Bouchon Bakery

I know what you're thinking: "What happened to the diabetes?"

Not to worry, everyone: I still have diabetes. Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery was a nice reminder that nothing is entirely off-limits when you have diabetes. It's all about smart portioning. And when it comes to baked goods and pastries, one, small, strategic bite is all you can afford and really need.

A few tips off the top of my head when eating sweets, pastries, and baked goods:

- Don't waste your bites on portions that are all bread and no filling, or all filling and no

bread. Make the bite worth it.

- Make sure this isn't the first thing you're eating; eat a good, hearty, less-carby meal to

slow down the speedy carbs.

- Don't take a bunch of these bites all at the same time. If you want to try a lot of things,

eat the stuff that should be eaten fresh first, then save some of the others for after another

meal or for the next day.

- If you have more than one opportunity to go to that particular bakery, don't order

everything and save some for your next visit.

The space of this particular branch of Bouchon Bakery stands opposite the Phantom box office in The Venetian. The line stays long throughout the day, but the bakery is more of a grab-and-go setup. There's no seating and no formal space to escape the buzz of the casino floor. Though it's not one of my favorite spaces to enjoy a pastry, I enjoyed the street-corner feel of it all. Let's get to the food.

The first thing I looked for when I got there were the Macarons. A couple years ago, Steph C. was thoughtful enough to restrain herself from vacuuming a box of macarons on the drive back to LA from Vegas.

The first thing you notice about the macarons are how large they are. This is what a small child must think a normal macaron looks like. The macaron could literally fill up my entire palm.

From left to right, the flavors were: chocolate, espresso, vanilla, orange, raspberry, and pistachio. My favorite this time around was the vanilla macaron. The flavor was perfectly simple, which really helped to feature the texture of the macaron. The crumbly shell easily gave way to a smooth center. Each chew got progressively chewier. Steph C.'s box came with the same flavors, except there was a lemon macaron instead of an orange one. My favorite from that batch was the lemon one because of its sweet, citric bite.

The bread selection was great, but they were all a little bit disappointing. The pecan pastry was way too sweet, while the almond bread was appropriately sweet, but nothing special. I was looking forward to the croissant the most, but maybe because it wasn't a fresh batch, it was really underwhelming. I'd take a croissant from Cafe Besalu (post coming soon) over what I had at Bouchon Bakery (on that particular day) any day. Because it's Thomas Keller, and because this branch doesn't seem to lend itself to fresher goods, I'd be more than willing to give the pastries another shot at another branch.

Steph C. also saved me a bit of the TKO a couple years ago. How she refrained from gobbling the whole thing without a second thought is still a mystery. My second encounter with this cookie was similar to the first. The smooth white chocolate ganache filling is a worthy substitute for the "white stuff," and the thin, crispy cookies are great in both texture and flavor. The cookie crumbles and mixes with the ganache in the way an Oreo would after being dipped in milk. You can tell that this isn't an Oreo, but every few chews you get a quick glimpse into memories of eating Oreos as a kid.

My favorite item, though, was the Carrot Cake Cookie. The thick cookies themselves are rich, soft, and chewy and are a literal interpretation of a carrot cake. Sandwiched in the middle is a delicious cream meant to mimic the frosting on a carrot cake. The overal effect made this cookie sandwich exceptionally more delicious than most carrot cakes I've had, but it's also one of the heavier renditions of carrot cake I've had. Then again, I didn't purchase this cookie with the intention of having something light and refreshing. In any case, I definitely wouldn't pass up this cookie if you get a chance to hit up a Bouchon Bakery.

I wish I took a picture of the result of all my portioning. It looked like a rat had found its way into the bakery boxes and took tiny bites of everything. I probably looked like a rat while I was eating these, too. Luckily, I had my parents with me to polish off the rest over the next couple days.

There's a lot more I want to try here, and with more branches popping up each year, I'm sure I'll get another chance soon enough.

Bouchon Bakery

The Venetian

3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

(702) 414-6203

http://www.bouchonbakery.com/

GET: Macarons; TKO; Carrot Cake Cookie.

Jaleo

I got the chance to spend the first four days of 2011 in Vegas, and my favorite spot that trip was José Andrés' Jaleo. I really wasn't sure what to expect from the Jaleo empire, but from what I'dexperienced at The Bazaar at the SLS Hotel, I knew I'd be in for a treat. It's rare for this to happen, but I loved every single thing I ate. I didn't get to hit up their back-room tasting menu, but what I had was enough to convince me to set aside the $150 next time and experience é.

The space itself is beautiful. The vibrant colors, spectrum of textures, and artistic layout not only lent itself towards a casual dining experience, but also previewed the food that we were about to enjoy.

But before we could order food, the animated atmosphere got us in the mood for some sangria.

The Sangria de Vino Tinto was welcomingly straightforward and traditional, as if respecting one of Spain's signature drinks. Each soft swig took me back to the months I spent in Madrid and other parts of Spain, drinking either wine, cava, or sangria with nearly every meal. It was refreshing, clean, and easy to drink, but I had to restrain myself from drinking too quickly, not because my parents were there, but because we wanted to save some to drink with the food.

After placing our orders, our food either came out ridiculously fast, or time went by ridiculously fast. Jaleo has a passion and vibrancy to it that leaves very few seconds to boredom. Everything from observing the multiple open kitchens to seeing other people's orders arrive in plates shaped like shoes and hands (seriously) made the entire dining experience undoubtedly unique.

I wanted to order the whole menu, but after discussing our options with the kind waitress, we settled on a handful of dishes.

There was no way I wasn't going to order the Aceitunas Rellenas Aceitunas 'Ferrán Adrià'. This is probably the closest I'll get to a Ferrán Adrià original in the near future. The stuffed homemade olives were amazing, with the roasted piquillo peppers offering a slightly charred base to a nice, briny, and salty kick from the anchovies.

The last time I saw a picture of these liquid olives, they were more of an avocado green color. These, however, were a deep rose color, and were a great way to contrast the rich green color of the homemade olives.

I only sacrificed one of these liquid olives for this picture because the real experience is popping the liquid olive in your mouth. The liquid form allows for the flavor to seep into every taste bud and ride down your throat like honey. The experience is strange at first, but quickly gets addictive. Eating the liquid olives with the homemade olives was a fun way to confuse and give a little jolt to my taste buds in preparation for the rest of the meal.

The Croquetas de Pollo, like the sangria, was a tribute to the simple pleasures of Spanish cuisine. No liquid croquetas came with this dish, but these chicken fritters opened up to contents just as delicious.

The innards, for lack of a better word, were gooey, cheesy, and unreflective of how crispy and perfectly fried its casing was. The chicken was stringy and at times, just as gooey as the rest of the insides. I ate tons of this stuff when I was in Spain, but this was my favorite.

The Ensalada de Coles de Bruselas con Albaricoques, Manzanas y Jamón Serrano was beautiful. Warm, bright, green, fluffy brussel sprout leaves bounced in the plate with apples, apricots, grapes, and Serrano ham. Each brussel sprout leaf was delicious on its own, but the perfect bite was irresistible.

The brightness and texture of the fruits balanced well with the chewy and fatty richness of the Serrano ham, while the slight bitterness of the warm brussel sprouts covered in olive oil added a strong, comforting base to the dish.

I will say that I was disappointed when I saw that the Arroz a Banda con Bogavante didn't come out on a huge paella pan, but the plating was undeniably beautiful.

The lobster was perfect. While some might complain that you have to use your hands to get to the meat, I say grow up and have some fun ripping into the lobster. Tapas are often about finger foods, and this was no exception. The paella rice was texturally perfect, but just a bit too salty. The saltiness didn't stop me though.

At this point, everything we had ordered had made its way out. I looked up at my parents, and they were already waiting for the waitress to bring back the menus, like kids waiting to get on Space Mountain. Though we wanted to order a ton more, we had to limit ourselves to two more items because we had a show to catch.

One of the other things I ate every single day in Spain was white asparagus, so I couldn't pass up the Espárragos Blancos con Limón y Tomillo. One of the chef's signature presentations is in a tin can, which he often does to pay tribute to Spain's renown canned goods. This tin can came with a generous portion of white asparagus deliciously seasoned with lemon and thyme. Sitting on top of the asparagus was an equally generous portion of fluffy strands of Idiazábal cheese. The milky and delicate cheese melted on contact and balanced out the the acidity of the lemon. The thyme added a familiar depth to the bright white asparagus. Every bite was delicious and I quickly found myself scraping the bottom of the can.

Our last dish, Gambas al Ajillo, was also one of the best. The technique behind this Spanish staple is simple: sautée some shrimp with some garlic. This rendition blew my mind.

Each shrimp bursted with garlicky flavor. The dish had a perfect amount of heat coming from some chiles and the simple combination of herbs really added a lot of depth to an already delicious dish. This dish, along with the other more traditional dishes, showcase how José Andrés can stay true to the classics, but still update them in texture, flavor, and presentation.

The word "jaleo" is what Spaniards call the audience's shouts of encouragement during flamenco performances, and this restaurant takes up that term for good reason. The food encapsulates the fiery passion, vibrant showiness, and friendly camaraderie of flamenco, which in turn encapsulates the life and culture of Spain. In other words, through its food and atmosphere, Jaleo reminds the diner of the necessity of good company and a genuine, and sometimes rowdy, passion for life.

Jaleo

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

(702) 698-7950

http://jaleo.com/

GET: As Much of the Menu As You Can Afford or Stomach.

Picasso

Picasso is an institution in the Las Vegas dining scene, featuring Julian Serrano's Spanish and French cuisine. The chef needs no introduction. Julian Serrano is the recipient of multiple Michelin stars, with Picasso raking in two. The restaurant is beautiful and colorful, as if to imitate or translate the work of the restaurant's namesake.

The atmosphere bleeds fine dining, and the walls are adorned with several Picasso masterpieces.

Several of the plates, too, are playful and depart from the more traditional tendency of restaurants to exclusively serve their food on white plate-ware.

My parents and I got the Menu Desgustation.

The meal started off with a Roasted Red Pepper Soup with a Pheasant Croquette. The soup was silky and deep with an undeniable presence of red pepper. The soup went really well with the croquette's crispy exterior and substantive filling. Nothing too mind-blowing, but really great, straightforward preparation and flavors.

The bread plate featured three types of bread: French baguette, bacon and onion, and honey wheat. Honey wheat was by far the most delicious of the three with a great balance of sweet and nutty. The bread also came with a somewhat comical and tacky piece of butter molded with Picasso's signature.

Next was the Maine Lobster Salad with an Apple-Champagne Vinaigrette. The presentation was beautiful, with a playful assortment of differently shaped fruits and vegetables. The lobster was perfectly cooked and the sweet lightness of the vinaigrette added some subtle acidity and brightness to the lobster. I loved how the pieces of avocado went with the lobster, but most of the other fruits and vegetables seemed unnecessary.

The Pan Seared U-10 Day Scallops with a Potato Mousseline and Jus de Veau was good, but the potato mousseline seemed out of place and excessive. The scallop and mousseline separately went really well the jus, but I just didn't get the purpose of eating the scallop and mousseline together, other than having a starch to act as a base for the protein. A purée of something lighter (maybe cauliflower or sunchoke) probably would have fared a little better for me.

Next in line was the Sautéed Steak of "A" Foie Gras with Poached Pears and Huckleberries, Crushed Pistachios, and Lemon Zest. I love foie gras, but only for a few bites. This steak was massive, and while I felt like I was getting more bang for my buck, I didn't appreciate the heaviness of the dish. The foie was perfectly cooked, though, and the pistachios added a soft crunch. Unfortunately, the pistachios also added to the fattiness of the dish, and the heavily poached pears and huckleberries didn't do much to lighten up the dish.

Our next course provided the option of either fish or lamb.

The Sautéed Filet of Turbot with Green Asparagus and Sauce Hollandaise was lighter than the foie, but was still heavy from the hollandaise. The fish was perfect and reminded me of why I like turbot. Though the combination of green asparagus with fish and hollandaise was a little bit boring and one-note, I enjoyed the flavors. I just wish there were more fish on the plate to eat with the four gigantic spears of asparagus.

The Roasted Lamb Chops with Sweet Bell Pepper Farci was heavy as well, but definitely more satisfying than the foie or the fish. Again, the protein was cooked perfectly. The lamb melted in my mouth. Though there wasn't really much of a bell pepper farci, I enjoyed the dish. The mushrooms helped also. Not the most exciting and the flavors were straightforward like many of the other dishes, but the preparation was great.

Before we had a chance to eat our desserts, we were left with a few moments to get reacquainted with the great environment.

Desserts were plentiful, a bit more inventive, and, surprisingly, not too heavy.

The Quince Quartet was beautiful and explored the versatility of quince. First on the left was the Jasmine Ice Cream, which was light, creamy, and addictively similar to the flowery flavor of jasmine tea. Though the ice cream wasn't labeled a quince ice cream, the flavors melded well with the rest of the quince-based theme. The Carbonated Quince Soup was a simple, quince-flavored soda. Calling it a carbonated soup was a little bit pretentious of them, but the flavor was great and not too sweet. The Quince Napoleon was delicate and crumbled at the touch of a feather. This part of the quartet featured how well the subtle flavor of quince can go with chocolate. Again, nice, light, and not too sweet. The Quince-Jasmine Crème Soufflé brought back the first flavor of jasmine and the creaminess of the ice cream. The top was perfectly torched and the contents were smooth and creamy. All of these had incredibly subtle hints of quince, which was a nice way to complement the lightness of all four components. Definitely my favorite dessert of the night.

The Warm Chocolate Fondant came with Caramel and Candy Cashew Ice Cream and Chocolate Covered Cashews. The fondant was thick, but not too heavy, while the ice cream had just the right balance of cashew and caramel to bring a sweet, yet refreshing aspect to the plate. The cashews were alright on their own, but were really there to just add some texture to the dish. Overall, this dessert was my least favorite, but it was still good.

My second favorite dessert of the night was the Frangipane Baked Pear. This came with a Sweet Marsala Sauce and a French Butter Pear Sorbet. Everything about this dish sounded heavy and overly sweet, but the sorbet really helped to lighten the entire dish up. The frangipane was crispy and beautifully toasted and encased a perfectly baked pear that oozed with flavor like a poached egg.

The contents were warm, sweet, and fresh, all at the same time, and when eaten together with the frangipane there was a sweet, nutty effect that reminded me of a warm almond-pear tart. The sorbet was a great way to divide up your bites, despite the fact that it was hard not to devour the entire pear and frangipane encasing all at once.

After enjoying our desserts, we took a moment to admire the roses in the middle of the table. Somehow, without us even noticing, the waiter had slipped in a plate of more sweets. Don't mind if I do.

Nothing stood out, but they were delicious, as far as complimentary sweets go.

Speaking of complimentary, they also gave my parents a box of these guys as we were leaving the restaurant. They were nice and buttery, but less crispy and flaky than I was hoping they would be. Regardless of taste, they were free.

What was difficult to enjoy about Picasso was their generous use of heavy and cliché ingredients. Where restaurants like Hatfield's are using healthier, and honestly, more flavorful alternatives (i.e., sunchoke or cauliflower purée instead of mashed potatoes), Picasso seems to be stuck in the land of the more traditional and conservative. For a restaurant called Picasso, their dishes seemed to be less revolutionary than I thought they would be.

That being said, Picasso probably seems more traditional now mostly because its food is up against an onslaught of modernist cuisine and new American restaurants. You've probably noticed that I used the word "perfect" a lot in this post, and that's because the overall dining experience really was incredible. Service was impeccable, the artwork was unbelievable, preparations were perfect, presentation was artistic, and the food had some truly beautiful moments. And let's not forget the fact that they have seating that overlooks the Bellagio fountain show.

The bill was a hard pill to swallow, but Picasso, truly, thank you for the meal.

Picasso

The Bellagio

3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

(702) 693-7223

http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/picasso.aspx

GET: The Menu Desgustation.