeye with “Carola” potato puree, braised short rib with crispy “Yukon Gold” –Alpine Lakes sheep cheese gratin, braised kale roulade, rutabagas, glazed chestnuts, and Sauce Bordelaise” paired with 2001 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Rouge, Columbia Valley.  It was supposed to be the 2003 but they found that it was to strong for the dish and switched to the more aged wine that is smoother.  I loved the braised short ribs.  It had an amazing flavor but the texture was like of like firm beef Jello which was fine for me.  The others didn’t really care for it.  I thought it was full of flavor and it was braised for like 24 hours!  I didn’t really care to much for the ribeye.  It was cooked medium-rare but it didn’t really have a full flavor and mine had some sinew in it which made it a little hard to cut.  I didn’t really get the rosemary from the steak either.  The others preferred the steak over the braised short ribs.  The roulade was perfect and the highlight, in my opinion was the glazed chestnut which was wild harvest by one of the waitstaff, Shani Prentice-Crain.  It was sweet and had an interesting texture.  The gratin was tasty and crispy.  Not your usual soft and cheesy gratin but still tasty.  Overall though, I think this was at the bottom of all the entrees. Still good, just didn’t wow us like the previous dishes did.  Even with the plating, it was eh.

Forgot to take pic of wine

Sixth course was “Pommes, Pomme et Foie.”  Hands down, my most favorite dish of the night.  I can still see it, smell it, OMG… taste it!  I want it again NOW!  LOL  It was “ ‘Bintje’ potato latke with seared FOIE GRAS, Honeycrisp cider gastrique, sweet & tart apples with English thyme and fresh Oregon black truffles.” There was no wine pairing for this but we did have the option to buy more.  They have a list of other flights that you can buy from the “Black” for $16 to “The Oldest Wine You Can Ever Drink: 1795 Madeira” for 1 oz. for 4 people, $365, 1/3 oz. for $150.  Yup.  If you are a big spender, you can have really old and expensive wine.  My table opted not to spend anymore than we already had.  Back to the foie!  It was so tasty!  It was really rich, you can see the fat dripping from the foie as it was resting on the potato latke.  The foie was perfectly seared and perfectly cleaned.  The gastrique had that cider spiciness to it and added a perfect counter to the rich foie.  The black truffle sauce added a slight earthiness to the dish while the apples cut the richness of the dish.  Jamie couldn’t finish her foie and offered her leftovers to me and I lapped it up!  LOL.  I didn’t care how rich it was, it was just damn good.  God I love foie.  I know its not “ethical” to eat it but have you tasted it?  ITS SO GOOD!  Totally worth the guilt for me.  The greens didn’t add much to the dish but it did add color.  I really wish there was a restaurant out there that serves this dish all the time.  It saddens me that I will never have this dish again, unless its foie gras theme or truffle maybe?  *tear*

In between the Sixth and Seventh course, we all got hot lavender towels for our hands.  It was a nice touch and I love lavender anything so they earn tons of kuddo points for that.

Dessert time!  Seventh course was “ Skin in the Game.”  It was “Grilled “Rose Finn Apple” potato and crème fraiche semifreddo with house ice wine vinegar and lemongrass froth and Big Leaf maple syrup glazed crispy potato skins.  The semifreddo was light, creamy and lemony with the sweet lemongrass froth on top was beautiful.  I think the potato skin was too sweet and crunchy.  I didn’t really enjoy it alone but it did work well with the semifreddo, if you scooped up some an placed it on the “chip.”  The semifreddo mellows out the sweetness of the maple syrup.  There were also flowers on the top.  I don’t think they had a strong flavor but added beautiful color and a light crunch to the dish.  Oh, by the way, it came in this small shot glass thingy shaped like an egg and came with a gold spoon.  Yup, I said gold spoon.  Take a close look at the picture.  The spoon is gold.  It is gold.  Yeah.  Done.

