I've developed an obsession with the piggy lately.
I've been incorporating pork into my order every place I go. I bought uncured back bacon one night at Fresh & Easy, brought it home and cooked some up for no reason. This developing addiction culminated with my recent David Chang-inspired creation of the Chinese Taco. (A five-pound pork shoulder was seared in sesame oil, then slow cooked overnight in Asahi beer, char siu sauce, garlic and onions. The meat was fork shredded and then simmered again in the reduced cooking sauce. I didn't make it this way officially yet, but the taco is a fried flour tortilla stuffed with this super piggy, a generous squirt of sriracha, and a crispy Asian cabbage salad in a sesame dressing. Seriously. Somebody finance me.)
I don't know if this constant porkature is going to have lasting effects, but I'm glad to still be in the throes of swinyness because it helped me to make a delicious decision last night. Having dinner at CUT in Palazzo, knowing I'm obligated to have a steak there, my first course was up in the air. So many amazing options here: bone marrow flan, warm veal tongue with marinated artichokes, crab and lobster cocktail, or oxtail bouillon with bone marrow dumplings (Does Wolfgang Puck love marrow as much as I love piggy?). I sighed and ordered maple glazed pork belly in an orange, Asiany dressing, followed by a bone-in New York sirloin. The wifey started with a butter lettuce salad with avocado, bleu cheese and a subtle champagne vinaigrette, and on the back, Indian-spiced Kobe shortribs.
This piggy was so good. Crispy, salty perfection in one bite, buttery melting fattiness in the next, kissed sweetly by the maple glaze. It was the super food version of getting a little syrup on your bacon at IHOP. A tiny toss of greens in the middle and a slight spice in the orange sauce brought it all together. It could have been dinner by itself.
Overall, dinner at CUT was great. The salad was good, but not better than the crispy parmesan-dusted breadsticks, warm Gruyere mini-biscuits and selection of tasty breads that started us off. Dinner in the bar has its privileges, and here it apparently results in unordered, awesome snacks. The steak was just fine, 20 ounces for $54 described as Illinois corn fed and aged 21 days. Great char on the outside, perfectly cooked medium rare, served with a selection of mustards. Best steak ever? No. But maybe that would be the 8-ounce, $160 of true Japanese Wagyu ribeye on the menu. Maybe when I get my tax return. The shortribs, however, were outstanding, tender and strongly spiced and served atop some smooth puree of spicy pumpkin and gram masala. At any other restaurant, one that hasn't quickly become one of Vegas' most esteemed beef joints, this would be the standout.
But for now, even at one of the best steakhouses on the steak-crazy Strip, the piggy is the star of the show.
I've been incorporating pork into my order every place I go. I bought uncured back bacon one night at Fresh & Easy, brought it home and cooked some up for no reason. This developing addiction culminated with my recent David Chang-inspired creation of the Chinese Taco. (A five-pound pork shoulder was seared in sesame oil, then slow cooked overnight in Asahi beer, char siu sauce, garlic and onions. The meat was fork shredded and then simmered again in the reduced cooking sauce. I didn't make it this way officially yet, but the taco is a fried flour tortilla stuffed with this super piggy, a generous squirt of sriracha, and a crispy Asian cabbage salad in a sesame dressing. Seriously. Somebody finance me.)
I don't know if this constant porkature is going to have lasting effects, but I'm glad to still be in the throes of swinyness because it helped me to make a delicious decision last night. Having dinner at CUT in Palazzo, knowing I'm obligated to have a steak there, my first course was up in the air. So many amazing options here: bone marrow flan, warm veal tongue with marinated artichokes, crab and lobster cocktail, or oxtail bouillon with bone marrow dumplings (Does Wolfgang Puck love marrow as much as I love piggy?). I sighed and ordered maple glazed pork belly in an orange, Asiany dressing, followed by a bone-in New York sirloin. The wifey started with a butter lettuce salad with avocado, bleu cheese and a subtle champagne vinaigrette, and on the back, Indian-spiced Kobe shortribs.
This piggy was so good. Crispy, salty perfection in one bite, buttery melting fattiness in the next, kissed sweetly by the maple glaze. It was the super food version of getting a little syrup on your bacon at IHOP. A tiny toss of greens in the middle and a slight spice in the orange sauce brought it all together. It could have been dinner by itself.
Overall, dinner at CUT was great. The salad was good, but not better than the crispy parmesan-dusted breadsticks, warm Gruyere mini-biscuits and selection of tasty breads that started us off. Dinner in the bar has its privileges, and here it apparently results in unordered, awesome snacks. The steak was just fine, 20 ounces for $54 described as Illinois corn fed and aged 21 days. Great char on the outside, perfectly cooked medium rare, served with a selection of mustards. Best steak ever? No. But maybe that would be the 8-ounce, $160 of true Japanese Wagyu ribeye on the menu. Maybe when I get my tax return. The shortribs, however, were outstanding, tender and strongly spiced and served atop some smooth puree of spicy pumpkin and gram masala. At any other restaurant, one that hasn't quickly become one of Vegas' most esteemed beef joints, this would be the standout.
But for now, even at one of the best steakhouses on the steak-crazy Strip, the piggy is the star of the show.
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