Villa Calcinaia Wine Event

We had very special guest at Americano last night, Sebastiano Capponi, wine maker from Tuscany, Villa Calcinaia. He offers one the best chianti wines I ever tasted. We made very nice simple food to go well with those wine, simple food , dressed really simple. I was also very impressed with my oil cured st marzano tomatoes...they were just as good as tomatoes can get in this time of the year...not to crazy about Grande mozzarella curd....I have to say Micceli's does a better job on that...or maybe that was freshness...normally with mozz...fresher...the better...

Ravioli, with rainbow swiss chard and Micellis old fashion ricotta, very good ...not to many ravioli with riccota filling just tast like ...simple sweet ...lactose...ricotta ... tomato soup made with D.O.P. st . marzano tomatoes and Prosciuto di Parma broth ..and stewed Mozz...

Daisifield farm from Sundusky stuffed pork loin with chard , fresh pork sausage...white beans , braised with house made pancetta ... and simple Tirramisu to finish the meal... I know that he makes killer Chianti ....but what I was blown away is ...dessert wine.... Vin Santo...was soooo good ! So good ! I think I just found my favorite dessert , Im not dessert person, but give me this Vin santo at he end of the any meal , and that would be the best ...perfect dessert to me on it's own. Bravo !!!

Great wine dinner at Americano !

Please reserve you spot at Americano, we have wine maker from Tuscany coming with great selection of wines, specially if you Chianti lover. He has one of the best Chianti's I ever tasted ...Not to often you can meet one the great wine masters, from Tuscany !!! We will match that with great food , and its only 50 $ a person ...Hmmm !!

Can not wait for this snow to melt....its time for a new produce and some menu change !!! Ahh...and get in a spring mood !

Love to cook !!! V

Check ou the menu at Americano website !!!

http://www.americanocleveland.com/events.html

last day in vegas and back home in the snow !!!

Well, feel like sharing it the last and one the best " food feast " experience in Vegas. Day Started again at Monami Gabi, French Bistro just across the street from Bellagio, quick Cappuccino and Chicken and Spinach Crepe again, it was good , but not as good as my crape the day before with ham and Gruyere cheese . Next quick walk in a mall and wait to 10 am.,just in time, when famous hot dog stand got opened.

Pinks hot dog stand have been very popular and famous in Hollywood for many many years and made it's way to Vegas. When I was a kid, I was overfed with hot dogs and Bologna...In m my 20 tees I could not touch them and smell them...and I did not touch them and had them for more then 10 or 15 years. Then later, once in a while at a picnic or while we were on a road I started slowly consumed them . Up to this day, hot dogs gives me indigestion unless is good quality dog, not supper processed with garbage....because most of the hot dogs is made with meat scraps and garbage pcs....anyways ..that was one the best hot dogs I had in long long time....very good dog and good quality american way oversized topings...did not feel any " fast food " heaviness in my stomach at all...well, it was 10$ dog with saukraut, onion dill pickle relish avocado, tomatoes , bacon and sour cream...good good dog !

For Lunch I was too tired to walk and search anything else , and since my wife have not been yet at Monami Gabi bistro, I wanted her to try one of those crepes for lunch...

Well I knew , that I was not going to get crepes again, but for lunch they had seafood crepe...and I convinced my wife to get one of those...since for dinner we were going to Joel Robuchon...and that hotdog was still sitting in me ... I went just with few appetizers.. Coquille saint Jacques ( scallops gratineed ) and Snails ala Bourginon ( escargot ) both were exelent prepered very traditional way...and my wifes seafood crepe was superb... I have seen seafood crepes on menu...it was some pasty leftover stuffing inside...this was not the case...nice morney sauce and crab inside and two jumbo seared scallops and prawns on top...delicious .

We were stuffed and happy.....quick hot stone massage at Belagio , just prepered us for our oncein a life time dinner at three michelin star french cooking legends restaurant at MGM Joel Robuchon .

