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Volume 10, Number 8 

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Food & Beverage Magazine of Las Vegas 

Only in Las Vegas... 

An Italian Sushi Sandwich...

Volume 10, Number 8 

CONTENTS 

August 2010 


FORK POUR POOLS MORE 

F E AT U R E S 

16 

18 

30 

Cover ONLY IN LAS VEGAS...AN ITALIAN SUSHI SANDWICH... 

GIORGIO’S EXEC CHEF NICO CHESSA AND VALENTINO’S 

EXEC CHEF LUCIANO PELLEGRINI WITH SUSHI ROKU’S 

DIRECTOR OF CATERING & SPECIAL EVENTS ANDREA 

EPPOLITO AT THE RECENT LAS VEGAS SOS-TASTE OF THE 

NATION! 

16 SONOMA COUNTY AND ITS REGIONS IS HIGHLIGHTED THIS 

MONTH AS A DESTINATION FOR OUR FELLOW LAS VEGAS 

INDUSTRY WORKERS WANTING TO ESCAPE THE HEAT OF 

THE SUMMER. GREAT LOCATIONS, GREAT FOOD AND OF 

COURSE GREAT WINERIES TO VISIT. 

25 HIGHLIGHTING THE WAZUZU RESTAURANT AT THE 

ENCORE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY CHEF JET TILA AND HIS 

TEAM FOR THE GREAT FOOD THAT COMES OUT OF THEIR 

KITCHEN. CHEF JET SHARES ONE OF HIS SIGNATURE 

DISH RECIPES WITH US IN THIS ISSUE, ENJOY! 

Back 

Cover TIME AGAIN FOR THIS YEAR’S WESTERN FOODSERVICE 

& HOSPITALITY EXPO TO BE HELD AT THE LOS ANGELES 

CONVENTION CENTER ALONG WITH EXPO COMIDA LATINA 

FEATURING AN ARRAY OF HISPANIC FOODS. GREAT 

SHOW TO BE BROUGHT UP TO DATE ON WHAT’S NEW IN 

THE MARKET. 

IN EVERY ISSUE 

4 Hot off the Grill 

6 Human Resources Insights 

10 Food for Thought 

12 Brett’s Vegas View 

22 Beer Bust 

24 Your Personal Chef 

forkpourmore.com August 2010 I FORK & POUR I Food & Beverage Magazine of Las Vegas 3

August 2010 


Fork & Pour 


3355 W. Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, Nevada 89102 

Main: 702-220-7955 Fax: 702-227-8684 

www.forkpourmore.com 

Ebony Holmes, publisher of Fork 

& Pour - Food & Beverage Magazine 

of Las Vegas, Nevada - welcomes you! 

Mike Fryer.......................... Editor-in-Chief 

Rocky Parks....................... Business Advisor 

George Fryer...................... Photographer 

HOT OFF THE GRILL! 

A RECENT VISIT 

TO SONOMA 

COUNTY 

WINERIES 

BROUGHT US TO 

THE ROBLEDO 

FAMILY WINERY 

WHERE WE MET 

WITH REYNALDO 

ROBLEDO 

WHO HEADS 

THE FAMILY 

BUSINESS WITH HIS WIFE MARIA AND THEIR 

NINE CHILDREN. JAYME RUBKE IS IN CHARGE OF 

THEIR EVER HELPFUL SALES & MARKETING. 

CAUGHT AT 

LUNCH WITH A 

GREAT CLAM 

CHOWDER AND 

CRAB SANDWICH 

AT BODEGA BAY’S 

SPUD POINT 

CRAB COMPANY. 

INTRODUCED 

AND HOSTED 

HERE BY 

SONOMA COUNTY TOURISM BUREAU’S TINA 

LUSTER WHO HAD LIVED IN HENDERSON PRIOR 

TO MOVING TO SONOMA, NICE MOVE! 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

Editor-in-Chief 

Mike Fryer 

Photographer 

George Fryer 

Associate Editor 

Bob Barnes 

Graphic Designer 

Juanita Aiello 

Contributor 

Jackie Brett 

Contributor 

Les Kincaid 

Contributor 

Jan-le Low 

Contributor 

Shelley Stepanek 

Contributor 

Chef Allen Asch 

Contributor 

Tony Tsai 

4 Food & Beverage Magazine of Las Vegas I FORK & POUR I August 2010 forkpourmore.com

HUMAN RESOURES INSIGHTS 

BY Linda 

Bernstein 

Linda has provided sound 

human resources advice 

and guidance to Fortune 

500 companies for 

over 25 years. She has 

helped these companies 

review processes and 

implement solutions 

that are designed to 

reduce liabilities and 

increase their profits. 

She also assists with the 

development of human 

capital through focused 

employee relations 

and training programs 

designed for all levels 

of employees. 

Phone: 702-326-4040 

Email: 

lindabernstein@cox.net 

Employee Incentives & 

Rewards 

When we reflect upon those individuals and 

situations that have most significantly influenced 

success in our lives and careers, who/what comes to 

mind? Is it an old boss, a parent, or our reflection 

in the mirror? Some of us clearly see our success 

as directly attributable to our own personal efforts 

and drive. Others chalk up their success to sheer 

luck. While others, more precisely, assign credit 

to an intuitive person – someone who has dangled 

the carrot of opportunity in front of us and enticed 

us with various incentives including the prospect 

of reward for milestones achieved through superior 

performance. 

Successful managers recognize the value of 

incentives and rewards in getting the most effort 

and engagement from their employees. These 

individuals recognize that motivation is a key factor 

and that by adding the challenges of learning new 

things, achieving difficult goals, and/or identifying 

critical solutions these can only be attained when the 

right incentives and motivation exist. 

So, how do you, the boss, determine what it is that 

will best help you achieve your business goals as 

well as align the efforts of your people? First, start 

by asking the following questions. 

• What motivates people to want to do better? 

• What drives people to try new things, offer 

ideas or stretch their minds? 

• What things do people value and strive the 

most to achieve? 

If you have the power or a position of authority over 

others, the most important thing is to understand 

human nature and what people want. You can get 

anyone to do almost anything if you treat him or her 

well and have an understanding of what they desire. 

To gain an understanding of human nature and 

motivation, you must engage the following concepts. 

• Believe in the value of fair, respectful and 

encouraging treatment. 

• Create an environment that supports ideas, 

feedback and innovation. 

• Understand what your employees need 

and value; be it money, position, 

involvement, etc. 

Therefore, if you seek to increase employee 

engagement, ideas, and investment in your business, 

an employee suggestion program may be one answer 

for you. If you want to reward ongoing service 

and performance from your people, then tangible 

employee incentive rewards like merchandise, benefit 

enhancements, or advancement opportunities may 

be the best option for you. Whatever incentive and 

reward program you choose, it should be customized 

to engage and motivate your people. [Rob from Las 

Vegas responded to last months’ HR question with… 

“Your ultimate goal with employee incentives and 

rewards should be to achieve some level of employee 

commitment, loyalty and continued effort/investment 

for your business.”] 

In reality, most of our success in life is achieved with 

the help of others. There are those special people in 

our lives that’ve had an impact on and encouraged 

us to succeed. These people clearly understood 

the value of investing time in others and that how 

you are treated, the importance of appreciation and 

recognition, and the value of time spent teaching 

you will return many times over in increased selfesteem 

and an ongoing desire for recognition and 

reward. With the right amount of focus on employee 

treatment, your incentives and rewards should 

motivate, excite, inspire and encourage the absolute 

best from your people. 

Next month’s topic: 

Moving into a Leadership Role. 

HR 

Question of 

the Month 

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing a person moving into the role of a 

leader? Explain. (One response will be printed in next month’s column.) 

Email responses to lindabernstein@cox.net 

(One response will be printed in next month’s column). 


Signature Chef 

of Las Vegas 

LAS VEGAS CHEF AND SOMMELIER 

A NEW CLUB created by Chef Jean-David Groff-Daudet 

(Chef JD) Executive Chef of Garfield’s on the Lake 

in Summerlin and supported by Fork & Pour – 

Food & Beverage Magazine of Las Vegas. 

An invitation-only gathering of Industry Professionals 

in a relaxed, informal, no-pressure atmosphere. 

This is THE venue to taste complementary new 

and different wines, talk with the distributors 

and winemakers, eat great food, and catch up 

with other Las Vegas Industry Leaders. 

Please contact us if interested in joining 

& attending or any questions… 

LasVegasChefandSommelier@gmail.com. 

UPCOMING PRESENTORS INCLUDE 

JOY ARMAGNAC 

ARNOUX 

GREMILLET 

You Work Hard on Your Menu . . . 

Leave the MAGIC to Chef Paul! 

Choose From 28 Magic Seasoning Blends Products 

Chef Paul Prudhomme 

stands for quality and 

he proudly offers his 

line of all-natural, Magic 

Seasoning Blends (17), 

Magic Sauce & Marinades 

(4), Magic Chiles (7) 

and Smoked Meats 

(Andouille & Tasso)! 

Order Direct 800-457-2857 or request 

products from your local distributor. Save $5 

when you order or send for mail-in certificate 

and save on your first order! 

Questions? 

Call Gregg Villarrubia (504) 731-3519 or gvillarrubia@chefpaul.com 

Las Vegas broker contact: 

Rick Mundy (Nasser Company, Inc.), (702)-873-4351 or 

rick.mundy@nasserco.com 

www.chefpaul.com 

CALL YOUR LOCAL SALES REP TODAY! 

(702) 400-1378

31st Annual 

JERRY BERRY PICNIC 

Honoring Max Daffner 

A Good Old Fashioned 

Steak Fry with all the Trimmings 

Tuesday, September 14, 2010 

6 PM – 10 PM 

St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church 

Hacienda at El Camino Road 

Proceeds benefit culinary scholarships in Southern Nevada 

Tickets = $30 per person 

Contact Lorri Davidson 

702 528-7731 lorri.davidson@swgas.com or 

Rick Albrecht 702 400-1378 

8 Food & Beverage Magazine of Las Vegas I FORK & POUR I August 2010 

forkpourmore.com

FOOD FOR THOUGHT 

Corked Wine & Your Experiences or How Can I Tell? 

BY Les Kincaid 

Les Kincaid is a 

food, wine, and 

golf expert and 

cookbook author. He 

hosts a nationally 

syndicated wine 

radio show each 

Thursday from 

7 to 8 pm. You can 

enjoy his website or 

his broadcast at 

www.leskincaid.com 

or email 

les@leskincaid.com 

FOLLOW ME ON 

FACE & TWITTER 

www.facebook.com/ 

leskincaid 

www.twitter.com/ 

leskincaid 

Generally, faults in 

wines are caused 

by either sulfur 

compounds or bacteria. The 

most common fault, corked 

wine, results when fungus interacts 

with a chemical used to sanitize corks 

and produces a compound that taints the wine. You 

can recognize corked wines by their musty, mildewy 

aroma and flavor. 

Sitting quietly with your eyes 

closed, you breathe deeply, 

searching for the exotic aromas 

of pinot noir that has just been 

poured in your glass. Instead, 

an acrid smell jabs its way up 

your nostrils, singeing your 

cilia. This is not the essence 

of spring cherries on a bed of 

newly harvested hay you were 

expecting. It’s more like burnt 

matches. Is it you or the wine? 

It’s estimated that one in twelve 

to fifteen bottles is actually 

corked. The defect ratio that 

would be unacceptable in most 

all other industries. Think 

about how an owner might 

expect to receive a certain large 

amount of his wine returned for 

credit. What can they do to eliminate this expense? 

While some winemakers are evaluating plastic corks, 

compound corks or screw caps. These are possible 

solutions to this problem. When it comes to screw caps, 

(or Selvin closures) somewhat lackluster acceptance 

to this solution is a deterrent. The fact is that there 

have been no negative results in all the testing over 

the past 10-15 years but some customers don’t like it 

anyhow. Tradition is very strong by many wine lovers 

and others can’t get that mental picture of the hobo 

drinking out of a screw cap bottle inside a brown paper 

bag. This is a shame. 

F o r a f e w 

wines, such 

a s s h e r r y , 

the oxidized 

taste is part 

of the wine’s 

d e s i r a b l e 

character. 

Too much oxygen is also an enemy of wine, like in 

many other substances. Air makes nails rust, fruit turn 

brown and wine taste stale and turn a deep yellow or 

brownish color sometimes almost overnight. 

Oxidized wine, the second most common wine fault, 

occurs when the bottle is stored upright instead of on 

its side for a given period of time. This allows the cork 

to dry out and oxygen somehow to seep into the bottle. 

Oxidation also occurs whenever the wine is overexposed 

to air while being made, aged, bottled or stored. 

Note: For a few wines, such 

as sherry, the oxidized taste 

is part of the wine’s desirable 

character. 

However, oxidized wines show 

none of sherry’s other fine 

characteristics. As oxidization 

increases so too does its 

pungency. 

With some mild overexposure, 

wines epically with low acidity 

can smell cooked or bland, 

while those with high acidity 

smell burnt or over toasted. 

With prolonged exposure, 

wines smell and taste of 

vinegar evolving eventually 

to an aggressive smell of nailpolish 

remover. 

Reduced wine, in which there is an absence of 

oxygen, smells stale like stagnant water or something 

decomposing or an aging compost pile. Racking, or 

moving the wine from one barrel to another at the 

winery before bottling, can fix this problem, as can 

letting the wine breathe in the glass for several minutes 

before tasting. 

................................................................... 

Remember to Share! 

I love sharing information and facts about food & wines with you. I also love passing on handy tips and advice. As you know if you read 

my meanderings, I am all about food and wine and now, you can share the love with your friends and family. They’ll thank you for it! I’m 

sure at least one person you know might benefit from the wine show invitations and special tidbits that I constantly send out. So, spread 

the love. Forward this information to all your friends. Encourage them to de-stress, too, and sign up for my email list!! 

It’s easy and FREE simply ask to be added to the list at: les@leskincaid.com 

Copyright © 2009 Les Kincaid. All rights reserved. 


Brett’s 

BY 

Restaurant News 

Queen Victoria’s British Pub is a new 

7,000-square-foot venue at the Riviera 

offering a British experience with a tavernstyle 

dining room, a private dining room and 

two bars. The 24-hour pub offers breakfast, 

lunch, and dinner daily and will host live 

bands at the London Underground Stage 

booked by former cult drummer Les Warner. 

