Las Vegas

They say "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas".

Not really - but that's my excuse for the extreme lack of pictures here.  My parents live in Las Vegas (in Summerlin, actually, which is about 20 min. northwest of the strip, and part of what was once Howard Hughes's estate), so I am there about three times a year.  I spend at least 2-3 nights per trip in  a strip hotel, and we take full advantage of the myriad fine dining opportunities.  In the spirit of the original New York and Paris emails, here are my favorite spots in Las Vegas within many categories.  Enjoy them and email me any time with questions.

Where to Play

I tend to choose my gambling establishments by a few different criteria.  Finding the games I want (Craps, Blackjack, and Baccarat) at the limits I prefer ($5 Craps, $10 or $25 Blackjack with 3-2 payout on BJ, and $25 or $50 midi-bac), cleanliness of the establishment, friendliness of the staff and dealers, overall crowd demographics, and finally the comps I am able to receive for my relatively moderate level of play.  I try my best not to let my recent winnings and losings factor in, but that's probably impossible.

All things considered, my absolute favorites are probably the Wynn and the Venetian.  The Venetian has a great blackjack and baccarat pit near the salon.  They have a 6-5 two-deck game which I really enjoy.  Next to that is $25 mini-bac (the difference between mini and midi is that you are not allowed to touch the cards in mini).  I can usually find $10 craps at either of these casinos, even on a big night (others like the cosmo and the Aria are almost always $15 and up).  The clientele is enjoyable to be around and generally attractive.  

There is a $25 midi-bac game at the Hard Rock.  They also have one of the best Craps crews in town.  Mornings and early afternoon, $5 limits are somewhat common. They also have a crap pit by the pool, which is awesome.  The music is great, but it's off the beaten path and the crowd is more miss than hit.  Also the restaurant options are kind of "meh" although Mr. Lucky's $7.77 steak special is pretty great for late-night dining.

I went to the SLS for the first time this trip - I really loved playing there.  It's got a great vibe, $5 craps even in the evening (it was a weeknight), super nice crew, and the sports book is inside the Umami Burger.

For poker, it's the Bellagio or nothing.  As a limit player, I am somewhat restricted, because there are not too many $10-20 limit games available - but the Bellagio poker room is the "office" for most of Las Vegas's pros for a very good reason.  They treat poker players very well, have the biggest crowd, and spread the most games.

For sports book, Mandalay is the finest in the city, IMO.  It's got the most seating in the most open environment.  The waitresses are pretty attentive there too, relative to most sports books - although you do need to bet substantially to receive free drinks.

Where to Stay

I pick my hotels based on value - combination of quality, price, and proximity to the things I want to do.  

The rooms at the Wynn are some of my favorites.  Fully automated, spacious and clean.  Elegantly decorated with a colossal bathroom.  Steve Wynn is a perfectionist and it shows.  The Aria is similarly appointed, but somewhat more modern.  It's also generally available at a substantially lower price.  The trade-off is a slightly younger and louder crowd, and a casino that is not nearly as good.  Wynn  has an awesome fitness center, two great nightclubs and some fantastic restaurants on the property.  Aria also has awesome dining, and proximity to City Center which makes Bellagio, Mandalay, and others an easy walk.  Both have very good pools.

The Venetian is also a wonderful place to stay. The all-suite rooms are very spacious.  Fitness center, shopping, proximity to Wynn and Caesars are all bonus.  Cool sports book (Emeril Lagasse stadium).  The Venetian is part of the Intercontinental hotel group, so if you have Ambassador status, you get hooked up pretty well, plus you can earn points.  The pool is also great.

The Cosmopolitan is one of my least favorite places to play, although I had some winnings there last trip.  However, as a hotel, it's fantastic.  Platinum Marriott rewards members are treated as VIPs with buffet line privileges, room upgrades, late checkout, VIP check-in, etc.  You can stay on points as well.  It's in City Center, so proximity is awesome.  Fitness center is so/so , but restaurants are amazing.  As Marriott Platinum, my sister was even able to get us a coveted reservation at e by Jose Andres (the e-bar, a similar concept to his Washington DC Minibar).  The Cosmo has my favorite pool, by far.

I was really hoping the SLS, like the SLS Beverly Hills, would be a Starwood property.  Sadly it is not.  I haven't stayed there, and I'm skeptical about the location, but it looks really fun.

I also sometimes stay at the Hard Rock.  Every time I do, I swear I won't do it again, but I go back because of the price.  It's generally a good value, it's just kind of empty and out of the way.  I often find myself playing there late at night and notice there are very few people around.  The other hotels above do not have that problem at any hour.  Also, the pool has turned into Permanent Rehab... which is obnoxious and brings in a shady crowd.  The musical acts are great, though - and are sometimes offered as comps.  There is also an "adult" pool for hotel guests only that allows you to somewhat dodge the rehab crowd.

