Crazy Pita : Downtown Summerlin

You always read my reviews about new restaurants that open all around the valley, but instead of me writing the review, I wanted to switch it up a little. I'm always open to trying different foods, but I noticed that "foodies" come from a different point of view. It's like they appreciate the time and detail put into the meal more than the average person, making it that much more scrumptious. Because of that, I asked one of the biggest foodies I know to check out Crazy Pita's new restaurant location in Downtown Summerlin. Everyone, I introduce to you, Ms. Pamela Pura.

 

Upon walking into the new Crazy Pita location in the new Downtown Summerlin Mall, the owner, Mehddi warmly welcomed us with a friendly smile, handshake, & a bunch of beverage selections. My friend & I only asked for water which is usually the most simplest choice. Surprisingly, the owner offered us a variety selection of water types. I only drink water whenever I go out  to eat & I have never had so many options of different types of water. EVER.

For the appetizers we were served Pita bread with hummus, eggplant dip, artichoke hearts, roasted red bell peppers, feta salad, and grape leaves with tazki. My oh my, my taste buds were set for a week! Every. Single. One of these appetizers are more than satisfying. And their Pita bread.... Oh golly!! Warm, soft, & chewy. The best Pita bread I have EVER had. If you're okay with eating plain bread then you'll fall in LOVE with their Pita bread. No dip partner needed for these babies. Obviously, I fell into deep heavenly love with their appetizers. So deep into love that I nearly forgot to make room for the other entrees!

 

 

For the main entrees Crazy Pita served us with chicken, shrimp, & beef skewers, kefta, and falafel. Out of the 3 of these entrees my complete favorite was the kefta! Personally, I'm not a fan of red meat. Honestly, I was a pretty hesitant to try the kefta because it contained ground beef. However, with the fact that I was attending on behalf of Ashley, I couldn't let her nor her followers down. So I sucked up my food-preference pride & took a bite of the kefta. Oh..... My.... Goodness..... My dislike for red meat changed for this one dish. Tender & flavorful. Definitely a melt-in-your-mouth delight!

 

 

As much as I wanted to devourer the kefta I had remind myself to keep some room left for the sweetest part of the meal: dessert. Keeping our meals sweet & simple Crazy Pita served baklava. I've tried many other baklavas before. From store bought to homemade. Every single baklava that I've had were either too sweet &/or too sticky. Overly sweet treats are  not close to being my forte. Crazy Pita's baklava are lip-smackin' good! Not too sweet, not that sticky. My kind of dessert!

 

 

Crazy Pita definitely (& obviously) has crazy good food but the company itself is far more than that. The owner works with a local charity called "Be Kind Like Josh (a.k.a. the Josh Stevens Foundation)" to help remind people to always be kind to one another. The foundation's mission statement is "To recognize and celebrate heartfelt kind acts" & believe that "Genuine kindness born in the heart of a child deserves celebration." T-shirts from the foundation are being sold at the Las Vegas Crazy Pita locations. Mehddi, often helps the Be Kind Like Josh Foundation buy donating some of the company's profit to the charity.

 

 

Aside from stuffing your face with amazing food you may also be helping a wonderful foundation that recognizes the pureness of being kind. So the next time you plan on going out for something to eat be sure to check out Crazy Pita! Its perfect for friendly get togethers, family dining, lunch breaks, dates, etc. Just be sure to wear some stretchy pants or anything loose/flowy prior to heading there. Trust me, you're gonna need the room!

Yumz Las Vegas

Summer is in full swing and temps are hitting 100+ degrees here in Vegas. Most people are hibernating in their A/C filled home, but not us! People always wonder how Las Vegans make it through these dry heat summers. I'll give you a hint.....FROYO! I'm been obsessed with frozen yogurt from the get-go, but let me tell ya, Yumz has brought my addiction to a whole other level. I was invited to their Grand Opening celebration to sample their products complimentary, however, all thoughts and opinions in this post are 100% my own.

Starting out in my hometown state of Illinois, Yumz has migrated to the West Coast and opened their first Las Vegas location. Yumz Las Vegas opened their doors on May 2nd, 2014 and I had the pleasure of meeting both Tanner Hodson, General Manager, as well as John Barnes, co-founder of Yumz. Both of them were so humble, which made me love their establishment even more.

John Barnes, co-founder of Yumz

They offer a self-serve concept which allows customers to fill their cup with any gourmet frozen yogurt flavor, add a variety of toppings, weigh it and then love it. Not only does their froyo have the creamy consistency of ice cream, but it's also only 85 to 100 calories per serving!! Woot woot! They have also mastered all of their 50+ flavors to be fat free, gluten free, kosher certified, and packed with probiotics. Their Greek flavors even provide a whopping 7g of protein per serving. Walking into Yumz, you'll notice that they offer about 14 different flavors at a time and they rotate the flavors about every two weeks so everyone can experience their wide array of flavors. They're sectioned off into four different categories: tart, regular, no sugar added, and sorbet so there's a little something for everyone. Their toppings bar is the most extensive one I've seen at any frozen yogurt place! Anything you can dream of: cereal, candy, fresh fruit, popping boba, nuts (which are separated for people who may have nut allergies), whipped cream, and even Ghirardelli chocolate and caramel flavored sauce. Yea I know, Yumz is right!

They also have a party room, which I think is genius! It can accommodate up to 30 guests and you have two party room options:

1. "The Room" Package: You can rent the room itself for just $100 for 2 hours and bring your own food. Tanner also has connections with the local restaurants adjacent to Yumz if you needed catering help. This package is great for things such as after-season soccer celebrations or club meetings where you just want a space to gather, eat, and mingle. $50 for each additional hour. (froyo not included)
2. The "Froyo" Package: Pay $15 per person and that price will include unlimited Yumz frozen yogurt along with the party space for a two hour time span.This is great package to host a birthday party among other celebrations. I mean 2 hours of unlimited froyo for $15?! It's a no-brainer. $50 for each additional hour.

There's even a TV in the party room to stream you favorite movie. Ahem, Frozen lovers. *sigh* All this talk about Yumz is making me crave it again. It's OK though, it's a healthy snack for me and I joined their Frequent Filler Club so I get rewarded every time I go. It's free to join and you just swipe your card every time you go to earn your rewards. It'll save you $2 on any shirt or hat, and you earn 1 point for every ounce of yogurt purchased. After you purchase 100 ounces, you’ll get a free 6 ounce yogurt. After 500 ounces, you’ll get a free Yumz shirt. What's are my favorite flavors you ask? Hmm, that's a trick question isn't it? If I had to choose, so far I love NY Cheesecake, Oatmeal Cookie, and Watermelon Cooler. JAM recommends Oatmeal Cookie, Chocolate, and Cake Batter. Look out for Yumz's seasonal flavors during the holidays like Egg Nog, Gingerbread, and Pumpkin Pie.

Check out their other awesome deals!

For more information about Yumz, please visit their website http://www.yumzfrozenyogurt.com/.

 Follow Them!
Yumz on Facebook
Yumz Las Vegas' Facebook
Twitter: @YumzFroyo
Instagram: @YumzFrozenYogurt

If you're ever in the Las Vegas area, be sure to visit their awesome location:
Yumz Gourmet Frozen Yogurt
6135 S. Fort Apache Rd. Suite #400
Las Vegas, NV 89148
(702) 201-1155

Cafe Zupas

A couple weeks ago JAM and I were invited to the Grand Opening of Cafe Zupas in Summerlin for a blogging event. Since I have family on the other side of town in Henderson, I've passed by their other location in Nevada plenty of times but never had the chance to stop by. I honestly didn't know what to expect but with the word "cafe" in their name I wasn't expecting extravagant dining. JAM and I arrived and they had the red carpet and velvet ropes laid out for us. The event was in full swing when we arrived and saw a few familiar blogger faces through the window. There were Cafe Zupas greeters when we approached the door providing us with their menu and answering any questions we had about it. I was told that the Chicken Enchilada Chili and Tomato Basil are their popular soups, Nuts About Berries is a popular salad, and their BBQ Pulled Pork is a popular sandwich.

Glancing at the menu, my first impression what the food options and meal deal set up was a little similar to Panera Bread. One thing I did love was that they offered a great kid's menu. Once inside, we waited in line and you kind of move down the line in a cafeteria fashion. I was wonderfully surprised with the overall layout of the restaurant. The menus were clean-cut, modern, well-lit and big on the wall. Looking down the line, the food is visible to see behind a glass wall. Everything looked VERY fresh and definitely tempted my taste buds. The whole staff was professional, friendly, and upbeat. Approaching the counter they offered a sample of any soups that you'd like try. All the toppings for the sandwiches and salads are laid out for you to choose, and the line finishes off with a case full of scrumptious desserts. Since it was a blogging event, all the food was complimentary to us, but all of the opinions I provide are my own.

I ordered a turkey bacon avocado sandwich and a half soup of the chicken enchilada chili as part of a meal deal (choose two of any of the following: a sandwich, half soup, half salad for $7.99). JAM ordered from the kids menu and chose a grilled cheese with a side of a fruit cup for $3.99. Both of our meals had a nice touch of a complimentary chocolate-covered strawberry placed on the side of our meal. JAM absolutely loved his meal. The fruit was real fresh and his grilled cheese was to his liking. I ate the turkey bacon avocado sandwich first, and in my opinion it was OK. I'm a meat lover so I love my sandwiches packed with meat, but I guess for a panini sandwich I should of expected it to be as flat as it was. The chicken enchilada chili, however, knocked it out the park! That's was the deal breaker right there for me. This soup was AH-MAZING! I forgot to mention that even though it was a half soup, it was half a big bowl of soup, NOT just a cup of soup as I expected. I shared it with JAM and he agreed on the awesomeness of the flavor.

To finish off, JAM and I both chose a creme brûlée for dessert. Being the chocolate lover that he is, JAM chose the Chocolate Hazelnut Creme Brûlée w/ Cinnamon Almonds and the Salted Caramel Creme Brûlée was calling my name. They had other amazing desserts in their case, and I can't wait to go back and try their Sinful 7 Chocolate Cake. These creme brûlées definitely hit the spot. Mind you, I have a super sweet tooth so the salted caramel creme brûlée was right up my alley, but for people like Mahal who isn't in to super sweet desserts, I think he might of gotten a tooth ache from this sweet goodness. I, personally, died and went to heaven when eating the dessert. Cafe Zupas definitely gets an A+ in my book. It was a family-friendly environment, with great tasting menu choices at affordable prices. Check it out and thank me later!

Which menu item has you drooling from Cafe Zupas?

Blogging Event: Johnny Rockets Las Vegas

What a fun way to kick off my 1 year blogiversary with an actual blogging event! I've been getting my feet wet with attending movie screenings as "Press" in the past, but I actually got the courage and opportunity to attend my 1st blogging event! I was invited to join Johnny Rockets in celebrating their 27th Anniversary at their Flamingo Hotel location. Many veteran bloggers and Johnny Rockets staff (Rocketeers) welcomed me with open arms and I had a blast.

Johnny Rockets is located in the Flamingo Hotel's food court and you could immediately find it because it's the only restaurant there with the diner feel. I was greeted with so many friendly faces and yummy food and drinks. As I checked in to the event, there was a lady there creating art out of ketchup! How cool is that?!

The restaurant is known for their all-American favorites like their juicy 1/3-pound hamburgers, crispy American fries, classic sandwiches, and rich, delicious hand-dipped shakes and malts. They had servers walking around with samples of each, and every thing I sampled was a little piece of heaven. There was a Rocketeer dressed in a cute shake costume handing out shake and samples. She was definitely the tray to look out for all night. Surprisingly I liked the chocolate shake more than the strawberry! You all know I'll eat almost anything if it involves strawberries, and I'll choose strawberries over any other flavor any day but the chocolate shake was so rich and creamy. Regardless, both were super yummy. I did see a cookies & cream shake floating around but every time she got back to me they'd be gone. I'd take that as another yummy shake to add to the list ha ha.

After quick blogger mingling and food sampling, the President and CEO of Johnny Rockets, John Fuller, and President of the International Division, Steve Devine introduced themselves and told us a little about the company. Aside from the Las Vegas Strip, I see Johnny Rockets at our local mall and JAM always wants to eat there because the dancing employees that always grasp his attention. BUT, Did you know that Johnny Rockets is an international company and they're even found on cruise ships?! How cool is that? Mr. Fuller said that a Johnny Rockets can be found in 30 states, 20 countries, and 11 Royal Caribbean cruise ships. We also got to meet the owner of this local Johnny Rockets franchise and he explained that in addition to the 2 mall and 3 casino locations they already have in Las Vegas, they plan to open up even more in the near future.

I also got the opportunity to step into their kitchen and get a 20-minute Grillology lesson. P.S. Thank God their burgers aren't flame-broiled because the half a can of hairspray holding up my sock bun wouldn't have been too happy hehe. Anyways, they had two managers show us how to properly grill their burger and achieve their perfectly toasted bun to pair it with. All of their burgers are made fresh to eat. You can order a burger with ground beef, ground turkey, chicken breast or even Boca Burger. They season it with their secret seasoning that contains 38 different seasons and spices. The key to a juicy burger is to only flip the burger ONCE (I need to tell Mahal that hehe). I was super close to the cooked burger so I was low-key drooling the whole time she was describing the process because of all the wonderful aromas. The other manager then explained that their burgers are paired with a potato bun from a local bakery and taught us how to properly toast their buns. All of this explaining of burgers made me want to go find the Rocketeer walking around with the tray and have another sample.

We topped off the event with a fun dance session. That is JAM's favorite thing about the restaurant so that was something I was looking forward to all night so that I could show JAM the cool new moves mommy learned. I personally ended up not dancing since they had enough participants, but it was fun to watch my blogger friends do a little disco and chicken dancing. Johnny Rockets sealed the night with letting us cut into that creative hamburger and fries cake they had displayed throughout the night. It was a pleasure celebrating 27 years with Johnny Rocket at the Flamingo Hotel, and I can't wait to take Mahal and JAM there so they can try all the yummy things I keep raving about!

Who said Bloggers don't know how to have fun?

Follow Johnny Rockets!

*Instagram

*Pinterest

*Facebook

*Twitter

 

What's your favorite thing to eat and/or drink at Johnny Rockets?

Vegas Family Vacation: Finding Dining Options Locally

First of all I just wanted to thank all my loyal readers! I know I've been slacking this month with so much going on but every time I peak in, I see the support. I definitely appreciate you all. Well, the holidays are definitely in full force, and although there has been a lot of tragedy and crazy things going on around the world, it's still the season of reflection, family and PRESENTS!! If you guys didn't know, I have a HUGE family. That, paired with being Filipino means there will be TONS of food this up coming week. This year our natural routine is changing up a bit for Christmas. My mom and step dad are flying out to Vegas to be with us! I'm so excited! This also means that we'll all be driving out to Cali to meet up with my mom's brother since it's a rare occasion to be with family for him too (Us west coasters are always forced to fly to Chicago since there's more of them over there).

Before all that loveliness happens, I still have 3 days of my mom's 6 day vacation to entertain her. When people come and visit, they're always so quick to find a place to eat on the Strip, especially since I live down the street from there. However, there's so many local options that are just as great, if not better! My mom and step dad arrive tomorrow night, and directly from the airport we're heading to Yama Sushi. It's one of my favorite, if not thee favorite place of mine for sushi. They have this option where for $25 the whole menu is unlimited (from appetizers to dessert). When my cousin first introduced this place to me, I admit, I was a little skeptical about paying $25 per person. However, this place is awesome! Everything is yummy in my opinion and with the rising cost of sushi, you definitely get your money's worth (at least I do hehe). Plus, who doesn't love unlimited mochi?!

Speaking of seafood, there are sooooo many buffets that Vegas has to offer, and with my aunt being a buffet addict, I've tried basically every last one of them. I have to say though, my most favorite one overall would have to be the seafood dinner at Studio B Buffet in the M resort. I am disappointed that they no longer offer the $3 off coupon with a player's card and they basically doubled in price since they first opened, making this buffet $40 per person. HOWEVER, if you have the money, give this place a try and thank me later. Mahal gets his money's worth by taking advantage of the crabs and complimentary beer, but I absolutely adore the food. Fat moment I know, but there's honestly nothing that I've eaten at this buffet that I didn't like. They have so many hot and cold seafood options, prime rib, stir fry, soups, salads, and the list goes on and on. Not to mention they're AMAZING dessert section with gelato and creme brulee. YUM! I do warn you, like most Las Vegas buffets there is an incredible wait time so I suggest you arrive once they open for dinner. My family usually goes later on in the day around 7pm and tend to wait on average for 2 hours. This is also considering we always come with a minimum of 10 people so we have to wait for enough tables to seat us all. Do not let this kill your hopes of trying this place out. Bring a group or something to occupy your time. I'm telling you, it's worth the wait!

Mango gelato and a canoli. Yum!

 
If you're looking for more of a breakfast type setting, Hash House a Go Go is definitely my go-to place. They're know for their ginormous portion sizes, but they food is as great tasting as it looks. They have a great variety of breakfast/lunch items and are average priced with items mostly between $10-$15. Definitely come with an empty stomach when eating here. The wait can be a little long (about 30-40 minutes) on the weekends, but you'll leave with a happy belly. A little FYI, I personally don't like the taste of rosemary so if you agree, ask them not to add it to your food. They add a bushel to your food for decoration, but I can always strongly taste it wherever they stick it in. You'll know what I mean because it'll look like a mini pine tree just grew out of your biscuit.

Look how thick my french toast is in the upper right photo!

If you're a little more simple with your eating choices and love a yummy burger like Mahal, you can never go wrong with Red Robin. Not only are they family friendly but all they're burgers are great tasting. Pair that with their bottomless fries and a freckled lemonade (with fresh strawberries *drools*) and you're set!

Now, considering I'm originally from Chicago where all of our food is the best, you'd understand why I was on the hunt to find good quality Chicago-esque food the moment I moved here. Let me tell ya, this was (as still is) not an easy task. Most of them who claim to be authentic Chicago food didn't compare, and the ones that did were charging waaaay too much for it. After much searching we found a little piece of heaven named Amore- Taste of Chicago. No other place in Vegas (that I know of) sells Chicago-style deep dish pizza. I have to admit, the first time we ate there Mahal and I agreed that there was a little something missing that we couldn't quite put out finger on. However, this is probably the closest a Las Vegan will get to experiencing a Chicago pizza in Las Vegas. Inside I guarantee you'll find tons of fellow Chicagoans and reminisce on all the great eateries around our great city of Chicago. Now, if only I could find a great pizza puff that didn't cost me an arm and a leg. NO, not a calzone people. A pizza puff. I'm always looking for great eats around the valley! Where are some of your favorite places to eat at?

Are you planning on eating at home or at a restaurant for the holidays?

Vegas Family Vacation: Dining

Posting a recipe the other day got my gears turning on dining options with the family. One of the most common questions from tourists is "Where's a good place to eat?". Everyone's first instinct is finding a place on the strip, but it can get fairly pricey to eat on the Strip your whole stay so I usually recommend a few local places to eat to balance their budget. The Strip has some of the finest cuisine that you will ever see. However, it's not always the most family friendly. I personally don't think JAM is capable of eating $40 worth of food no matter what it is. He'll eat a steak and lobster with no problem, but he's usually satisfied with just chicken nuggets and fries. Although there is a Mcdonald's on the Strip, the prices are a little higher than a regular Mcdonald's and they don't offer a dollar menu. No worries, there are plenty of other restaurant options nearby.

If you're looking for fast food, just head down West Flamingo Road and you'll find all the fast food that your heart desires. Sonics, McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Arby's, Wendy's, Fat Burger, Subway, Starbucks...the list goes on and on. You'll find it all on W. Flamingo Road between Las Vegas Blvd. and Rainbow Blvd. If In-N-Out is what you're craving that's not too far either. It's right on the corner of I-15 and W. Tropicana Ave. Have a little fun by ordering off their "secret menu", and as a souvenir for the kiddos ask for stickers and In-N-Out hats (the same the servers wear).

In-N-Out Burgers. YUM!

If you're craving Chinese food, Las Vegas' Chinatown is nearby too. I must warn you, coming from Chicago where Chinatown was an actual town, Las Vegas' chinatown is A LOT smaller. Just head down Las Vegas Blvd. to Spring Mountain Road to see it. Heading down W. Spring Mountain Road you'll see a few plazas filled with stores and restaurants. My favorite place to get some boba tea is Tea Station. If you're looking for something quick and yummy check out Lee's Sandwiches ( FYI: they're open 24 hours!). If you want more of a restaurant feel I suggest trying Korean Garden BBQ Restaurant. Their bulgogi (Sliced Tender Beef Seasoned Korean Style) is AMAZING.

Tea Station yumminess!

A couple other places you have as an option is by the outlet mall and at Town Square. If you head down S. Las Vegas Blvd. past the Mandalay Bay hotel you see Town Square. They offer lovely restaurants like California Pizza Kitchen, Texas de Brazil, and Claim Jumpers. Keep going down Las Vegas Blvd. and your see restaurants galore at the Las Vegas Premium Outlets - South. If you can't find something to eat here, you're either not hungry or you're just no looking. Buffalo Wild Wings, Raising Cane's, Tropical Smoothie, Outback Steakhouse, IHOP, Chili's, Burger King, Chipotle, Panda Express...it's all here. Plus, being near the outlet gives you an excuse to see what's inside since your there already hehe.

Buffalo Wild Wings Galore!

If you absolutely want to stay on the Strip to dine, that's ok! There's a good amount of affordable places to eat right on the Strip. There is the Rainforest cafe and is probably the most family friendly restaurant on the Strip. If all the animals and rainstorm isn't appealing to you, you can never go wrong with eating at a buffet. My go-to buffet is the Carnival World Buffet at the Rio Hotel, but other popular buffets are at the Bellagio, Planet Hollywood, Paris, and Aria in Citycenter. Serendipity 3 is also a nice restaurant inside Caesars Palace where you can grab a table at their outside patio and get a cute view of the Strip. If you're looking for tasty American cuisine, check out this restaurant owned my Wolfgang Puck in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, Spago. A family-favorite of ours in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace is TREVI Italian restaurant. The views of the fountain are beautiful, the service in impeccable, and the food is amazingly delicious. If you're traveling with an adult-filled crowd you may want to visit Dick's Last Resort in the Excalibur hotel. It's a real laid back enviroment with great tasting food, however, to eat at this place you have to keep an open mind. The server's are known for their rowdy and have sassy behavior. They love to deliver a side order of friendly sarcasm and clever wisecracks, but don't take it personally, it's all a part of the experience at Dick's. Last but not least, check out the eateries at Fashion Show Mall. Most people don't even recognize the mall on the Strip, but it's the building that looks like a silver spaceship from afar. They have your typical food court restaurants as well as yummy dine-in restaurants like Maggiano's.

Eating with my cousin and her family at Rainforest Cafe.

Your food options are endless in Vegas and I call still go on and on, but I know tourists don't like to veer too far off the Strip. As a little tip on the buffets, they there's a package for a two-night stay and two Buffet of Buffets. It's a 24 hour pass where you can enjoy all day access to five of the most spectacular Caesars Citywide buffets starting at $52/night for the package. These buffets include: Bacchanal (Caesars Palace), Spice Market Buffet (Planet Hollywood), Le Village Buffet (Paris Las Vegas), Paradise Garden Buffet (Flamingo), Carnival World Buffet (Rio), Flavors (Harrah's Las Vegas), and Village Seafood Buffet (The Rio) Upgrade fee applies to Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace and Village Seafood Buffet at Rio Las Vegas per person per visit. Bon Appétit!