Have your cake and eat it, too!

Today's deal at Groupon.com is a $20 gift certificate for $10 at Nothing Bundt Cakes. I've yet to meet a person who doesn't love these so if you have a birthday or special occasion coming up you might want to check it out.

Frugal Foodie on the Road: Los Angeles

A weekend trip to the coast during summer is a refreshing respite from the desert, especially when it is accompanied by visits to fantastic (and cheap) restaurants. We started off with a short detour on the way into the city at Din Tai Fung in Arcadia, home of the best little dumplings this side of the Pacific ($7.25). These are the dumplings that make those at China Mama's look like child's play. We also tried some non-dumpling items, including the Shanghai rice cakes ($7.50). These were chewy discs that looked like sliced water chestnuts but tasted like Chinese gnocchi, accompanied by velvety chicken, leafy greens, and cabbage.

Another hit were the shrimp and pork wontons with spicy sauce ($7). We actually thought we were ordering soup, but ended up being thrilled with our mistake. I've had a very similar dish at Noodle Asia in the Venetian, but this version was much better.
My dad then wanted dessert so we ordered the sweet taro boobs, er buns ($3.60 for the pair). Gummy sweet poi filling in a bland bun isn't my idea of dessert, but it actually tasted a lot better than I thought it would.
Breakfasts were the meals that really stood out over the weekend. On Saturday we went to a little cafe on Main street in Santa Monica called Amelia's. We shared a huge breakfast torta with layers of egg, potato, spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower, and cheddar cheese wrapped in flaky pastry and topped with tomatoes, parmesan, and noteworthy pesto.
The blueberry polenta cake, just one of their many home baked creations, was light and not too sweet. For the torta, cake, french pressed tea, and an incredible vanilla latte with cinnamon, the meal cost less than $20.
The bike ride that we took along the beach after breakfast didn't burn enough calories to warrant the meal, so we decided to go the healthy route the next day by dining at a vegetarian friendly restaurant, Interim Cafe. Though the place is in our neighborhood and has been there for twenty years, we were surprised to have never heard of it before. The hippie who runs the place has created every dish on the menu. We loved umami burger ($9) that was topped with a sauce that tasted like cheese but was made from silken tofu, paprika, and sundried tomatoes, amongst about ten other ingredients. It was the most satisfying veggie burger I can remember having had. The green peach smoothie with peaches, apples, basil, cucumber, mint, ginger, and banana (and without added sugar) was also great.

The last stop before heading back was Tavern, a restaurant/larder in Brentwood. Though it's open all day, I've only ever been for their superb breakfasts. We shared butter crumbed eggs (poached eggs rolled in bread crumbs and briefly deep fried) over polenta with arugula and shaved cheese.
We also ordered one of their elegant pastries, the almond bundle. Even a French baker would be jealous of how well executed this was - crispy and flakey on the outside, sweet and soft on the inside. The meal, including two coffees, was $20.

HK Star

If you like 'fish and chips', one of the only redeeming dishes to have emerged from English cuisine, than you will love the salt and pepper cod (or shrimp) at HK Star on Jones and Spring Mountain. HK Star is a Chinese seafood restaurant with a caffeteria-like feel tucked inconspicuously behind the more well known China Mama's. Though the ambience and several of their dishes leave something to be desired, there are some redeeming items on the menu.

Two such gems include the aforementioned 'salt and pepper cod' ($6.95 lunch, $9.95 dinner) and 'salt and pepper shrimp' ($6.95 lunch, $11.95 dinner). Both are lightly battered and deep fried, then tossed with hot chilies and crispy garlic bits. The 'salt' description rings true as well, though they have successfully managed to not go overboard with it. I couldn't pick a favorite between the two options, as the cod is flaky and moist and the shrimp are plump and snappy. These are certainly the best two items on the menu, and you won't miss the 'chips' at all.

The sauteed vegetables ($5.95 lunch, $7.95 dinner) come with a nice variety of mushrooms, one of which is kind of chewy and sponge like. After a google search I think I can call it 'snow fungus,' though I can't be entirely sure. Pass on the Kung Pao cod ($9.95) as the only flavors emerging from the blonde sauce come from the peanuts and MSG.

