One night during our recent trip to Las Vegas, we decided that we wanted a quiet, more low-key, less expensive meal than we’d been eating previous nights. Vic had a bright idea - let’s go to a Korean BBQ place.

Me, I wasn’t so thrilled with the idea. While never having had Korean BBQ, it just didn’t sound like anything I was interested in. But I played along.

We pressed a coworker into service and made him come along. Jim didn’t put up much resistance. We decided on Shilla Korean BBQ and Sushi Bar, and headed out.

The nice thing is that this is away from the hussle and bussle of the strip, as well as the casinos. The place wasn’t high decor, but who cares. It turns out that the food was good, and we all had a good time while eating it.

We started by ordering beers. We ordered one each; the waiter looked at us in dismay. She tried to explain that the beer was big - big enough to share one bottle for the entire table. We tried to explain that we were from Wisconsin - we don’t share beer. She didn’t believe us, but she gave in.

In all honesty, the beer was no big deal. It was a wimpy, slightly larger than normal bottle of beer. We drank it.

In my naive way, I hadn’t realized that Korean BBQ meant that you BBQ’d your meat at your table. I thought it meant bad, sweet BBQ sauce. I don’t like bad, sweet BBQ sauce. So I was pleasantly surprised. We ordered Shrimp, Beef, and something else that I can’t remember. I can’t remember it because the waitress forgot to bring it, and by the time we might have had an opportunity to remind her, we were too full to care.

The meal came with Kimchi, and other Korean side dishes. One of the most interesting ones was unidentified until I was hoodwinked into tasting it. Vic took some, passed it my way and said, “You’ve got to try this!” I am such a poor, trusting soul. I took a bite. Jim took a bite. I chewed on some salty, unidentified substance. Jim said, “hmmm, the texture is like jerky”. Vic snickered and announced that it was dried smelt in some sort of sauce. To prove it, he showed us the eyes of the fish.

Thanks, Vic.

But all in all, the food was good. Here’s a few pictures. And yes, we did finish our beer.

I’ve always been a fan of Bobby Flay in a detached sort of way. He comes across as a cocky New Yorker, but his food is typically zesty, yet oddly simple.

Years ago, while in Manhattan, I had eaten at the Mesa Grill. It was my first experience with a “celebrity chef” restaurant. I left impressed with the meal and the service.

Now, years later, I’ve dined at unique, exclusive restaurants around the world. I was interested to see whether my fond memories of the Mesa Grill would be reinforced at his newest location in Las Vegas.

And the answer to that burning question - a resounding NO.

Don’t get me wrong. The meal was fine. But I had allowed myself to anticipate more than fine. I will also admit to feeling a bit under the weather that evening, so that may have taken away a bit of the enjoyment as well.

We started with a couple appetizers that we shared. I chose the Cojita Crusted Quesadilla wth wild mushrooms, chiles, and a white bean white truffle hummus. It was actually the highlight of the meal, at least for me. But I’m a sucker for hummus in just about any form. We also sampled the Tiger Shrimp & Roasted Garlic Corn Tamale. It was ok, but actually a bit on the bland side.

For an entree I ordered the Coffee Spiced Rubbed Rotisserie Filet Mignon, served with a horseradish potato gratin. The Filet was served nearly cold, and the texture of the meat was mushy. I admit that I expected much better. On the other hand, the horesradish potato gratin was wonderful, and I’ll need to spend some time trying to recreate it.

Vic had ordered the Crispy Whole Fried Striped Bass with a five-pepper ginger sauce and coconut cashew rice. He was underwhelmed as well. While the presentation was very interesting, as seemed to be the theme of the evening, he also described his fish as “mushy”.

We finished the meal relatively unenthused, and couldn’t really work up an interest in dessert.

The next time we go to Las Vegas I suspect that this will be a restaurant that we skip. Though I admit I’d be interested in revisiting the Mesa Grill in Manhattan to see if it has maintained higher standards.

Roy’s Restaurant, Las Vegas

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Roy’s Restaurant, on Flamingo Rd., has become a dining tradition each year when we head to Vegas for an annual convention. A friend in Honolulu mentioned this chain to me, and when it was discovered that there was one in Vegas, which was really conveniently located to our hotel, we went. We’ve gone back each year. In fact, due to various reasons, we went twice this year.

Roy’s specialty is Hawaiian Fusion food, epitomized by the Hawaiian Martini. One rather disappointing change this year was the lack of marinaded pineapple in the Hawaiian Martinis. We did end up requesting and receiving one on our second trip this year, but still…

The food, however, is no disappointment. We started with appetizers. Vic ordered a combination of Sushi pieces. I had ordered the Prix Fixe menu, which came with a Fusion Sampler appetizer consisting of Shrimp on a Stick with Wasabi Cocktail Sauce, Wood Grilled Szechuan Spiced Baby Back Pork Ribs and a fried wonton of some sort.

Dinner followed. As usual, the menu was heavy on seafood, which was just fine. They do some great things with seafood there. Vic ordered the Blackened Island Ahi. I had chosen the Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi with Lobster Butter Sauce. Both dishes looked spectacular, and tasted even better.

My Prix Fixe menu came with a selection of dessert as well. Because I had ordered the really delicious Melting Hot Chocoloate Souffl

Heading out to Las Vegas tomorrow, for a full week. I know, I know. NO ONE in their right mind goes to Vegas for more than 3 days at a time. But this is different. This is business.

Ok, this is business and FOOD. Here are some of the plans:

• Lawry’s for a big honking slab of prime rib
• 808 at Caesar’s Palace for Hawaiian Fusion
• And just in case we didn’t get enough of the Hawaiin Fusion, we’re heading to Roy’s for Hawaiian Martinis. And dinner too, but after the Hawaiian Martinis dinner is probably secondary.
• Yolie’s Brazilian Steakhouse is also on the agenda.

And let’s not forget the blackjack!

Updates to come!

Back from a business trip to Atlanta. Business trips mean eating out for dinner, and we had one really good dinner, as well as one “trophy” meal while gone. The other dinner was a buffet which was rather non-distinct.

Dinner the first night out was at Bones Restaurant in Buckhead. Rated one of the top steakhouses in the US several years running, it was an enjoyable meal. The steaks were very flavorful, the service was good without being pretentious, and the prices weren’t totally outrageous, considering.

The next night was a quick Hawaiian Martini with appetizers at Roy’s before heading out for a group buffet dinner at The ESPNzone. I have to admit, for a buffet it wasn’t all that bad. Bit it was a buffet.

Then, as we headed for the airport, we bribed the driver to stop at The Varsity Drive-In so that one of us could indulge in adding another trophy to the hot dog joint tally.

But I’ll let “one of us” go into more detail about that.