May 2016 - The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

FO

R

W

M

OR

W

EP

HO

W .LV

TO

FN

Issue 5 Volume 16

US $3.95

A Supermodel Gets Into The Bubbly Business

S

BP

&

ST

OR

RO

.C

IES

OM

VI

SI

T

May 2016

CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER

7

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN THE MAY 2016 ISSUE OF THE LAS VEGAS FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL, where I would be amiss if I didn’t bring up the Industry events we just finished in April. UNLVino held its 42nd annual UNLVino Grand Tasting hosted at Paris Las Vegas and was bigger and better than ever along with UNLVino’s Bubble-Licious at The Venetian, and my favorite, UNLVino’s Sake Fever at the Red Rock Pool. Then WSWA (Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America) held its annual Conference & Trade Show at Caesars Palace, this year presenting their Lifetime Leadership Award to Southern Wine & Spirits’ Larry Ruvo. And to finish the month, Bon Appétit Magazine held its Vegas Uncork’d events in various locations with the Grand Tasting coming together at Caesers Pools!

Cover

THE MAY ISSUE FRONT COVER FEATURES CHRISTIE BRINKLEY WITH HER NEW BRAND OF PROSECCO—BELLISSIMA—ON OUR EXCLUSIVE COVER AND STORY…Christie is not only the company spokesperson, but also of this unique Prosecco from Italy. Check it out on page 16!

Cover and feature photography by Myrna Suárez of Twin B Photography. Myrna, hailing from Miami and NYC, has been practicing the art of photography since 1995. She has travelled extensively with Christie during her Bellissima launch tour, drinking as much Prosecco as possible. You can see more of Myrna’s photographs at www.myrnasuarez.com.

7

13

PAGE 7 BRINGS YOU OUR LONGTIME JOURNALIST, CHEF, EDUCATOR AND WINE SPECIALIST LES KINCAID, who is now in his 14th year of Wines Du Jour where most every Thursday evening from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. PST Les broadcasts live from various venues in Las Vegas to LA and San Diego and even down to Baja California. He chooses the restaurants and chefs carefully and then lets the chef pair bites to serve with three different wines. I’ve attended several shows in the past and found them very interesting and educational, but you’ll need to reserve a seat, as they sell out quickly with his devoted following of foodies.

CHEERS! MIKE FRYER

Page 4

Page 13

Page 24

Hot Off the Grill!

Wine Talk

Human Resources Insights

UNLVino 2016 Recap:

Dealing with a Valued but

The Grand Tasting

Under-productive Employee

of the Craft

Page 14

Page 25

“Tom Tom” Kozlowski

Jessica Mylius

The Bottom Line

Page 5 For the Love

Up Your Cash Potential by Page 6 What’s Brewing Page 7 Wines Du Jour with Les Kincaid Page 8 Chef Talk The Fig Page 9 West Eats East

16 www.lvfnbpro.com

Page 16 COVER FEATURE A Supermodel Gets Into The Bubbly Business Page 18 What’s Cooking Page 20 Product Spotlight

Maximizing Floor Space Page 26 Vancouver and Bellingham Washington Wineries Page 27 Our Picks Vintage Vegas Page 28 Megan Mack’s

White Soy Sauce - Free Sample

Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips

Page 10

Page 22

Page 29

Food for Thought

UNLV Epicurean Society

Product Review

Latenight Excursions

Perfect Grilled Cheese Lunch Page 23

Page 30

Page 12

WSWA - Wine & Spirits

Events

Brett’s Vegas View

Wholesalers of America

Ad Index

May 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139 www.lvfnbpro.com

HOT OFF THE GRILL!

May 2016 Mike Fryer

Sr. Editor/Publisher

The real star at the recent UNLVino Sake Fever was the 200+ pound yellowfin tuna that the team from Japanese Sushi House ‘Naked Fish’ did the honors of slicing into bite size sashimi for the guests. Always a great crowd pleaser, Naked Fish started this tradition of presenting the entire tuna to Sake Fever and demonstrating the method of slicing the fish Japanese style about 8 years ago when the price of a tuna this size was less than $1,000 and now it’s well over $2,000. This specific tuna was caught off the coast of Thailand in the Pacific Ocean.

Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

For any questions or comments please email mike@lvfnb.com

Juanita Fryer

Assistant To Sr. Editor ACF Chefs Liasion/Journalist juanita.fryer@lvfnb.com

Juanita Aiello

Bob Barnes

Editorial Director bob@lvfnb.com

At UNLVino’s Grand Tasting, We had a chance to see old friends and associates who contribute their time and products to this great event that draws 1000’s of guests to wine and dine for one evening. Now in its 42nd year, UNLVino is the longest running charitable wine tasting event in the United States, and for those many years has been an event that hospitality students have come to rely on for additional financial support.

Elaine & Scott Harris Editors at Large harris@lvfnb.com

WSWA-Wines & Spirits Wholesalers Association of America held its 73rd Annual Convention & Exposition once again hosted at Caesers Palace Convention Center and was as exciting as ever with new products.

We were especially excited when visiting the Enovation Brands Suite where we found a Professional Italian Cheese Maker brought in just for this show and preparing cheese for guests’ pleasure. Additionally, Enovation Brands, who have offices in Italy as well, brought their Italian cobbler in to fit special guests for shoes to be made to order! We will be bringing you more on this unique group in the upcoming months.

Adam Rains

Creative Director juanita@lvfnb.com

Beverage Editor adam.rains@lvfnb.com

Advertising sales@lvfnb.com

Article Submissions/Suggestions articles@lvfnb.com

Calendar Submissions calendar@lvfnb.com

Website webmaster@lvfnb.com

Press Relase Submissions news@lvfnb.com

General Information info@lvfnb.com

@lvfnb

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Journalist Aimee McAffee

Journalist & Photographer Joe Fogarty

Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett

Journalist Shelley Stepanek

Journalist Food for Thought Les Kincaid

Journalist UNLV Epicurean Society Matthew Cairo

Journalist Mitchell Wilburn

Photographer Justin McAffee

Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo

Journalist East Eats West K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

Photographer Audrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch

Journalist Al Mancini

Journalist Heidi Rains

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

Journalist Green Restaurant Association Michael Oshman

Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift

Journalist Latenight Megan Nicolson

Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown

Photographer Bill Bokelmann

Photographer Joe Urcioli

SoCal Journalist Margie Mancino

Photographer Rose Powell-Carver

4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

www.lvfnbpro.com

For the Love of the Craft “Tom Tom” Kozlowski When Tom Tom Comes to Town…

By Adam Rains Adam has a true passion for food, wine, beer & spirits. He is a barman at CarneVino, a brand ambassador for Brooklyn Brewery and a long-time cocktailian. Adam strives to learn every day and during his career he’s studied at SDSU, USBG, BarSmarts, International Sommeliers Guild and the Certified Cicerone Program. His mantra with both food & cocktails is, “fresh is best.”

You have worked for two different celebrity chefs and did a long stint at Caesars Palace.

What are some of your formative moments in your career?

I think of when I was bar-backing at Caesars, at Nero’s Steakhouse, with two bartenders, Jose Galvez and David Barragan. Just repeat guests all the time coming to see all three of us. I really learned how just that side of people coming back to see you, when they come to Vegas they want to feel home again. Really cool. Before I knew that Manhattans are always stirred and what a dry martini was, I was shown how to treat a guest. Make them feel at home, and make them want to come back. And that’s always stuck with me.

How did you enjoy being a part of the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill’s bar team?

I’ll just say that Gordon Ramsey Pub at one time, and I’m not even including myself in this group, had the best team, had the absolute best bar team in the city bar none. Everyone’s pretty much gone in different paths from Raul Faria, Adam O’Donnel, Jose Salinas to Adam Rains, and have gone on to do awesome things. No doubt the best bar team I’ve ever worked with www.lvfnbpro.com

photo by Adam Rains

Finding a way to connect with people is the secret of bartending (and life for that matter); that is what Tom Kozlowksi does best. Whether it’s with a joke or a drink, Tom Tom finds a way to make people love him. Taking a cue from the silliness of a flair bar and combining it with the drink skills of a mixology bar, Tom Tom performs his craft with a multitude of jokes, inside and out, and a passion for making people happy. A former bar-mate of Tom Tom once said, “The man is really good at reading people and serving them what they didn’t know that they wanted, all the while making them laugh their pants off!” To whatever bar team that is lucky enough to have him, he is like a wrecking ball of good times with legit bar skills. He is a student of the art of cocktails but his storytelling expertise, self deprecating sense of humor and pure hospitality is what truly delights his guests.

As part of my research, I posed a question to a few of his former coworkers about his legacy and how to best describe the man. Many words came to affectionate fruition: “a true tippler,” “passionate,” “fearless,” “bald,” “magnanimous,” along with some that I can’t mention. Tom Tom and I sat down on a sunny Sunday morning talking shop, discussing hash browns, hash tags and the art of the craft. and I’ve ever learned from. While it’s not the same anymore, there are a few of the staples still there: Keith Garcia, Mr. Gene Samuels, Ramon Ordoñez and Rocco Garcia. Man, looking back at those glory days. Oh the glory days…

Behind the bar, what is your main focus?

I think the reason I focus on hospitality so much is because positive feedback is an addiction.

When someone comes back to see you or tells you you made their night or recommends a friend, you get hooked. And the idea that you’re a conducting factor to their good time is infectious. You want to do that again and again and again.

What do you love most about the bar game?

What I love about bartending is the range of positive emotions you get to experience. The rush of adrenaline on a busy night. The laughs you share as you tell and listen to stories. All the jokes and shenanigans that go on behind the bar with your teammates. Work becomes fun, and then it really isn’t work anymore.

Who are some people in the industry that you look up to?

Without listing all of the obvious Vegas bartending legends, one guy who is called “Flippy” Tim Morris. He works day shift at Carnival Court and there are just so many repeat guests that come see this guy. He’s a phenomenal flair bartender but he makes you laugh so much and you just have such a good time at his bar. It’s not crazy party really, it’s during the day. You just sit there and you just have a good time with Flippy. He doesn’t have to flip anything. It’s not about that, you’re just laughing, you crack up. Totally different arena, but Dave Cooper is also the guy that everyone knows. You sit at his bar and you just think, “man, the guy’s just got it.” He just makes you feel great; he’s a warm personality.

You are currently the lead bartender at Hexx at the Paris. What can you tell me about it?

Hexx is open 24/7. They do a happy hour every day from 2 to 6, but the idea is to eventually do a reverse happy hour to bring some people in. Then down the road within the next couple of months to bring back the speakeasy competitions there and put the winners’ cocktails on the menu. I will be putting on more crafty cocktails and a small bites menu.

