Roast Pork Belly, Roast Duck and Char Siu BBQ...Need I say more?

Doing my usual browsing on Yelp, I came across Asian BBQ and Noodles, specializing in Hong Kong style BBQ at affordable prices.  What really caught my eye was the menu of roast pork belly and duck, and yes with simply that, I made plans to make a visit.   The restaurant itself is very low-key and under normal conditions I'd probably just pass it by.  When you walk in you're relieved to see it full of Chinese customers.  I'm a huge believer in judging restaurants by the amount of people from the culture choosing to eat there.

The menu is small with various BBQ choices, side dishes and noodle soups, but with all the raving about the roast pork belly, we ordered the 3-combination BBQ special(Char Siu pork, Roast Duck, Roast Pork Belly,) for $12.95.  It's served with a bit of pickled white radish (daicon,) and carrots but make sure you order your rice on the side!

With all the wonderful meat, I added pickled mustard greens to the side ($3).  I'm a fan of mustard greens on their own as they add a nice bite and contrast of flavor to meat, but pickled you just get that extra dimension that plays well with Chinese bbq.  The pickling is sour from the vinegar base with hints of sweetness from the added sugars.  The greens themselves are slightly bitter and they maintain a nice green vegetable element to the food.

The First thing I try is the Char Siu BBQ pork.  The flavors were all there, a sweet honey and hoison glaze on slices of pork that had hints of five-spice.  Even though the flavors were all there, the meat itself was a little dry, I'm not sure if that was because the meat was soo lean or simply overcooked.   Either way, the pickled veggies were necessary in adding that extra bite to the meat, distracting away from the dryness.

The next to try was the roast duck, and the experience was a lot better than the char siu pork.  The meat was tender, and you can tell the duck was roasted well as the skin was slightly crisp but softened up by the natural fat during the slow roast.  Again the flavor of five-spice was there along with a nice soy-sauce finish.  I used the hoison sauce and chili oil as a dip on the side to round out the flavors the way I like it.  This was really good and a must order.

Last but not least, my favorite part of the plate, roast pork belly.  Although throughout the dishes, five-spice was the major seasoning, when put with the pork belly it creates a really deep flavor.  Pork always takes on flavors really well, and this case is no different.  Along with the great flavor you definitely notice that the pork meat is tender,  with a small layer of fat before you get to the pork skin.  A lot of the time when I order Chinese roast pork, I get a soggy skin and you can tell if it was cooked quite a while ago.  Here at Asian BBQ and Noodles, the pork is made recently and served often.  This equates to a nice layer of crispy skin, my personal requirement for a successful roast pork belly.  I can't say this enough, this is a must order, if you decide to just get one thing here, this should be it!

I may be biased by my love for pork and crispy skin, but if you share this affinity, you definitely need to make a trip if you're in the Las Vegas Chinatown area.  Ordered alone, each meat with rice is under $8 and that just can't be beat, especially when the meat has quality exceeding the cost.  I'll even give the char siu a scratch.  The flavors were all there, it may have just been an off day for the cooking so I might give it another shot.  With the low cost and great flavors this place is a no-brainer, I'll definitely be back to nurse that craving.

Asian BBQ and Noodles
3400 S Jones Blvd
Ste 5C
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 202-3636


 

A Near Miss, Catching the End of Pulled Pork-O-Rama

Today's post is bittersweet.  Following food trucks on facebook, I always catch event flyers on the news feed and today's event really caught my eye. Pulled Pork-O-Rama featuring food trucks like Grouchy John's Coffee, Slidin' Thru, The Rusty Pickle, Ben's BBQ & Smokehouse and Haulin' Balls.  Being my usual forgetful self, by the time I realized this event ended at 2pm it was already half past one~!  I booked it to the other side of town in hopes they decided to stay a little later.  When I finally parked, most of the trucks had already started packing up but wait a minute, what luck!  Haulin' Balls is still serving??

Oh most of the menu is sold out...hmm...they still have pulled pork nachos? Well pulled pork, that's the whole reason I came here! 

