Restaurant Rants & Raves. And more exploration into ethnic food variety.

I have to tell you that you must read this all the way through because there are gems throughout. This week’s entry is (in my not so humble opinion) something special.

Let’s start with the rants.

I had already decided to do a New Year rant regarding my usual beefs about restaurants when my wine club had an interesting experience at Envy, the Steakhouse. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Envy did something that was off of my usual radar, and they did it with panache and pure stupidity.

The great thing about Vegas is that there are many restaurants here that offer world-class food and service. The bad thing is that these restaurants do way too well because of the fact that over 30,000,000 people come through here annually, and they don’t have to worry about taking care of locals. This week’s wine dinner was a perfect example of company policy taking precedence over customer service.

Envy advertised their half-price on wine dinner, and my group took advantage of it on Wednesday evening. Perfect. Day after New Year's. The food was great, the service exemplary, and wine list and wines were extraordinary. So what happened that made the entire group decide not to patronize Envy ever again?

It came down the check.

Half price is supposed to be half price, right? Not if Envy is doing fuzzy figuring. With only seven people in the party, *technically* the restaurant was not supposed to add on 20% gratuity. I believe that eight diners is the standard number. But they did. And they added it on the entire balance, and took off the price of the wine after the fee had been assessed. In addition, they somehow neglected to deduct the $50.00 gift certificate. So the group ended up spending 31% gratuity on the meal instead of 20% because of "company policy." The result? Seven angry people who spent $100+ each who will never frequent the restaurant again. With the numbers of people coming through Las Vegas, I'm pretty certain that Envy doesn't care that a group of locals got annoyed. Because this isn't the first time I've heard about Envy's money-grubbing policies, I've decided to forego visiting them at any time.

And now for something much more pleasant! I wanted to talk about one of my now favorite restaurants.

STEAK is located on the far end of Henderson on 76 W. Horizon Ridge near the Horizon Ridge exit of the 95S. Or it may be 515 at that point. At any rate, I had decided that I needed to have dinner there so that I could put a link (or not) on the Blog so that people could find another place to eat.

David Dror is the owner, and he has a wonderful establishment there.

Every Saturday afternoon there's a wine tasting. Extraordinary wines, great tasting. This week's tasting was Four Vines. And nearly all of their portfolio was there. 2006 Naked Chardonnay, Maverick, the Sophisticate, Heretic, Anarchy, Dusi, and a new one for me, the Peasant, which is a Rhône blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Counnoise, and Tannat. What's Tannat? Apparently it has characteristics similar to Cabernet. It all adds up to delicious.

Michael decided to join me for dinner, and were we ever in for a treat! Wow!

The bread appetizer came with Olive Purée, Red Pepper Purée, and Olive Oil/Balsamic dip. It was beautifully presented. The appetizer was beef tartare with an unusual seasoning that hinted of lime.

I had a "Baseball" steak along with grilled asparagus and sautéed mushrooms. Michael had the 18oz NY Strip with steamed veggies (still crunchy!) and the mushrooms.

Dessert was a Chocolate Mousse cake that was almost ethereal. How good was all of this food? There was nothing left over. We were good kids who cleaned our plates! We chose the Peasant as the wine, and it was a perfect match not only with the beef, but there was enough left over to show that it also paired quite well with the chocolate!

The restaurant itself was a surprise. There's a view that will rival Panevino, which is world-famous for its fabulous view. Since it's in Henderson, its view is not as close up and personal, but it's still breathtaking. I will be posting some pictures in the VegasPics section of the website. Take a look, and be sure to stop by one Saturday to enjoy the wines and stay for a great dinner and beautiful view!

Oh. And one more very important thing. David has the same philosophy as Marché Bacchus: Regular retail price for wine and only $10.00 corkage. That alone will have me visiting again and again as my budget allows. No restaurant wine price ripoffs here!

And now for more rants!

