Nites Out: Dragon Noodle Co. and Sushi Bar at Monte Carlo (Las Vegas, NV)

The abundance of Las Vegas buffets kicked off our holiday, but we were pleasantly surprised to find sushi at the Monte Carlo Resort.

I ordered Sake 3 and some sashimi.  The Sake 3 had salmon marinated in sake in the middle of the roll, fresh salmon on top, garnished with roe and basil.  The basil threw me off a bit, it’s not a typical herb for sushi in my limited experience.

SAKE 3 ROLL

Prices were not that much more than you would find in Austin, TX.  Expertly prepared sushi and hot Chinese dishes are available at Dragon Noodle, something the owner prides himself in offering his guests.

There are several seating options, low sofas, at the bar, tables and at the sushi bar.  Service was friendly and accommodating.  This experience was top notch and my favorite within the resort!

Dragon Noodle Co. and Sushi Bar

3770 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109

Within Monte Carlo Resort & Casino

(702) 730-7965

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Nites Out: Sushi Sake (Austin, TX)

Sushi A lunch with Alaskan Roll (click for map)

Sushi Sake sits along the frontage access road of Research Blvd. in north Austin’s Gateway Shopping Center. An unassuming place with surprisingly good food. It was clean and orderly, staff was friendly, complete with sushi bar or table seating. I had the “Sushi A Combo” for lunch with an upgrade to the Alaskan Roll for $1 more, a total of $12.95 for miso soup, salad, a roll and five generous sashimi pieces. Not bad at all. The roll was a little thin compared to Midori, but the fish was fresh and cucumber was crisp. The wasabi and ginger were presented family style and were also pungent (in the best way). There were a few younger guests in the next section enjoying bowls of noodles. Not a buzzing restaurant, but sometimes that can be a relief from the constant chatter of the world. Maybe it’s busier at night, who knows! I think I will go back again, it’s convenient for lunch.

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Nites Out: Midori Sushi (Austin, TX)

A really fresh sushi experience at Midori Sushi in North Austin last week for lunch.  Oh the sauces!  I’m a saucy kinda girl, always pouring extra gravy on my poutine or cranberry chutney on my poultry.  Sushi also deserves to be saucy!

I had the Spider Roll and Scuba Roll.  The Marilyn Monroe Roll looked awesome, that’s what I’m ordering next time!

Go for lunch and expect a sizable crowd any day of the week.  The prices might seem high until you get your plate and bite into that first piece, not only will it be a fantastic roll, it will be fat.  It’s a good value for excellent sushi. 

Find Midori Sushi at #301, 13435 Research Blvd, Austin, TX  (512) 257-1411

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Nites Out: Ichiban (Austin, TX)

The Koi greet everyone with open mouths.  They are happy to stay off the menu.

We requested a table at the back.  Word of advice, put in your order while your waiter seats you otherwise you are forgotten and you will fear they will never come back for you.  And the hot tea does not come with a small pot, it is simply a cup of tea.

Sushi Sashimi Lunch - Ichiban Austin

Hubby ordered the sushi sashimi combination lunch platter.  The nigiri is a fine selection of fish and a piece of imitation crab.  “That’s not right.” he said half way through lunch.  Houdini (aka the waiter) stopped by to see if we were still alive.  Hubby explained that imitation crab should not be on the plate or the menu should say something about it (it simply says 5 pieces of chef selected nigiri).  Not only did the server get an earful, he also spoke to the manager.  He knows what real crab is and it’s not the hotdog shaped atrocity he found himself facing at chow time.

I was embarrassed but I know the reason behind the action, in fact,  I AM the reason.  Hubby has picked up a taste for real crab in the time we’ve been together.  He wanted to go off at the restaurant like Chef Irvine does on his show, something like “You can’t serve fake fish at a SUSHI bar!”.  Point taken by the manager, he offered to replace the “crab” with salmon and forgo the $1 surcharge for swapping out the piece.

Special Combo - Ichiban Austin

“Just go with the flow.”  That’s my take on life, and in this situation I ate the damn imitation crab.

I thought that the Dragon Roll mentioned in the possible substitutions for a California roll was the one pictured on the menu of rolls.  On the picture menu it was called Red Dragon I saw no other dragons on the menu and went ahead and ordered it.  Nope, it’s the OTHER dragon roll with eel if I’m not mistaken?  Not what I was expecting.  Did I try to send it back?  No, I just ate it anyways and chalked it up to trying my first eel roll.

The House Roll, which was imitation crab roll dunked in tempura and fried, was good.  The crunch from the tempura helps mix things up a bit, textural wise.

Don’t mind having to take off my shoes to eat lunch.  As far as sushi places go, you might get a better sense of authentic Japanese/Korean dining here at Ichiban due to the ambiance, but you can find comparable service and platters elsewhere.  Lunch prices are decent (starts at $6.95 per person, bento boxes were $8.95 and up).  If we go back for another special lunch, I will try the bulgogi bento box.  Parking is a little tricky, I didn’t know it was a one way loop and went in through the exit confusing the lady leaving at the time.   The green carpet is a little distracting, but most older restaurants have tacky décor.

Ichiban Restaurant 7310 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757

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Wasabiiiii!!!

My first lesson in making sushi at home:  wasabi and scratched legs do not mix.

You must be thinking “why are you using your legs to make sushi?”   I wasn’t.  This was a discovery during post-sushi preparation, otherwise known as eating sushi.

I made my plate of tuna avocado rolls with a side of wasabi spiked soy sauce, a must to enjoy the sushi experience.  Little Sister is not a picky eater, quite the opposite really.  She will try everything, especially if it looks like Mommy is trying to keep it away from her.  Her little toddler brain must equate coveted foods with candy, she was in for a sweet surprise.  She dips her tender index finger into the soy sauce, meanwhile I’m scarfing down rolls like Garfield in front of a lasagna.  There is a huge scratch on my knee from my Boston Terrier, Pepper.  Another combination that is not super: just-walked-in-the-door-wearing-shorts and Pepper.

A drop of the sushi dipping sauce fell from Little Sister’s finger on to my knee.  Before I could catch it with a napkin, it slipped into the crevice of broken skin.  I screeched “Ahhh! WAsaBiiiiiii!!!” as I ran to the bathroom to wash off the burning sauce.

After all was calm again, Little Sister pointed to the dish of dark soy as she flapped her hands “OT! OT!”.  She proceeded to eat the bits of rice soaked in the “OT” sauce.

I wonder if wasabi was old-school biological warfare.

Here is my attempt at homemade sushi…

Sushi mise en place

Laying the tuna, cucumber and avocado

Bamboo Sushi mats can help you roll the sushi

Same roll but naked (no seaweed)

The roll was built on a piece of plastic which came from a bag of fresh tortillas (just remember to remove the plastic!)

A very sharp, clean knife helps cut the rolls into bite size pieces

*Footnote: I used Yellowfin Tuna from Hawaii, which is a better alternative to the Bluefin Tuna often served in sushi restaurants.  To find out more, please visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium website for a Guide to Sustainable Sushi.

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