Kabuto

 

We hop into a taxi and get out of the Las Vegas Strip to Mountain Spring Road. The taxi turns into a strip mall with many visible signs of other Japanese and Korean restaurants, but where is Kabuto? We finally find it- the only discreet restaurant there without obvious signage but with a minimalist facade. We step inside just in time for our dinner reservation. There is a 10-seater counter and 3 or 4 tables. Kabuto instantly reminds us of sushi restaurants in Japan: light colored Japanese wood is always the theme and a single large ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) takes center stage by the wall in the otherwise uncluttered interior.





Gen-san, the owner and head sushi chef, takes pride in the fish varieties he has to offer that differ daily. Working with 2 younger assistants, Gen-san takes sushi as a serious form of craft while maintaining a humble and smiley interaction with guests. Edomae sushi is the focus here and that means the guest sees the sushi prepared in front of him or her. After a piece of nigiri is prepared, the chef places it on the plate in front of the guest who proceeds to pick it up and eat it. The process is repeated for the next type of nigiri served. This ritual of eating sushi is what we experinced in Japan and we applaud Gen-san for recreating this true authentic experience.

The menu here is omakase only (chef's choice) with 3 pricing options and that is the only decision we have to make when ordering. All options include nigiri sushi. We decide on Yoroi ($85/pp) that also sashimi and grilled items. Fish selections vary daily depending on that day's delivery. Placed on the counter table in between us is a paper list of the fish selection available that day. The list is placed on the table throughout the meal so that each guest can refer to it throughout the meal. On the list, the Japanese names of the fish is on the left column and the corresponding English names are on the right column. Given the very wide and unique selection of fish available on a day, it is not possible to have every type of fish on the list to be on the omakase menu. Towards the end of the meal, however, guests will be asked if they would like to add on additional items from the list as ala carte (we highly recommend you do that to try the other unique fish available).

Each guest is served an apperitif- a very light and refreshing California mandarin sake, homemade by Gen-san, that is very low in alcohol content at 2%. The starter of melt-in-the-mouth blue fin tuna marinated with special soy sauce is only a smidge indication of the freshness of fish at Kabuto.

When it's time for the highlight of the meal i.e. nigiri sushi, each of us gets a plate placed in front of us with some gari (pickled ginger) on the side. Then, Gen-san asks if we are ready for sushi. Oh yes, we tell him. With his swift and experienced fingers, he methodically shapes the rice and puts a dab of wasabi on the rice. He then carefully places a slice of fish over the rice before gently brushing a thin layer of soy sauce over the fish. Finally he places the piece of nigiri on the plate, one on each of our plates already set in front of us. We pick it up and eat it right away. Gen-san proceeds to make the next nigiri for the next type of fish and the process repeats.

 

The variety of sushi we enjoyed as part of the omakase include aona (yellow grouper), houbou (gurnard), blue fin tuna from Spain, chu-toro (medium fatty tuna), ikura on rice, uni (sea urchin) from Catalina Island, anago (sea eel), and gyoku (sweet omelet). After our final piece of nigiri on the omakase set, Gen-san asks "Would you like more sushi?". We gloss over the paper list of fish selection for that day and see other varieties that we have yet to try. We ask Gen-san for recommendations and then add two ala carte items: live botan ebi (shrimp) and chikamekintoki (long finned bull eye). With all the unique fish that we have never tried and let alone heard of, no wonder Kabuto presents a list of the daily selection for each guests to keep and refer to throughout the meal. A couple sitting next to us continues to add on ala carte items one after another. The man looking a tad bit embarrassed, turns to T and says "We eat a lot." "Oh no worries, I don't blame you...the sushi is so good," T replies. The man then says again, "The uni is the best we've had. My girlfriend says it changed her life." Wow, that's big.

After our nigiri experience, the sous chef makes a negi chu-toro hand roll (medium fatty tuna with scallions) and hands one to each of us while holding the roll in his hand. We stretch out an arm to take our hand roll from his hand and start eating it. Miso soup is served and the day's choice is either shrimp head or fish with bones in the soup. We end the meal with housemade mochi ice-cream by their Japanese pastry chef. As we are about to start eating the pieces of vanilla, matcha, and mango mochi ice-cream, Gen-san lifts up his head and smilingly says, "Made from Japanese sugar. So not too sweet."