Where to eat

The Three Best meals in Vegas right now:

I will take Sage, Bouchon, and Michael Mina over almost everything else in Las Vegas.  There are a few notable places I haven't tried (Guy Savoy, Joel Robuchon @ the Mansion, Twist by Pierre Gagniere)

Sage is a product of former Chicago chef Shawn McLain - who still retains ownership of Green Zebra, the phenomenal vegetarian restaurant in West Town.  The New American menu is extremely creative and full of bold flavors.  The service is top notch as well.  The menu is offered ala carte, or as a prix fixe for $89 that has three courses and allows you limited choices for each course (mostly menu items) and dessert, or as a degustation for $159 with all chef's choices and no items that are found on the ala carte menu.  The bar has an amazing stock of whiskey and absinthe, and they have an absinthe cart where they will do the full service table-side.

Bouchon is an outpost of Thomas Keller's casual french bistro.  It's relatively easy to eat very well there and have a few drinks for under $100 per person.  Classic French fare including a raw bar, steak frites, duck,  They used to feature a sirloin of beef cooked sous-vide, which was remarkably one of the best steaks I've ever had.  Sadly, the LV board of health has outlawed sous-vide.

Michael Mina is a San Francisco legend.  His Vegas outposts used to include Nob Hill in the MGM, but that is sadly no longer around.  His Vegas flagship, however, proudly remains tucked away in the far corner of the Bellagio's conservatory.  There are a number of menu options, but everything except the Signature Tasting Menu should be saved for a second visit.  It's truly a greatest hits of a great chef.  Items like the Lobster Pot Pie are stand-alone classics, but having them one 

Fine Dining:

eBar  in Cosmopolitan - 16 seats and dinner cooked right in front of you in this Jose Andres "mini-bar west".  Really innovative new spanish cuisine.  We had secreto d'iberco, a salt roasted lobe of foie gras, and some amazing preparations of fish.  The bar menu features the worlds best Gin and Tonic (a well-deserved name).

L'atelier de Joel Robuchon in MGM - almost as good as the one in Paris.  Features some JR classics in a less formal and less costly setting than the Mansion next door.  La Caille avec foie gras is pure heaven.  

Picasso in Bellagio - Julian Serano is a master and you can enjoy is work surrounded by the art of one of the twentieth century masters.  The view of the fountains is a bonus.  Exceptional service and very tasty food.

Restaurants on my list to try soon:  Guy Savoy, Bartolotta, Jean Georges Steakhouse

Upscale casual:

Tetsu in Aria - closest I've had to a Tokyo-style teppan restaurant.  High quality luxury ingredients (abalone, foie gras, waygu)

Julian Serrano Tapas in Aria - great tapas and paellas.  I prefer it over Jaleo in the Cosmo, but both are quite good.

DB Brasserie in Venetian - solid basic french fare;  it's a a little less costly than Bouchon and good when you want something a little different.  They offer a $39 prix fixe menu that is a really good deal.

Scarpetta in Cosmopolitan - New York Italian;  famous for a very simple spaghetti with tomato sauce, but there are lots of other great dishes and a really nice hip atmosphere.

Blue Ribbon Sushi in Cosmopolitan - One of my favorite NYC restaurants (kind of).  They have some classics from the Blue Ribbon Brasserie menu (like the fried chicken) in addition to the sushi menu.  It's pricey, but really worth it.

Value:

Lotus of Siam - off strip.  It's the most famous Thai restaurant in America, and has won multiple James Beard awards.   In my experience, only Night+Market Song in LA is more authentic.

Joyful House - great Chinese in Chinatown.  

Lao Sze Chuan in the Palms;  Chicago's Tony Hu brings his brand of authentic Sichuan fare to Las Vegas.  Almost as good as the one in Chicago.

Otto in the Venetian - Mario Batali's pizza, small plates, and Salumi.  Great for a casual lunch.

Carnegie Deli in MGM - just like the one in NYC.  Pro tip - you can share a sandwich and if you pay the $2 fee, they will give you extra rye bread.

Hidden Pizza - Cosmopolitan - New York style pie, very well done.  Next to Blue Ribbon Sushi.

Mr. Lucky's in Hard Rock Casino - 24 hour diner food.  Fantastic.

The Steakhouse in Circus Circus - excellent value. Steakhouses are divisive, as some think they are very overrated, boring and overpriced.  I think there is a time and a place for a good steakhouse, but I think this one has the right price.

Mon Ami Gabi in Paris - outdoor seating has a great view of the Bellagio fountains without the Picasso prices.

Joe's steak and stone crab - not as good as the original in Miami, but still quite good and features a wonderful Manhattan Clam Chowder.

Buffets:

It's not Vegas without buffets.  The Bellagio and Wynn are still classics.  There are some great dishes at the Cosmo's Wicked Spoon (like the fried chicken), and I haven't tried Aria yet, but I hear it's quite good.  

The king of the hill, though, is the Bachanal Buffet at Caesar's Palace.  They have great seafood, lots of other stuff, and the best meatballs I've ever had, including the 16oz. Waygu meatball @ Lavo (which is totally worth a trip as well).

Burgers:

Las Vegas has become the Burger capital of the world.  It's insane how many there are and how few I've been able to try.  Some of my favorites are:

Hubert Keller's Burger Bar in Mandalay (made to order with lots of combinations, including whole wheat buns).