I've never actually had anything from Haulin' Balls, and even though pulled pork is a normal part of their menu, this little plate of goodness was "pulled," out for the event.  The pulled pork is smoked for 12 hours served over tortilla chips then smothered in nacho cheese and bbq sauce.  The pulled pork was tender with it's own profile of spices and just a hint of smoky flavor.  The bbq sauce was very sweet and actually mixed well with the nacho cheese.  Jalapenos on top with green onions and cilantro added that extra bite to the heap of pork and cheese.  The flavors are familiar but the presentation and fusion is exactly what you'd like from a popular food truck, and for $5 this was a pretty good deal.

Although I basically missed the event, it's nice to know these events are going on and I will be keeping an eye out.  Next time I'll try and be on time to nurse that craving!


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The Local Favorite

When I first moved to the Henderson/Vegas area, one of the first things I noticed was that there's a big Hawaiian community and with that quite a few good Hawaiian food spots.  Talking with a few locals, one consistent place that came up was Ross J's Aloha Grill.  Lucky for me this is right down the street from school and in that same sense less than 10 minutes away from the house!  I frequent Ross J's, with their huge menu, great portions and great tasting food, this place is a no brainer on "too lazy to cook," days.

 

I usually start off with the spam musubi, a thick slice of spam over rice glazed with a sweet sauce all wrapped into a sheet of seaweed.  The size of this $1.50 treat is a small brick at the least, definitely worth it.  The spam is cooked so it has a nice little bit of crust on each side from the flat top and with the salty flavor, it's mellowed out by the rice and sweet sauce.  Nothing extra special about this compared to others I've tried, but worth getting if you're a little extra hungry that day.

This is a standard 2-item combo ($8.95,) my must have is the spicy Korean chicken but on this day I opted to try the meat jun which is all over a big bed of rice and a scoop of macaroni salad.  The spicy Korean chicken has chicken thighs(possibly a Korean marinade?) with a sweet soy flavor and a hint of Korean chili at the end, although not very spicy a great mix.  The best part about the chicken is that it's cooked skin down on the flat top creating a crispy crust with the sugars caramelizing adding that little extra bite.  If you aren't feeling too hungry you can even get the spicy Korean chicken alone over rice for under $4, and don't let the price fool you this thing can fill you up!

Next we have the meat jun, and honestly when I ordered this I had no idea what it was.  So the best I can describe it is a thin slice of beef, tenderized, dipped in an egg wash which is then directly cooked over a flat top and served with a small side of teriyaki sauce.  This is way better than I thought it would be, first the egg is cooked nice and crisp with a slight flavor of mirin (sweet rice wine,) that goes well with the meat.  The beef is tender and pairs well with the sweet egg outer layer along with the teriyaki sauce.

This local favorite has been my go-to and to me is the epitome of comfort food.  Not only is this place affordable but the at home quality goes a long way when you want something to remind you of home.  I'll be back, possibly for the exact same order, guaranteed to have the spicy korean chicken in the mix to nurse that craving!

Ross J's Aloha Grill

4650 E Sunset Rd
Ste A
Henderson, NV 89014

(702) 435-5600

Pink's Famous Hotdogs, a Hollywood Legend on the Strip

Today's post is brought to you by Groupon! The deal was $7 for $15 of food which was something we just couldn't pass up.  Pink's here in Vegas is located in the Miracle Mile of Planet Hollywood, but if you're trying to find it make sure you're outside where the strip is because you won't find it inside the mall.

A loong time ago, I'm talking high school days, I tried to go to the original Pink's in Hollywood and the reputation really preceded itself with a line that wrapped around the whole block!  The next time I got the chance to try Pink's was the location at Knott's Berry Farm and boy was I happy to finally get the coveted dogs!  So here I am today giving it another try, Groupon in hand ready to give the Hollywood location a shot.  The first thing you'll notice is that there is NO inside seating and being that it was a cold day, you are damn sure we picked a seat under the patio heaters!

Because I've already tried a regular hotdog with the famous chili and cheese I paid a little homage to the location and got the Planet Hollywood ($8.50) which is a polish sausage with sauteed onions and mushrooms covered with nacho cheese and copious slices of bacon.  I think what makes Pink's soo famous is the quality of sausages and hotdogs.  The polish sausage had that snap that I covet in sausages and hotdogs because it gives you that texture and bite that elevates a regular hotdog into the famous kind.  It didn't hurt that the polish tasted great with the onions and mushrooms and the nacho cheese adding that extra creamy texture to the top.  The bacon was a welcomed smoky flavor although they were really soggy, I'm impartial to bacon cooked crispy, and i think it would've added a much needed crunchy texture.  We ordered the fries($3.50) which are made from frozen and are thin shoestring style fried crispy.  They were average, lacking good seasoning but still worth ordering if you gotta have fries on the side.