Minus fanfare, a Mexican restaurant 

called Quesadilla opened on the fifth floor 

at the Imperial Palace in a spot formerly 

occupied by the Cockeyed Clam. Opening 

daily at 11 a.m., the interior is casual with 

chandeliers made from Corona bottles. 

China Grill at Mandalay Bay is a 

finalist this year in Cintas Best Restroom 

award contest. The public can vote online 

through Aug. 31 at www.bestrestroom.com. 

Hash House A Go Go will open its third 

Las Vegas location inside the M Resort in 

early October 2010. Known for over-sized 

food portions, Hash House is replacing the 

resort’s Red Cup Café, which closed on 

July 12 for remodeling. 

Entertainment News 

Zowie Bowie after splitting recently reunited 

at The Pub at Monte Carlo and will 

return on Sept. 3 to the Red Rock Resort 

every Friday at 11 p.m. Chris Phillips and 

Marley Taylor will perform their free show 

in the 150-seat Rocks Lounge where the 

attractive twosome started their Las Vegas 

residency four years ago. 

Talk show host, author and stand-up 

comedian Chelsea Handler will return 

to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace 

on Saturday, Sept. 4 with her “Chelsea 

Chelsea Bang Bang” show. Joining her 

will be Brad Wollack, a writer and producer 

for Handler’s “Chelsea Lately.” 

“Variety Toast of the Town” is a new 

music/variety show every Thursday at 2 

p.m. in the Sam’s Town Live! 750-seat 

showroom. Entry is free with a B Connected 

Club card. 

Grammy-nominated artist and international 

recording icon Engelbert 

Humperdinck, who has recorded more than 

80 albums in his 40-year career, will perform 

at The Orleans Showroom Aug. 20 – 22. 

Kristofer McNeeley from the 

Palazzo’s hit show “Jersey Boys” is now 

performing every Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at 

the Liberace Museum in a solo show entitled, 

“Holding the Space.” Tickets are $15. 

There’s a new show at Planet 

Hollywood, “Just Imagine” - A Musical 

Tribute to John Lennon, with Tim Piper 

and his band Working Class Hero recreating 

a mythical concert. 

Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns have 

returned to a regular Monday night gig in 

The Lounge at the Palms at 10:30 p.m. 

Miscellaneous Clips 

“Dining with a Diva” is a new cookbook 

by “Divas Las Vegas” Imperial 

Palace headliner Frank Marino and it’s 

sold at the box office for $20. 

The Eastside Cannery is celebrating 

its two-year anniversary during August 

with a performance by Grammy Awardwinning 

Brian McKnight on Aug. 27 and 

the Lon Bronson Band, Aug. 27-29, and 

a $2 “Canniversary Cooler” in a souvenir 

Hurricane Glass. 

The Liberace Foundation & Museum 

is offering discounted admission through 

Labor Day. On July 28, the national touring 

production of “Nostalgia” will have standup 

comedian Randy Riggle taking the audience 

down memory lane. 

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay 

Bay has a new family 5-foot, 90-pound 

member, a 3-year-old Shark Ray, and will 

celebrate its 10-year birthday on Aug. 21 

with special offerings and activities. 

Harrah’s comedy-magician Mac King 

has created the next installment of his 

Magic-in-a-Minute retail brand - Lunchboxo-Magic, 

which contains more than 50 children’s 

magic tricks in a lunchbox containing 

a trick thermos and magical props. 

In July, Las Vegas’ popular Elvis Presley 

tribute artist, Pete “Big Elvis” Vallee tied 

the knot at Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon 

in the lounge where he has been performing 

regularly for the past eight years. 

A new exclusive experience is the 

Diver’s Dream Package at Wynn that offers 

certified Scuba divers the opportunity to 

dive during a live performance of “Le Rêve.” 

Celebrity athlete and UFC sports legend 

Chuck Liddell is the first Mixed Martial 

Arts athlete to be inducted into Madame 

Tussauds at the Venetian. 


Suggested hum 

cocktail recipes 

SUMMER HUMMIN 

(huge seller) 

1 oz hum, rocks, fill glass with 

ginger beer or ginger ale, 

slice cucumber 

long, garnish with basil 

MARTINIS 

GINGER COSMO 

2 oz Skyy Ginger, 1 oz hum, 

1 oz fresh sour mix 

HIBISCUS COSMO 

Equal parts citrus vodka, hum, 

sour mix. 

Shaken and served up. 

STRAWBERRY 

MOJITO MARTINI 

2 ounces hum, .5 ounce mint 

syrup, 1 ounce lime, 

1.5 ounce strawberry puree, 

handful of mint leaves, shaken 

vigorously and strained 

THE HUM COCKTAIL 

Equal parts hum and fresh 

sour mix. 

Shaken and served up. 

ULTIMATE 

COLADA-TINI 

2 ounces hum, 1 ounce 

pineapple juice, 1 ounce 

lime, 1/2 ounce coconut 

puree 

OTHER 

HUMAZING 

COCKTAILS 

HUM ROYALE 

1 part chilled hum, 

3 parts Prosecco, 

garnish with sprig of 

fresh lavender, 

basil, orange twist 

HUMBELLINI 

Peach puree, prosecco 

and chilled hum float 

A NIGHT IN 

TUNISIA 

Equal parts (3/4 

oz) hum and fernet 

branca. Muddle with 

strawberries, blood 

orange, passion fruit (your 

pick); muddle lemon. 

Serve in rocks glass. 

MANLY DRINKS 

MANHATTHUM 

3 parts Bourbon, 1 part hum, 

stirred 33 times, served neat, 

Luxardo 

marischino cherry, hum bitters 

(or bitters of choice) 

NEW (OLD) 

FASHIONED 

2 oz bourbon whiskey 

1oz hum 

2 dashes hum bitters or 

Angostura ® bitters (or bitters 

of choice) 

1 splash soda 

1 tsp sugar 

1 maraschino cherry 

1 orange wedge 

REINVENTED 

SAZERAC 

Rinse a chilled rocks glass 

with absinthe. Add 1/2 ounce 

hum and 2 ounces of 

rye, stir with 2 large ice cubes, 

finish with bitters and lemon 

twist 

HUMDINGER 

Build tall in highball, 2 parts 

ice tea, 1 part fresh sour mix, 

1 part hum, 

2 parts strong ale 

Garnish with citrus slice/twist 

or herb of choice 

Inspired by the botanicals of the 

French Caribbean and modeled after 

the great amaros of Italy, celebrated 

mixologists Adam Seger, Chicago 

and London’s Joe McCanta infuse 

organic rum with fair trade hibiscus, 

organic ginger, green cardamom and 

kaffir lime to create the beautifully 

balanced spirit called hum. 

At a bold 70 proof, hum is best enjoyed 

on the rocks with lime and a splash of 

soda. Enjoy it tall with tonic, ginger-ale or fresca. Or, add it to your favorite beer 

or sparkling wine. Don’t stop there…. 

replace sweet vermouth or orange 

liqueur with hum to kick up the classic 

negroni, manhattan or margarita. 

Cook with hum like you would with 

brandy. Then, end your evening with 

your favorite ice cream drizzled with 

hum. Mmmmm. The applications 

are only limited by your imagination. 

Sip sensibly - because no one 

has ever had a bad humming 

experience. 


Restaurant Review 

ADDICTION - the Hippest, Stylish 

New Restaurant in Town! 

BY Shelley Stepanek 

ADDICTION restaurant, and the RUMOR 

bar and lounge are so totally unique to 

Las Vegas that it will quickly become 

“the” place to meet for a meal or drink. 

