Review: Mesa Grill Las Vegas

On a recent visit to Las Vegas I was fortunate enough to eat lunch at celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill. Located among the superbly lavish surroundings of Caesar’s Palace casino, just a short walk from the Forum Shoppes, and placed directly behind the sportsbook (a location not lost on this author). Mesa Grill did not disappoint.

Unlike many of the other more upscale restaurants in Vegas Mesa Grill embraces the bright lights and in your face attitude of the city, along with the spicy and always varied cuisine of the American Southwest. A marvelous wood sculpture adorns the ceiling and the entire restaurant is bordered in multi-colored stained glass that adds a flair of style while also separating diners from the casino. As soon as we were seated at our table an incredibly attentive (though not overly so) and extremely helpful waiter was beside us. Our glasses were filled and a basket with several different styles of bread and muffins was delivered, all with very informative descriptions from the waiter. Our orders were taken and lunch was underway.

As an appetizer we ordered the Steak Tartar, perhaps a rather unusual choice for a Southwestern dining establishment. We were not disappointed. The first bite hit me in the mouth with a thousand different flavors and every one of them was delicious. The tartar was fresh and perfectly seasoned to give just the right amount of kick while still retaining the delicious integrity of the steak. Needless to say we devoured this and were eagerly awaiting our entrees.

For lunch I ordered the Mesa Burger (pictured above). I chose the burger primarily because it bore the Mesa Grill name in the title and I was curious to see how Chef Flay could have improved upon such a classic. The burger was massive. It was nearly impossible for me to get my mouth around it, and I consider myself a fairly accomplished eater. The burger itself was huge, and it was topped with cheese and onions on a delicious and very thick bun. Every bite oozed grease and juice onto my plate. The burger eventually devolved into somewhat of an oozy mess, but there was no way I could finish it anyway. As a side the Mesa Burger came with fries and some sort of horseradish mustard that was incredibly spicy. The fries were disappointing and soggy. The mustard was intensely spicy; I loved it but some diners might find it too aggressive.

All things considered the meal was good, not amazing and not bad, but very satisfactory. The steak tartar had easily stolen the day and would be worth another trip by itself. The burger was well prepared but was simply just too much and it didn’t “wow” me. The fries were the most disappointing part of the meal as they were soggy, limp, and not well cooked. The service was flawless and truly amazing. We still talk about the excellent service to this day. The price tag for the entire meal was perhaps the most amazing part as I left a $20 bill to cover lunch and the tip.

Despite certain shortcomings Mesa Grill was a great experience. While some of the food did not blow me away the atmosphere and service at Mesa Grill were both extraordinary. It is also very nice to see mega-celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay packaging their wares in a way that is affordable for a wide range of people. Mesa Grill is definitely worth a visit.

Get more information at their website: Mesa Grill Las Vegas

It’s Almost Baseball Season

When I stepped outside today I noticed a strange phenomenon I’d almost forgot existed: melting snow. Winter is receding and I can taste spring in the air and you know what that means: slowly but surely it will soon be baseball season.

Baseball season for me tends to be bittersweet as I am a Chicago Cubs fan. As many of you undoubtedly have heard the Cubs aren’t exactly the Yankees, having not won a World Series in more than a century. My grandfather recently passed away at 82 years old, watched the Cubs his entire life, and never saw them win a WS. Now that, my friends, is a true fan.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, after all this will be “next year” so its a fresh start. So I would like to focus not so much on the game but on all of its incredible trappings. Baseball parks, hot dogs, nachos, spring weather, roaring fans, good beer, the national anthem and the seventh inning stretch (at Wrigley anyway) all combine to make baseball America’s sport. Whether or not you even enjoy the game get out to the ballpark this year and I promise you will enjoy your time there.

It’s coming up soon, spring training starts April 1. Go Cubs Go!

Travel as Far as the Eye Can See

As school winds down and the future looks more and more wide open (since – as many of us know to well – job opportunities aren’t exactly flooding my inbox) I have been thinking more and more about traveling. Many people will tell you, “Go to school now, save up, raise a family – then you can travel.” First off, I don’t want to wait fifty years to see things I’m not positive will exist by then, and second my idea of the perfect trip probably doesn’t appeal to many seniors.

I want to get down and dirty everywhere I go. I want to eat street food, sleep in hostels, ride in cramped buses, and generally just experience all the things I can. Like Tony Bourdain, but without all the leather and television crew.

But Tony has certain benefits I lack. The most important of these is, of course, money. So how can I travel as much as possible on the least coin possible? I’m sure people out there have amazing stories and travel “hacks” so share ‘em with the community. While you wait check out some interesting travel oddities from around the net.

Take a Cruise Around the World

My Travel Backpack is a great little travel blog

The always classic Where the Hell is Matt?

What’s Your Favorite Internet Radio Station?

With all of the choices for online music available it’s tough to decide where to turn when you’re looking for music. Every site represents a slight variation on the main theme of providing music and thus they all seem to have their own loyal following. So which Internet radio station do you listen to primarily? I’m a Pandora man myself…

Remix the Remixer

Copyfight Crusader Larry Lessig has just released his new book under a Creative Commons license and, to celebrate, there’s a competition to remix his works under way. From boingboing.net:

Here’s how the competition works: Find any video, interview, or written work of Lessig’s, mash it up with another piece of Lessig’s work and create something new. It can be a video (3 min max), photo or text. Just remix any of Lawrence Lessig’s existing work and create something that is new, unique and creative.

I’m always one for remixes/creative commons so don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and make something fantastic.

Also, I’ve been following Lessig on Twitter lately and it’s fascinating the mix of the mundane and the world-changing that comes through. Definitely worth checking out.

