Hannah Kaminsky will join the panel to showcase My Sweet Vegan, her full color dessert cookbook. Other cookbooks on display will include The Milford Cookbook, Dr. Brady’s Healthy Revolution, Kim’s Cookbooklet, and The Orange Historical Society Cookbook. Time permitting, Hannah will bring some sweets samples to share with visitors, so stop by for a visit!

Location: Borders Bookstore - 1201 Boston Post Rd., Milford, Connecticut (That’s the Connecticut Post Mall)
Date/Time: February 16, 2008 at 1:00 PM

Our first stop was Kaizen Fusion Roll & Sushi. Located just off-strip and open until 2am, this seemed like a viable option for locals and out-of-towners alike. It had a trendy uptown feel, and the service was excellent. The fish? Well, it was okay. To be honest, each piece was swimming in so much potent sauce that it drowned out the delicate flavor of the fish itself. It looked incredible, and the texture was smooth and soft as it should be. The sauces did taste good, and the rolls were creative, but my husband and I are sushi purists. It is the fish that we yearn for. As for the price, we were hoping that the rolls would be so decadent that only a few would be needed to fill us up. But alas, after four $10 to $15 rolls, we could have kept going. I would go again with out of town guests, but Kaizen is definitely not suitable for a weekly budget.

At this point, we were sure that all-you-can-eat was the only way to go. I scoured reviews and asked around for requests. One name that kept popping up time and time again was Makino. The price was right, just $15.95 at lunch, and roughly ten dollars more at dinner. We were expecting a sushi bar style all-you-can-eat, but to our dismay, we discovered it was a buffet. We are not buffet snobs, but for some reason those post-buffet stomachs hate us both, no matter how much portion control we practice. Since we were there, hungry, and the ticket price still looked fair, we each grabbed a plate and began grazing. There were many varieties to choose from, and buffet or not, the sushi chefs were working double time to put out the freshest rolls. Yet, for some reason, the fish was flat, flavorless really. The interesting rolls were good, but it was really the meld of flavors that kept them suitable. The nigiri just didn’t cut it. And so our hunt continued…

I spent an entire evening online searching for reviews, menus, whatever I could find. At last, I settled on our next venture, Sushi Mon. They had a sushi bar style all-you can-eat for around $25 at dinner, $20 at lunch. In addition, Sushi Mon boasted an impressive menu of sushi combos that looked quite intriguing.

We went to their new location in the Summerlin area (not listed on their site, call for directions), and it was packed. Luckily, we discovered that if you are flexible on sitting at the bar or a table, the wait is fairly minimal.

After looking over the all-you-can-eat menu (which was huge!) we decided to scale down and select dinner combos (note the actuals are different from the website menu). I chose the Sashimi Dinner for just $15.95, while my husband ordered the Sushi Dinner for just $12.95. Both came with a generous bowl of miso soup and an actual green salad (not the cheap iceberg version). My beautifully arranged platter arrived with 15 thickly sliced pieces of sashimi (and two bonus pieces of Krab), including three of each of the following: yellowtail, albacore, pink tuna, red snapper, and salmon. My husband had a selection of 8 pieces of nigiri and a large California Roll. The verdict: Excellent. The salmon and yellowtail were spot on - fresh, mild, and buttery. The albacore wasn’t as good as I had hoped at first, but a repeat visit offered a much better product. The service is very attentive, a little too much so at times. Within ten minutes five different staff members (yes, the very ones in the picture) came by to ask my husband if they could refill his drink.

So did we find our regular sushi hangout? It would seem so; I don’t think we have missed a week at Sushi-Mon this month! Affordable, good atmosphere, and delicious…my favorite dinner combination.

Note: I have heard that Sushi-Mon is very strict on the one hour time limit for all-you-can-eat diners. You can either be-grudge the rules, or respect them and enjoy your fish. I recommend the latter. If you are coming from out of town, the Maryland Parkway location is quite close to the strip (a short cab ride), directions are available on their website.

Voodoo Café and Lounge

• Location: Inside the Rio Casino and Hotel, just off strip
• Overall Rating: 2 Forks
• Comments: Over-priced and under-serviced; It’s all about the views

Some friends visiting from the great Northwest selected the Voodoo Café and Lounge atop the Rio as a meeting spot for dinner. Both my husband and I felt immediately uneasy as we took the glassed elevator up fifty floors, straight to the top. This restaurant is not recommended for the acrophobic.