The next picture isn't too pretty but because it was a burrito, the best pic we could get was a few bites in.  This is the Three Dog Night($8.75) , three dogs, chili, cheese, sour cream and bacon.  This was a mix of the ultimate hotdog toppings into a burrito.  The chili is thick, well seasoned with garlic, cloves and hints of cinnamon that went really well with the nacho cheese for a buttery/creamy flavor and sour cream to mellow the other flavors out.  The hotdogs themselves, I can't promote the quality and snap enough, were as good as expected with great bite and texture on top of a great meat flavor.


In the end, I have no huge gripes with the Planet Hollywood location, although like the Knott's Berry Farm location I also visited, I think something's missing that you probably find at the original location.  Hopefully I get a chance to prove myself right when the line isn't a block long instead of having to go to a spin off that charges at least $2 more than the original location!  Even with the Groupon, our two dog orders, with an order of fries and a drink, reached 25$ leaving me to fit the difference.  The great deal was only great for 1 person.  I will admit however, I did satisfy my hotdog craving...*snap*

Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
3667 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109

(702) 785-5555

A trip to Wendy's...hold the burgers and fries

Tonight I was on a mission to try this Asian BBQ and Noodle house in Chinatown but was disappointed to find it closed on fridays!  When this happens I always like to take it as an opportunity for adventure, using yelp and what I see to make a new plan for the night.  Luckily there was an interesting little spot across the street that caught my eye, "Wendy's Noodle Cafe," which had an interesting menu to match.

The menu is a mix of typical chinese dining and modern eastern/western twists.  With all the choices I went a little overboard and ordered way more than we could eat, but it was a great opportunity to try some interesting dishes :).

 The first thing that caught my eye was a tapas list on the front page of the menu, each for only $4.95.  Looking through the list, I noticed I've never even heard of Portuguese curry, so I tagged it as a must try.  It came out in a hot clay pot bubbling and was actually a bigger serving than expected.  The curry was simple with carrots, peas and onions then about 6-8 whole shrimp(way more than you'd expect for a tapa!)  The most unique flavor in this curry was the mix of cumin and heavy coconut milk.  The coconut milk is strong, almost buttery creamy throughout.  That with the shrimp heads made this dish go from good to amazing.

Considering this is a noodle house I just had to opt for a big bowl of their soup.  This is the assorted seafood and pork with rice noodles.  The broth was a clear beef broth, pretty average but refreshing and the noodles were the thick flat rice noodle.  What made the dish was all the toppings. The fishballs, fishcakes and squid were average but the shrimp, ground pork, pork slices, cilantro and chinese broccoli were fresh and added that needed flavor to the mild broth.  Adding hot chili oil, sriracha and a little hoison added that extra depth of flavor I usually enjoy in light broth soups.  Overall good, especially on a chilly night.

The second dish we ordered was pork cutlet, we definitely did not picture this when we ordered.  The pork is thin and tender, probably tenderized pre-breading and had an interesting flavor that seemed to come from a soy-based marinade.  The pork cutlet overall was unique with subtle flavors.  On the side there were green beans sauteed with garlic which was good but what was really great with the dish was the rice.  At first glance the rice seemed normal other than having an orange hue to it.  With my first bite I noticed the rice was unique.  After asking I found out they stir fry it with mushroom sauce which is another first for me.  The unique flavor  the rice took on was paired really well with the sauteed green beans and fried pork cutlet, the dish was really cohesive and overall a nice surprise.

Right before the food started coming out we noticed on the wall they offer some off the menu dishes and when we saw rib eye bao we just had to order it out of sheer curiosity.  So here it came out, three bao that were actually pretty big compared to the bao I've had in the past (Check my Great Bao post,) and even came with a decent sized salad on the side.  The bao itself wasn't as soft as I'd like and had rib eye sliced thin and cooked with onions in a sweet soy sauce.  The rib eye was good but if it was sliced just a bit thicker the bao would have had a better bite to it.  The salad on the side was a mix of greens and bell peppers with a dressing I can only describe as lime based.  Mixed with the bao, you really had an interesting mix of flavors that made the dish go from average to a possible repeat order on the next visit.  Overall the dish was interesting and had a generous serving with flavors that were worth trying.

