Milk Bar UPDATE - Las Vegas, NV

Forget LA parking. I'll just leave my car under the Cosmo and have Milk Bar every night. 

They now sell slices of cake. Fall fast for the fall season Pumpkin Dulce de Leche, hearty layers moist cinnamon pumpkin with layers of dulce and cream. 

The Birthday Cake is funfetti, and the cake, though baked, still tastes like raw batter. It's a classic but it'll always be my fave. 

Tried some cookies this time around. Nothing corny about a classic sweet Corn, the Blueberry & Cream is like a solid cheesecake without the cheese, and the Compost is all sorts of sugar, salt, and savor, crunch of soft, and goo on crunch.

We got half a Milkbar pie to go as well. It's the same thing as the crack pie with a family-friendly name because "family-friendly" is the first thing that comes to mind when I think about Vegas. They make it in ice cream too, and it's the best kind of sugar rush. 

I don't care what you say about social media and hype. I'll never get tired of the desserts at Milk Bar - they're quickly becoming a classic, and no matter how long they've been around, for me, they'll never get old. 

Momofuku UPDATE - Las Vegas, NV

We don't bother to sit down anywhere else. No food more satisfying than Momofuku at this point - why bother with all the others?

We've spent the years getting into our Vegas groove, and Pork Buns with every meal is part of the plan. The slab of belly is thick and melty, in a fluffy bun with a stripe of hoisin and a sprinkle of scallion. 

They still make the only Shoyu Ramen I would kill for, a thick, fatty broth that coats every ropy noodle.

Try the Shishito Peppers, or anything green from the market menu to take a break between the bites of pork fat. These are roasted with a thick dust of smoked salt, and the spicy ones will be your wake-up call. 

Chilled Shrimp Noodles are a lighter option if you're not in the mood for ramen. The green noodles are light and cheery under a layer of char-grilled shrimp.

The Confit Jidori Chicken is a juicy, flavor-packed bowl on vinegared crispy rice.

Again, a lighter option, the Chilled Spicy Buckwheat Noodles what mix like a carb salad. There's a perfect soft-boiled egg mixed with refreshing flavors of kimchi, kombu, and cukes.

Some of my love for Momofuku stems from New York nostalgia, and some of it stems from the enjoyment of watching David Chang evolve and grow his empire. He was one of the first east coast chefs who made Asian cuisine more accessible to the stuffed shirts of New England, and he is the undeniable master of all that is pork, fat, and pork fat. Whatever the reason, all that matters is that I keep going back to Vegas, and I keep going back to him in Vegas. 

Lardo - Las Vegas, NV

My friend Jeff once coined a term that I find most endearing. The word is "lardassio," used to describe a glutton, a person who just has all the fat and eats all the fat. 

Lardo is the lardassio's culinary spirit animal, fat-packed sandwiches executed with skill and class. You won't find glorified deli sandwiches behind this counter - they squeeze a lot of cohesive thought between two slices of bread. Each sandwich just screams of luxury, like these silky threads of Korean Pork Shoulder. The meat is marinated so far through you won't find a single thread not soaked. The house kimchi adds an acidic bite, and the chili mayo some spice and cream. It's heavy and it's rich, but few sandwiches complement a tall beer so well. 

The Pho'Rench Dip is a little lighter, a purse full of shaved beef with a dash of hoisin and mayo. Dipped in pho, the broth fills in all the nooks and crannies and soaks into the bread while clinging to the beef. 

If you're going to get dirty, Vegas is the place to do it. Try the Dirty Fries, crisp potato strips scrambled with pork scraps, pickled peppers, and plenty of parm. You don't need a side with sandwich portions like these, but I'm betting no one ever regretted these fries. 

Channel your inner lardassio at Lardo. They're all about the kind of gluttony that is so completely satisfying minus the grossness and regret. These sandwiches will get you through any hour of any day, and there's one for every mood.

Tekka Bar - Las Vegas, NV

Let's face it, affordable food in Vegas doesn't really exist. Unless you're hunting down McDonald's or Chipotle, even PF Chang's will set you back a Benjamin. 