The atmosphere was excellent for meeting with friends. It promoted good conversation and a bit of picture taking. Every table had a sky-high view, and the décor emulated a fun Merlin the Magician type theme. Unfortunately, these were virtually the only redeeming qualities of this trendy Vegas nightspot.

Our server was attentive and accommodated our requests, but apparently a smile or kind word was not included in the $30 entrée prices. She was unbelievably rude; making it known that she didn’t like her job in the slightest. To add insult to injury, she casually pulled the ‘soup or salad’ comment as if it was included with the entrée. I chocked it up as my own mistake for not double-checking when the very simple plate of greens (with a few candied pecans and an overly sweet orange vinaigrette) amounted to an additional $8 charge on our bill.

Our table started with the Witch Doctor Appetizer, an assortment of Creole Crab Cakes, Coconut Batter Shrimp, Andouille Beignets, and Voodoo Hot Wings. The crab cakes were quite good, and there were no complaints, but a platter of American-style deep-fried appetizers and hot wings wasn’t really the experience I was expecting from a restaurant that touts itself as elegant French cuisine. I would suggest skipping the appetizers to indulge in the giant assortment of breads, which they subtly place on each table.

My husband and I each ordered the Seared Ahi Tuna on the rare side. It came with a Chorizo & Cilantro Rice, which we both thought was excellent even though neither of us cares for cilantro. The tuna itself was mid-grade at best, and unfortunately drowned in a very (very) overpowering Soy-Sesame Chipotle Chili Glaze.

Our friends each chose the Voodoo Ménage A Trois, an assortment that included a 6oz Filet Mignon, Grilled Prawns, ½ Lobster Tail, Horseradish Mash, and two sauces, Bourbon Demi & Lobster Cream. They cleaned their plates with satisfaction, but none seemed to feel it was really worth the near $50 price tag.

The VooDoo Café does offer many interesting drink concoctions, including the smoking Witch Doctor’s Brew as pictured below. But…if you plan on drinking while at the VooDoo Café, be prepared for a good wallet draining. The least expensive drink in the house was a bottled beer at $8. Luckily, we were having far too much fun to worry about how much the Witch Doctor’s Brew was going to set us back…

If you are looking for breathtaking views of the strip and a place to be seen, then give the VooDoo Café a try. However, if your goal is excellent food at fair prices, I have a better restaurant to suggest…

McCormick and Schmick’s

• Location: Just off-strip, East of Bally’s
• Overall Rating: 4.5 Forks
• Comments: Simple, delicious, and fairly priced

Yes, I know…this restaurant is not unique to Las Vegas. In fact, there are several McCormick and Schmick’s nationwide, but this didn’t seem to make it any less of a dining experience.

This restaurant was a cross between elegant and uptown brewhouse, with very simple décor and a relaxed atmosphere. Overall, it provided the perfect backdrop for an intimate dinner or meeting up with friends and family. Our server was pleasant and very accommodating. When I made a request for non-dairy items, he went out of his way to ensure my side dish was butter free, and even gave me an extra dish full of vegetables sans butter at no additional cost.

Their menu of steaks and fresh seafood was impressively large, though we had no problem in narrowing down our selection to a few. Our server quickly made the final call for us from there. I had the Mahi Mahi and my husband enjoyed the Swordfish. Both were generously sized, yet simply prepared with just a light condiment/sauce. The flavor of the fish was easily enjoyed in its presentation, and the side dishes were simple accompaniments. The prices were very reasonable for the quality received. In general, the entrees fell in the range of $15 to $25.

Though soup or salad was not included (and the server never implied it!), some delicious San Francisco style bread was served that easily filled the pre-dinner void.

The desserts looked heavenly, but alas all were loaded with cream and butter, so I was unable to sample. The cream and berries in this artfully designed almond crust looked almost too good to be true. Other standard fare, such as a flourless chocolate cake, made the tray.

If you are browsing for a reasonably priced dinner while wandering near Bally’s, Harrah’s, or Paris while on the Las Vegas strip, you may want to take a look just east on Flamingo Road. McCormick and Schmick’s may be your stomach and your wallet’s savior. If steak and seafood aren’t your game, but affordable fare is, there are several “chains” just surrounding McCormick and Schmick’s to offer a touch of financial relief after a long day at the tables.