The scene is a hurried and the staff are not entirely friendly, but for the prices of those fried morsels I'm willing to tolerate a less than stellar overall experience. Come in with low expectations (with the exception of the salt and pepper selections) and you will leave satisfied.

Today's Food Ratings:

Salt and Pepper Cod: 9.5

Salt and Pepper Shrimp: 9.5

Sauteed Vegetables: 7.5

Kung Pao Cod: 5.5

Would I go back?: OH MY COD, YES, BUT NOT WITH ANYONE WHO FAVORS AMBIENCE AND SERVICE OVER FOOD (you know who you are).

HK Star

3400 S. Jones #15

Las Vegas, NV 89146

open 11AM to midnight every day

pictured above: salt and pepper shrimp

salt and pepper cod
bustling lunch crowd
sauteed veggies
kun pao cod

Island Style

I don't particularly care for much Hawaiian food, it's a little heavy on the Spam for my taste, but Island Style on Sahara does the cuisine justice and serves it with as much hospitality as their friends across the Pacific. Better still, only one item on the menu is over $10 and you are generously showered with large portions of free appetizers.

We were given addictive boiled peanuts and kimchee, as well as pickled bean sprouts, cucumbers, and radishes, all before we even ordered. The peanuts were the highlight, with the shells enveloping the salty brine they were cooked in so you could enjoy it with your legume. Did I mention they were free?

As you may have surmised from the appetizers, Island Style serves "Fusion Korean Food and Island Style Loco Food." Though you may recognize most menu items, many will probably provide you with a learning experience, as they did for me. Don't worry, your uber friendly host will explain each item with big picture menus and photos on the wall so you aren't at a loss for what to order.

I passed on my favorite Korean dish, Bi Bim Bap, in favor of the Hot Spicy Beef soup ($9.90). This was served in a massive bowl filled to the brim with shredded beef, glass noodles, mushrooms, scallions, and egg simmered in a paprika broth (think Korean goulash). It was hot and spicy for sure, but not overwhelmingly so, and it kept growing on me sip after sip. Ian ordered the Meat Jun ($8.25), which we both agreed was even better. This dish consists of pounded beef marinated in a sweet and salty shoyu (soy) sauce, that is then coated in egg and pan fried (think paillard francese). It is served with rice, bland macaroni salad (a Hawaiian staple), and more of the incredible shoyu sauce. If you eat meat, get this.

We were honestly shocked by how good the food was as it was better than anything we had in Hawaii and there were actually some healthy items as well. The server, who I believe was the owner, couldn't have been more genuine, friendly, and competent. Even if the food wasn't good, we still might have gone back anyway just because of his hospitality. If you want to explore Hawaiian cuisine in Vegas, this is definitely the place to do it.

Island Style

3909 W. Sahara #1

Las Vegas, NV 89102

closed Sunday

Today's Food Ratings:

Meat Jun: 9

Hot Spicy Beef soup: 7.5

Peanuts: 10

Would I go back?A'I, E HELE MAI 'AI. ONO! (YES, COME EAT. IT'S DELICIOUS!) MY HAWAIIAN ISN'T AS GOOD AS THE FOOD, BUT IN A WORD, DEFINITELY.

Komol

Komol is my new favorite Thai restaurant. Unfortunately, it is overshadowed by it's commercial center neighbor, Lotus of Siam, which is a shame. Not only do they have tons of vegetarian and gluten-free options, but the food is unique, addictive, and reasonably priced. Many dinner entrees are under $10, though I've been going earlier in the day when I sometimes take advantage of the $6.95 lunch specials.

The dish that intrigued me the most was the Herbal Salad ($9.95), a massive mound of chopped lemongrass, tofu, green and red onions, cashews, apples, carrots and coconut mixed with hot pepper and lime juice (strangely enough, the only herb in it is basil). It's a combination I've not seen elsewhere and it is executed perfectly. It's texturally complex, a little sweet, a lot healthy, and has a heck of a kick. These happen to be attributes I find incredibly appealing in a dish, so I rank this as one of the top salads in Vegas.

