Kat's 9 Lives

I am glad to announce that the newest location of Umami Burger has opened up in Anaheim.  They had a celebration yesterday that was filled with tons of great food and fun.  All the staff there were super friendly and attentive.  No one left hungry or unhappy.  Both the food and drinks were wonderful in this newly renovated locations.  It's completely different from the other Umami Burger locations with its own flare and Americana decor.
Be sure to stop by and check it out to grab a tasty burger and drink! **full food review to come**

Umami Burger 
338 S Anaheim Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92805

After a full day of eating in Vegas, I had to meet up with some friends and after all the talk about Holstein's shakes I had to stop by and top off.  At first we were going to try and sit down but I think everyone in the party was very full and I had planned another meal afterwards so we moved to the front area around the bar.  There you will find a very cute pink cow that represents the store! Moooooo! =)
The staff here is very friendly and where their funny t-shirts.  Yes, they can be purchased! You too can proudly where your milkshakes on your shirt or your shorts for all to see! And yes, I meant it in a dirty way. lol After all, we are in Vegas! After some peer pressure I got my pal and Ms. Lin to invest in those scandalous shirts! lol
Don't worry guys, they have shirts for you too.  They are proud of their meat here and the milkshakes that brings both the girls and boys to yard! It's great for a snack or just a drink.  A very chill place in the Cosmopolitan and the bartenders are very nice as well.
Three of us arrived first and we chose to go with the Bam-Boozled Shakes.  Hey, you are in Vegas and it is an unwritten rule that alcohol must always be present! lol I looked at the list and the Campfire Smores, $11, caught my eye.  I could not deny myself a sweet piece of tasty seared marshmallow to top of my drink! It's a mix of Smirnoff Marshmallow Vodka, Chocolate, Marshmallow, and Graham Crumble.  You couldn't really taste the alcohol and they give you the extra serving left in the mixing cup.  Yum! A great way to end the night or snack on a hot day.
Ms. Lin debated a while on which drink to choose and she ended up going with the Smoking Passion Float, $11.  This was really nice as it came out with the dry ice smoke that is very eye catching and crowd pleasing.  Tried to capture it in the photo with the smoke.  Oooh and Aaaah.
This was on the lighter side and voice of milk if you are lactose intolerant.  This would be a good choice for you.  In here there is Hanger One Mandarin Blossom Vodka, house-made Passion Fruit Soda, Lychee Sorbet, and Rose Water Meringues.  I liked the added touch meringues on top to finish off.  Again, the alcoholic taste was light and this was more refreshing as it is fruit based.
Drea chose the Pumpkin Pie, $11.  That was the other drink I was debating on and the three of us mixed well as we got to try the flavors that interested us most.  The reason I wanted this drink is because they have Bacon Maple Doughnut to finish off the drink.  They had me at bacon!!! lol The drink contains Pumpkin Pie Gelato, and Sapling Maple Liquor.  This was a nice seasonal drink but the pumpkin flavor didn't really do it for me.  I was glad that she got this drink so we could try the doughnut but drink wise... mehhh lol.  I would recommend the other two more, but all the drinks seem fun and you can switch it up by trying different ones.
All in all it was fun hanging out with friends and just chilling by the big pink cow.  Everyone there was friendly and the logos were fun.  I had to try and stop checking out people's chests and butts as I was trying to read what they said. lol  Now I have good blackmail photos on the both of them as I took pics of them trying it on.  Great memories! Whatever happens in Vegas, does not stay in Vegas if you pal has a camera ^_- lol.

