Las Vegas!!!

So it's about time that I updated this blog...especially since I went to Vegas back in May! And even though I've eaten many, many meals since then, my stomach still remembers some of the highlights from my Vegas trip.

One of the best burgers that I've eaten in a long time was at Holsteins at The Cosmopolitan. Well, it was called Gold Standard, so I had pretty high expectations. The menu describes it as "Dry aged beef sirloin burger with smoked bacon, aged goat cheddar cheese, tomato confit, baby arugula and garlic chive aioli." Mmm... I still remember this burger being juicy, had great beef flavor, and was seasoned with enough salt. (Per Serious Eats is very important!) The aged goat cheddar was great. Not too strong. Everything just worked together so well. I'm starving right now and would really like a burger. I have to also mention the potato wedges. They were perfectly fried and had just the right amount of seasoning. Def better than the fries.

Of course, you can't go to Vegas without visiting a buffet! We went to the Bellagio for brunch and it was amazing. There was so much meat I thought I was going to get gout, but I made sure to get a few asparagus spears and bok choy! A few of my favorite things that I tried were the lamb, pesto mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, and roast beef. The following pictures aren't what all of us ate...it's just what I ate...don't judge. :-)

Another dinner we had before going to Tryst (the club has a waterfall!), was at Red 8 in the Wynn. I think we came here the first time I was in Vegas. Unfortunately, I didn't really think it was special. My dish wasn't very good, but everyone else's was all right. I got the salted fish with tofu. Don't get that. Jamie got the mapo tofu. Get that....and lots of sake!

For our final meal, the black jack dealer told us to eat at the Terrace Cafe at the Wynn, which is another place I went to the first time in Vegas. I ordered the fish tacos and tried their chicken and waffles that Adaku ordered. Even though they tried to win me over with the over easy egg on top, I stayed true to Maxine's. Maxine's will always be my choice for chicken and waffles.

The Rating

- It's Vegas!

The Info

Holsteins Shakes and Buns

Cosmopolitan

http://www.holsteinslv.com/

Red 8 & The Terrace Cafe

The Wynn, Las Vegas

www.wynnlasvegas.com

Workingman's Friend

After my disappointing visit to Boogie Burger, Jamie and I were in need of a really solid burger. We met for lunch at Workingman's Friend close to where I work. It's another one of those blue collar hole in the wall that you could very easily miss when you're driving. The restaurant sign is an old school sign with a giant Pepsi logo and their very faded name. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm pretty sure they serve Coke products. Be sure to stop at the ATM because this place only takes cash. It's probably because of the old school cash register that the bartender still uses. It kind of looks like this:

The atmosphere is relaxed. The servers are friendly. And if you order a tea, it'll come in a mason jar. :-)

They are known for their double cheeseburgers and tenderloins. Personally, I don't care for their tenderloin - you should just go to John's Famous Stew or Bourbon Street for that. So I only get a double cheeseburger there. They cook the burgers on a griddle so the patties have a really crunchy crust and crispy bits around the edges.

I got the double cheeseburger with everything on it. That includes lettuce, tomato, and onions. Jamie got the jalapeno burger, which I didn't even realize they had, but it's basically the regular cheeseburger with pepper jack cheese instead of American.

1. Were the patties juicy and well seasoned? They're not oozing with juice because they're thin, but they're definitely not lacking in flavor!

2. Did all the extras balance well with the meat? I thought so. They're your standard toppings. The lettuce and onions were crispy. The tomato was surprisingly not gritty. The cheese wasn't overwhelming. Kind of perfect actually.

3. How did the bun hold up? The bun is also standard, and it was all you needed. It was soft. It didn't fall apart. It didn't turn to mush. It did its job. A+

This is one of those places that I crave. You might too after trying it. ;-)

The Rating

- Of course I'm giving it 2.

The Info

Workingman's Friend

234 N. Belmont Ave.

Indianapolis, IN 46222

317-636-2067

www.workingmansfriend.us

Boogie Burger

Along with writing this blog, I spend (too much) time reading food blogs. One of my favorite blogs reviews burgers, so I feel like a bit of an expert. They look at how juicy and well seasoned is the patty, how well the garnishes balance with the meat, and how the bun holds up. So that's how I am going to review Boogie Burger.

We heard from many people that Boogie Burger was the best burger they have ever eaten. We also heard that the garlic fries were to die for. I, unfortunately, did not have the same experience. Boogie Burger gave me heartburn and made me puke. :-/ But to be fair...it was most likely my fault. P said it best; sometimes I forget that I'm a small girl and not a big, burly man.

Sarah, Jamie, and Mike ordered the Wild Wild West Burger. Boogie Burger's most popular burger. It has onion rings, chedder cheese, bacon, and bbq sauce.

P ordered the Disco Inferno (I knew she would!) that has grilled serrano chiles and pepper jack cheese. Sorry that I couldn't get a picture of the burger..P was hungry. ;-)

The fatty that I am ordered the Boogie Monster (bwahaha!): Two beef patties with onion rings, grilled pastrami, a fried egg and bacon. I'm getting heartburn just thinking about it.

For a side most of us got the garlic fries. They're your thicker cut standard frozen fries tossed with fresh garlic and parsley. Mike hated them. He felt like he was eating cloves of garlic and a couple of spuds.

1. Were the patties juicy and well seasoned? Jamie and I agreed they weren't. Kind of tasted like the pre-formed frozen patties you can get at the grocery. Very disappointed.

2. Did all of the extras balance well with the meat? For mine...it was a little much. I love egg and bacon on burgers, but the grilled pastrami didn't add anything and it was very dry. The Wild Wild West and Disco Inferno were better. P said that the Disco Inferno had just the right amount of heat.

3. How did the bun hold up? The bun for my burger was pathetic, but in its defense, there were a lot of stuff on the burger. Everyone else's burgers seemed to hold up pretty well.

I'm willing to try Boogie Burger again, but I will definitely NOT get the Boogie Monster. I think I'll acknowledge my limitations and just get the single Boogie Burger.

The Rating

The Info

Boogie Burger

927 East Westfield Blvd. (Moving to 1904 Broad Ripple Ave. Corner of Broad Ripple Ave and Crittenden)

Indianapolis, IN 46220

317-255-2450

www.boogieburger.com