Things that restaurants do that irritate me to no end:

• When I pay my bill, don't ask me if I want or need any change back. Hell yeah I want my change back! If I give you a $50.00 bill for a $12.00 check, you can be SURE that I want my change back. Don't even ask. Just bring it.
• With that being said, I want ALL of my change back! Whoever came up with the annoying (and larcenous) practice of giving me only my bills and keeping the coin? Pisses me off and that is reflected in the tip I leave. Or not.
• Don't give me a bunch of singles! Sheesh! Give me my change in large bills. As far as I'm concerned, if you left me a ton of one dollar bills, then you aren't expecting much. Instead of the $5.00 I was going to leave, I guess I'll just leave three.
• While I appreciate wine service, somebody has to learn how to pour wine into a glass correctly. I prefer a tasting or short pour -- about two to four ounces -- because I'm a swirl fiend. Can't do it with the wine halfway (or more) up the glass.
  

And, yes, I do have rants about us customers.

• Leave a tip. If you had good service, then leave a good tip! This is assuming that you aren't being gouged as the Envy incident above indicates.
• Ask the sommelier for help, and for goodness sake, don't drink Chardonnay with your steak or lamb! Retch.
  
• Learn how to use chopsticks!! Nothing says *I'm ignorant* more than using a fork in an Asian restaurant. Chopsticks are easy, and the first awkward attempts are appreciated more than insisting on using a fork no matter what.
  

I have more somewhere in the transoms of my mind, but I didn't want to use all the space in rant time.

And now for my fun adventures in exploring cuisines of other cultures. If you've been following my food adventures, you know that I have little shyness about trying new cuisines. Well, I've discovered Vietnamese food. More accurately, I've discovered Pho, a Vietnamese staple that is broth-based. It is a wonderful soup, and the broth is so fragrant that you can't help but to drool. I found a little restaurant along Spring Mountain just east of Jones called Pho Sai Gon 8, which is Vietnamese. Is it good? I've been there a couple of times and it's been packed with Vietnamese! I think you can't find a better compliment than that of any ethnic restaurant!

Pho consists of fragrant broth and rice noodles. You can then add just about anything you want and it is a filling, long-lasting meal. Because in another life I was related to Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods, I went all out and had the Pho Chín Nąm Gâu Gân Sách, which along with the broth and noodles, also contains lean meat, flank, brisket, soft tendon and tripe. It also comes with fresh basil, finely chopped green onlons, bean sprouts, hot peppers, hot sauce (house-made, I believe), and fresh limes. Because I did takeout, I was in for quite a surprise, because all of the ingredients are separate from the broth. Once home, I found a big bowl, put in all of the ingredients (except for the spicy items), and then poured the broth over. Incredibly good, filling, and so satisfying as to last for hours. Delicious. I am now addicted to this wonderful soup and will be there regularly! Fresh ingredients, tasty food, all for about $7.00. Can't get better than that.

Have a great week! We'll be talking about classes, Wine Down Wednesday, and Paso next time!

Dueling Blogs, Sneaky Tastings, Festivals!

Saturday was bunches of fun as the Fritz & Tex's Wine Club Thing met for its regular luncheon outing at the Marché Bacchus tasting. Because of previous obligations I could not join them for lunch, but was tasked by Agathe to choose the wines for the blind tasting! Gleefully and cackling madly, I chose two: a 2001 Michael Chiarlo Barbera D’Asti and a 2004 Saint Benoit Chateauneuf-Du-Pape Grande Garde. Both were yummy, but the Chiarlo stumped everybody. I confessed to my beloved group that if I didn’t already know what it was, I would not be able to guess what it was. After Rob, the MB Wine Guy stopped by the table and tasted the second wine, I asked him if this particular wine was typical. Since he had already seen the wine bottle, he gave a couple of observations, and the folks were able to narrow it down to a Chateauneuf du Pape. Incredible.

There’s more about the tasting on Scott and Elaine’s Blog, Vino Las Vegas at http://vinolasvegas.blogspot.com. They said very nice things about me, but my intentions were purely evil. I wanted to stump EVERYBODY!! LOL.

The day was followed up by a tasting at Tex & Gidget’s lovely home. It was Part Duo of a two-part Italian wine series. The first one two weeks ago demonstrated my blind-tasting prowess as I was able to ace four of the six wines. Saturday night’s tasting was, um, *humbling* as I bombed on all six. I will probably never get to be a truly snobby wine snob because my palate dies at a faster rate than my ego can grow! It just means that I have to drink more wine!