We leave Kabuto and hop into a taxi back to the Strip feeling so excited that we've discovered a place that so closely reflects our experience in Japan. T says "That is the best sushi I've had outside of Japan." He's right.

Note: Get counter seating if possible for the full experience. Since our first visit, we have returned for a second time and the fish selection of the day was very much different from our first visit. Unique fish types on our second visit included kamashita (kamashita fatty tuna), wakaremi (triangle), renko-tai (deep sea porgy).



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Kabuto
5040 W Spring Mountain Road
Las Vegas, NV 89146

Reservations are highly recommended

Four Seasons Las Vegas

Anyone looking for a lovely 5-star hotel experience in Las Vegas without the hustle and bustle of a typical hotel on the Strip, Four Seasons is the answer. Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental are purportedly the only true 5-star hotels on the Strip and this time we decide to give Four Seasons a try. The property is located on the top floors of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and to be precise, Four Seasons occupies floors 35-39 of the Mandalay Bay. There is no indication of the presence of Four Seasons when walking or driving along the Strip and there is no towering signage for the hotel like one would expect of every hotel on the Strip clamoring for grandeur and attention. Perhaps the hotel is deliberately aiming for an understatement. Just as the taxi pulls into hotel driveway, we see the driveway entrance signage of the Four Seasons hotel. The hotel has it own separate entrance, concierge, taxi drop-off, lobby, and elevators from the Mandalay Bay. The Four Seasons elevators will take you straight to floors 35-39, lobby (where the pool is), and the C level (here you conveniently connect to Mandalay Bay).

The hotel is tranquil and serene. It does not have a casino which also means that it is a non-smoking hotel unlike other casino hotel resorts. If you're looking for a tranquil change from the usual Las Vegas hotels, Four Seasons offers a reprieve. As expected, there are no spring-breakers here but the working professional crowd. This particular Four Seasons in Las Vegas aims to be family-friendly; we spot many families with kids but do not feel that the kids here take away the adult experience at the pool area which many people look for when coming to Las Vegas.

The pool is small but it is never completely full during our pool visits so pool chairs are usually always available. The pool itself offers a 5-star experience to hotel guests. We walk into the pool area, the attendant looks up our room number and name in the system. He grabs some towels for us and escorts us to the section we would like to relax at. He then sets up the pool wicker chairs for us and lines them with the towel chair covers. He comes back a few minutes later with a pitcher of ice water and plastic cups. One day, it is strawberry-flavored water and on another, it is lemon-flavored. At random times, one of the attendants walks around the pool area and offers complimentary mini ice treats to help the guests keep cool. On one day it is a frozen sliced pineapple on a stick; on another day it is a taste of peach smoothie. Sunscreen and newspapers are also provided at one of the water stations. An attendant comes by and asks if we would like some Evian spritz to be sprayed onto our faces to help us keep cool. Yes, please!

One of the plus points is that guests at the Four Seasons are allowed to use Mandalay Bay's pool facilities (but not the reverse). Moorea Beach Club (topless optional) over at Mandalay Bay is just a few feet away from the Four Seasons pool.

In true Four Seasons style, the hotel offers turndown service every evening. Complimentary shoe shine is also offered. Our room is clean and we enjoy the fluffy pillows. Admittedly, I'm a tad bit disappointed that this location does not offer L'Occitane toiletries like the other Four Seasons hotels but I end up really enjoying the scent of the toiletries brand offered here.

We order room service for breakfast one day- just a simple bread basket and soft boiled eggs- and they arrive timely. The weekend-only brunch buffet spread at The Verandah cafe is not as elaborate as the Wynn or Bellagio, but it is more than adequate with its selections of charcuterie, pastries, made-to-order omelet station, hot food, doughnut station, and a make-your-own Bloody Mary station. I'm an instant fan of the house-made peanut butter for my toast. After we recharge ourselves at breakfast, it is pool time again.

Wonderful 5-star experience all around and looking forward to return.

Raku

When the lights go out on The Las Vegas Strip, where do the chefs and restaurant staff go to eat?

Raku, it is.

We tend to to think that people working in the restaurant industry generally have pretty high standards and discerning tastes when it comes to food in restaurants. Before our visit, we held pretty high standards for Raku and were not in the least disappointed. Raku has what it takes to be a gem in Japanese cuisine. It opens up the world of Japanese cuisine to people who understand that Japanese cuisine is not all about sushi. In fact, no, Japanese don't eat sushi everyday.

