Pizza! With a side of Hollywood please!

     For many a year there has been that one desire that seems to go with every occasion. There's a football game, boys night, girls night, game night, date night, or in my house growing up just any given Saturday, it was pizza on the menu. But then there's the time old question, who wants what? My brother always wanted stuffed crust with extra cheese and I argued to get thin crust with pepperoni. There was rarely a day we ordered pizza that didn't end in a yelling match. With so many versatile ways to make a pie not even including toppings it is difficult to find that one place that serves the perfect slice. Now days there's a pizza shop on every corner so how do you even begin to decide which place to attempt next. For me it's as easy as word of mouth. There are hundreds of pizza joints around town that any place worth trying out are those recommended by your friends. And that's exactly how I came across Due Forni.
     A friend of mine recommended this place to me with such high esteem. Due Forni is a restaurant that has been chatted about for some time now. It was only a matter of time before I was there enjoying lunch. Whenever I travel to Summerlin my expectations are raised a little. The pricey neighborhoods and posh shopping centers would make any restaurant a little more intimidating. The little pizzeria was located right off the 2-15 and Towncenter which was very relieving. It can get discouraging when you want to try somewhere new and you have the worst difficulty in finding it. Luckily that wasn't the case. I did notice however that it was located very near to another popular pizza place I just so happen to thoroughly enjoy, Dom Demarco's.
     When I entered I was greeted immediately by who I would assume to be the manager and was seated promptly. I really liked the theme and energy in the restaurant. There was an old western playing on the back wall and there was a mosaic of Hollywood wall art scattered about. I was seated right behind a large wine wall which gave the room a nice accent. I sat to begin my meal but was immediately in discomfort from their extremely hard chairs. They made me miss my couch were I could cozily order delivery.
    At first glance I thought that their menu was lacking. But getting a harder look I found a very well put together and balanced menu. For lunch they offered panini's, pasta's, salads, even a filet and branzino and of course pizza. By far, my favorite feature was the mozzarella bar. Three different styles of bufala mozzarella from Campania and your choice of six different sides. Looking further over the menu I noticed a large amount of items that include prosciutto. For me the world would be a tastier place if wrapped in prosciutto.
     Once the server arrived he discussed a few favorites, went over the styles of pizza, and happily answered my inquiries with ideal description. This guy really knew his stuff . Further looking over the menu entirely I had a chance to discover the large variety of wines they offered. Not only do they have an unique wine list but every bottle they sell could also be purchased by the glass and even sampled for a fraction of the cost. I could really enjoy this if I was looking for a lavish night out and spend $80 a glass or even if I wanted a moderate lunch of pizza and vino. You can have any experience you desire here.
     The food arrived and it was beseeching at first glimpse. I ordered the stracciatella mozzarella with a side of prosciutto. The mozzarella was so creamy and soft, it melted like butter. Accompanying the salty meat it was a pairing well suited. This is by far my favorite marriage of the two. It did come with an order of fresh bread that resembled pizza dough. It was extremely tasty but was far too filling to be an appetizer. Next course, their insalata di frutti. Fresh cut strawberries and mangos served with brisk arugula topped with yes, more prosciutto. The proportions of the fruit and greens were faultless. It had just the right blend of sweet and bitterness to make a great dish.
    With my appetite on a role, I was well prepared for the main attraction. Bring on the "Za"! Due Forni offers two different style of crust for their pies. I couldn't willingly decide between the two so I requested one of each. The Neapolitan is a crust designed to be chewy with a crisp interior. I ordered mine Due Forni style with san marzano tomato, bufala mozzarella, house made sausage, nueske's bacon, and piquillo peppers. I was excited for the classic combo of peppers and sausage but was highly disappointed to taste mooshy crust drenched in oil. The toppings fell on the plate with barely any cheese to glue them on the goopy crust. I had to squish it all together to take a gagging bite. Very dissatisfying.

     I was not having high expectations for the next slice of the Roman pizza. It was prepared to be a thin crust with a crisp light crackly texture. I ordered mine biancca al proscuitto cotto, served with cooked ham, fontina cheese, caramelized onions and aged balsamic. This shockingly was extremely close to being my ideal  pizza. The crust was flawlessly cooked with a light airiness and crunch to it. There was an over abundance of caramelized onions which really overpowered the ham and balsamic. But I sincerely enjoyed every slice of that pizza.
     I'm honestly on the fence about this place. I was absolutely delighted with the starters they served but my first impression of the pizza did leave me wanting. I could so easily find another place and attempt their offerings and never go back to Due Forni again but with such high praise from so many I can't help but think maybe I just went on an off day. They had such an array of options and on the most part had amazing flavor but there was such an unbalance between an awful pizza and a near perfect one. With a hit or miss dining here I'm not sure if I will be sampling their pie again anytime soon, but you will however find me dining up the street at Dom Demarco's in the near future.

http://dueforni.com/

Don't have a cow. Eat chicken!

     Living in Las Vegas we have the wonderful pleasure of variety. You want Mexican, Chinese, sushi, chicken, burgers? With so many delicious choices, us Las Vegans are rarely left wanting.
     Monday Afternoon I found myself with an annoying itch for some juicy chicken fingers. I was fortunate enough to discover over two hundred chicken joints in the Vegas valley. 40 minutes and a whole play list later I was on the outskirts of Henderson. So what in fact brought me 20 miles away from home? I've found that when it comes to enjoying tasty chicken the best places are unique neighborhood restaurants which are quite common in the Southern end of town. Don't get me wrong I'm a girl who thoroughly enjoys her Raising Canes but there's a sense of pride that commercialized restaurants lack which in my opinion can only be found in small homegrown shops.
     The venue was The Chicken Shack. Located on the corner of Sunset and Mt. Vista, the restaurant was very easy to find which was a plus given I'd never been there before. The humble size of the restaurant gave it a very relaxed feel and the charming mural and quotes on the wall were very entertaining. The Shack was advertised as a sports bar which came across as a little odd to me. Yes there were some NFL embellishments but their 2 small flat screens wouldn't do any team justice on game day.
    The man behind the counter was extremely helpful. He gladly answered my questions and even gave some samples and suggestions. Then he asked a question I was not expecting. "Would you like a beer with that?" A quaint chicken joint that serves cheap beer? It might not be a sports bar but I sure scored.

     When the food came it looked excruciatingly delicious. The chicken was fried to a perfect golden brown and the shoestring fries shimmered with an ideal amount of seasoning. My first bite of the chick gave a burst of flavor with the crispy skin accompanied by a juicy succulent center. Bravo Chef, bravo. I sampled the house fry sauce as well as their sweet chili sauce. Both tasted as what was to be expected but mixing the two gave a savoury duet
that performed to my senses. It was a perfect combination of spice and richness that went like a dream with the fingers.
     The chili we ordered based on the gentleman's recommendation was less then satisfactory to say the least. It was garnished with 2 jalapeno slices the size of silver dollars which gave it a good kick but only for two bites. The flavor was bland and the meats texture was a step away from baby food. I like my chili with a strong robust flavor that has spice throughout. This was far from that. But they're not called the chili shack are they.
 
       My overall experience was very pleasurable. The diverse crowd with patrons of all shapes and sizes from  young to old testify that the Shack is appreciated by many. I will most certainly be making that journey again.

http://www.mychickenshack.com/

An Introduction

The definition of an aficionado is an ardent devotee; fan, enthusiast. There is so much more to being a food fanatic then just simply enjoying a good meal. There is the process of primping yourself, deciding a destination, acquiring a table, picking the perfect dish, having the palate to determine an abomination from a masterpiece and lastly having the experience to justly classify superb service. Possessing the talent of being a dining expert is not just learned but accomplished. You can sit and read service books, take classes on how to prepare food, even work in the industry, but to be an enthusiast you must dine.

        The average couple enjoys date night about 2 times a month. In this economy a family of four might only go out a handful of times a year. The restaurant scene is not what it used to be. While there are still millions of us out there, foodies are not as common as we once were. To be a food enthusiast you must make that gamble. Go out, have confidence in your restaurant choice and whole heartedly go in expecting an exceptional experience. Yes there will be times that you are let down by a snobby waitress, a lazy chef or a less then appealing ambiance but the times when you are sincerely impressed make it all worth the bet.
        I’m not what you would consider a risk taker in life. I have gambled only a handful of times, and that’s saying a lot when you were born and raised in Las Vegas. I try and plan every detail and make a point to have a structured routine. The only part in my life I take risk in is when I am introduced to a new eatery. Putting all my chips in the pot I do enjoy making that tasty gamble. When you hold a pair of twos and end up taking the pot is a great feeling. The same goes for when you sit down to eat and are pleasantly surprised to find yourself in taste bud heaven. Confidence plays a key role in setting the mood for eating out. Going out with the mind set of folding will rarely leave you satisfied.
          Go out, gamble, go all in. Here’s hoping you’ll hit the jackpot.