I had a great time at Khoury’s (Durango) last week as I stopped there for a tasting. Jim Moore, the owner/winemaker of l’Uvaggio di Giacomo winery in Napa was there with his American-Italian wines. I tasted the Arneis (yes, that’s a grape), Barbera, Rosé, and the dessert wine. The Barbera was wonderful, and I have to admit to being disappointed that he did not bring a Nebbiolo. I *hate* Nebbiolo in general, but since Fritz Reese brought an American Nebbiolo to the first Italian-themed tasting at Tex & Gidget’s, I’ve been intrigued. I usually find that for my tastes, Nebbiolos are thin and tannic, and not enough fruit for my overly-American palate. The Nebbiolo that Fritz brought was almost Pinot-like in character, and I fell in love with it. I had been looking forward to trying one of Jim’s Nebbiolos. The Napa Nebbiolos could make a fan of me!

I bought two bottles of the Barbera Rosé, because it was absolutely incredible. It’s a Rosé, all right, but it has so much “red wine” character to it that it puts a smile on my purple-toothed mug. The grapes are sourced from Lodi and have an amazing complexity for a Rosé. And at less than $10.00 a bottle, it’s a bargain that can’t be beat!

Thursday night again found me at Khoury’s (Eastern) enjoying a Sanford tasting. Yes, I bought some wine! I bought a Sanford Chardonnay which was so close to my idea of a perfect Chard that it was almost Mersault! Just enough oak to add the creamy character that I love, but not so much that I felt that I was biting into paneling.

And then I had an extra surprise! Bill (of Bill and tiny Chris, his wife) led me to the Las Vegas Wine Company, where I met a whole new group of wine folks! I had a fabulous time there and met several people there who are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about wines. I didn’t leave until about ten, but left with a smile on my face and can’t wait to return. What a fun group!

I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this, but although it’s not really “local,” the Trader Joe’s located on Washington near Buffalo in the city has wine tastings and food demos nearly every day. Stop by and say hi to Robin or Tony!

Now for a real Vegas event and tradition … the 35th Annual Greek Food Festival is coming! If you’ve never been, you’re missing out on a real treat! This year it’s taking place at its usual location on the grounds of St. John’s Church, an architectural wonder, September 6th through 9th. Stay tuned for more information.

The classes for Vegas Wineaux are being scheduled, and I will have more information for everyone shortly. I can’t wait to see you there!

White Wines Rock!!! finally.

I know many of you are reading the headline and thinking that I’ve lost my mind. Not really. Bear with me here.

First of all, I love red wines. Period. In fact, I call myself a Pinot Ho. Okay, I’m *the* Pinot Ho! Most of my friends also love red wines and have given themselves various designations. One of my friends calls himself a Syrah Slut. Another calls herself a Zin Bitch, borrowing from the Four Vines description of lovers of their Zinfandel. My oldest son admits to loving Cabernets, but as of yet has not given himself an appropriate title. I’m working on that.

Now that you know the crowd I run with, you can appreciate how I’m risking my credibility by writing an article based on *gasp!* white wines.

Many years ago, I had the fortune of drinking a really good California Chardonnay. It was an ethereal, life-changing experience. I actually tasted a white wine that had substance in my mouth, and for the first time, I understood what the word “epiphany” meant. That was in the early 90s.

Until just a couple of years ago, I was still on the quest for the great Chardonnay experience and kissed a lot of frogs in between. Most Chards I experienced were either overoaked butter bombs with very bitter finishes, or could hardly be differentiated from lemonade.

Meanwhile, my experiences with red wine were positive as I learned more about varietals, terroir, blends, aromas, characteristics, countries of origin, blah blah blah. Once I got my wine feet underneath me – so to speak – I began to get in touch with my inner wine snob. Honestly, I never thought I’d move from my early days of “Smells like grapes! Tastes like wine!” to the point where after sniffing and tasting a wine, I’d be able to name the year, place, and type of wine. I’m finally a Wineau!

I never forsook my quest for a great Chardonnay, and because of that, I began to taste (and enjoy) a complete range of white wines. And in the process, I lost my ABC attitude. Oh, that means Anything But Chardonnay. Here are some of my favorites:

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris – Grigio is from Italy, Gris is from France. Although they are somewhat different in character due to their places of origin, they both offer a well-balanced, minerally wine that pairs well with light summer fare. In fact, one of my favorite summer meals is a plate of Caprese (made with my homegrown basil and tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, Hawaiian red salt, and drizzled with Pasolivo Kalamata Olive Oil) paired with a nicely chilled glass of Pinot Grigio.