Eighth course was “Frizzled Mousse” which was suppose to remind us of a Wendy’s frosty and you dipping your fries into it.  Well, that’s what Cory wants us to think (Yeah, we are on a first name base now.  We tight.  LOL only in my dreams.  BTW, he is super cute but married *sadness*) and you know what, it did!  It really did.  It was a “Fried-“Red Thumb”-potato-and-chicory-milk chocolate mousse with a caramel glaze, potato tuile, caramelized potato slices, fried potato threads & Strait of Juan de Fuca sea salt.”  It was an elegant Wendy’s “frosty’” in cubed form, not chilled but served room temp, with salty potato strands all around it.  The sea salt made the dish.  It was a great contrast to the sweetness of the mouse.  We all thought “Salted Caramels” after the first bite with a hint of chocolate.  It was a little too sweet for me, even with the salt and potato tuile (chip), but that didn’t stop me from finishing it all.  I really enjoyed the fried potato threads.

The Ninth and final course was the coffee, teas & native beverages.  I had tea was grown here in the Northwest with the only active tea farm in North America.  Jamie had “Smart Tea,” a combination of lavender, spearmint and something else I can’t remember.  Trevor and Ryan both had coffee.  They also had native beverages made from chicory and dandelions and what nots.  It was a really cool selection.  They served the cream in this cute elephant cream dispenser.  We also got tiny biscotti and also a selection of small treats: Rosemary & potato chip truffles, Crispy tarragon meringues, White chocolate & sage hazelnuts, Lavender caramels, and Peach pate de fruit.  My favorites were the white chocolate & sage hazelnuts and the lavender caramels.  The tarragon meringue was not crispy, more marshmallowy.  The rosemary & potato chip truffles were interesting.  I didn’t care for the potato chips on the outside but did like the combination of rosemary and chocolate.  The peach pate de fruit was ok.  At this time, they served our final wine of the night which was a 2007 Northwest Totem Cellars Icy Viognier.  I love, LOVE Viognier ever since I tasted one during last years 20 Something: The New Vintage wine event and having it as an ice wine is even better.  I don’t usually like to drink white wines but Viogniers are ok in my book.  It was sweet but not sickeningly sweet like some ice wines are.  It was a perfect end.

Over all I have to say that I was very impressed with the level of professionalism from the staff and the Chefs.  During the whole time that we were there for dinner (about 4 1/2 hours), we did not hear any pans or pots clanging, not yelling, everyone was so profession and everything was well planned and rehersed.  The only out of place sound you heard from the kitchen was a glass or silverware falling on the ground.  We also never used the same fork twice.  They came around and filled our goblets with ice ever so often.  They brought a new bottle of water, like every 30 mins, with new cold water.  Every time we left, they replaced our napkins with a new one and placed it on our charger with our floral accents.  We had every waitstaff come and serve our table.  At the end of the meal, Chef Cory came over to our table and asked how the meal was and Ryan commented that he won “this Midwesterner’s heart” with make the Chef smile because he was a Midwesterner too.  Oh, crazy part, you have to walk through the wine cellar to the bathrooms and you get to see all these wines that they keep and sell.  There’s also a Founder’s room where they store the 1795 Madeira wine… just right there.  You can see it through the window that leads into the Founder’s room.  Yup.  Right there.

I would definitely recommend this “dining experience”… calling it a restaurant just doesn’t feel right, to everyone.  It is pricey, ranging from $185 to $205 for the meal NOT including tax and services so that can balloon up to about $500 for a couple.  It is an experience that everyone should have.  Its pricey yes, but you will not regret it.  Save some money, find a good reason to go, we went for Trevor’s birthday, and get yourself an amazing dining experience.   There is plenty of parking.  You have to make reservations ahead of time (they say you can walk in due to cancelations or no shows (never ever be a no show… they charge you for the whole meal if you don’t show up and not tell them!!!!!!!!) but I wouldn’t risk it.”)

Hope you guys enjoyed my review.  Check out their website at http://www.theherbfarm.com/index.html

Are you excited about a new review?  Well here we go!

My guests for the evening were Trevor, Dan and Jessica.

Wild Mountain Cafe.  Has anyone heard of this place before?  I sure hadn’t and I have probably driven passed this place hundreds of times.  It is not off the beaten path, no.  Actually, it is located on a very busy street near a very busy intersection here in North Seattle, or to be more specific, Crown Hill.  Located at 1408 Northwest 85th Street Seattle, WA 98117-4236, this cafe is located in the middle of a block in a purple house lit up with lights.

