Category: Columns

Tasting the flavors of Piedmont

Piedmont, like other regions of Italy has a good problem.  Location. It’s because of Italy’s geographically varied landscape, the 20 regions are distinct in every way. Situated in the northwest corner of Italy, Piedmont is bordered in the north by the Swiss Alps, on the west by the French Alps,  and to the south, the Ligurian mountains. This unique isolation has served to preserve their extraordinary cuisine. Highly influenced by France, dishes are rich with milk, butter, cream, meat, and…

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Tasting Giada Vegas

Light, fresh and simple. This is Giada De Laurentiis’ style.  And inside Giada Vegas at The Cromwell, she greets summer with seasonal dishes that stay true to Italian classics with a casual California spin.  New tastes to discover is the generously portioned charred octopus panzanella, prepared with tomato, asparagus and charred tomato vinaigrette.  Pair it with Borgoluce’s prosecco superiore for a little effervescence. For the secondi, the fettuccini with sweet garlic scampi with heirloom tomato. With a light touch of…

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Discovering Ruchè

Wine made from the Ruchè grape has a beguiling aromatic promise of delicate, fresh blossoms of violets, geranium, lavender — sometimes expressing white fruits of quince and fig — while capturing cinnamon, spice and black pepper. This distinctive beauty harnesses wildly redolent red berry characters and delightfully fits the demand for a light- to medium-bodied red wine that can be served slightly chilled and stir conversation. “Rarely does one encounter an aromatic red variety boasting such remarkable structure and balance,” said Cameron…

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Thomas Schlumberger shares the beauty of Alsace

The Alsace region of France is so charming, it might as well be in a fairy tale. Set against the backdrop of the forested Vosges Mountains, quaint villages and storybook hamlets with little clusters of pastel-painted, half-timbered houses adorned with colorful flower boxes bring cheer to the picturesque landscape. Nearby vineyards display gorgeous scenery where exquisite wines are produced from a rolling landscape of green ribbon that enjoys precise alignment of the vines, which catch every minute of life-giving sunlight.…

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Fetching bottles from Aureole’s wine tower is no easy task

Photo by: Krystal Ramirez This story first appeared in VEGAS SEVEN magazine. If you ask me to ascend four stories while dangling from discernibly thin cables, I’d more than likely pass on the opportunity. Not just because I’m fearful of heights, but really, why would I want to do that in the first place? Unless of course, some form of fermented grape juice was involved. In all honesty, nobody had to twist my arm to be a Wine Angel for…

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Mass Osteria’s tasting menu, Egyptian pots and Jaleo’s pre-show bites

Chef Scott Conant doesn’t like the word concept when referring to restaurant style. It’s too sterile, he says. His new dining spot Masso Osteria is a simple Italian restaurant that offers “place of conviviality—a place for guests to have fun and enjoy themselves.” That includes the ambience of an inviting open kitchen supported by food with aromas and flavors that make you feel right at home. Just about everything is made in-house and with a whole lot of love. Case…

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Holy Hot Smoked Trout at The Kitchen at Atomic

Originally published in my weekly column, Dish & Tell,  at VEGAS SEVEN MAGAZINE.   The menu changes when “the mood strikes” the staff at The Kitchen at Atomic,where fine dining meets elevated bar food. And with a flash, now you can enjoy brunch. Chef Justin Kingsley Hall, formerly of Sparrow + Wolf, struts his own style, which is best described as refined rustic. He drew inspiration from the places where he’s lived and the people who have influenced him over…

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Burgers and Banh Mis on the 595, a South Indian Bar Brunch and a Sip for Scholarship

Van-Alan Nguyen wanted to root himself in the community. The recent transplant from San Diego and former In-N-Out manager (with 10 years’ tenure) delivered something he thought his Las Vegas neighbors would like: a family-friendly smoke- and gaming-free gastropub with revolving craft beers and delicious food. The name 595 Craft & Kitchen is a nod to the strip of Rainbow Boulevard that is also part of Route 595. Inside, the space pays homage to what once was in place of…

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Greetings from Napa Valley

Award-winning duo Kirk Peterson and Marisa Finetti are an unlikely match, but they share a love of food and drink. In their column, TasteBuds, (originally published in VEGASSEVEN.com) they devour dishes and demystify drinks. Aside from knowing that having a day job would be more helpful in paying the bills, being a wine writer can be a beautiful thing. And if you visit Napa Valley, like Marisa Finetti and I recently did during the Professional Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood…

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Rhous Winery Exemplifies Passion Behind Crete’s Indigenous Grapes

The gradual roadway to Rhous Winery above the quaint village of Houdetsi on Greece’s largest island, Crete, is perilously narrow, hugging the hill on one side, a sheer drop on the other. But once at the top, the pocket of paradise owned by winemaking couple Maria Tamiolakis and Dimitris Mansolas is a setting for relaxation and exploration into some of Greece’s most stunning indigenous varietals. Crete is home to one of the largest wine-growing regions in Greece and is among…

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