The SLY Foodie

Because of Top Chef, I have always wanted to go to one of Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, the closest one being at the Wynn resort in Las Vegas. Daniel Boulud Brasserie (DBB) received a Michelin star in 2009, so you already know that the food is great, if not, exceptional. So given the opportunity, I immediately made reservations at least 6 weeks in advance.

Before even arriving in Las Vegas, we had already made up our minds to try their “Taste of Wynn” menu. The Wynn resort offers “A Taste of Wynn,” which are prix fixe 3-course menus offered by many of their fine dining establishments for a relatively low price. DBB’s Fall Menu includes the following:

First Course: Choice of Parsnip Soup, Greens Salad, or Duck Terrine
Second Course: Choice of Sea Scallop, Steak Frites, or Sonoma Chicken
Dessert Course: Choice of Warm Seasonal Fruit Clafouti, Chocolate Hazelnut Fondant or a Trio of Seasonal Sorbets

We tried our best to order different dishes so as to maximize our dining experience at DBB, because after all, it’s not every day one gets to eat great food. For the first course, I chose the Parsnip Soup, which was served with some homemade black walnut spice bread and a dollop of cream on top. Words simply cannot describe how good the creamy consistency of the soup combined with the crunchy, flavorful walnut bread was. My husband chose the duck terrine served with onion marmalade. The presentation of the dish was really cute, but I don’t think he appreciated all the mustard and pickle flavors from the dish. Honestly, I was too busy savoring the soup to really try the duck. He did mention that it reminded him of Spam, though.




For the second course, he chose the Sea Scallops, served with beurre noisette, capers, raisins and cauliflower. I tried a small piece and thought that the flavor profile was very good and the scallops were seared perfectly. The only drawback in my opinion was it looked too small to make a decent meal. That was the main reason why I chose the Steak Frites, an 8 oz. sirloin served with onion compote, greens and fries (hence the frites). The steak was cooked perfectly, pink throughout the middle, and the onion compote added a sweet, tangy flavor to the meat. Of course, I finished off the greens first, so I can fully devote my attention to the steak and fries. Great fries, too.




In addition to the main course, we ordered a couple of extra side dishes to share, brussels sprouts and roasted mushrooms. If I dare say, I think those sides definitely stand on their own because they were outstanding. The sprouts are a testament to my current love affair with them; these yummy goodies were pan sautéed with bacon and chestnuts. They were so good – to the point that I’m still thinking about them. They weren’t mushy, or undercooked, they were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The mushrooms (I believe there were oyster, shiitake, and crimini varieties) were cooked perfectly as well, not lacking in flavor or texture. Absolutely perfect.




For dessert, I chose the Warm Fig Clafouti, which is essentially a pancake-like batter poured over fresh figs, baked off and topped with either powdered sugar or ice cream. I have never had fresh figs before, so I was definitely excited to try this dish. It proved to be very tasty, the vanilla ice cream melting into the clafouti, combined with the sweet figs. The servers were nice enough to make my plate extra special by adding a candle and the words, “Happy Birthday” written on the plate. It was beautiful. My husband chose the Chocolate Hazelnut Fondant, with espresso ice cream and a nougatine crunch. From what I remember, it was overall a good dessert, but I don’t remember the hazelnut flavor coming through.




We also ordered a cheese course comprised of three different types of cheese: cow, goat and sheep's milk cheeses. It was served with fruit and crackers, and I wish that I had takent the time to write down exactly what type of cheeses we were enjoying. The server was kind enough to choose on our behalf, and he did an excellent job recommeding good cheeses to us. At the end of the meal, he came out with a small plate of petit fours, compliments of the chef. It was the best way to end one of the best meals I've ever had.




I have nothing but good things to say about Daniel Boulud Brasserie, it was impeccable all around – ambiance, food, service. It is quite easily one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to, if not, the best.

Roaming through the Las Vegas Strip, we came across Serendipity 3, located right outside of Caesar's Palace. It is famous for its Frozen Hot Chocolate, which was shown during the movie Serendipity, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. The frozen hot chocolate was also featured on the Food Network once or twice.

Naturally, we stopped in, only to find out that the wait was at least 45 minutes! Not wanting to wait, we hopped on the barstools at the bar (duh), and the server was such a nice guy, very accommodating. We didn't even need the menu; we just ordered the frozen hot chocolate, watched him make it in front of us.

In the blender, he adds a powdered chocolate concoction, ice and milk. If I'm not mistaken, there was also some ice cream added. After it blends, he fills a gianormous footed ice cream bowl to overflowing and adds whip cream and shaved chocolate. Voila! Frozen hot chocolate.

The first few sips are chocolatey heaven; not too sweet, just right. But the more you delve into this thing, one truth holds true: frozen hot chocolates are meant to be shared. There is way too much for one person to enjoy, and too much of a good thing usually isn't a good thing. The "powdery" flavor will also start to be more prominent the more you sip.



Overall, it is a good dessert slash mid-afternoon treat (especially on a scorching day). Just watch out for the inevitable brain freeze.

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.