Las Vegas - RM Seafood

RM Seafood, in the Mandalay Bay Casino, serves fresh seafood in a desert city. As if the concept isn't challenging enough,  chef/owner Rick Moonen also aims to educate the masses to his "State of the Art Sustainable Seafood" through his exceptional offerings. The experience was both refreshing and joyful that comes with a high price tag to be expected from the reputation of a Top Chef Masters finalist.


As one of the 587 Travelzoo subscribers who purchased the $168 worth of an exclusive four-course dinner for two at RM Downstairs at half price, we were led to believe we had the best deal of the evening. The service was decent as the champagne and corn bread were served promptly. The deconstructed shrimp cocktail, an appetizing starter, was small but packed with good flavors.


For the second course, Rick's White Clam Chowder with potatoes, littlenecks and fresh dill was rich and addicting with right amount of seasoning.  The BLT iceberg salad with blue cheese and buttermilk ranch dressing, while pleasing to the eyes with its bright color combination, was somewhat over powering in its dressing. 

Wanting to better grasp the "Sustainable Seafood", we opted for the two seafood entrees. RM-style halibut cioppino, is served on a huge round plate, with calamarata pasta, mussels, clams, king crab and shrimp. The tomato based sauce is packed with deep non-fishy seafood accents. Its sharable portion was a plus.  The Arctic char was cooked to perfection with the skin side seared golden crisp, paired with Brussels sprouts, horseradish and smoked bacon superbly.



The last course, Rick's Ice Cream Tasting Game, a shared plate that features 16 flavors looked extraordinary. Although we scored 5 out of the 16 of flavors, ranging from the most obvious ones like chocolate and the uncommon ones like blue cheese, it was a fun surprise in every bite.

In a town where anything could happen, like delivering fresh seafood hundreds of miles away from the ocean, with a premium price tag, RM Seafood can turn your evening into something special.

RM Seafood
www.rmseafood.com | 3930 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas, NV 89119 | (702) 632-9300

Beverly Hills - Simon LA

Simon LA by celebrity chef Kerry Simon, complementing and residing inside of the classy hotel The Sofitel LA, often gets questioned for whether or not it lives up to Simon's star status. The interior view is dim, airy and inviting. Outside seating is weather proof and heater friendly.

We were greeted and attended a few times by the dinner crew before the adventure could begin. Drinks and breads were served quickly as if we were the only guests. The assorted breads were mostly dry and less interesting.

Roasted tomato soup /10 and the colossal crab cake /16 were the starter recommendation of our attendant. The soup, paired with the little grilled cheese sandwich, tasted like a post hangover revival breakfast bite. The crab cake with the young papaya slaw was reminiscent of a Thai papaya salad. Both dishes were clean and cooked to perfection. Easily recommendable.

Tomahawk bone-in steak 32oz /75, one of the daily specials, was grilled perfectly to medium rare. The cuts were juicy and flavorful that worked just fine with either the red wine reduction or the béarnaise sauce. Roasted root vegetables and black rice with farro and spinach, the included two sides, tasted a bit like thanksgiving leftover stuffings. At $9 each per side, it could have been so much more.


Although there might be some uncertainty whether Simon LA is worthy of its stardom, as the friendly host wrapping up the souvenir tomahawk, it proved a good night of pleasant service and decent food.


Simon LA
www.simonlarestaurant.com | 8555 Beverly Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90048 | (310) 278-5444

Glendale - Palate Food + Wine

Although living in LA and dining out in Glendale is like fishing in a river, Palate has been on my wish list for some time.

We were led to the inner wine bar, a more friendly and lively space with some good selection of bottles, cheeses & books. The wine list was given quickly upon sitting. At the tasting bar, Chef/Principal Octavio Becerra and other executives were personable to everyone. I must admit: this place made me wish I was a drinker.
Below, a bottle of sparking water - 6, Crispini and the white bean soup made of swiss chard, kabocha squash and pumpkin seed oil - 7. The crispy Crispini was brushed with extra virgin oil and seasoned well. The soup unfortunately predominately tasted just beans with very little trace of kabocha and other essence.

braised short ribs / farro / melissa grapes / cavolo nero / cipollini onions / dijon 16 : a heavenly bite for me consists of small chunks of everything in the plate. The melting-in-the-mouth rib paired with the mildly sweet grape and onions will keep you forking nonstop to an empty plate. It’s not a plate for sharing.

branzino / broccoli 2-ways / bagna cauda / pine nuts / breadcrumbs 14 (above) : the fish was seasoned and cooked perfectly. fresh tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Below, chocolate pudding / crème fraîche / fleur de sel - 6 : The sea salt brought out some good sweetness of the treat. It’s indeed a good rich satisfying finish.

Palate has the right ingredients, people, attitude, cooking and drinks. Right after the dessert, I was ready to make a reservation for dinner. It’s a place new comers become regulars.

Palate Food & Wine
933 S Brand Blvd Glendale, CA 91204 - (818) 662-9463
www.palatefoodwine.com | menu

Los Angeles - The Lazy Ox Canteen

The Lazy Ox Canteen has been one of the longest queue in my MustTryList in LA.
Knowing Yelp’s offering passport to Little Tokyo this week, with 20% off, I was pushed over the edge with an open arms.

The host and waitress were very efficient and friendly. The place was packed at 7pm and full of energy.

Above right, toasted Peruvian corn seasoned with lime & salt. I love crunchy snacks as a starter.
On the left, as one of the Chalkboard Specials, creamy farro with sun-dried tomato & bone marrow butter was the first dish out in no time. It’s very rich and flavorful.

Soon followed by the second dish, dashi marinated yellowtail with avocado, hash brown & tonburi - 15. I piled all the ingredients like a layered wedding cake with the hash brown as the base. The crispy hash marries the soft avocado and fresh hamachi happily ever after.

Buttermilk fried 1/2 quail with smoked sesame, wilted greens & chive dressing - 14, above. The bird was tender and paired well with the sauce. The batter could be a bit more crispier to my likings.


Lastly, the braised beef paleron with cream of wheat, kumquats & red wine - 25. The paleron was super tender and a bit on the sweet side with chopped beets and kumquats in red wine reduction. This sure was the highlight of the evening.
It’s a place worth coming back and next time I will sure to bring a few more company to really explore the Chalkboard Specials.
The Lazy Ox Canteen
Menu: http://www.lazyoxcanteen.com/menus.html

http://www.lazyoxcanteen.com | 241 South San Pedro Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 | 213-626-5299

Sunday Dinner @Eva Restaurant

 Eva Restaurant
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Sunday Fixed Dinner (Food & Endless Wine)

House Salad / Fried Chicken Breast with Tomato Sauce and Cream Spinach.

 Egg Noodle /Braised Veal Rib in Red Wine Reduction

Cheese Cake Topped with Apricot Jam