Water Grill, Las Vegas

Las Vegas has no shortage of dining options, ranging from the high end would-be-Michelin-starred (if Vegas still had Michelin stars) to those with celebrity chefs at the helm to every chain restaurant you can desire.  You want it, Vegas has it.  So we had no shortage of choice when looking for a restaurant for our group of about 15 people our first night in town.

Our organizers settled on Water Grill, which thrilled me, as it is seafood focused (as you may have guessed by the name), had an incredible menu, and gets pretty stellar reviews.  I was delighted.  I found out later that Water Grill is a small chain, with locations in a few places in southern California, along with one each in Denver and Seattle, and obviously, one in Las Vegas.  I was unfamiliar with the brand before now.

Our group was large, but we were not required to do any kind of fixed menu, which I appreciated.  Sometimes with a large group ordering a la carte from the main menu though there are issues with food actually arriving around the same time since people are getting such different things, or with dishes being served at improper temperatures (e.g. hot food lukewarm as it was clearly sitting waiting for the rest of the dishes to be ready, etc), but we did not have those problems.  Service otherwise though was quite inconsistent - sometimes attentive, but other times, we went a long time with no drink refills, nor even the ability to flag someone down to order more, as they just never looked our way.  The restaurant was busy, but not overwhelmingly so, so this was a slight mark against them.

Besides the uneven service, and strict policy around seating groups only once everyone was there, I found the experience quite good.  The food was fairly exceptional, and I'd gladly return.  The best seafood meal I've had in a long time.  To give an indication of how good the savory food was, I left, completely satisfied and happy, without getting dessert (granted, that was partially because it had gotten pretty late, but, even though I had looked at the dessert menu in advance, and really did want nearly any of the desserts too, I didn't leave feeling wanting, and that is remarkable for sweet tooth me!).

Setting

The Las Vegas Water Grill location is located inside the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, which honestly is fairly charming, although it is a bit of a maze of a mall, and can be a touch tricky to find and navigate inside.

Curb Appeal!

It is located on what basically a charming outdoor street ... but, indoors (note the fake sky).

Entrance.

The restaurant is fairly large, with a bar area, and waiting area.  They seem to have a very strict policy around not seating your party until nearly everyone is there, just, FYI.  We had some stragglers, so were not allowed to sit (even though our table was ready, and the restaurant not very busy) until most were there.  Strangely, they didn't try to get us to order drinks or start a tab while we waited in this area.

Drinks 

The cocktail menu really jumped out at me, with so many very interesting drinks made with spirits I enjoy (e.g. not just rum, vodka, etc), so I skipped the wine list and went right for a cocktail. 

A Night in Osaka. $18.50.

"Suntory 'Toki' whiskey, Amaro Nonino, amontillado sherry, maple syrup & grapefruit bitters ... served up."

This was very tasty.  Strong bitter and citrus notes, balanced by a bit of natural maple sweetness.  Not a booze forward cocktail, although it definitely had plenty in it, as I felt it faster than expected.  Just really well crafted and balanced.

I really enjoyed, and would get again.  ****.

Appetizers

The menu at Water Grill is really quite large.  The menu is a book.  And three full pages of it are all starter / appetizer / share plates to begin your meal.  

Here you'll find everything from a decent sushi lineup (which, my group did get a few rolls, but I didn't try them because they have avocado, and I wasn't able to snap a photo as they were placed further away on the table anyway, but, folks seemed to like them), to a substantial raw bar (with a zillion kinds of oysters), to a ton of chilled shellfish options (multiple kinds of crab claws, plus dungeness crab or king crab nuggets if you prefer, lobster, urchin, mussels, scallops, etc, etc), available as platters with a combo of items too (we skipped all this due to budget reasons), to some salads, chowder, and a bunch of cooked apps. 

I was excited by much of these sections, and would have gladly tried most things.  We settled on 3 cooked appetizers, and the aforementioned sushi rolls for the group. 

Bread Service (Complimentary).

Bread was brought to us moments after we sat, before we had ordered any drinks, nor even received water.  It was served warm.

I knew this was sourdough, which I dislike, so I only took a small piece that someone else had ripped off.  It was delightfully hot, and I liked the shiny top and large salt crystals on top, but, but alas, yes, very sourdough.  The rest of the group seemed to enjoy.  Nice quality butter as well.

*** for me, because I can appreciate that it was a well made roll, just not one for me.

Wild Spanish Octopus. $26.

"Charcoal grilled with fingerling potato, niçoise olives, roasted tomato, lemon and olive oil."

Octopus!

I was very excited for this.  I had heard it was a signature dish, and, well, I love octopus.  I knew I wouldn't love the accompaniments, as I don't care for olives or cooked tomato, and although I like potatoes, in this form isn't really how I find them enjoyable, but with so many raves of how well prepared the octopus is, I still eagerly dug in.

It was ... fine.  It was a very attractive dish, a large tentacle, lovingly arranged.  But it really didn't have the char and grilled element I expected, and wanted, from a charcoal grilled item.  It wasn't too tough or chewy, but I didn't find it particularly tender either.  Basically, pretty average octopus.

As expected, the Mediterranean sides weren't really my thing.  I wanted an aioli or something with it.  Also, NOT listed on the menu was the fact that the accompaniments included pine nuts, and after my experience with pine mouth syndrome about 10+ years ago, I am frankly terrified of them, and avoid at all costs, so this was a big deterrent for me, and something I wish they had included in the description, because I would have tried to have them left out.

The only real letdown of the meal, both because I had read such great other reviews, and because it just wasn't anything notable.  ***.

Crisp Calamari. $22.

"Harissa aioli and cilantro-mint sweet chili sauce."

