A Taste of Las Vegas

On June 7, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Las Vegas, Recipes2 Comments

As we mentioned before, our latest trip to Las Vegas was really about getting some down time and relaxing. When traveling to Las Vegas, food is always a highlight of any trip and this trip was no different. We went to a few of our favorite places to eat, but also purposely chose to go to some places that we hadn’t eaten before. Obviously, there are a plethora of celebrity chef owned restaurants, each one having multiple restaurants in several casinos, but there are other choices that are not as expensive.

One of the places that we returned to was The Yardbird at the Venetian, a restaurant specializing in eggs and chicken. We had fried chicken with hot sauce, chilled spiced watermelon, and a fresh baked biscuit. Another place that we returned was Jardin in the Encore, which has an open-air feel overlooking the pool area as well as some creative meal choices. We also went back to Gordan Ramsey’s Pub in Caesars, which offers traditional British fare and a nice variety of beers and ales.

One of the new places that we ate at was a Mexican restaurant called El Segundo, which is at the Fashion Show Mall and features wonderful food at reasonable prices as well as happy hour margaritas. Another new restaurant for us to eat at was Morels in the Palazzo where we had quiche and a very large omelet as well as two for one drink specials.

We always love a good deal on Oysters, so we even had a dozen oysters at the Oyster Bar in Harrah’s, which was nicer than restaurants in Harrah’s used to be. All in all, we enjoyed a wonderful variety of food and even found a few bargains along the way. The buffet seems to be making a comeback as several casinos offered them as well, but since we aren’t heavy eaters, it doesn’t make sense for us to sit down at an all you can eat buffet. Las Vegas has so many food options that you could spend a month on the strip and never eat at the same place twice, although you might go broke in the process.

Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria in Las Vegas

On May 31, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Las Vegas, Recipes2 Comments

There are a lot of restaurant choices in Las Vegas, many of them coming with a fairly hefty price tag. On a previous trip to Vegas, we found Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria in the Venetian and since we love New York style pizzas, it has become a favorite place for us to stop when we are in town. The atmosphere is casual, the prices are very reasonable, and the staff is extremely friendly.

Inside of the Restaurant (Sorry, It is Dark)

Obviously, the food is what is most important and Grimaldi’s pizza is definitely a worthwhile treat. The original restaurant is famous in New York City and their coal brick-oven pizzas have a distinct taste and flavor. Obviously there are plenty of other offerings such as calzones, salads, and traditional Italian dishes, but we chose to have one of their traditional pizzas with extra mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and mushrooms.

We sat at the bar where we had a couple of glasses of wine with our pizza and watched some sports on the television. The bartenders and waiters who came up to the well for their drinks were all very nice and quick to start a conversation, crack a joke, and genuinely seemed to enjoy their jobs. We even recognized Eric, one of the bartenders, from a trip to Las Vegas a couple of years ago. If you want to get out of the casinos and have good food at a price that won’t break the bank, Grimaldi’s is an excellent choice. Don’t have time to sit down for a meal, you can also order the pizzas to-go and take it back to your hotel room.

Schnitzel Variations

On April 25, 2017April 26, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, Recipes6 Comments

A schnitzel is simply a thinly sliced or pounded piece of meat that has been breaded and fried, usually pan-fried. In many ways it can be considered a comfort food for the entire region, but it is especially prevalent in Germany. The protein can be pork, chicken, veal, or even other types of beef, so the variations are almost limitless as to the ways that it can be prepared. The most common is Wiener Schnitzel or Vienna Schnitzel, which is a veal schnitzel served with a wedge of lemon, but in Germany it is most often pork with a mushroom cream sauce. We also had a wonderful Chicken Cordon Bleu Schnitzel as well as some very simple schnitzels. It certainly isn’t necessarily the prettiest of meals, but that doesn’t take away from how well it tastes. Schnitzel will forever be connected in our minds with our time spent in Germany and every time we take a bite of schnitzel, we will be transported back to our time spent in Frankfurt.