Vegas is Grub Gulch - Rao's and Mesa Grill

One of the many nick names for Vegas is Glitter Gulch. I think they need to change that to Grub Gulch. If you go there just for the food it would be a trip to remember. Last week I was lucky enough to spend a few days there for the Largest Sport fishing trade show in the world ICAST. I have dined in some pretty awesome restaurants but Vegas is the Mecca of GREAT! dinning establishments. The first night we went to Rao's and it was infrikinsane to say the least. It's known as the best Italian Restaurant in the country and it just might be. The service kicked butt and so did the food. We had an Antipasto Platter that was to die for. The prosciutto literally melted in you mouth. My next dish was the Bone in Veal Parmesan also to die for but too big to finish. I have decided to make it a tradition to eat at Rao's every time I'm in Vegas. Good God don’t forget the meat balls. Maybe the best I have ever had and that's saying a lot. I'm guessing it was the ol' 1/3, 1/3 and 1/3 Beef, Veal, Pork. The following night I took some of my favorite clients to Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill also in Caesar's Palace. It seems as true foodies we are supposed to shun the high profile mainstream chefs like Flay but the dude is good and totally my style. I'm big on big spicy flavors and Bobby delivers that for my taste better than just about anyone in the business. I started with the best Queso Fundido I have ever had as of yet. Then had the Roasted Garlic Tiger Shrimp Tamale that was featured on the Best Thing I Ever Ate Vegas. The tamale was one of those things you crave a day or two later and think about often. I loved that little package of deliciousness. I wanted to pet it and rub my nose on it like Tommy Boy and his dinner roll when he was describing the big sale he destroyed. Yes I also destroyed the Tamale in the same loving way. My entre was the Chili Rubbed Pork Tender Lion. It is my quest to duplicate this dish on my Big Green Egg. If I can it will make everyone love me and hoist me on their shoulders and cheer "we love Shannon, he's the best in the whole world". I may be too big for the hoisting part but we'll see. These two dinners made my trip to Vegas very special. If you get out there you have got to give them both a try. Raging Grub Chub - Shannon

Click below for Urbanspoon's Mesa Grill page

Click below for Urbanspoon's Rao'spage

Mesa Grill-New Mexican Spice Rubber Pork Tenderloin with bourbon-Ancho Chile Sauce and a Sweet Potato Tamale with Crushed Pecan Butter

Mesa Grill - Tiger Shrimp Roast Garlic Corn Tamale featuredon the Best Thing I Ever Ate Las Vegas

Rao's Bone In Veal Parmasan

Rao's Meat Balls

Rao's Antipasto

Chicago

My wife and I went to Chicago over the weekend and packed in as much eating (and walking!) as we possibly could. We loved the city and how many beaches there were. However, it was clearly different from NYC. Chicago was slower and the vibe was more mellow. Not that mellow is a bad thing! Here are some of the food highlights. -- Drew

Day 1 - Dinner at Frontera Grill

This has always been on my list. We were going to go to Lou Malnati's for pizza but walked by Frontera Grill and saw a line at 4:30. It wasn't too long so we joined everyone and were sat by 5:20. Nice!

The Topolo Margarita was awesome and we wished we could have had a pitcher of them! We destroyed the guac and chips and the 2 salsas were delicious.

Sopes Rancheros: Crispy corn masa boats, savory shredded beef, roasted tomato, avocado, homemade fresh cheese. These were INCREDIBLE! Sorry for the fuzzy photo. It was really dark in there. 

Not pictured are the TWO versions of Queso Fundido. I ordered the chorizo version but they brought the Duck carnitas one instead...then the chorizo version. Holy crap they were good. I've never had chorizo that good before. Soooooo rich.

Day 2 - Breakfast at Yolk.

We were starving so we got a great recommendation from our concierge at the Westin (love that place).

I love "skillets". This one had bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes topped with cheese and 2 eggs. Yum.

Carbs anyone? Tanette's dish was pancakes, potatoes and crepes stuffed with egg, spinach and avocado.

Day 2 - Dinner

We debated with each other, the concierge and Facebook friends about who had the best pizza. We ended up at Pizano's, a cousin/sister(?) restaurant of Lou Malnati's. We got a deep dish and a "thin crust" although that was much thicker than a NY thin crust. The deep dish won, hands down. Great crust, awesome sauce and lots of garlic, baby!

"Thin" crust pizza, Chicago style

Day 3 - Lunch (x 2.5)

Started with a Jamba Juice in the late morning, then we got serious. First, a stop at Portillo's for an Italian Beef and fries. You know it's good when you need a napkin just from unwrapping the sandwich. 

