Trader Dick's at the Nugget! Reno!

After having dropped a bundle at the casino gaming tables, I was ravenous. I looked up from the slot machine and saw the ocean. I thought for a moment that I was underwater! How could I have gotten underwater? Oh, it is a place to eat and I do not need scuba gear; thank God I have a few dollars left. Trader Dick's is an absolutely tropical fun food adventure, brought to you direct from the John Ascuagas Nugget where the restaurant is located. A huge aquarium spans the entire length of the Tiki Bar, and is exceptionally well-stocked with a variety of coral reef fish, and maintained in pristine condition. There is also a glass enclosed tiki hut that houses a huge clay roasting oven, that is sometimes used for special events. I bet you could slow roast three or four full grown hogs in this thing that looks like an big beige igloo!

Now to "Feel the Meal"!

Island Drinks come in all sizes and flavors and served in what you would expect in a place like this: try the "Shark's Tooth" with Purple Label Rum (151 proof) for a really tasty spanking, or the more traditional "Zombie", "Mai Tai" and "Scorpion". After a few of these, you'll be underwater too! and just ready for some appetizers!

After writing a small blog tid bit about the Pupu Platter, it just so happens that the Trader Dick's Sampler for Two does the trick! (Only, for me, it's for one!): Tempura Prawn (truly jumbo shrimp, perfectly prepared); Tahitian Ribs (slow cooked, nicely glazed and very tender); Potstickers (traditional); Chicken Satay; and Thai Egg Rolls! This sampler is served with an array of dipping sauces. I could eat this every day!

Next comes the Won Ton Noodle Soup: this is not a dainty portion, but a meal in itself: pork filled wontons, noodles, chicken, shrimp, snow peas, water chestnuts, and on and on...

Soft Shell Crabs! Are you kidding me? These were perfectly fried, light and airy and placed on a bed of shredded greens napped with, what could be termed, about the best scallion sauce I have every tasted. I could have easily consumed a dozen shots of the dressing alone!

Singapore Noodles (aka Singapore Mei Fun, or Singapore Chow Mei Fun): I absolutely love this dish as anyone that knows me can attest. A nice curried fine rice vermicelli, with chicken, char sui, veggies, shrimp, etc. Simply fantastic.

The full menu is extensive with some very creative offerings, e.g., Mongolian Lamb Chops, Prawns with Honey Glazed Walnuts and Pacific Rim Surf and Turf. There is nothing on this menu that I would not love to try. Find Trader Dick's the next time you're in Reno and visit them at the Nugget website too!

Brand ~ A Rare Steakhouse Well Done?

I had the pleasure of dining at Monte Carlo's Brand last week in Las Vegas. Their sound bite is: "Brand's menu is rich with imaginative interpretations of classic steakhouse favorites, featuring big, bold one-of-a-kind chops and extensive wine list." Well, that all may be true - here is my take:

There is no doubt that the decor is classy, with a section devoted to cocktails and conversation, along with the main dining area. Guests can also eat in the lounge. I saw gargantuan lobsters and steaks streaming out of the kitchen to be eagerly devoured by expectant diners. The staff was courteous, though not always attentive. My Waiter was not well versed on the French technique of sous vide, basically food cooked in a vacuum sealed bag in a water bath of precisely controlled temperature. Interesting, because my side dish was a sous vide of vegetables.

My meal consisted of: (1) chilled shell fish appetizer (oyster, two shelled shrimp, split petite lobster tail in shell, and king crab leg section (small), accompanied by: minionette, cocktail sauce and grated horse raddish. My table lacked salt and pepper (although one staff brought over a huge grinder and showered my food with pepper - like an ash fall from Etna); (2) an authentic Japanese Kobe 5 oz. steak with the vegetable sous vide (the medley included asparagus tips, mushrooms, a few root vegetables in a nice cream sauce, paired with Parmesan crisps impregnated with truffle flakes). Brand also serves American Kobe in various forms, including a carpaccio appetizer. It was the cold shellfish starter listed in the entrance display menu that lured me into Brand.

Review: (1) the oyster (one) was wonderful (I should have ordered a plateful of these and omitted the rest); the shrimps were ok, but not memorable; the lobster was over cooked an tasteless and the crab was still frozen. At this point - no Waiter within ear or eye shot - so, the crab had to thaw until ready to eat. (2) the Kobe was excellent and worth every penny (Yen, I mean), and with the exception of the under cooked root vegetables, the sous vide was very good, particularly the cheese crisps. I thought it a bit odd though when my Waiter placed a steak knife at the side of my plate, when Japanese Kobe can be eaten with a spoon - must be force of habit!

All in all, not bad. The owners need to be a bit more attentive to the little details that distinguish the exceptional restaurant.

The Monte Carol also houses Andre's French Restaurant (one Michelin Star and 5 Diamonds) - I should have eaten there. Brand has potential and will, no doubt, evolve into a remarkable place to dine.

The Pupu Platter

The Pupu Platter (Flickr photo) is a wonderfully composed contrivance of tasty tidbits. Legend has it that the Pupu was twirled up by a Cantonese chef at Don the Beachcomber in the mid 1930's for customers to enjoy with exotic drinks of the time. The Pupu has endured because of its alluring reminiscence of the south sea islands. Typically, the Pupu is comprised of fried chicken wings, crab rangoon (wonton skins filled with cream cheese and crabmeat), rumaki (again, an invented dish of bacon wrapped chicken livers and water chestnuts), thin slices of barbecued pork (aka char sui ~ very Chinese), glazed spareribs, egg rolls, and sometimes beef satay that customers could grill at the table. Now, there's an interesting combo ~ let's place fiery hot charcoal embers or a can of live lit Sterno in front of someone who has imbibed about 6 mai tais, and watch the fun! The "p" in Pupu sometimes stands for Pyrotechnics. Actually, Pupu or little bites in Hawaiian is similar to the Chinese translation of Dim Sum. This whole arrangement is fanned out on a wooden dish or plate with a nice saucer of hot mustard in the center.

I love the Pupu, while many sneer with contemptuous disgust. It is simple pleasure that takes me to a time and place of palm trees, white sand beaches, the scent of flowers in the ocean breeze and azure waters. The array of flavors, textures and aromas is captivating, particularly when nestled among fish nets, Tiki statues, torches and dried bloated puffer fish suspended from the ceiling.

Breakfast Commentary

Well, you see them everywhere, but primarily in queue awaiting the certainty of a sublime narcosis induced by amounts of food so vast that any expectation of quality is irrelevant. What is it that has attracted such legions of professional buffet goers? And, they continue to spawn generations of devotees. How did things devolve to such a state?

I have a theory that is co-mingled with the same ingredients that gave rise to this slothful herd of grazers, as with those forces that also created the culture of entitlement! For the love of God, how many breakfast platters, strewn with fields of a disgusting mush of potatoes, diced peppers, well beyond their productive lives, infested with mismanaged rashers of bacon, or worse yet "facsimile" of sausage, overly faux buttered toast points, and no less than 6 extra large eggs (cooked to your preference) can be consumed, or worse yet, enjoyed. Everything about this meal is horrid. I am not sure, but many top chefs have been said to judge the career potential of a new intern by their ability to prepare a simple scrambled egg. Yet many of these "value" restaurants breed a staff of line cooks that can neither scramble, poach, nor fry an egg without out ruining its intrinsic characteristic.

There is hope: I plead with you to take notice of the varying breakfasts enjoyed by millions of people: inexpensive, highly nutritious, satisfying, and easy to prepare:

China: Gee Ha Wot Mein - wonton noodles (simmer skins cut into strips in boiling water for a few minutes, drain) and top with oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds and a little chile garlic paste

India: idlis and dosas with tea and milk, often with samosas (wow! you could have mimosas with this too! - not Indian but the orange juice and champagne concoction has an appealing symmetry!)

Switzerland: muesli - grains with nuts, and yogurt

Mexico: huevos rancheros..... and so on.

Yet many of you still cringe at the thought of departure from mainstream breakfast fare. You know who you are, and do care one whit what people in Tibet or the Maldives have for their morning meal. (You are neither compelled to go blog surfing to find the perfect breakfast alternative).

So, have some fun, do a little research, and for some special occasion, please depart from the same old boring, lackluster breakfast. (Yes, I too, but infrequently, enjoy the elusive, expertly crafted homemade biscuit with sausage gravy, but I can assure you that it is not prepared by that ilk that slings up the breakfast platter spectacular!)