The SLY Foodie

Just so you know, this wannabe foodie doesn't limit herself to California. Oh no, as part of my birthday extravaganza, we also celebrated in Las Vegas, which could easily be a mecca for foodies. Since we were only spending the night there, we wanted to ensure that we tried as many places in the little time we have been given. The first stop on the list was RM Seafood, owned by renowned chef Rick Moonen. He appeared on Top Chef Masters and served as the guest judge in the Restaurant Wars episode in Season 6. He is an extremely talented chef who not only specializes in seafood, but stresses the sustainability of the things that we eat.

We decided to share an appetizer and the main entrée (to make room for other foods to be enjoyed later throughout the day). We ended up ordering the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, Rhode Island Style Calamari, Tasmanian Ocean Trout and an order of Yellowtail Nigiri.

The crab cake in and out of itself was excellent; it was the jicama slaw that I wasn’t too impressed with. There was just a weird aftertaste to me, and I’m assuming that it was the dressing that made it taste like so. But the crab was moist, delectable, and the chipotle aioli was the perfect complement to the crab cake. It certainly wasn’t the best crab cake I’ve ever had, but it was delicious nonetheless.



The calamari, on the other hand, blew me away. I think I must have eaten ¾ of the dish. It was served with pickled cherry peppers and garlic atop some homemade marinara sauce, which did double duty as both garnish and dipping sauce. The light batter was very crispy, the calamari was very tender and fresh, no “fishy” taste at all. Combined with the sauce and the peppers, it was a great flavor combination. I would go back just for the squid.



The yellowtail nigiri came out next. It was a beautiful presentation, and I regret not taking pictures of it prior to my husband devouring the dish. I have never liked sushi; but this time, I decided to try a very small piece. I took a piece of fish and a piece of ginger, dipped it the soy sauce and wasabi combination, and tried it. Surprisingly, I did not gag like I thought I would, because I didn’t taste the fishiness of the fish at all. Instead, it was buttery, both in texture and in flavor, with just a hint of the natural flavor of the fish coming through. It was actually good. Now, I wouldn’t say that I’ve changed my mind about sushi; but I’ve made a baby step in a different direction.



Finally, the main entrée came out. It was a Tasmanian Ocean Trout served with brussel sprouts, bacon and horseradish cream. I was sold on the brussel sprouts, as they are currently my favorite vegetable. The server was kind enough to split the entrée onto two plates for us, so the picture only reflects half the dish. Put together, it is actually a very sizable and filling meal. The fish itself was so moist, flaky, and tender and cooked to perfection – it almost looked like salmon. The horseradish cream was amazing; the horseradish wasn’t strong at all, so it didn’t overpower the fish. The sprouts and the sauce with the bacon was such an awesome combination. I could literally eat that all day.



RM Seafood definitely does not disappoint; be sure to stop by when you’re in town.