Dining
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. Read more »
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. Read more »
Dishing
Roasted Petaluma Free-Range Chicken at Bradley Ogden
October 28th, 2010
James Beard award-winning chef Bradley Ogden created this staple that varies with each season. An 8-to-10-ounce roasted chicken breast is cooked tenderly in a Concord grape sauce with grape and red endive and roasted shallots. It is garnished with watercress salad and served with roasted purple fingerling potatoes. Although it is a chicken dish, it should be paired with a red wine because of its red grape sauce. $38, in Caesars Palace, 731-7410. Read more »
Dishing
Seared Albacore at Yellowtail
October 28th, 2010
This restaurant is the place to dine before dancing the night away at a club, especially with creations from executive chef and rising celebrity chef Akira Back. The albacore is thinly sliced, brushed with garlic puree and chili oil, and then lightly seared. It is topped with crispy onions and fried mushrooms in a tosazu sauce. $23, in Bellagio, 693-7223. Read more »
Dishing
Chicken and Waffles at First Food & Bar
October 28th, 2010
This is the perfect dish for brunch. Sammy DeMarco uses buttermilk batter to make incredible fried chicken and plates it with crisp buttery waffles and a little jar of pure maple syrup. If you’re counting calories, don’t go there. In the Palazzo, $20, 607-3478. Read more »
Feature
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. Read more »
Dishing
Fried Pickles at PBR Rock Bar
October 28th, 2010
Here’s a new way to munch on what you’ve been craving. Dill pickles are battered with cornmeal and breadcrumbs and then deep-fried. Each one is a warm burst of light tangy flavor. Dip in a side of Cajun rémoulade to complement the flavor on your taste buds. $7, in the Miracle Mile Shops, 750-1685. Read more »
Profile
Self-Made Man
Not cut out for the mob, Steve Martorano finds his calling in the kitchen
October 28th, 2010
You can call him a gangster or a goombah (you won’t be the first or the last), but whatever you do, don’t call him a chef. “I’m just a cook,” Steve Martorano insists. The 52-year-old doesn’t really look like one either. Instead of chef whites, he wears a tight T-shirt, military-inspired shorts and a winter hat. Instead of standard kitchen clogs, he dons blue Nikes. His exposed arms are covered in tattoos, and diamonds bling loudly from his ears, neck, fingers and wrists. Nothing about him is by the book, aside from his family recipes. Read more »
Dishing
Breakfast Burrito at Roberto’s Taco Shop
October 21st, 2010
This chain of taco shops serves authentic Mexican cuisine and spins off a traditional American breakfast with the massive breakfast burrito, perfect for hungry people on the move. Stuffed with potatoes, eggs and cheese, with a choice of bacon, sausage or steak, this breakfast feast wraps up to be about 8 inches long. Read more »
Dishing
Ravioli di Ricotta con Caciotta Toscana at Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare
October 21st, 2010
Eat, pray, love at this restaurant where the Italian specialties prepared by executive chef Paul Bartolotta and the atmosphere transport you to the coast of Italy. Indulge in this dish: ravioli made with sheep’s milk ricotta, Tuscana pecorino cheese and marsala glaze. Read more »