May 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5

what’s

BREWING

By Bob Barnes Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com.

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

Photo courtesy Kirvin Doak Communications

Without a doubt beerfest season is in full bloom, with a major beer event taking place every week or two during the month of May. Lee’s Beer & Tequila Experience has always been held at the location that seems to change its name every year or two (including Las Vegas Hilton, LVH and Westgate Las Vegas), but is now moving to a new locale, the Sunset Station Hotel & Casino in Henderson. The 10th annual event will be held May 7 from 4-8 p.m. with more than 300 beers and 70 tequilas. Tickets are available at any of the 17 Lee’s Discount Liquor locations throughout Southern Nevada.

Beginning at 3 p.m. on May 14 Aces and Ales will hold its 7th Annual Stone Domination, during which all 50 taps at the Tenaya location will be devoted to Stone Brewing, with CEO and Co-founder Greg Koch and Stone Lead Brewer Jeremy Moynier popping in to rub elbows with anyone who feels worthy. The night before, on May 13, the Domination will be prefaced by a five-course Beers, Bourbons, & BBQ dinner paired and hosted by Stone Brewing’s Dr. Bill Sysak and Aces & Ales Chef Raul Silva.

Also on May 14, Banger Brewing and the Nevada Craft Brewers Association (NCBA) will host the 2nd annual Locals Only Beer Festival from 2-6 p.m. in the center court of Neonopolis at the Fremont Street Experience. All of the Southern Nevada breweries will be pouring, along with a handful of Northern Nevada breweries and the SNAFU homebrew club. There will be live music, a DJ, food vendors, a dunk tank with representatives from the local breweries and a best homebrew contest, with the winner receiving a plaque and the opportunity to brew their winning beer at Banger Brewing.

Tickets are available at localsonlybeerfest.com and proceeds benefit the NCBA. The 7th Annual Brews & Blues Festival on May 28 at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve from 4-8 p.m. will have an array of local, regional, national and international beers and The 44’s, Shanda and The Howlers and The Lucky Cheats blues bands performing throughout the festivities. Tickets can be purchased at the Springs Preserve or at vegasbrewsandblues.com.

Beer festivals occur in Southern Nevada more frequently than rainy days do, so it was a testament to the Motley Brews Great Vegas Festival of Beer that they raked in a record breaking sold out capacity crowd of 6,000 on a day with nonstop rain and a day that also set a record for rainfall on April 9. The turnout is evidence of how Las Vegas has turned the corner in embracing craft beer, as local beer fans and also a large amount of tourists were savvy enough to attend the largest beerfest in Nevada in terms of amount of beer selection, which at this fest totaled more than 400 from 110 different breweries.

6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

Photos by John Rockwell

Beerfest Season Is Abloom

Lovelady Brewing Company Now Open Last issue I reported that Lovelady Brewing Company would be open by April 1 and I wasn’t fooling. The built-from-scratch 5,975-square-foot nongaming/non-smoking tasting room has an old timey vibe, with retro leather chairs, beetle-damaged Ponderosa Pine repurposed for the long bar and tables, an industrial ceiling and wood placards displaying the beers on tap that originally came from the Dunes and later the Debbie Reynolds Casino.

For entertainment there is shuffleboard, foosball (on an antique table) and corn hole (on the outdoor patio) and although it’s not a sports bar, the room is equipped with two TVs. While the brewery doesn’t serve food, the building is designed with a dedicated food truck slot out back and several nearby restaurants will deliver within 15 minutes of placing your order.

As for the beer, Richard Lovelady, who spent 19 years as the head brewer for Gordon Biersch, is showing his prowess as an award-winning brewer and is making both traditional and experimental beers. I was happy to find two outstanding sour beers: 9th Island, a caramelized pineapple sour; and Sour Puss, a kettle sour ale. Other initial offerings are a Belgian Triple, Double IPA, Hopped Lager, Coffee Porter and a Red Ale. For those wanting to take some beer home, there’s a crowler that will can a 32 oz pour.

The family-owned brewery is the first brewery to open in historic Old/ Downtown Henderson, the city in which the Lovelady family has roots dating back to the 1950s. Lovelady Brewing Company is open daily at noon, closing Mon.-Wed. at 10 p.m., Thur.-Sat. at 11 p.m. and Sun. at 8 p.m.

Lovelady Brewing Company 20 S Water St. Henderson, NV 89015 702-857-8469 loveladybrewing.com

As always, great beer happens in Vegas! www.lvfnbpro.com

Wines Du Jour with Les Kincaid Les Kincaid has made it his life’s passion promoting Las Vegas and its food and wine industry for the last 25+ years, offering food and wine appreciation classes that he teaches through UNLV Continuing Education Division of Educational Outreach and his nationally/ internationally syndicated Wines Du Jour wine and food pairing radio show. Wines Du Jour is America’s FIRST wine show to have an invited guest audience that actually tastes three wines and pairs food on-air during each broadcast.

Wines Du Jour was created in September 2001 to form an environment where people who love wine and food can share their experiences, knowledge and passion on all aspects related to the noble grape. There is a not a snobbish attitude when you listen to Les Kincaid discuss wines from anywhere around the world, as he is always offering information you want to and likely should know. The list of provocative topics goes on and on. If you love good food and great wines, you’ll love this weekly program.

Over the last 14 years Wines Du Jour has broadcast from many outstanding restaurant venues including Daniel Boulud’s db Brasserie, Smith & Wollensky, and Estiatorio Milos in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Wines Du Jour has also taken the show on the road to exciting destinations like Hotel Coral & Marina and Rosarito Beach Hotel in Baja California, Mexico; Four Seasons Resort Maui; and Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego.

Invited guests can expect to enjoy delicious food and wine pairings each week. Past pairings have included Grilled Salmon Beurre Blanc with Moet & Chandon “Rose Imperial” Champagne, Rigatoni with Braised Oxtail with Hawk and Horse Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon and Apicus Spiced Duck Breast with Simi Winery Sonoma County Pinot Noir.

You too can be a part of this exciting opportunity! Join Les Kincaid and listen every Thursday evening “LIVE” from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on CRN Digital Talk Radio or on the www.leskincaid. com website. Guests of Wines Du Jour can be invited to attend the show by simply sending an email to les@leskincaid.com to join the mailing list. The event cost each week is just $25 per person (special events additional). If you are a restaurant or winery and would like to find out how to participate, send an email to kincaidtammy@msn.com for more information. Les always shares stimulating, provocative information and great interviews with interesting, intelligent, knowledgeable guests all within the food and wine industry. Whether they are vintners, winery owners, sommeliers, Master Sommeliers, chefs or restaurateurs they can all talk about wine with authority.

On September 8, 2016 Les will celebrate 15 years of providing good information in the food and wine industry, bringing winemakers, sommeliers, and restaurateurs to share their knowledge each week to our listeners. Join us, won’t you?

Listen every Thursday evening “LIVE” from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on CRN Digital Talk Radio or on the www.leskincaid.com website. www.lvfnbpro.com

May 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7

By Chef Allen Asch

Chef Talk The Fig

Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu Chef Allen Asch M. Ed., CCE is a culinary arts instructor that has earned degrees from Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University and Northern Arizona University. He is currently teaching at UNLV. He earned his Certified Culinary Educator Endorsement from the American Culinary Federation in 2003.

Although dried figs can be purchased year round this is the time of year that the California figs start showing up on the tree and at the markets.

The California fig is available from June through September while some European varieties stay available until the end of autumn. Last year my fig tree was a little too young to produce many figs so I am looking forward to a successful harvest this year.

One of my favorite treats growing up was the Fig Newton. I am looking forward to eating the fresh sweet smooth flesh of the fig with the contrast in the crunchy seeds. Figs grow on a Ficus-like tree, a member of the Mulberry family. These trees can grow 40-50 feet tall, although most plants are about 10 feet tall (mine is 2 and a half feet). Figs come in a variety of colors based on the specific variety that you are eating or growing. There are more than 150 varieties with the most popular ones being:

Mediterranean through the sixteenth century. The Spaniard conquerors brought the fruit to the Western Hemisphere in the early sixteenth century and brought them to California during missionary work in the late 1800s.

• Black Mission: blackish-purple skin and pink colored flesh

Under-ripe figs should be stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight to give them time to finish ripening, but once they are ripe they should be stored in the refrigerator where they will stay for about two days. Ripe figs are very delicate so care should be taken when storing them. Figs should be stored in a covered container so that they do not dry out and to protect them from being crushed or bruised and to help keep out odors from other foods. Dried figs will stay fresh for several months and can either be kept in a cool, dark place or stored in the refrigerator.

• Kadota: green skin and purplish flesh • Calimyrna: greenish-yellow skin and amber flesh • Brown Turkey: purple skin and red flesh • Adriatic: the variety most often used to make fig bars, which has a light green skin and pink-tan flesh Besides having a sweet taste figs are also good for you. They have a lot of dietary fiber and they are very high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure. Although it is not common in the United States, fig leaves are commonly cooked and eaten around the world. The leaves contain an anti-diabetic property that produces insulin, lowering the need for insulin injections in people suffering from this malady. Very ripe figs also contain large amounts of antioxidants. People with kidney or gall bladder problems might want to limit fig consumption due to a concentration of oxalates that can become crystalized creating health concerns for sufferers. There are only 37 calories in 8 ounces of figs.

Cultivation of figs is generally thought to have been done for a very long time, having been mentioned in the Bible. The cultivation is generally thought to have started in Egypt and to have travelled around the 8 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

Since figs are very perishable they should not be purchased more than 2 days ahead of usage. They should have firm stems and be free of bruises.

Smelling figs can also help you learn about their freshness and their taste.

They should have a mildly sweet fragrance and should not smell sour, which is an indication that they may be spoiled.

Figs should be washed before use and they need to have the stem removed.

They can be eaten raw or they can be grilled or poached. Dried figs can be soaked in hot water to help rehydrate them. Since the outside of the fig can be eaten there is no need to peel them, just gently wash them.

Figs pair very well with dairy, including basic forms like cream cheese and rich ones like Mascarpone cheese. Figs also pair very well with tree nuts so they can be served with walnuts or almonds. Another tasty pairing is to match figs to cured meats such as prosciutto and salami. Figs can also be added to a pizza with caramelized onions and blue cheese. And of course figs match up nicely with salad greens, maybe with a honey flavored dressing.

