Eating on Fremont

There is no shortage of places to eat in Vegas' Fremont Street area, from quick to cheap to pricier to the ever-present all-you-can-eat buffet. I ate wonderful shawarma here, some of the best fries and sausage sandwiches (the beer garden at The Plaza), award-winning pizza... and then there was one of the worst meals I've ever had.

Yes, you read that right - anyone over 350lbs eats free!

Their slogan may be "Food You'll Die For", but that is not because the meals served at the Heart Attack Grill are so good. Quite the opposite. I should preface this by saying that I am a health and a food writer, and so eating here left me feeling so incredibly conflicted/ disgusted/ oddly fascinated. But my husband really wanted to go and so we did.

This is a grotesque celebration of obesity, gluttony, and bad food, with a fair dose of sexism thrown in.

No words.

Upon arrival, the wait staff (dressed as sexy nurses) give you a hospital gown to wear during your meal. The walls of the restaurant are covered in TVs playing stories about rising obesity levels in the US and one of their regular customers who died of a heart attack. But let's face it, if you're eating here, you know what you're getting into.

The menu is limited in variety but not in size. My husband, being a lover of a good milkshake, ordered a chocolate one. No he didn't want a heavy dose of vodka in it. It arrived topped with a pat of butter. He described it "not a milkshake but a giant dose of soft-serve." If you happen to be vegan and somehow ended up here (why?!) your menu is limited to a choice of cigarettes.

1/2 lb coronary dog

Not wanting fries or a burger (you can have up to 8 patties and 40 slices of bacon), we both opted for the 1/2 pound coronary dog. We figured we wouldn't eat dinner that night, and honestly, we couldn't face it.

This is somewhere you eat (hopefully) purely for the novelty value so good quality food was not high on my list of expectations. Even so, this managed to plummet lower. The sausage was ok and you can't mess up an onion. But add a stale bun, Velveeta cheese, and canned chili that bears a strong resemblance to dog food (which I wouldn't feed my dogs). There's your meal.

Now there is one additional caveat to the experience. If you do not finish your meal, you will be spanked. Since my pure stubbornness says I would rather punch out a waitress than let her touch me with a paddle, I finished my entire dog, something I spent the rest of the day revisiting. Let's just say that chili "taste" keeps coming back. Hubby was spanked.

Bottom line: by all means go. I know it may sound odd that I'm saying that but go for the experience. Go for the vacation novelty factor. Go to remind yourself that salad is a wonderful thing. We've been. And now we never have to go back.

A much better meal - dare I say it, the best meal we had in Vegas - was a simple pizza. I like pizza but it's something I rarely eat unless I make it myself. I am not a fan of the overly greasy delivery fare on a crust that is either so thick it is still raw and doughy, or something so thin it is little more than a potato chip. But Pizza Rock is your source for good, nay, excellent pizza. We stumbled upon it by accident while looking for somewhere to eat, and they were just turning away a group of 12 for lack of room. Luckily, though, they had a table for the two of us.

The chef, a California native, has an impressive array of accolades to his name, not least of which is the 2007 World Champion Pizza Maker at the Pizza World Cup (there is such a thing) in Naples, Italy. He was the first American and the first non-Neapolitan to win. If this guy can impress the Italians, I want to try his pizza!

The menu is differentiated by types of pizza - American, Neapolitan, Sicilian, etc - and by the type of oven and oven temperature. Although the Sausage and Stout was tempting (only 23 are made each day), we decided to try the Cal Italia, Gold Medal Winner in the Food Network Pizza Champions Challenge. The crust was perfect, neither too thick nor too thin. On top: Asiago, Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, a fig preserve, prosciutto, Parmesan, and a balsamic reduction.

It was, in short, pizza heaven. If I lived nearby, I would probably eat much more pizza. Instead, I may have to settle for one or two of his books.

