Chef, Las Vegas, Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Travel

Bazaar Meat by José Andrés at the SLS Hotel, Las Vegas

August 10, 2015 DepLifestyleMag

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What not to love about Award-winning chef José Andrés combines traditional Spanish flavors with cutting edge culinary techniques in Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres at the SLS hotel recently opens in 2014 in Las Vegas.

Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres is the James Beard Award-winning chef’s wild and delightful celebration of the carnivorous, in all its forms. Enjoy nuanced, playful cuisine and cocktails for which The
Bazaar by José Andrés has become known on both coasts, in a strikingly seductive setting by Philippe Starck, in collaboration with Gensler and SLS Hotels.

Voted one of the “44 Best Restaurants in America” by Business Insider; Chef José Andrés goes beyond the traditional steakhouse, Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres, it’s social, shared plates dining experience. It’s such a fun place for family and friends to get together.

Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres also features a creative cocktail selection with the well-known Bar Manager Hien Truong (formerly opening Hakkasan Vegas & Rose. Rabbit. Lie). With drinks like the Smoke on the Water, made with blackberries, atomized Scotch, Islay mist and flame and many cocktails are served table-side to show you a spectacular show of craftsmanship, only for those who truly appreciate it. And Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres is also a recipient of Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence”, an equally impressive wine list to match with the incredible cocktails list.

Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres is designed by the famous architecture/designer Philippe Starck (Mondrian, Paramount, Hudson hotels in NYC, LA, Chicago, and Delano Miami South Beach) and features two private dining rooms, make me think of company dinner during CES. The restaurant is spacious. It’s probably one of the biggest restaurants that I’ve seen in Las Vegas, beautifully designed, warm, inviting, and quite intimate with an open kitchen, open flame grill when you first walk it.

Love the beautiful wooden communal table can hold up to 30 people. It’s a perfect table for Birthday, bachelorette, or a post work conference dinners.

While chef José Andrés bears the name, Chef De Cuisine David Thomas is the man in charge the kitchen and GM Yassine Lyoubi offers an impeccable service from the moment we arrived till we left.

The extensive menu offers everything about meats and a whole lot more from Mediterranean mussels to sea urchin, seared quail, farm chicken and oxtail. For dessert, enjoy delights like dark chocolate lollipops, bonbons, ice creams and sorbets.

The food:

– José’s Asian Taco – Jamón ibérico de bellota, toasted nori, flying fish roe – who would have thought, they go so well together?

– Cotton Candy Foie Gras Crispy amaranth – a MUST TRY

– Sea Urchin – Soy, Wasabi, pickled ginger, lemon

– Bagels & Lox Cone – Dill cream cheese, salmon roe

– Jamón Ibérico de Bellota* (Fermín, Salamanca, Spain) Hand-cut from the famous black-footed Spanish pig, Acorn-fed, free-range

– Wagyu Beef Cheeks Mojo Rojo, oranges

– Grilled Baby Corn Mayonnaise, chile piquin, popcorn powder

– Grilled Pulpo a la Gallega Galician style octopus, potato, pimentón

– Wagyu steak by 3 OZ minimum order, prepared to perfection

– The sausage was delicious for days….

Everything was prepared to perfection, out of this world with an impressive creation that I’ve never seen before. So if you come here, please leave your ‘narrow-minded’ and ‘traditional steakhouse mind’ at home. It’s Vegas, so go wild baby! You are surely in for a real treat!

Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres is just ten minutes cab drive off the strip. It’s worth the drive! This is one of the most exciting restaurants recently opening in Las Vegas.

Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres at the SLS Hotel in Las Vegas
Restaurant Address: 2535 S Las Vegas Blvd,
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: (702) 761-7000
Website: http://slslasvegas.com/dining/bazaar-meat
Instagram: @BazaarByJose
Twitter: @BazaarMeat
Facebook: Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres at SLS LasVegas

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by Manda Bear

Chef, Las Vegas, Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Travel

Portofino by Chef Michael LaPlaca, at the Mirage Hotel, Las Vegas

August 10, 2015 DepLifestyleMag

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I saw his name flashing on the billboard display at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, each time I pass The Strip. Voted 1 of the best Italian restaurants in Las Vegas. I finally got to take my family here.

Portofino by Chef Michael LaPlaca, a young chef that I had met a long time ago when he worked at the infamous Michelin Starred and James Beard Awarded Bradley Ogden restaurant at Caesars Palace. He also worked for chef Thomas Keller at Bouchon at the Venetian, and Alex at the Wynn back in the day. This chef was once dreamt of becoming a professional skateboarder or joining a punk-rock band. He told the story that when he first moved to Las Vegas with no money with only $70 in his pocket and to start a culinary school then.

On the first day of culinary school, Chef Michael LaPlaca was told to write a long-term goal on the first page of my notebook so that every day when he got to class, he would remember that dream. He dreamt of someday; his name will flashing on the billboard of Las Vegas Strip. He wrote down, “Executive chef on the Las Vegas Strip.” Dreams do come true!

Now this over 6 FT tall, muscular, handsome, and young chef runs one of the best Italian restaurants on the Strip.

We were greeted nicely by the beautiful hostesses. A long bar with beautiful chandeliers, and mirror opposite of the bar reflecting the brightness of the place, somewhat intimidating when I first walked in. The main dining room was warm, cozy and inviting. We got the booth table in the corner, comfortable for all.

They offer the incredible value for your money. The Summer Tastings menu is only $30 for three courses, and wine pairing for $25, unheard of at a fine dining on the Strip!

A good selection for vegetarian and gluten-free to choose, a pre-show menu and a regular a la carte one.

– MEATBALLS – fried squash blossom, goat cheese, and San Marzano tomatoes – a must try!

– Grilled Octopus – Calabrian peperonata, fingerling crisps, salsa verde

– Calamari – housemade Mariana, pepperoncini, Parmesan, and the Mariana sauce was so addicting, tasty, full of flavor. We had to ask for more sauce for bread dipping.

– PASTA TASTING – is a must if you’re pasta lover or if you come with a few friends.
1. Ravioli with poached egg and truffle
2. Gnocchi with sweetbreads, fava beans
3. Ripateli with housemade lamb sausage, peppers, grilled lamb, San Manzano tomatoes
4. Chicken Pappardelle, Foie Gras alfredo
5. Agnolotti with lobster, chanterelle mushrooms, corn butter

– Veal Osso Buco – Saffron risotto, bone marrow, gremolata – arr, meat lover, this is for you.

– Steak – was perfectly cooked to our liking.

– Branzino – asparagus, potato leek gratin, hen of the wood mushroom, delicious

DESSERTS:
– Nutella Creme Brulee – if you love Nutella, a must order dish.

– Cassata Cheesecake, strawberries, “Italian Wedding Cake” croutons – this was beautifully presented, looks like a gift box.

– Cooke Souffle Trio – Chocolate chips, Oreo, Vanilla Anglaise – sweet tooth heaven!

Portofino by Chef Michael LaPlaca, at The Mirage Hotel & Casino, offers foodies a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience with its exclusive “Diamond and Gold” Lasagna. We didn’t get to order this dish on this visit, but chef LaPlaca told us that he might bring it back December 2015. I can’t wait.

According to the chef, the “Diamond and Gold” Lasagna will tantalize taste buds with layers of pasta stuffed with porcini mushrooms, Iberico Ham and Prosciutto di Parma. A generous serving of 24-month-aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, buffalo mozzarella, and Kobe Bolognese is spread between each layer, making the dish melt in your mouth. This luxurious creation is covered with Alfredo sauce infused with Foie Gras, leaving it dripping with flavor. White Diamond winter truffles shaved tableside adorn the dish, along with glittering 23-karat gold flakes for a finishing touch. Designed by Executive Chef Michael LaPlaca, this decadent lasagna dish boasts the authentic flavors of Italian cuisine.

Service was efficient and fast, perfect timing between course. The wines by the glass were reasonable, and the wines pairing was done reasonable for the strip. The GM was very nice and checked up on us to make sure we had a good time. Portofino by Chef Michael LaPlaca is surely a great spot for you to visit if you want authentic Italian cuisine with a modern twist, doesn’t break your bank and such a charming restaurant.

Portofino by Chef Michael LaPlaca at the Mirage Hotel
Restaurant Address: 3400 S Las Vegas Blvd,
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: (866) 339-4566 minimum age requirement is 5 years old
Website: http://www.mirage.com/restaurants/portofino-by-chef-michael-laplaca.aspx
Instagram: @TheMirageLV
Twitter: @LaPlacaMichael
Facebook: Portofino by Chef Michael LaPlaca

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by Manda Bear

Chef, Chicago, Restaurant Review, Southern California, Travel, Wineries

Celebrated Chef Fabio Viviani, with a Passion for Wine, Life After Top Chef

August 4, 2015 DepLifestyleMag

Who can forget Chef Fabio Viviani with his vibrant personality on Bravo’s hit reality series “Top Chef” season 5 & 8 – earning the “Fan Favorite” title. He also starred in the spinoff, “Life After Top Chef,” Chef Viviani has appeared on many television shows such as Good Morning America, Good Day LA, Access Hollywood, CBS The Talk, abc The Chew, and Ellen. He is a guest host on the Hallmark Channel series Home and Family. He was also the host of the Telly and Webby award-winning web series Chow Ciao! On Yahoo!

He has published three successful cookbooks: Café Firenze Cookbook, New York Times Best-Seller Fabio’s Italian Kitchen, and his most recent cookbook, Fabio’s American Home Kitchen. Chef Viviani also shares recipes with his fans through his magazine, Fabio’s Magazine. He currently oversees six restaurants, and a few more restaurants are slated to open later this year.

With an intense passion for food, Chef Fabio Viviani brings that same spirit to winemaking. He aims to simplify the magic in pairing wine and food, making it easy to elevate a simple meal to an extraordinary event. His first release was 2012 Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. There’re two new wines are soon to be released later this year. The Fabio Viviani Signature Red Blend, a balanced fruit and sunbaked earth tones and the Fabio Viviani Signature White Blend with medium body fruity aromas and crisp acidity.
The Fabio Viviani Wine Collection emphasizes quality while maintaining approachability. Time and energy are focused on finding the best grapes and using the best winemaking practices while staying conscious of our environment. His wine collection is available online: http://www.fabiovivianiwines.com.

We got to share a glass of wine with Chef Fabio Vivian recently. We would like to share with our readers our interview here. Thank you Chef Fabio Viviani for sharing your love for food and wine with us.

MB: You have been in America for such a short time, and you have become one of the most successful chefs around with show, restaurants, wines, cookbooks, and more. Can you share with us few pointers?

Chef Fabio Viviani: You have to have a good game plan and clear goals that you tackle one at a time. I first moved to America with the goal of learning the language in a year and a half. After I had done that I moved on to the goal of opening a few restaurants, writing a cookbook and beginning a wine collection. My overall success is built upon a series of smaller successes. Take the time to lay out a plan of action and then stick to it!

MB: When were you most satisfy with your job? What make you get up every morning and thrive for it? How do you manage your time?

Chef Fabio Viviani: I’m most satisfied with my job when I see things come to fruition. You can talk forever about “I’m going to do this” or “I’m going to do that” but until things are actually accomplished, that is all talk. It makes me happy when I see my goals realized. It’s my drive to overcome obstacles that stand between myself and what I want to accomplish that drives me to get out of bed every morning. I’m a do-er I don’t like when people are lazy or procrastinate. I’ve learned to manage my time by realizing that I have to be able to say “no” I have to be realistic when I don’t have time for things that aren’t absolutely necessary to the completion of the goals I have for myself. Also, you have to learn how to manage your leftover time. I don’t let myself get distracted.

MB: With all the restaurants that you have now, and we heard that you were launching the new wines?

Chef Fabio Viviani: I like always to be busy. I like working long hours and taking on new projects! I started building a brand with my restaurants after I moved to the states in 2005 and opened the first one. I want my name to be synonymous with quality, and that extends to my wine collection. I’ve been in the wine business my entire life – and beginning my own line seemed like a natural next step.

MB: Would you please tell us more about the wines that you about to launch? What make it different than other wines on the market?

Chef Fabio Viviani: I launched the collection with my good friends Carlos Quimbo and Sean Thomas late last year. We began with a 2012 Chardonnay and 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. We wanted to make two quintessential California wines, and we wanted to make them very well. I think we accomplished that! We’ve continued this legacy with the release of 2013 vintages of the Cabernet and Chardonnay as well as a Signature Red Blend and Signature White Blend (www.fabiovivianiwines.com). They are all delicious wines that are best enjoyed with good food and good friends. I want my wines to be like my cooking – approachable, but high quality. What makes them different from other wines is that, because I’m from Italy, I know that a good wine doesn’t have to cost a crazy amount of money. We’ve scouted for the best grapes and refined the best winemaking techniques to produce a bottle of wine that can compete with bottles 3 or 4 times its price.

MB: Will you be at any food and wine festival this year? What is your plan in the near future?

Chef Fabio Viviani: I’m working on a leadership academy that will most likely debut early next year that will teach business approaches and best practices to be a successful entrepreneur through live conferences and events. I’ll be partnering with some very important people in the business world – stay tuned for more details! I’ll also be attending the LA Food & Wine Festival as well as the August 15th California Fig Festival at Cal State Fresno. Here is to great wine, delicious food, loving family, and friendships that last forever. Raise your glass and drink with me. Cheers.

Fabiano Viviani Wines
Address: Fabio Viviani Estates, Buellton, CA
Phone: 1- 312-508-6198
Fabio Viviani Wines Website
Fabio Viviani Wines Twitter
Fabio Viviani Wines Facebook
Fabio Viviani Wines Instagram
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by Manda Bear

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Napa Valley, Travel, Wineries

Silver Trident Tasting House, with Co-Founder Bob Binder, at Ralph Lauren Home Furnishing, Yountville, Napa Valley

August 4, 2015 DepLifestyleMag

Silver Trident Tasting House is nestled in the charming downtown Yountville. Tuscan-style home furnished in the famous Ralph Lauren Home Furnishing from the chandelier to the plate, from the comfortable chair to the beautiful picture frame, everything to detail, are Ralph Lauren. You can buy just about anything they have in this house and take it home with you. How cool is that?

It doesn’t feel as I was at the winery or a tasting room, which there are few in this town. I feel at home, or better yet, a luxurious hotel, but yet I was so comfortable and relaxed.

There are three rooms, which each can host for 4-8 people max. There’s no sitting nor standing bar. The arts on the walls are beautiful, modern, and inviting.

We arrived a little earlier than our appointment. We were greeted nicely with a splash of rose by Susan. She’s sweet, beautiful, and gracious. She told us the story of this small and limited production of wines. They only make about 1,800 cases per year. That’s little compared to over five wineries in Napa Valley.

– The Rosé of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast – $28, only 200 cases, a perfect wine for Summer, #RoseAllDamnDay is my hashtag 🙂

– The Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc – $28, only 200 cases, think of Sunday brunch with your family and friends.

– The 2013 Benevolent Dictator Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Dutton Ranch Vineyard – $55, 400 cases. The microclimates of the Sonoma Coast AVA include the western portion of Carneros and the Petaluma Gap. This Pinot Noir was delicious, nice nose, bright cherry, bright acidity, a food-pairing wine, a Burgundian style, love it. A balanced wine with ripe flavors, silky texture and crisp acidity. Bright ruby color with aromas of cherry skin. The palate shows more cherry and dried fruit flavors with earthy notes. Clean, solid backbone, structure, ready to drink now or you can cellar aging it for years to come. It’s an ideal to pair to grilled fish, vegetables, or barbecued meats.

– 2010 Twenty Seven Fathoms, Napa Valley – $90, 400 cases – A Bordeaux blend style, this striking 2010 Cabernet is loaded with bright, vibrant fruit and has an exceptional body to match. The aromas and flavors of blackberry, currant, black cherry and toasty oak meld exquisitely with ample midpalate weight, a silky mouth-fee,l and luxurious tannins that add good length to the finish. An excellent wine to enjoy now, but it will also improve through cellar aging beyond 2020. I dig this wine! Think of Mediterranean lamb chop, a juicy Wagyu, or braised pork shoulder.

Kari Auringer, Winemaker, she’s been creating outstanding wines for over 14 years, including working on the team to create many of Napa’s Cult Cabs such as the 100-point Scarecrow, Lindstrom, Hollywood and Vine and Keever.

We got lucky on this visit. The co-founder Bob Binder was there. First met him, you wouldn’t know he’s the proprietor. He was energetic, vibrant, good sense of humor, and so humbled. “If you do the same things, the same way everyone else does,” he says, “you’ll end up being average. And average is synonymous with boring.” Binder said.

If we only knew he came from the best of the luxury hospitality business. The world of luxury cruise lines, think of the Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, he and good fortune to work with culinary luminaries like Jacques Pépin, a team of world-class chefs and sommeliers, and a host of outstanding epicurean partners like Bon Appétit and The Wine Spectator.

Walter Jost, the vintner, co-founded Silver Trident. Walter is past president of one of the world’s most prestigious travel companies. Although he left his native Switzerland at an early age, he’s proud of his heritage—and insists that the Swiss produce world-class wines, which they simply chose to drink themselves and not export. Walter walks each row of the estate vineyard, inspecting the vines every day while enjoying his morning coffee. Some call his meticulous attention to detail extreme. He simply calls it Swiss.

Binder and Jost, because they wanted to make extraordinary wines—wines that would be at home everywhere from a festive dinner table at home to the world of luxury hospitality where they’ve made their careers.

With only $25, you got to taste four wines, refundable with a purchase of $100 or more. If you want food pairing, you need to call in advance for it. The food pairing is a must. We got to try four different small bites, and it was fantastic to pair with the wines.

We enjoyed our visit very much, and I can’t wait to visit again. Silver Trident Tasting House is walking distance to Bottega Napa Valley, Bouchon Bistro, The French Laundry, Ad-Hoc, REDD, Redd wood, Hurley’s Restaurant, and Lucy’s Restaurant & Bar. It’s a perfect stop before your dinner in Yountville, or on your way back since most wineries are closed at 4-5 pm, Silver Trident opens till 7 pm.

Silver Trident Winery – Ralph Lauren Tasting House
Address: 6495 Washington Street
Yountville, California 94599
Tel: (707) 945-0311
Website:www.silvertridentwinery.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/silvertridents

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by Manda Bear

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Dep Lifestyle Magazine

Monthly Archives: August 2015

Bazaar Meat by José Andrés at the SLS Hotel, Las Vegas

Portofino by Chef Michael LaPlaca, at the Mirage Hotel, Las Vegas

Celebrated Chef Fabio Viviani, with a Passion for Wine, Life After Top Chef

Silver Trident Tasting House, with Co-Founder Bob Binder, at Ralph Lauren Home Furnishing, Yountville, Napa Valley

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