There are only 26 three michelin star restaurants in a whole world. And I believe only 3- or 4 in U.S. In a beginning when we just walk in, I felt a little uncomfortable, we felt that we dont belong here..very friendly over the top french service..every wait staff member was french. Old fashion French decor...over the top...but it took us just couple of minutes until my wife said , that she really likes it here. Menu, we had only couple of option to choose from, 3 corse tasting , 5 corse, 7 corse or ......16 , yhes 16 ! since sixteen was out of our price rande and just sounded like too much food after eating all day and everuday... we went with 5 corse ...witch with all the extras turned out ..like 8th.

First, it impossible to describe even if I say exelent and superb taste and experience of all these dishes...because even bread and butter at Joel Robushon is not anything what you can imagine..so i just describe very briefly what we had ..

Custom made caviar tin with Joel Robuchon name on top ...osetra caviar on top , and very sweet fresh crab meat bind with natural seafood jello in the inside..

My wife had king crab and avocado with curry vinaigrette and I went with clams and buckweet tuile...superb...

Then, we both had chestnut puree soup, with smoked Lardo foam and lots of fois gras chunks ..over the top...Main corse...my wife- sweet spiny lobster ...and I had veal cheeks , braised with thai spices and couscous..how in hell he does it ??? tender melt in your mouth ..sweet...I asked if that was cooked sous vide...he said no...old fashion way braised for 24 hours...which I don't believe...I bet that was cooked in a CVAP vapor oven for 24 hours...not in a french pot !!!

And what was outstanding...that they did lots of table side preparation...like constantly rolling the bread card and deicripe over the top minutere bread, the once belong in a museum...and keep shaving counels of the big butter block from Normandy ( that were one the best butters coming from )...

Dessert... Im not a dessert person...but it still was very well done...my wife had some passion fruit jello concoction with frozen ice ( probably with nitrogen )....and I went with warm chocolate cake and coffee ice cream and little choc cup on top filled with some white chocolate liqueur ...

then we thought that we are done...but no wait...another card is rolling by the table....table side soft serve ice cream preparation with sugar tuile ..vanilla , caramel and raspberry sorbet,that is not it ...here comes another card and ....theese 35-45 different chocolate candies ...or French BON BONS...are arriving ... we just could not decide ...so we just asked our waiter to pick some for us...one the most memorable was white chocolate limoncello truffles..and..befor we get a check ...tats not it...Little Joel Robuchon Bag with a book....and citrus Marshmallows in box to take home...everything was over to top ..so even when you get that sweet bill...you dont feel any bad feelings ...just satisfaction ...and "it was worth it " ... actually ..I would rather have dinner like this 3 times a year...versus going every time to just ok or bad restaurants and spending money... My wife told me that maybe Im good chef ...but I will never be Joel Robuchon...well ...Agreed ..Joel Robuchon is a french cooking god and legent and hes only one in the world has the most out of all other chefs michelin star restaurants... Now I know...that some time in near future I would love to try to go time to Thomas Kellers French Laundry ...another countries best there michelin star restaurant in Nappa Valley .

Time to go back in the kitchen and cook ....Peace !

V

Day Three

I was on my way to Mandalay Bay...and accidentally founf this classic french Bistro called Monami Gabi, serving classic french food, so I decided to get a bite to eat for breafest there. Inside very classic french decor and atmosphere , i ordered crepe with Gruere cheese and ham and brioche toast with butter and jam. Perfect. Buckwheat crepe was one of the best I ever had...and I had and made many crepes in my life...

Next Im on my way to Hubart Kellers Burger Bar to Mandalay Bay. Decor and atmosphere inside little too fast foodish and it was something missing ...and he sells surf and turf burger and his famous 60$ burger with froigois and truffles... French butter was still sitting in me...so went leaner which is no good when it comes ti burger , but it was good choice ...Buffalo burger ...it was very very good... little messy presentation for Hubart Keller I must say !