The Penang curry, which I've had with both plump shrimp ($8.95) and just vegetables ($7.95), is coco-nutty, filling, and AWESOME, but if you come here without getting the curry peanut sauce ($2.50) you've done yourself an incredible injustice. You can eat this on a salad with the lunch specials, or order it as the perfect accoutrement to the ultra healthy and ultra herbacious spring rolls ($4.50). Unfortunately, Ian's favorite Thai dish, larb, wasn't done as well as at our other favorite Thai places in town, but I felt redeemed by the home-made non-dairy coconut ice cream (should be labeled as sorbet). This was an interesting concoction that I couldn't get enough of, but then again I like weird stuff.

I can't vouch for every dish on the extensive menu, but I would feel comfortable venturing from my recommendations on your second visit.

P.S. This is an authentic Thai place so if you think you're a lover of level 10 heat, go for 6 or 7 instead.

Today's Food Ratings:

Penang Curry: 9

Herbal Salad: 9.5

Curry Peanut Sauce: 9.5

Spring Rolls: 7

Larb: 6.5

Home-made Coconut Ice Cream: 8.5

Would I go back? I'M THINKING ABOUT GOING TOMORROW... BESIDES THE FACT THAT I LOVE THE CHARM OF THEIR ENGRAVED WOODEN MENUS, PERSONALIZED PLATES AND (STAMPED) NAPKINS, THIS PLACE IS A FOODIE GEM. GREAT, HEALTHY, INEXPENSIVE FOOD IS HARD TO COME BY, AND KOMOL DOES IT INCREDIBLY WELL.

Peanut Sauce on lunch special salad
Penang Shrimp
menu
healthy Spring Rolls
Larb
Vegetable Penang
Coconut Ice Cream (minus the cream)

Good Beer

Next time you're at Raku order this:

Cana

I was recently rewarded with my first comped meal as a food blogger last week at Cana in Town Square. I was shocked at the offer of a $100 media credit (and grateful!), but after hanging up the phone I was worried they'd picked the wrong person for the job. I didn't want to go, not like it, and feel obligated to favorably review it, so I almost called back and refused. Almost.

When I initially noticed Cana a couple of months ago I was excited at the idea of a Firefly competitor (not because I don't like Firefly, but because we need more tapas restaurants). I was dissuaded from going, however, as I had read reviews that weren't entirely favorable, on top of which, the prices seemed high. I probably never would have gone without the offer, and luckily it ended up being much better than I had expected it would be. The manager was welcoming and omnipresent, the waitress was attentive and sweet, and the food was well-executed, for the most part. I could get used to this food writer thing...

Some items we ordered were done very well, and others needed some work. My favorite dishes were the Crispy Shrimp ($13) and the Beef Tenderloin Tiradito with avocado, red onion , and truffle mayo ($14). The shrimp came out hot, snappy, and crispy, which completely sold me. My only complaint was that the preparation didn't exude originality. Nobu in London was the first place I'd seen fried shrimp dressed this way (in a spicy aioli), and since then I've noticed the exact dish on quite a few menus. The Tenderloin Tiradito (AKA 'carpaccio') was slightly more unique, but I wish we'd been given a heavier dose of the wonderful truffle mayo.

The dates ($9) were also prepared well, though the ratio of dates to other ingredients (bacon, cheese, and almonds) was off, causing it to be too sweet and texturally amiss. The Mac and Cheese ($8) was boring, under-seasoned, and needed a more plentiful and browned panko crust, but with a little doctoring it was more than edible (mac n' cheese almost always is). The Cuban Sliders ($11) were somewhat misleading, and heavy, but the mini brioche buns were fresh and the burgers juicy. We finished with the addictive non-churro Churros ($7). If they had been advertised as fried, twisted cinnamon roll dough then the description would have been accurate (and equally exciting), but I hate being deceived so I was a little disappointed.

