Max Jacobson
Contributing Editor, Food
Contact: Email
Vegas Seven’s food critic started his career as a food journalist in Japan in the early ’80s. Since then, he has been a columnist for the Los Angeles Times and has written for a variety of national publications, such as Saveur and Gourmet. He's best known as an authority on Asian food, but he has rarely met a cuisine he doesn't like. He has covered the Vegas culinary scene since 2000.
Recent Articles
Diner’s Notebook
Town Square loses an innovator, and two chefs make Esquire list
November 4th, 2010
Town Square has claimed another culinary victim: Talented chef Brian Howard has departed for the French Laundry in Napa Valley, Calif. Before he left, he dazzled his fans at Nu Sanctuary with an extravaganza he dubbed “The Last Supper,” featuring dishes such as steelhead with cucumber and crème fraiche, and char-grilled Hudson Valley foie gras paired with smoked duck.
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An Italian Institution
Ferraro’s turns 25, and for the occasion, our food critic gives the locals favorite a thorough exam
October 28th, 2010
It’s Sunday, when many local restaurants are so empty you could shoot a cannon through them. But Ferraro’s is fully booked. I wish I knew the secret.
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Diner’s Notebook
Mobbed-up ambiance, Dad’s sandwich shop and an All-Star weekend
October 28th, 2010
If you’re in the mood for a fun experience, visit Capo’s Italian Steakhouse (5675 W. Sahara Ave., 364-2276), where the specialty is retro Italian. Now that the Liberace Museum is no more, this is about as kitsch as it gets in this town.
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Diner’s Notebook
Mmm good festival, a golden chef and a hidden noodle gem
October 21st, 2010
An impressive crowd gathered recently for the poolside Epicurean Charitable Foundation Gala at the M Resort, with benefits going to culinary scholarships. Chefs from the Strip and local restaurants displayed their wares, and the food and drink was truly outstanding.
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Sol Food
Outdoor patio and basic Mexican tricks give El Segundo a good chance at the Fashion Show
October 21st, 2010
It might be tempting to think of El Segundo Sol, which replaced Café Ba-Ba-Reeba earlier this year, as a metaphor for restaurant trends on the Strip. It’s not a valid one, though.
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Paolo Barbieri, Alex
October 14th, 2010
Ask this 50-year-old native of Rome what makes a sommelier great, and he’ll tell you it’s all about trust. “It’s important to establish a relationship with the customer right off the bat,” he says. “That way I can ensure that they will have a great food and wine experience.”
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Mitsuo Endo of Raku
October 14th, 2010
Japanese cuisine is largely misunderstood in this country. Ask most people what it is, and their first answer is likely to be something akin to sushi. But in the body of this product-driven seasonal fare, sushi is a mere button on its shirt. And no one has done more to illuminate that fact here than Mitsuo Endo, the chef/owner of Raku.
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Jean-Philippe Maury
October 14th, 2010
JP first came to Vegas in 1998 to be the executive pastry chef at Bellagio and opened his now legendary Jean-Philippe Pâtisserie there in 2005. A second one opened at Aria in December. Maury won the coveted Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Pastry Chef in France) before he came to America, so his credentials are impeccable.
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Cut
October 14th, 2010
The Strip, I dare say, has more great steak houses than any stretch of real estate in the world. How do I love thee; let me count the ways: Craftsteak, the Steak House at Circus Circus, Delmonico, Carnevino, SW, Nero’s, Fix, Brand, Stack and Union. And that list barely scratches the surface. With this much competition, they have to be good.
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