BLT Burger

photo courtesy by google.

Venue: BLT Burger
Location visited: 3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV @ The Mirage
Website: http://www.mirage.com/restaurants/blt-burger.aspx
http://www.bltrestaurants.com/
To Visit? It's the place to explore new burgers.

Are you hungry for burgers? Well if you're stopping by Las Vegas anytime soon this summer, BLT Burger, located at The Mirage, is where the buns are flippin.


You will definitely not miss this place, because the design layout of BLT Burger will draw you in even before you get hungry. On the inner part of the restaurant is a bar for the older ones who just wanna have a little fun and enjoyment. While the bottom/outer half is a place where everyone short and tall, young and old could have a nice family meal.

They have all sorts of BLT variety to choose from such as American Kobe (7oz Grilled Snake River Farm American Wagyu Beef Burger), Tex Mex (7oz. Grilled CAB Burger, Jalapeños, Chili, Avocado, Salsa, Jack Cheese, Onion Sour Cream), Lamb Tandoori (Colorado Lamb Burger, Mint Cilantro
Yogurt Sauce, Cucumber, Olives, Red Onion, Tomato), The Stripper (No Bun! 7oz Grilled CAB Burger, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Bell Pepper, Avocado), and even the classic Asian “Bánh Mì” (Pork & Shrimp Burger, Pickled Daikon and Carrot, Herb Salad, Cucumber, Sriracha Mayo). All starting at only $10! Not only do they have burgers, they also have milkshakes, cocktails, salads, and desserts.


Turkey (All White Meat Natural Turkey Breast Ground With Fresh Herbs, $11).

Even though this is the place to stop and give a try, the guest service is kind of unexpectable. Depending on the time you come and which waiter you get. The first night I was there, our table had a really nice lady waiter. She was consistent about asking us if we were alright and if we needed anything, but on the second night, we had a guy waiter, which was quite the opposite. We took order from him and the next time we spoke again was when we asked for the check... so, guest service is not on the good side. However, don't let the service ruin a perfectly good meal, because you know, you can handle it after being contently full by deciding their tip ;)

Tasty Taste Tea

Venue: Taste Tea
Location visited: Garden Grove, CA & The Block @ Orange, CA
Website: www.tastetea.net
To Visit? It's a must go thirst quencher pit-stop

Hands down my favorite bubble tea place in California. I'm one of those people who like tea, and if I'm going to order anything tea -- I'm talking fruit tea, milk tea, slushy tea, etc., it had better still taste like tea. This place makes the cut. Not only do their teas still taste like tea, their fruit flavors are made from fresh fruit. You can still see the chunks in there, with extra chunks as topping. None of that powdered flavoring that leaves your mouth feeling slightly chalky. They've got fun titled flavors all across the board such as Ooh La La (coconut, pineapple & strawberries), Lychee Freeze (blend of lychee & lychee jelly), and Strawberry Ecsteasy (strawberry tea with black jelly). Yes, they still have your classics, but add-ons aren't limited to just your tapioca balls or grass jelly. You can pick from puddings, fruit jellies, and even mochi balls! Word of caution on the mochi balls, these chewy dough balls of yumminess are on the sweet side, so only proceed if you have the ultimate sweet tooth craving and drinking something more on the neutral end. Stop in to refresh your safe on a warm day, or celebrate cause it's a free drink on your birthday :)



(L to R: strawberry ecstatea, lychee freeze, watermelon delight,", avocado, ")

Yogurtland

Venue: Yogurtland
Location visited: Los Angeles
Website: http://www.yogurt-land.com/
To Visit? It is the "place" to go to.

