Gastro Monkey // 美食家

After trying Joe's in Chicago for my birthday one year, I was hooked. Their stone crab, freshly flown in from Florida, is (for lack of a better word) incredibly fresh and sweet. It's perfect plain, or with some lemon. They also have their own aioli that goes with it, if you prefer. Service was impeccable, the vibe so classic and mellow - it's one of my favorite restaurants. If you can't make it to Chicago and you live on the West Coast, then Vegas is a great option! The best stone crab. Best. Key. Lime. Pie. I am forever grateful to the server at the Joe's in Chicago for giving me my first one for free after ordering a different pie that I can't even remember anymore. Perfectly crafted Old Fashioned. Lots of fancy goodies in front of us (Pappy, Whistle Pig) Located inside Caesar's Palace (Forum Shops) 3500 S Las Vegas Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89109 If you go later at night like we did, you won't need reservations. However, if you

I felt so out of the loop when it came to the In-n-out vs. Shake Shack conversation. I have been meaning to get back out to the East Coast; it just has been lower priority than making my annual trip to Taiwan. Luckily, Vegas has everything, including Shake Shack. So, I was finally able to give it a try.  We weren't hungry, so we shared one burger, fries, and a shake. As seen below, it is pricy! Even so, it was a great burger. I don't know that I would want to pay that much again, but it was good, nonetheless. The meat was grilled and had that nice little crispiness to the edge of the bun, too. The fries were better than In-N-Out. I don't know what the disagreement can be, because hands down, this is much  better than In-N-Out. Of course, if you're looking for it, it's on the Strip at New York, New York. Fitting. This Christmas Cookie Shake was good, but I was only able to get through a tiny bit before I had to give up or die of diabetes. A

I'm going to make this one short and sweet. If you like cheap burgers that make a great snack, then White Castle is for you. Each slider is tiny and cheap, but for fast food, tastes really good! It's an East Coast thing, and if you didn't want to try it after watching Harold and Kumar , then I just don't know. I had my first one in the suburbs outside of Chicago and I have been addicted ever since. Located on the strip inside the Best Western, it's a great place to go for a quick snack. Or to handle your drunchies. I am a fan of the jalapeno cheeseburgers Address: 3411 S Las Vegas Blvd,  Las Vegas NV 89109

I don't remember exactly how I ended up choosing Le Cirque as one of the restaurants we went to. It had to be a combination of last minute planning, and which restaurants I could find reservations available. Le Cirque drew me in though, with the colorful canopy, and fountain side view. While we had dinner there, and thus no view other than each other, it was a great dinner. When service, food, decor, and company converge positively, it's always a great time. Started off with half a bottle of Pinot. It was the last bottle! Can I get a set of these for home, please? Amuse Bouche - the eggshell was sliced clean. The inside had a "yolk" inside and was filled with a light, yuzu tasting foam. Lobster and avocado salad - haricots verts, with black truffle vinaigrette. This is one of the best salads I have had the pleasure of trying. I am also a fan of the salads at La Folie . Gold crusted quail with farci au foie gras, and yukon po

Since today is Tuesday, I thought it would be fitting to post about one of the best tacos I have had the pleasure of devouring. People have told me that if I ever am in San Diego, I need to eat at Tacos El Gordo. So, while I haven't been able to make it to San Diego in a while, I did notice that there are now three locations in Las Vegas.  Would it be as good as the San Diego locations? I guess without having been, I would know. At least this way, when I finally try the ones in San Diego, I'll have a baseline for the taste! Luckily, it wasn't too hot of a day so we walked the long Vegas blocks down from the Bellagio. Good thing we did, because they make things the right way... with LARD! P.S. Be prepared for a wait as the food is good, and it's cheap! We thought we ordered too much, but we easily demolished the lengua and al pastor tacos. Might I add - those lengua tacos, man. Those lengua tacos. I don't even want fries anymore, just these lengua fr

Traditional Edomae style sushi with the freshest ingredients? Competitive pricing  that compared to San Francisco counts as cheap (Nigiri Omakase - $45, Yoroi Omakase - $80, and Kabuto Omakase - $120)? Where do I sign up?  Last November, I tried unsuccessfully to make reservations at Kabuto. As soon as I had this Vegas trip planned, I set an alarm to make a reservation and had that taken care of. That said, if you are interested in dining here, be sure to make reservations. To make reservations at Kabuto, you'll have to call their single line - 702-676-1044. The line was constantly busy when I tried calling, and there is no online reservation system, and they are not a part of Open Table. Make sure to call between 3:00-5:00pm, as that's the time they are open to reservations. There are only two seatings per night (6:00 and 8:30pm).  If you like rolls swimming in sauce, ordering ramen, yakitori, and tempura with your sushi, you have come to the wrong place. Kabuto is a res