Birthday Weekend in Las Vegas

Hubby and I escaped to Las Vegas last weekend, and we had such a blast! We both were in much need of a vacation and some relaxation time, and that's exactly what we got.





We arrived at Tao for dinner, and the food was absolutely delicious! The restaurant was really neat, and there is this big huge Buddha that I loved. Thankfully we made a reservation beforehand and didn't have to wait long to be seated, otherwise we probably would have left because the bar was so crowded and the bartenders were awful!

We started off with some cold Sake and Tsing Tao beer, which our waiter described to us as "Chinese Heineken". Very tasty.

Please excuse the not so great quality of my food photos...It was really dark in the restaurant, but I preferred taking pictures inconspicuously so I didn't reveal the true food nerd in me to all of the hipsters around us!






At the recommendation of our waiter, we started with an order of Spicy Tuna Tartar on Crispy Rice, and Lobster Wontons with Shiitake Ginger Broth (pictured below).
OMG, sooooooo amazing, I could have eaten these all weekend! These are an absolute MUST order!!







After inhaling these (we were starving), we had Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass with Wok Vegetables and Pad Thai with Shrimp and Chicken. Again, so delicious, and the sea bass was cooked to perfection. Didn't snap any pics of these, darn!

Overall Tao was really great, and we'd definitely go back in the future, the appetizers were enough to get us hooked.



Next day: lunch at The Terrace Point Cafe at the Wynn, and a nice little session of craps. The table where we were playing was on a pretty good streak, and when it came time for Hubby to shoot the dice he had a great roll. Some guys at the end of the table started clapping, and it looked like they were playing with BIG money. So while Hubby was shooting, I started looking at the guys clapping him on, and I realized that one of the guys was Mike Sexton (Host of World Poker Tour TV Show). We were so excited that we were actually playing with Mike Sexton, and were making him money!....... next thing I know though, hubby rolls a 7 and craps out, darn!!




Above: Hubby enjoying his Turkey Burger

Below: My Open-faced Crab Cake on Brioche with Tartar Aioli on the side with Old Bay seasoned french fries...... soooooo amazing, best fries ever!




After lunch we headed towards downtown to visit a pawn shop, random I know. The shop has a TV show on the History Channel, Pawn Stars, and we've gotten hooked. People pawn the neatest stuff, and the shop owners find the great things to restore and sell. One of their restoration projects was on an old Chriscraft boat, so cool. Since we were in Vegas, we wanted to see what it was all about in person. "Big Hoss" and the gang were there, and everyone was super friendly. The shop was pretty small, which I wasn't expecting, and it was just down from the main Vegas strip.

Next on our dinner list, Picasso at the Bellagio. AMAZING! Everything was so fantastic, starting with the atmosphere. It was so intimate and fancy, very dim lighting, high cove ceilings with exposed brick. It felt like we were eating in a french Chateau, didn't feel like Vegas at all. Eleven original Pablo Picasso works surrounded us, and the view of the Bellagio's water show was great fun.

First things first,

Grey Goose, up with two olives

Below: This WAS a Maine Lobster Salad with Apple-Champagne Vinaigrette, absolutely amazing. Sorry, I forgot to snap a pic BEFORE enjoying it! =)

Next up, Pan Seared Sea Scallop with Potato Mousseline and Jus de Veau (which was sooooo fantastic) and Sauteed "A" steak of Foie Gras with Honey Muscat Poached Pears and Creme Fraiche Gastrique and Briocheand Crushed (not my cup of tea, AT ALL!)

Above: Sauteed Filet of Halibut with Ragout of Corona Beans, Serrano Ham, Vegetables and Mushrooms - I loved this!

Below: Hubby's Lamb Loin (delicious!)

Delicious Birthday Treat!

One of the greatest things about this restaurant was that the portions were just big enough to enjoy the incredible food, but small enough so that we didn't finish dinner with that overly full and tired feeling.

Lovely roses, great ambiance

The next day, we experienced the real Las Vegas, off of the strip.... BEST Chinese food... China Mama's.

Below: 4 lbs. of the most wonderfully sauced-up lobster accompanied by shrimp fried rice and scallion pancakes. So darn good, I want to find a place like this in Houston.

Last day: Round of golf at the Wynn. The weather, surprisingly, wasn't too bad, and we had a really great time. The golf course was in great shape, especially considering how hot and dry it is in Vegas. The only thing I didn't particularly love about it is that the course only offers two tee boxes, and the shorter of the two is still 6500 yards for the course! We had a great time though, a fun experience overall.

We played with two other guys, the guy in the center of the pic below is a pro on the European PGA Tour. It was incredible to play with such an amazing golfer... this guy was sinking the most ridiculous putts I've ever seen in person!

We had such a fantastic time in Vegas, and Hubby put together an AMAZING birthday celebration. Now it's back to the grind stone.....