Figs also work well in desserts, chocolate covered figs or fig tarts, and this could be served with a fig infused vodka or port wine. www.lvfnbpro.com

West Eats East White Soy Sauce Free Sample

White soy sauce— now you know there is such a thing. It is not milky white but a pale colored, transparent soy sauce, called white soy sauce like white wine. It is brewed mostly with wheat and much less or no soybeans with sea salt and water. FYI, soybeans are the major ingredient of white soy sauce. It is a latecomer to our market drawing a good attention among creative chefs but is still in a mystical veil behind the dominant black soy sauce. It is occasionally misrecognized by Japanese food people in particular as Usukuchi soy sauce which is made by diluting black soy sauce with water and salt, or Sirodashi (white stock source) by blending black soy sauce, water, salt and Japanese flavor stocks. These have respective objectives in cooking, different from white soy sauce.

White soy sauce might have been born when soybean crops failed and wheat became the major raw material available, I assume. But it was a genius outcome with subtle, mild, pleasant flavor and unique function of not-darkening in seasoning or cooking. The dark/black soy sauce industry or people discriminately do not want to recognize that it is a variety of soy sauce because of its color, taste and function. It seemed it was being manufactured probably all over the country but remained only in the food culture area of central Japan near Nagoya where Toyota started doing business. Generally speaking the Japanese food culture is divided into the east (Tokyo and north) and the west (Osaka-Kyoto and west-south), showing different preferences of taste and eating. Interestingly enough, white soy sauce stayed in the boundary area between the east and the west where sea salt is available from the nearby beaches. Currently white soy sauce manufacturers concentrate in this area, while additional manufacturers have popped out wherever traditional local soy sauce brewers sense profit. Strangely enough, there is not much interest in this unique condiment among major J-trading companies or J-restaurants.

Many Japanese food people must be brainwashed with black soy sauce, I often joke. Some specialty or deli businesses in the mainstream, on the other hand, do import and sell to retail stores, restaurants or through mail orders.

Their sales are just limited only to their networks. For recruiting potential

TRADITIONAL YET NEW Perfect Soy Sauce Flavor without the Color!

A golden color white soy sauce No burnt dark soy sauce flavor No darkening color in cooking Remarkable for sea foods, veggies, pasta, fusion and natural foods

www.whitesoysaucefood.com www.lvfnbpro.com

By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D. Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technologybusiness consultant. He earned a Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University, is involved in teaching, research and business in major-beer, micro-beer, soft drinks, sake, sea salt, rice, white soy sauce and other areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles.

“Ask Doctor Sake” was his last series in this journal.

clienteles in other regions, one of them, White Tamari or White Golden Tamari which is a non-GMO, no-MSG added and all natural process manufactured by a major white soy sauce manufacturer, has been promoting at dozens of food expos and tradeshows. Executive chefs at one of the Hard Rock Cafés and also Disney restaurants have started to use then. It is currently used by chefs in Hawaii, Florida, Arizona, Seattle, NY and Chicago on a regular or occasional basis. It must be a next generation liquid condiment to diversify our taste and a great way of presentation in natural appearance, not only of the Oriental, but also fusing natural and harmonized cuisines. I dare to say that J-cuisine could be completed both by black and white soy sauce and in a sense, the future of J-cuisine relies on white soy sauce here. Also beyond J-cuisines, white soy sauce can find a place in Chinese, Asian, Mediterranean, fusion, seafood, vegetarian, natural and global cuisines. I am very much fascinated with white soy sauce in seasoning, cooking, formulating of salad dressings and sauces.

Its functions or uses: 1. Bring subtle, mild, pleasant, not over-powering soy sauce flavor.

2. Enhance flavors of other ingredients, and infuse them for balancing.

Try with wasabi for eating sushi. May need to dilute a little.

3. No darkening color in seasoning or cooking, which is an astonishing function.

4. Super-congeniality with natural ingredients like olive oil, white wine, seafood, fruits, vegetables and other natural materials. Good for making salad dressings and sources.

5. Non-GMO ingredients used.

6. No MSG added. Some compounded or brewed black soy sauces contains MSG. 7. No preservatives added. Some soy sauces contain benzoates as preservatives.

8. Excellent for presentation in natural color and style.

9. Reduce unpleasant meat or fish odor by soaking in white soy sauce solution (1:1 in water).

10. Could be sprayed over finished dishes for enhancing flavors and also for minimizing salty taste and intake.

11. Could be transformed in gelatin or agar-agar solid, natural-looking, condiment forms.

12. Could be formed in Kuzu or corn starch semi-solid forms with gravy consistency.

13. Used for quick light-pickling vegetables in a plastic bag.

“Tasting is believing” also with white soy sauce.

E-mail mike@masuyamaglobalconnect.com to learn more about this authentic white soy sauce, White Tamari, info on cooking and comparison with black soy sauce, along with a sample bottle (10 oz) which will be sent to you for a trial. Create your own recipes by this secret flavoring agent!

May 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 9

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Perfect Grilled Cheese Lunch Actually you know before you even bite into a grilled cheese sandwich whether it’s going to be what you crave or not. Let’s look at a perfect one, where cheese slowly oozes from the edges of the grilled bread. The bread’s face is an even golden-brown that’s suffused with sweet butter.

Pick it up, and you can feel the butter in the bread (but it doesn’t leave your fingers greasy—at least, not too greasy), while the crust is crisp yet flexes ever-so-slightly, revealing a layer of tender crumb underneath.

By Les Kincaid Les Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf expert and cookbook author. He hosts the nationally syndicated wine radio show Wines Du Jour each Thursday from 7 to 8 pm. You can enjoy his website or his broadcast at www.leskincaid.com les@leskincaid.com www.facebook.com/leskincaid www.twitter.com/leskincaid

Consider doing something much more interesting than a straight cheese sandwich. I have concocted a spinoff of the boring regular one. This is a winner…..try it!

Grilled Cheese with Avocado Mozzarella & Jalapeño Chimichurri

cheese and bread must be involved, as well as some form of heat. But

Chimichurri Sauce 2 jalapeños (to remove heat remove seeds)

does an open-faced Reuben count? Or how about a Mexican pambazo,

4 green onions

dipped in sauce and griddled, with a million other ingredients?

1/2 cup cilantro

Exactly what is and what isn’t a grilled cheese, anyway? Obviously,

• For perfection a grilled cheese must...be a closed sandwich, griddled on both sides.

• Have cheese as the primary ingredient most of the time.

• Has to be made with sliced bread. Thus a sandwich made with whole, crust-on loaves like a panino or a Cubano does not qualify.

• Needs to always be served hot all the way through, with the cheese thoroughly melted.

• Should be cooked on a flat, greased surface until golden brown.

• In extreme circumstances it may be cooked on an outdoor grill over an open fire.

• A grilled cheese may never be baked or deep-fried.

Additional Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/4” slices

1 clove garlic

2-4 ounces fresh mozzarella slices

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 slices whole wheat bread

juice from 1 lime 2 teaspoons honey Place all ingredients in a food processor, pulsing until broken down and well combined, adding more olive oil or lime juice as needed.

Preheat grill pan or regular pan over medium-low heat. Brush outsides of bread with olive oil. Place on piece of bread, olive oil side down, in the grill pan and smear on 1 tablespoon of chimichurri.

Layer with slices of avocado and cheese. Smear 1 more tablespoon of chimichurri on remaining piece of bread and place olive oil side up.

Grill on each side until crisp and cheese has melted.

Yield: 2 servings

877-456-RIDE(7433)

www.designateddriversinc.com

FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL SPECIAL 2-MONTH BASIC MEMBERSHIP $118 VALUE

JUST $39

Membership includes $20 off up to five rides per month - an additional $100 savings!

Call to sign up

Use promo code XX2376MG 10 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

www.lvfnbpro.com

June 13-17 Las Vegas Convention Center

Register Now!

Advanced Rates End Friday, May 20th!

www.worldteaexpo.com

Brett’s

Jackie Brett Jackie is a freelance public relations specialist and writer specializing in the Las Vegas entertainment and travel scene. Her writings have appeared in magazines and newspapers nationwide and on numerous websites. She is also an instructor covering Special Events at CSN- College of Southern Nevada.

Email: jackiebrett@cox.net

Dining Revelations

Beauty & Essex opening May 16 at The Cosmopolitan is a partnership between TAO Group and personality chef/restaurateur Chris Santos.

James Beard Award-winning chef Shawn McClain will open Libertine Social at Mandalay Bay this summer with a Tony Abou-Ganim cocktail program.

Dave & Buster’s will open this summer in Downtown Summerlin with upscale cuisine.

Locally-owned Nacho Daddy will open its fourth Las Vegas location in mid-August at Miracle Mile Shops.

Waffle Bar, a casual Liege waffles and crepes restaurant, opened at Tivoli Village.

Sake Rok opened at The Park for lunch and dinner with a late-night bar and lounge.

Six food outlets opening at the LINQ Promenade this year include: Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips; 24-hour Canter’s Deli; Virgil’s Real Barbecue; In-N-Out Burger; Amorino with gelato; and Purple Zebra daiquiri bar.

Pizza Forte opened its third local location and first on the Strip at the new T-Mobile Arena.

Michael Frey’s Montecristo Cigar Bar opened at Caesars Palace featuring The Signature Bar, Library, Courtyard and Vault Room experiences.

The BLT Burger at The Mirage closed and reopened as resort-operated LVB Burger & Bar. Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar with a dogfriendly patio at Downtown Summerlin will open a second location at Town Square this fall.

Border Grill at Mandalay Bay launched a new summer monthly themed event: Border Grill Patio Series with Tours of Tequilas May 19 and Amor à la Carte June 17.

Golden Entertainment will open six new properties this year, including a new Sierra Gold at the former Sedona Restaurant & Lounge location.

The Juice Standard opened its third Las Vegas outpost at The Cosmopolitan.

Arizona Charlie’s Boulder opened its completely renovated Charlie’s Market Buffet, previously called Wild West Buffet.

California-based Dog Haus Vegas on Paradise Road started a weekdays happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. and nightly from 1 to 4 a.m.

Habit Burger Grill with award-winning charburgers will open a second location this summer.

Nevada H&C Distilling Company won two awards at the 16th San Francisco World Spirits Competition: gold for Smoke Wagon Bourbon and silver for Silver Dollar Vodka.

Entertainment Spotlight

Seven priceless RMS Titanic artifacts will be retired from public view after a special engagement through July 18 at Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition inside the Luxor.

SPEEDVEGAS the track is open and the rest of the $30 million motorsports complex will be revealed this summer.

The Mob Museum now has audio tours in French, German and Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Mandarin.