Back in the CCCP

Those of you familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet will know that CCCP stands for Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик (or as we know it, the USSR). The Soviet Union may be long gone, but its varied peoples and cultures live on. 


In the past decade or so, Thanet has seen a large influx of asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants from the former Soviet nations, but it was during my recent trip back to England that I really saw evidence of their culture putting down new roots. Two trips to weekend markets revealed stalls selling baklava and other Eastern European pastries, but it was a casual walk from my parent's house to town which offered the greatest revelation - a parked car emblazoned with advertising for CCCP, a new restaurant. Ever eager for a new culinary experience, I stopped by with Nic and my parents for lunch on New Year's Eve.


The restaurant itself is fairly small, and seems to have been segmented into three tiny rooms, no doubt a result of adding on more space as the neighboring properties became available. The television played what appeared to be a form of talent show, with small children singing alongside a group of grannies in traditional garb. We were mesmerized.


In chatting to our waiter/barman/owner, we discovered that the restaurant was owned by Belarussian immigrants. He was keen to make suggestions regarding the menu, and we were eager to follow his advice. Mum and I each had the wild mushroom soup, followed by a shared Farmer's Snack platter of bread, meats, and pickles. Much as I love mushrooms, my previous experience of mushroom soup was limited to something from a can. This freshly-made soup, however, was delicious - creamy, full of flavor. Nic, realizing that this may be his only chance to visit the restaurant during his trip, decided to try the Wild Boar, while my dad had the pork fillet. We all had nothing but praise for the food. And to drink? Despite the extensive selection of vodka and brandy, we knew that we would be celebrating New Year later and so chose to wash everything down with giant mugs of kvass, a bread beer which has an overwhelmingly yeasty smell but a surprisingly refreshing flavor. 

After posing for a pic (they like to post pics of their happy customers on their Facebook page), we were off on our merry way again, bellies full of good food and ready to tell everyone that they needed to cast aside their images of borscht and cold potatoes to visit CCCP for some delicious cultural education.

Danville, KY - Small Town American Charm

I first heard of Danville in Japan of all places. I was dating Nic (now my husband) and he mentioned that his stepdad worked at the radio station there. Just a few months later, while perusing a book of the best 100 small towns in America, lo and behold - there was Danville again!

Summer evening in Danville

It seems we were fated.

Once I moved to the US, and eventually Kentucky, I became more familiar with the town, visiting the Pioneer Playhouse, Constitution Square, and other local landmarks. I decided the book had probably been right. Danville seemed like a very nice place.

Ten years later, and Danville has undergone quite a renaissance. It's become an even more lively town, thanks to liquor laws. Coming from Europe and a liberal, social attitude towards drinking, the concept of dry and wet counties is something of a bizarre novelty to me. It seems amusing to note which are the dry counties in Kentucky - you can always tell by the presence of a liquor store just across the neighboring county line.

When Danville voted to change its liquor laws a few years ago, I heard from relatives that this could bring a bad element into the pleasant, college town. On the contrary, it has led to the birth of a new Main Street. No longer do the doors all close at the end of the regular business day. Now, Main Street stays alive into the evening with a wonderful selection of new bars and restaurants.

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to experience some of the new dining choices in Danville when the Kentucky Food Bloggers were invited to tour some of the local businesses. A huge thanks must go out to Adam and Amandalin from the Danville/Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau for being incredible guides.

Our first stop of the evening was V-the Market.

I thought that Lexington had some great outlets for buying liquor, wine, and gourmet cheeses, but this could put the best of them to shame. Mary Robin is knowledgeable about the products she has in store, and is quick to advise customers about suitable pairings. In addition to several ales, we also sampled a blue goat cheese, Lincolnshire Poacher (similar to a white Cheddar), and some prosciutto di parma that melted in my mouth. Goat cheese is something I have only recently come to appreciate, but this was delightful. I have already sent my father-in-law back to buy more of the delicious Life and Limb ale that we tasted.

