Mixed Plate Friday

No visit to Vegas is complete without a visit to Ikea (and Trader Joe’s)!

Swedish Meatballs (ftw!)

Breakfast Plate with Pancakes
served with eggs, potatoes and bacon and swedish pancakes and lingonberry jam

Did you know they had breakfast plates? I didn’t! Their pancakes are more like crepes. The jam is also located at the ordering counter and they don’t give it to you automatically so you gotta ask! This was Chan’s breakfast, he liked it fine.

Here’s a picture of a random Chinese take-out I did while playing nurse at the hotel. Thank god we got a hotel that came with a full kitchen and washer and dryer. The kitchen came in very handy. The food was alright, do you see the top right? That’s honey walnut shrimp. It’s like sitting in a mayo soup, it was quite odd. The food was not bad, not great either.

Shang Artisan Noodle – Las Vegas, NV

Shang Artisan Noodle is one of the restaurants we gotta go to every time we’re in Vegas. The location in the Durango Casino and Resort is the easiest for us since it’s slower and we can gamble afterwards. Durango is probably my favorite casino right now, it’s nice and bright and doesn’t feel too smokey.

Spicy Wonton | $11.85
pork wontons with spicy soy sauce, green onion

Always a great dish. They usually take longer to make this than your noodles, just as a warning.

Shang Beef Noodles (Spicy) | $17.82
beef & chicken broth (brown), braised beef brisket, veggies, green onion

Shang Beef Noodles (Mild) | $17.82

Okay, so I wanted to make big body and order spicy like Chan and started regretting when I was ordering lol. The waitress was very nice and said she can give me the spicy sauce on the side so I can add as much as I want. That’s very nice of her!

LOOK AT THAT. I don’t know if you can tell how big and deep this bowl was but this was like quarter cup of straight chili oil. That’s crazy. I did not use that all lol. I think I will stick to mild next time.

NOODLE PULL!

Sea Salt Live Sashimi – Las Vegas, NV

Chan found Sea Salt Live Sashimi and we were all excited to try it out! Although, Chan does think this meal is what did him in. Poor thing…there was one item that neither me or his friend ate so he assumed it was that. I wonder if Chan would still go back to this restaurant, you know…I think he would! They were kind of slow the night we went, I hope they get more business so they stay open!

Assorted Banchan

Salad and Dipping Sauce (samjang?)

This salad was like…dressed with soup. It spicy and sweet dressing but there was SO much of it. Salad soup lol.

Cheese Corn

Steamed Egg

Veggie Pancake

Gosh, I gotta ask Chan what this was again. Maybe like a pumpkin soup? Super thick and starchy – super sweet. Never had this served to me mid-meal before.

LA Kalbi

So, I didn’t know how this restaurant worked but since we only got sashimi – I wanted a side dish of something meaty so we got this LA Kalbi, Was good, basic. If I knew what else the meal came with, I would have never ordered this!!

Sashimi Combo (Halibut and Assorted Sashimi)

Raw Abalone

Look at how fancy this is! This was definitely a show. It took quite a while for them to serve up both dishes but I think Chan told me they kill the live seafood and then prepare it. I guess the name of the restaurant makes sense, Live Sashimi. Haha, delicious! Both were stellar, super fresh seafood and great quality.

Rice with Assorted Tobikko

So yeah, these dishes came out way after we were almost done with our sashimi. I was super confused.

Assorted Tempura

We were dying from being so full already…

Soft Tofu Stew

This was the last dish! Man, I kind of wish this was served with the food in the beginning. I really didn’t know what was coming out so this was all crazy. So. Much. Food.

Nurungi (Scorched Rice)

I’m not a fan of this particular dish and honestly I was so full that I didn’t even touch it. Great meal, enjoyed that we had our own booth so we had some privacy. If you come here, be prepared to EAT.

Mixed Plate Friday – Trader Joe’s Edition

Peanut Udon Noodle Salad

Meh. Just okay, not great.

Lemon Basil Pasta Salad

Not good.

Truffle Mousse Pate

Yes. A million times yes. This one is made with chicken. Since Chan was not feeling well, I ate this entire thing over the course of the trip. Yeah. I did. Ate it with some golden round crackers (think Ritz Crackers). No regrets here. Chan told me probably get this kine in Hawaii but I haven’t tried it locally yet. IT WAS GOOD AND A GOOD PRICE AND I LOVED IT.

Hell’s Kitchen – Las Vegas, NV

From the last trip, no trip to Vegas is complete for us without a visit to Hell’s Kitchen. Previous post here. Yup, you gotta pay expensive parking to be on the Strip but the food is well worth it. Chan and I both ordered the prix fixe menu – I think next time we should order one prix fixe and just one entree cause it’s too much food!

Hell’s Red Infusion (Mocktail) | $12.95
apple, strawberry, rhubarb puree, simple syrup, fever-tree ginger beer

Mocktails are my treat! Got this last time and this time did not disappoint, delicious!