The group also ordered calamari.  I tried it.  It was also fine?  The breading didn't fall off to easily, it didn't dominate, so all good there.   The calamari within wasn't too chewy.  I think I wasn't quite in the mood for it, but also, we had so many other stellar dishes coming, this one was a bit boring in comparison.  It would have benefited from a lemon to squeeze over it as well (and interestingly, this was the only dish I found lacked acid).

Still, no complains about the actual execution of the dish.  ***+.

Harissa Aioli / Cilantro-Mint Sweet Chili Sauce.
(for calamari).

The cilantro-mint sweet chili sauce sounded more interesting than it was.  It still just was a sweet chili sauce, which for me, was too sweet with the calamari.  The aioli was fine.  

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake. $25.

"Celery root remoulade."

I love crab, obviously, as I have a label devoted to it on my blog.  I wasn't actually planning to get the crab cake at Water Grill though, because, well, everywhere in Vegas has crab cakes.  I'm glad someone decided to get several for the table, because this was fantastic.  

I struggle to explain exactly why it was so good.  It wasn't a lump style with huge pieces of crab, although it had very little filler, it was mostly shredded.  It had a light breadcrumb coating and was lightly crispy.  Moist inside.  It was really well seasoned, and used extremely fresh high quality crab.  It was just really shockingly tasty, when it looked so standard.  ****+ crab cake.

The remoulade under it was creamy, balanced it well, had a nice acidity, excellent pairing.  ****.

And finally, the little side vegetable that was pickles and red onions, nice for a bit of crispness, and more acidity, but not particularly mind blowing.  ***+.

Tied for second favorite dish of the meal, and one I'd absolutely go back for.  Recommend with no hesitation.  I gleefully took seconds and thirds when others slowed down.

Specials

The daily menu had a few whole roasted fish (your choice of charcoal grilled or oven roasted), priced per pound, including several kinds of bream (pink or black), dover sole, and black sea bass.  But my eyes were quickly drawn to the other specials, all featuring first of the season halibut.

First of Season Wild Pacific Halibut Specials.

There were two appetizer choices (roasted cheeks or tail), or a seared filet as an entree.  The entree dish did sound very appealing, served with spring peas, braised leeks, and a lemon velouté, all things I enjoy, but I actually wanted something a bit smaller, so went for one of the appetizers instead.

I was very, very pleased with my choice.

Pan Roasted Wild Pacific Halibut Cheeks. $23.

"Braised fennel, brown butter lemon sauce."

I went for the appetizer dish, the halibut cheeks, as my main course, given that we had so many other appetizers, and I knew others would have more to share too.  The portion was perfect for me at that point.

This dish was absolutely incredible.  I'll just start with that.  Incredible.  

The sauce ... ZOMG.  I'm a sucker for a good cream sauce, and this was a very good cream sauce.  So much depth to it too, from the brown butter.  It looked slightly broken, but I think that may have been additional brown butter drizzled on top.  Adored the sauce, really.  ****+.

And then the halibut cheeks.  What a lovely treat.  I haven't had cheeks all that many times, but I adore them when I do.  It reminded me slightly of monkfish cheek, but more delicate.  Slightly stringy in a way that mirrors crab, but, not quite.  Tender.  Mild.  Sweet.  Just, such a delicious protein.  Nothing I would change about the halibut cheeks.  ****+.

The braised fennel was just one small piece.  I would have liked more.  There may have been fennel in the sauce too?

Anyway, stunning dish.  Blew me away.  A rare protein to see on a menu, and just really allowed to shine.  Best dish of the night.  Get this.  ****+.

Sides

Since I was getting just an appetizer as my main, I also opted to get a side dish (and suggested a few for the table).

Sides.

I liked the sound of most of the sides: mac & cheese at a great restaurant can be incredible, and this had 7 (!) cheeses, brussels I always like, but these were even further enhanced with bacon & chestnuts, and I'm a sucker for great mashed potatoes.  But I adore asparagus, and it was just coming into season, so that was a no brainer.

Vegetarian sides are $14, those with some meat are $15.

Sautéed Asparagus Gremolata. $14.

I really enjoyed this.  Nice char to it, cooked on the grill, even though the menu said sautéed (even better!)?  Perfectly tender, no woodsy stems, very fresh tasting.  Early season asparagus, just, shining.   The gremolata accented it well.

My forth favorite dish, but again, one I recommend with zero hesitation.  ****+.

Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes. $14.

Others ordered the mashed potatoes as a side, and when there was extra, of course I tried it.  This was crazy rich mash, which you can kinda tell just by looking at it, but it too was very very good.  

I was too stuffed at that point to truly appreciate, but, far above average mash, and I'd gladly get it again.  Fifth favorite dish?  ****.

Mains

And then, the main courses.  Another few pages on the menu.  Here you'll find a couple token sandwiches (burger, lobster roll), crustaceans (Dungeness crab, king crab legs, lobster),a slew of seafood options (ranging from Italian shrimp scampi or cioppino, to fish & chips, to Mediterranean style swordfish, Asian style black cod with soba, and many, many more.  Just pick your seafood, and they likely have a well curated dish with it. These dishes all generally have a specific sauce, side, and garnish.  And finally, for the non-seafood eaters, some meat: filet mignon in several sizes, new york strip, rib eye, yadda yadda, or, of course, the token grilled chicken.

The rest of my group selected regular main dishes for themselves individually, and all but one opted for seafood.  As I expected, others had plenty of extra, and let me try a few things.  I didn't get photos of all of them though, as our table was long.

Wild Ross Sea Chilean Sea Bass. $55.

"Butternut squash gnocchi, sage brown butter."

The sea bass was the dish I would have ordered if getting a full size entree myself (besides the special halibut), so I was delighted that multiple others got it, and had extra.

They raved about the fish, but said the gnocchi was just fine.  I still tried the gnocchi and actually really liked it, and think they didn't give it enough love.  I don't even consider myself someone who is generally excited by gnocchi.  It had a lovely sweetness to it from the butternut, was soft and fluffy inside, and lightly lightly crispy on the exterior.  Pretty much as good as a gnocchi really can be.  The extra butternut squash puree on the plate reinforced the flavors and sweetness, and added a lovely creamy element.  High **** for these components, maybe even ****+.

The sea bass really was expertly cooked.  Perfect sear.  Moist inside.  Mild flavor.  Infused with sage brown butter.  Yup.  Excellent dish.  My other dish tied for second place, along with those crab cakes.  I'd gladly have it again too.  ****.

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Hattie B's Las Vegas

Hattie B's Hot Chicken is a Nashville based fried chicken small chain, with locations in 5 states, including Las Vegas, where I discovered them.  I wasn't familiar with the brand before this visit.  Hattie B's Vegas location is located in a higher end food court (er, "Block 16 Urban Food Hall") of the Cosmopolitan Hotel, along with a number of other great looking places, and many with acclaimed chefs (Bang Bar by David Cheng, Momofuku, Milk Bar, China Poblano by chef José Andrés, etc).

"Plump, juicy birds flavored down to the bone no matter your heat level.  Southern sides scratch-made daily. Ice-cold beer from your favorite local breweries. Top it all off with creamy banana pudding or peach cobbler for dessert."

The menu is not particularly extensive.  Fried chicken (wings, tenders, thighs, as sandwiches or not, in a variety of heat levels, with dipping sauces) is the focus, along with both cold and warm sides, and a few appetizers (fried pickles, loaded fries) and desserts.

I focused on the sides, as I am not a chicken person, and I had other desserts already lined up (otherwise, I definitely had my eyes on that banana pudding!). Hot sides include fries (crinkle cut), pimento mac & cheese, southern greens, and grits, but I had my eyes on the cold options.  All sides (at this location) cost $5 (a la carte), or come with any of the meals.

I really enjoyed my sides, and would gladly return to try more of the menu, in particular, I really want to try the mac and cheese and the aforementioned pudding.

Creamy Cole Slaw. $5.

"Shredded carrots, red and white cabbage, tossed in homemade sweet and tangy dressing. Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Dairy Free."

This was very good slaw.  Crispy, fresh, not over dressed, well seasoned.  Definitely above average.  Simple, but well executed. ***+.

Red Skinned Potato Salad. $5.

"Creamy red-skinned potato salad with hickory-smoked bacon, fresh chives and parsley. Gluten Free."

After the success of the slaw, I returned the next day to get potato salad to go along with my lunch, even though I'm not usually one for red skinned.  

This was a very distinct potato salad.  It was served skin on as expected, with a variety of sizes of potato hunks.  The potatoes were a bit softer than I prefer, but not too mushy.  It was very creamy, but not in a way that felt over dressed, and well seasoned.  But none of that is what made it distinct.  What made it distinct was just how intense the BACON flavor was.  I had no idea it even had bacon in it (I suspect the menu had a "contains pork" designation that I missed*), but, wow, this had so much bacon flavor.  But it wasn't actually loaded with pieces of bacon, just, somehow, all the taste of bacon without the hunks.  I literally couldn't find a single bit of bacon, but every bite was infused with it.  Fascinating.  As I said, very distinct.

Overall, I enjoyed it, but, I do prefer more al dente potatoes, and not red skins.  ***+.

*It turns out that the baked beans, the cheddar grits, and southern greens also all contain pork, so, beware vegetarians!

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Popcornopolis

Update Review, 2024 - 2025 Tastings

Wow, how has it been 8 years since I reviewed Popcornopolis?!  8 years of eating a TON of other popcorn, and likely some of theirs too, but somehow not coming back to review.

Savory

White Cheddar.

"We love cheese. And when we think of snacks, the more the better. Our White Cheddar Popcorn is one of the cheesiest snacks you'll ever sink your teeth into. Handfuls of crispy, crunchy popcorn thickly coated in white cheddar in our signature striped cones. Simple enough for everyday snacking but sophisticated enough to pair with wine, this cheese is sure to please."

While I most frequently opt for sweet popcorn, sometimes I do like to mix it up with something savory.  I'd previously tried the regular (orange) cheddar from Popcornopolis, and liked it, but, did note that it was pretty heavy, and not the kind you could eat a ton of in one sitting without feeling sick.

The white cheddar seemed lighter.  It still had a legit cheesy flavor, a more sophisticated style of cheddar, but, in addition to not leaving me with orange fingers, it didn't leave me quite so weighed down.  Kernels were large and fluffy, well coated.

Overall, a nice white cheddar popcorn.  Not remarkable, but a bit above average.

***+.

Sweet

Kettle Corn.

"Amazing culinary delights sometimes come from the simplest of recipes done just right. Our sweet and salty Kettle Popcorn snacks are the perfect example. The right kernels, popped in perfect proportions of coconut oil, sugar and salt makes all the difference between regular kettle corn and the very best."

It had been several years since I last had Popcornopolis brand kettle corn, and forgot how sweet it is.  This is a very coated kettle corn, almost akin to a light caramel corn, except it does also deliver a delightful salty contrast as well.  Sweet and salty, crispy, good kettle corn.

I like this quite a bit (particularly when frozen of course for extra crunch), but, it is more candied than I normally go for in kettle corn, so I need to be in the mood for a sweeter style to appreciate it.

***+.

Zebra.

""Zebra® PopcornStill our reigning champion, Zebra is love at first bite! A sensuous and divinely compelling experience, with a taste that you'll dream of. Your pulse quickens, your knees go weak. Oh, yes. Zebra is THAT good."

I know I've had the Zebra flavor before, but, the first time I had it I didn't care for it, and the second I quite liked it, so, honestly, I had no idea what to expect this time around.  Which version of past me did I agree with?

It turned out, I liked it, but, only in moderation - yes, popcorn girl is saying that she really, truly only wants this popcorn in moderation!  It is just too much, even for sweet loving me.

The pieces are extremely well coated in caramel, hard sweet caramel.  Every single piece.  There are no lighter ones to dig for.  Just, well, candy popcorn, really.  I can't comment much on the quality of the popcorn, as I couldn't taste it.  Sweet candy, that is all you get.

The pieces were drizzled with both white and black, i.e. "zebra", chocolate, and those did create an adventure - did I want pieces with drizzle or without?  The mix seemed to be about 50-50 with some drizzled and some not.

Overall, a sweet, sweet, sweet item, but, good in moderation.  I do think it would be better lightened up a bit, but, it wasn't trying to be a light popcorn.  Think more like Cracker Jacks I guess?

***.

Zebra (2024).

I accidentally encountered the Zebra again.  I didn't seek it out.  Really. But it came to me.  It just happens.

My feelings are relatively unchanged: this is very decadent popcorn.  Big pieces, well popped, and entirely covered in caramel, and most, pretty well covered in white, dark, or both chocolates. A little goes a long way.  But I did find myself able to eat it in bigger and bigger quantities this time (which, isn't actually a good thing ... the serving size on the bag for this is very small, and, um, it should be, given the nutrition stats!).  Like most popcorn, I preferred it frozen.  Makes a great topping on chocolate mousse or pudding too!

***+.

Unicorn.

"It's the stuff that dreams are made of. This imaginative blend of natural fruit flavors sweet-tart icings with the classic crunch of gourmet popcorn is a real one-of-a-kind. Like it's loveable namesake, this storybook concoction conjures up a treat to charm the child in us all."

"A magical treat beyond compare. Each bite blends the sweetness of dreams, with the fantasy of fruitiness. Made with natural berry and lemon flavors and the outrageous colors to match. Iced with creamy splendor; guaranteed to delight every young princess & aspiring wizard. "

Oh, wow.  That is what I have to say about this.  Wow.

I don't really even know where to start on this one.  Is the unicorn nature totally ridiculous?  Absolutely.  Is it bright and colorful and totally made for kids?   Yup.  And is it even sweeter than all the previous flavors that I dubbed quite sweet?  Indeed.   Did I love it?  Uh, yes, actually. 

This treat is best considered candy, not popcorn.  I mean really, each piece was essentially candied, which meant it was amazingly crispy, and totally makes your teeth hurt sweet.  The ingredient list is entirely scary, starting with cane sugar and corn syrup, but it does have actual dried strawberries in it at least?  The flavors however were actually interesting, and I was impressed with how flavorful they were, with a mix of fruity berry flavors and lightly sour lemon ones (pink and purple or yellow, so easy to tell which was which).  But, yes, candied popcorn.  They were also drizzled in blue colored icing, that made it even sweeter, but made it lightly creamy too.  Really fascinating stuff.

I love sweet things, and I have a habit of binging on popcorn, but I could only handle this by the one or two handful batches, luckily, for my own sake.  That said, I loved those few handfuls.  This popcorn is not for the faint of heart.

I really enjoyed this, in its own special unicorn way.  ****.

==

Original Review, 2018

Popcorn.  Sweet or savory.  I'm obsessed.  The king of snacks.

I adore freezing popcorn to make it crunchier.  Particularly for sweet coated popcorns.  My freezer is always full.  I'm always trying new brands.

Which lead me to Popcornopolis, a huge popcorn distributor, sold basically ... everywhere.   Major grocery stores, Costco, Amazon, even movie theaters and gift baskets galore.  Certainly not a artisan small production fancy popcorn.  But, it is all non-GMO, 0 trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup, gluten-free, etc.  And available in ... all the flavors.  Many quite decadent (seriously, Red Velvet, Peanut Butter Cup ... oh my!).

All flavors have one key characteristic: the kernels are really well coated!

Assorted Flavor Cones.

I finally bought Popcornopolis when I was visiting my family in New Hampshire, and wound up in BJ's Wholesale Club with my mom.  The place was a wonderland to me, and, somehow, a little 4-pack of cones wound up in our cart.

Cupcake.

"It’s party time! Here’s the flavor to kick things off. You’ll be amazed how we’ve captured the experience of enjoying a vanilla cupcake —complete with luxurious white frosting and festive colored sprinkles!"

The first flavor I tried was also the most decadent: cupcake!  I was in the mode for something sweet, and when given the choice of already sweet caramel corn, or caramel corn drizzled with chocolate, or caramel corn drizzled with frosting and sprinkles ... well, that decision was easy.  Go big or go home.

It was good popcorn, but yes, very sweet.  The kernels were all well coated in sweet, buttery caramel.  They were a bit softer than I like, but then again, I like to put my caramel corn in a freezer to make it even crispier, so, I might be a bit odd in this respect.

The "white frosting" was kinda just more sweet drizzled on top of some pieces, and it caused some pieces to stick together a form clumps, kinda like granola.  This was the perfect enabler for my "ooh, I'll have just one more piece" mentality, when "one more piece" might be a giant clump rather than a kernel.  I liked the clumps, not something normally found in popcorn.  The white frosting didn't really taste like frosting, nor like vanilla though, just, like sweet.

The sprinkles were round sugar disks, not classic rainbow sprinkles like you have with ice cream.

Overall, I enjoyed this.  It was sweet, it was popcorn, and, well, those are things I like.  Did it taste like a cupcake?  Not at all.  But, I didn't need it to.  ****.

I also froze some, to fix the softness problem.  It worked great.  I liked it even more when frozen, although the sweetness seemed even more pronounced, if that is possible.  It was hard to get through more than a few pieces at a time, which, I think is a good thing.

Because, this is not a light offering, not an innocent little snack.  The cone wasn't exactly large, easily a single serving (2.5 ounces), and it racked up 340 calories, and 32 grams of sugar.  Ooph.  But if you pretend it is dessert, and not just a snack, it isn't *that* bad ...

Cheddar Cheese.

"Rich, farm-fresh cheddar covers our World’s Best Gourmet Popcorn™ like a golden blanket of deliciousness. Popcornopolis Cheddar Cheese Popcorn is intense, authentic, and habit-forming."

Next, I went savory, for the cheddar cheese.

This was good.  In a gross way.

The popcorn was absolutely coated in very fake cheddar cheese powder.  So fake.  But yet so tasty.

The "cheese" had a flavor that was familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint.  And yes, it left my fingers orange.  But, I liked it, just not in too much quantity, as it quickly made your stomach start to turn ... ****.

Zebra (2018).

"Zebra® PopcornStill our reigning champion, Zebra is love at first bite! A sensuous and divinely compelling experience, with a taste that you'll dream of. Your pulse quickens, your knees go weak. Oh, yes. Zebra is THAT good."

The Zebra sounded great, but, I didn't like it at all.

The base caramel just wasn't a style I like, it was buttery, it seemed like decent caramel, but I didn't like the flavor at all.  It was well coated though.  The zebra drizzle couldn't save it, and perhaps the low quality chocolate added to the flavors that I didn't like?  *+.

Zebra (2019).

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again?

I tried the Zebra again a year later, when a co-worker brought in a big bag full.  And this time ... I really liked it?

The caramel was thick, buttery, sweet, rich, decadent.  The kernels ridiculously well coated in it.  I liked the flavor this time.  The white chocolate drizzle I also really liked, sweet, creamy.  The milk chocolate was minimal, but it was fine.

I'm glad I gave this another try, and gladly devoured a big portion (way too big, really, given the nutrition stats!). ***+.

Caramel Corn.

"Our award-winning recipe remains a closely guarded secret. But we CAN tell you that we use only pure cane sugar and real creamery butter. Even before you take your first bite, the ultra-rich aroma will blow your mind!"

The final selection in my cone quartet was pretty standard caramel corn.  Rich, dark buttery caramel, well coated.  Good enough, but nothing special.  ***+.

Kettle Corn.

"As American as freedom, for more than 200 years, we've enjoyed this sweet and salty Kettle Corn with its unforgettable crunch."

I also tried a regular bag of Popcornopolis, when I found it at a local store a few months later.  I tried a new, but simple flavor: kettle corn.

Well, huh.  I found a kettle corn I like, that *isn't* only sold at a single farmer's market, during the summer only, in New Hampshire.  Ok, sure, I didn't like this nearly as much as my favorite best kettle corn ever, but, I liked it, which is significant, as I usually hate all kettle corn that isn't "my" kettle corn.

It was sweeter than "my" kettle corn, but it did have the salty aspect to counter it.  The pieces were well coated.  It tasted fresh.  The kernels were all large and popped properly.

Very solid kettle corn, and one I'll even consider buying when my freezer supply of my farmer's market kettle corn runs out.  ***+.

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Hot Cookie

Update Review, April 2025

I forgot that I had Hot Cookie cookies once before (3 years ago) and found them underwhelming, but they were served at an event I was at recently, and I snagged one before realizing that (it wasn't until I wrote up this review that I realized I'd written one previously!).

Sugar Cookie.

"Rainbow sprinkles on a chewy moist cookie baked right under the Castro flag."

I didn't realize when I grabbed this that it was literally just a sugar cookie.   It looked more exciting than that somehow.  But one bite in, and it was quite obvious - the sprinkles added color and fun, but this was an extremely traditional sugar cookie.

It was reasonably soft, well baked, and just ... classic sugar cookie taste.  I don't know how else to describe it.  It tasted much like those refrigerated sugar cookie dough logs that you bake off.  Perfectly fine for a basic sugar cookie, but somehow just not what I was expecting.  ***.  Of course, if I had read my own previous review, I would have seen ... basically exactly that.  At least I'm internally consistent!

Original Review, April 2022 

“Where our cookies are as hot as our customers.” 

Turns out, flattery *does* get you somewhere.  As does a cutesy name, a flashy sign, a prime location, some signature items ... all of which Hot Cookie, a cookie shop in the Castro, has in spades.

I've known of Hot Cookie for years.  If you ever walked down Castro Street in San Francisco, it is pretty hard to miss, with a very bright sign in front, always illuminated.  When they call themselves a "Castro icon", it is an appropriate title.  It has been around since 1997.  Much like Insomnia Cookie, which I reviewed recently, the aroma of freshly baked cookies drifts down the street and draws you in.

Hot Cookie's most infamous items are of course the penis shaped cookies.  I haven't been inside the shop myself, but apparently the music is thumping, the staff are dancing, and the vibe is as vibrant and cheerful as the signage.  They now have a second location on Polk St as well.  I was able to try some when someone brought them to my office.

Sadly, I found them very mediocre.

Cookies

"Our homemade cookies are a San Francisco tradition, mixed and baked daily. The cookies and treats are made from quality ingredients and are scooped and baked fresh by our Hot Cookie crew throughout the day."

In addition to the signature penis (or vagina) cookies (dipped in white or dark chocolate, $11 each), Hot Cookie offers regular cookies, available in nearly 20 flavors for $4.25-$4.50 each (some vegan or gluten-free as well), and minis (4 flavors only, 1 vegan) are $0.99. 

Even though I'm not a huge cookie person, I of course wanted to try, and was able to try all the minis.

Sugar Cookie (mini). $0.99.

"Rainbow sprinkles on a chewy moist cookie baked right under the Castro flag."

I'm a little kid at heart.  No question about it.  When I saw the sprinkles I was all in.  Given the tiny size of the minis, I didn't hesitate to grab two.

That said ... these cookies were not great.  They were fine, soft, decent chew, slightly crisp edge, and loaded with sprinkles, but, they really seemed no different than a generic slice and bake sugar cookie, that just happened to benefit from a dunk in a sprinkle bowl.

I appreciated the sprinkles, and that they weren't overcooked, but ... really, not anything special.

***.

White Chocolate Chip (mini). $0.99.

"Betty White would have been 100 years old on 1/17/21. In addition to being a ground breaking actress she supported Animal welfare, LGBTQ rights and racial equity. Hot Cookie is renaming our Baby Whites to Betty Whites on what would have been her 100th birthday to honor her."

Saddened by the sprinkle cookies, I went back for more, this time taking only an unclaimed half to try.  I opted for my second pick: white chocolate chip.  Much like sprinkles, I just kinda adore kid's things like simple sweet white chocolate.

I eagerly bit in, only to find I really, really did not like this cookie.  Yes, it was soft, and although a bit more brown around the edges than the previous, it certainly wasn't overbaked.  But the flavor ... I did NOT like the flavor.  I'm not sure what it was, and I took a second bite to confirm, but, wow, I just did not care for this in any way.  It had a very acrid taste.  Did NOT like.  I repeat, did NOT like.

*.

Gingersnap (mini). $0.99.

"Aromatic, spicy ginger adds a special flavor to this vegan cookie for those not into meat."

Next up, I went far outside my normal cookie stomping ground, and tried the gingersnap, a vegan cookie.  I have nothing again vegan goods, and, in fact my favorite cookie from Insomnia Cookie is a vegan one, but it is actually gingersnap that I tend to not care as much for.

This cookie, much like the sugar cookie, was "fine".  It was soft.  It seemed fresh baked.  It did have generous spices.  It was, well, a gingersnap, and just not something I gravitate towards.  It didn't taste noticeably vegan in any way.

Another cookie that just was not remarkable, and seemed like it could have been baked by anyone's mother and thrown onto a holiday cookie exchange patter or bake sale table.

**+.

Chocolate Chip (mini). $0.99.

"Our classic chocolate chip… for those who know that size isn’t everything."

Getting desperate, I moved on to a simple classic: chocolate chip.

After all those not so good cookies, well, I finally found one that was decent enough.  It wasn't great, but it was considerably better than the others.  Soft, nice chew, lightly buttery and sweet flavor.

***.

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Leone Cafe, Las Vegas

Leone Cafe is an all day cafe in Las Vegas, open continuously from 7am until 9pm daily.  I think they mostly focus on breakfast, as the menu has a slew of egg dishes (all the benedicts, egg sandwiches, omelets, scrambles, skillets, etc), along with crepes, pancakes, french toast, and waffles.  They also do have standard cafe style lunch dishes of salads, sandwiches, paninis, and burgers, plus ... pizza and pasta too.  So sorta all over the place, menu wise.  

Equally extensive is the baked goods and desserts lineup.  Multiple kinds of cookies, danishes, croissants, puffs, and twists.  Tarts (apple, mixed fruit, banana, chocolate, pecan, key lime, raspberry almond), cheesecakes (blueberry, strawberry, Oreo), Italian desserts (cannoli, tiramisu, napoleon), French (eclairs, chocolate mousse), and gelato.  On the drink side, they also have a smoothie bar, barista espresso drinks, wine, and a few cocktails.  The full menu seems available all day long.

"A traditional Italian coffee shop located in Tivoli Village Summerlin. Come dine with us for baked goods and specialty homemade breakfasts."

The cafe is located in Tivoli Village, however I did not visit in person, so I can't comment on the setting itself, as I opted for delivery.  I focused on the pastry and dessert side of things.  I wasn't really sure, without seeing the place, if they operate their own bakery, but given the vastness of the menu on all dimensions, it seemed unlikely.  Still, I had a bit of hope as reviews in general for the baked goods seem decent.

Large Delivery.

So, what I ordered?

• Pina colada (alcoholic).  
• Pistachio tiramisu.  
• Side of berries.

What I got?

• Pina colada (non-alcoholic).
• Bonus! Strawberry daiquiri (non-alcoholic)  
• Pistachio tiramisu.  
• Bonus! Cannoli.
• Bonus! Fruit tart.
• Side of berries.

Yes, I ordered one dessert, one alcoholic drink, and a side, and got 3 desserts, 2 (non-alcoholic) drinks, and side.  I was quite shocked when this feast was delivered!

The cafe did call me soon after my order was placed to tell me they could not actually do the alcoholic drink for takeout.  They apologized, and said they weren't sure how it got on the DoorDash menu.  They removed it (and other alcoholic drinks) immediately from the delivery menu.  The staff member who called offered to send me both the pina colada AND the daiquiri in non-alcoholic form instead.  I said that was fine.  So those I did actually expect both of those, but what I didn't expect was the other bonus box of treats!  While it was slightly overwhelming to suddenly find myself buried in desserts, I wasn't exactly upset with this turn of events.

Strawberry Daiquiri & Pina Colada (non-alcoholic). $8 each.

Starting with the now virgin drinks.

Oh, DoorDash.  My Dasher picked these up at 4:33pm. They got delivered to me at 5:59pm.  Yes, basically, 1.5 hours later.  It was 90* in Las Vegas that day.

Let's just say, if these were once blended slushy drinks, they certainly no longer were.  You can see the separation in the pina colada in particular.  Sigh.  So, slushy, refreshing, icy drinks these were not.

But ... I'll admit, they were both very tasty, although very sweet.  The cafe has a large smoothie menu (in addition to all their cocktails), so I think they actually do make these all with real ingredients, not just mixes.  The daiquiri was fruity, sweet, and I think would have been really enjoyable in slushy form.  I kinda used it as a berry sauce to drizzle over things the next few days. The pina colada was less strong flavor-wise, but had decent coconut undertones.

Both had this super thick whipped cream on top, definitely not the kind out of a spray can.  It was fantastic.  I used some of it on top of my other desserts and that was fabulous.

So, these were good even in their totally melted and separated from, I think they would have been very good fresh.  ***.

Side of Berries. $4. ($4.50 Doordash)

The fruit was fresh and vibrant.  Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.  It wasn't the most flavorful, but it seemed very fresh.  For Vegas prices, this was a remarkable deal.  ***+.

Pistachio Tiramisu. $6.50. ($9.36 DoorDash).

The one dessert I ordered: pistachio tiramisu.  

I wasn't entirely sure what the pistachio tiramisu would be, as that is not a commonly found item, but a few photos I saw showed a layered parfait style cup.  So I thought it was likely a pistachio mousse/cream/pudding, with some bits of pistachio for crunch, and likely a pistachio cake layer soaked in spirits of some kind?  Very on-trend with the Dubai chocolate craze inspiring pistachio everything everywhere.

The form matched my expectations, but the contents were not quite what I thought.  This was my bad, but I didn't expect espresso in this, even though it was a play on tiramisu.  I eagerly dug in, at 8pm, and instantly tasted ... yup, espresso.  Doh.  I avoid all caffeine at night, even chocolate.  So, sadly, I could not enjoy this as planned, which made the bonus unplanned items actually work out really well.  I just saved this for after lunch the next day!

Anyway, the main component, the pistachio cream, was fine, although a bit ... gloopy?  The pistachio flavor was decent though.  And of course, the espresso soaked layer, which was nicely soaked.

There were tons of bits of chopped pistachio on top which gave great crunch and tons of pistachio flavor, and the little swirl of thick whipped cream was most welcome.  Eh to the little hunk of ladyfinger garnish, but that is just my own preference.

I think this was a well composed parfait, with good textures at play, and plated in a way it ate well, but I didn't really enjoy the flavor combo of pistachio and coffee, they felt like competing flavors to me.  Perhaps that is just me.  I added fresh blackberries to it and that added a nice freshness.

So, interesting, but I wouldn't get again.  ***.

Cannoli. $6.50. ($8.64 Doordash).

"Crispy pastry shell filled with sweet ricotta cream, chocolate chips, and a dusting of powdered sugar."

I ... don't really care for cannoli.  Even from the most famous bakery in the US for them (Mike's Pastry).  They are "fine", but not something I'd ever pick, even when super fresh, filled to order, etc.  So this random cannoli that was definitely not freshly made from a cafe with huge pastry and dessert lineup?  I was not really interested, but of course I had to try it.  I hate waste!

It was not very good.  The filling was really, really strangely goopy.  I don't have a better word for it.  Just ... goopy.  Minimal chocolate chips within.  No real strong ricotta or cream cheese or identifiable flavor, just, sweetened goop.  The shell was a bit soft, and mostly uninteresting.  The powdered sugar dusting helped give it any flavor.

Overall, not compelling, and I don't think even someone who actually likes cannoli would be excited for this.  **.

Again though, I hate waste, so I actually took out the filling, and used the cannoli shell as a cone for gelato the next day (it was soft enough that I could re-roll it tight!) and used the filling spread on crackers with strawberries as a snack.

Strawberry Puff? $6.50. ($9.36 Doordash).

I'm not entirely sure what this other bonus item was, as I didn't order it, nor see any reviews of anything similar.  But it was a puff pastry, topped with custard, and fresh strawberries.  Perhaps the "strawberry puff" from their menu?  It was ok, not great.

The strawberries were really ripe, fresh, not mushy, etc.  Perhaps applied to order?  Or at least sliced fresh that day.  The custard was fine, thick, rich, pretty standard but good custard, akin to what you sometimes find inside a donut.

Strawberry Puff?

The puff pastry base was fairly generic puff pastry.  Not particularly buttery or special, sorta seemed like the kind of puff pastry you can buy in a tube at the grocery store.  It wasn't bad, and seemed fresh enough, but it just wasn't anything above grocery store quality.  Not bakery quality.  Low *** overall, as it did seem like something I could have put together in my own kitchen.

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Desserts and Wine from The Good Plate, Westin, Las Vegas

The Westin in Las Vegas is very different from any of the big resorts along the strip - in many, many ways. It is a non-smoking and non-casino property, is not quite on the strip, and has zero flashy amenities.  It is a perfectly acceptable Westin (clean, friendly staff, etc), follows the brand standards well (love the Westin Heavenly beds!, decent gym, etc), and does have the basics like a small, quiet, modest pool and spa, but it seems to mostly appeal towards business travelers, and lacks any real Las Vegas vibes.  It is comfortable and pleasant, but really could be located anywhere.  But this isn't Julie's Hotel Club.  This is Julie's Dining Club, so of course, I'm here to talk about the food!

Dining - The Good Plate

Unlike the major properties in Las Vegas, the Westin lacks a fun food court, or a fancy steakhouse, or much of anything in the way of dining really, besides the single hotel restaurant: The Good Plate.  It is entirely generic, sans any tie to a celeb chef, with a menu that is largely uninspired.  Again, you could be anywhere.  I don't really know why anyone would choose to dine there, besides maybe breakfast for an easy morning option (or, in my case, because I had free dessert vouchers to redeem!).  It seemed woefully understaffed at all times of day.

Restaurant Entrance.

The restaurant is on the ground floor, in a section that is separate from the rest of the vast lobby, but not actually enclosed.  Open all day long.  It was usually empty.

Lobby + Restaurant.

I'm not quite sure where the kitchen is, as it isn't part of the visible restaurant itself, and food had to be carried over from elsewhere.  I think they have one common kitchen that does the in-room dining, restaurant, catering, etc, and it is along the edge of the building somewhere?  A strange setup for sure. 

The restaurant never had many people at it when I walked by.  Service seemed slow - even to place a takeout order, as the hostess was often far away fetching food orders from the mystery kitchen.  I only got takeout and it was really amazingly slow each and every time.

I was there for only one thing: dessert.  Not only because, well, I have a serious sweet tooth, but because the hotel gave me a bunch of vouchers for free desserts.  The dessert menu is quite small.  Only 3 items.  Butter cake, apple tart, or chocolate cake.  $10 each normally.  The first two are served warm.  I had all of them.

Warm Apple Tart w/ Caramel Sauce.

The first item I tried, at the hostess's half-hearted suggestion when I asked her favorite, was the apple tart.  It took nearly 25 minutes to be ready, which seemed ... excessive.  I hoped this meant that perhaps it was being actually baked to order, although that seemed unlikely.  I opened my box to find something that looked buffet quality.  It was also barely warm, so, definitely not freshly baked, just crazy slow.

Anyway, it actually wasn't bad.  But it also wasn't really a classic apple tart.

The tart shell, a component I often actively dislike, and in many cases just toss, was surprisingly decent.  It was soft, sweet, buttery.  The softness wasn't a sign of a quality pastry, more of one that had been poorly reheated, but, I didn't mind it that much, and perhaps liked it more than most crispier tart shells.  Low *** shell.

The main filling was not actually apple, instead it was a soft gooey sweet buttery goo, sorta like pecan pie or chess pie or crack pie filling.  It wasn't particularly complex, but, it was tasty enough.  Higher ***+, but not what I expect from an apple tart filling.

On top of the filling was the actual apple element, 5 thin slices of apple.  Not too mushy.  Kinda just there, and they didn't actually add much as they were so thin.  ***.

It was drizzled with average caramel.  More sweetness.  Low ***.

So overall, it was actually kinda enjoyable.  That said, it was barely lukewarm, and I think it would have been better either properly warm, or actually chilled.  It also needed something to compliment it - ideally ice cream when served warm, or whipped cream if served chilled.  It was a bit one-note sweet without anything else.  My research says this used to come with ice cream, but alas, when I asked about that, they told me they no longer have any ice cream.  Not even for an extra charge.  So, just a plain tart, not even whipped cream was served with it.  I think the ice cream or at least whip would have made a pretty big difference.

I added some fresh blackberries to mine, and that lightened it up a bit.

***+ overall, by far the best of the 3 desserts.

5 Layer Chocolate Cake w/ whipped cream.

Next I went for the more decadent sounding 5 layer chocolate cake.  This one was ready within about 10 minutes, presumably because it doesn't need heating up?  Interestingly, the chocolate cake does come with whipped cream.  It was clearly just from a can, e.g. the kind that deflates quickly, but I still appreciated it.  It was also drizzled with some kind of berry sauce.

The cake was less successful than the tart.  It was fairly dry, particularly the exterior.  Not a moist, inviting cake.  The fudge frosting on top and between layers was thick and rich, fairly classic chocolate fudge frosting.  Basically, this tasted a few days old, and grocery store quality.

The whipped cream was nice to have, but it was a very thin/airy style, so it didn't stand up well against the rich cake.  The berry sauce was the best part.

Least favorite of the desserts by far.  **.  I almost got it again another day to see if a fresher slice would be better, but, meh.  Too many actual good desserts in Las Vegas to waste on this.

Butter Cake w/ Whipped Cream & Berries.

The final selection is the one that I had read great reviews of, and I saw a couple people eating at the bar on previous days, and I'll admit, it did look pretty good: butter cake.  I've just never been much of a butter cake person - granted, I think I've only had it once before, from California Pizza Kitchen, which people *adore* and I hated.

This was better than the CPK one, but I still didn't care for it.  It was served warm.  It came with not only whipped cream and berry sauce like the chocolate cake, but also, some fresh berries!  In terms of value, as all 3 desserts cost exactly the same, I find it strange that the apple tart is so small and has no additions, whereas this one is the biggest, and has all the toppings.

Anyway, the cake was ... eh . Again, I think maybe I just am not a butter cake person?  It seemed like a too rich pound cake crossed with a too dry cheesecake.  It was rich but not in a decadent way.  The top layer was the best part, the rest just kinda dry and flavorless.  I did like the toppings.

***+ toppings, * cake.

Apple Tart, again.

My last day, with a stack of free dessert coupons in hand, I decided to at least get one more apple tart.  It was remarkably consistent with the previous one, in looks, in taste, in lukewarmness.  Still the best of the bunch.

Drinks

I also had free drink vouchers that I could redeem for beer, non-alcoholic drinks (no sparkling water option, doh), or the house wine.  I assumed the wines would be horrible, but was pleasantly surprised that I actually liked all 3 that I tried.  I'm not sure what brand any of them were.

House Cabernet Sauvignon.

First up, the cab, my mostly commonly consumed varietal these days.

Well, huh.  It was really not bad.  Not too much acid or tanin, a bit of complexity.  Very drinkable.  ***+.

I had this one other day, and felt the same.  Happy to get this again.

House Pinot Noir.

I decided to mix it up and try the other red option, pinot noir.

The pinot noir I also enjoyed, although it wasn't nearly as light as I'd expect from a pinot.  It was an easy drinker, very little tanin, very little acid, but mildly interesting overall, and a bit of structure.  It drank more like a red blend than a pinot, but I didn't dislike it.   ***+.

House Chardonnay.

The last day, when it was 98* (literally!  <3 Vegas!), I opted for a white wine, as it seemed more fitting.  Plus, I had seafood planned for dinner, and this seemed like a great match.  I got it togo, which meant for a rather amusing plastic cup with straw, but, hey, it worked (mostly people I think got them to go to bring to the pool?).

I don't drink much white wine, but again, I was pleased with this.  A touch buttery, not too dry, not too much acid.  Just again, an easy drinker, but not boring.  If I was craving white wine again, and I'd gladly get it again too.  ***+.

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