Stayed tuned for next month’s Las Vegas dining adventure as I go ‘Fishing for Sushi in the Desert.’

Gluten-Free is Gaining Ground – The low-carb craze may be fading, but it has left behind a gluten-free legacy. With the growing awareness of food intolerance, Celiac Disease, and other diet related issues, it seems that gluten-free living is here to stay. Luckily, several manufacturers are addressing this demand with delicious new natural foods for adults and kids:

• Pamela’s Products: To appease their growing customer base of busy moms and other adults, Pamela’s Products has come out with new Simplebites Mini Cookies. Available in Chocolate Chip and Ginger Snapz, these bite-sized gluten-free, dairy-free morsels are perfect for lunch boxes, treats-on-the-go, or a low-guilt cookie indulgence.
• Amy’s: This premier vegetarian convenience food manufacturer is expanding their line of mom-pleasing options. Suitable for all gluten-free/casein-free little ones, their new Baked Ziti Kid’s Meal contains ziti pasta, broccoli and sauce, rice focaccia bread, and apple crisp.
• Enjoy Life Foods: With great appreciation from many special dieters, the gluten-free and food allergy-friendly product line from Enjoy Life Foods just keeps growing. In addition to their recently released cookie packs for lunch boxes (chocolate chip and snickerdoodle), Enjoy Life has just added two new cookie flavors to their already excellent line up of soft baked cookies (see review). Keep an eye out for Happy Apple and Lively Lemon, which will appear on their website and grocer’s shelves soon.

Candy Ventures into Health Conscious Territory – It seemed only a matter of time before organics and functional foods swept into the candy aisle. Beyond the feel good factor, many consumers will be singing sweet praises for the exotic new flavors, which are sure to appeal to taste buds of all ages:

• Pure Fun Confections: I can hear the little voices now, “but mom, it’s organic!” Canadian based Pure Fun has introduced new hard candies and lollipops in an array of insanely tempting flavors, including Nature’s Goji Berry, Ginger, Raging Raspberry, Pomegranate, Grimy Green Apple, Canadian Maple, and Root Beer. By mid-April they hope to be rolling out these Certified Organic sweets in select stores across Canada, the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
• The Ginger People: Deliciously sweet candy that helps with carsickness? Oh how I wish this product had been invented during my childhood! These potent little candies are packed with 30% fresh ginger. Their slogan, “a little potion for the motion,” really makes the experience that much more amusing.

Vegan Foods Bridge the Non-Dairy Divide – With so many dairy-free alternatives, the cow may soon become obsolete! Okay, I exaggerate slightly, but two new vegan products really turned some heads:

• Organicville Foods: Organic Vegan Ranch Salad Dressing…have I died and gone to a dairy-free heaven? Believe it or not, Organicville has released the first ever organic, shelf stable, non-dairy ranch. But wait, it gets even better. The dressing is also gluten-free and contains no added sugar! If you are too eager to wait for it in stores, their salad dressing is already available online at Vegan Essentials.
• Hemp Milk: Tired of rice and soymilk? Need an omega-3 boost or an allergy-friendly option? Meet “the new soy,” hempmilk. This little seed has so much potential that not one, but two Canadian manufacturers have just spun out a hemp-based dairy alternative. The first to hit U.S. shelves, Living Harvest Hempmilk, won top honors at the show from VegNews magazine. Not to be outdone, Manitoba Harvest announced the release of Hemp Bliss, the first Certified Organic Hemp Milk. In addition to carrying the organic label, Manitoba Harvest focuses on lower sugar options, and will have an unsweetened hempmilk and lunchbox sized “milk” boxes available soon.