Wendy's Noodle Cafe was a great experience, I tried new things which was not really expected but happily welcomed.  I'll definitely be back for more to try out other parts of the menu that had my curiosity going and maybe a repeat dish or two to nurse that craving!

Wendy's Noodle Cafe

3401 S Jones Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89146

(702) 889-3288

An Unexpected Meal During Cram Time

Ok, so I know I haven't updated in a few days, but it's all for a good cause!  Studying has been engulfing and today I took my last class exam for nursing school and put myself one step closer to the big goal.  LICENSURE!  During one of the cram sessions at a friend's house, the study group was treated to a little home cooked Pakistani food.  It just so happens I've never had any food like it!

This was the general set up, a little bit of 3 different preparations with long grain rice common to this genre of food.  As a Filipino, I'm definitely a big rice eater except I've gotten used to short grain soft rice.  With the long grain rice, it's definitely a lot more dry but the food is soo (for the lack of a better term,) mushy that it pairs really well.

We'll start with the top right corner.  This has been explained to me as Chicken Ka Salan, or chicken curry.  The sauce to the curry is a thin wetter preparation than I'm used to when it comes to curry and contains some intense flavors that sets itself apart from other curries.  The first thing to hit is the strong taste of cumin which works with the big starchy cuts of potato.  The next flavor you get is of strong bayleaf which really penetrates the pieces of chicken.  The chicken and bayleaf combo really reminds me of adobo, especially when the pepper kicks in.  That's how this one ends, after a big of chewing, you start to feel the heat really come out and it lingers on the palate which you can feel from mouth to throat.  The familiar flavors are really comforting but the heat had me coming back for more.

 

Next the bottom left of the plate has a ground beef dish called Keema.  Seems simple but this is anything but!  First of all the meat is ground up really well so when it's cooked it's very pliable with the rice and seems to have taken on flavors really well because of it.  The flavor profile of this is very complex.  You start off with with a strong flavor of peppercorn, and not just the flavor, incredible spice too!  The heat is definitely on the front end on this one but dissipates pretty quickly.  Once the heat dies down a bit you get hints of cinnamon in between the strong citrus-like tangs of garlic and ginger.  This again went well with the rice, simple concept with pretty amazing flavors considering it's just ground meat.

 

Last but definitely not least is Biryani, simply explained as a chicken bake.  As you read my blog you'll come to find out I LOVE ONIONS!  Take a bite of this and you get a great onion flavor that sweetens the dish, it can be subtle to some but obvious to those with a little extra affinity for onion.  The chicken is shredded and held together by a thick sauce which I suspect is the yogurt binding it all together.  My second favorite flavor to emerge is the cardamom.  The cardamom gives a nutty, pistachio-like flavor adding that extra dimension that really finishes the dish off.  Biryani seems like a great comfort dish, a big bowl of this and rice would be real hearty at the end of a long day.

I'll be the first to admit it, the food won't win any awards for looks or style but if you're more interested in the strong complex flavors Pakistani food can provide, you'll enjoy each and every bite of all these dishes.  For me it's definitely motivated me to try more.  I couldn't have asked for a better first time bite with some homemade dishes made the right way.

A Taste of the Windy City Hidden in the Desert

I'll be the first to admit it, when I see the "Hot Now," sign at Krispy Kreme I make a B-line to the drive through and grab a few sugary hot clouds of goodness.  Despite the sugar high fresh donuts provide, I notice a little strip of interesting eats a short walk away.  One thing that really stuck out to me was "Chicago Tasty Dogs," wedged in between a cake shop and a Japanese fast food restaurant.  On the outside they have pictures galore drawing you in, pizza puffs, a plethora of hot dogs and even an italian beef sandwich, every single one of them calling my name.  Once you get inside, the theme doesn't change as you can browse even more pictures on the wall.

They have a lot of deals listed, mixing chicago dog or italian beefs into combos with fries and a drink.  I'm a fanatic for chicago style hot dogs, and since this place practically pushed them like they were going out of style, I couldn't resist.  Just to mix things up we added an italian beef sandwich, it seems to be the trendy chicago "must try," food.