My overall opinion is that Cana is the perfect place to take your girlfriends when they come visit. Town Square is a more relaxing place to hang out than the Strip, and Cana fills the lite bite need there perfectly. I couldn't get over the fact that the dates were twice as expensive and only 2/3 as good as Firefly, but between three of us the bill still only came out to $109 with an adequate amount of drinks. Speaking of drinks, I recommend the Pisco Sour, a tart drink made with Pisco brandy. It packs more punch than their other drinks, and not many Vegas drink menus feature egg white foams (this addition tastes much better than it sounds).

Today's Food Ratings:

Crispy Shrimp: 8.5

Beef Tiradito: 7.5

Dates: 6.5

Sliders: 5.5

Mac n' Cheese: 5.5

Non-churro Churro: 8

Pisco Sour: 9

Would I go back? MAYBE. EVERYTHING WAS DONE FAIRLY WELL, BUT THE PRICES ARE HIGHER THAN WHAT I NORMALLY LIKE TO PAY FOR TAPAS AND THE MENU ISN'T TERRIBLY ORIGINAL. I DO APPRECIATE THE WONDERFUL HOSPITALITY, HOWEVER, AND WILL RECOMMEND CANA TO PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO GET OFF LVB.

Dates
Pisco Sour
Crispy Shrimp
Mac n' Cheese
Cuban Sliders
non-churro Churros

70% off at Restaurant.com

This weekend you can get 70% off all purchases at Restaurant.com by entering the code SAVE at checkout. Most of their dining certificates cost $10 for $25 worth of food (and sometimes alcohol) so this is a great time to buy. I've purchased certificates for Mundo, India Palace, Cajun Crawfish (a new Hot n' Juicy), and Austin's Steakhouse, as well as several other newer restaurants. Not only do you get the 70% off, but with your purchase they'll also give you a $10 credit to use on their site. This only lasts until Monday night so be sure not to forget about it before then!

En Sushi and Robata Grill

If you live on the East side of town and don't feel like driving to Raku, then I recommend going to En Sushi and Robata Grill instead to get your Japanese fix. I have only been once since it is all the way in Anthem , so I can't give the most complete review, but I will say everything we had was above par and the space was superior to that of most neighborhood restaurants.

En's decor is clean and modern - definitely a place suitable to take a date. The staff was all friendly, though there weren't quite enough of them. Despite the fact it took a little while to get out the food, the waitress was attentive and everything from the grill came out hot.

The robata items didn't have the intense charred flavor of those at Raku, but they were good nonetheless. The corn stuffed with sweet potato ($2.50) was on the mushy side, but the other vegetables were crispy (the shishito peppers were especially good, $1.25). I'm glad the chef of both Raku and En, Mitsuo Endo, has created a robata trend that is being followed by a lot of Japanese restaurants, but the way the robata is used at Raku showcases the cooking method better than any other, including En (I was just in Raku last night marveling out how they could get so much flavor into a cherry tomato that looked like it had been on the grill for all of two seconds). En also makes their own tofu, but sadly they were out of it when we were there so I couldn't say how their version compares to that of its sister restaurant.

One thing you can't get at Raku, however, is sushi, so if that is what you are after to complement your robata craving then come here instead. The Yellowtail Lover ($12) was a successful roll prepared with thick slices of hamachi and a creamy spicy filling complemented by the acidity of a spicy garlic ponzu. The individual pieces were sized appropriately, and it was better than most rolls I've had. Anyone who likes Sushi Fever will be happy with the creative Americanized sushi menu here.

P.S. They don't have a website so their address is: 2540 Anthem Village Dr. 89052

Today's Food Ratings:

Asparagus ($2.25): 7

Peppers: 8

Sea bass ($4): 6.5

Corn with Potato: 6.5

Yellowtail Lover: 8.5

Would I go back? IF I LIVED IN ANTHEM I WOULD COME ALL THE TIME. THEY EVEN HAVE A BONUS CARD SO IN ADDITION TO REASONABLE PRICES YOU ARE REWARDED FOR EACH RETURNING VISIT WITH A FREE FOOD ITEM.

50% off Sliders

Today's deal at Groupon is a $10 certificate at Slidin' Thru for $5. I highly recommend you find your way to this fun food truck when it's in your area. You can follow Ric on Twitter to see where he'll be and when!