Traveling to Paso Robles to Sip , Dine and Stay ? Stop on in to La Quinta to be treated just like family by GM Victor Popp and his staff .

Paso Robles is gaining the reputation as a fine wine destination getaway for tasting Bold robust Zinfandels and Lovely Bordeaux Varietals. With wineries springing up throughout the region, many are making the sojourn to this Interesting wine region.

While preparing for your trip to this area, plan on staying at the La Quinta, Paso Robles. Located right on Hwy 46 this hotel can boast a five star reputation, given the accolades that are being lauded by locals and travelers alike.  La Quinta, Paso Robles, well deserves the rave reviews that it is receiving. With General Manager, Victor Popp at the helm, this nationally known chain, has been up- graded to five star status.

VWC Innviting Red Blend , Paso Robles

Mr. Popp’s ingenuity, caring, and expertise, has translated into an outstanding hotel experience for every type of traveler. Given, his many years of expertise in the industry, his vivacious personality and attention to detail, many are singing praises for a hotel that is catering to wine aficionados, pet lovers and families who are on the road.  They can also accommodate tours to the region, wedding parties, and just about anyone who just wants to get away for the weekend.

Each person that walks through lovely grounds adorned with rose bushes is greeted by a friendly staff that is well-versed in all aspects of hotel operations.

The  rooms are well-designed, with lovely linens, and comfortable furnishings,  that can accommodate families traveling with  fido, or those on a romantic weekend for two. There is a lovely dining area with gratis breakfast, and a happy hour featuring many of the local wines and cheeses from the area.  An in–house gift store features outstanding local wines won’t have you going home or to your room empty handed.

We have been fortunate to have stayed at this lovely hotel several times, and this time, Mr.Popp warmly greeted us with a gift of wine made by himself and his staff. Now, how is that for hospitality? As we made our way around the area, discovering some new local wineries and local fare, we were glad to know that our return would be to a place where we would be refreshed and renewed.

Victor Popp and his staff crushing grapes for their first bottling of Innviting

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Second Annual Central Coast Oyster and Music Festival to be held October 19th In Morro Bay

We attended the first event last year and this year looks even better ! In celebration of the world-renowned oysters of Morro Bay, the Central Coast Oyster Festival will be held this year Saturday, October 19th at the beautiful setting on the Morro Bay Golf Course from 12 P.M. to 8 P.M. and ticket go ON SALE JULY 1st, 2013! 

This year Jacqueline  Delaney of SpinCycle Event Installations and Neal Maloney of Morro Bay Oyster Co  have partnered together to continue the further development of amazing festival soon to be the icon for original unique events on the Central Coast. 

  Last year was a huge success with over 4000 in attendance, the LARGEST first year attended event on the Central Coast to date.  This year expected attendance well over 6000 .

A  Larger venue with outstanding design installations, more oyster vendors and ON SITE PARKING, this event will surpass all expectations for attendees.  The Central Coast Oyster Festival will feature a range of amazing oyster preparations, the best wines, brews, exclusive cocktails, and a full lineup of knockout bands to play throughout the day under the most beautiful settings. Jacqueline Delaney’s vision has taken this event to a new level of visual design and thus creating a new level of experience.  “There are so many great wine, food, and entertainment events on the Central Coast that we’ve really concentrated on creating an experience unlike any other to equally highlight entertainment and art right alongside the food and wine experience “  she  said.

 With a view of the Morro Bay Oyster Farm as well as the iconic Morro Rock, the Central Coast Oyster Festival will feature oysters from the Morro Bay Oyster Company, widely recognized as one of the greatest suppliers on the West Coast. Dozens of chefs from across the Central Coast will go head-to-head for the ‘Best Oyster of the Central Coast” Chef Award, and the audience will be invited to taste their sumptuous efforts.

  

The oysters will, of course, be the main attraction butr other epicurean delights will also be available so plenty for oyster lovers and all others a true foodies dream.  Any good oyster festival needs a shucking competition, and the Central Coast Oyster This festival is no exception. Local shuckers will be invited to demonstrate their speed and skill to a live audience for prizes and the respect of the Central Coast community.