Now, when I say house, I really mean it is or was a house that has been transformed into a restaurant.  All the rooms are still there but they have been transformed into dining areas with tables and chairs.  There are also artwork all around the restaurant.  Same art that you would find in most of the restaurants on Greenwood Ave and 85th street. They also have a full bar, which you walk right into when you first walk into the cafe.  Dan found it at first awkward to be in a converted house restaurant but I had always loved that concept and had always wanted to do that myself!  Damn them for stealing my idea!

We were seated in the back room all to ourselves (for a while) in a table for four with two chairs and a bench.  The bench and the table were so close to each other, it was hard to get in… we probably could of moved the table back a little but for some reason we didn’t.  Don’t ask me why we didn’t LOL.  We were handed our menu and given the specials by our waitress, who seemed to have failed to introduced herself to us.  But the service was otherwise enjoyable.  The names for the dishes were fun.  I always love fun names for the dishes.  The food came on plates of all different patterns and colors.  They look like old fashion designs.  I like that they made it feel more homey.

On to the entrees!

Auckland’s Finest – New Zealand Lamb Shank ($17.75)

This was my dish.  I had a craving for lamb and I read the description and was sold.  It was a “slow braised shank for 3 hours to melt off the bone perfection.”  It came with a kalamata olive tapenade, burgundy jus and sauteed kale with roasted garlic mash potatoes.

When the dish came out, it was truly lovely.  The shank rested on the potatoes with the brightly green kale on the side.  The tapenade rested on top of the shank, which was hidden because the shank and the tapenade had the same color.  So when I first took the fork and knife to it, I cut right through the tapenade and thought, “oh how tender”, then it fell apart and I realized it was the tapenade and had a silent chuckle to myself.  The tapenade was cool and tasty with a light olivey taste to it.  Kalamata olives have such a strong taste to them, I was afraid that it would be too much but this had such a light flavor to it, it was perfect.

There were plenty of mash potatoes which were tasty and garlicy.  They were soft and fluffy with small chunks on potatoes in them.  The kale had a slight salty crunch to them, full of flavor but left an oily film on the lips which I wasn’t so keen about.  The lamb was tender and was a little gamey on the first few bites.  Once paired with the sides, it worked perfectly and the gaminess diminishes as the palate got use to the flavor of the lamb.  I would totally recommend this dish if you like lamb.

Filina’s Favorite Fried Chicken – Yeeehaw! ($16.75)

This is Jessica’s dish and is a “honey-kissed ‘oven-fried’ made from scratch” chicken dish.  It comes with season vegetables and garlic mash potatoes.

I actually got a chance to taste the chicken and it was really good.  I was intrigued by the honey part of this dish thinking it was going to be in the crust but instead it was  in a sauce that was drizzled on it.  The flavor of the honey worked very well with the chicken.  The chicken was sweet and tender although just a tad bit dry.  The crust, according to Jessica, was light and crispy although to my eye, it did not look crispy at all.  Looks can be deceiving.  Overall, a pretty solid dish.  I would totally recommend this.

House Special Ribeye Steak ($23.75)

This is Dan’s dish.  I didn’t get to try the dish and sorry I don’t have a description of the dish since the waitress requested the menu before I can write it down.  Dan has had this dish before so he said that the House Special of the night was considerably better than the regular Ribeye listed on the menu.  It came with orange glazed brussel sprouts for which I did taste and it was amazing.  I will have to find a recipe for that and will have to try and make it at home.  The orange did not overpower the taste of the brussel sprouts and I was wary of sweet sprouts but they worked beautifully together.  I highly recommend you try brussel sprouts this way if you don’t like brussel sprouts at all, you just might change your mind about them!

Mmm… Heavenly Pesto Pasta with Chicken ($16.75)

This is Trevor’s dish.  The pasta is made with a “lemon, garlic, rosemary marinated chicken on top of bowtie pasta with pesto, roasted garlic, tomato, mushroom and cream.”  It also comes with toasted bread.

Now this dish was ok.  It was surprisingly sweet and had a full pesto flavor.  It was also very creamy.  A highlight of the dish is the roasted garlic which was sweet, soft and creamy and had just a lovely flavor to it.  It came with two thin slices of grilled chicken that to me, was not seasoned at all.  It was flavorless.  Luckily, the pesto sauce was full of flavor but too one note with the pesto.  The chicken to Dan and Trevor was dry and oily but the piece I got felt moist.  I would not recommend this dish.  There are other dishes on the menu that tasted better.

