Breakfast at Raffles Cafe Las Vegas

Food at a Las Vegas conference is disappointing to downright disgusting sometimes. After 6 years of the same yearly conference, I've learned to not even bother going to eat at a conference and just spend the extra money and dine out.

Since Raffles Cafe at Mandalay Bay was close by, myself and my coworker decided to head there for breakfast.

We shared:

Custard french Toast
This was MASSIVE, it was 2 slices of light and fluffy toast that was about 8x8x2 inches with custard filling and then dipped in egg and pan fried. It was really good.  I need to make this at home.

Raffles Exotic Coconut Pancakes
This was okay, it had coconut and mango on it.


Hashbrowns:
Normal - but always a tasty side.

Roasted Rack of Lamb

We've had a frozen New Zealand rack of lamb sitting in the freezer for quite sometime, and every week we SAY we are having lamb, but then we forget. Finally we got to it.

We've had a frozen New Zealand rack of lamb sitting in the freezer for quite sometime, and every week we SAY we are having lamb, but then we forget. Finally we got to it.

I found this recipe on Allrecipes with a 5 star rating, and I've made some modifications. Since it's the 2nd time I've ever cooked rack of lamb (the first time did not turn out that well), I was a little worried. However, this recipe is super simple. I used 1lb rack of lamb and it took 12 mins in the oven, 2 racks would be about 14 minutes. They turned out perfectly, I took them out of the oven when the internal temperature was 135 degrees F and let them sit for 5 mins so it could continue cooking internally before I sliced them up. I'm a big fan of lamb, so I'd definitely make this again. I served it with blanched asparagus and rice.

Roasted Rack of Lamb

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Ready In: 40 Minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (1lb 8 bone) rack of lamb, trimmed and frenched 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2-3 tablespoons grainy tarragon mustard

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Move oven rack to the center position.
2.	In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil to moisten mixture. Set aside.
3.	Season the rack all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy oven proof skillet over high heat. Sear rack of lamb for 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. Set aside for a few minutes. Rub rack of lamb with the mustard. Roll in the bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent charring.
4.	Arrange the rack bone side down in the skillet. Roast the lamb in preheated oven for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness you want. With a meat thermometer, take a reading in the center of the meat after 10 to 12 minutes and remove the meat, or let it cook longer, to your taste. Let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes, loosely covered, before carving between the ribs.

Comments: Allow internal temperature to be 5 to 10 degrees less than you like because the meat will continue to cook while it sits. Bloody rare: 115 to 125 degrees F Rare: 125 to 130 degrees F Medium rare: 130 to 140 degrees F Medium: 140 to 150 degrees F


Note: Cindy cooked this time, not Nick. :-D This is a rare occurrence that should be observed no more then 4 times a year, so it's super special every time. :-)

If I didn't say I did it, then Nick cooked, I ate.

Aureole Restuarant Las Vegas

Executive Summary: Las Vegas, where everything thing is bigger then life....except for Aureole's Charlie Palmer Parallel tasting menu.

Cost: $85 a person for a 4 course tasting menu.

My notes:

The dishes, as with most tasting menus, were small, but this was the Parallel menu, each course was actually 2 dishes! It doesn't look big, but my friend and I were both very full by the end of the meal. While this was a nice tasting menu, I preferred the prix fixe in the Fleur De Lys restaurant also at the Mandalay Bay right next to Aureole. I wasn't really excited by any of these dishes, they weren't very unique, I didn't think these well artistic or well presented, and their use of heavy sauces on the meats detracted from the delicate flavour and texture especially in the Australian Wagu beef. The desserts were also sub par, the sorbet was the best thing there, and that compliments of the chef. For $85 a person, you can stand to do much better then Aureole, especially in the culinary epicenter in Las Vegas.

Here's some photos off my Blackberry Bold.

FIRST COURSE

Top:ROASTED BABY BEET SALAD ARTISANAL BURRATA, ARGAN OIL CANDIED HAZELNUT
Bottom: BEET CURED GRAVLOX SALMON, HACKLEBACK CAVIAR, PORT WINE REDUCTION

SECOND COURSE

Left: GRILLED CALEDONIAN PRAWNS, CRISPY SUSHI RICE CAKE, SWEET CHILI SAUCE
Right: DAY BOAT SCALLOPS AND CALAMARI, SQUID INK / ARBORIO RICE, SPANISH CHORIZO

THIRD COURSE

Left:ROASTED MUSCOVY DUCK BREAST, TRUFFLE CELERY MOUSSELINE, HONEY MUSTARD DUCK JUS
Right:AUSTRALIAN WAGYU BEEF STRIP LOIN, CELERY REMOULADE, WILD MUSHROOMS, PINOT NOIR REDUCTION

FOURTH COURSE

ALMOND MILK ICE CREAM FLOAT PISTACHIO AND ALMOND TORRONE
SALTED CARAMEL NUT TARTBLACK MISSION FIG COMPOTE, AMARETTI CRUMB
SORBET tray - complements of the chef, with a thin slice of dehydrated pineapple.

15.4lbs Halloween Candy Stash

No....we didn't get this from Trick or Treating on Halloween (we were too busy scaring kids on Halloween). :-P We bought this after halloween, some from halloween, some from Vegas. We weighed it, without the Loblaws bin, it weighs 15.4lbs.

There's 15.4lbs of plastic wrappers and candy/chocolate. More plastic then candy. Crazy. :-P

Chicken Vegetable Stir Fry

Yummy and simple! There are 8 vegetables in this chicken stir fry.

Ingredients:

chicken breast
carrots
zucchini
sweet white onions
yellow bell pepper
celery
string beans
sugar snap peas
bean sprouts
Montreal chicken spice
Club house vegetable seasoning

Beef and Red pepper pasta.

BEEF AND RED PEPPER PASTA

Serves: 2
approx prep time: 5min
approx cook time: 10min

INGREDIENTS: 
1 lbs ground beef
4 slices genoa salami
2 green onions
1 red pepper
1.5 cups shell pasta (or other pasta of your choice)
1 tspb olive oil
1/2 cup old cheddar cheese, shredded
Club House Vegetable seasoning (approx. 1tbsp)
Seasoned salt (2-3 shakes)

REQUIRED KITCHEN GIZMOS:
small pot
frying pan with lid
stirring spoon
cutting board
chopping knife

HOW TO MAKE IT:
- Start water boiling for the pasta.
- Chop pepper, onions, salami, and grate cheese.
- Heat frying pan on medium heat, adding olive oil when warm. Add pasta to boiling water.
- Brown onion and beef in pan, along with vegetable seasoning and seasoned salt.
- Add chopped red pepper, salami when beef is browned.
- Drain pasta and add to frying pan with meat and veggies when ready. Stir together.
- Sprinkle with shredded cheese, stir together, serve.