I past Aureole, too bad they were not serving Lunch....I would love to have a something there...sinse I have history with Aureole in a past in New York city..where I did my cullinary intership...

While shopping in Caesars palace we spotted spago, my wife was hungry so we dicided to tru Spagos famous Pizza...It was well done , but nothing special...CPKA has exactly the same ...

Palazzo ..restaurant row where Mario Battalis and Joe Bastianich place was ...normally we dont eat at italian restaurants too offen...but if if you want italian ..this is the place to eat...Very nice decor and atmosphere inside...menu has all his famous stuff from Babboo cook book...lamb brain ravioli, tripe alla parmiagiana etc.. sinse my wife was with me and she siad that she was not in a mood for tripe or lambs brains ...we decided to split pasta with rock shrimp and fried cuttlefish and calamari...pasta was good as it can get ...calamari little too salty....great wine selection ... the best part was theur brad stick the ones they welcomes you by the table ...

Next I could not resst on the way back ti the hotel stop again at Thomas Keller Bouchon...and yeas we did...Glass of wine...pate de Champaign...french onion soup, Brandade ( satl cod and potato ) fritters...was the perfect way to finish all days feast... I cant even tell you how much I like Bouchon..and French food made the right way... it was very hard though not to get his pom frittes again...but it was just no room in our stomach..tired ..its a bed time...tomorrow we have reservation at french Legends Resturant Joel Robuchon...we were lucky to get reservation there...it will be interesting !

Peace !Love to cook and eat

V

Day two

Day two began with very long and really cold walk from Bellagio to Palazzo , Venetian Tower were legendary Thomas Kellers Bouchon Bakery and Bistro is located. Quick Cappuccino and choc croissant and P&B Brioche to from the Bouchon Bakery and sure then I was on my way to Bouchon Bistro , on a 10th floor. I have all of Thomas Kellers cookbooks and tried many his recipes , but I had no idea , that that man simple food can transfer to such a extraordinary level as such..simple Quiche was custardy , creamy delich served with fresh green salad with fresh tarragon, and I new I had to try his Pom frittes.....ladies and gentlemen...his Pom Frittes was something..How does he do it ?? What was so special about his fries....You gve got to try it to understand !

On my way back I checked Bobby Flays , Mesa Grill...but back in a days I did not good experience at his new york restaurant was good....but nothing special..many looked little too boring for me..and they didn't have on the menu his famous garlic Tamale , which I was looking to try ....

BLT Burger ( Bistro Laurent Tourondel ) was my next stop...I'm sucker when it comes to a goof burger...Burger is same thing like pizza could be sooooo goood or so bad ...many factors gets involved to build a better buiirger. And sure this country has to offer more bad ones and properly made ones. A beer and a Kobe burger trio was my choice, since they serving Black Angus CAB burgers ( same the ones I replaced with Pat La frieda at Americano) ....They were ok ...one with blue cheese ...2nd with smoked bacon...3rdwith caramelized onions.. Disappointment was that I order them medium and they came well done.. Don't worry Cleveland , Michael Symons B spot is way better... My Americano burger is way better ...Next day I will going to Hubart Kellers Burger Bar , so Im looking very forward to that...

Todd Englich Olives is here at Bellagio, and I really wanted to try his Signature flat bread with figs prosciuto and blue cheese. what disappointment that dish was...salty overpower blue cheese even more salty prosciuto with super sweet figs...way too many of them out the balance..and one burned corner...overworked tough dough.... was waste of 17 $ and space in my stomach...