 In addition to the mouthwatering flavors of fresh Morro Bay oysters, the festival will include special features such as whimsical structures from SpinCycle, a locally based event art installation company who first started at Burning Man creating beautiful designs and unique environments within the festival. SpinCycle will work alongside The Do LaB, based out of Los Angeles. The Do LaB is world-renowned for bending reality through interactive environments, event production and creative lighting design. Prominently showcased at such high-profile gatherings as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Annual Festival.  The Do LaB takes an organic approach to everything they design and create, striving to bring their visions to life with natural materials, found objects and sustainable resources, both a perfect fit for the vision of this one of a kind Central Coast Festival.

Join us again this year to this full day music festival that includes all the amazing local chefs preparing oysters in various ways.  New to this year will be a food stage in addition to the full day music festival stage, where chefs and wineries will entertain your palette.  The Aphrodisiac Lounge will also be back bringing you the most delectable raw oyster bar, sparkling wine, chocolates and cheeses.

 Included in this weekend of events will be an exclusive Abalone Dinner w/ Star Chef Bradley Ogden and a Foodie mini Golf Tournament.

 Tickets for this full-day music festival and foodie experience of all things authentically Central Coast are $24 and includes an earth friendly souvenir water bottle, as we will again be providing FREE water to support our ZERO Waste and GOOD FOR HEALTH event. See you in Morro Bay !

All tickets can be purchased at www.CentralCoastOysterFestival.com.

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Chef Mario Batali To Open His 4th Venue at the Venetian / Palazzo Resorts , B&B Burger & Beer .

 

The annual summer long Carnevale festival as begun at the Venetian / Palazzo Resorts. Chef Mario Batali  helped kick off the event with some very big news by announcing  the upcoming opening of his and Joe Bastanich’s new restaurant ,B&B Burger & Beer.

 The latest installment of Batali’s group is opening in September . B&B Burger & Beer will be a casual 120-seat interior dining room and feature bright colors and more than 20 televisions for sports fans.  Outside, overlooking The Venetians Gondolas   there will be a 2,000 square foot outdoor, 100-seat patio facing the famed Las Vegas Strip

Chef Mario Batali, Cuisineist Editor-In-Chief Elaine Harris

Of course, keeping in step with Batali & Bastianich style, the atmosphere and consistently delicious food are sure to please that walk through the doors. The menu will feature local ingredients and the beer-driven beverage menu comprised of beers from Las Vegas and Southern California craft breweries.  The burgers will be made from nearby Carnevino’s high-quality American beef, served on a perfectly charred bun, with signature sides, robust salads, and standout shakes.

This partnership is not a new one. It is the 6th collaboration with the Las Vegas Sands Corp that includes three restaurants in Las Vegas (B&B Ristorante and Otto Enoteca Pizzeria in The Venetian and Carnevino Italian Steakhouse in The Palazzo) as well as two properties in the Marina Bay Sands Hotel Casino in Singapore  (Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza).

“Las Vegas Sands has been a great partner over the years and with their support, Joe and I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to do something we’ve never done before,” said Mario Batali.

As expected,  B&B Burger & Beer will maintain the company’s commitment to sustainability. Through initiatives such as the no-bottled water policy, energy efficient lighting, and whole-animal purchasing, B&B Burger & Beer will strive to be energy efficient, conserve water, and reduce waste wherever possible.

“Among the world-class attributes of The Venetian and The Palazzo, our culinary traditions have been at the heart of our experience," said John Caparella, president and chief operating officer of The Venetian, The Palazzo, and Sands Expo. "And with Chef Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich in our family, they will continue to help us to set the standard for culinary excellence in Las Vegas!  What an honor it is to have another quality B&B venue at The Venetian."

We have visited all of Batali’s restaurants on many occasions and they always impress wioth outstanding cuisine and service. In September, you will be sure to find us there enjoy what we already know to be an outstanding experience, this time with a view!

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Chef Daniel Boulud’s triumphant return to the culinary meca of Las Vegas with be at The Venetian Resort and Casino

 He is back!  , Renown Chef Daniel Boulud recently announced that The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas will be the next home for the popular New York City restaurant DBGB Kitchen & Bar. He has been missed since he closed his namesake restaurant in the Wynn but has kept a close eye on the all-star culinary action on the Las Vegas Strip.  

Chef Daniel Boulud

“Staying in Vegas has always been my goal,” said Boulud.  “I am thrilled to be returning with the Venetian and Palazzo, part of the Las Vegas Sands family with whom we already have a successful partnership with in Singapore.”  His db Bistro Moderne opened in 2011 at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore to high acclaim.

It is no surprise that this all-star Chef is opening in the Venetian Resort.  The Venetian and its sister property The Palazzo already feature a dazzling section of the Nation’s top fine-dining venues.