Retail outlets opening at the LINQ Promenade include C&E Studio Tony Vegas with resident performing artists and Basin White with luxury bath and body products.

Atomic Style Lounge, a retro-themed beauty salon and men and women’s store, opened on Main Street downtown.

Discounted menswear store HIM opened at Las Vegas South Premium Outlets and Steve Madden, named after the renowned American fashion designer, will follow this summer.

Snappy News Items BAZ - Star Crossed Love will open June 25 in the redesigned Palazzo Theatre with a moviemusic mash-up of the world’s most iconic love stories, as imagined by famed film visionary, Baz Luhrmann.

Wayne Newton returned to the stage after more than five years with an original Up Close and Personal production at Bally’s Windows Showroom.

British magician-dancer, Chloe Crawford, who skyrocketed to fame on Britain’s Got Talent, will co-star in Criss Angel’s new production MINDFREAK LIVE! opening at the Luxor this month.

Rod Stewart: The Hits in its fifth year in The Colosseum at Caesars Palace added nine extra shows from Aug. 3-21.

Avicii’s final dates through Saturday, June 25 at Wynn’s Encore Beach Club and XS Nightclub will be the last time to see him.

The Scintas are extending their limited select two-weekend monthly engagement through November 2016 at the Plaza.

Comedian Jim Jefferies will be the newest Aces of Comedy series performer at The Mirage June 24-25.

Electric Daisy Carnival returns to Las Vegas Motor Speedway June 17–19 to celebrate “20 Years Under The Electric Sky.”

Attraction and Retail News

The new Liberace Garage museum opened at The Hollywood Cars Museum on Dean Martin Drive featuring automobiles from his shows.

12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

Steve Wynn is proposing a 1.5 billion project called Wynn Paradise Park to reimage the Desert Inn golf course behind Wynn and Encore resorts into a 38-acre lagoon accompanied by a 1,000-room hotel with a casino, restaurants, meeting space and nightlife.

The Venetian Poker Room will hold the 60-day, 90-event DeepStack Extravaganza III poker series May 26-July 24 with $16 million in prize pools.

By football season, Boulder-Palace-Santa Fe-Sunset Stations and Green Valley Ranch Resort will join Red Rock Resort having remodeled and enhanced sports books.

The Westgate introduced a non-smoking policy in its Race and Sports SuperBook.

In Las Vegas, uberESPAÑOL has been launched allowing riders to request a Spanishspeaking driver-partner.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will bring down the Riviera in two different implosions possibly starting in June. www.lvfnbpro.com

Wine Talk with Alice Swift

By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been a resident of Las Vegas since July, 2011, and is currently an instructor as well as a Ph.D. student at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. She also works as Learning Design & Development Business Partner for MGM Resorts University. Check out her website at www.aliceswift. com for the dish on wine, technology, or even both!

She is happy to take suggestions for article topics or inquiries.

Photos by Alice Swift

UNLVino 2016 Recap: The Grand Tasting

UNLVino celebrated its 42nd anniversary this year, and it continues to live up to its reputation.

With the thousands of attendees who attend annually, it is amazing that the events are brought to life by a class of two instructors, and 32 managers. Working in conjunction with Southern Wine and Spirits, and Greenspun Media Group, the UNLVino class takes on major roles and responsibilities throughout the entire operations from beginning to end, including the recruiting and managing of the 400+ student volunteers who are needed to work each night’s event.

The UNLVino event series continues to provide scholarships to students in UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Administration programs, offering hundreds of scholarships totaling over $1 million to date. I had the opportunity to attend the most popular and main event of the series, the Grand Tasting, which had over 60 booths.

This year I discovered the “Silent Disco” corner, where guests were given wireless headphones and had their own dance party! In addition, the silent auction impressed with a number of lavish

www.lvfnbpro.com

experiences, some standouts being: a two night package stay at the Mandarin Oriental; Napa Valley winery tour with a hot air balloon ride; and a private dinner for 10 courtesy of Executive Chef Mark Sandoval, UNLVino instructor/Culinary Director (who has a notable list of executive chef experience in Las Vegas).

This year’s Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence honoree for the Grand Tasting was our city’s very own former mayor and Executive Vice President of Government Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility for Caesars, Jan Jones Blackhurst.

She has played such an influential role in Las Vegas, including the implementation of a Responsible Gaming program at Caesars, and the increase in diversity and sustainability efforts within the organization.

The nearly 80 vendors and hundreds of wines being poured kept guests hydrated the entire evening. My key favorite wine producers for the night included: Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Justin Vineyards and Winery, Far Niente Wine Estates, Qupé, and Wente Vineyards, and Wolfgang Puck Wines. For those who wanted a variety of beverages besides wine, there were also other liquors poured, such as beer, whiskey, brandy, tequila, sake, and many others.

UNLVino remains a success year after year, and a plus is knowing that the event gives back to UNLV’s Hotel College, promoting higher education. I look forward to taking a “Sip for Scholarship” at next year’s UNLVino events, and hope to see you there!

Until next month, Cheers~!

May 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13

By Elaine & Scott Harris

Jessica Mylius

Sommeliers and Editor-In-Chief of Nationally Recognized Cuisineist.com and Vino Las Vegas LLC. They are the Las Vegas City Editors for TheDailyMeal in New York City.

Cuisinist@Gmail.com • www.Cuisineist.com www.VinoLasVegas.Blogspot.com www.LasVegasDiningTours.com Facebook:ElaineScottHarris Twitter:TheCuisineist.com Twitter: VinoLasVegas • Instagram : Cuisineist

The Food and Beverage Industry has many inspiring stories.

Recently a veteran bartender we have known for years sat down with us to discuss her amazing story.

This is a journey of passion, pain, perseverance and success that will inspire all who read it. hiking 1 ½ hours out of the canyon before cell phone coverage could be obtained. In addition to her critical injuries, having fallen in cold water she began to become hypothermic. Her friends shared their clothing and huddled together until the LVMPD rescue team arrived on foot risking their own lives as the helicopter hovered above. photos by Scott Harris

These heroes packed her up for transport and began the dangerous job of roping and placing carabiners into the rock making their way up the cliffs to a safe place where she could be raised into the helicopter.

This remarkable woman recounted to us her harrowing ride through the canyon as she was being raised 100 feet through the air into the awaiting helicopter.

Jessica Mylius was born in Houston, Texas and moved to Hawaii when she was 18. Her first bartending position was at the young age of 20.

After earning a BS in Hotel Resort and Hospitality she moved to Las Vegas at age 25 and expanded her bartending skills. In addition to her passion for meeting new people as a bartender she has an immense love of the outdoors. She recently spent four days in Washington State climbing Mt Baker.

After a five hour ordeal with no pain medication she was now safe in the hospital where she underwent numerous surgeries and unimaginable pain. Jessica endured four months of painful rehabilitation in Las Vegas.

During her rehabilitation her doctors were amazed as she drew strength from her family, faith and friends to be way ahead of schedule. She KNEW she was going to walk again, hike again and come full circle to return behind the bar. “What doctors thought would take months or even years took me weeks. All of my regulars came through for me. I really saw the good in people,” Jessica stated.

Last year Jessica was in the best shape of her life. She stopped drinking, became devoted to her yoga practice, and went on numerous difficult hikes enjoying the outdoors and as she puts it “having balance and healthy fun in my life.”

She never even used a walker. Her determination and inner strength had her raise herself out of the wheelchair walking under her own power. She returned to Texas for two months and continued her own rehabilitation never losing sight on returning to Las Vegas and Toros.

On a fateful day she planned a hike in Valley of Fire with some friends.

After a last minute cancellation by one of her friends the group decided to hike Ice Box Canyon, a difficult hike in beautiful Red Rock Canyon, coincidently just minutes away from Toro’s Restaurant and Bar on West Charleston where she works.

Over at Toro’s Adam Corrigan and General Manager Gene Gatza never lost faith in Jessica and happily brought her back during the NCAA tournament. They created a special “Jessica schedule” easing her back working 4 hours at a time and 3 days off as she continued to build up her stamina. She is now back working full shifts greeting her regulars with her beautiful infections smile. On her days off, she is back to camping and hiking.

Climbing deep into Ice Box Canyon she worked her way up above the falls to enjoy the view. Wanting to get a better perspective she made a short jump to a large rock not far away. She made the leap, landed and the momentum brought her forward. She could not stop and fell 100 feet into a pool of water. A fall of this distance is almost always fatal. She landed in a seated position shattering her pelvis and fracturing both wrists in addition to other injuries. Having been a lifeguard in the past she knew not to move. In fact, amazingly enough, she never lost consciousness as she lay in the frigid water waiting for help to come.

Her friends climbed down to aid her and a nearby hiker went for help

14 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

Jessica added, “I believe that I deserve a great life. Many people get stuck in a victim mentality because they don’t believe this. I will never be the same, after the pain and unknown. I think in life, when we try so hard to do things, carrying everything on our shoulders, through self effort, it can be miserable. I have learned to trust God to help me and lean on that, and the blessings come.”

Jessica is truly an inspiration. We can all learn something from her improbable comeback story. Stop into Toro’s. You will be glad you did.

www.lvfnbpro.com

A Supermodel Gets Into The Bubbly Business

Photos by Myrna Suรกrez Twin B Photography

16 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

www.lvfnbpro.com

Christie Brinkley is one of the most successful supermodels in the world. Gracing the cover of more than 500 magazines since the 1970s, her long reign at the top of the fashion world qualifies her for legendary status. She was the face of Cover Girl for a staggering twenty-five years.

That’s a record for the longest modeling contract in history. Christie’s passion is to embrace life’s pleasures: adventure, travel, wonderful food and wine. “I believe that celebrating what we are grateful for with family, friends and Prosecco contributes to a healthy, happy and sweetly beautiful life,” she says.

Prosecco, which gets its name from the village outside Trieste where it was originally made, is a sparkling wine now made in the Veneto region of Italy (in and around the city of Treviso, about 15 miles outside of Venice).

Is Prosecco as much a glamorous wine as Christie Brinkley is a supermodel? Not really. But the truth is, Prosecco hasn’t had its moment. But all that may be about to change.

Demand for Prosecco in the UK has seen an astounding increase, with supermarket sales reaching £356 million (approximately $520 million USD) at the end of February. Sales here in the US were up 38% in the last year. So many people are buying Prosecco, that there’s actually a growing fear of a shortage. While that may be a little alarmist, the numbers have a clear message: the world wants Prosecco.

Which is exactly why Christie Brinkley has started her own brand, and as with everything else in her life, she has done it her own way and on her own time.

