Dining Profiles
Dining
The New Dog in Town
On the road with Las Vegas’ newest gourmet food truck, Sin City Dogs
June 18th, 2013
Even via email, Tom Portanova is cheerful. Bouncy, even. I envision him being like the guys who sling hot dogs at Cubs games, walking down the aisles with a portable steam cabinet strapped to their chest. They always look like the happiest guys, because what’s better than spending your days at the ballpark? But even without the big metal box, Portanova is the happiest guy in the hot dog-slinging game. Read more »
Dining
Paymon’s Owner Takes on the Spice Trade
Paymon Raouf is setting his mind to his newest venture–Las Vegas Spice Co.
May 28th, 2013
Across from the hostess stand in Paymon’s Mediterranean Cafe & Lounge on Maryland Parkway is a little door hidden behind a plant stand. It leads into a tiny room, not much more than a closet, thick with the heady aromas of a Middle Eastern bazaar. The storage racks are stacked ceiling-high with bags and bottles of Turkish turmeric, Syrian Aleppo pepper and Persian sumac. A small counter offers some workspace alongside a modest spice-bottling machine. Read more »
Trendspotting
Special Delivery
Meal-delivery services with a health-conscious twist simplify even the most complicated Las Vegas lifestyles
May 14th, 2013
A growing trend in Las Vegas, health-conscious meal preparation and delivery services offer programs tailored to your diet and delivered to your doorstep. This type of service isn’t new, but here’s the twist: The food is actually delicious. And flavorful recipes (think grilled filet mignon) attract the most discriminating foodies, while respecting their dietary goals. Read more »
What’s Cooking in Rachel’s Kitchen?
The local restaurant franchise is still growing—and so is Rachel
May 7th, 2013
The “Rachel” of Rachel’s Kitchen is more likely to be found in elementary school than in the kitchen of the franchise that bears her name. At just 9 years old, Rachel already has four eateries named after her in the Valley—and that number is growing fast. Read more »
Drinking
There’s No Need to Crawl
The next wave of hotel bars will be front, center and beautiful
April 30th, 2013
What with MGM Grand rolling out the carpet (and blowing out a few walls) for Hakkasan, and Mandalay Bay welcoming the valet-adjacent Light to its lineup, hotel bars might be feeling like Cinderella’s stepsisters post-shoeing. Never one to miss an opportunity for reinvention, while all eyes have been on the debutantes, three properties have been toiling away on their center and lobby bars, turning those natural meeting places and pre/post vortexes into destinations in their own right. Read more »
Dining
Pho Get About It
Get to know Vietnam’s national dish —Vegas style
April 23rd, 2013
A good bowl of pho is only as good as its ingredients. Start with thinly sliced beef and al dente rice noodles, then load up on fresh basil, bean sprouts and scallions. Finish with a squeeze of lime, and you’ve got a soup brimming to the top with beefy goodness. Read more »
Drinking
Seven Sips To Seek
Make a beeline to taste these wines at the 39th annual UNLVino Grand Tasting
April 16th, 2013
With more than 300 wines being poured at this year's UNLVino Grand Tasting, there is definitely something for everyone. From bone-dry to super-sweet, and ranging in price from $5 up to $75 per bottle, no matter what your favorite style, you will find some treasures here—and hopefully, you’ll remember them the next day! Read more »
Dining
Food University Lets Amateur Cooks Get Face Time with Culinary Masters
April 9th, 2013
The first day of Food University at Caesars Palace, about 40 dedicated foodies were busy trying on their brand-new, sparkling-white chef’s jackets, figuring out how to button them, taking bets on who will get theirs dirty first. Food U host Claudine Pepin—her very name is a culinary legacy—welcomed the inaugural class of students whose culinary expertise ran the gamut from established home cooks to those who don’t know their cumin from coriander. Consider this three-day concentration of cooking classes, tastings and tours a foodie fantasy camp for those who want to expand on their own cooking skills while rubbing elbows with some famous culinary talent. Read more »
Dining
Pair Your Beer and Fries
Our favorite gourmet pommes frites, and what to drink with them
March 26th, 2013
This heaping platter of fries has familiar elements to those of us wise in the ways of chili-cheese fries, except this is way better than any greasy-spoon version. Oxtail is braised in a savory, hearty chili until it’s tender, then slapped on top of fries and accented with cheese, raw jalapeños and a glistening, runny egg. Read more »
Dining
Get Out of Your Kitchen (And Into Theirs)
New hands-on cooking classes offer fresh options for weekend fun without ever getting your kitchen dirty
March 19th, 2013
Entrepreneur Marcus Fortunato earned a good living in gaming-industry software development. Three years ago, however, he started a company built around his passion for cooking. He wanted it to appeal to Las Vegans who love food so much they not only dine in the city’s finest restaurants, but who would embrace a learning experience: cooking in a celebrity-chef-worthy kitchen. Read more »