Here’s a link to the BoingBoing article and here’s one for the competition’s Facebook page.

Some Great New (for me) Websites

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve posted anything here and in that time my Internet habits have changed quite a bit. Now, for anyone actively involved in the Nets none of this will be any news, but if you’re just getting involved in this fantastic, worldwide culture I have a few sites you might want to look up to get yourself heading down the right track:

1. Alright, let’s start with the best of the best (imho) : reddit.com

Now there’s an awful lot of talk about Digg, and Digg is a great site for some people, but Reddit is the cream of the crop as far as user generated content websites go. The simple UI and endless list of subreddits available for subscription. It doesn’t matter what you’re interested in Reddit has something for you; from conspiracy theories to food there’s a subreddit for just about everything. Along with the wealth of content the community is also extremely friendly and helpful and the amount of knowledge redditors bring to the table is sometimes just downright amazing. So what are you waiting for? Head over to the site and start building your karma!

PS: Here’s a great little site to get you started in the Reddit community.

2. Never worry about missing another TV Show with Hulu.com

There are thousands of ways to watch video on the web, from youtube to torrents to tv-links, but rarely do you find a high-quality source of video that is actually supported by the companies that own the content. That is just what Hulu offers. No longer do you have to squint through a low-quality feed to watch the new episode of The Office or The Simpsons, with Hulu you can stream HD quality content right through the site to your computer. Not only does Hulu have new episodes of tons of great shows but it also has entire series of some great older shows, including my personal favorite Arrested Development. The site is constantly adding new content and it is only primed to get better since Disney just bought a share of the site, bringing a whole new slew of programming to your computer.

3. Wile Away the Hours with Stumbleupon

I’ll admit it, I spend what some might consider entirely to much time on the Internet. Occassionally though even I will run out of things to look at on the web. That’s where stumbleupon comes in. A simple-to-install firefox addon (if you don’t run Firefox already please do yourself a favor and download it here, it’s free) that is tailored specifically to your interests will, with the click of a button, send random sites from the edges of the net your way. I find myself stumbling for hours and I still have never had repeat sites. Stumbleupon even learns what you like and don’t like through a simple thumbs-up, thumbs-down rating mechanism. A great time-waster for a rainy day (or work). So download the addon and enjoy!

FISA Vote Tomorrow! Act Now to Save America.

Tomorrow, July 9, Congress will vote on the FISA bill everyone on the net has been talking about. The passing of Jesse Helms has given the American people one more day to let their representatives in Washington know how they feel about illegal wiretapping and the Bush administration’s destruction of the Constitution.

Call your Senator now and tell them how you feel about the bill.

While you’re at it check out this excellent article from Salon.com that puts all of this into historical context in a way that also makes it interesting.

Article is here.

FUH2!

Found this entertaining (and informative) little site on the net today. I figured this would be a perfect way to return to blogging as it covers topics environmental, political and entertaining all while focusing around the high cost of fuel and the weak economy.

FUH2′s entire purpose is hating the Hummer H2. This gas-guzzling eye sore clogs up streets and gives obnoxious guys everywhere a way to voice their insecurities to the world. Seeing as I am from a place about 5 miles from AM General (the company that manufactures HUMMER) I have to put up with more than my fair share of these annoying behemoths and I’m glad someone made a website that so accurately expresses the way I have always felt about them.

I mean, if you’re going to drive an obnoxious gas guzzler at least get a REAL Hummer…

Check it out here.

Mark Ecko Star Wars Streetwear is FINALLY Here

After a long time waiting the new line of Star Wars inspired streetwear from Mark Ecko is finally here. Check it out over at Macy’s (here’s a quick link straight to the stuff, it seems like most of the good stuff is already sold out but I’m sure will be back in stock soon). The models all look like d-bags but the apparel itself is still pretty tight.

DRM is DEAD!

Finally, all the hard work that we on the net have put in seems to have paid off. The last major record label that has persisted in their use of DRM has given in to the tides of change. Sony BMG has announced that they plan on removing all DRM from their MP3 files before the end of the first quarter. Here’s some of the story from over at Giz:

“It’s over. The last major label to hold out on selling DRM-free MP3s, Sony BMG, is “finalizing plans” to sell music not locked down with DRM. It’ll be available sometime in the first quarter, apparently in time to get in on Amazon and Pepsi’s 1 billion song giveaway, which now looks like it’ll have tracks from every major label. So, how’d we get here?

We’ve been saying for a while DRM has cancer (is a cancer?), dying a long, drawn out death—cue Frucci’s “DRM Deathwatch” meme. EMI’s move was characterized as a desperate ploy by the weakest label—hence, it ran with iTunes, something we’ve been told the other labels wouldn’t have even sniffed at because of the dreaded iTunes hegemony (more on that in a sec).

But then Universal, the biggest label in the world, jumped. In large part to cut at iTunes, true. Regardless, the tide had turned. Warner and Sony BMG were wary holdouts. After Warner joined the party, Sony BMG really had little choice—it pretty much had to go open or go home, so we’ve been expecting this.

It’s no surprise Sony is throwing in with Amazon, either. Again, the fear of an iTunes paradigm is very real amongst the labels—if the last 10 years have taught us anything, they crave control more than money—and Amazon is in the best position to compete with iTunes. Especially now that it has something very powerful that iTMS doesn’t—DRM-free tracks from every major label.

The online music market just got a whole lot more interesting.”

Here’s a link to the story and the full comments: Link.

(I would like to point out that this means DRM is dead (basically) on MP3s. Everyone needs to keep fighting the kind of stupid and invasive DRM that still persists on movie rentals, DVDs and the like. Keep an eye out.)