Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill

My annual pilgrimage to Vegas is over. Anticipated for months, and over in a flash. While most of my days and nights are spent playing in a pool tournament, any free time is usually consumed with eating and drinking....the highlight on this trip was the Mesa Grill in Caesar's Palace. We had planned to spend it with friends, but could never figure out a time when everybody was not required to be on the pool table.

Tall guy and I had no reservations and decided to take a chance anyways. I told him that I would be taking pictures, and luckily, it doesn't seem to faze him at all anymore. Admittedly, since this would be embarrassing to the average dining partner, I promised to be quick and discreet, which is why I used no flash and the pics turned out a little blurry. So when we got there, the hostess told us that the dress code was "no hats" unless you want to eat at the bar. We opted for the bar. This turned out to be a great choice because the service was attentive and friendly, and we got to watch the mixologists at work. We never mustered up the courage to order a $15 prickly pear margarita, although they looked heavenly.

It was Saturday at 1:00 pm and it turned out that we had to choose from the brunch menu. Fine by me, since a hearty breakfast and a bloody mary would be a perfect first meal of the day. You heard that right. While on vacation without children, it is mandatory to stay up until 4 am and sleep until noon....at least that is my rule of thumb.

Anyways, everything on the menu is inspired by Southwestern flavors, if you couldn't guess. Our meal started off with a delightful complimentary bread basket consisting of tiny Jalapeno Cheese Biscuits, a Yellow and Blue Corn Muffin and Coffee Cake with Blueberries and Pecans. We loved everything here...the muffin was moist and perfectly sweetened by the fresh corn kernels. The biscuit was fluffy and still warm with a lovely pepper kick. Coffee cake? Yum!


Next up - an appetizer called Goat Cheese "Queso Fundido" (12) with Rajas and served with blue corn chips. This was so gooey and rich, but oh, so good. It seems the goat cheese was mixed with jack cheese and other spices and baked to bubbly perfection. By the time we (almost) polished this off, I was actually pretty full. But wait, there's more.

We decided to share our entrees, and this one was the star for both of us. It's one of Flay's signature dishes. The menu read like this exactly: "spicy chicken + sweet potato hash + poached eggs + green chile hollandaise". (18) Everything on the menu was like that, with a lot of plus signs. I would have given it some cute name like "fiery hash benedict" or "benedicto diablo". The flavors were very diverse, with the sweet creamy potatoes mixed in with the spicy chicken and chiles.....when eaten together with the over-easy egg and hollandaise, it made for rich and satisfying burst of flavors. However, my one problem with the dish was that it may have been a tad too spicy for me, and after a few bites, it was hard to taste anything but heat.

Tall guy ordered "new mexican spiced pork tenderloin sandwich + grilled red onion, arugula, and ancho chile mayonnaise + southwestern fries" (15) Bartender warned us that the pork was cooked medium and that it had some pink. We agreed to the terms. The foccacia bread was too crunchy, and while the pork was so extremely tender and delicate, the sandwich lacked a depth of flavor that we were expecting. As Randy Jackson would say, "Dog, it was just alright for me"

Overall, I was pleased with my visit to Mesa Grill....it's huge windows overlook the gigantic sports book, and it just happened to be the day of the Preakness horse race, so the buzz and energy outside the restaurant was fun to watch. The service was great at the bar. Next time, I would like to go for dinner.......then again, there is so much competition for fine dining in Vegas that it seems like a crime to go to the same place twice. At least I have a year to think about it.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

My friend had a couple extra free tickets and so we decided to go to Monterey for the day. We got there at about 11:00 and despite our attempts with bringing snacks and drinks, the kids were hungry and antsy by noon. The place is a little different from when we last visited 4 years ago. It seems that almost every corner of the aquarium is geared to kids who love to push buttons and manipulate exhibits. This is a big plus for our guys. It was really cool, but very crowded, so keeping track of them was a little daunting. I would suggest, if you can, to make your visit on a weekday.

We really enjoyed the Jellyfish exhibit, the Bat Ray touch tank, the sharks and otters. There was an area called "Splash Zone" which was a great kids area, but again, so crowded that it was hard to navigate with the kids and a double stroller. I loved the concept though, and maybe on a non-spring break, non-weekend, it would be fantastic!

We ate at the cheesy Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, but it was perfect for us...they had a sand pit playground to use while we waited for food. (Notice how our restaurant choice revolves around 2 active boys). The kids got pizza, fries and jello with their kids meal ($4.99), and I had the clam chowder. It was pretty decent; the clams were tender and the thickness was perfect....a little too much celery, but that is my own opinion as I don't really care for it. Scott had a Cobb Salad with Shrimp which was served with a Raspberry Vinaigrette and Gorgonzola. He said the flavors were nice, but it was over-dressed. I didn't get a picture of the food because my batteries pooped out!

All in all, it was a nice day....but maybe a little too much work with the young 'uns. I would like to try in another year or two. Those of you that brave Disneyland in the summer with any toddlers in tow....hats off to you!

Al Pastor Taco

Carpinteria is filled with taquerias. So many, in fact, that I have probably tried 6 of them while visiting my parents here over the years. I believe there are several that I haven't tried. Some are sit-down restaurants, but most are just taco counters inside of Mexican markets.

This particular taco is from Reyes Market in Carpinteria, CA. It is BBQ Pork with salsa, onion and cilantro on two homemade tortillas. Yum. Seriously, they make the tortillas while you wait. This one cost a whopping $2.40. OMG!

We also like Taco Grande, and the counter in Beach Liquor (for breakfast burritos). This sleepy little beach town is great for a low key beach vacation or camping trip. While lodging is never cheap near the beach, its less than half the cost of Santa Barbara and only about 7 miles south.

Below is a photo of a quirky restaurant on the main drag. It's called The Palms, and its been a staple in this town for ages. I don't know anywhere else where you order a steak and they bring you a slab of raw meat! While there are dinners that come fully prepared, the fun part of this place is taking your meat over to the communal grill and cooking it yourself. They have seasonings lined up and tongs for you to use. You can usually strike up an interesting conversation while you tend your food. Included in your dinner is a salad bar, and another bar that has warm bread, beans, salsa AND baked potatoes. Quite the bargain!