Spruce

The lighting was a bit askew. It was extremely dark at the entrance but the glass ceiling natural lighting in the restaurant made it a bit bright while dining. The bar is well designed and stocked. The leather chairs comfortable.

Spruce comes to you from the owners of The Village Pub in Woodside. It has gained foodie praise and momentum in San Francisco, and rightfully so.

Gruyere puffs as a welcome

a strawberry cocktail

The menu while limited, offers attractive dishes.

Hot and cold preserved foie gras, strawberry terrine, consomme, brioche

Charcuterie platter

 Seared dayboat scallops, endives and citrus

 Sauteed sweetbreads, foraged mushrooms, and tagliarini

Slow cooked beef short rib, horseradish veloute, erbette chard, carrots, red wine farotto

Butter poached lobster, braised lettuces, golden potato gnocci

 Amazing fries and aioli

The dessert menu didn't impress, and I am a huge dessert person. We settled for beignets which were just okay. We ended with apricot financiers and raspberry jellies.

warm apricot financiers and raspberry jellies

The food was great, the service was good, and the dessert was mediocre. But all together, Spruce did not disappoint.

Chalet Ticino

For a moment in time, I felt as if i was transported to a cozy chalet at the foot of the Swiss Alps. Serving Swiss and Italian fare, Chalet Ticino is a ringer for a quick getaway to a snowy European ski lodge. Your ski vacation awaits you in Foster City, CA.

Their extensive menu offers many authentic and hearty dishes. We had the cheese fondue for two which is accompanied with your choice of soup or salad and a chocolate fondue for dessert.

The caesar salad was dressed perfectly, the croutons fresh and crunchy, and the parmesan cheese delicately shaved like fresh fallen snow.

The wedding soup was simply outstanding. There was a very rustic quality about the flavorful concoction of vegetables, sausage, and grain. So good in fact, that my husband did not want to share with me.

The main event was the cheese fondue. Fresh cracked black pepper is stirred in the cheese table side. We dove right in with substantial chunks of bread, swirling it in the glorious mixture of melted cheese and wine. The alcohol content was quite high as i was feeling drunk after my 3rd chunk of bread. The fondue is also served with a potato rosti, likened to a hash brown or potato pancake. It was perfectly crisped and tasty. We were so full but half a pot of cheese still remained. I was delighted when the owner packed it up for us and even gave us reheating instructions.

 When the chocolate fondue arrived, I thought I was 2 bites away from food comatose. But to my surprise, the fruits and chocolate were refreshing and easy to eat. The chocolate fondue was a watery, thin consistancy. The fruits included oranges, apples, bananas, watermelon (a new fondue fruit for me), and strawberries. The highlight of the fondue was the little chunks of bread pudding we were alotted to dip in the chocolate. The bread pudding was AMAZING! The owner shared the ingredients with us and I fell in love. 

Chalet Ticino's signature dessert is the Swiss bread pudding. Made with banana puree, vanilla sauce, and drizzled with chocolate, it is TO-DIE-FOR! I will most definitely be back for that luscious, dense yet light, perfectly sweet, dreamy bread pudding and a momentary escape to the Alps!

Masa's

Elegant refinement without being pretentious. Hard to achieve but Masa's delivers.

The fine china alone sings volumes of delicate thought and care.

A short display of pastel pink roses leave a soft and ethereal sense of comfort. 

The chef welcomes his guests with warm gruyere puffs, light and fragrant. 

The cabernet for the night was from Meyer Vineyards. 

Osetra Caviar

melted savoy cabbage, myagi oyster, “beurre d'huître”

Osetra Caviar

uni custard with fresh uni

Big Eye Tuna Tartare

edamame, wasabi, and hearts of palm 

Pan Roasted Bluefoot Chanterelle Mushrooms

asparagus, fondue of castelmagno cheese, black truffles

Sweet Butter Poached Lobster

trumpet mushrooms

Seared Day Boat Scallop

spring onions, trumpet mushrooms, sweet corn

Pan Roasted Cod

razor clams, bloomsdale spinach, marble potatoes, clam broth

Sautéed Medallion of Australian Hiramasa

hearts of palm, carrot-ginger purée, king trumpet mushrooms

 Braised Australian Wagyu Beef short rib

crisp pommes croquettes, melted green garlic, english peas

applewood smoked bacon, sauce bordelaise

Sautéed Breast of Paine Farms Squab

pink lady apples, wild leeks, confit leg, squab jus

The cheese cart 

A Selection of Artisan Cheese

house-made accoutrements

An assortment of goat and cow's milk cheeses 

mango sorbet with red pepper granite, candied jalapenos 

strawberry sorbet with basil granite, candied hibiscus petals 

Mandarin Orange “Creamsicle”

bergamot pain de gênes, yuzu,

cornmeal shortbread, winter citrus, micro cilantro

Valrhona Chocolate Marquis

chocolate chicory center, toasted marshmallow foam,

charred cinnamon ice cream, knob creek caramel

From the candy cart 

raspberry financiers, chili chocolate truffles, mini bundts, absinthe truffles, macarons 

macadamia brittle, lollipops, honey nougats 

Okay so this post is turning into a photoblog. But pictures are much more descriptive than what my words can say as of this moment.