Steak Tartare | $26.95
piedmontese beef dijon mustard aioli, black truffle caviar, sous vide egg yolk

Another repeat dish. Not the biggest fan of these big triangle crackers haha but I guess it’s just a vehicle to get the beef to your mouth! I like raw beef, I know it’s not everyone’s thing.

Pan Seared Scallops
corn, prosciutto di parma, maitake mushrooms, citrus beurre blanc

I know it says prosciutto but it really just tastes like bacon bits on top of the scallops and I’m saying that in the best way possible. Super crunchy salty bits that off-set the soft and sweet meat of the scallops. Delicious!

Beef Wellington add Foie Gras ($22.95)
potato puree, glazed root vegetables, red wine demi-glace

We went a little bougie with the first sit-down meal and both added foie gras to our dish. Oh boy, was that rich and delicious. As you can see the beef wellington is perfectly cooked as usual. Winners dish but definitely share-able.

Sticky Toffee Pudding
speculoos ice cream

This is probably the star of the show every time and I’m not usually a big dessert person but this beautiful toffee cake…hot and ready for that scoop of speculoos ice cream to melt right into it. Man, Chan and I love this dessert but once again – for future, we should just share it. It’s a lot of food! So the scallops, beef wellington and dessert is part of the lunch prix fixe menu which is $105.95 a person. It’s pricey but a good deal if you were planning to get these dishes anyway. Yummy! Great start!

In-N-Out – Las Vegas, NV

Been back from Vegas for about a week, it was nice to take a breather. I pre-scheduled 3 weeks worth of blogs and it worked out very nicely. I was super looking forward to this trip, not just for the eating and gambling – but just to get away. I’ve been working non-stop with no vacation since early November. I know that sounds like a spoiled statement but especially after my dad’s health scare, I was just deflated.

Unfortunately, poor Chan came down with food poisoning on this trip. I felt so bad for him! That’s awful enough to go through but for him to go through it during travel…awful. No worries, I played nurse and even drove out on my own in Vegas to get nourishment for us. Gotta love navigation on phones – and thankfully the places I had to go didn’t require jumping onto a freeway lol. I enjoy driving but I guess I feel more comfortable with someone if I’m driving around some place unfamiliar. Vegas is pretty good to drive around – anywhere is better than Hawaii to drive around.

Anyway! The night of our arrival, of course gotta go In-N-Out! Just a short post today.

Double-Double!

Animal Style Fries

Long John Silver’s

LOL – yup we went to Long John Silver’s. I had a hankering for some fried seafood. Namely fried fish and shrimp. This didn’t disappoint! I enjoyed it a lot! Yummy…! Too bad we don’t have this here anymore.

Carversteak – Las Vegas, Nevada

Final dinner and final post for Las Vegas. It has been nice salivating for the last two weeks but I am pretty pau with these posts already. This last one is a doozy, PLENTY food as you’re come accustomed to. Oh man, this wrapped up a week of just eating everything. Carversteak was a recommendation from Chan’s colleague and it was a great pick!

Everything Spiced Brioche | $6.00
with blue cheese

Oops, I thought this was complimentary. It’s listed on the menu so I guess not. It was a dang good brioche and yes, you can definitely taste the blue cheese in the bread. Nice butter with sprinkles of salt too. NICE.

Jumbo Prawn Cocktail | $32.00
espelette dijonnaise, horseradish cocktail sauce

When they said jumbo, they weren’t kidding. I love shrimp or prawn cocktail and this was delicious. Yummy!

Korean Glazed Pork Belly | $24.00
pickled mustard seed, scallion

Nice sweet gochujang type glaze, it worked really well. This was a nice starter.

Green Beans | $18.00
slivered almonds, lemon butter

We did not order this side dish and as they dropped it, I told them so that they could just take it back. The waiter told us it can be complimentary. That was very nice of him. The dish sucked (LOL), sorry I didn’t enjoy it.

Potato Gratin | $19.00
layered potato, parmesan cheese, chive

Asian person’s nightmare, look at all that dairy! Tasted good though. I usually prefer a mash with my steak.

Roasted Mushrooms | $19.00
madeira, parsley

Good, not memorable.

Asparagus | $22.00
simply roasted, lemon, olive oil

Haha I just remembered thinking, how come my asparagus is naked lol. Like why did they peel it. It was fine, nice and tender.

Beer-Battered Onion Rings | $15.00
smoked chipotle aioli

Nice and crispy. It was enjoyed by the table!

Striploin (14 oz) | $77.00
wet aged 21 days / creekstone farm

Filet Mignon (8 oz) | $72.00
Add Black Truffle Butter | $6.00

allen brothers / chicago

I can only really comment on my steak and here it is! I got it rare and it was good. They cook it right and it was melt the mouth tender. I don’t think I need to add any truffle butter next time.

Rib Cap (8 oz) | $88.00
Add Black Truffle Butter | $6.00

snake river farms / eastern idaho

Chan was told to order the rib cap, I never heard of that cut before. Chan enjoyed it a lot!