I heart Burgers in the Palazzo 

Holstiens in the Cosmo

Umami Burger in the SLS (also a sports book)

On my list to try:  KGB (Kerry Simon in Harrah's), BRGR (Gordon Ramsey in Planet Hollywood), Bachi Burger (off strip - featured on DDD and my dad loves it)

Best Food I've Had - Value Edition

As promised - here is a list of some of my favorite meals / places to eat that can be had with easy reservations on any budget.  Some are famous, some are not.  But I love them all:

Prince's Hot Chicken - Nashville, TN

She won a James Beard award.  She makes Nashville's only truly unique contribution to the culinary world.  It's fried in a cast iron skillet made to order, so sometimes you have to wait up to 40 minutes.  It's well worth it.  And it's HOT.  It's a sandwich, which means you get a piece of hot chicken (mild, medium, hot, or extra hot) still on the bone, on a slice of white bread, with pickle on top.  The bread catches all the flavor (grease) on the way down. It makes a wonderful dessert.

Restaurant Fernando (Macau)

I wrote about Fernando in my Macau post - so I'll spare the repeat pictures... cash only, Portuguese home cooking.  Spectacular. Worth a trip to Macau just for dinner.

Kuma's Corner (Chicago, IL)

Best Burger in the world.  The first place I know of to start the Pretzel bun trend.  Atmosphere is a little weird - they have loud heavy metal playing, morbid artwork, often slasher movies on the tv's - don't ever ask them to put on sports.  Waits can be insane, although they recently opened a lincoln park outpost that has shorter lines.  For a similar burger, the Lockdown in west town is also good.

Blacow's (Tokyo, Japan)

Esquire's pick for best burger in the world. It's really good... but not the best.

Pizza Strada (Tokyo, Japan)

Pics in my Tokyo post.  Really the best pizza I've ever had.  The owner of this Azubujuban pizzeria studied with a master in Naples.  His English is very good and he enjoys American visitors.  He makes every pizza himself.

Franks & Dawgs (Chicago, IL)

With Hot Doug's closing in the near future, I worry this lesser known mecca of gourmet sausage making will become just as crowded.  As it stands now, you can usually get service in a reasonable amount of time.  The quality of the sausage and creativity of the sandwiches are just as good as its better known competition up north, minus the duck-fat fries which made Doug S. famous during the great foie gras ban in the early 2000s.  Rather than a number to identify your table, you get a picture of an infamous disgraced celebrity - former Governor Rod Blagojevic, Donald Trump, Michael Richards, and others.

Fifty/50 (Chicago, IL)

My favorite wings in Chicago.  Gigantic, breaded, in a very spicy, barbecue-based sauce.  8 is more than enough for a complete meal, and they offer some sides that are actual vegetables to balance your diet a bit.

Lao Sze Chuan (Chicago, IL)

So - I've never been to Guandong - but I've eaten some damn good Sichuan food in my day, and Tony Hu's food stands up to all of it.  Unapologetically "ma la" - that special kind of numbing spicy that is only found when you mix sichuan peppercorns with dried red chilis - filled with variety, flavor, and love.  Tony is the mayor of Chicago's Chinatown, with an empire that includes many great restaurants, but this is the best by far.  Don't miss the house special dried chili chicken, mapo dofu, and hot and sour soup.

St. Paul Fish Company (Milwaukee Public Market)

Just a counter inside the market - fresh fish, oysters, homemade seafood soups - I've eaten 3 meals there in the same weekend.  The prices are great and the food is so good!

Bob Chinn's (Wheeling, IL)

Not cheap, but a wonderful value.  Non-nonsense, no-pretense fresh fish.  Lots of unique preparations of Kona Crab and other shellfish and fishes.  Exotics like Australian spiny lobster, occasionally albino snow crab, King crab, and some awesome steaks as well.  No reservations, so plan to get there early, or drink a lot of Mai Tais while you wait.

Ippudo Ramen (New York, NY, Tokyo, Hong Kong)

In Chicago, there are very few places to get a good bowl of Ramen.  It's not as tough in NYC, however you'll have to wait for it. Ippudo, as a chain, seems to have two levels.  The HK locations tend to be of the lower level, but the NYC and Tokyo locations are fantastic.  In NY, you'll have to wait.  But they take Amex and have more seats than TOTO Ramen, which is in Hell's Kitchen and cash only.

Din Tai Fung (Tai Pei, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Arcadia, CA)

Simply the best.  Xiao Long Bao at Din Tai Fung are light, strong, and full of flavor.  From CA to HK to Tai Pei, to Sydney they are all great.  In HK, competitor Crystal Jade has the better La Mein noodles, but the dumplings are much better at Din Tai Fung. I even like them better than Nanjing Dumplings at the Ye Garden in Shanghai.

Lotus of Siam (Las Vegas, NV)

One of the most famous off-strip restaurants in Vegas.  A tremendous value.  James Beard award-winning Thai cuisine from all regions of Thailand.  Not shy about the spice, so be conservative when you order.

Sala Thai (Detroit, MI)

The menu at Sala Thai is not as extensive as Lotus of Siam, and it has not received nearly as much acclaim, but I think it's just as good or better.  They really capture the flavors and spice of all the classic thai dishes.

