Tag: Las Vegas

Hoi An–Style Fried Wontons (Shrimp & Pineapple)

Hoi An–Style Fried Wontons (Shrimp & Pineapple)

Hoi An–Style Fried Wontons
(Shrimp & Pineapple)
🏮 🏮 🏮
Celebrating the Lunar New Year

When my brother shared photos of the famous Hoi An fried wontons he was enjoying in Vietnam, I was instantly inspired. Crispy, golden, topped with shrimp and pineapple — they looked utterly irresistible. With Lunar New Year in full swing and the Bellagio Conservatory alive with lanterns and blooms, pandas and koi celebrating the Year of the Fire Horse, it felt like the perfect moment to recreate a little of that festive magic at home.

Year of the Fire Horse, Bellagio Las Vegas
Year of the Fire Horse, Bellagio Las Vegas

These fried wontons hail from Hoi An, the charming central Vietnamese town known for its vibrant food culture. The local specialty is an open-faced, crispy shell with a well‑balanced, tangy topping.

My version recreates the sweet, savory, mildly spicy glaze. Fish sauce brings a caramelized depth that makes the shrimp taste fuller and more complex, adding an umami component. Dried red chilies fried in oil are served on the side for those wanting more heat.

Lunar New Year, Bellagio Las Vegas
Lunar New Year, Bellagio Las Vegas

Served as an appetizer or shared plate, they’re emblematic of Hoi An’s love for texture, freshness, and dishes meant to be enjoyed together. I served the wontons over a bed of curly green leaf lettuce, garnished with cilantro.

Hoi An–Style Fried Wontons (Shrimp & Pineapple)

Hoi An–Style Fried Wontons Recipe

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Ethel M Chocolate & Wine Experience

Ethel M Chocolate & Wine Experience

Ethel M Chocolate & Wine Experience
Holiday Cactus Garden

🍫🍫🍫 🍷🍷🍷 🌵🌵🌵

Las Vegas during the holidays has its own kind of magic, especially in places off the Strip that locals know well but tourists often miss—like the Ethel M Cactus Garden.

Ethel M Holiday Cactus Garden

We recently attended the Ethel M Chocolate & Wine Experience, and it truly exceeded our expectations. What we assumed would be a straightforward tasting turned into a relaxed, informative, and genuinely fun way to savor chocolate alongside perfectly paired wines.

Ethel M Chocolate & Wine Experience

The guided tasting lasts about 40–50 minutes and features five seasonal chocolates, each paired with a wine selected by Ethel M’s Chief Chocolatier, Mark Markey. Along the way, we learned how chocolate is sourced, refined, and made—without it feeling technical or heavy.

Ethel M Chocolate & Wine Experience

🍫 Ethel M 🍫

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Burnt Ends Wedge Salad

Burnt Ends Wedge Salad

Burnt Ends Wedge Salad

Inspired by Eater Vegas, which recently highlighted the Burnt Ends Wedge Salad as one of the best salads in Las Vegas at both the Four Sixes Ranch Steakhouse pop-up at Wynn and Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar at Mandalay Bay, this version brings the indulgent dish to life at home.

The salad masterfully combines two comfort-food favorites—the classic steakhouse wedge and smoky, tender barbecue. Crisp iceberg lettuce provides a refreshing crunch, while the creamy, spicy tang of Tabasco Blue Cheese Ranch dressing sets the stage for the star ingredient: juicy, caramelized beef brisket burnt ends. Rich, unctuous, and utterly mouthwatering, the burnt ends elevate the salad into a truly crave-worthy experience.

Burnt Ends Wedge Salad Recipe

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ART OF THE GRILL at Fontainebleau Las Vegas

ART OF THE GRILL at Fontainebleau Las Vegas

ART OF THE GRILL at Fontainebleau Las Vegas

ART OF THE GRILL
⧓ ⧓ ⧓
Signature Series
by Fontainebleau Las Vegas

“Hone your grill skills in this immersive class led by Don’s Prime Executive Chef Patrick Munster. Enjoy a welcome cocktail and light bites, then learn techniques for wood selection, making perfect marinades, and more. Class concludes with a three-course lunch in La Côte’s private dining room.”

Pool at Fontainebleau Las Vegas

On the beautiful outdoor patio of Le Côte Restaurant, nestled poolside, twelve attendees gathered to learn from grilling expert Executive Chef Patrick Munster of Don’s Prime. He demonstrated essential grilling techniques, ideal temperatures, and pro tips — even inviting several of us to join him at the grill for a hands-on lesson and best practices for slicing after grilling.

The Chef also taught us about the different cuts of meat served at the restaurant, and their individual qualities including marbling, tenderness, flavor, and fat.

Following the demonstration, we enjoyed a fabulous three-course luncheon featuring all the items we had just learned to prepare: flank steak, jumbo shrimp, and tomahawk steaks. The meal was perfectly paired with Via Alpina Pinot Grigio and Failla Pinot Noir.

ART OF THE GRILL at Fontainebleau Las Vegas

ART OF THE GRILL
with Executive Chef Patrick Munster

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Cocktails in the Las Vegas Subway?

Try a Smoky Dirty Martini!

Cocktails in the Las Vegas Subway?

Try a Smoky Dirty Martini!

It fits the mood…

A little while back I wrote about a fantastic dinner and the chef’s very clever Dirty Martini Salad at Diner Ross at The LINQ Hotel Las Vegas. What I neglected to share was how to get there… curiously, you must enter the diner only through a secret subway station entrance.

Cocktails in the Las Vegas Subway?

Dirty Martini Salad

Cocktails in the Las Vegas Subway?

Sip delightful cocktails to the music and trippy sounds of an occasional train passing through the “tunnel” while awaiting your dinner reservation.

Cocktails in the Las Vegas Subway?

Inspired by the fabulous Dirty ol’ Martini served in the subway, here is my version:

A Smoky Dirty Martini

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