I'm sure I'll be visiting again soon to see what cheeses are in store and to further explore their extensive wine and bourbon selections.

V-the Market has an extensive selection of craft beers and imports.

 

Some of the bourbons available at V-the Market

The new lounge area at V-the Market is nearing completion.

 

From V-the Market, we crossed the street to Mermaids. This charming restaurant may not have been open for long, but it is already making quite a splash on the Kentucky restaurant scene. Earlier this year, Mermaids won the Outstanding Dining Experience Award at the TourSEKY "Experience the Bloom" Awards.

Mermaids co-owner Kelly took the time to chat with us. Among the first to see the potential for a restaurant in Danville should the new liquor laws be passed, Kelly had his license application ready to submit as soon as the City Hall doors opened.

The menu celebrates locally grown and produced foods. We tried some local steak, shrimp in prosciutto, and Ahi tuna wrapped in greens and cucumber with a dash of wasabi. There were also drinks a-plenty - the restaurant's signature punch, sprinkled with nutmeg, and their Porch Punch - as we admired the fabulous blue-lit bar. The decor is particularly noteworthy. With ice blue and white, it would have been very easy for the resulting effect to be cold; instead, Mermaids manages to make the combo feel rather cozy. Mermaids is now on my list of romantic dinner locations, although it is equally suited to cocktails and appetizers with friends.

Bubbles the Mermaid

The next stop was where Adam reminded us of his earlier warning to pace ourselves. There was food and lots of it at 303W on Main Street. The rich wooden interior of this pool hall and bar reminded me of a 1920s
speakeasy. Whether you want to watch the football game, play pool or darts, hang out with the locals or meet friends for a beer, 303W is the perfect place. Relaxed, laid back - what more do you need from a bar?

And there's food. Good, simple bar food. Wings. Pretzel bread sticks with pimento cheese. Beer cheese. Cheese sticks. It was hard not to just eat everything here. In fact, I think we all staggered out, wondering how much more we would be able to eat. But still three more stops....

Yummy Pretzel Bread

Appetizer Selection

On to Bluegrass Pizza and Pub. Much as I like pizza, I am pretty picky about it. I don't mind if it's deep-dish, thin crust, hand tossed, etc, but I do dislike most of the chain pizza places because they are so greasy. On the few occasions when I go out for pizza, I tend to go to the smaller, privately owned places where I can enjoy good quality, handmade pizza. Bluegrass Pizza and Pub is now on that list.

Cheesy Bread

Mediterranean Pizza from Bluegrass Pizza and Pub

It is small, and therefore it gets crowded very quickly, but if you want a friendly place with beer and absolutely divine pizza, this would be my first recommendation.The pizzas are huge (and grease free). We split a Mediterranean, piled high with artichokes, olives, red onion, and chicken, and some bread sticks. There was still plenty for our hosts to take home as leftovers.

And what could be better after pizza than beer? Danville is developing a bit of a reputation as a spot for craft brewers, thanks in part to the Beer Engine. If you didn't know it was here, it would be all too easy to miss pass this bar completely. It's back off the street, in a secluded parking lot. Take a close look at the tables and you'll see why. This used to be a bowling alley (the former floorboards were used to make some pretty spiffy tables).

The owners offered us samples of several beers, some brewed on site. Although the Nut Brown was a bit strong for my beer tastes, I adored the honey ale and the Dogfish Head Peche. Everything is available on tap; no bottles here. With the variety available, you are sure to find a brew to your liking.

And finally, we all collapsed in the comfy chairs at The Hub, Danville's favorite coffeeshop. We had eaten; we had drunk; and we were merry after a jolly evening of tasty treats and fun conversation. Yet despite our full bellies, we still managed to find room for cupcakes from The Twisted Sifter.

Champagne and Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Then, laden with gift bags of goodies from Burke's Bakery and Karamel Kreations, I made my way home. But I can definitely say I will be back. After all, I still have a whole lot of eating to do in Danville!