Jim's Steaks (Philadelphia, PA)

Pat's and Geno's get all the press, but Jim's is every bit as good.  In fact, they've been busted for selling drugs a few times, and I'm not sure they aren't using some of them to make the steaks so addictive.  Forget all the stuff you see on TV.  Order with confidence and you can get the steak the way you want it without dirty looks.  Wiz is for tourists and suckers.  Provolone is the way to go.  I like mushrooms sometimes, or a steak hoagie, which has lettuce and tomato.

The Redhead Bar (New York, NY)

I found this east village gem by googling "best fried chicken NYC".  Not sure if it's the absolute best in such a big city, but it's the best I've had.  And they have great beers, and other good southern fare.  Friendly staff, but small and no reservations unless you have a very large party.  It's worth the wait.

Rudy's BBQ (San Antonio, TX)

You need to walk through a gas station to get to the restaurant.  You order meats and sides by the pound, and they are served on white butcher paper.  There are shelves of white bread to take along with your food. It's really, really good.  So, the atmosphere leaves something to be desired, especially in some of the other locations where they try to re-make the gas station vibe.. but the food speaks for itself.

Ben's Chili Bowl (Washington, DC)

It's very famous. It's very good.  There's Chili everywhere, and it's probably all very good, but Ben's always has a line, and it's worth waiting in it.

Pollo Rico (Washington, DC)

Peruvian marinated rotisserie chicken. A large wall of hundreds of spits...  Spicy Green Sauce. Plantains and other sides.  More food than you can eat for under $20.

Portillo's (Chicago, IL)

It's a little commercial compared to some of the other options for Chicago style hot dogs and Italian beef, but it's great.

Ono Hawaiian Foods (Honolulu, HA)

"Get the salt-meat watercress, it's the F-ing winner" - told to me by the "beach boys" who teach surfing on Waikiki beach.  Ono is a very small, homey storefront with a few tables.  And if "haoles" like the food, they get pretty excited.  Obv. the Kalua pork is a must.  Eat the poi with whatever else you are eating, not on its own or it will seem very bitter.  The haupia is fantastic.  And the salt meat watercress is really amazing. I've tried to do it at home.. not easy.

The Ugly Oyster (Reading, PA)

They pour one of the best pints of Guiness in the USA... wings, cheese steaks, fish and chips, and other bar fare are top notch.  And the service is fantastic too.

Patsy's Pizza (New York, NY)

Not related to the famed Patsy's Italian restaurant where Old Blue Eyes was reputedly a regular. Very good coal-fired pizza, and fantastic lunch specials ($10 meatball or chicken parm hoagie with a side salad).

The Nancy Whiskey Pub (New York, NY)

I stumbled into this bar after a dinner at Tribeca Grill.  It's my home away from home in NYC.  I'm friends with the staff, love the wings, the crowd, the juke box, and especially the bumper shuffleboard table.  It's small, and a little dingy.. but they pour a great Guinness.

Union Street (Detroit, MI)

Two words... Rasta Wings.  This is a very affordable, creative restaurant on the Wayne State University campus. They have a number of great dishes including balsamic spinach salad with tenderloin of beef, some good fish entrees, pastas, etc... but the rasta wings are the best.  They are on-fire hot.  They don't come in different levels of heat.. it's take it or leave it.  So complex. So tasty.  It's hard to describe, but it's wonderfully unique and worth a trip if you're in the area.

Donnely's Shamrock (Peoria, IL)

This place makes truly wonderful wings.  They're not for everyone, mostly because they are not a true "Buffalo" style hot wing.  They're breaded, and have a sweet and spicy sauce with a bbq base.  Friendly service, independently owned... not bad for southern IL.

Arthur's Steakhouse (Peoria, IL)

It's awesome.  You cook your own steak.  On a giant grill, with lots of texas toast, seasoning, melted butter, etc. at your disposal.  Can't complain if it isn't done to your liking... or you can pay an extra $2 and they'll cook it for you, but you still get to select and season your own cut if you like.  Sadly, the salad bar is also a little "do it yourself"... it would be nice if they cut things like carrots.  It's also the first place I ever had a skillet cookie.  They are everywhere now... but I'm pretty sure Arthur's did it first.

St. Paul Fish Company (Milwaukee, WI)

It's a fish store with a service counter in a farmer's market.  Nuff said.  The oysters are a good price and super fresh.  Gumbo, fish and chips, whatever you get you'll be happy.  I ate there 3 times in a weekend last time I was in Milwaukee.

Thurman Cafe (Columbus, OH)

After spending 5 of my best years in Columbus, you'd think I'd have more places I really miss.  Katzinger's deli is great, despite being not nearly as famous as Zingermann's at that school up north.  C-bus was the home of the original Buffalo Wild Wings (when it was still called BW3 or Buffalo Wild Wings and Weck because they served all sandwiches on kimmelweck bread).  There are the Cameron Mitchell restaurants (which really took over the city and closed down so many other) and there's Graeter's and Skyline which are both really Cincinnati foods.  

And then there is Thurman's - home of the Thurman Burger.  A pound and a half or so of meat, grease, and absolute tastiness.  I know I said Kuma's is the best burger in the world... this might be number 2. 

Cluck-U Chicken

My favorite wings of all... in my younger days, I used to eat the hottest ones.  Today, I just can't do that. Cluck-U started in New Brunswick on the Rutgers campus.  They expanded as far as Columbus, OH at one point, but I don't believe they have any locations outside the east coast anymore, mostly in NJ and Maryland with a few PA locations. They are breaded, and have a bbq based sauce that is very hot.  I get the Thermo Nuclear flavor.