But if you do want food with a bill that won't make you pass out harder than the booze, Block 16 at the Cosmo is a welcome new-ish addition to their repertoire. 

Hand rolls for here, cut rolls to go. The fish is fresh, and I had a nice time with the Lobster, Lump Blue Crab, and the Vegetable. The daily special was Spicy Shrimp with a creamy mayo and no objection here. 

Wash it own with Green Tea - they have it on nitro and the difference is clear. Sencha is lighter and matcha is darker and deep. It's sushi at its most basic but at least the prices aren't terrible. Detox at Tekka Bar if you're looking for a healthier choice.

Pok Pok Wing - Las Vegas, NV

Drunk on beer and buzzed on cigars, swaying and screaming our lungs out at Florida Georgia Line as they light up the stage...okay, fine, that last one was just me...we stumble, starving, to Pok Pok Wing.

Last year the decadent Cosmo spawned a delightfully affordable selection of street food, this Andy Ricker legend leading the way. 

There’s a Khao Man Som Tam to start: coconut rice topped with shredded pork reminiscent of Chinese pork sung, delightfully dehydrated and singing a song of savory and sweet. The side of papaya salad is a bright splash of spice and juice, a fruit that acts like a vegatable in the only salad I’ll ever enjoy. 

Ike's Famous Vietnamese Wings, half a dozen winged wonders that gave Pok Pok its place on the culinary list of legends. The meat is tender, and the sugar complements the flashy fish sauce and finishes like a smooth, sticky, fishy caramel. I’ve never had wings like this, and I will never forget having wings like this. 

The Ju Pa Bao could be a dessert. This little sandwich is like meat candy, A fluffy sweetbread Macanese-style bun sandwiching a bone-in pork loin fried in its own fat. They sneak a little sweetness into this one as well, and it amps up the savor. 

I think Andy Ricker was one of the earlier pioneers of street food. Pok Pok was so novel and captivating that it held the attention of the world’s most resistant and indifferent population for years: New Yorkers. It is only fitting for Pok Pok to make a splash in Vegas next, where ethnic food is as rare as affordable food that is edible. All I know is, I’ll be going for the wings every time I’m in Vegas, no matter how far I have to walk to get there. 

Yardbird UPDATE - Las Vegas, NV

The most dreaded meal in Las Vegas is brunch. Whether you're nursing a hangover or acclimating to your first day, it's a battle between the drunks and the need-to-get-drunks, and it's so not fun without a reservation.

What I love about Yardbird is that they easily accommodate us all. It's a longer wait for a table, but the bar is where it's at. Service is good, the people are great, and they have the best food for drinking and all its consequences.

I am just getting started, and the Watermelon Sling is my warm-up. Whiskey in the morning is eye-opening, booze-spiked sweet watermelon juice with a lemon slice that makes it pop. Aperol adds some orange, and orange you glad for that sprig rosemary to spice it up?

The sweet tooth wins, and the Maple-Glazed Bacon Doughnuts are a dinner and a dessert. They're fried so fluffy, and the maple is so rich. Sugar goes good with a bacon savor, and the caramel dip is divine.

You don't leave Yardhouse without Lewellyn's Fine Fried Chicken. Get it with any sides you want, but you need that 1/2 bird, and they're so accommodating they let us get just the bottom half...the better half.

The Southern Slaw breaks up the fat and the deep-fried, not that you really want to. I like it a lot more this time around. I'm not sure why, but I'm pretty darn happy with the crispy chicken skin on top as well.

That Chili Watermelon sure is something. Sugar-water fruit with a spicy closing; I love that sharper finish. 

I've only been twice, but Yardbird Vegas is starting to feel like home. I'm comfortable here, whether it's at a table or the bar, and the comfort food puts me in a better place. I never thought I could endorse all-natural 27-hour brined chicken without an eyeroll, but it really does taste that much better. The quality makes a difference, and their prices are fair for the extra effort. I don't know what got into me, but on Yardbird, I really am pretty hooked.