Over all, this place has it’s charm.  I would recommend this place to all my readers.  Oh, they had live music there too!  We didn’t get to see him until we were on our way out since he was in the “living room” area of the restaurant.  There is no parking lot, so all you got is street parking.  Plenty of it there.  The dishes are moderately priced and so if you are looking for a cheap meal, this is not the place to go but go there anyways!

Here is the website: http://www.wildmtncafe.com/

Check them out!

I have been meaning to publish this shout out for a while now. This shout out is for my friend April Somboun. She started a food blog around the same time that I did and I think hers is way better than mine so I want you all to go and check it out and subscribe to her blog! All her recipes look amazing and she has a great story with all her posting.

Here is the site:

http://sophisticatedpalette.wordpress.com/

Enjoy!

So tonight, I finally got a chance to cook lobster again!  It was exciting since, the last time I cooked lobster was on a Valentine’s day three years ago.  This night, it was my turn to cook and Trevor wanted lobster, since I have been talking about having lobster for dinner… forever!  LOL So I was really excited he was in the mood for it.

The way I made it was very simple.  I boiled it with a seasoned water (peppercorns, cilantro stems, a lemon split in half, and sea salt).  I also made Cilantro-Lime rice and had a Caesar Salad with Gloria’s Rosemary Bread toasted.

Boiled Lobster

1 – 2 lobster(s)

2 quarts of water

2 tablespoon of sea salt

1 tablespoon of peppercorns

a bundle of cilantro stems

1 lemon, halved

First, place the lobster(s) in the freezer.   (This is considered one of the most humane way of dealing with cooking live lobster.)  After about 30 mins, bring water with all the seasoning to a boil.  Place lobster(s) head first into the water.  Place a lid and cook for 10 mins for the 1lb and add 3 mins for every lbs after that.

I stopped the cooking of the lobster at 10 minutes. (I probably would stop it at 8 next time.)  I cooled it a bit so I can take the tail off and cut it in half.  I then place the halves in a Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce and finished cooking.

Garlic Butter Sauce

8 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon of shallots, chopped

1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest

1/4 cup of lemon juice.

Melt the butter under medium heat.  Once all the butter is melted, place the garlic and the shallots in there.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Pour in lemon juice and cook for another minute or two.  Place lobster halves into the sauce and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

1 cup of rice

2 cups of water

1/4 cup of cilantro, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon of lime juice

Cook rice until tender.  I used a rice cooker so … when the light switches to warm. fluff the rice and toss in chopped cilantro and lime juice.

I cheated with the Caesar Salad and got the mix although its pretty easy to assemble yourself.  All that you require is Romaine lettuce, croutons, parmesan cheese, Caesar dressing.  I had a recipe for a Caesar dressing that I used a while ago.  I will have to find it and share it with y’all.

Here is the final product!  It turned out pretty good.

Hello Extras!

I know it’s been a while since I’ve updated this blog but it was the holidays and I’ve done a little traveling but I’m back with a blog about my foodie trip to Las Vegas.  (I’ve been waiting to get the pictures up from the trip but I haven’t gotten them yet but I will update this entry with pics when I get them!)

First the story, then the reviews!

Las Vegas.  What can I say about that city?  The lights, the hotels, the shows, the spas, the gambling, the half naked ladies, the people on the street peddling cards with numbers to call or see the half naked ladies get even more nakie!, and of course… the FOOD!  Sin City:  Gluttony, buffets, check; Lust, strippers and brothels, check; Sloth,  spas, check; Greed, gambling, check; Envy, staring daggers at those who are winning or get a bonus round on the slots, check; Pride, leaving a winner, check; Wrath, leaving a loser, check.  All that can happen in one day!  LOL what a fun city!

Trevor and I were invited by our friends Ryan and Jamie to go to hang out in Vegas with them on the last week of December.  At first, I was hesitant to say yes because I already had another Vegas trip planed for the third weekend of January until they told us that we would be getting a discount on our room and all we will have to pay for is our flight down there and whatever else we wanted to do down there.  Um… YEAH!  LOL I was totally down and feeling a little greedy because I get to go down to Vegas TWICE in a month’s time.  Aren’t I a lucky one?