Macau

It's the Las Vegas of the East.  It's the cash cow for Las Vegas Sands, Wynn, and MGM corporations.  The casino floor at the Venetian in Macau is larger than the sum of all the casinos on the Strip.  There are two Islands on Macau, and like Hong Kong, it's an SAR.  So it is owned by the PRC, but they have an independent government.  If the historical part of Noble House is accurate, Macau served as a place to launder money during the "wild west" days of early Hong Kong - which probably explains how it became a gambling hot-spot.  Unlike Hong Kong, Macau was settled by the Portuguese.  The architecture, culinary influences, etc. are very different, and exciting and fun. There are old churches, mansions owned by noblemen with intriguing architectural elements, cobblestone streets, and monuments to Portuguese heroes.  

And then, there are casinos... and more casinos. And mostly they are football-field sized floors of baccarat tables.  It's a wonderfully fun game, and one you will want to learn if you want to gamble there.  It's basically a coin toss.  There are cards involved, but unlike blackjack, you don't make any decisions to take additional cards or stay with what you have.  You can bet on the player hand or the banker hand, and then the cards are dealt.  There is a hit table that decides if either or both hands takes an extra card, and then the hand closer to 9 (dropping the first digit) wins.  The hit table favors the banker hand slightly, so if you bet banker and win, there is a small tax on your winnings.  Anyway, five minutes at a craps table in Macau will make you want to learn.  Due to the language barriers and the fact that it's not a popular game in the East, craps tables move glacially slowly.  It takes at least 3 minutes between most rolls of the dice.

The spectacles in the casinos are very fun.  This dragon is inside the Hard Rock Hotel.  The picture below is of the outside of that casino.  

The Grand Lisboa is also a very interesting building

There are two ferries from HK to Macau - one from TST and one from Central.  Buy first class.  The accommodations are not much different, but first class gets to disembark first and that saves a lot of time in immigration and customs.  Also it's only about $10 USD more expensive.  For larger groups, you can rent a VIP private room on the boat.

For dining, authentic Portuguese at Restaurant Fernando is the best you can get.  Cash only - but they take HKD, MCD, or USD.  Casual, inexpensive, and oh, so good.

Tomato and Onion Salad

Chorizo and Olives

Camarones (Shrimp)

Pork ribs

Portuguese roast chicken

Clams

The 10 best meals of my life - so far

This is not going to be easy.  Many of these meals were had before camera phones.  Some I remember almost every individual bite of food, and some just the service.  For all, the company was a key component.

I'll add some of my  honorable mentions at the bottom,  and I'll make a future post about my favorite value dining destinations but, to be fair (in whatever way one can when making a purely subjective list), I'm going to keep this list to fine dining / haute cuisine.  Here they are in no particular order.

Christmas Eve Dinner at The Inn At Little Washington (Patrick O'Connell - Washington, VA)

Service was some of the best I've ever had.  Harvard Business School wrote a case study on their method of measuring the relative happiness of each guest on a 1-10 scale at various points in the evening with a goal of getting each guest to a 9 or 10 by the end of the night.  At one point I saw a gentleman give his jacket to his date to keep  her warm.  Seconds later, a server emerged with a blanket for her to feel more comfortable. Amex Concierge made the reservation and got us a prime table in a relatively private room.  The food was extremely creative and perfectly prepared - from classics like an American Turkey Dinner to some more avant-garde American fare like torchon of foie gras with a dusting of black ash like two lumps of coal for Christmas.

An amuse bouche

 Lumps of Coal

 A beet salad

 Oysters four ways

 The Roast Turkey Dinner (close up, then far away) featuring the chef's family recipe for cranberry sauce.

March (Wayne Nish, NYC - shuttered)

Another meal where the exceptional food was almost overshadowed by the service.  We went pre-theater on a birthday celebration for my mother.  After dinner we saw "The Odd Couple" which was starring Broderick and Lane at the time, but Nathan Lane fell ill, so rather than the understudy, they brought in Brad Garret, who played an amazing Oscar Madison.  The menu was prix fixe and we opted for six courses.  You could order any courses in any order, and they would size them appropriately for the order they came. This was an incredibly unique and wonderful way to do a prix fixe menu and I wish more places did so.  Prior to our first course, the restaurant brought six red roses for my mother to celebrate her birthday.  There was no charge for this, and we did not ask them to do it.  They simply asked if it was a special occasion when I made the reservation.

Trio / Alinea (Grant Achatz - Chicago, IL)

My first meal at Trio was my entree into the world of molecular gastronomy.  I ate with a group of chefs, and learned so much about the food and techniques used to prepare it.  I also gained a lot of confidence in my palate and my ability to discuss food and cooking with a group of very knowledgeable individuals.  It was a grand dinner.  I wrote some comments about it on FlyerTalk.com 

Classic Achats - a dish you need to eat with no hands, in a somewhat awkward "sucking" motion.

 Oysters four ways (one of the ways is an oyster leaf, sitting on a half-shell), with a razor clam, and a smoked oyster.