First to come out was the chicago dog, and not that I've actually been to chicago, this was a legit set up.  Poppy seed bun was steamed well, onions fresh, tomatoes sliced thin, although the pickle was a little bit on the skimpy side.  You then get the essential sport peppers flanking the dog and it's all topped off by celery salt.  Underneath all the toppings was a well cooked vienna beef dog.  I was impressed by the total package.  As for taste, the sport peppers were literally bursting with juice on the inside and had great spice while the beef dog had a great snap to it.  Let's not forget the celery salt adding a certain zing to the end that's just hard to describe.  All the flavors really came together for a good experience.  Although the dog was good, I think what elevated my order to another level was that they put fresh cut and fried french fries on the side, perfectly crispy with just the right amount of salt.  Alone, these would be perfect.

Next was the italian beef, ordered plain jane with some mozzarella on top.  The kicker here being that the whole sandwich is served "juicy," dipped in au jus so it's soaking wet.  The hoagie style roll is soft with mild flavor and the beef is very tender with the jus adding a layer of flavor as it soaks into the bread.  The only issue with the whole sandwich was the salt level, it was pretty salty for an italian beef and kind of made it unappetizing once halfway through.

Chicago Tasty Dogs is owned by people native to the city and seemed to really know what it meant to serve real Chicago style food.  After a little investigating I found out that everything is shipped from Chicago, every element of the chicago dog even the beef used for the italian beef.  It doesn't get any more authentic than that does it?  I'm admittedly torn between the value of true Chicago authenticity and the value of food made fresh in house, afterall didn't you guys notice how excited I got over fresh fries??  In the end, the greatest judge lies with an enjoyed meal and this place is certainly capable of nursing a craving or two.

Chicago Tasty Dogs

9711 S Eastern Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89183

(702) 914-3451

A Seafood Delight: Inka Grill

Peruvian food definitely ranks as a high favorite of mine with it's unique flavors and preparations.  Their cuisine is interesting as they fuse Latin, Asian, Iranian, African and Portuguese flavors.  Inka Grill, formerly known as Little Dumpling, is a little hole in the wall in Henderson that really gives off that mom and pops restaurant feel. I remember at one point we even saw a little grandma chef come out of the back! Always a good sign.  Now that they've changed to Inka Grill, regulars will notice a few changes, minor in detail including decor, staff and a few dishes with smaller servings but some dishes with larger portions.  One post definitely doesn't do any justice, but hopefully I can highlight a couple dishes because I always find myself back for more.

  

 This dish is Chicharron de Calamar.  I've ordered this before and Inka Grill definitely serves this one generously.  The base of this dish contains chunks of fried Yucca, which are potato-like with a more mild starchy flavor and fibrous texture.  Next is a layer of fried calamari, and they aren't cheap calamari steaks, they actually have fresh calamari sliced into rings and tentacles(my favorite!)  The calamari is topped with a very important layer of salsa criolla which is a preperation of tomato, purple onion, peppers, cilantro quickly pickled in lime and vinegar.  This is the perfect contrast to the fried seafood, as we all know a little acidity is the perfect pairing, it doesn't hurt that I'm a fanatic for purple onions either.  The last component are the canchitas on top.  These are fried chulpe corn kernels which remain unpopped then seasoned with salt.  This is served traditionally with Peru's famous ceviche but I suppose that's a post for another time.  For the masochistic like me, you can request some aji pepper sauce, this is yellow pepper based.  They have a mild and very spicy version with even spicier peppers added in, just let em know you like it hot!  For those not so willing, keep in mind a little bit is sprinkled over this dish.

I'll definitely have more reviews for Inka Grill, there are at least 5 more essential dishes to cover (Lomo Saltado, Tallarines Verdes, Arroz Chaufa, Papa a la Huancaina and Aji de Gallina.)  All running the gambit of Chinese to Latin preparations.  Exciting but sadly I'll leave you with this dish tonight, until next time, let's all Nurse our cravings!

Inka Grill

9400 S Eastern Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89123

(702) 614-8818

Snow Ono Shave Ice

Despite the 60mph winds lately, the weather here in Vegas has been heating up a bit which has lead me to seek out a cool treat.  My latest craving had me tracking Snow Ono's food truck to North Vegas, and after reading some great reviews on the place I just couldn't resist.  I know, drive all the way up there for shaved ice?  This craving didn't just sprout up out of nowhere, this place has been on my mind since last summer when I went to Vegas Streats and realized the hour and a half wait really meant the cold relief of a frozen treat was just a pipe dream that night.  So here I found myself, in front of a food truck that's really a short bus, scouring over 35+ flavors trying to find the right combination.

On top of all the flavors you get to choose from, they also have extras like condensed milk, sour spray, lihing and chile powder.  For an extra dollar you can get mochi bits, red beans or even a scoop of ice cream.  If you get too stumped by the plethora of flavors you can always ask for a little help, they're more than happy to help you figure things out at the window.  Today I opted for cream combinations with dreamsicle and strawberry cheesecake adding ice cream then topping off with sweet condensed milk.

The first thing you'll notice about the shaved ice is actually...the shaved ice?  I've never had anything like it, whatever machine they're using gets the cold stuff shaved down to a soft uniform dust that's literally softer than actual snow.  No ice chunks, no fuss.  I think that in itself makes the shave ice at this place soo unique.  The creaminess of the sweet condensed milk was great with the dreamsicle and cheesecake flavoring, you can tell that the flavoring they use isn't cheap either, they have true to name taste without giving you that harsh artificial taste that the cheap stuff has.  I get through a bit of this thing and I'm surprised by a little scoop of ice cream hidden under the snow which was even better due to the fact it was no simple vanilla scoop, it was a vanilla bean ice cream.  Talk about creamy goodness with the flavors I chose!  Don't let the simple nature of this food truck fool ya, this is definitely a sweet treat experience and for $6 total you can't go wrong!  I'll be looking to get something off their black menu creations the next time I meet up with the short bus(you can find these on the website,) and hopefully it won't be soo long before I satisfy this next craving!

Find their location with Facebook!

A Night In: Katsudon

Sometimes I get a little caught up in studying and the way I like to kind of turn my mind off is cook.  So instead of venturing out into the streets of Las Vegas I decided to make an easy dish or dishes rather.  Well I couldn't decide between Chicken and Pork Katsudon so...I made both!  I wish I took more pictures, but like I said, I kind of shut my mind off and when the finished product was ready I then realized "hmm, this probably would have made a good post!"  I'll at least run through the ingredients and quick rundown, but bear with me because I do not measure, everything is to taste!

For the pork i used boneless pork loin and for the chicken i used de-boned chicken thighs.  The meats are first dredged with flour, then coated with an egg wash before being covered by panko crumbs.  The coated meat is then put into hot oil until golden brown and with that you have the Katsu element of the dish done.
Next you gather water, soy sauce, dashi powder(fish stock), sugar and mirin(rice cooking wine.)

You add water to a pan then dashi powder to flavor, remember this is done to taste but be wary that the powder can get salty so add accordingly.  You then add a dash of soy sauce and mirin then finish with a small sprinkle of sugar to sweeten the sauce, all added to taste.  You can now add some sliced onion to the sauce if that is your preference.  You bring this to a boil as you slice your fried Katsu to lay onto the boiling broth which is then covered by a crack egg(yolk broken,) try to keep the slices in order, it's easier to handle that way.  The pan is covered until the egg is cooked to preferred consistency(some like the egg a little more raw than others I go for a little gooey myself.)  Remember the amount of sauce you start with is important because this will cook off in the process and the more sauce you make translates to more broth in your dish, my general rule is the broth be at least halfway up the meat when it starts to boil.  With time you get the hang of the whole process.  Last but not least you put rice in a bowl or plate(I use a bowl-plate :P) and transfer the goodies from pan to top of rice making sure to get all the goodies and sauce as well.  Hopefully it looks something like this...

Pork on the Left Chicken on the right...Can you tell I left a huge fried chicken skin on the plate?? o_O'

As you can see, I go for the "rustic," style of plating but you get the general idea!  Anyways, back to studying, at least until my next craving :)

The new kid in town: Ramen Sora

I'd like to start by saying this one is gonna be a long one kids, so let's make sure we've got our snacks ready and a comfy chair in place.  Many don't know that I lived in Okinawa, Japan for almost 6 yrs because I was a Navy brat, and because of that, I have a love for Japanese food and culture that will probably follow me for the rest of my life.  Here in Vegas I've been a strong advocate for Monta's creamy tonkotsu ramen and to be honest, the day I decided to visit Sora Ramen was simply due to the fact Monta's line was way too long.  Am I happy with the decision? Well you'll have to read on to find out!


 The restaurant is not big but has a typical Japanese feel to the decor and is staffed by mostly Japanese people (sometimes a good sign).  There is a deceptively good amount of seating and could easily accommodate large parties although no private rooms are available.










Sora's claim to ramen is having it's roots as one of the most popular shops in the Sapporo area of Japan offering a clear pork broth Shio soup base which is noted to have pork bone boiled into it over a day, and a Miso broth that integrates some of the pork shio.






The Ramen Menu is pretty decent with Nori (seaweed,) Negi (green onion,) corn and butter (self explanatory,) Chashu (bbq pork) and Menma(bamboo shoot,) to go along with the Miso and Shio broth choices all ranging between $7.50-9.  Green onion, bambo shoots, half a semi-boiled egg and a few slices of pork are standard in all soups with a few variations towards whatever specialty you decide on.  There's even a deluxe ramen for $10 which seemed to be bigger with a little extra everything, had I been hungrier this would've been my choice.

Our soup order ended up being a Spicy Shio and a Corn and Butter Shio ramen.

The backside of the menu contains small bowls, fried rice, and other sides.  Here we opted for the mini chashu curry bowl and seared premium pork chashu.  I'd like to note that you can order a hot barley tea fresh brewed from a pot instead of a can, many won't notice this but to those who are frequent tea drinkers, this makes a huge difference.

The first thing to come out is the mini chashu curry bowl.  Yes it's small but for $2.85 you have to keep expectations in check.  The curry sauce itself has great flavor and consistency.  I was never great at determining whether curries are made from scratch or not but either way I liked this one.  There are a few standard veggies like carrots, onions and potato with the real star being the little chunks of chashu pork which was not as tender as I'd like but still had great pork flavor despite the strong curry sauce.


 Next to come out were our soups, the first I'll talk about is the spicy shio ramen.

The spicy shio is a decent size and comes with the standard toppings listed earlier with some ground pork added in and a little bit of spicy oil giving a dash of red tint to the bowl.  The shio broth was a bit oily but still had a light flavor to it without overpowering, and you do get the slight flavor of the pork bones they boil into the broth.  The bamboo shoots are plain and the egg is cooked to have a slightly soft cooked yolk although I enjoy it more "rare."  The slices of pork are tender with just a thin layer of fat in it, you can tell it was roasted without much seasoning to flavor the meat so it went well with the mild broth lending to more porky goodness.  The spicy factor was mild to non-existent and I had to order extra hot oil but that isn't a deal breaker, overall the experience was still tasty.

 I've always been a fan of butter and corn in my ramen, the butter usually adds a depth of flavor to ramen broth that plays well with the corn.  I think maybe the clear shio wasn't the best choice for this, the miso might have been a better mix for the two flavors due to the unexpected oily nature of the shio ramen.  As you can see, a few additions and this soup could've been called a "spicy," ramen as well but I digress, it still had good flavor and all the toppings were well executed.


My only gripe with the ramen would be the noodles.  The noodles were thicker than I'd like and they had a chewy texture that I didn't enjoy.  I prefer a bit thinner noodle and a bit softer texture, but i suppose details like this are very personal as I understand others might be the opposite.

The best dish of the meal ended up being the side of premium seared pork chashu.  The order comes on the side with some green onion and a sweet bbq sauce drizzled on top.  Unlike the chashu in the ramen, these pieces had a bit more fat on them.  They tasted great, soft enough to breakaway with chopsticks and a sweetness from the drizzled sauce that set off the flavor of the pork.  I was a little disappointed by the steep price of $3.98 for only three pieces, but if you're a pork fanatic like me you might not mind the cost.


I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu and definitely go for the miso broth next.  It seems the reigning champ has competition although really the choice is going to come down to personal preference.  The real winner here is Las Vegas as we have another excellent alternative to choose from, and not only because the line is too long at your original choice.

RAMEN SORA
4490 Spring Mountain Road
Las Vegas, NV 89102
702.685.1011

KoMex, my first fusion taco

hmmmm.....

I always thought that my first Korean taco would come from a beloved food truck, but I'm just as happy that it came from a little hole in the wall in North Vegas called KoMex Fusion Express.  The only thing that kind of had me going back and forth on the place was the questionable logo character but I'm thinking that's something other blogs can address.  Anyways, it was a pleasant surprise to see that not only does this establishment specialize in Korean-Mexican fusion, but they tackle and integrate some Chinese or American food into the mix.




Ever since I started eating Korean BBQ, I've had a soft spot for the spicy pork and if you know me, you'll know that my favorites will somehow include that incredible white meat.  Naturally, I order the Daeji Bulgogi (Spicy Pork) Fusion tacos.  They come with green and purple cabbage, onions, cilantro and optional kimchi.  You can get the kimchi fried but I'm kind of a purist when it comes to fermented cabbage and I love it au naturale.  The pork is marinated well and comes out fairly tender.  You get great contrast and bite from the veggies, especially the sour of the kimchi.  This being my first fusion taco, it's definitely not like anything I've ever tried, they were small but filling.  A nice surprise especially for just $1.29.

It's a great idea to get something to share like fried rice, especially for a group of 4 like us.  We went with the Bulgogi(Marinated Beef BBQ,) fried rice which was surprisingly large for just $6.99, more than enough to share.  As far as the fried rice is concerned, it's pretty standard preparation if not a bit greasy.  What made this great was the Bulgogi, a bbq that lends a sweetness in the meat you don't find in plain fried rice dishes.





We had a great experience here, even the gringos.  In total I think we only spent around $20 which is VERY college budget friendly.  The menu is huge with a lot of interesting offerings that need to be tried, so I'll have to just wait until next time to...Nurse my craving ;)

The perfect blend of Latin and Asian!

KoMex Express
633 N Decatur Blvd Suite H
Las Vegas, NV 89107
(702)646-1612

A new experience, El Salvadorean and Honduran food

Living in San Diego you notice many Mexican restaurants, probably due to the fact we are very close to the border.  Although this is a good thing when it comes to authentic Mexican eats, I realize that a lot of other Latin American eateries are lacking in San Diego.  Moving to the Las Vegas area you see a more diverse choice of Latin American food.  This has brought me to Rincon Catracho an El Salvadorean and Honduran restaurant.

When you sit down you are greeted with chips, but rather than having a salsa side it's served with a thin tomato-based sauce which is very mild with a little spice.  On top is a sprinkling of Cotija cheese which is kind of in between feta and parmesan cheese, a very good addition to the tomato sauce.  This is a nice little change from the common Mexican restaurant and is actually very tasty too.

Plantains with beans and crema, a side dish commonly found in almost all Latin menus, yet none are the same.  The three elements of the plate (plantains, beans, crema) can be prepared in such different ways that every time I order this I get a slightly different experience.  At Rincon, the plantains are cooked perfectly, they are soft enough to be broken by a fork yet have enough bite so that I don't feel like I'm eating mush.  The beans are refried and has a thickness and consistency I personally enjoy.  The crema was interesting because you can tell it was squeezed out of a bottle convincing me that it was mayo rather than crema, once it passed the taste test though they made a great combo.

This is actually what I came for, the Honduran enchilada.  This is not like any enchilada I've ever had.  First the meat was a ground beef that is lightly seasoned, then there is a topping that I can only describe as a slaw, it may seem weird but it had a sweetness that balanced the dish and played well with the fresh cucumber and tomato slice.  The kicker for this "enchilada," is that the toppings are on top of what seems to on what was in between a tortilla and a pupusa(if you don't know what that is hopefully I can hit that in another post,) fried crispy.  All of this is then topped with that thin tomato sauce that was found on top of the chips offered at the beginning of the meal.  I have to say that this will have me coming back for more.  This is another case of familiar flavors done slightly different that lends to a new experience.  On top of the great flavors it's important to note that this little guy is actually fairly filling and for only $2.50, what do you have to lose?

The main dish was kind of anticlimactic because all the food until this point got me pretty full.  We ordered Milanesa which is a deep fried thin cut of meat served with rice and beans and a little bit of fresh greens and avocado.  This was pretty standard if not a little overcooked although the rice and beans were great complement.  As far as Milanesa goes, this is pretty standard and didn't get me too excited, although that might be because I was already soo full.


Rincon Catracho is definitely a new experience for me that strays away from the usual Mexican food I am more used to that will have me coming back for more.

Rincon Catracho
4110 S Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 699-9579