Do yourself a favor and order off the daily specials menu. In fact, order the specials and the items on the regular menu which are darn good as well. The specials are written on a portable blackboard which the server brings to the table and then describing each special in detail. On the night we were there, the list of items on special was impressive in number. As the night went on, some of the specials were sold out and T noticed that some new specials were then added onto the blackboard.

Bai gai, Japanese sea snails

Such beautiful snail shells! Our server told us that the snails are first cooked for 7-8 hrs until tender and then steamed to order.

Seigo, Japanese sea bass

Seigo, Japanese sea bass

Seigo, Japanese sea bass

How the fish specials work is that we choose one type of fish from several options on the list (our pick was Seigo, a type of Japanese sea bass). Each order is for a whole fish. We then choose 2 out of 3 methods of preparation: sashimi, grilled, fried. Based on our chosen method of sashimi and grilled, half the fish was delicately sliced into sashimi and the other half was grilled to perfection (head and tail included). Now, when fish is grilled, no skin is wasted as it is always grilled together as well. At Raku, no skin should be wasted as well when preparing sashimi. The portion of the fish that is used for sashimi is first skinned and then the skin is grilled. The resulting curled and charred skin is a palate teaser in itself because of it's delightful taste in mini bite sizes (how much skin can you get out of half a fish, anyway?).

Kushi, Kobe beef tongue

We have no qualms in eating beef tongue but the best part for anyone who is wary of this might like to know that the texture of this Kobe beef tongue in no way feels like it is, well, tongue. Take out the word tongue and tell someone it is Kobe beef and it could be believable. The yakitori stick is drizzled with sauce that is intensely flavored with beef that even just a little smear on the beef tongue renders it perfect.

Kakuni, pork belly

The pork belly is braised until very tender that finishing the entire dish (meat and fat included) should not elicit any guilt. We normally don't include fats from meats in our diet but will make an exception for this.

Raku tofu

Its namesake Raku tofu is a must-order item on the regular menu. The Japanese take their tofu seriously as evidenced by restaurants in Japan which focuses its cuisine solely on different interpretations of tofu. At Raku, tofu is made fresh in-house everyday and the texture is the best we have ever had to date. Unlike any other we've had, the tofu is very, very creamy in texture. It isn't firm nor is it soft. It is creamy and rich in texture. The Raku tofu is served pure as it is with a side of shredded fresh ginger, scallions, and bonito flakes. It is meant to be enjoyed with sprinkles of green tea salt made with mushroom and seaweed. Drizzle lightly with soy sauce and savor the purity of the tofu.

Agedashi tofu

If you can't get enough of tofu, get an order of the agedashi tofu. Alternately, Raku allows a half order of Raku tofu and a half order of the agedashi tofu. The housemade tofu is slightly fried on the outside and sits in a bowl with dashi broth. Salmon roe, tiny mushrooms, seaweed, and scallions accompany the tofu. A tiny smear of Japanese chilli paste sits on the side of the bowl.

Juicy deep fried chicken

The name Juicy Deep Fried Chicken on the menu does not lie. It is really what it says it is. And better. This is Raku's take on karaage (deep fried chicken cutlets). The chicken is unbelievably moist and fried until it just crosses over the line from rare to cooked. When overcooked, chicken can be quite a pain to eat. I don't know how the Raku chefs timed it that well, but this is sure some juice pieces of chicken.

Oden, fish cakes

Select several types of fish cakes such as hanpen (cotton soft fish cake), chikuwa (hollow tube fish cake), and satsuma age (fried minced fish). Non-fish items include daikon (radish), pork intestine, beef tendon, and bean curd skin with mochi. Extremely popular in winter and considered as comfort food during the cold season, the items are served in warm dashi broth.

If you are visiting Las Vegas from out of town and have no access to a car, hop into a cab from your hotel or on The Strip. Raku is just a short ride away. When you are finished with dinner, call for a cab to take you back. No hassle. Be sure to make reservations.



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Raku
5030 Spring Mountain Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89146

Accolades
2012 James Beard Nominee for Best Chef in the Southwest, Mitsuo Endo
2011 James Beard Nominee for Best Chef in the Southwest, Mitsuo Endo
2009 James Beard Nominee for Best New Restaurant

Retreating in Las Vegas

As part of our yearly ritual, we spent the last weekend in Las Vegas. As much as this 9th trip to Las Vegas was part our summer tradition, it took quite a different turn from our previous trips.