A vegetarian since the age 14 and committed to an organic lifestyle, Christie began by searching the Veneto region for the type of vineyard that fit her demanding specifications: one that was pesticide free for decades, and one that was big on sustainable growing methods. It took a few years of exploring the farmland north of Venice, but Christie found the grapes of her dreams.

incredible Bellissima bottle was born. “Venus, the goddess of love, beauty and sex, seemed like the perfect image for a sparkling wine named Bellissima,” says Rich DeCicco.

As far as the name goes, Christie says she “settled on Bellissima because it was a word that makes you feel good just like the Prosecco.” That may be true, but Bellissima, which in Italian means “most beautiful” or “gorgeous,” might also have something to do with a supermodel who was voted one of the twentieth century’s most beautiful women.

The Bellissima brand is starting with three varieties: Sparkling Rosé, Bellissima Zero Sugar and Bellissima Brut Prosecco. Bellissima Sparkling Rosé is light pink, brilliant and very refined. Its bouquet is elegant with hints of strawberry and grapefruit. It’s produced using the “Charmat Method,” whereby it undergoes a secondary fermentation in a stainless steel tank. Bellissima Brut is made from Glera grapes, and also uses the “Charmat Method.”

Brut, the driest version of Prosecco, is straw colored with delicate scents of green apple. It is fresh, aromatic and elegant with light scents of freshly baked bread. Bellissima Zero is made from 100% Glera grapes. It’s produced using the “Long Charmat Method” (which allows for seven months in a fermenting tank) with naturally selected yeasts and has no residual sugar.

Since Bellissima’s introduction in April at this year’s 73rd annual Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America exposition, the phone at Iconic Brands has not stopped ringing. “The response to our introduction at WSWA has been nothing short of spectacular,” says Rich.

“In all my years in the business I’ve never seen anything quite like this.”

Christie and Rich are currently lining up distribution and the vineyard in Italy is gearing up for a long, long run – a perfect fit to Christie’s extraordinary career.

Next, Christie teamed up with an importer who has deep experience in the liquor industry. Richard DeCicco, president and founder of United Spirits Incorporated, has had over forty years in the beverage business.

Over those years, Rich has developed strong relationships with distillers, brewmasters, vineyard owners, marketers and distributors around the world.

The next step, and a big one in the liquor industry, was bottle design. “I envisioned the bottle sitting on a table, and it had to be exciting from every angle,” says Christie. Christie and Rich turned to a New York ad agency, FLY Communications, for help in designing a bottle that would be as iconic and eye-popping as Christie herself. With Christie directing the project, and with an assist from Botticelli’s famous painting The Birth of Venus, the www.lvfnbpro.com

Top Row (L – R): Chani Levine, Brian Levine, Marco Serino, Peter Levine Mid Row (L-R): Roseann Faltings, Christie Brinkley Front: Rich DeCicco

May 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 17

By Bob Barnes

What’s Cooking

Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com.

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

Sunday Brunch at Andiron

Andiron at Downtown Summerlin 1720 Festival Plaza Drive Las Vegas, NV 89135 702-685-8002 andironsteak.com

Photos by Bill Milne - courtesy Andiron Steak & Sea

Husband-and-wife duo Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla’s Andiron Steak & Sea in Downtown Summerlin is open only for dinner, except once a week during the restaurant’s Sunday Brunch, during which you have an excellent opportunity to enjoy the creative menu during daytime hours. One of the stars of the ala carte menu is Avocado Toast, served on grilled wheat bread topped with pickled Fresno chilis, tomato and arugula, providing an enjoyable combination of textures. The Benedict is an upgraded version, with added spinach, a thicker cut of whole wheat bread providing a firmer base than the traditional English muffin, shaved porchetta which is easier to eat than the usual slab of ham and the option to add butter poached lobster. Shareables include a donut plate with five different versions, which change weekly and during our visit were crème brulee, cinnamon, chocolate, lemon and bacon caramel; and I very much enjoyed the Pastry Plate with blueberry muffin, apple crumble cake and bacon cheese bread. Speaking of bacon (and doesn’t everything go better with bacon?), the Shrimp & Grits is enhanced with decadent crispy bacon cubes, aged white cheddar and a not-too-spicy jalapeno craime fresh. Also decadent is the Mac & Cheese bulked up with a blend of five cheeses: Parmesan, Gouda, White Cheddar, Gruyere and Mozzarella. Desserts are Brown Butter Lemon Pie with toasted key lime meringue and candied lime and Peanut Butter & Pretzel Caramel Cheesecake.

You can wash it all down with three all-you-can-drink options: endless Champagne cocktails such as the classic mimosa, white peach bellini and grapefruit and sage fizz; bottomless Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut; and the Bloody Mary bar with an expansive build-your-own set up with a variety of toppings, garnishes, add-ins and sauces with unlimited trips to the bar.

You can dine indoors where you’ll find live music, or on the outdoor patio.

The brunch is served every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are not required but recommended by calling 702-685-8002.

The Still at The Mirage— Definitely a Man Cave but Women Are Allowed Too

18 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

The Still @ The Mirage 3400 Las Vegas Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89109 702-692-8455 thestillvegas.com

Photos by Joe Urcioli

The Still has opened at The Mirage, located off of the casino across from Pantry in the former space of the Revolution Lounge. Dubbed the ultimate man cave and sports junkie haven, the project from Clique Hospitality features more than 50 craft beers, walls decorated with beer signs, comfortable leather couches and chairs and tap handles built into stills.

Other entertainments include shuffleboard, foosball, a juke box, 27 TVs tuned to sports programming or sports-themed movies, a “patio” open to the casino for people watching and a private room equipped with plush leather couch and a kegerator.

Getting your drinks to you quickly is a primary goal here, as servers are assigned to taking your order and delivering your libations. To order food, you’ll belly up to Bud Bud’s—a refurbished Airstream trailer that serves as a fully functioning kitchen. After ordering you’re given an oversized numbered clothespin which enables food runners to find you. The menu is fashioned by acclaimed chef Brian Massie and is his spin on upscale bar food, with items including Crispy-style Chicken Wings in Buffalo or spicy Korean glaze, Beer-battered Fish and Chips, Grilled Al Pastor Chicken Quesadilla with manchego cheese and Roasted Garlic Sriracha Butter Steak Tips. Dessert consists of soft serve ice cream sundaes served in a MLB-logoed mini baseball helmet, with options including Churro de Leche Crunch (crunchy Mexican churros, condensed milk, cinnamon and chocolate curls) and Salted Caramel (crispy French toast sticks, maple walnuts and cinnamon toast crunch).

The Still is open Mon.-Thur. and Sun. 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.; and Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

www.lvfnbpro.com

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT | The Ultimate Stock that allows you to just cook!

Major Chefs’ Elite Stock Base Pastes are made using only the finest of ingredients. Use to add authentic flavor direct to a sauce or dish. Simply mix in or dilute for perfect results every time.

Use as a base for soups, stews, casseroles, pie fillings, gravies and broths. Available in 1lb, 2.5lb and 10lb tubs, the Major Elite range comes in 29* flavor-packed stock base pastes including beef, vegetable, chicken, porcini mushroom, clam and garlic.

With a taste just like your own house-made stock, the Chefs’ Elite range is ideal whenever you require a rich flavor delivery offering consistency and saving & important preparation time.

It’s so simple to make a classic brown sauce using Major Chefs’ Elite Beef Stock Base Paste. Serve with your favorite cut of steak to create an incredible dish that will leave you wanting more. www.majorproducts.com *includes no msg and low sodium flavors

Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips

By Bob Barnes Wake Up and Taste the Coffee Coronado Brewing Company Blue Bridge Coffee Stout

Sip and Savor Indian Wells Whiskey Barrel Brew

At the turn of this century it was considered innovative to make a stout with coffee. Now nearly every brewery is doing so and for good reason: the burnt, roasted flavor notes of coffee mirror the same flavors found in roasted barley and black patent, the types of barley commonly used in dark beers. Coronado Brewing Company out of San Diego/Coronado Island has really stepped up its game in recent years, brewing some interesting and very flavorful beers and its Blue Bridge Coffee Stout is a prime example. Part of its Crown Series, this newly released imperial stout at 8% ABV is a combination of roasted barley and Guatemalan coffee beans sourced from the brewery’s hometown coffee-shop, Café Moto. The dark roast coffee is cold brewed and added post fermentation.

The coffee is thankfully very noticeable and I found as the beer warmed the flavors of the coffee intensified.

One of the beer styles on the rise in popularity are those aged in bourbon or whiskey casks. Indian Wells Brewing, located in Inyokern, California, utilizes pure artesian spring water from its historic Indian Wells Spring that saved a gold rush party lost in Death Valley in 1849. In his Whiskey Barrel Brew Owner/Brewer Rick Lovett starts with a special amber style made with 2-row malt, Munich, and Caramel malts and Noble and Mt. Hood hops and then racks it into freshly decanted Evan Williams bourbon barrels where it lagers until ready. The outcome is an excellent “sipping beer” with a wonderful aroma of vanilla and caramel and flavor with just the right amount of bourbon notes that are complementary and not overpowering. Oh, and its 12% alcohol content makes it even more savory.

This beer is made in very small batches, and in limited quantities, so if you find a bottle of it, don’t hesitate to snag it.

A Saison for the Season Blackberry Farms Summer Saison A Successful Experiment Deschutes Brewery Armory XPA If you like to experiment then here’s a fun one to check out. Bend, Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery Armory XPA was designed as a testing ground for emerging and developmental hops when it was first released in 2008 using the then experimental YCR-394 hop.

Now known as Citra, any hophead should know what transpired afterward, as the aforementioned hop known for its citrusy kick went on to be featured in a bevy of hoppy beers. Added to the mix in Armory XPA are a combination of Nugget and Northern Brewer hops for bittering and Cascade, Centennial and Citra hops for flavoring delivering bright citrus notes. Take note that this beer is arriving in 6-packs for the first time. In the fall Deschutes will release its next iteration, featuring experimental hop #07270.