I have heard so much good stuff about Yogurtland. I never really had the chance to go until I actually moved here to Los Angeles, CA. There is no yogurt place like Yogurtland in Portland, OR. Where I previously lived. The closest thing I think we had was Red Mango. I am not a huge fan of yogurt (I prefer ice cream or gelato). But I have to admit Yogurtland took me by surprise. No wonder a lot of people come here.There are two things that make this place different (besides the flavors) than other yogurt places. One it is self-serve. That means you can have as much yogurt or as little as you want. There is nothing better than having control of how much yummy food you can have. And two since it is self-serve you pay by the ounce. Yes, that is correct. You pay by how much it weighs. $0.30 per ounce. So how does it taste? Pretty good actually. There are so many different flavors ranging from regular frozen yogurt to something more tasty like Tiramisu. Or if you want something that is more fruity there are plenty of flavors to choose from that as well. From strawberry to pineapple tart. They have over 20 different flavors where you can mix and match. You also can put on a range of different toppings like gummy bears or a variety of fruits. It is not exactly the healthiest place if you are looking to diet, but it isn't unhealthy for you either. It just depends on the toppings you put on your yogurt and how much you eat. Since there are so many good flavors it is going to be hard to resist.

The place has a nice feel to it. Nothing too fancy or over the top. They let the yogurt do the talking which is a good thing. I would definitely recommend going to Yogurtland if there is one close by. Affordable, self-serve, tasty, and lots of flavors.

Roscoe's: in honor of Michael Jackson

Venue: Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles
Location visited: Los Angeles
Website: http://www.roscoeschickenandwaffles.com/
To Visit? It's definitely comfort food for the body all over.

7/7/09 - Memorial for the King of Pop Michael Jackson. I didn't drive out to Neverland Ranch, nor did I try my luck standing outside of the Staple center. Instead, that morning I rolled out of bed and staggered downstairs half asleep in my sweats with 5 minutes left until CBS, along with the rest of world media, would broadcast the public memorial. I sat, watched, appreciated, laughed, and even got teary eyed. It was not until later that evening, did I partake in a personal tribute to one of my favorite entertainers. My friends took me on a little adventure to Los Angeles in search of none other than some good 'ol soul food. A mission "In honor of Michael Jackson" we agreed.We ended up at Roscoe's House of Chicken'n Waffles. As a first timer, I had no idea what to expect. Walking past the make-shift stall selling Michael Jackson T-shirts and through the front door, the familiar and comforting smell of fried chicken wafted pass us. The place had a diner feel, yet more cozy and relaxed. It occurred to me people didn't come here to grab a bite on the way to somewhere else in this over populated and overstressed city. People came here to have them some comfort food, some good chicken. And who am I to argue? Sometimes good chicken is enough to make everyone happy. And from the little that I knew about it, Roscoe's is the joint in LA where even celebs often stand in line for. Unfortunately, there were none there when I visited.

I was, however, able to eat a hearty chicken meal and quenched my thirst with a savory drink mix of lemonade and ice tea (Lisa's Delight on the menu, but also more commonly known as an Arnold Palmer). Aside from being told the obvious about the good chicken and waffles, I was also told that the hot water corn bread were a treat to the taste buds. Having had a late afternoon snack, I decided to stick with the Country Boy selection on the menu which came with 3 wings and my choice of potato salad. The potato salad came with actual salad bits at the bottom, nice big chunks of potato. The salad was slightly bland to me, but I personally like my potato salads a bit more relished. The chicken on the other hand, was all good. Juicy meat, lightly seasoned crispy skin, it was definitely worth the try. And for those of you that normally just eat your chicken with only ketchup or only hot sauce, I recommend mixing the two together. It's like a zesty sauce party in your mouth :)

As I took my time to finish off the last drop of my tea lemonade, and before I officially entered food comatose, I came to my own appreciative acceptance of the King of Pop's passing. LL Cool J said it all when he said "I salute you King of Pop. You made the whole world moonwalk together".

Photos: #3 on the menu - 1/2 Chix prepared southern style w/2 waffles; Lisa's Delight & Sunset lemonade drinks.

For Food Lovers

And thus begins the spoiling of our taste buds :) Check back as we update on food venues to visit, food venues that have been visited, and possibly food venues we shouldn't return to? haha.