Assorted Sorbet | $10.00
mango/passionfruit and yuzu/lime

Cheesecake | $14.00
strawberry gelee, graham sable, strawberry cremeux

I didn’t have room for dessert but I didn’t want Chan to eat dessert alone (lol, I know you’re thinking that’s an excuse). It was a nice tasting dessert but seriously I couldn’t eat more than a bite. We had a lot of leftovers from this dinner.

I’ve been to Vegas a handful of times and I think this was my favorite visit yet. I had a really good time, my only complaint was of course the hot weather. Just gotta go when it’s not summer time and it would be perfect. Thank you Vegas, see you next time!

IKEA – Las Vegas, Nevada

Yup.

Swedish Meatballs Plate (12 pcs) | $9.99
Served with Mashed Potatoes and Lingonberry Jam

Classic. Can’t go wrong. I’m wondering if I can ask for the mixed vegetables next time because I am not a fan of the peas.

Garlic Lemon Cod | $8.99
Served with sustainably-sourced lemon garlic cod, served with mashed potatoes

If they had fish and chips, I would have gone that route. They didn’t so I tried this. I liked it! Nice seasoning and nice piece of fish.

French Fries | $2.49

Ah, just whatever. Not good not bad.

Strawberry Shortcake | $3.29

They didn’t have their chocolate cake slice. 🙁 So this is what I had to settle for. I was already full so I didn’t enjoy this cake as much as I would have liked. Was good and not dry!

Trader Joe’s Haul – Las Vegas, Nevada

A trip to the mainland and mean one thing and one thing only. Okay, one of two things. A must is always Trader Joe’s. Just gotta. Gotta get your own snacks and of course omiyage to bring home. On our second shopping trip, the cashier knew we were from Hawaii without even asking. Haha! Their mini cooler bags also came out while we were in Vegas but there was no way we were going to get one. The cashier told me they were sold out within minutes of opening – that’s crazy. I don’t need a mini cooler bag.

Anyway, since our hotel had a kitchenette, we bought some frozen foods to try! Yay, I finally get to try their ready made foods!

Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice | $4.49

Love me a good butter chicken and love basmati rice! Chan’s friend told us this one was good so we tried it! I am happy to report that it was good!

Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings | $3.49

Ehhh, wouldn’t get this again. This was exactly like the ones they sell here in Costco. Is it the bibigo brand? Exactly the same only this one doesn’t even come with the sauce on the side. Boo. Tastes fine but nothing special.

Kimbap | $3.99

Biggest bummer of the haul. I mean I knew it wouldn’t be good as fresh, how could it be right? Well, I followed instructions on how to heat it up and it was just awful. The rice was super hard and the taste wasn’t even good. What a bummer. No buy this. Just go to the Korean market and get the fresh ones! The one I got from Longs here was better.

Longs had this Japchae frozen kimbap on sale the other week for like $5.99 I think, it was pretty good to me! And heated up nicely so the roll was nice and soft. Still, I would just go to the Korean market to get fresh rolls. Glad to have tried, wouldn’t get it again.

Hell’s Kitchen – Las Vegas, Nevada

Always hear about how good Hell’s Kitchen is so I am happy to report that I finally got to try it. And I’ve always wanted to try beef wellington and sticky toffee pudding so where better to go?? It was hot as heck this day. I feel like I am burning just looking at this picture.

Hell’s Red Infusion (mocktail) | $12.95
apple, strawberry, rhubard puree, simple syrup, fever-tree ginger beer

This drink was as good as it sounds. I loved it! And I don’t know if you can see but the skewer holding the strawberries – what is that called? A devil’s staff? It was pretty cool.

Steak Tartare | $26.95
piedmontese beef, dijon mustard aioli, black truffle caviar, sous vide egg yolk

The steak tartare was delicious. The big pringle chips went well with it (lol)!

Lobster Risotto | $33.95
butter poached lobster tail, truffle risotto, crispy onions

This was Bryson’s dish but he shared a bit with us and it was delicious! Yum!

Pan Seared Scallops | $30.95
english pea puree, bacon lardons, pickled fennel, chicken jus

The scallops were cooked and seasoned well but I am not a big fan of pea purees. I am listing the ala carte prices but we actually ordered the HK Signature prix fixe menu so it was three courses for $105.95.

Beef Wellington | $73.95
potato puree, glazed root vegetables, red wine demi-glace

Look at how perfectly that meat is cooked. It was perfection. The meat is perfectly red and rare and tender encased in a buttery flaky pastry. I get the hype. And the mash potatoes? SO GOOD.

Sticky Toffee Pudding | $15.95
speculoos ice cream

OH-MY-GOD. I’ve seen this dessert on many British cooking shows and finally got to try it. It is so incredibly bad for you. I just know it. There is no way this could ever be a health food. But did I ask for health food? No. So good. I absolutely loved our meal here and would definitely demand a return visit. They were also so quick bringing out the food but even as quick as they were, the food quality was amazing. Great restaurant!