 Salmon three ways - the flame underneath was creating a smoke frangrance that augmented the meal.

 Black truffle explosion - a signature dish.  One of the great one-bite dishes in the world.

 A supplementary course of white truffles over a mushroom risotto.  The truffle just kept coming.

 Lamb three ways with about 75 condiments.  Yes, we tried them all.

 There was a skewer of meat hidden in these smoldering leaves.  It was a very "autumnal" dish.  Really full sensory experience.

 A signature dessert.  notice how the sauce spills onto the tablecloth and turns into squares instead of circles?  It basically defies the laws of physics. They get the sauce to the exact viscosity that will sit in the microscopic grooves in the silicon tablecloth.

Corton (Paul Liebrandt, NYC - shuttered)

I can't, for the life of me, figure out how this place closed down. I guess I know the answer - it was a partnership dispute of some type.  It's just such a tragedy.  The food there was creative, full of flavor, pushed boundaries.  I ate my first cockscomb there.  I had a white truffle supplement.  The menu was prix fixe with a variety of tastings available (a 6 course, an 8 course and a 10, I believe).  They were more than happy to sell me the 6 course and then allow me to add an individual course or two from the other menus.  It was in one of my favorite neighborhoods in NYC.  It's the only meal on this list where I dined alone.  I eat alone frequently, but usually I'll sit at the bar, talk to the bartender or other diners, etc.  I've shied away from such high end eating by myself because of the sheer duration of the meal, and the desire to share the experience with someone that can compare and contrast and understand my delight when it's all said and done.  I was seated next to an incredibly odd family that kind of adopted me, so I wound up with quite a bit of entertainment over the course of the evening.

Fontaine De Mars (Paris, France)

I discovered this gem with my good friend Amy on my first trip to Paris in 2007.  Since she had a cute waiter making eyes at her, we were able to eat there several times over a two week trip.  About 2 years later, our President Barack Obama ate there, and it kind of blew up in popularity.  But, at the time, it was about half the size physically and much easier to reserve a table.  The oeufs en meurette (eggs poached in red wine) were life changing.  They also make an incredible cassoulet, and so many other classic french country/peasant dishes to such a superb standard.  The atmosphere is homelike, the service is amiable, and the signature checkered table cloths are a beautiful nod to the history of the restaurant industry.  It is the first place I recommend any of my friends go if they are visiting Paris.

Tetsuya's (Tetsuya Wakuda - Sydney, Australia)

A beautiful "east meets west" fusion of French and Japanese influences.  Tetsuya wins points from the service, to the atmosphere, to the concept, to the execution.  Every dish was extraordinary, including his signature coriander-crusted salmon.  Fresh ingredients, zen-like setting, and expert seasoning and preparation.  I ate this meal with my sister, a friend from Chicago, and an old business school friend who moved from Chicago to Australia with his wife and daughter a few years prior.  I was running late, but found out when I got there that all other parties had met previously in Chicago... it really is a small world.

Tribute (Takashi Yagahashi - Detroit, MI - shuttered)

A beautiful "east meets west" fusion of French and Japanese influences (where have you heard that before?).  Takashi Yagahashi studied in some of the luminary kitchens in Chicago (including the departed Ambria) before moving to Detroit.  It was an oasis within a city not exactly known for its culinary offerings.  It was an excellent value, my friends loved the wine pairings, and the food was superb.  We were celebrating a big go-live, so I was with a group of work companions.  The one course I remember distinctly was a take on Rick Tramonto's caviar staircase.  It was the first time in my life I tried Blis hand-harvested domestic steelhead roe, an ingredient which I relish when it is on the menu at Alinea as well.  I'm happy to have Takashi in Chicago, and I enjoy any opportunity to eat at his flagship restaurant or his more casual spot The Slurping Turtle.

Le Bec Fin / Le Bar Lyonnaise (Georges Perrier - Philadelphia, PA - Shuttered)

I never ate in the main dining room at Le Bec Fin.  The bar downstairs was a tiny enclave - more casual, exclusive in a different way.  Chef George Perrier frequently dined at the bar after completing his shift.  There was a bistro menu (featuring the second best French Onion Soup I've ever had, after Bern's in Tampa), and you could order either the tasting or ala carte from the flagship menu.  Everything I tried, from both menus, was spectacular.  The first time I ate there, one of the regulars at the bar noticed they were bringing up some Kirsch to the upstairs.  "Cherries Jubilee?" he asked... "I should have eaten upstairs tonight... I'm really in the mood."  About 10 minutes later, a procession of carts, burners, chefs, liquor, ice cream, and cherries came down the steps, and they made a table-side cherries jubilee in the basement.  The flames from the flambe literally singed the ceiling.  We each got a taste, probably by accident, as we were not regulars.  What was really amazing was that the next time I visited, my parents were in town.  I asked the server if they could repeat the cherries jubilee experience, and they did.  What a fantastic place. I miss it so much.