Boulud added, the DBGB concept is perfect for Las Vegas, giving a casual affordable option with a lively atmosphere.  Boulud also stated “While keeping the roots of my French Bistro cuisine, we fuse rock n’ roll, burgers, bangers and beer, not to mention a big bar with an outstanding cocktail and wine program”.

John Caparella, president and chief operating officer of The Venetian, The Palazzo, and Sands Expo, could not be more excited to add yet another world class Chef under his roof.  “I can’t begin to explain how pleased we are to be the Las Vegas home to such an acclaimed world-class chef as Daniel Boulud," he said. "We've always strived to offer amazing dining experiences by the world’s greatest chefs and Daniel Boulud’s DBGB Kitchen & Bar will absolutely continue this tradition!"

Guests have something to really look forward to .The original DBGB Kitchen & Bar opened in 2009 and is located at the intersection of Soho, the East Village and the Lower East Side. This tasty, palate pleasing venue features over 20 craft beers on tap, 75 beers in bottles, and great value in wines as well. The concept is much more than just mouthwatering burgers. It offers varieties of house-made sausages, towering shellfish platters, and full menu of market-inspired, seasonal Lyonnais cooking. For the FINI , guests can  dig into the classics like baked Alaska, soufflés and ice cream sundaes.

We look forward with anticipation to Chef Daniel Boulud’s triumphant return to the culinary meca of Las Vegas at the Venetian Resort and Casino.

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Chef Buddy Valastro opens in the Venetian Resort Las Vegas.

Cake Boss Buddy Valastro
Credit DCL

Las Vegas is about to get yet another  superstar Chef with a taste of New Jersey’s other “boss” as Buddy Valastro, the star of the hit TLC series Cake Boss, opens his first restaurant this fall. Partnering with veteran restaurateurs Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla, Buddy V’s will be located in The Venetian® Las Vegas and is inspired by his family gatherings and the beloved recipes passed down by his mother, grandmother, and aunts.

This is Buddy V’s  first restaurant and known for his ebullient personality and intricate custom cakes. “People always just think of me as a baker, but beyond the bakery, food has always been at the center of my family’s life,” says Valastro. A partnership with Blau and Canteenwalla, hospitality visionaries widely credited at the center of Las Vegas’ transformation into the world-class culinary destination it is today, lends the creative and operational support system needed to ensure Buddy V’s is the talk of the town. “We’ve been friends with and fans of Buddy for a long time so we are excited to be partnering with him to help bring his vision to life,” says Blau.

The menu will offer new twists on Italian-American classics, as well as Valastro family favorites like Sunday Gravy; Steak Pizzaiola and Lisa’s Linguine and Clams with Lobster. Staying true to Buddy’s baking roots, Buddy V’s will also boast an impressive dessert selection of timeless treats such as Zeppole, Cannoli, and the world famous Lobster Tail Pastry.

Located in the  Venetian Las Vegas and   adjacent to Barney’s New York, Buddy V’s will occupy an astounding 11,000 square feet and offer commanding Strip views in a beautiful room designed by New York based firm, Celano Design.

The Venetian and The Palazzo are well known in the culinary capital of Las Vegas and feature the nation's largest collection of fine-dining restaurants under one roof. “We are thrilled to welcome Buddy as the newest celebrity chef to call The Venetian and The Palazzo home," said John Caparella, president and chief operating officer of The Venetian, The Palazzo, and Sands Expo. "The vision of Buddy and his team is to create a restaurant that will bring many of us back to an Italian Sunday dinner with the family. What a perfect fit for The Venetian and The Palazzo!"

We look forward to welcoming yet another culinary diamond to join the collection of gastronomic jewels on the famed Las Vegas Strip.

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MINGO Opens Downtown and offers a unique experience in cocktails and cuisine.

Downtown Las Vegas has been undergoing quite a renaissance coming out the dark ages of not so many years past. It’s the place to be with locally owned bars, restaurants and shops opening up weekly to the delight of the hip crowd, many of whom live within blocks of this newest resurgence in Las Vegas.

One of the early visionaries was the collaboration of entrepreneurs George Harris, Mingo Collaso and Executive Chef Robert Solano with the opening of Mundo in the World Market Center.  Taking a chance that Las Vegas’s renewed attempt at culture, The Smith Center of Performing Arts, would actually come to fruition, Mundo and the collaboration held on, and today Mundo is now a buzz of activity.  The Smith Center is now the cultural pride of Las Vegas and many guests, Broadway Stars and Musicians are known to frequent Mundo on a daily basis.

Fresh off their success at Mundo the trio set out on their next project of opening Mingo Kitchen & Lounge right in the middle of the Downtown Arts District.  Mingo has recently opened and has already created great interest in the downtown lounge /restaurant scene.

Recently we joined George Harris at Mingo for lively conversation and an inside look at his newest hit.  The first thing we noticed is the beautiful courtyard just outside of the restaurant where guest s can order hand crafted cocktails such as the namesake Mingo , craft beers,  Alien Tequila and dine on Chef Robert Solano’s pleasing creations.

The décor can be described as a mix of “old school “ Las Vegas with plush leather couch lounge seating with a contemporary , modern feel  accented by Silver , Black and white classy color combinations. For those who enjoy sitting at the bar, Mingo’s bar is open, comfortable and features power plugs for those who want to stay awhile and catch up on the Internet chatter.

We joined George Harris at a table and ordered up some cocktails to get started.  The beet salad featured fresh, peppery arugula and plenty of tasty beets topped with a crispy Parmesan crisp for richness.

Beet Salad

We had heard about the Mac and Cheese so we had to see for ourselves if it was as good as we were told.  The plate arrived and the melting cheese aromas enticed our palates for what is one of the best versions of Mac and Cheese we have had in a very long time.  Perfectly cooked pasta topped with three creamy, steamy, rich cheeses was a huge favorite of the day and we would come back just for that.

Mac and Cheese

Chef Robert is known for his skill in using interesting flavor profiles in his dishes. We finished with perfection; the honey –glazed Mahi  Mahi , a blend of sweet, spicy and savory flavors in each bite. The menu also features small bites like tomato and mozzarella crustini, spicy fried wings and sliders, just to name a few.

 This all-star team of entrepreneurs has a huge hit on their hands, judging from the standing room only crowd that goes until the early morning hours. Mingo is a great place to “hangout” with friends; enjoy great cocktails, small bites and even a sumptuous ribeye at prices that are easy on your wallet. Congratulations to the new opening and you will be seeing us mingling at Mingo.

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Old Family Favorite S’mores Gains Ground On the Las Vegas Strip.

Remember when you were young and loved anything with melted chocolate? If you think back, most likely the first thing you cooked yourself was s’mores. Golden brown marshmallows, heavenly rich, melted chocolate all in one messy, decadent bite was pure heaven in your mouth. Now you can relive those tasty days in the gastronomic epicenter of Las Vegas.

One stop on your s’mores scavenger hunt is the The Pub at Monte Carlo Resort. Well known for its spectacular choices for craft beer, The Pub brings all the ingredients for s’mores right to the table complete with a flaming hot pot and skewers so you may take great delight in roasting house-made marshmallows to personalized perfection.  S’mores chefs can choose from lemon, cinnamon-sugar or white crème marshmallows that are served with Hershey’s chocolate and sweet graham crackers.

Monte Carlo - The Pub - Tableside S'mores

 Further down the iconic Las Vegas Strip, visit TENDER Steak & Seafood at the Luxor Resort. This steakhouse features the Campfire More Than S’more platter which features fire-roasted homemade marshmallows served on a warm chocolate brownie.

Luxor - TENDER - More than S'more Platter

Who does not enjoy the very French classic Crème brûlée.  Those with a love of classic French desserts will appreciate the s’mores craze at Red Square at Mandalay Bay Resort with the S’mores Brûlée which includes a palate pleasing orchestra of chocolate and whipped marshmallow fluff accented by a freshly made graham cracker,marshmallow and chocolate s’mores.

Monte Carlo S'mores Tableside

Making your own s’mores is always a fun time, but not all of us are aspiring s’mores chefs but would rather experience a s’more in a whole new light. If that is the case, the Mother Fluffer milkshake from BLT Burger at Mandalay Bay Resort is sure to please. 

This one of a kind marshmallow-flavored drink is made with a rich and creamy blend of vanilla ice cream topped with a sweetly toasted marshmallow.

Las Vegas is at the cutting edge of culinary world with its wide array of culinary all-stars pushing the industry to its limits with eye opening creations from a stable of all-star chefs. In addition, an old family favorite like s,mores has found its place too in a variety of forms in this city of epicurean delights .

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