Las Vegas: Payard Patisserie

Just a few feet from the Payard dining room is their patisserie which has many different counters that offers various signature sweets such as chocolates, desserts, pastries and ice cream.

Anticipate a long line here, especially during the brunch hour. Payard also offers specialty cakes to fit any occasion.

In the middle of the shop is a chocolate clock. The clock is programmed to drop three individually wrapped truffles every hour.

Across from the chocolate clock is the chocolate counter where you can sample a complimentary Payard Truffle. Tables surround the area and are filled with Payard specialty products such as teas, chocolates, candies, perfumes, macarons and mini chocolate fondue sets.

Freshly baked pastries such as croissants, bagels and muffins are served all day until 11pm.

Craving something sweet? There are many selections to choose from. The homemade gelato and made to-order crepes are tempting but the star of the shop are the decadent desserts. If you can't choose one, why not take two!

Freshly Baked Croissant - $4.00

Sicilian - $7.00

Madeleine sponge cake filled with cream cheese mousse, cranberry jam and a dusting of ground sicilian pistachios, topped with a cream cheese crumble.

Things to know:

• The pastry counter is opened from 6:30am to 11:00pm. It also serves sandwiches for $10 which is cheaper than having it at the bistro. I highly recommend the Croque Monsieur.
• Saturday to Monday the retail store opens at 6:00am.
• Anticipate long lines between 11am to 1pm.
• You can find the dessert pastry menu here. Not all desserts are available daily. I highly recommend the Sicilian.
• Ample seating can be found surrounding the patisserie.

Payard Patisserie & Bistro

3570 Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89136

877.346.4642

Website: http://www.payard.com

Las Vegas: Payard Bistro

Award-winning pastry chef, François Payard, has made its way to the Las Vegas strip with Payard Patisserie & Bistro. With its original location in NYC now closed due to lease issues, loyal patrons can find his pastry creations at Caesar's Palace. This is a multi-layered experience with its chocolate and pastry shop and dining room a few feet from each other.

The dining room is beautifully designed with a modern open kitchen which diners can see the chefs preparing French-inspired breakfast dishes. The decor in the room screams "French" with dark mahogany tables, white leather banquettes and Peugeot salt and pepper mills sitting at each table.

You can't have brunch without freshly squeezed orange juice and a bread basket full of goodies.

We started off with the Soup of the Day: Potato Leek Soup - $8.00

Classic Croque Monsieur Sandwich - $16.00

Ham, Bechamel, Swiss cheese, baked tomato & salad

Chicken Cocktail Panini - $17.00

Arugula, Fresh Tomato, Parmesan Cheese

Eggs Benedict served on a Croissant - $18.00

Two eggs over easy, Canadian ham, hollandaise sauce on top a flaky croissant

Our meal at Payard was solid. There were many dishes to choose from at reasonable prices (compare to Bouchon). Most of the breakfast entrees were less than $20 and the lunch entrees were under $30. The staff was very attentive and the food was ready before I finished the bread basket (major +)

According to infamous food writer/critic S. Irene Virbila of the LA Times, she states:

"The bistro itself is adorable, round in shape, with the kitchen, where you can order from the a la carte menu, in the center and fanciful white leather banquettes around the edges...Payard is first-class all the way, from the heavy linens and serious flatware to the white porcelain plates."
- S. Irene Virbila,
Los Angeles Times

We definitely agree and will be stopping by Caesar's Palace more often to visit this gem.

Things to know:

• Payard serves breakfast and lunch daily. To make reservations, call 877.346.4642
• Payard is located in Caesar's Palace across from the Roman Tower and Palace Casino. The easiest way to get there is to walk toward the Temple Pool. See property map here.
• Price Range: $$
• Payard is known for its Croque Monsieur and quiche. From what we saw, the sandwiches are also served at the pastry shop for $10.
• Breakfast menu is served from 6:30am to 11:30am and lunch from 11:30am to 3:00pm. The dessert tasting is no longer available.
• Menus: Breakfast and Lunch
• Food photography: Dining room is well-lit. Had no problems with lighting.

Payard Patisserie & Bistro

3570 Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89136

877.346.4642

Website: http://www.payard.com

Las Vegas: Lotus of Siam

Lotus of Siam needs no introduction. With MANY accolades displayed in their small waiting room to the known long lines you have to endear if you didn't make a rezzy, this is the place to be if you want Thai-Issan classic food (other than going to Thailand itself).

This is Thai cuisine at its finest, which is located in a strip mall off the strip. Don't let its looks deceive you.

See the James Beard Foundation nod on the far left. Yup, Chef Saipin Chutima was nominated for Best Chef of the Southwest in 2008. This is the real deal and every foodie should take notice. Serious eats: Lotus of Siam should be on your to-do list.

When you walk into the dining room, you'll notice three distinct dining areas. In the center of the room is the main dining area and off to the left and the right are two sets of booth-like tables. The third dining area is located at the front of the restaurant (south-end). Having a reservation or not, you'll be seated in the next available table.

On the west side of the room, you will find an array of photos in frames with what we thought were famous and not to famous people who dined here.

The decor and decorations were minimal unlike other Thai restaurants that we've been to where they've transformed their restaurant into a mini Thai village.

Thai Iced Tea - $4.00

First off, we ordered a pair of Thai iced teas. I had thought about ordering a Riesling from their extensive wine list but for this trip we wanted to go with the classics.

Tom Yum Kung - $4.95 (cup)

Hot and sour with shrimp, lime juice, lemon grass & straw mushroom.