20 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

Saison means season so why not make a Saison for each season? That’s exactly what Blackberry Farms Brewing out of Walland, Tennessee has done, and with its expansion of its distribution now reaching 38 states a lot more of us will have the chance to enjoy them. With spring in full swing and summer just around the corner, I sampled Blackberry Farms Summer Saison. The first thing I noticed was that unlike most Saisons, this Belgian-style brewery adds a bit more hops, and this one is hopped with Australian Summer and Citra hops and logs in at 45 IBUs, giving it a noticeable, but not overpowering hop presence. The citrus nature of the hops and bottle conditioned effervescence also bring a refreshing quality while the delicate spice note from the warm fermentation of Classic Saison yeast will remind you of the style of beer you are drinking. The brewery tucked away on a 9,200-acre estate in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains exists in an area much better known for whiskey production, but if this seasonal offering is any indication, this beer maker will be giving the distillers some competition.

www.lvfnbpro.com

UNLV Epicurean Society

Matthew Cairo, a Hospitality Management student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, represents the Epicurean Society, a collective of food and restaurant enthusiastic students, where he is on the leadership staff. Originally from San Diego, he moved to Las Vegas to feed his desire to learn all that he can about restaurants, food, and the tourist industry.

not do either businesses justice. A comparison to Smash Burger is more appropriate given the feeling of the establishment, service of alcohol, freshness of the ingredients, and the size of the menu. If you swing by Shake Shack I suggest a SmokeShack, a burger with pepper relish, apple smoked bacon and cheese. I loved it but given how savory I expected the burger to be I also ordered a float—a Purple Cow Float in particular, which is similar to a root beer float, but with a substitution of the root beer with grape soda. It was a welcome treat for my persnickety sweet tooth and cut right through the richness of the bacon and beef of the burger.

We also took a tour of the Aramark-run kitchens within the Student Union (SU) on the UNLV campus. The kitchen is used by multiple quick service stations from Taco Bell to Metro Pizza. Chef Jeremy met with us outside of the kitchen and led us inside after a short talk. As we walked in I noticed how simple the kitchen was for how many types of food that are served from it. The food storage was interesting in that each specific business had specific storage procedure, which lead to a hectic but orderly appearance. We then headed upstairs to understand the set-up used for banquets and similar events. There was a beautiful hallway lined with chairs which just seemed to stretch on forever. The hallway skirted around the banquet hall. This is one I have visited many a time but never realized it had a whole other side to it. It was really eye opening and entertaining to see how these events are put on.

The upcoming month we have a shorter list of planned activities than usual as a result of a long week of final exams that demands our time and focus. We have a few things set in stone for the Epicurean Club: a Culinary tasting for our student body, a myriad of carbonated fruit and a tour of a few of the Luxor restaurants before a trip to see the Blue Man Group.

22 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

photos by Noel Aquino

As the spring semester winds down for the students of The UNLV Epicurean Society we have had a last few events before taking a break for the summer. At the top of the list are two events which included a visit to the UNLV Aramark-run kitchen and a tour of Shake Shack’s back of the house.

We visited Shake Shack, which is part of the New York New York resort. I will be the first to admit having a bit of a bias against Shake Shack. I am an admitted In-N-Out cultic.

When we first met the manager, he informed us that this restaurant is an East Coast brother who could go toe to toe. Let’s just say I was a bit skeptical. But boy was I in for a surprise!

Mr. Michael Wang, Senior General Manager in charge of both the location at New York New York and the Summerlin restaurant, sat down with us for a quick talk outside the establishment.

We talked about the distinct position that this Shake Shack is in. This being primarily that Shake Shack as a brand is anticipating overall expansion plans, both nationally and internationally into east Asia. After our chat, we headed into the back of the house for a fascinating tour. The biggest impact I noticed was the keg cooler reminiscent of large restaurants such as Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens back home in San Diego, California. I found it quite out of place for a quick service establishment. To my delight I found I was really beginning to like this place! We scouted around the break room, walk-ins, and dish pit, ending in the kitchen, my favorite part of any restaurant. I have to say, though slim in walking space, this kitchen was absolutely beautiful. The kitchen was also set up in a manner where the staff was able to close down a portion of the kitchen for a slow transitional timeframe and open it up later for a hectic period. After sitting down to a table of food, the Epicurean family dug in. I have to say that after sampling the food, the Shake Shack is in a whole other league than In-NOut Burgers back home. The comparison does

By Matthew Cairo

www.lvfnbpro.com

WSWA 73rd Annual Convention & Exposition Brings Interesting and Delicious New Products

By Bob Barnes

The industry’s leading event for wholesalers and suppliers, the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) 73rd annual convention convened last month at Caesars Palace. The WSWA hosted competitions including the Wine and Spirits Tasting Competitions and the Call for Cocktails Mixology Competition, and the trade show filled two exhibit halls and numerous hospitality suites, featuring some of the most innovative products available. The following is a rundown of interesting products that caught my eye and palate.

Shortly after entering the exhibit hall my eyes were drawn to red cups with dead scorpions perched in them at the booth of Skorppio Vodka. Every bottle of this vodka has a scorpion in it (minus the poisonous stinger, of course). Naturally, I had to eat the scorpion and was surprised to learn I was the first person crazy enough to do so, and it was the second day of the tradeshow! Tradition has it that eating a scorpion allows one to gain strength and courage and is also an aphrodisiac. I must confess the scorpion was not very tasty, but the vodka, on the other hand, was quite good. Skorppio is a five-times distilled 100% wheat vodka distilled in England and uses scorpions farm-raised in Mexico. www.skorppio-vodka.com Some very fine wine was to be had at the Bellissima suite. Bellissima is Italian for most beautiful, which is how I would describe Christie Brinkley, who introduced the sparkling wines at the WSWA. The three varieties include Sparkling Rose Wine (made from 100% Pinot Grigio grapes), Prosecco DOC Brut (100% Glera grapes) and Zero Sugar (100% Glera grapes with no residual sugar). All grapes used in the wine are organic and grown in Treviso, the Italian region where Prosecco originated. http://bellissimaprosecco.com Usquaebach, Gaelic for “the water of life,” has over 225 years of tradition and the Reserve is a 15-yearold blended Highland Malt Scotch Whiskey using only 100% Highland Single Malts. www.usquaebach.com As I had recently been reintroduced to Grappa, a spirit made from the marc (skins) of the grapes after it’s pressed, I was drawn to try the Gra’it, an Italian grappa that is all natural and a blend of 7 grapes (Barolo, Moscato D’Asati, Amarone, Prosecco, Brunello, Aglianico and Nero D’Avolo) and aged for 12 months in Slovanian oak casks. www.grait.it Also on the floor was Grappa of Amarone Barrique, made in Italy by Distillerie Bonollo Umberto from the marc of 100% Amarone grapes and aged for 18 months in small French oak casks to develop a harmonious blend of fruity and spice tones. ofbonollo.com A brand new spirit hailing from Ireland is Cremōr Irish Cream Liqueur. Unlike Bailey’s, is doesn’t blend, but stays on top and is the first Irish cream to float on top of coffee. http://cremorliqueur.com www.lvfnbpro.com

Packaged in eye-catching boxes shaped like gold bars, Gold Bar is an American-made gold-finished whiskey distilled from three grains (88% corn, 9% rye and 3% barley) and filtered through solid 24-karat gold. The spirit won Double Gold at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Best of Show for its packaging at the 2016 Denver International Spirits Competition. www.goldbarwhiskey.com We’re used to aged whiskey, but not so much aged rum, but it is every bit as interesting. Cobalt Brands was serving three Rum Malecon products aged 12, 18 and 25 years, all of which use Panamanian sugar cane and distilled using the traditional Cuban method and aged in re-charred white oak bourbon barrels.

Each rum is 40% ABV, distilled in Panama and the brand is named for Ron Malecon, a legendary street in the heart of Havana, Cuba. www.cobalt-brands.com We usually expect to find rum in the Caribbean, but Kōloa is a premium rum made in Kaua`i, Hawaii that has won several awards, and I was surprised to learn that rum has been produced in the Garden Isle since 1837. Kōloa Rum Company was founded in 2009 and is the first and only licensed distillery on the Island of Kaua`i, where sugarcane production has been a traditional way of life. If you like spiced rum you will definitely be interested in their rums with coffee and coconut. koloarum.com You rarely see wine marketed to men or wine packaged in a can for that matter, but MANCAN Wine is doing just that. There are many advantages to canning, including sustainability, protection from UV light and oxygen, easier to transport and recycle and no stemware or corkscrew needed. They even have pictures of man’s best friend on the labels.

MANCAN is crafted from grapes from Sonoma County and comes in three flavors: Red, White and Fizz. As for the flavor, let the judges decide. At this year’s WSWA, MANCAN took home medals for all three, earning a gold and two silvers in the tasting competition and was a finalist for the Brand Battle. mancanwine.com May 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

Human Resources Insights

Linda Westcott-Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. Linda has recently re-published her self-help book entitled It All Comes Down to WE! This book offers guidelines for building a solid and enduring personal work ethic. You can find her book on Amazon or Google Books.

Phone: 702-326-4040 Email: Vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com

Dealing with a Valued but Under-productive Employee For those of us who are accomplished “multi-taskers,” it can be difficult to deal with another who has their heart in the right place but lacks the focus and follow through to complete their job to your expectations. The worst part is, at least for highly motivated bosses, you may end of picking up the slack far too often and then find that you resent that you have to do so.

So what can you do for those under-productive souls that you believe have the potential, but may lack the necessary commitment, focus and follow through? The first thing you do is to begin the process of open communication by sharing the “bigger picture” – what has to be accomplished, when and why? Then you ask questions like… “Do you enjoy the work you are doing?” and “Under what conditions do you do your best work?” “Are you able to meet deadlines as assigned without extra time or assistance?” “What tools or resources could help you achieve more or do better at your work?”

It can be a challenge to speak about performance with someone who does not understand the impact of their shortfalls. You want to give them constructive feedback but have to frame it in such a way as to not offend or de-motivate them. To me, being a good boss takes a lot of

So, what are some things you can do to get them headed in the right direction? Here are a few of my ideas…

• Talk honestly about what you need to accomplish and what you expect. Help them to see the bigger picture and their importance in achieving it.

finesse. It can mean that many days you walk a fine line between frustration and satisfaction.

Our greatest contributions to our staff may be our experience, patience and ability to communicate. I have always believed that the key to the successful leading of others is by example. I learned years ago to respect bosses like that because they never had to put on airs or remind me of their position or authority. They showed me and I learned from them primarily because of the great example they set.

That’s the kind of boss I want to be – one who remembers every day that we are dealing with people who have feelings, families and fears just like I do. Be humble and respectful, and never forget where you came from. In the end, it is truly our reputation that speaks louder than any other aspect of our character.

• Assign them specific tasks and provide deadlines for completion.

• Provide clear and easy to interpret instructions, including input as to what you are expecting to be achieved – the outcome.

• For individuals that are new to their position, have them show you and explain the steps or plan of attack that they will use; in this way you will know if they are on the right path.

• Make sure that you meet with them regularly and that they give you status/progress reports.

• Be prepared to continue to monitor their progress and evaluate their performance periodically.