Chocolate as the New Antioxidant Powerhouse – Last but certainly not least, consumers and manufacturers alike are overjoyed with the latest scientific research from the Mars Company touting chocolate as a potential new “superfood.” Mars of course acted quickly, releasing their antioxidant rich CocoaVia line, of which a few new bars were at the show. Nonetheless, several other high quality chocolatiers were making a bid at the Expo West to share in the antioxidant spotlight:

• Dagoba: Apparently, rich dark chocolate alone simply isn’t enough “nutritional” oomph for this organic manufacturer. Dagoba has released the Superfruit chocolate bar. Yes, it is 74% dark and infused with the magical powers of acai, currants, and goji berries. Not in a fruit mood? Your health need not be sacrificed. They have also created three other dark chocolate bars packed with Cacao Nibs, Lemon and Ginger, and Omega-3 rich Seeds (hemp, pumpkin, and sunflower to be specific).
• Sweetriot: Just when you think it couldn’t get better than incredibly earth-conscious chocolate covered cacao, Sweetriot emerges with a “cherry” version of their nibs (limited edition). For the ultimate antioxidant and flavor rush, it seems that Sweetriot has also added straight cacao beans to their offerings.
• Cocoa Camino: Known in the U.S. as Equal Exchange, this Fair Trade, Organic chocolate company has launched several new dark bars (think cocoa nibs, espresso beans, and mint). These will likely be welcome additions to their already substantial chocolate line of bars, chips, and cocoas.

Most of the above products are or will be available to U.S. and Canadian customers (see websites for purchasing information). Several are also rolling out to the U.K., Australia, and beyond. If you aren’t ready to take a chance on the unknown, keep an eye on the product reviews on Go Dairy Free. I will be reviewing several of the above products in coming weeks, including Pamela’s cookies, Hempmilk, and Organicville’s Ranch Dressing.

We were all intrigued with the menu of free-range burgers and sandwiches (hormone and antibiotic free), air-baked French fries, and the assortment of vegan options. My grandma ordered the turkey and avocado wrap that was on special for the day, my husband ordered the EVOS Freerange Steakburger w/ air-baked fries and a drink, and I picked up a large Mango Guava Fruitshake and a large air-baked fries.

No, I am not on a diet, but alas, with the current wheat-free plan my doctor has recommended, my choices on the EVOS board were a bit limited. The sandwiches and wraps were out (the idea of eating the filling without the wrap or bun just isn’t my thing), and though the Spicy Thai Chicken Salad sounded fabulous, they bread (and of course bake) all of their chicken and fish.

The Verdict?

Grandma loved her wrap. Oh yes, she also got a small Strawberry Banana Fruitshake, which she polished off, in a snap. Since she is even a bit smaller than me, she opted to take the second half of her wrap home for dinner. For the price, it was actually a very modest sized wrap…enough to fill, but not for too long. The smoothie was enough to put her over the top.

My husband gave the burger a B rating. It was good, but quite small and nothing special beyond the better quality meat aspect. Since he is trying to keep his sugar intake in check, he liked that they had several unsweetened and freshly brewed iced teas available to choose from rather than just the usual soda pop suspects. Though, he was majorly turned off by the raspberry one, which was shockingly red and overpowered with raspberry.

Both my husband and I gave the fries a B as well. They were air-baked potatoes. Not bad, but nothing I would crave. We added a sprinkling of salt and opted for a honey mustard dip. They had several varieties of ketchup to choose from (garlic, spicy, etc.), but they didn’t excite for some reason.

My smoothie was very tasty. I could tell it was more juice-based than fruit though, for this it also receives a B. It filled me up in the very short term, but didn’t leave me feeling fantastic, as I would after an all-fruit smoothie.

EVOS has several vegan options available, including their signature soy burger, three varieties of Fruitshakes, a Southwest Soy Taco, Veggie Chili, Salad options, and their air-baked fries. Several other choices can also be made dairy-free. You can check out their menu here.

Overall, this wouldn’t be a place we would repeat unless it began popping up on interstate highways. We would certainly choose it over the golden arches, for both health and taste, but my husband and I only go to fast food restaurants when on the road, and don’t really crave “simulated” bad food, which is what this seemed to be. I was disappointed to see that their veggie burger was a burger-like “soy” patty. I much prefer the true “veggie” burgers.

The prices aren’t bad, but not great either. At $5 for a relatively small burger (sans fries and drink), I think I would just head to Carl’s Jr. for their six-dollar burger instead. That is, when those burger cravings set in.

However, I do think this is a great option for kids. The kid’s menu was respectable in price ($1.99 per entrée, $3.99 per meal), and since most kids crave that fast food experience, starting them with a place like EVOS will be a much healthier option. It also may help them to dislike the greasy franchise competitors.

I wonder if these “healthy” fast food chains will continue in momentum? It is certainly the first of its kind that I have seen here.

EVOS
Multiple locations