Tom Kah Kai - $4.95 (cup)
A distinctive soup of sliced chicken with coconut milk, straw mushroom galanga, lemon grass and a touch of lime juice.

Beef Pad Sw-Ew Noodles - $8.95

Stir-fried flat rice noodle with egg and Chinese broccoli with black soy sauce.

Shrimp Pad Thai - $8.95

Thai small rice noodle stirred fried with egg, green onion, bean sprouts and chopped peanut.

Chef Special: Garlic Prawns - $19.95
Deep fried prawn with shell and sautéed with our special garlic sauce, topped with ground black pepper.

Sea Bass with Sa-mm Rod Sauce - $22.95

Deep fried Sea Bass, topped with sweet, sour and spicy sauce.

Coconut ice cream - $3.00

I wish we had a larger party of about 4-6 people so that we can order more dishes and serve it family-style. Maybe next time.

By the time we left the restaurant, the small waiting room was filled eager diners waiting to devour great Thai cuisine. The strip mall was a hustling and bustling with people, cars and cabs.

Would we be back? Definitely! I'm glad we got to experience Lotus of Siam before its major renovation which is coming up in two weeks. By the time it reopens in December, we'll be back in Vegas. We can't wait!

Things to know:

• Lotus of Siam will be open on Thanksgiving Day but will close the day after until December 23, 2009 for renovations.
• Reservations are HIGHLY recommended for dinner. Call 702.735.3033 at least one day in advance. You should also call before you arrive to reconfirm your reservation.
• If you don't have a reservation, try to arrive when the restaurant opens at 5:30pm. Expect to wait 30-60 minutes on the weekends.
• The restaurant is located in a strip mall off of east Sahara Ave. There is no signage from the street to show you where the restaurant is located. The strip mall is between State St. and Market St. Make a right into a small street called Commercial Center Dr. If you pass S. Maryland Pkwy, you've gone too far. Click here to see a map.
• Don't worry about parking. There are many spaces available. What you should worry about is actually getting a table.
• Dress code: Casual.
• Price range: $$
• If possible, bring a large party (about 4-6) so that you can order more than 4 dishes.
• Lotus of Siam has a notable wine list for German Rieslings. Apparently, your go-to guy for wine pairings is Suchay "Bill" Chutima (Saipin's husband and owner).
• Spicy levels: 0 to 10. 3 was mildly hot. Get a Thai iced tea to cool off your tongue.

Lotus of Siam

953 E. Sahara Avenue

Las Vegas, NV 89104

702.735.3033

Website: http://www.saipinchutima.com

Las Vegas: Mesa Grill

We have plans to visit Las Vegas in December but due to Marc's work schedule, we were able to make an extra trip this past weekend. Yay!

One of the places that we hit up was Chef Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill at Caesars Palace. Bobby Flay is one of our favorite celebrity chefs. From an Iron Chef to his Food Network TV shows, what's not to love. Besides, he can make a mean burger.

Mesa Grill in Las Vegas is Bobby's west coast outlet of his acclaimed New York venue of the same name. Bobby's signature cooking style of bold flavors with Southwestern flare has diners and foodies alike flocking to this desert oasis.

The room decor was vibrant with vivid colors and lighting matching the action happening in the casino.

Like its other locations in New York and the Bahamas, the restaurant has a open kitchen area where you can see the chefs cooking on the grills.

On a whelm, we decided to do lunch at Mesa Grill. Here is a copy of the brunch menu (click to enlarge).

We both started off with Cactus Pear Iced Teas ($4.00) and shared a scrumptious bread basket filled with blueberry muffins, scones, jalapeno biscuits and corn bread.

Mesa Burger - $16.00

Double Cheddar Cheese

Grilled Vidalia Onion + Horseradish Mustard

served with Southwestern Fries

Scrambled Eggs Chilaquiles - $16.00

Roasted Tomatillo Sauce , White Cheddar Cheese +Creme Fraiche

served with Southwestern Home Fries

The result: Brunch was good. The chilaquiles was very good. Chilaquiles is a traditional mexican dish which can be served with chicken or scrambled eggs. If you haven't had it, you MUST try it. Especially after a night of drinking. Supposely, chilaquiles are often lauded as a cure for the common hangover since in Mexico it is believed that spicy foods help in the recovery process from a hangover.

The service here was on point. As soon as I picked up the last jalapeno biscuit (my fav of the bunch), our food arrived. I don't think we waited more than 15 minutes. Quick service indeed.

Would we come back for dinner? Sure. The dinner menu is intriguing, but right across the way is Michelin starred Bradley Ogden, who apparently has the "Best Burger in Las Vegas". Hmm, the Mesa Burger vs. the House Ground Steak Burger. Bobby, are you ready for a throwdown?

Things to know:

• Definitely try brunch if you are hesitant to book a rezzy for dinner. The price point is much better than most brunches at Payard and Bouchon.
• Where's Bobby? Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bflay.
• Menus: Brunch menu, Lunch menu, Dinner menu, Dessert menu.
• Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30am to 3:00pm.
• Price range: Brunch $$, Dinner $$$
• Mesa Grill is located at Caesar's Palace in the casino area across the Colosseum theatre, near the Race & Sports Book.
• You have the option to seat at the bar or dining area.
• Walk-ins are accepted for brunch, you may need to book a rezzy for dinner, esp. during holidays on major fighting events.
• The restaurant is well-lit. No need to increase your ISO on your camera.

Mesa Grill

Caesars Palace
3570 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89136

877.346.4642

Website: http://www.mesagrill.com/