Firstly, walking the Strip, late night partying, Cirque du Soleil shows-- been there, done that. This time, we spent most of our time relaxing in the hotel and vegetating by the pool.

Secondly, we usually stay at different hotels during each visit to Sin City. Last year, we loved the Encore so much that we promised to return there on our next trip. And we did. Most of our time last weekend were spent on the grounds of the Encore and the Wynn. The Encore itself is such a gorgeous hotel and the added benefit of being a hotel guest at the Encore or the Wynn which allows access and use of amenities at either hotel is a fantastic selling point. Both towers are connected to each other and Steve Wynn must have envisioned to build a city within a city when the place was constructed. Even if you don't want to try your luck at the casino table, it is hard to stay away from the luxurious pool and world class restaurants on the hotel grounds.

This trip where we almost "did nothing" was one of our most relaxing moments, ever. Now we just wished we could live that fantasy life in Las Vegas just a little longer.

For a detailed review of the Encore, read the original review here.

Michael Mina at the Bellagio

We like a good surprise and Michael Mina gave us just that. Of all our food adventures in Las Vegas, Michael Mina came out on top for our biggest gastronomic surprise. It was one of those moments where prior to dining at Michael Mina we have heard good things about Chef Mina while embarrassingly not knowing enough about his impressive credentials. And, we expected a good meal but instead were blown away by the seafood we had. Michael Mina himself has a restaurant empire including this namesake restaurant and while he is unable to be physically present at each restaurant every night, he clearly got it right with his executive chef at the Michael Mina restaurant at the Bellagio.

 

Seafood lovers who find themselves at Michael Mina are at the right place.

The shellfish platter, ordered and priced per person, includes maine lobster, raw oysters, crab, prawns, and scallop ceviche. The shellfish are individually plated with each type of shellfish prepared its own way and are seated on a thick layer of crushed ice placed in a deep bowl. The prawns came with orange and mint aioli; the lobster was served with citrus vinaigrette and mint leaves. The creativity of the shellfish platter shone through the scallop ceviche. Served on its own with a portion enough to be an appetizer on its own, the scallop ceviche comes with slivers of Thai birds eye chilli, mandarin orange segment, and mint leaves and covered coconut-flavored foam. Taking a step into the unconventional flair and creative way of eating the ceviche were the sides of tortilla chips and fresh popcorn. The ceviche was meant to be scooped onto a tortilla chip and then topped with a tiny bit of popcorn before popping the entire thing into the mouth.

The signature tuna tartare, is brought to the table and the server explains each ingredient in the carefully plated tuna tartare before mixing up all those ingredients together until well combined. Tossed with sesame oil, ancho chile, pine nuts, mint leaves, garlic, and Asian pear, the tuna was refreshing, almost a perfect-like dish for summer. The tartare has a pleasant presence of sesame oil that stands out and if anyone is not a huge fan of sesame oil, the accompanying sliced toasts balances the taste of the tartare perfectly. Otherwise, the tuna is perfect eaten on its own, just like the way I like it.

The star of the meal was the Three Seas that came with three types of Japanese fish. The dish was inspired by the Japanese way of preparing food as can be seen in the way this dish is served, but the highlight is how this dish is transformed into the Michael Mina way without compromising the source of the Japanese inspiration. The texture and form of the miso-glazed chilean sea bass totally blew us away and I don't think we can ever forget the moment we had with the sea bass. Each bite was incredibly delicate and moist and it almost created the illusion that we were eating fish fat except that it was not fish fat. It was actual fish we were eating. The ginger seared tuna was rare inside and the seared scallop was also very well prepared. Staying true its Japanese inspiration, the fish sat on a thin bed of flavored bamboo rice mixed with ikura (salmon roe) and shredded pickled daikon. Instead of the traditional Japanese oshinko made of pickled daikon, Michael Mina introduces its own twist using pickled cucumber. Accompanying the dish with more Japanese-inspired sides are the tempura maitake mushroom, spinach-wrapped shitake mushroom, and poached daikon. The execution of this dish was impressive with the doubly impressive sea bass.

The foie gras risotto with chicken jus was a good option as a side dish to our seafood-heavy meal. The texture of the risotto was perfectly al dente when it was still warm but as the dish gradually cooled to room temperature it became a little hard. But all in all, this was still a very solidly prepared dish.

The complimentary house made apple cider was just what we needed for our food-filled stomachs. 