HR Question of the month: Please send your HR questions and concerns, or share your thoughts on your human resources challenges via email to the following address. Send input to vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com. Your comments, questions or concerns will help determine the direction for my next month’s column and earn you a copy of my book. Include your mailing address when sending your responses.

24 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

www.lvfnbpro.com

The Bottom Line Up Your Cash Potential by Maximizing Floor Space

By Ben Brown Ben is an MBA candidate at USC’s Marshall School of Business, specializing in hospitality marketing and analytics. He has served as a food & beverage strategist with MGM Resorts, as well as reviewed more than 200 Las Vegas restaurants with CBS Local and Examiner. com. Contact him at Ben@lvfnb.com.

More tables means more covers, which means more revenue. It seems like a no-brainer, but hindsight is 20-20 when many owners take a closer look at their restaurants and realize they can fit in another table or two. Actions as small as moving around some furniture, or even just cleaning up the place, could lead to serious gains over time.

Before moving any further, let’s look at an example that could encompass a good number of eateries out there. I recently dined at a notable high-volume ethnic restaurant along Westwood Boulevard. The place had a 30-minute wait at 8:30 p.m. on a weekday, clearly doing well from a demand perspective. I couldn’t help but notice, however, that a corner booth was being used as a storage shelf for extra tablecloths. The eyesore factor was a non-issue compared to the ridiculous amounts of money that this place was leaving on the table [pun slightly intended]. Factoring in a few assumptions, here’s the calculation to show how a wasted table like this bleeds profit: 1 table x 4 covers/table x 17 turnovers/day x 7 days/week x $40 average check = nearly $20,000 a week. This amounts to more than $1 million in sales a year!

As you can see, there’s no room for error when it comes to maximizing your floor space. So take a look at your setup and assess whether you can make any improvements.

Work tables into the mix Restaurants across the board are shifting away from fixed booths and toward tables. The primary reason: flexibility. I recently called a restaurant to make a reservation for eight, but was turned down because the place was 100% booths, and could only accommodate six at a time. The lost revenue here is mind-blowing. Not only is this place losing out on group reservations, which tend to bring in much higher average checks, but they’ve got serious capacity problems. Imagine www.lvfnbpro.com

two people walking in and getting the last available booth, set for six, and then a party of six showing up moments later, only to head back out the door due to the wait.

To get the best of both worlds, many restaurants are going with booth ‘hybrids,’ where a continuous booth runs across an entire wall and tables are lined up with chairs on the other side.

This allows at least half the party to enjoy the booth experience while still allowing you to optimize covers.

capacity in the first place. If not, then best to look at refining your product, building your brand, and/or marketing your message to drive traffic. When assessing your floor space, be sure to follow all fire and safety regulations. But if you see that you’ve consistently got a line out the door, it’s time to take a critical look at your floor and ask how you can make a small change for a million bucks.

Assess new furniture options Furniture is a huge expense, but in some cases could be well worth it. Some restaurants have large, lavish chairs that don’t push in under the tables. While the space certainly entices guests, these chairs take up room that additional tables— and covers—could occupy. The sacrifice is fine at fine dining restaurants that place a much heavier focus on ambiance, but may not be the case for a higher-volume establishment where customers don’t place the same value on large chairs.

Since we’ve spent so much time on tables, also take note of whether your tables are the right size. I’ve seen numerous 2-top tables that are simply too long, coming at the cost of an entire row at some places. On the other end, nobody wants a table that’s too small. If you’ve got big, decorative plates and your servers have trouble setting down an entree and a side dish next to one another, it could mean that guest’s last visit.

Of course all of these recommendations rely on the assumption that your restaurant is at

ON TAP AND IN BOTTLES THROUHOUT SOUTHERN NEVADA LAS VEGAS’ ORIGINAL BREWING COMPANY ww.bigdogsbrews.com

May 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 25

Shelley Stepanek is President of DSA, the oldest non-profit tourist association in the state, along with being on the board of ticket brokers. Shelley has previously owned three restaurants.

Photos by Shelley Stepanek

Vancouver and Bellingham Washington Wineries

By Shelley Stepanek

Traveling to Canada, and most specifically the Vancouver area, you can visit a host of vineyards. Yearly in February Vancouver hosts a spectacular wine event for five days, with this year’s featuring numerous Italians, both reds and white.

Vancouver area itself has 14 wineries or wine tours. Starting with a progressive dining experience, the great area of Gastown in downtown Vancouver, you can feast your way along on a foodie tour for 4 hours. $110 per person, limited to 8 people, you move from one great restaurant to another and sample unlimited amounts of “Canadian” foods, along with the correct wine with each dish.

Frazier Valley, an hour east of Vancouver, has many small wineries which are all family run.

The Gulf Islands, B.C. has Chateau Beaufort

Vineyards, which produce 15 tons of grapes yearly, enough for 1,000 cases. They host great tastings if you happen to stop in. On Saturna Island down the way is Saturna Island Family Estates with sixty acres with four separate vineyards to sample from. Salt Spring Vineyards produces 2,500 cases a year of absolutely superb wine, winning many awards. All of these wineries participate in the February event. One more in Salt Springs is the Mistaken Identity Vineyards. They are relatively new, opening in 2009 with a partnership of six people. They have branched out at a great pace and currently are producing 10 wines. I would plan a full four days to visit all of these between Canada and Bellingham, Washington. The dollar is currently 33% in our favor making a trip very inexpensive right now.

26 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

If you are flying into Bellingham, 30 miles south of Vancouver, and driving into Canada, be sure to stop at some of the 9 boutique wineries or the 9 breweries. Flights roundtrip into Bellingham run around $200. Rent your car and head out to the Asian Brewing Company, a great microbrewery, with all organic beer. If you have a whole afternoon, book The Pedal Party. It is a group tour visiting Bellingham’s best breweries and tap houses all done on a giant covered bike. These are fast popping up all over the country. The bike tour has room for up to 14 of you and your 13 closest friends, or meet new ones as you travel. The Samson Estates Winery is a great tasting room, with artisan wines, dessert wines and chocolate truffles. Log on to whatcomwineries.com to get a list of all the great spots to stop. Enjoy the beautiful areas and come home with new taste experiences.

www.lvfnbpro.com

By Aimee McAffee

Our Picks

Aimee McAffee is a serious foodie who appreciates the finer things in life. Her background in public relations, communication and marketing give her a unique insight on food, venues and presentation. When she’s not adventuring at the latest culinary hot spot, she’s spending quality time with her husband and two children.

Vintage Vegas

The longer versions of these articles may be viewed at my blog, Bites and Insights, at www.bitesblog.com.

This month’s theme is Vintage Vegas, exploring some of the Las Vegas locales reminiscent of the era’s appeal as well as a sampling of authentic originals.

The Barrymore Evoking the feeling of a bygone time, the main dining room features ceilings adorned with large golden film reels, shining patterned wallpaper and octagonal mirrored walls. It feels like you’re in a place you shouldn’t be—a secret hideaway for the privileged few. The service is exquisite, attentive and knowledgeable. Their extensive wine list and drink menu offer impressive variety and the cuisine is top-notch. Sample their oysters Rockefeller, with Kumiai oysters full of creamy, savory spinach and smoky prosciutto. The lobster mac & cheese is a well-worth indulgence with truffle, mascarpone-tallegio cream sauce and generous lobster bites. Don’t miss the grilled octopus, charred and served with merguez sausage and romesco sauce. Our favorite entree was the seafood plate that included a large Australian lobster tail, perfectly spiced grilled prawns and a delicate Chilean sea bass with garlic-herb parmesan crust, paired with creamy herbed risotto. We ended the evening with a dessert wine, Donnafugatta Ben Rye with its perfect sweetness, reminiscent of a concentrated raisin in liquid form. www.barrymorelv.com

Herbs & Rye Recalling hints of a speakeasy, the rich and inviting dark woods and red patterned wallpaper invite further exploration. I’d suggest you sit at the bar, where you can reserve space. The service is phenomenal and you’re in for an understated show, particularly if you’re a student of people watching. The bartenders are master craftsmen of the classics, serving distinctive flavor combinations using traditional methods.

Their drink menu is epic, transcending the ages of libations. Our bartender mixed up something special containing rum, honey, lemon, pineapple and amaro syrup balanced with bitters to offset the sweet. We started with the beef tartar, complemented with capers, chopped parsley, www.lvfnbpro.com

red onion and spicy mustard. Entrees included the grilled salmon on a bed of steamed spinach and topped with crispy onions; their tender, juicy and well-seasoned 9 oz. filet mignon masters the perfect black and blue. www.herbsandrye.com

Sinatra Sinatra fans, this is the place for you. On the outside of the restaurant, there’s an amazing photo wall, complete with images of a young Frank sitting with Audrey Hepburn and an older Frank with Steve Wynn. Seeing Steve Wynn with a 70s period hairdo makes the whole experience even more worthwhile. When you step through the door, you enter an era when life was more elaborate and the details really mattered. Try their signature dessert of a miniature chocolate fedora with a side of custard garnished with a chocolate swoosh. Pair this dessert with one of Sinatra’s favorite drinks, Jack Daniels on the rocks, and you’re all set. www.wynnlasvegas.com/Dining/FineDining/ Sinatra

Frankie’s Tiki Room Frankie’s earned hole-in-the-wall status back in the 1950s. In 2008, new owners transformed the inside to the best tiki kitsch, while preserving the outside structure and the name. When I asked for her favorite drink, the bartender recommended the Fink Bomb. The flavors evoke feelings of basking on a sun-soaked beach and everything I associate with the best of tiki: coconut rum, 160 proof rum, melon liqueur and pineapple juice—sweet, fruity, almost creamy thanks to the coconut. www.frankiestikiroom.com

light, fluffy and full of buttery syrup goodness.

Just beware that they’re very large so a short stack is plenty. Their legendary shrimp cocktail is very good, due to the homemade cocktail sauce and savory little shrimp, blended nicely with the hint of sweetness in the cocktail sauce.

The menu offerings represent Americana at its finest. In typical Vegas fashion, they’re open 24/7, so it’s particularly suitable to visit after a night of heavy indulgence. www.goldengatecasino.com/dining

The Ranch House Touted as the oldest restaurant in Las Vegas, it was originally accessible only by traversing miles of gravel roads. They still maintain the blue light on the fence post that signals to travelers, though now the light’s somewhat blocked by newly constructed houses. The Ranch House offers juicy and flavorful steaks and a few unique signature drinks. It’s not a fancy place, maybe in need of a refresher in the decor. However, it’s well worth the visit as a classic steakhouse from the authentic Vintage Vegas era and a piece of history. www.bobtaylorsranchhouse.com

Du-par’s It’s the best of 1940s diner food. Their secret: everything is homemade, fresh and made-toorder. Try their world famous pancakes. They’re

Sinatra

photos by Justin McAffee

The Barrymore

May 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 27

By Megan Nicolson Megan Nicolson was raised in Las Vegas, where she has resided for the past 21 years, and has been involved in the nightlife industry for 10 years. She attended UNR and graduated with a BS of Animal Science and Pre Vet Med.