The minute you walk inside the lobby, the 

floor-to-ceiling glass walls allow the sun 

to stream in to light the way to the bar and 

restaurant, creating a mood that’s bright 

and chic by day, alluring at night. 

ADDICTION restaurant seats 50 people 

inside and 40 overlooking the pool, private 

cabanas and grounds. This intimate area has 

fried tenderloin sliders and butterfinger/ 

marscapone pancakes for breakfast. From 

applewood smoked bacon, to fresh fruits, 

this is a great way to start off an early 

morning meeting. Chef Vic Vegas, who 

came from the Hard Rock Hotel, has put 

together a brand new concept in tastes. 

With his head server Paul, their creations 

are ready for all connoisseurs of taste to 

try. A spinach & flank steak, with roasted 

tomatoes, goat cheese, chopped walnuts, 

and caramelized onions is a fantastic lunch 

item. Or try the Pearl, oyster-grape salad 

with crispy fried oysters, gorgonzola, red 

onion, candied pecans, grape juice and 

frozen sugar grapes on tossed greens. The 

Cuban-Ruben is a big hit. And for dinner 

try the Capa-Pollo, the Sticky Chickie, 

or the Nice Rak, broiled New Zealand 

lamb Chops with a Mint Cherry Demi and 

House Potato. Finish it off with Green 

Teas Ice Cream, good Ol’Bundt cake, or 

Da “Nutta Butta” orange soda battered 

then deep fried Nutter Butters with a 

Grape Juice and Chambord Syrup to Dip. 

The cocktail lounge has an elevated table 

area that seats 12 privately, and a white and 

Plexiglas 6 seat bar. With clean designs of 

every aspect of the 2 story hotel, the silver 

and purple entrance awakens your idea 

of the coolest new place around. The 146 

suites are charcoal gray, white and vibrant 

purple. With leather night stands, most 

rooms have spa style tubs. The former St. 

Tropez is pet friendly. 

Located at 455 East Harmon Ave, call 702-369-8667 for reservations. 

www.RumorVegas.com,www.twitter.com/rumorvegas. 


www.greenriversake.com

D e s t i n a t i o n 

STARK’S STEAK HOUSE 

Stark’s Steak House is located in an historic building near historic 

Railroad Square in Downtown Santa Rosa, but the food is anything 

but old fashioned. Tantalizing flavors offer a fresh taste on wine 

country cuisine. Visit them for a taste of downtown Santa Rosa 

complete with a great selection of local draft beers and local 

regional wines to complement any meal. 

Stark’s Steak House 

521 Adams Street 

Santa Rosa, CA 95401 

(707) 546-5100 

www.starkrestaurants.com/ 

stark_steakhouse.html 

SPUD POINT CRAB 

COMPANY IN 

BODEGA BAY 

Spud Point Crab Company in 

Bodega Bay is highly recommended. 

For a yummy lunch, get 

a pint of the clam chowder and a 

crab sandwich. If you don’t want 

to eat at one of the picnic tables, 

take your lunch to Bodega Head’s 

parking area and see if you can 

spot some whales. 

Spud Point Crab Company is a 

truly old-style fishermen’s wharf. 

They catch and smoke their own 

wild king salmon, which is the 

best according to all that taste it. 

You can watch the live crab go 

into the large cooker that is right 

outside the shop. Please stop by, 

say hello, and enjoy the homemade 

chowder, a crab or shrimp 

cocktail, or the sandwich of the 

day alongside Sonoma County’s 

beautiful Bodega Bay. Or purchase the catch of the day to 

take home for dinner. 

DAWN RANCH 

LODGE 

Dawn Ranch Lodge is a 

fifteen acre property nestled 

among towering redwoods 

on the banks of the Russian 

River and is our personal 

choice of places to stay in 

the Guerneville Area. Just 

twenty minutes from the 

beautiful Pacific Coast, 

they offer rustic tranquility 

and a contemporary 

atmosphere. Individual 

cottages blend harmoniously 

into the stunning landscape 

of ancient apple orchards, 

bamboo groves, grassy 

meadows and beautifully 

landscaped gardens. The 

long meadow at Dawn 

Ranch Lodge has been 

the setting for spectacular 

weddings and intimate 

ceremonies for over a 

century. This is an ideal venue 

for corporate retreats and 

family reunions in this centuryold 

guest ranch. 

Dawn Ranch Lodge 

features the award-winning 

Roadhouse Restaurant, 

which offers an extensive 

wine list from the Russian 

River appellation, known 

for their fine Pinot Noirs and 

Chardonnays, and features 

some of the finest organic 

produce from Napa and 

Sonoma counties. 

Sonoma County Airport in 

San Rosa now offers nonstop 

service from Los Angeles and 

Seattle. Dawn Ranch Lodge 

is a short, 20 minute drive 

away. For details visitwww. 

sonomacountyairport.com 

Dawn Ranch Lodge 

16467 Highway 116 

Guerneville, CA 95446 

(707) 869-0656 

www.dawnranch.com 

Spud Point Crab 

Company 

1860 Westshore Road 

Bodega Bay, CA 94923 

(707) 875-9472 

www.spudpointcrab.com 


Sonoma County 

Vineyard Inn 

Hotel 

Vineyard Inn Hotel is a 

Mediterranean style inn in the heart 

of Sonoma’s Carneros Wine Country 

and is our personal choice for staying 

in this region of the wine country. 

Great comfortable and quiet rooms, 

with the owner on the property to 

give suggestions and directions 

where to visit and what not to miss. 

That personal touch we seem to be 

missing more and more these days, 

gives you a feeling of being at home! 

Vineyard Inn Hotel 

23000 Arnold Drive 

Sonoma, CA 95476 

(707) 938-2350 

vineyardinn@vom.com 

www.vineyardinnsonoma.com 

Robledo Family Winery 

Robledo Family Winery is 

a must visit and the first 

Mexican-owned winery 

and tasting room in the 

United States. Surrounded 

by beautiful vineyards 

and the rolling Sonoma 

foothills, this family owned 

and operated winery has 

upgraded its production 

and can now offer its 

brands to the national 

market including 

Las Vegas. We were 

fortunate to be in the 

winery when they were 

having one of their 

many events featuring 

Mama Robledo’s 

famous cooking paired 

with some of the best 

wines produced by the family. 

Robledo Family Winery 

707-939-6903 

21901 Bonness Road 

www.robledofamilywinery.com 

Experience the Wine Road. A great experience at a reasonable rate. 

Check it out at www.wineroad.com 

Big 3 Diner at Fairmont 

Sonoma Mission Inn 

Schellville Grill 

Schellville Grill was 

recently featured on 

Guy Fieri’s Diners, Driveins, 

and Dives on the 

Food Network. 

Owner Matthew Nagan 

uses all the local 

ingredients to create a 

culinary experience you 

won’t forget! 

Schellville Grill 

22900 Broadway 


(707) 996-5151 

www.schellvillegrille.com 

Big 3 Diner at Fairmont 

Sonoma Mission Inn 

18140 Highway 12 


(707) 938-9000 

www.fairmont.com 


D e s t i n a t i o n 

S o n o m a C o u n t y 

Farmhouse Inn 

& Restaurant 

Syrah Bistro 

Syrah Bistro’s monthly changing menu 

highlights Sonoma seasonal cuisine. Chef 

Josh Silvers finds his inspiration from Sonoma’s 

incredible artisan producers and the vast 

array of fresh, organic produce available 

in California. An active Slow Food member, 

Josh consistently focuses on organic and 

sustainably farmed fruits and vegetables. He 

calls Sonoma County a “Chef’s playground.” 

Josh’s goal, he says, is to create deeply 

flavored soul-satisfying comfort food and 

take it to a higher level of sophistication. We 

suggest you visit Syrah Bistro for a unique 

Sonoma Experience! 

Master Sommelier Geoff Kruth 

brings vitality, passion and extensive 

knowledge to his role as 

Wine Director of the Farmhouse 

Inn and Restaurant. Having 

worked at some of America’s 

finest dining establishments, Kruth 

is on a short list of the top young 

American wine professionals. In 

2008 he became one of less 

than 150 people worldwide to 

have ever earned the designation 

of Master Sommelier and he 

is one of a select few who still 

work as a sommelier. He is available 

Saturday evenings at the 

restaurant. 

Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant 

7871 River Road 

Forestville, CA 95436 

www.farmhouseinn.com 

707-887-3300 

Located in the small town of 

Forestville, California in the stunning 

Russian River Valley Region 

of Sonoma County’s famed wine 

country, Farmhouse represents 

the finest level of Sonoma inns, 

restaurants and spas - where 

sublime guestrooms, farm-fresh 

food and seasonal body treatments 

come together in one 

unforgettable experience. 

Our Special Thanks to the Sonoma 

County Tourism Bureau and their great 

coordinator Tina Luster… 

Sonoma County Tourism Bureau 

(707) 522-5818 

1-800-576-6662 

info@sonomacounty.com 

www.sonomacounty.com 

Syrah Bistro 

205 5th Street 

Santa Rosa, CA 

(707) 568-4002 

E-mail: Syrah@sonic.net 

www.syrahbistro.com 

Sanoma 

Plaza 

Sonoma Plaza – History 

of Sonoma, California’s 

Wine Industry and 

California itself 

Sonoma – birthplace 

of California’s wine 

industry – is home of the 

northernmost and last 

Spanish-Mexican mission 

built along California’s 

historic El Camino Real, 

and the location of the 

Bear Flag Revolt, which 

transferred ownership of 

California from Mexico to 

the United States. Visitors 

can tour historic buildings 

at Sonoma State 

Historic Park. 

18 Food & Beverage Magazine of Las Vegas I FORK & POUR I August 2010 

forkpourmore.com

WE MOVE COCKTAILS! 

CALL FOR INFO 

(702) 240-3004 

PURE 100% NATURAL 

NO PRESERVATIVES NOT FROM CONCENTRATE 

KEEP REFRIGERATED 

DIRECT DELIVERY, INC. LAS VEGAS 89102

Introduce yourself to a new California 

twist on a classic Italian tradition. 

HelloCello Limoncello di Sonoma is a brand new organic lemon 

liqueur hand-made by husband and wife team, Fred and Amy 

Groth. Based in Sonoma County, California, HelloCello uses the 

best organic ingredients grown at select vineyards, local farms and 

orchards in Northern California. The smooth, refreshing beverage 

comes in a tall, sleek 375ml bottle with bright, sunny graphics and 

sells for the suggested retail price of $24.99. 

Limoncello di Sonoma is available in specialty food stores and 

fine restaurants in Sonoma County and beyond. 

“We’ve always loved 

Limoncello in Italy,” says 

Amy Groth. “We’ve 

also been inspired by the 

natural, organic, and Slow 

Food movement here in 

the States, particularly in 

Sonoma County. We’ve 

had an obsession to create 

a Limoncello with the 

The Carneros Cooler 

Created by mixologist: Eddie Townsend, The 

FARM at Carneros Inn, Napa 

absolute freshest organic 

ingredients, so we moved 

our family from Colorado 

to Sonoma so we could 

have our pick of those 

ingredients and start this 

company.” 

The Groths have studied 

the traditional Italian 

process of making 

Limoncello. Fred even 

traveled to Italy where he learned methods and techniques used 

by both the largest and smallest producers in Italy. The result is a 

Limoncello that is handcrafted in small batches using only 100% 

certified organic ingredients. 

As is the tradition in Italy, HelloCello Limoncello di Sonoma can 

be enjoyed after dinner as a chilled digestif, but that’s just the 

beginning of its uses. Shaken and stirred into creative cocktails 

or mixed into recipes for savory entrees to sweet desserts, 

Limoncello di Sonoma is a welcome addition to the bar or pantry. 

You can find out more about HelloCello at 

www. hellosonoma.com. 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 oz HelloCello Limoncello di Sonoma 

2 oz tequila 

3 strawberries 

2 basil leaves 

squeeze of fresh lemon 

1/2 oz simple syrup 

2 oz club soda 

DIRECTIONS: 

Muddle strawberries and basil. Add 

remaining ingredients in an ice filled 

cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Pour 

into a tall glass and top with club soda. 


WHAT’S BREWING 

BY Bob Barnes 

The Yard House, a multi-tap establishment sporting a multitude 

of tap handles, continues to expand, and has opened a 2nd 

location in Las Vegas at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa. 

Pouring from 130 taps, the new venue has an outdoor patio area 

(with misters) and two entrances, one from the casino and one 

from the parking lot. This new Yard House is the 27th restaurant 

in its growing portfolio, and this is its first casino restaurant. 

The Yard House is a beer geek’s paradise with a huge draft beer selection 

that is guaranteed to please anyone that appreciates beer. The enormous 

beer list is obviously the main focus, with an entire page of the menu 

devoted to a listing by beer styles that includes numerous craft beers, along 

with imported gems. With so many taps, some creative mixing is possible. 

One of the more popular choices is the Rosegaarden, a blending of Lindemans 

Framboise (raspberry flavored) and Hoegaarden White. 

The beer generating system is state-of-the-art, with modern technology 

to keep the beer cold and fresh. The beer lines are miles long, and are 

all surrounded by glycol lines, which keep the beer cold at all times. All 

the beers are carbonated with either CO2 or nitrogen, and a machine is 

utilized to generate and process the nitrogen. To prevent waste, when a keg 

blows, a water line is activated to clear the line when a new keg is put on. 

The old-fashioned way resulted in a loss of nearly a gallon of beer, but in 

this system only a cup of beer is lost; this is a very good thing, for as we 

all know, it’s a sin to waste beer. The prize-winning feature has to be the 

radio waves that are periodically sent through the lines, killing bacteria 

that could otherwise adversely affect the beer’s flavor. The final coating of 

the beers’ protective armor comes in the form of amber-hued light bulbs, 

shielding the brew from harmful light. 

General Manager Dominic Keegan comes well equipped to run an establishment 

of this magnitude, with 15 years experience in the food and 

beverage industry. A transplant from Ireland, Dominic has been with the 

Yard House for the past 7 years, spending time at Yard House locations in 

Long Beach, Pasadena, Irvine, and at the Town Square Yard House in Las 

Vegas. Dominic is very pleased with the new restaurant’s beginning and 

said, “Business has been fantastic, consistent, with great feedback from 

guests. The location is an advantage in that you have a casino setting, but 

don’t have to deal with Strip traffic.” 

An impressive food menu is varied and balanced with several seafood 

offerings (fish is flown in daily), signature salads, pizzas, pastas and over 

a dozen beef and chicken entrees, all with reasonable prices and large portions. 

House favorites add to the varied choices, with Spicy Jambalaya, 

a deluxe Mac + Cheese fortified 

with chicken, bacon and wild 

mushrooms, Orange Peel Chicken 

and Chicken Enchilada Stack. Additionally, 

a children’s menu offers nine 

kid-friendly choices and you can round 

out your meal with decadent desserts 

such as the Trio Sampler, which includes 

lemon soufflé, peach apple cobbler and 

chocolate soufflé topped with two flavors 

of ice cream. 

A generous Happy Hour occurs Monday- 

Friday from 3-6 p.m. with discounts on 

beer, wine and cocktails, and a large list of 

appetizers and pizzas for half-price with more 

than 20 choices. The same deals apply Sunday- 

Wednesday from 10 p.m. to closing. 

Southern Nevada brewers continue to toil through the dog days of summer, 

providing us with the fruits of their labor. Matt Marino at Main Street Station’s 

Triple 7 Brewpub will bring out his world famous and multi-award 

winning Black Cherry Stout. Due to an equipment failure of his bottom 

steam jacket, he had to have a steam halo installed. In honor of this new 

modification he has named his newest creation HALO Bender, a super 

hoppy, super dark Black IPA that’s aged on cocoa nibs and dry hopped. 

Richard Lovelady at Gordon Biersch will be releasing his annual 

Festbier on Sept. 14. This brew will prove to be an excellent way to usher 

in Oktoberfest. 

In Boulder City, Todd Cook at Boulder Dam Brewing has collaborated 

with Boulder Bean, a locally-owned/operated coffee house, the result of 

which is the Boulder Bean Stout-an Irish dry stout with the addition of 500 

shots of freshly-brewed espresso. He also has his Cascadian Dark Ale, a 

Black IPA using copious amounts of Cascade, Clusters and Fuggles hops. 

As always, great beer happens in Vegas! 

Yard House @ the Red Rock 

Casino, Resort & Spa 

11011 W. Charleston Blvd. 

Las Vegas, NV 89135 

702-363-9273 

Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan and associate editor of 

Fork and Pour - Food & Beverage Magazine of Las Vegas. 

He welcomes your inquiries and can be reached 

via e-mail at LVBobB@juno.com. 


Your Personal Chef 

BY Chef Brian 

THE THREE AIOLIS I AM SERVING 

WITH THE SMOKED BURGERS ARE: 

SWEET BASIL PESTO: 

In a food processor add: 

• 2 cups sweet basil leaves, solidly packed with 

no stems 

• 2 cloves fresh garlic 

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 

• 1/3 cup either pine nuts or walnuts, and 

sometimes I really like to use toasted cashews 

in pesto (yum) 

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil 

• 1 cup mayonnaise (use fat free if looking for 

a low calorie option) 

• 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper to taste 

CHIPOTLE CILANTRO AIOLI: 


• 1 piece of canned chipotle pepper 

• 1 teaspoon of the adobe sauce from the 

canned peppers 

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 

• 1 teaspoon onion powder 

• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce 



• 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro 

SESAME GINGER AIOLI: 


• 1 Tbsp. fresh cut, peeled ginger 

• 1 clove garlic 

• 1 teaspoon onion powder 

• One chopped green onion 

• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce 

• 1 ¼ Tbsp. toasted sesame oil 

• 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar 



• A few drops of Sriracha Hot Red Chile Sauce 

(more if you like it spicy) 

Today is a beautiful day for Mesquite-Wood Smoked BBQ Burger Party. The menu is simple today, 

Smoked Angus Beef or Ground Turkey Burgers, smoked onions & tomatoes, assorted aioli sauces, 

whole wheat buns and cold beer; just add a few friends and some good music and you have a real 

party. Almost anyone can build a small fire and add soaked wood chips to a grill and cook burgers; yet 

the addition of very flavorful sauces and smoked red onions and tomatoes puts this menu to the top of 

the ultimate BBQ menu scale. This is truly one of my favorite summer time menus to serve guests, 

family and friends. The aroma of burning mesquite wood somehow makes everyone hungry, and the 

anticipation of a good meal with friends, a couple of cold beers by the pool on a hot summer day, and 

well, it doesn’t get much better that that… 

The aioli sauces can be made a day in advance and held in the refrigerator covered in plastic. An aioli 

is a garlic mayonnaise-based sauce and is very versatile in its applications; traditionally, the mayonnaise 

is made from scratch by adding to a food processor some egg yolks, a little lemon juice and garlic 

and emulsifying them together by slowly adding a vegetable oil (or olive oil) until it is thickened and 

creamy. For the ease of these recipes, I will use plain whole egg mayonnaise, or if your end result is a 

lower calorie sauce, use light, low-calorie mayo or fat free mayo. 

DIRECTIONS 

Put the sauces in serving dishes, cover with 

plastic wrap and store in refrigerator. 

Prepare the grill for cooking. To start with, put 

a few handfuls of very small Mesquite wood 

chips in a container and cover with water and let 

stand for an hour till ready to use. In your BBQ 

arrange the coals in a pyramid pattern for easy 

and consistent burning; light the coals, put on 

the grill rack and when the coals are white hot, 

drop a large handful of soaked wood chips. 

Avoid adding the water to not extinguish 

the heat, and replace the lid and let the smoke 

accumulate. 

In two separate large bowls: Place in one bowl 

1/2 inch thick red onion slices; drizzle the onions 

with olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. 

In the other bowl, add either Roma tomatoes cut 

in half lengthwise or 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick slices 

of heirloom tomatoes; drizzle with olive oil, 

Balsamic vinegar and a teaspoon fresh pureed 

garlic, salt and pepper. Marinate for 5 minutes 

and place on the smoking grill and cover for 

about ten minutes, maybe more or less depending 

on the temperature of the grill. Be sure to turn 

only one time so they won’t fall apart… 

When vegetables are done and smoked, place 

on a platter and let rest so the intense smoke 

flavor can mellow while the meat is cooking. 

To cook the burger patties, season the meat 

with salt and pepper, and allow the grill and 

coals to come back to high temperature. Put 

another handful or two of soaked wood chips 

with no water on the coals. Cook meats to 

desired temperature, melt cheese (if desired) 

and serve immediately. 

Enjoy this memorable and delicious meal. 

If you have any questions or 

would like a quote, consulting or 

recipes please write me at 

chefbrian310@yahoo.com. 

Please also view my website at 

http://chefbrian310.tripod.com 


FBMLV’S RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH 

Wazuzu Inside Encore Las Vegas 

WAZUZU’S EXECUTIVE CHEF JET TILAKAMONKUL 

Special Crispy Fish With Thai Herbs Recipe 

Ingredients: 

2 ea 6-8 oz. Trout Fillet 

To Taste Salt 

To Taste Pepper 

1 Cups Cornstarch 

1 Quart Oil for Frying 

Sauce 

2 Cloves Garlic, minced 

1 Shallot, thinly sliced 

1-2 Thai Chilies, very 

finely chopped 

4 oz Brown Sugar 

3 oz Fish Sauce 

3 oz Lime Juice 

2 oz Water 

Fruit/Herb Mix 

1/4 Cup Mint Leaves 

1/4 Cup Thai Basil leaves 

1/4 Cup Green Mango or 

Green Papaya, 

julienned 

1/2 Granny Smith 

Apples, julliened 

1 Cup Roasted Cashews 

1/4 Cup Red Onion, Very 

thinly sliced 

Make Sauce by combining all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan 

over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved and sauce is combines. 