Albariño – this is the elegant white wine from Spain. And, as far as I know, it is still grown only in Spain. Its bouquet hints at apples, flowers, and lemon/lime, and it possesses a silky mouthfeel with the taste corresponding to the nose. There are a few of quality that are now available in this country, and they are carried by our favorite wine stores.

Torrontés – Wow. What a nose. This smells like flowers in a bottle with just a bit of orange juice. Although it *smells* sweet, it is a bone-dry wine. I served this at a home wine tasting last year, and both bottles quickly disappeared. And to the person I told that this was from Chilé, I’m sorry to say that I was mistaken. It’s the signature white grape of Argentina. I knew it was from somewhere south of the border.

Sauvignon Blanc/Sancerre – Hard to believe that this is the same grape, particularly if you’re comparing a New Zealand Sauv Blanc to a Sancerre from the Loire Valley. The NZ version is bright and fruity, where gooseberry, grapefruit, lime, melon, passion fruit, grass, and the ever-present “cat pee” aromas dominate. The Sancerre (depending upon which area of the Loire in which it’s grown) has, of course, a more Old World profile of herbs, wet rock, and the attributes mentioned above. Take note that in California, it’s often called Fumé Blanc. This is a very food-friendly wine and goes with just about anything you’d think to serve with white wine. As a side note, the pairing of Sancerre and goat cheese is legendary.

Viognier – Ahhh. Let’s talk flowers. Honeysuckle, apricots, peaches, spring blossoms, and touches of spice coupled with a contradictory dry palate make this wine amazing. I have more bottles of this than any other white wine because I find that I can drink this with or without food. Its crisp, clean flavors go well with mahi-mahi and fruit salsa or can be poured just to enjoy on its own. Pairing not required.

All of these wines are readily available (some more so than others), are generally ready to drink now, and are not very expensive. Sancerre, because it’s French, from the Loire, and has an aging life, will be more expensive, usually ranging from $20 to $27. Viognier has a range of prices as well, but the upper end is rarely above $23. It’s rarer than the other varietals, but as more of it is grown, I think the prices will at least moderate. The others are much less expensive, with 90+ NZ Sauvignon Blancs available for as little as $13. Even less in some stores! In fact, the tasting at Khoury’s on Wednesday revealed a surprisingly nice Sauvignon Blanc for $8.99. A steal at any price. By the way, my favorite Viognier is from Villicana Winery in Paso Robles. I can’t tell you how much it costs because I don’t care. It has the best balance of wild nose and dry, fruity palate with a lip-smacking acidity that I haven’t found anywhere else. Many Viogniers, alas, are somewhat “flabby” (that means that they’re nice tasting for juice, but not good wine).

Now for my nemesis – the eternal search for the perfect Chardonnay. And yes, I’ve finally found Chards that took me back to my first “real” experience with Chardonnay, with rich mouthfeel, apple, citrus, and tropical fruit aromas and flavors. Unoaked Chards showcase these fruit characterstics and make good quaffing wines. However, in my opinion, the best Chards copy the Burgundian model of fermenting in French oak barrels and then go through secondary malolactic fermentation. This process gives the best California Chards and white Burgundies their famous characteristics of cream, vanilla, butter, and toast. Combined with the fruit elements, this is what makes the perfect Chardonnay. Unfortunately, this process is what makes the best Chardonnays expensive. And OF COURSE I love the expensive Chards! However, if you do your homework, you can find a wonderful Chard at a great price. For instance, Chateau St. Jean Robert Young Vineyard Chardonnay, is wonderful at about $20 at Costco if you can find it.

Don’t let price be your only guide, however. You must taste the wines. I have found many oaked Chards with a bitter aftertaste (“finish”) that detracted from the enjoyment of the wine, and that were so heavy in the oak characteristics that the fruit was lost altogether. The prices varied from inexpensive to “you’ve got to be kidding!!”

So there you have it. While I’ve hardly touched on all of the wonderful white wines that are available, I’ve shared a few of my favorites. Red wines will always be my first choice. But as we slide into warm summer days, it’s hard to beat a memorable glass of a slightly chilled white wine, fresh food of summer, and great company by the pool or on the patio on a sultry evening. That’s the closest thing to nirvana I can imagine.