Our first night there, we went to go see Aria (the new hotel and casino at City Centre), had a drink and made dinner reservations at Mon Ami Gabi in Paris Las Vegas.  I am always in the mood for a French meal so I was totally excited that we were going there and that Trevor was the one that wanted us to go there!  (He never really is in the mood for French.)  Luckily we made reservations on Open Table because they weren’t taking any walk-ins at that time and we got seated promptly.  The food was amazing.  They served us bread with butter and this carrot thingy, I’m not sure what it was.  I think we were supposed to eat it on the side because I tried it on my bread and it didn’t taste right. We also got the Escargots de Bourgogne ($10.50) which was delightful.  It came out of the shell in this garlic basil sauce that was very close to pesto (could be pesto) and was delicious and went well with the bread.  For our entrees I got the Roast Chicken & Frites ($19.95).  The frites were to die for!  They were these thin cut flat strips of potatoe that were fried to perfection.  Crispy yet still a little soft in the middle.  Trevor got the Pork Tenderloin that had two thick strips of bacon with it.  Jamie go the Seared Sea Scallops ($21.95) that came with this lovely creamy whipped cauliflower that tasted like smashed potatoes but better for you, and Ryan got the Filet Mignon with the merlot butter, red wine reduction ($31.95) which was perfectly cooked.  We all agreed that merlot should not be drunk but that it should be made into this lovely sauce.  By the end of the dinner, Jamie and I were delighted see a French couple sit right next to us, validating the authenticity of the restaurant.

http://www.monamigabi.com/vegas

The next day we went to Mesa Grill in Caesars Palace for lunch.  I used to be a big fan of Bobby Flay when he had his show Boy Meets Grill but after that, he kind of because this cocky celebrity chef and I was turned off, so I was neither excited or dreading going to Mesa Grill.  Like Mon Ami Gabi, making a reservation at one these restaurants is crucial to getting seated quickly or at the time you want to eat.  One of the things that we found out about making reservations for this restaurant is, if you make it on Open Table, make sure you see that it is the Las Vegas one and not the New York one or else, you will not be seated right away.  We made our reservations in person, lucky us, because most if not all of the people, who made the reservations on Open Table, made it at the wrong location.  At Mesa, we ordered and appetizer along with our lunch. Our waiter was very helpful in recommending what he thought was the best on the menu, so we had two orders of the Tiger Shrimp + Roasted Garlic Corn Tamale ($14), three orders of the Mesa Burger ($16), and one order of the Pressed Cuban Sandwich ($16).  All three dishes were amazing.  The tamales were perfectly cooked.  It was soft and falls apart as you pick at it and the shrimps were large and plump.  The burgers were cooked to medium rare, seared perfectly on the outside, pinkish red through out the middle and oh so juicy.  The Cuban had so a lot flavor to it (according to Jamie).  The fries that were served with the burgers and sandwich were kind of a let down though (after having Mon Ami Gabi’s frites!)

http://www.mesagrill.com/lasvegas/

Then it was off to Qua Spa at Caesars.  After the spa, we all wanted something light so we went to Sushi Roku in Caesars Forum.  The fish was fresh and everything else was good.  I asked for Ankimo (Monk Fish Liver) but the waitress made a face and said they were out and recommended the Uni instead but it was $12 dollars for the Uni while it was only $7 for the Ankimo, so I went for the $7 Albacore instead, which I am glad I did, because that Albacore was like butter! I also had the Rock Shrimp Tempura with Jalapenos ($9) which was good and slightly spicy and the Organic Garden Salad with Japanese Yuzu Citrus Dressing ($9).  Trevor had the Mixed Sashimi Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette ($17) and the Chef’s Sashimi Combination ($26) I think… he got something Sashimi lol.  Jamie had the Yellowtail Scallion ($7) and the Cold Cha Soba ($11).  Ryan had the Sautéed Salmon & Hokkaido Scallops: XO sauce with Asparagus & Potatoes ($26) with Miso Soup and Rice ($6) ($(Me thinks unless they changed their menu).  I was too sleepy from the relaxing spa to start reviewing the food in my head.  I just remember it was good but not really worth that price, but it is Vegas.

http://www.sushiroku.com/sushiroku/menus/lv.asp

The fourth and final restaurant gets a posting on its own.  Look at my next post for the review of my first One Michelin Star restaurant!

To Be Continued…