Place sauce in the fridge and chill until ready use. 

Heat a medium ovenproof skillet on high and add enough oil to coat 

the bottom. Season fillets with salt and pepper. Dredge Trout Fillet 

pieces in cornstarch and fry for about 7-10 minutes until brown and 

crispy. 

Mix dressing ingredients together, toss fruit and herb in dressing. 

Serve by plating the crispy Trout Fillet and top with slaw. 


TOP OFF the year in style… 

NOW…is the time to contact your 

fellow WineMaking friends and family and 

sign up for the now “LEGENDARY” third 

annual “Bacchus Knife, Fork and Cork Feastival 

Awards Dinner.” 

This year’s dinner extravaganza will once again 

be held at the top of the super exclusive World 

Market Center. The $65 per person ticket 

price includes a sumptuous dinner, red wine, 

entertainment, prizes and surprises. Last year’s 

dinner was a SELL OUT and we expect the 

same for this year. 

WHEN? 

Saturday, August 14, 2010. 

Doors will open at 6:00 PM. 

PLEASE NOTE: No reservations 

can be accepted after August 7, 

2010; no exceptions. 

ANY QUESTIONS? 

Don’t hesitate to all me at 806-3383. Please 

forward this information to all of your fellow 

barrel mates. Many thanks. 

Charlie Peters, Chief Wine Officer Grape 

Expectations 

PS: NOW is an ideal time to sign up for the 

upcoming 2010 WineMaking season. 


BIG DOG’S 

The Wisconsin-themed Big Dog’s @ 

the Draft House has been a mainstay 

of northwest Las Vegas eateries since 

1988. Since its early days, it’s been 

attracting beer enthusiasts, and at the 

time it first opened was only one of a 

handful of pubs in Vegas offering an 

extensive line-up of craft beer. 

Big Dog’s has been monumental in 

developing beer culture in Las Vegas. 

It started it all in 1993 as southern 

Nevada’s first brewpub. For nearly 

a decade, the icon of a Holstein cow 

perched atop the roof of a building 

at Sahara and the Las Vegas Strip 

beckoned to travelers seeking the 

Mecca of artisanal beer in Vegas. In 

2004, the brewery relocated to the 

site of the Draft House, and the name 

was changed to Big Dog’s Brewing 

Company. 

The name change was to honor 

the late founder of the company, 

Tom Wiesner. A former county 

commissioner and pillar of the 

community for more than 30 years, 

Tom played football at the University 

of Wisconsin, and scored the first 

touchdown for Wisconsin in Rose 

Bowl history. During his playing 

days he earned the nickname of ‘The 

Big Dog.’ It had long been Tom’s 

vision to open a brewery at the Draft 

House. Unfortunately, he passed 

away in June of 2002 before the new 

brewery had been completed, but his 

dream lives on. 

Award-winning Brewmaster Dave 

Otto moved from his native New 

Jersey to Las Vegas in 1996 and was 

attending UNLV when he landed 

Midwestern Attitude and Food 

Since 1988 

a job at the Holy Cow! 

Brewpub. He soon worked 

his way up to assistant 

brewer and took over as 

brewmaster in 1998. Dave 

has a knack for brewing 

creative and adventurous 

brews. The beers’ flavors 

lean toward the aggressive 

side, making this a 

destination for the real 

beer aficionado. There 

are lighter brews for the 

uninitiated, such as the 

Leglifter Light, which is 

the brewery’s best-selling 

beer, followed closely by 

the Holy Cow! Original 

Pale Ale, Tailwagger 

Wheat and Red Hydrant 

Ale. Eight signature beers 

are offered all the time, 

including a stout and IPA, as well as 

one or two rotating specialties, all of 

which are available at all three of Big 

Dog’s locations. 

Chief Financial Officer Robert 

Snyder has been a Las Vegas resident 

since the 1970’s, and has worked for 

the Big Dog’s Hospitality Group 

since 1992. Like Brewmaster Dave, 

he was also attending UNLV (where 

he earned a degree in accounting), 

when he began working for Big 

Dog’s accounting department. 

Robert attributes Big Dog’s 22 

years of success to keeping its ideas 

fresh and on the cutting edge and to 

expanding the growing beer culture 

in southern Nevada. He explains, 

“It’s our niche that we’re 

more than a sports bar 

and with freshly-brewed 

beer we have something 

different to offer. And, 

just as importantly, we’re 

a place that promotes a 

good time with great food 

and beer, a comfortable 

atmosphere and a staff that 

treats you well.” 

Robert remembers that 

Tom Wiesner used to 

have a yearly bratwurst 

party in his backyard with 

300-400 people. Future 

plans that will recreate 

that atmosphere include a 

beer garden, outdoor patio 

and festival area, as well 

as a brewery expansion 

that will add four 30-bbl. 

fermenters that will allow more 

beer to flow. The recent Peace Love 

Hoppy-ness Beer Festival held on 

June 12 was an outdoor event that 

is a preview of more to come. The 

Dogtober Beer & Brat Fest is slated 

for October 2 nd and will feature a 

large line-up of Big Dog’s brews, 

live music and German-fare (namely 

Big Dog’s signature brats). 

Chef Sergio Meza is another longtime 

employee, with 19 years with the 

company. Although he’s a native 

of Mexico City, his wife is from 

Madison, Wisconsin and he visits 

the cheese state at least once a year, 

which has helped shape his ideas 

for putting his spin on Wisconsinthemed 

gastronomy. The cuisine can 

be described as Midwestern comfort 

food combined with traditional pub 

fare. Midwestern favorites include 

pecan-crusted walleye, bratwurst, 

cheese curds, artichoke dip with 

cream cheese, meatloaf, chickenfried 

steak and a unique Wisconsin 

Benedict-fried egg topped with a 

whole grain mustard sauce. 

Good deals abound at Big Dog’s. 

A Hoppy Hour Monday-Friday 

from 3-6 offers $2 off Big Dog’s 

pints, bombers and well drinks, $8 

off pitchers and $2 off appetizers. 

With football season just around the 

corner, one of the better deals for 

Monday Night is a continuation of 

the Hoppy Hour specials through the 

end of the game. On NFL Sundays 

all Big Dog’s beers are discounted by 

$1 and pitchers are $4 off. 

BY Bob Barnes 

Bob Barnes is a 

native Las Vegan and 

associate editor of 

Fork and Pour-Food 

& Beverage Magazine 

of Las Vegas. He 

welcomes your 

inquiries. 

Email: 

LVBobB@juno.com 

Big Dog’s @ The 

Draft House is on 

Rancho just north of 

Craig Rd. Two other 

locations are at Nellis 

and Owens and at 

Sahara and Torrey 

Pines. All three 

locations are 

open 24/7. 

Locations 

Big Dog’s @ the 

Draft House 

4543 N. Rancho 

Las Vegas, NV 

702-645-1404 

www.bigdogsbrews.com 

Big Dog’s Cafe 

and Casino 

6390 W. Sahara Ave. 

Las Vegas, NV 

702-876-3647 

Big Dog’s Bar and Grill 

1511 N. Nellis Blvd. 

N. Las Vegas, NV 

702-459-1099 


The Three T’s of Green 

TESTED, TRUSTWORTHY, and TRANSPARENT 

In May 2010, Technomic, the industry’s leading fact-based research firm for 40 years, released findings that outline 

an overwhelming response from consumers in regards to their “green” dining expectations. 

MAY 2010 TECHNOMIC CONSUMER 

SURVEY FINDINGS: 

• 82% will decrease or stop going to a restaurant 

that is falsely claiming to be green. 

• 94% trust a restaurant’s green claims when they 

are verified by an organization as being true. 

• Only 6% trust self-reported claims that are not 

verified. 

• 79% said that they are more likely to dine at 

a Certified Green Restaurant® over one that 

is not. 

• 79% would deem an organization to 

be untrustworthy if they found that the 

organization was awarding “green” restaurant 

decals without requiring the restaurant to meet 

certain environmental standards. 

• 91% expect a certifier or recognizer of “green” 

restaurants to perform annual audits of the 

restaurant’s green claims. 

See the following for the details of the 

survey: http://www.slideshare.net/2010GRA/ 

consumers-green-dining-habits 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? 

It means two things: 

1. Consumers want green choices in higher 

numbers than ever. 

2. Consumers want those choices to be truly a 

benefit to the environment 

THERE ARE TWO SIMULTANEOUS TRENDS 

HAPPENING IN THE GREEN MOVEMENT: 

1. The level of consumer education and action is 

increasing by the month. 

2. The level of businesses competing for those 

prized consumers is also increasing. 

So, businesses need to implement environmental 

changes into their operations to capture the 

consumer and employee interest, but that strategy 

needs to be trustworthy to the public. Remember 

the GRA’s three T’s: 

1. Tested 

2. Trustworthy 

3. Transparent 

TESTED: Solutions need to be known to perform 

to achieve their actual purpose. Green and nongreen 

products alike need to be vetted for their 

function, performance, price and aesthetics. If 

that “green” cleaner doesn’t really clean, then 

it’s neither clean nor green. 

TRUSTWORTHY: The Technomic survey 

demonstrates powerfully that only 6% of 

consumers trust a restaurant’s self claims. And, 

95% of consumers don’t trust the plethora 

of fake certifications that are cropping up. 

Consumers want claims verified by an outside 

organization, placing most of their trust in 

environmental organizations; then government; 

and lastly business trade organizations. For a 

claim to be trustworthy from a restaurant, it 

needs to come from a trustworthy source. For 

a product’s claim to be trustworthy, it needs to 

come from a source that doesn’t have a vested 

interest in that particular product being sold; and 

instead has a vested interest in the environment. 

TRANSPARENT: If you can’t see through it, you 

don’t know what it is. Consumers want to be 

able to go beyond the empty phrases. Mario 

Batali’s Del Posto is a 3-Star Certified Green 

Restaurant®. For consumers who want to see 

deeper into what that means, they can go to 

Del Posto’s Green Restaurant® Facts Label at 

http://dinegreen.com/customers/certification_ 

details.asp?restaurantid=REST10101, which 

shows them the exact amount of points in 

each category. At the bottom of the label, 

consumers can click to find each of Del Posto’s 

steps and the points for each step. It doesn’t 

get more transparent than that. And, consumers 

know that each step is verified by a non-profit 

environmental organization whose interest in 

the environment is clear. 

IF IT’S NOT TESTED, TRUSTWORTHY, AND 

TRANSPARENT, IT’S NOT WORTH YOUR 

TIME… OR YOUR CUSTOMERS’. 

The potential benefit to the environment, your 

pocketbook, and your consumers is great if you 

go green in the right way. But if you do it the 

wrong way, then the environment doesn’t benefit, 

your consumers could be turned off and your 

business can be damaged. So, Go Green, Yes. 

Just get the proper GPS to take you to the proper 

destination. 

Visit dinegreen.com for more information about 

the GRA’s certification standards. 

ABOUT THE GREEN RESTAURANT 

ASSOCIATION 

2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the Green 

Restaurant Association’s (GRA) founding in 

1990. The Green Restaurant Association is a 

national non-profit organization that provides 

the official Certified Green Restaurants® mark 

in the country. For two decades, the GRA has 

pioneered the Green Restaurant® movement and 

has been the leading voice within the industry, 

encouraging restaurants to listen to consumer 

demand and green their operations using 

transparent, science-based certification standards. 

With their turnkey certification system, the GRA 

has made it easy for thousands of restaurants to 

become more environmentally sustainable in 

a profitable manner. The GRA is endorsed by 

scores of national environmental organizations 

such as NRDC and Environmental Defense, and 

esteemed trade organizations including the New 

York State Restaurant Association, Orange County 

Restaurant Association and American Public 

Garden Association. The GRA is also an Energy 

Star partner. In 2010, Citysearch announced the 

GRA as their official Green Restaurant® listing 

partner. The GRA has been featured on CNN, 

NBC, Nightly News, NPR, in The New York 

Times, The Washington Post, and more. For 

additional information, visit dinegreen.com. 


LAGUNA 

CHAMPAGNE BAR 

AT THE PALAZZO 

a must visit location 

BB KING’s 

Restaurant & Blues 

Club - Great Food 

by Chef Oscar Pena 

and Great Music 

Nightly 


LAS VEGAS, NV 

BIG DOG’S DRAFT HOUSE 

Rancho at Craig Road 645-1404 

BIG DOG’S CAFE AND CASINO 

Sahara at Torrey Pines 876-3647 

BIG DOG’S BAR AND GRILL 

Nellis Blvd. at Owens 459-1099 

www.bigdogsbrews.com 

“WHAT’S SMOKED IN VEGAS 

STAYS IN VEGAS!” 

Let’s Get Together at BJ’s! 

At BJ’s there’s something for everyone to enjoy: from exciting 

appetizers, signature deep dish pizzas, fresh salads and new 

culinary creations, to Pizookie ® desserts and award-winning 

handcrafted beers. With over 100 menu items, there’s 

something everyone will enjoy. 

® 

“Wow – I love this place!” 

® 

HICKORY HOUSE 

TEL (702)644-3380 

FAX (702)622-3385 

AFTER HOURS 

(702)722-7590 

BJ’S MEDITERRANEAN PIZZA 

AWARD-WINNING HANDCRAFTED BEER 

BALSAMIC GLAZED CHICKEN 

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE PIZOOKIE ® MADE WITH GHIRARDELLI ® 

10840 W. CHARLESTON BLVD., SUMMERLIN • (702) 853-2300 

9520 S. EASTERN AVENUE, HENDERSON • (702) 473-2980 

WWW.BJSRESTAURANTS.COM 

orders@hickoryhouse.us 

www.hickoryhouse.us

NEW Trends 

August 14-16, 2010 

Los Angeles Convention Center 

Los Angeles, California 

Gain a FRESH Perspective on Your Business 

NEW Ideas 

NEW Products 

The ONLY event in California exclusively serving 

the restaurant and foodservice industry. 

Register now at www.westernfoodexpo.com/LVFB! For questions, please call (800) 840-5612. 

— PRESENTING — — SPONSORED BY — 

— PRODUCED & MANAGED BY — — CO-LOCATED WITH —

Food & Beverage Magazine of Las Vegas - LVFNB.com

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