The following pictures are from our last visit to Masa's. It is just as good each and every time. Consistency is key to returning clients.

Unfortunately, due to the looming foie gras ban in San Francisco, we were unable to enjoy the fatty liver as we had during a prior visit. I remember it to be well seared and well executed. To commemorate the wonderful experience, here is a picture of what we missed this time.

And of course, a warm chocolate cake that anyone would be lucky to taste

Caramelized banana choux pastry. 

A full picture of the candy cart 

Masa. Sometimes words cannot describe. We must see to believe.

Gelato, Las Vegas

Gelato is one of my favorite desserts and indulgences. I can never pass up the opportunity to savor a scoop of creamy goodness. Gelato is made from more milk and eggs than cream and air in ice cream, leaving a denser, thicker, more intensely flavored, and sometimes sweeter product. Las Vegas is perhaps one of the best places to sample gelato (aside from Italy, of course), since almost every major hotel on the strip has a shop backed by a famous dessert / pastry chef.

Let's see our candidates.

From Paris, Le Cafe du Parc

Shameful! I'm surprised they can even call this gelato. It was not dense nor was it creamy. There were chunks of frozen strawberries, but this might as well have been your local grocery store ice cream. Skip!

From Aria: Sweet Chill 

From Aria, Sweet Chill

Beautifully decorated, the variety of flavors is overwhelming. Unfortunately, Sweet Chill is poorly situated in the maze of what is known as Aria. Finding this shop, although rather large and brightly lit with pastel and neon colors, is not an easy feat. Due to the infrequency of foot traffic, the gelato's freshness is questionable. Nonetheless, it was decent.

From Bellagio: Palio Pronto!

Now this is a place that gets a lot of foot traffic. See how much the gelato has already been scooped? This little stop is across from Bally's, diagonal from Flamingo, and next to Caesar's. This is meant for quick stops as they don't even have chairs for you to rest from your gelato hunting. The gelato is the creamiest and best tasting, but the variety is lacking. As I mentioned, it's a small store front, limiting them to serve only a dozen of their most popular favorites.

From Bellagio: Cafe Gelato

From Bellagio: Cafe Gelato

Banana toffee gelato, Cafe Gelato

I always save the best for last. Hands down, Cafe Gelato takes the cake...in this case, the gelato! Nothing beats their gelato's textures, intensity of flavors, and extraordinary variety. This is truly gelato heaven. On top of it all, there is cafe seating. If you ever find yourself on the Vegas strip, pining for a scoop, take my advice. Cafe Gelato in Bellagio is the best.

Spago

On both counts of quality and quantity, Wolfgang Puck delivers. (Well, not Wolfgang himself, but his executive chefs)

You can almost anticipate the outcome of your meal from the bread basket alone. Parmesan crisps, onion focaccia, and raisin bread, all wonderfully fragrant and fresh. When paired with the rosemary infused extra virgin olive oil, the flavors collide and explode.

The special soup of the day was green garlic soup. Surprise chunks of portabello mushrooms and tender spears of asparagus heads lay hidden in the velvety rich soup. The garlic was not overpowering, but perfectly spicy. A ring of creme fraiche and some toasted mini croutons round out a perfectly hearty and generous portion.

The calamari fritti with garlic aioli and Asian sweet and sour sauce, plus a side of asian cucumber salad. I must say, it was probably the best calamari I've had to date. Crispy lightly battered and tender, the calamari went extraordinarily well with the smooth garlic aioli. The sweet and sour sauce and the cucumber salad added the Asian flare with a kick.

The pasta special was seafood and angel hair cooked in a white wine sauce. The seafood was extremely fresh and the pasta cooked al dente. The sauce was light and appetizing.

Hand cut fettucini with mushrooms, fresh arugula, and English peas in a cream sauce. Buttery noodles gently caressed in a delicate cream, accentuated with savory mushrooms, peppery arugula, and sweet peas. If it was not hazardous to my health, I wouldn't mind having a large plate of these noodles every night.

Max Brenner

Max Brenner is a great place for brunch on the Vegas strip. Situated conveniently in the Caesars Forum Shops, the cute and dark little shop is home to delicious chocolates and chocolatey drink concoctions.

The banana split latte, priced at a whopping $7.50, was a thick, creamy chocolate milkshake with bananas. It was frothy and came in the most interesting yet practical cup, equipped with metal straw to keep the beverage cold until the moment it hits your lips.

The illegal chocolate chocolate chocolate pancakes were amazing. Soft, pillowy, fluffy disks of dough, topped with toffee'd bananas and toasted pecans. As if that wasn't decadent enough, a generous drizzle of chocolate syrup and honey. For those chocoholics, an extra beaker of chocolate sauce sits on the side for additional dousing to your heart's content.

The skillet scramble was surprisingly delicious, coming from a chocolate shop. Eggs were velvety, the sausage  was savory, the peppers and onions nicely grilled, and the spinach and mushrooms nicely seasoned. Served with a crunchy and crusty roll and a side of chocolate sauce and butter. Chocolate and eggs? Yes, questionable. Weird at first but due to the quality of the chocolate, it sort of works.

Chocoholics rejoice!