Classy.

Food and Tanette make me happy!!

Right after Portillo's, we were going to XOCO for some tortas but they were closed on Sunday so we walked a couple more blocks to Lou Malnati's for lunch #2! Great pizza and probably the smallest house salad ever. We give the nod to Pizano's for the pizza, but just barely.

Individual sized pizza. Perfect after my Italian Beef!

Smallest house salad ever. What's the point?

Not pictured is probably the best chocolate shake I've ever had, at M Burger. It was a bit too rich for Tanette, but the more chocolate the better for me!

We loved our trip. Now we need a week of water, salad and exercise to recover!

Steak sandwich

Hell yeah...

Crumbs

Dinner last night...

Risotto (one of my favorites!)

Grilled chicken on the Egg with pesto, tomato and buffalo mozzarella

Green Beans sauteed with butter, thyme and lemon

 -- Drew

We went to Pho Saigon (Arapahoe and I25) last week and the food

was delicious as always. Too bad the hostess kept yelling across the 

restaurant at her waiters. Nice atmosphere! It's usually fine because

it's the guy at the host stand, not her. 

Albanian pizza? Really?!

Trump completely dropped the ball the other day when he took Sarah Palin to eat some pizza at an "authentic" pizza place in NYC. It turns out it was an Albanian pizza chain. Hey Trump, here's a quarter, go buy a clue.

Jon Stewart lets him have it

LooftLighter, how did I live without it?

As most of you know we cook on Big Green Eggs. We love our Egg's but sometimes you want the coals ready in just a couple minutes. In my case I usually forget to start the coals because I'm prepping other stuff and it slips my mind. Well now there is a solution. It's called the LooftLighter. You can get them at BBQGuys.com . You can use it to start your coals or your fire pit but whatever you do don't try to burn wasps with it on your wood deck. This thing packs some serious flame power. The box says in very large print "Only use to light coals and fire pits" (honey, I'm not saying I tried to burn a wasp because that would be dumb). I can have my natural lump charcoal ready to go in about 10 minutes. Keep on eye on this blog because we will be giving one of these bad boys away very soon thanks to the BBQ Guys. Go to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/grubology and "Like" us to be eligible to win this awesome prize Thanks - Shannon

We're giving away a looftlighter, thanks to www.BBQGuys.com

They call it the Looftlighter It should be called the Badassmofolighter. Thanks to BBQ Guys we will be giving one away to a lucky follower very soon but you need to like us on Facebook to be eligable. Good luck, Shannon

Fight it then Bite it

Went down to the Florida Keys last week for some work and entertaining of some clients. We caught some tuna, grouper and a bunch of Mahi Mahi. We took our tuna to the local sushi bar and they prepared it for us. It was unbelievable. Raw was hard to beat but the grilled tuna was amazing as well. Catching it yourself then eating it the same day is hard to beat. Talk about fresh. I will be grilling up the Mahi Mahi this weekend on the Big Green Egg. Stay tuned for that. - Shannon 

hook it and cook it baby.

Oink Oink

You know, every once in a while I get a serious hankerin' for some ribs. That hankerin' started a few weeks ago and was finally satisfied when I went to Tony's Market last week and picked up a slab for myself. On Saturday, I seasoned them up and wrapped them so they could get nice and happy overnight. On Sunday, I got the Egg ready and went to town. Man, I wish I had some more right now. -- Drew

Seasoned up from the day before. Olive oil, salt, pepper,

and a fairly standard BBQ rub. Next time I think I'm going

to use the Turkish seasoning from Penzey's. LOVE that stuff.

Gettin' ready to get smoked.

Finished it on the open flame with some Tony's Market

Bold and Spicy BBQ sauce. Ahhhhhhhh. That's real nice

Clark. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand....

Done.

Old Stone Church in Castle Rock

The old Stone Church in Castle Rock has got to be one of the most under rated and best kept secrets in Douglas County. My wife and I went there for her Birthday and it was awesome!! The service was great. Joe our server made it very special. The food was insane. I had Mole Lamb Chops that where one of the best things I've eaten in a long time. My wife had the Mahi Mahi on top of gnocchi. It's was frickin outstanding to say the least. I was blown away also by the oysters. You can get a dozen of the biggest meatiest oysters you have ever had for $12doz (best price in Denver). Paired with a Belvedere martini and you got yourself a meal. We are guilty of not going there enough considering it's only a mile or two from our house and I love it. I think I'll stop in tonight for a dozen oysters and a martini now that I'm thinking about it - Shannon