From the Flagship menu:
 Sea Bass

 Sweetbreads

Poussin

Dessert

Ria (Danny Grant - Chicago, IL - Shuttered)

I won this dinner at a raffle in a work event.  The first prize was an iPad 2.  Second prize was dinner with a partner and two friends or colleagues.  Oddly, there were no parameters on Second prize.  Suffice it to say we spent about 4 iPad 2s by the time the night was over (oops).  It was phenomenal - a 9 course degustation with wine pairings for those who drink wine and a pairing of beer, sake, and cocktails for myself.  It was enough alcohol to incapacitate a small army, but each course was stellar in concept, execution, and presentation.  We dined for well over 5 hours and enjoyed every moment of it.

Bolo (Bobby Flay - New York, NY - Shuttered)

Based on food alone, this would never have made a top ten list.  It was good... great even, but below is a list of "honorable mentions" with food better than most people in the world will ever be fortunate enough to taste, and far better than the food I ate at Bolo.  Bolo was Bobby Flay's second restaurant - less southwestern than Mesa Grill, with a pure Spanish menu.  It was the first truly high end restaurant I ever had the opportunity to enjoy.  I had watched Bobby Flay on TV my whole college career, during the birth of the Food Network.  He, along with Emeril Lagasse, Mario Battali, David Rosengarten, Ming Tsai, Sarah Moulton, and Alton Brown taught me how to cook (and pretty well, I think).  I still remember what I ate - a house salad that included cabrales blue cheese and crumbled chorizo with some candied nuts.  It was fantastic.  I had a paella for the main course and, while it was not a perfectly traditional paella, it was very tasty.  What made that meal even more special was the party sitting next to me.  This was the night I met a dear friend, Gena Berry.  She and two friends were sitting about 3 inches away from us (crowded Manhattan dining room) and were clearly receiving VIP treatment, with Flay's partner Laurence Ketchmer making frequent stops at the table to check on them and offer some extra bites here and there.

Honorable Mentions:

• Bern's Steakhouse (Tampa, FL)
• L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Paris, France / Las Vegas, NV )
• Daniel (New York, NY)
• Le Bernardin (New York, NY)
• Sage (Las Vegas, NV)
• Bayona (New Orleans, LA)
• Antoine's (New Orleans, LA)
• Nobu (Malibu, CA / New York, NY)
• Bo Innovation (Hong Kong, HK)
• Nahm (Bangkok, Thailand)
• Blue Ribbon (New York, NY)
• eBar / e by Jose Andres (Las Vegas, NV)
• Tru - Chef's Table (Chicago, IL)
• L20 (Chicago, IL)
• Benu (San Francisco, CA)
• Sebo (San Francisco, CA - Shuttered)
• Mirai (Chicago, IL)
• Arami (Chicago, IL)
• La Rochelle (Tokyo, Japan)
• Kubey (Tokyo, Japan)
• Green Zebra (Chicago, IL)
• Nola (New Orleans, LA)
• Five Lakes Grill (Milford, MI)
• Sam Choy's (Honolulu, HA)
• Astrid y Gaston (Mexico City, MX)

My Favorite Cheeses

Here is some info on my current list of favorite cheeses.  To build a good cheese plate, you need a good mix of hard/soft, mild/pungent, different sources (cow, sheep, goat), maybe something smoked, and I try to keep it to just a few condiments (maybe a mustard and a honey).

Every cheese plate should have a brie.  The two I highly recommend are:

http://www.murrayscheese.com/delice-de-bourgogne.html#
http://www.cowgirlcreamery.com/library-of-cheese/triple-creme

The Delice de Bourgogne is an import from Burgundy France, while the cowgirl is domestic from Northern California.  Both are triple creme - mild and decadent all at the same time.

Next, you'll need a blue.  There are so many options here; hard, soft, sheep, cow, goat...

My current go-to is a domestic made from raw cow's milk -Vermont's Jasper Hill Farms Baley Hazen Blue:

http://www.cellarsatjasperhill.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:bayley-hazen-blue-by-jasper-hill-farm&catid=30:jasper-hill&Itemid=136

It pairs extremely well with a good clover or wildflower honey.

Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort are also good options.  I find danish blues, like Maytag, are much less enjoyable on a cheese plate than used in cooking or salads.

For a good hard cheese, you can always go with a classic like Manchego, Grana, Pecorino, or Parmiggiano Reggiano.  These days, I find myself gravitating towards Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Uplands in Wisconsin.  It's won multiple awards, including the American Cheese Society's "Best Cheese in America" in 2010.  It's a raw cow's milk cheese made in the style of a Gruyere.

http://www.uplandscheese.com/cheese.html

Next, I like a good Aged Wisconson Cheddar, like this one:

http://www.widmerscheese.com/products/8-Year-Aged-Cheddar-1lb.html

And finally, here are some favorites
Pave Du Nord - a pungent, bright orange cheese from France, similar to a Gouda with much more flavor
http://www.thimbleofcheese.com/2011/03/pave-du-nord/

La Tur - a very soft, pungent cheese made from a blend of milks in the Piedmont region:
http://www.murrayscheese.com/la-tur.html

Langres - another soft, even more pungent cheese from France made of cow's milk:
http://www.murrayscheese.com/langres.html

Chevre by Capriole - actually any of their Goat cheeses from Southern Illinois are go-to cheeses.
http://www.capriolegoatcheese.com/

And - currently the best cheese available today - Midnight Moon Goat Gouda from Cypress Grove farms:
http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/our-cheese/aged-cheeses/midnight-moon.html#.UtML1J5dW_g

It also makes an incredible omelet.