Megan Mack’s Latenight Excursions

Nightlife is a broad category, most apparent in this city. It encompasses anyone who works throughout the night in a fun, lively atmosphere. It can range from the doorman who won’t let you in because of your shoes, the busser who pours more drinks for you at your table than your waitress, or your favorite bartender at the Strip club.

We’re here to hopefully make your night more enjoyable and if it all goes right, unforgettable.

I have worked in nightlife since turning twentyone, started cocktailing on a casino floor, and moved into lounges and nightclubs only to make the jump into bartending. And although, some nights are grueling and relentless, I feel lucky to have the jobs I do and appreciate the craft more than ever. Coincidently, one of the biggest and best selling Irish whiskey companies feels the same and gives back to the nightlife industry every year by sponsoring a big party just for us.

Maybe you’ve heard of them before? They go by a little name called Jameson. photos by Megan Nicolson

The Jameson Bartenders Ball is a yearly event held all over the U.S. and is open to really anyone somehow involved in the service industry. I have been to this event now for the last five years, not only because it is one of my favorite brands, but also they always put on a great night

for local bartenders. However, this year they did things a little differently. They are holding two different events with limited tickets available.

I was invited to the first one on April 4th, but there will be a second one again in June. It was held at McMullan’s Irish pub, quite fitting, and donned in all the Jameson swag possible. Four bars were accessible to the group, all pouring the delicious Irish nectar. Most bars kept it simple just mixing the whiskey with certain mixers, but the outside bar offered an Old Fashioned with Jameson Black Barrel. They had photo booths, a live DJ and passed Irish fare hors d’oeuvres. And although guests were limited, the place filled up fast. My friends and I stayed for a few hours and then left to partake in the after party at Herbs and Rye. No surprise there. All in all, the night was a success and I patiently await next year’s ball.

Thank you Jameson for all that you do.

McMullan’s Irish Pub 4650 W Tropicana Ave #110 Las Vegas, NV 89103 702-247-7000 Mcmullansirishpub.com

4310 W Tompkins Ave Las Vegas, NV 89103

702-645-0049

www.jayssharpening.com • customerservice@jayssharpening.com

Mobile Service Our mobile service vans provide sharpening services on-site to even the largest resort properties, without disrupting workflow.

Commercial Knife Exchange Program We furnish sharp knives to your kitchen on a weekly or biweekly rotation schedule.

Jay’s Sharpening Service

Cutting Board Resurfacing & Replacements

Arville St

Equipment Sales We offer top-of-the-line knives, culinary tools, kitchen supplies and replacement parts.

W Harmon Ave

Steak & Table Knife Re-Serration / Sharpening

W Tropicana Ave

28 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

www.lvfnbpro.com

Product Review

By Bob Barnes One of the more underappreciated spirits in the world is grappa and unless they are native Italians or of Italian heritage most do not have much more than an inkling of what this Italian beverage actually is. Similar to brandy in that it is a derivative of wine, grappa was originally made to prevent waste, and is made from distilling the marc—also called pumice—the skins, pulp, seeds and stems of the grapes left over from winemaking after pressing. The sprit is then aged in wood barrels for several months, a year or longer. Like wine, grappa can vary widely depending on the quality and variety of the grapes used.

I had the pleasure to sample three grappas from the Marzadro Distillery. Located in Nogaredo (Trento), Italy, Marzadro had its humble beginnings in 1949 following the end of World War II and has since grown into an efficient and large modern distillery.

Giare Amarone 41% ABV This single grape grappa is obtained by distilling Amarone varietals (used to make a robust red wine) and is aged for at least 36 months in 500-liter oak barrels, during which time the Master Distiller closely monitors the development of the blend, checking the scents and aromas to achieve a unique balance. The bouquet is full and pronounced with a velvety, smooth flavor full of character and plenty of warmth.

La Trentina-Barrique Grappa Morbida 41% ABV

Le Diciotto Lune 41% ABV

This grappa is produced through distillation in a Bagnomaria steam pot still with marc from Muscat, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer grapes. It is then aged for several months in barrels previously used for ageing another of the distillery’s grappas, the Le Diciotto Lune Stravecchia, which allows it to become even more “gentle” and velvety. The result is a combination of sweetness with a very dry finish. It is the Marzadro family’s tribute to the land it lives on.

Diciotto lune is Italian for 18 months, and this grappa is named for the amount of time it is aged. The marcs of five Trentino grapes are utilized: Marzemino, Teroldego, Merlot, Moscato and Chardonnay; and it is distilled from a water bath into pot stills and then aged in 500-liter barrels made of Cherry, Ash, Oak and Robinia, each of which impart its own characteristics of fragrance, aroma, color and flavor. The ageing time follows the rhythms of nature: from moon to moon over 18 months. With such a variety of grapes and wood types used, it’s not surprising that the flavor is complex with harmonious layers of sweetness, silkiness and elegance.

For more info on these and other Marzadro grappas and spirits, visit www.marzadro.it/eng/grappe.php.

Marzadro products are imported by Wine Twist. www.winetwist.com

COME GET A TASTE OF WHAT’S

Cooking in Our Kitchens!

Try before you buy! We offer the latest in Commercial Foodservice Equipment.

EFFICIENT - save energy and time controls ensure consistent results

We carefully select all our demonstration equipment to be:

PRECISE - accurate temperature controls ensure consistent results

ENERGY-SAVING - ENERGY STAR® rated where possible THE LATEST - technology available on the market

www.swgas.com/foodservice

✆ www.lvfnbpro.com

For more information, call Lorri Davidson at 702-876-7368, or email Lorri.Davidson@swgas.com.

May 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 29

EVENTS

AD INDEX

We have several major food & beverage events coming up in the next few months and we just wanted to bring you an update so if planning to attend you can start booking now.

Al Dentes’ Provisions sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100

May 4-6 The HD Expo takes over the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas presenting some of the most elite hospitality design products on the market worldwide. High-end fixture buyers and designers make up the majority of the show floor attendees and the booths are elaborate to say the least. On an up note, every day of the expo from 3 p.m. open bars are located throughout the show floor.

HDExpo.com The 2nd annual Locals Only Beer Festival on May 14, hosted by Banger Brewing and the Nevada Craft Brewers Association (NCBA) in the center court of Neonopolis at the Fremont Street Experience, will be an opportunity to sample beers from all of Southern Nevada’s breweries, with proceeds benefitting the NCBA. localsonlybeerfest.com Mark your calendar for May 26 for the Las Vegas Epicurean Affair, one of the premier gourmet events of the year. Held at The Palazzo pools, this fundraiser supporting the Nevada Restaurant Association’s educational and scholarship programs will feature more than forty of the city’s most popular and well-regarded chefs and restaurants serving signature dishes, as well as Vegas’s top mixologists crafting classic and unique cocktails. www.nvrestaurants.com/las-vegas-epicurean-affair.html The Las Vegas Restaurant Week will return June 6-17. As in the past, more than 100 of the city’s finest restaurants will offer prix fixe menus, with a portion of each meal donated to Three Square, Southern Nevada’s only food bank. helpoutdineoutlv.org June 13-17 the World Tea Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center will bring everything from the world of tea, with previews of new products and newly launched innovations. www.worldteaexpo.com

page 15

Big Dog’s Brewing Company www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715

Designated Drivers www.designateddriversinc.com 877-456-7433

page 31

www.nvrestaurants.com

Audrey Dempsey Infinity Photo page 26 www.infinity-photo.com 702-837-1128

Bivi Vodka www.bivivodka.com 631-464-4050

Las Vegas Epicurean Affair

page 25

Major Foods

page 21

www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698 Power of Love

page 19, 32

page 2

www.keepmemoryalive.org/pol Southwest Gas

page 10

page 29

www.swgas.com/foodservice The Spice Outlet

page 15

FORKS: A Quest for page 30 Culture, Cuisine, and Connection www.forksthebook.com

www.thespiceoutlet.com

Jay’s Sharpening Service www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049

page 28

White Soy Sauce

JCCNV www.jccnevada.com 702-428-0555

page 10

702-534-7883 page 9

www.whitesoysaucefood.com World Tea Expo

page 11

www.worldteaexpo.com

Allan Karl’s best-selling book FORKS: A Quest for Culture, Cuisine, and Connection has been a #1 best-seller in three Amazon categories.

FORKS brings the world to your table: An around-the-world adventure story. A colorful photo book with more than 700 color photographs. A global cookbook with 40 signature recipes.

Why would someone sell nearly everything he owns, pull roots, and travel for three years--alone--on a motorcycle? One day Allan Karl woke up to discover that he was unemployed and his marriage had ended in divorce.

Allan looked at these forks in the road of his life as an opportunity to both follow a life-long dream and pursue his passions. He hopped on his motorcycle and traveled around the world--alone. After three years and 62,000 miles of riding, through 35 countries on 5 continents, he returned home only to set out on another journey--to share the truths he’d uncovered and the lessons learned during his adventure around the world.

Between these pages, Allan shares the discoveries, cultures, and connections he made on this global adventure. Through stories, color photos, and the flavors of real local food, FORKS brings his adventure to life and the world to your table: the kindness of strangers, the beauty of humanity, the colors of culture, and the powerful gift of human connection.

Every photograph, story, and recipe in this book presents readers with an opportunity to witness new cultures, taste exotic flavors, or journey into dangerous and unknown territories. Every experience is an opportunity to connect with others.

The second edition of FORKS is widely available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indie Bookstores everywhere. Autographed and personalized signed copies are available on the FORKS website www.forksthebook.com.

30 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016

www.lvfnbpro.com

NEVADA REST AURANT ASSOCIATION P R E S E N T S

May 26, 2016 GA: $110 (7 PM - 10 PM) EA: $160 (6 PM - 10 PM) CABANAS: $250 GET TICKETS AT ANY VENETIAN OR PALAZZO BOX OFFICE FOOD AND WINE BY THE BEST CHEFS IN THE WORLD

Feast For A Good Cause PROCEEDS OF THE EVENT GO TOWARDS FUNDING THE NEVADA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS