Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Spend New Year’s Eve at The Plaza Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada


In 1971, long before the mega-hotels and resorts opened up on the Las Vegas Strip, The Plaza Hotel & Casino was once the largest hotel and casino in the world with over 500 rooms. This iconic hotel is now the gateway to the Fremont Street Experience. You may have also seen The Plaza in several motion pictures like “Back to the Future II” as Biff Tannen’s Pleasure Paradise Casino & Hotel and “Cool World” where the Spike of Power was located on the roof of the hotel.

Celebrating their 45th anniversary this year, The Plaza is going all out for a New Year’s Eve celebration. On December 31, 2016, you can begin your evening at Oscar’s, a classic Vegas-themed steakhouse. They have a full menu of steaks, entrees, made-from-scratch sides, and handcrafted cocktails in the glass dome dining room overlooking the lights of Fremont Street.  

After dinner, make your way to the Plaza’s classic showroom for the special 8:45 p.m. performance of The Scintas. This critically-acclaimed music and comedy show is made up of a talented foursome. At 9 p.m., attendees will celebrate with a special New Year’s Eve toast to ring in the New Year with the East Coast. After the show, guests can join the Scintas in the Oscar’s lounge for a meet & greet followed by an encore performance. Tickets are $49.

At 11 p.m., Oscar’s will host a free New Year’s Eve party with a DJ in the lounge. If you have the munchies, Oscar’s lounge will have a selection of shareable appetizers available until 2 a.m.

At midnight, guests in both Oscar’s lounge and main dining room will be treated to a complimentary champagne toast to celebrate the New Year. No New Year’s celebration would be complete unless there are fireworks! A live fireworks show will be launched from the towers of The Plaza and viewable by guests in Oscar’s dining room under the glass dome.

If you don’t have plans yet for New Year’s Eve, come stay, play, and experience it in classic Vegas fashion at The Plaza Hotel & Casino!

For more information:
1 Main St.
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern always “brings it” in Brea, California


I have been a loyal Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern (J-FAT) follower since 2013 when they opened their first Orange County location in Dana Point. They definitely have the right combination when it comes to a restaurant – greetings when you walk in the door making you feel welcome and at home, rustic and casual ambiance, friendly and attentive servers, and amazing food to make any foodie take notice. This consistency from location to location is what makes me come back for more.

Let’s take a look at some of J-FAT’s tasty menu items:

Prince Edward Island Mussels or Manila Clams ($14) are steamed with wine, herbs, and served with grilled toast. You can also order them as a “half and half” (see photo). This pot of yumminess will satisfy your seafood craving. All the clams and mussels are steamed to perfection and open up with their tasty briny, yet creamy flesh inside. The wine broth is wonderful and would be great with pasta as well. Rating: 5/5

New England Style Clam Chowder ($6 for cup, $9 for bowl) is served with Warm Housemade Salt & Pepper Potato Chips. The chowder is not too thick with a great sweet and briny clam flavor. The potato chips are an interesting spin on the more traditional oyster crackers normally served with clam chowder. They add a crispy texture and salt & pepper flavor to the mix. Rating: 5/5

Jimmy Burger ($18) is an 8 oz. Certified Angus Beef (hormone and antibiotic free) proprietary grind burger topped with applewood smoked bacon, spicy jalapeno jam, southern pimento cheese, atop their signature Parker House Buns and served with your choice of sea salt fries, honey-mustard slaw, or housemade potato chips (you can also upgrade to parmesan-garlic fries for $1.25 or parmesan-truffle fries for $1.95). I never thought of ordering a burger at J-FAT but my mind has been changed. This burger is now in my Top 5 Best Burgers in Orange County! Their proprietary grind is amazingly flavorful and juicy. Their grill adds the perfect caramelized sear on the top and bottom keeping the juices inside. This is also my first time having pimento cheese and it is amazing! The pimento flavor really compliments the beef flavor of the burger and ties in the jalapeno jam with its sweet and spicy flavor. And, of course, bacon brought the house down, because everything is better with bacon! Parmesan-truffle fries are a must! The truffle scent alone with have you clambering for more. Rating: 5/5

Roasted Jidori Chicken ($19) is served with green beans, roast garlic jus, and your choice of mashed potatoes or thyme fries. The chicken is roasted to perfection with golden, crispy skin on the outside and tender, juicy on the inside. The chicken is brined for 10 hours with an end result of a super juicy and flavorful chicken. Green beans are cooked just right to a bright green exterior and just a tad crisp, not soggy. Rating: 5/5

‘Bananageddeon’ ($12) is a dessert made with bananas, vanilla bean pastry cream, pecan blondie crumbles, butter pecan ice cream, salty rum-caramel sauce, candied pecans, and whipped cream. This is a creamy, rich, yet surprisingly light dessert. The vanilla bean pastry cream tastes more like homemade pudding. The bananas add a fresh sweetness, the pecans add a crunchy texture, and the caramel sauce adds a velvety lusciousness. This is a must for anyone who loves Banana Cream Pie, like my mom! Rating: 4.8/5

Make J-FAT your next foodie experience! LA County: J-FAT has another location coming to Santa Monica, opening January 2017!

Specials:

  • Any Burger & Draft Beer for $12 during Happy Hour (Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
  • Through the month of December 2016, give gift cards for family and friends and receive a gift card worth 15% of your total purchase over $100.


Atmosphere: 5 out of 5 stars
Décor: 5 out of 5 stars
Service: 5 out of 5 stars
Food: 5 out of 5 stars

For more information:
Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern
3325 E. Imperial Hwy.
Brea, CA 92823
+1.714.733.1310
Hours: Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to close, Sunday from 10 a.m. to close
Parking: Free parking in Village at La Floresta shopping center
Seating: Interior and exterior

If you enjoyed this blog post, check out these:

Jimmy's Famous American Tavern Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato