Trip Report: Las Vegas...All Work...Not!

A friend of mine adores using the hashtag #allwork.  Usually, this hashtag accompanies pics of him on a yacht, a private jet, or in his F12 Ferrari.   All work...RIGHT!!!  Whether I am in Vegas for a few hours or a few days it is tough to have any trip JUST be all work.  Last weeks Board Review Course  and more meetings two days later on how to make my hospital awesome[r] had me in Vegas twice in the last 10 days.  Here are some hits from my "work" trips:


Mon Ami Gabi:

Mon Ami Gabi

The conference I attended was in The Hotel Paris...you will note it DOES NOT get mentioned as a highlight.  It was super cheap and I was focused on the conference so I figured "what the hey".  I will not be staying there again.  It's a dump.  Having said that, Mon Ami Gabi was suggested by a local friend as a place with decent Steak Frites and a solid wine list full of Bordeaux and Burgundy.  We had dinner there Sunday and I had lunch there twice more during my stay.  

Right Bank Easy Drinker

The steak frites were indeed tasty and I found a great Bordeaux at a reasonable price to wash it down with: 2010 Chateau Louvie Saint Emillion Grand Cru. Cool, Right Bank, ready to go Bordeaux that was perfect with our Steak Frites.  Went back to Mon Ami later in the week and had the Salmon Salad with a nice, by the glass, Pouilley Fussie.  This place was alarmingly solid for the volume of humanity they push through.


Le Cirque:

Le Cirque

In the theme of Joel Robuchon, a decadently adorned small space which is run tight.  Some of the best service we've had to date in Las Vegas.   We went with the Degustation, 7 courses from Amuse Bouche through dessert.

Caviar Trio

The highlights were the Caviar Trio and The Kobe with Bone Marrow.  This was the perfect tasting menu for when you are hungry but not famished.  Also, nothing was overly heavy and if it was heavy there was very little of it.

White Burgundy and Bordeaux of the Night

We started our wine adventure out with Domaine du Chateau de Pulignay-Montrachet Merasault Premier Cru. Moved on to a 2006 Chateaux Giscours Margaux.  Big, dirty, earthy, chewy...Cab forward Bomb! Just my style.


Cirque Du Soleil "O":

"O"

I am fortunate enough to have a good friend who is a lead in the show.  As such, I've seen it over 10 times.  This time we scored comped Light Box ( the control room from whence the show is directed)  tickets.  Thanks Anja, you the shizz! One might think I would get tired of seeing something again and again.  Not so.  Still one of the most entertaining and spectacular ways to spend an hour and a half.  The clowns, the music.  The dudes in the red coats and thigh highs( don't judge) who fly out over the show.  I am lost in this show every damn time.  LOVE IT!


Prime Steakhouse:

Prime

If you live in Phoenix the "fine dining" options are essentially the high end steak houses.  So, when I'm in Vegas I tend to avoid them for more subtle fair.  But sometimes you just need a damn steak. Mastros is always an excellent choice but if you want to have a steak in an exceptional setting Prime is really the only choice.  Located along "Lake Bellagio", this elegant room adorned in heavy drapes, plush seating and carpet, this is a BOSS steakhouse.  Great Steaks, sides and wine list.  I went with a Peppercorn New York Strip with Broccioli and Truffled Mashed Potatoes on the side.  Washed down with a young but ample 2011Cliff Lede Cab.  Chased with a splash (or more) of Hine Triomphe Cognac, this was a great meal.


American Express Centurion Lounge:

American Express Centurion Lounge

I've had an Amex Platinum Card for years.  The convience and access this card has provided has been a game changer.  Simple things like being able to pay an Ubër bill with my Amex points or perks like having Amex Concierge score me a two top at a Michelin 3 Star restaurant make the $400 annual fee more than worth it.  The Centurion Lounge at select airports (in this case Vegas) is a nice touch.  Tasty Buffet Lunch, Gourmet Coffee's and Solid Complimentary wine are some of the benefits.  My last two trips to Vegas we used the lounge to grab a bite and relax in comfort while waiting for our flights.  The lounge may be reason enough to break me of my habit of arriving to the airport with minutes to spare.  Well done again Amex!


These last two trips to Vegas were more filled with work than I would prefer.  However, I am a proponent of squeezing in play time whenever possible.  My philosophy is to MAKE opportunity happen.  Work it important but MUST be balanced with a healthy dose of self indulgent play time.  This, I have on lock!

Thanks for reading!

Doc Jay

About Last Weekend: The Nash, Welcome Diner and More

There is a common misconception amongst my "friends" that I may be gainfully UNemployed.  They reason that all of the travel and dining I am known to do would not be possible for one who actually had a job.  This notion is both deeply hurtful and patently untrue (well...it's at least untrue).  I like to think of my self as a Travel and Luxury and Food and Wine opportunist.  Having said this, the last few weeks I have been "on my hop", more than normal, so my normal pattern of eat, drink play suffered...a little.  Fear not, "I been gettin' it in" of late! Here here are some absolute pearls from last week.

Old Blowhard at AZ88

Happened into AZ after a swing shift last Thursday and made the excellent decision to cede my drink choice to Steen, one of my favorite bark keeps in all the lands.  He good.  He REAL GOOD! I was feeling like a bourbon and he chose Old Blowhard 26.  This small batch bourbon has the perfect balance of up front heat and smooth, caramel finish.  At about $150 a bottle, if you like Hirsch and Four Roses and Pappy this will add to your bourbon collection wonderfully. 

Dicks Hideaway:

Tap at Dicks Hideaway

Phoenix cool will likely NEVER be LA, San Fran, NYC cool...at least not it my life time.  Phoenix cool, is more quirky, eccentric, charming cool.  Cool happens more in strip malls here than I ever thought possible.   Enter, Dicks Hideaway.  This place stays out of it's own way and in it's lane better than any 5 places I know.  They have perfected hardy, belly filling New Mexican Fare like Nun Utha My Brutha!   On Friday, I met Claude (one my best homies and a great golfer) there for lunch.  Claude had the same reaction to Dick's EVERYONE I'd ever taken there has, "This is the coolest place I've ever been."  I feel you buddy!  Green Chili Meatloaf and Eggs and a perfectly poured Lagunitas IPA made for a stellar lunch.


OHSO:

Canal Spin to OHSO

The sheer caloric load of lunch made me yearn for a little spin to "work it off"  Fear not, this was not exercise for sheer exercise sake. This was exercise with a carrot at the end! OHSO.  While the food can sometimes be...meh, the beer at OHSO is destination worthy.  

Back Patio at OHSO

This place single handedly made me appreciate the brilliance of the Session IPA (High in Hops Low in ABV...beer nirvana).  Met a buddy there who, after a pint or two really wanted pizza.  I know a place....


Bianco:

Bianco at Town and Country

Fact:  If I wrote about the pizza at Bianco as often as we went there it would be 90% of what I write about.  I will spare you MOST of the details of this trip to pizza Mecca. Yes, a Sonny Boy and a Wise Guy were had.  Yes, we had perfectly al dente pasta with finger licking good red sauce and fall of the bone braised pork. BUT, the stand out this time was a lowly bottle of Pinot Noir...not typically my varietal of choice. 

Hirsch Vineyards Pinot Noir at Bianco T&C

But, a friend who works there highly recommended it and I am glad she did. After 20 minutes of aeration this thing popped!  Bright, light fruit with a killer nose.  Medium to long finish, it was perfect with the pizza and pasta.  It went down with the quickness.


The Welcome Diner:

Welcome Diner

Keeping with my eccentric theme of the weekend Saturday night was dinner with Bishop Steve at Welcome Diner.  9 Seats at a Counter (outside seating if you don't mind the summer heat), single wide trailer that began it's life in Kansas, was moved to Williams AZ in the 50's and to 9th and Roosevelt in the 2000's.  Anyplace that has been around that long has to be good.  

Pork Fries

The theme is modern plays on Louisiana Classics.  We started with pork and gravy fries and I moved on to Buffalo Fried Chicken with Bacon on a Biscuit.  Bishop went with the Catfish Po Boy.  Great beer on tap and and they make a solid Hurricane.  Open from 5pm-2a most nights, we will be back...often.

The Nash:

JMS and the Bad Cactus Brass Band at The Nash

We kept that "downtown flo" goin' by enjoying a performance by a friends Brass Band at The Nash.  Fantastic BYOB venue at the corner of Roosevelt and 1st Street.  Saturdays are "straight ahead" jazz night...not sure how a NOLA themed brass band snuck in with that caveat...but they absolutely DESTROYED it.  Immensely talented, local, white boys who brought the damn house down!  Thanks for the invite John Michael Sherman...you are THE man.

I'm learning of more gems in this town (that are weather independent) all the time.  Nash and Welcome Diner will now both be in regular rotation.  These are the kind of places that make an adopted town a home.  Check them out soon and often!

Thanks for Reading!

Doc Jay

About Last Night: Nobuo at the Teeter House and Bitter and Twisted

Nobuo at the Teeter House:

Nobuo Fukuda Hard at Work

Technically, we ate there Friday but since it's my blog I can take some artistic licensee.  James Bard award winning chef Nobuo Fukuda shares Heritage square with another James Beard award winning chef...I think he makes pizza's or something.  Fukuda made a splash with the always inventive and fun Sea Saw (a space which later became FnB and later nothing).  You get the sense with Nobuo that much of what he does in not about you, it's about his expression, his choices, his vision.  This is especially so if you give him time to put together a tasting menu and even more so if you give him a couple weeks and let him go full blown Omakase on yo' azz!!  On this night, the tasting menu would have to do...and do it did.  We started off with Hassun, a seasonal local vegetable antipasti.  

Hassun

The eggplant and shashito peppers were legit!! Down the road we moved into Yuan Yaki, lettuce, onion and possibly the most flawlessly prepared tuna the world has ever known.  As is our custom, we made an addition: tender belly pork.  It came out piping hot and melt in your mouth tender.  We could have easily done with two or three more courses of just that.  Food?  Solid!  Wine? Solid Plus!!  Burgundy and more Burgundy. We went with two different White Burgs from the same producer.  Maison Roche de Bellene is a newer producer who uses old vine Chardonnay from a variety of locations to make great wines at palatable prices.  

Burgundy Porn

We began with 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes . An elegant lightly fruited white with a clean finish.  Great wine.  We wanted to go back to this well but sadly, that was the last bottle so we kicked it up a notch to the 2002 Meursault Collection Bellenum, another excellent Chardonnay that chef aptly described as having more "power!"  Fully agree.

Bitter and Twisted:

Bitter and Twisted

We made an 11pm reservation to pop into B&T post Teeter House.  Glad we did.  While it was not packed to the gills, it was busy enough and we watched the party  of four who arrived just before us be turned away.  You get the feeling that want to keep the exclusivity...for now.  How was it?  Definitely worth a visit.  Dark enough with a simple, modern, industrial vibe.  I essentially had a Gin Old Fashion which was very good.  The crowd is kind of hipster, downtown crew.  Think a slightly less cool version of Hanny's.

All in all, a good night.  We Ubered there and back making the evening seamless and arrest free.  Nobou and Bitter and Twisted, two more reasons to venture to CenPho.

Thanks for reading!

Doc Jay

Trip Report: Flagstaff...Again...Sue Me!

We snuck up again.  Why?  Cause there's a TON to do up there and it's still HELL HOT in Scottsdale.
When it's 100 degrees out before 10:00 AM you need to reassess your options.  We love to be outside.  We hike, we mountain and road bike we take leasurly post dinner strolls.  When I arrived home from work at 3pm it was 113...none of these are possible at 113 so Flagstaff here we come:

Tinder Box:

Tinder Box

Not even on my radar at all.  We got last minute beta on this place from a friend and Flag local.  Glad we did.  Fun menu and well executed menu with a four course tasting menu option. I cannot lie, we were skeptical at the start.  I mean, it's Flagstaff.  How good could it be!?  My arrogance not withstanding, it was fantastic!

The Start at Tinder Box

One of the most fun, beautifully plated and perfectly prepared menus we've had in the whole damn state! We started with a trio of bite sized apps which included a stand out olive tapenade and a portion of pork belly.  The seafood course featured a perfectly prepared scallop and lobster tail.  We moved on to a nice veal preparation and finished with a dessert trio with a killer creme brûlée, a brownie and a fritter with blue berries.  Everything was between good and excellent.  All of this for $50 a person and $25 for wine parings.  Wines were mostly fun colorado wines.  All were solid.  The standout was a killer Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine from Scarpetta.  We love their Pinot Grigio.  Outstanding meal and maybe best of all, we enjoyed it outside!

Heritage Square:

Heritage Square Downtown Flagstaff

We were walking by, post dinner, when we here the unmistakable sound of Salsa.  As we get closer we realize people are dancing.  This is when it is VERY nice to be married to professional ball room dancer.  One song salsa the next swing, then repeat.  We danced for a solid hour...outside...in July!!!  Awesome!!


Elden Lookout Hike:

The view near the top of Elden Lookout Trail

If you try to get your outdoor workout on in Scottsdale after 9am in the summer you risk heatstroke and/or death.  In Flag, you can start your hike pretty much anytime and you're all good.  We parked at the Ranger Station and started our way up the steep Elden Look Out Trail.  Great hike that gets Camelback steep toward the top.  The altitude is NO JOKE either.  We made it 3/4 of the way and had to bail because of time constraints.  Stunning views and a great workout.  On the way down, near the bottom, got caught in a fantastic afternoon monsoon complete with hail!  Absolutely spectacular.

Our very wet 458 Italia

Quick, rainy drive back down the mountain had us back to Scottsdale in two hours.  This trip only made us want to get back up there sooner.  Maybe next week?

Thanks for reading!

Doc Jay

Trip Report: Flagstaff Fly By

Destination Worthy Pizza

Me: Ay Ron, you guys wanna grab dinner?
Ron: Sure.  Where?
Me: Pizzicletta
Ron: Uh...isn't that in Flag?
Me:Yessir! Yes it is!!

When we decided to cruise up to Flagstaff yesterday it was 113 in Phoenix and 83 in Flagstaff.  Any further questions!? I am committed to doing everything in my power to get the HELL out of here as often as possible when it's hot.  So, destination worthy pizza beconned up amongst the pines.  Just over 2 hours north, Flag is a great day trip and a better overnighter.


Lumbardyard Brewing Company:

Lumberyard Brewing Company

When we arrived I settled up to the bar with a pint of delicious Lumberyard IPA and my wife looked at me like I had 8 heads.  She rebuked me with, "It's 78 degrees outside and YOU want to sit at the bar!?"  Touché!  I promptly followed the brains (and the looks) of our family outside.  Lumberyard is especially great because while there was a wait for a table outside there is ample outside seating for people who just want a DRANK (us!). 

Lumberyard Brewing Company

  

Mother Road Brewing:

Mother Road Brewing

Intimate microbrewery with beer snob worthy beers.  Killer outdoor patio with live music. I went with a delicious Lost Highway Black IPA.  G went with a super solid Roadside American Pale.  This place needs to be in the rotation of every valley beer connoisseur.

Pizzicletta:

Pizzicletta

40 Minute wait for a 4 top at 7 on a Friday Night...Not bad!! (ergo, Mother Road pre dinner beers...it's literally next door). This tiny, charming place can, maybe sit 20 in and 10 outside...perfect!  We started with a Salumi and Formaggi plates; rotating meats and cheeses with olives and focaccia to round it out.  I'm not sure I've had more fresh nosh outside Italy...ever!  

Marinara with Sopressata

The quality of EVERYTHING was through-the-roof!  From here we moved on to some ZA!  One Margherita, One Marinara (add sopressata), and One Special (Fontana White Pizza with Ripe Fresno Chili's...Hawt Hawt Hawt!!). 

Fontana with Fresno Peppers

The inevitable comparisons to another famous Arizona Pizza Joint WILL be made by some...not me!  Let me just say that these were among the best pies any of us had ever had...anywhere...nuff said.


We opted to stay for the night.  Grabbed a room at a very new Marriott Courtyard a couple miles from downtown Flag.  Finished out the night enjoying the gorgeous 70 degree weather  and a wonderful Aroma De Cuba Cigar.  Sprinted back down the mountain this AM with zero traffic.  Spied a couple other newish restaurant that will make our next trip back up happen sooner than later.  Hungry and tired of the heat? Put a quick run to Flag on the list!

Thanks for Reading

Doc Jay

Wine Review: 2009 Robert Sinskey POV - Masterful Meritage

“Whatever course you decide upon there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires....courage.” 

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Robert Sinskey POV

A quote from the Tasting Notes for Robert Sinskey POV.  Few things are more true than these words. Life and wine are a journey.  Pick a course, explore with eyes and mind wide open, have no fear of mistakes, love what you love.  Having said this, if you love giant Napa Butter Bomb Chardonnays (Rombauer) we cannot be friends...It's not me, it's YOU!  POV stands for Point of View.  The idea is it doesn't matter what I think about this wine.  The questions is what do you think!?...it's my blog so I am going to tell you what I think anyway!!  Dark and ripe fruit, medium complexity, light to medium tannins, medium viscosity, clean finish.  I've seen this wine described as Red "Bordeaux" Blend .... INAPPROPRIATE! Bordeaux is a style of wine but more importantly it's an actual place.  The appropriate term for an American wine in the style of a Bordeaux is Meritage.  This particular Meritage is in the style of Right Bank Bordeaux (Mostly Merlot but also Cab and Cab Franc).  Any wine that is mostly Merlot is typically more "ready to go" and needs little time to allow the air to burn off the tannins.  POV is ready to go!  Still, I prefer to pop the cork and stick it in the fridge for 15 minutes to make it just right.  This is a big enough wine to stand up a hardy ribeye or pasta with red gravy and zauzige (sausage if you ain't from Philly or NY).  Retails for around $30 a bottle.  Super solid stuff.  Go git you some!

Thanks for reading!

Doc Jay

Day Trip Report: Sedona, Gears and Golf

Sedona, our neighbor city to the north. Red Rocks, Vortexes and 10-15 degrees cooler than Scottsdale. No need to twist my arm. I'm in!   

458 and 360 Spider

On this day the play was to meet Steve at Hava Java, grab a bite and then exercise our Cavallino Rampante on the drive up.  Here are some "Enzo" worthy highlights.

Sedona Golf Resort:

Sedona Golf Resort

I love golf. I've been playing a little more than a year. I am absolutely awful.   Handicap?  Think Steven Hawking. I'm a solid 120 (or more) strokes...easy. But a few times a round I can hit a shot that would make everyone's favorite Blasian golfer tip his hat. These precious few shots keep me coming back for more.  Possibly the most beautiful course in AZ is Sedona Golf Resort.  Epic views, dramatic cliff shots and only $55 for 10 holes. Situated 10 minutes off the 17, you don't even have to fight your way up the 179 to Sedona proper, just under an hour and a half (at F car speed anyway) from Scottsdale.

Enchantment Resort:

Enchantment Resort

While the food at Tii Gavo, Enchantments only lunch choice, is not earth shattering the views are a show stopper.  The food at Chi-Ah-Chi, the "fine" dinning restaurant on property, is much much better.  Another fan favorite here is their spa, Mii Amo.  Enchantment is one of the best staycation places in all of AZ. The drive back into Boynton Canyon is full of twisties to assure the "Ponies" were ridden hard and put away wet.  G and I love the place so much we got married there last September. 

G and I on our Wedding Day

After lunch, we made quick detour through Cottonwood to avoid the Sedona tourist traffic and back down the 17.  Great way to get out of the sandpit for a few hours.

Thanks for reading!

Doc Jay