Trencherman Top Three

Trencherman Top Three
Las Vegas: Off the Strip

1. Raku: 3 miles west of the strip lies one of the coolest and tastiest Japanese restaurants I’ve eaten at on the West Coast. On a recent trip specials included bowls of baby squid no more than two inches long designed to be eaten whole, Aku, a Japanese fresh water fish, crusted in salt and grilled whole served with little more than a wedge of lime for garnish, and homemade tofu, silken and creamy, so delicious even the most die-hard carnivore would swoon. Sitting at the bar Japanese-speaking locals helped me navigate the menu and as well as lend instructions on how to consume some of the more unique dishes such as cold udon noodles served with a dashi, foie gras custard, and smoked duck broth for dipping. Luckily I saved a little room for dessert for the small tasting of their fresh strawberry sorbet left determined to save even more room on my next visit.

2. Vintner Grill: This Summerlin hot spot is no secret to locals judging by the packed dining room during a recent mid-week lunch in the off-season. The food is unpretentious and strictly driven by seasonal ingredients. What sets this apart from your standard market driven menu is that not only are the vegetables seasonal and fresh, but even ingredients such as the truffle spiked ricotta cheese is made fresh in house. This AMAZINGLY delicious cheese finds its way onto a pizza (homemade dough) topped with homemade spicy chicken sausage, caramelized leeks, romesco, and micro greens. All this homemade deliciousness in an über cool room at shockingly affordable prices. Even if you have your eyes set on a particular wine, ask for the Sommelier and watch as Robert’s passion for pairing wines with this fun menu gets you looking at something as simple as a pizza and glass of vino in a whole new way.

3. Lotus of Siam: It is a testament to the quality of the food at this strip mall Thai restaurant off the strip that Lotus continually pops up on lists of must-eats for foodies in Las Vegas. To be clear, this place is always packed, lunch and dinner. The sad thing is after several visits I’ve noticed most people appear to opt for the buffet at lunch and if they order off the exhaustive menu they seem to be sticking to your standard Pad Thai/Green Curry/Spring Roll orders. The reason to go to Lotus is that their Northern Thai menu, found near the back of the list, features some of the most authentic takes on this cuisine outside of Thailand. Burmese and Isaan inspired dishes are also worth exploring. If you can’t get to Thailand and you are in need of a food fix, this is about as good as it gets.