One unforgettable part of our experience at Michael Mina was our server who was nothing short of professional, helpful, and friendly. In fact, I think he should moonlight as a part time photographer when he is not working at Michael Mina. At the end of the meal, we asked our server if he could help take a photograph of us. T and I did not know what we were in for when we asked our server for the quick favor. After we handed him our camera, he went into photographer mode and proceeded to rearrange the items on our table so that they would look nicer in the photograph, including temporarily removing some "ugly" items on the table (our table's check), etc. After the first shot, he walked over to the other side of the table and suggested us to hold hands over the table (which emitted some laughter from the table next to us although I think they laughing at our server and not my husband and I) for the second shot. And then finally he wanted to take a third shot of us and suggested my husband to stand by my chair. Gotta love our server.

Even if just for the incredible sea bass, we hope to return to Michael Mina.



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Michael Mina at the Bellagio
600 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Accolades
2009 1-Michelin Star
2008 1-Michelin Star
2005 Bon Appetit Chef of the Year
2002 James Beard Award Best Chef
1997 Rising Star Chef

Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

Our plane prepares for descent and we see the beautiful canyons from mid-air. The area is vast and very impressive. Even as the plane is taxiing on the runway, the canyons do not disappear. They become the backdrop of the long stretch of casinos that are visible even from the airport.

That had been as much natural scenery of Nevada we took in during our previous trips to Las Vegas. Every time we are in Las Vegas we get lost in the glitz and glamor of The Strip and forget how beautiful the state of Nevada is beyond all the man-made mesmerizing neon lights on The Strip. But on this 8th trip to Sin City (our 8th trip's the charm!), we left The Strip and experienced beautiful and natural red rock formations.

The state of Nevada is primarily desert and with a list of state parks to choose from, there are several good options to help decide based on individual requirements. We were looking for a quick getaway from The Strip for half a day and based on the distance and time to travel, Red Rock Canyon was the perfect choice. The Grand Canyon is about 4 1/2 to 5 hours drive from Las Vegas and the Valley of Fire is about 5 hours away. Granted, we have heard amazing and beautiful things about Valley of Fire and the Grand Canyon so here is hoping that during our next trip out to Las Vegas, we will make it to either one. Fingers crossed.

For those looking for a temporary break from the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas, the Red Rock Canyon is situated 20-miles west of The Strip. The easy 30-minute drive is extremely manageable to one's schedule and itinerary. The Red Rock Canyon region is part of the larger Mojave Desert which encompasses parts of Nevada, California, Arizona, and Utah. Red Rock Canyon provided us a convenient opportunity to experience the essence of Nevada i.e. desert, sandstone cliffs, etc.

There are 16 hiking trails to choose from ranging from a distance of 1.5 miles to 6 miles with different difficulty levels from easy to strenuous. Some of the shorter trails connect with the others.

Another option is the 13-mile scenic drive that brings vehicles and bikes through the mountainous region of Red Rock Canyon. The panoramic view route is on well paved roads and was by no means off road driving so any type of vehicle is allowed. Bikers are also welcomed on the scenic drive. The scenic drive goes in one direction so vehicles do not have to worry about whether they are going in the right (or wrong) direction. The highlight of the scenic drive for us were the first two stops where we saw different parts of Calico Hills. The deep red rocks were amazing in their own right. As part of its natural formation process, some of the rocks were a mixture of red and brown and this contrast in color drew to attention the beauty of the formation.

Making a photography trip out of the visit to Red Rock Canyon was also a good decision we made. Whether it be capturing the vast land area, sandstone cliffs, limestone ridges, or peaks, there are various geological formations that make good photography spots for the keen eye. If photography is your main priority, visiting early morning or late afternoon would be best in order to avoid the harsh sunlight in the photos. We arrived at about 9:30am and with the generous amount of natural light, we lowered our ISO setting on our camera to 100 and it worked out really nicely. If you are there on an overcast day, you might need to crank up your ISO. The wonderful thing about Nevada is that we were there right in the middle of summer in July and despite the 100 deg F heat, we did not sweat a drop because of the dry heat.

 

Red Rock Canyon feels like it is a world away from The Strip because of it's stark contrast in view but all it takes is about a convenient 30-minute drive. After we returned to our hotel we lazed by the pool before continuing with the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas. Being able to go from peace and tranquility in the midst of nature and back to the dramatic entertainment capital of the world on the same day, we would not have done it another way.