Holsteins at The Cosmopolitan
3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 698-7940
 

Today was the opening of DG Burger by the Charlie Palmer Group. What does DG stand for? Damn Good! The previous private dining section in Charlie Palmer has now been turned into DG Burger by day and back to fine dining at night. DG Burger is open 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM daily, but if there are no private parties and customers there hungry for a burger they will stay open serving burgers.
As to celebrate their Grand Opening, DG Burger offers FREE BURGER to the First 300 customers and a lot of people caught wind of the news! When I arrived at 10:30 AM for the Media Preview there were already a few people in line. As the afternoon went on, the line started getting longer and longer. So long that it wrapped around the corner of Bloomingdale's!
In need of a quick lunch? Stop in to DG Burgers for a good ole fashioned burger and shake. They will take your order and give you a number. Just display the number at the center of the table and they will bring the burger right out to you. No fuss no muss.
So what's the secret behind these burgers? The patty is a combo of beef chuck, the fattier parts of short rib, and hangar steak. They have been experimenting with the bun. The dough is made out of unbleached wheat flour and potato flour. All the buns are buttered and toasted. I like how they grilled the burgers to medium rare so that the Black Angus beef patties are juicy with each bite.
The fries were nicely fried, but the best part was the sauces. Alone, the fries were very tasty but we enjoyed exploring the different dipping sauces. If I had more time, I would have loved drizzling some of these on the burger to bring out a different kick. (Clockwise from left) Chipotle Aioli, Curry Ketchup, Roasted Garlic Sour Cream, and Bacon Mayo. I thought each of them had a spunk and went great with the fries. The curry flavor added a nice pizazz to the ketchup and garlic in my sour cream? Sold! How can anyone say no to bacon? They all are definitely worth trying!
We were able to try the Sausage Sandwich with grilled garlic sausage and roasted peppers in a semolina hoagie. Even though the buns are similar, I liked the hoagie bun a little bit more because it was thinner and crispier. The sausage was plump and had a bite. Personally I'd stick to the burger but if you ever want to switch it up, it is good to know that you have choices.
To enjoy the sausage and burger they offer a wide variety of sodas, shakes, beer, and wine. I grabbed a bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola and Henry Weinhard's Orange Cream. Got to love the different taste of Coca-Cola across the border. The orange cream does taste like a orange creamsicle too! lol
They took a while to bring out the shakes but they were definitely worth the wait! Yum! We tried their Strawberry and Malted Chocolate Milk Shakes that were so deliciously flavorful and sweet. Even though it is cold outside now, they still hit the spot! Next time I am shopping in South Coast Plaza, I just might have to do a grab and go! I love a refreshing shake! No fake foamy flavor here. Just wholesome fresh ingredient taste.
DG Burger
South Coast Plaza
3333 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 361-4264

Took another little adventure at Michelson and Teller on Wednesday and happened to come across The Burnt Truck. I had never heard about them before this but decided that it looked fun to check out. What really caught my eye was Fried Chicken Sliders, say what?! At that point in time, I knew that I had to stand in line for their sliders. The prices are pretty reasonable at $2.25 each.
On the Chef's Daily Special was a Chinese BBQ Pulled Pork with Cream Slaw. This was just only so-so in flavor. I thought the meat could have used more flavor and been a little more tender because it should have been fall of the bone meat. It probably just needed to be cooked longer.
I was a little disappointed in the Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Garlic Potato Spread and Country Gravy. Don't know if you can tell from the pics but it fell a little short of expectations. I think it was mainly that the fried chicken had no bite. To me it was a mushy mess and the chicken lacked any oomph or flavor. If you sandwiched even a KFC chicken tender it would have been better. Maybe it was an off day and my chicken just happen to come out deflated?
Apparently the Tater Tots are suppose to be good. Anita got the tots with Sloppy Joe. Sounds good right? Mehh it was nothing special. I felt that the Sloppy Joe probably made it worse because it made the tots soggy. The Sloppy Joe was flavorful but I was expecting a crisp & crunchy side of tots drizzled with cheese and meat to enjoy. Maybe next time I will just try the tots by themselves.
Surprisingly the best thing of the truck was the Cheeseburger Slider with Angus Beef, American Cheese, Grilled Onions, and Avocado Spread. I thought the meat was nicely cooked and everything came together in a savory bite. