So after sucking down about three of those “Yard Drinks” on my birthday trip last week (if you’ve ever been to Vegas, you know exactly what I’m talking about)

I met my mom at The Flamingo and we both agreed that we desperately needed some authentic Italian food to get the ball rolling. Now, while my memories of the walk to Battista’s Hole in the Wall Restaurant are still a little blurry, the beacon of Battista’s glory is not.

photo by Sylvia H. via Yelp

Where to begin? The inside is dark and romantic and mysterious, with separate nooks and candlelit corners, perfect for a couple in love. Or a birthday dinner date with my mom.

photo by Heather D. via Yelp

A very lovely and obsequious gentleman took us to our seats and we voraciously studied the menu. At Battista’s, every entree comes with a mind blowing list of sides and treats. For starters, you have a choice between minestrone soup or Italian salad with homemade dressing, and your meal comes with a carafe of red or white house wine (surprisingly tasty and full bodied!), a side of Italian pasta or zesty garlic bread, and a rich and sweet homemade cappuccino to help you digest your giant dinner.

The prices are more than reasonable ($20-$40) considering how much food you’re getting and taking into account the long and almost legendary history of Battista’s.  (It’s been family owned and operated for over 30 years.) While we munched on our crispy, fresh salad, Mom and I took a look around, admiring all the Las Vegas memorabilia–they have collections of everything (including adorable, tiny, tiny bottles of booze!). Photos of celebrities with the owners and famous movie posters abound.

photo by Heather D. via Yelp

There was almost as much to feast your eyes on as there was to feast your tummy on.

photo by Heather D. via Yelp

Then it came time to choose the main course. Mom opted for the unbelievably cheesy lasagna, which turned out to be a towering monument of Italian good home cookin’. She let me have a bite and the cheese melted my heart. I felt brave (and needing something to sop up all those Las Vegas margaritas) so I ordered the Italian sausage cacciatore, served with a zingy marinara sauce and plump ziti. Man oh, man, was that good. But be warned. The plate is GIANT and PILED with sausage. They are not skimpy here on the meat. I could only finish about 2/3 of the plate and cursed the gods that I forgot to get a room with a fridge.

chicken and veal marsala, garlic bread, meatballs, and linguine with clam sauce (photo by Sylvia H. via Yelp)

But what about dessert, you may ask? Well, while they offer their sinfully sweet cappuccinos on the house, the real treat turns out to be Mr. Battista himself.

photo by Keith Y. via Yelp

The 90+ legend and grandfather of Battista’s lives to serenade his patrons with their favorite songs until about 8 pm every night. When he asked us where we were from and my Mom answered “Indiana”, he immediately burst into an Italian-style rendition of “Back Home Again in Indiana”. Don’t let the wrinkles fool you, this man is a charmer.

So if you’re ever stumbling around the strip (or even if you’re walking with great poise…<yeah, right…>) and you need to be wined, dined, serenaded, and seduced by Vegas’ history, please do yourself a favor and check out Battista’s.

THANKS, MOM, FOR AN AWESOME BIRTHDAY TRIP!

Battista’s Hole in the Wall

4041 Audrie St. (behind the Flamingo)

Las Vegas, NV 89109

(702) 732-1424

Open Daily

Cocktails: 4:30 pm-10:30 pm

Dinner: 5 pm-10:30 pm

http://www.battistaslasvegas.com

Delicious Steak Frites from Mon Ami Gabi

Mon Ami Gabi, in Paris… Paris, Las Vegas, that is.

I suppose it’s strange that my first post is about a Las Vegas restaurant when I’m supposed to be writing about Los Angeles, but what can I say; My three great loves are traveling, writing, and food, so this article is really like the perfect marriage of all these things.

Mon Ami Gabi is the quintessential upscale French restaurant located in the front of the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. It is the embodiment of all things French, and because it is largely a collection of stereotypes, Mon Ami Gabi makes you feel more like you’re in Paris than if you actually were in Paris.

It doesn’t go over the top with anything when it comes to the menu. The dishes are simple and well executed. You’re not going to find any of those crazy fusion entrees that are so hip right now (I admit I love them too), but you will find classic favorites- things you’ve probably had before, but never enjoyed quite so much. Beef Bourguignon with the perfect medley of flavors. Roast Chicken in a mushroom sauce, cooked just right so the chicken isn’t too dried out. Brie Cheeseburgers with cornichons on the side. And of course, the signature dish, Steak Frites. The frites are thin and amazingly crispy, and the steaks are delicious cuts of meat in any of several sauce choices. The portions are generous, so you won’t leave hungry!

You also get complimentary baguettes and butter- not just any baguettes; they’re still warm from the oven. They are so good, you will wonder how simple bread can be so perfectly crisp on the outside, and warm and fluffy on the inside. And then, if you’re weird like me, you can ask for an extra one, and try to stealthily sneak it out of the restaurant in your handbag so you can save it for later.

Mon Ami Gabi

Paris Resort & Casino
3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109

702.944.4224

http://www.monamigabi.com/vegas

Hours:

Hailing from Los Angeles, I’m a Mexican food snob. So Macayo’s Mexican Kitchen, Vegas’ chain of MexAm restaurants, would not customarily be my first choice. Frankly, their food is tasty enough, but is as Mexican as I with my red hair and freckles. But my in-laws live in Vegas and, party animals that they are, they have a trunkful of these cute margarita glasses that not only guarantee you a larger pour of one of my favorite elixirs, but also a deal ($3) on the tab. After a couple of these, it really doesn’t matter that the salsa has no zing and the cheese is an unnatural shade of yellow. All is well in the world. And family? They’re the greatest.

www.Macayo.com

Pahrump, this town is quirky. It is located about 30 minutes from Las Vegas. Generally Pahrump is known for its carnal pleasures which are legal here but it also offers a genuinely unique dining experience with its Pahrump Valley Winery. To underscore how unusual a winery is in this area of the country one must remember we average 4 inches of rain. The tiny winery offers a tour and has a charming dinning room with a solid menu. It makes for a refreshing quick getaway from the city.

Are you very hungry and nearly broke? Perfect. Check out Felipitos on the corner of Tropicana and Maryland. A walk up window or drive thru, open 24 hours a day, and enough grease to clog a horses artery’s. What’s not to love?

Felipitos

(702) 739-8585

1325 E Tropicana Ave

Las Vegas, NV 89119

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Botero is the fine dining steakhouse in the newly opened Steve Wynn casino Encore. The ambience is based on the Colombian artist Fernando Botero’s work.The art work and sculptures all feature his signature corpulent human form. Which I guess could either make you feel guilty while eating or you could go with the whole BBW (Big Beautiful Women) school of thought. We certainly did. For an appetizer we ordered the lentil soup and the carrot and ginger soup and the crudo. The lentil soup was smoky flavored and the light carrot soup had a creamy mouth feel without the use of dairy due to its silky pureed texture. The carrot soup needed just the slightest touch of cracked black pepper on top to help bring out the full flavors and aid with a little crunch. The crudo had 3 different kinds of fish. Each were tasty but the fish with the Meyer Lemon was my favorite.

The steaks offered are available with pepper rub, chimichurri style or traditional. The waiter told us the pepper rub is quite thick. The we ordered entrees were a rib eye traditional with chimichurri on the side and salmon pinwheels with cauliflower. The chimichurri sauce was a little like an infused oil, strong oregano flavor. It was a good thing it was ordered on the side as it might have been overwhelming if it had been all over the steak.

The rib eye was good, not great. It was a high quality steak but it could have been more tender and had slightly more marbling. The caramelized onions served with the steak were fabulous. The salmon was served on an unflattering plate it looked like a pair of salmon boobs. Again the protein-salmon was good but not great. The salmon felt to manipulated, cat food resembling for me to truly love it. The flavors were balanced but uninspired. I should have gone with Michael, the waiters, recommendation and ordered the halibut.

The sides were amazing. We ordered Roasted Bone Marrow and broccoli with garlicky tomatoes. This was the first time I had tried bone marrow. I loved it. It went well with the sweet onion and crunchy crostini. A definite try again dish. The broccoli was absolutely perfect. The wine selection was extensive.

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Overall, I give Botero an 8 of 10. The surroundings were beautiful and unique, the wait staff was attentive and informed without being pushy or presumptuous and the food overall was tasty. However you gotta take off a couple points for not falling in love with the steak at a steakhouse! I wouldn’t be opposed to going back but with all of the amazing places to eat in Vegas I would try my luck with another fine dining restaurant. Check out the menu on Botero‘s website

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Yayo Taco is really low key. Located across from UNLV. On various nights it has a DJ & it always has hundreds of tequilas to choose from. It reminds me a little bit of the taco shops you run across on Southern California beach’s. Decorated with the random writings and pictures of prior customers. Leave your own mark if so inclined or play darts or foosball.

Yayo has many unique variations on the taco including great vegetarian choices too! Its always been a fun place to get together to chill over a drink and some budget friendly Mexican eats.

4632 S. Maryland Parkway

Las Vegas, NV 89119

(702) 262-0201

I have eaten at Trader Vic’s on the strip, Planet Hollywood, several times and really like the place. It’s got a good vibe especially for a chain restaurant. The food is tasty, service adequate but best of all it has a great outdoor patio for people watching on the Strip. We spent a wonderful night watching the Miss America pageant contestants parade into the casino. When I ordered the above Pink Peppercorn Ahi Tuna I was surprised. The chef told me the tuna is Saco yellow fin tuna ordered from the local International Market. It was a different style tuna than I was used to and very bright in color. The fried rice egg roll was a little bland. Not a favorite of mine. The steak special was $36. Steak with shrimp and onion rings. We also got lobster pot stickers and calamari. For those of you out there who don’t like the tentacles in calamari you will be pleased there are none to be found at Trader Vics. Overall, this place has a great location, same food level and service as a Joe’s Crab Shack. Take this place for what it is fun not gourmet and the meal experience will be satisfying.

Ugh! Peanut Butter paste strikes fear into the hearts and stomachs of many. Consider yourself warned. Keep current check out the latest from the FDA.