Dinner one of the best sushi joints in whole world ..NOBU . Chef Nobu Matsuhitsa. In a past couple of years maybe my palet got changed or maybe all sushi joines in Cleveland went down....one decent place left is Pacific east in Coventry..( chef use to work at Nobu ) when I want sushi I use Nobu books technique and recepies for my sushi rice and try yo hunt the best fish for sushi to make it at home. Dinner at Nobu.. will leave memories in me till the rest of my life. we choise to do tasting and had I dont even remember 7-9 corses ...and we let them pick what to bring us .. ...every single bite was excellent and better then the other one.. if you have not had a sushi at Nobu ...you probably dont know how sushi and sashimi should taste. That all I can say...everyting was melting in a mouth..with simple dressed flavors ..Yellow tale sahimi, Tasmanian Trout, scallops and black cod lettuce wraps, lobster tacos, scallops tirradito, fillet of beef with uni butter and cabernet soy demi, and nigiri sushi with albacore tuna, bluefin tuna and snapper... and bottle of dry sake to wash it down..Absolutely out this world ...one of my ..no... maybe so far the best dining experience i ever had... Thank you Nobu Matsuhitsa...it is a reason why you are one the best in a word and ..now I know why, Robert de Niro invested money in your restaurants...

Can not wait to eat more..

Love to eat and cook ! Peace !

V

Day one !

Pizza at Wolfgang Pucks Brasserie and Jean Georges Vongerichten " Prime".. in Bellagio ! I was not planing to visit W pucks places...but since we accidently were passing his newest creations WP Bistro and Brasserie , we decided to try his famous Pizza. And I hope everyone whos knows me , know how I feel about Pizza...It was not his any famouse Spago Style Pizza out of wood burning oven...but it was very well done !!! Cracker style Pizza that everyone loves...lite...crispy ...perfect balance ...Black Truffle cream , wild mushrooms, cheese...place was empty and new seemed that they had to lots of serves issues to solve ..no napkins...slow ...etc... but worth to try...glass of red wine and pizza and we were ready to go for a next dining adventure...

One of my favorite chefs...Jean Georges Vongerichten ...I have all of his books... has restaurant in Bellagio "Prime ". It's a steak house....I have never been to a steak house....and probably will never go...but Prime was a excellent choice. looking at theur menu was little boring and disappointing, but I new that Jean Georges would not be there where he is right now...So I had a good feeling... Very Classic place, Classic decor...excellent 5 star service and suuuuuuper informing waiter ..with lots of knowledge in food ...even I got some steak aging ideas, the ones will apply some time in my carrier in a future ... Steak Tartar and capriccio to start with taragon Aioli...was good...but not great ! Then waiter was pushing me to geat fillet on a bone, prime dry aged or porterhouse....but fillet is my least favorite steak ...and porterhouse ...has fillet which usualy gets overcooked ion a one side , by the time strip steak gets cooked ...so I went with 14 oz prime 14 days dry aged strip with 3 pepercorns and red onion compote ... and my wife had a Tasmanian lobster...but i was more interested in presentations and sides...condiments more then a steak... My steak was excellent ...I should stay the best I ever had...came with Violet Mustard which i was dying ti try for a years... Bernaise sauce, soy- rice vinegar sauce, miso- mustard, and red peppercorn ...all of them we he very good...side ...gingered sweet potato puree, broccoli, onion rings...even broccoli with fresh shaved parmesan and tempura onion rings were superb..My wife's Tasmanian lobster was very good, but we both agreed that main lobster or canadian is just as good or maybe better..I thing no human being made to eat that much food ...but we did...I did...14 oz of meat...what a experience...later I paid my price ...that hunk of meat was siting in me all night long...I was having very hard time a sleep ...tomorrow ..more food to eat ..Thomas Keller Bouchon ..BLT Burger...Olives and NOBU ...

Love not only to cook ...but to eat too !

Peace V

On a mission !

4 nights in Vegas...not my type of city...I don't gamble....I don't like too many these type of people around me ...shows..??? Hmmmmm ... Wy wife is here for work conference ...So basically she will be gone for a whole day... I joined her just get out of that miserable snow in Cleveland... Las Vegas .....has only one thing in comment which I like .....is FOOD ! My mission is to visit as many cool and famous restaurants as I can and bring home some new menu ideas and inspiration....

One thing for sure....I/m not going to eat at buffet ...and Denny's ..Thats for sure !!!