Shanghai

Ah - Shanghai.... if you ask me the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Shanghai, it's the hookers. Sure, there are prostitutes all over Asia, but the sheer volume and level of aggression in Shanghai was astounding.  Walking on the Bund or Nanjing Road with western features is an invitation for pimps and hookers to literally swarm you like paparazzi chasing a Kardashian.

Once you get past all that, it's pretty cool. Sure there's pollution, traffic, awful taxi drivers, you can't eat the chicken, and it's mainland China, so Google and Facebook are either non-existent or crippled, but there's so much history, culture and great food it's a hard place not to enjoy.

The skyline is one of the best and most beautiful in the world - and most of it didn't even exist 10 years ago.  Truly amazing.

There are so many cuisines represented so well, but I really enjoyed the Sichuan.  I ate at South Beauty a few times, on a great recommendation.  The one thing I was happy to learn, though, was that what Tony Hu is doing in Chicago at Lao Sze Chuan is really as good as the real thing!

Below are some pics from one night at South Beauty:

Yep - that's a turtle. The guy that ordered it didn't even try it... boo!  It tasted quite good, although there was much less meat than I expected.

I took the Maglev to the airport.  What a great ride.  That's the speed we were going... no joke.  It felt much safer than the taxis, and cost less too.

This is the Jing An temple.  The district that bears its name is mostly business, and it's where the Hilton is located, just a short walk from my client's offices.

Nan Xziang dumpling house - home of the most famous Xiao Long Bao in the world.  Honestly, not quite as good as Din Tai Fung (sorry) - but DTF does not offer the GIANT crab roe dumpling shown below.. complete with straw.  IT was quite amazing.

 

Outside Nan Xiang is the Le Garden.  It's quite beautiful and there is an area you can buy a ticket to take a tour as well.  Very cool, and lots of pearls/jade/art for shopping in this area.  Just remember to bargain.  The first price they give you is more than double what you should pay.

Some other recommendations in Shanghai:
Most of this stuff is on the Bund.  Opposite side of the river from the PuDong skyline shown above is the Bund, a relic of the years when the Westerners set up to trade with the Chinese.

Mr. and Mrs. Bund was quite god, but probably a little overrated.  Still, I'd say go as the prices are high for Shanghai, but not outrageous and the view from the outer deck is really great.  After eating here, I headed to Glamour Bar upstairs from M on the Bund.  Pretty good scene, although there were lots of hookers working, so need to be careful there.  I saw one guy get a drink thrown on him when he let a girl sit down and have drinks, then said he wasn't buying.  After that I hit the long bar at the Waldorf Astoria.  Live Jazz, solid cocktails and a generally nice room with good service.  Highly recommended.

Mercato (Italian) by Jean Gorges Vongerichten is an excellent value, serves food til late night. The night club in the 1st floor of that building (can't remember the name) was also quite a good time.

El Willy - an oasis of traditional Spanish tapas in Shanghai.  High end food and drink in a great atmosphere. Most of the servers are western and English is no problem here.

South Beauty - there are  many locations.  The one on Nanjing road is okay, but if you can, hit the flagship, it's much better.

If you're in the mood for Western food at a lower price point, in the Jing An district, there is a great Italian place called Bella Napoli.  Solid red-sauce Italian, mostly Western clientele, good service, and a nice patio, although outside seating is smoking allowed.

One place to stay away from... Amex Concierge recommended Shanghai Uncle, which happened to be in the Bund Center, adjacent to my hotel.  Did not like it at all.... I'd stay clear of that one.

Phuket

Phuket is a tropical paradise in Southwestern Thailand.  You won't find too many high end restaurants, but the local food is fresh and there is LOTS of fresh, wonderful seafood because there is lots of beautiful ocean (see pics).  The airport is quite small and easy to navigate.  Direct flights to and from Hong Kong took about 4 hours and were affordable, but the times were odd (very late at night).

The resorts are fairly spread out, so if you are going with a group you should coordinate to stay at the same place or in the same vicinity.  Prices are really not bad... 

In terms of things to do, we did elephant rides one day.  We were told the elephant sanctuary we used was not cruel to the animals... I hope that's true, but wish I had done some better research.  The Patong Beach area is classic Wild & Crazy Thailand with ping pong ball shows, other smut, and plenty of crime... but there are also some normal bars with karaoke, dancing, and live music, so with a group it's lots of fun.

There are a few other "activities" - you can tour some Wots, etc.  but the Island Boat tours are the way to go.  If money is no object, I'd do a private charter, just because you can spend more time on the open water, and you don't get herded to lots of different spots if you're really enjoying one of the less crowded ones where you are.

I stayed at Le Meridien.  Really loved the resort.  Got Platinum upgrade to a junior suite room with a full terrace, pool and ocean view.  Really wish I had thought to use Starwood's Your 24 benefit to cut out a day, as I checked in 4am Thursday night and checked out 4am Monday morning.  Could have made that 3 nights instead of 4. There's a shuttle to Patong, and it's about a $5 USD cab ride if you want to go immediately.  Teppan and Thai restaurants on the premises were both very good, and the drinks were fantastic.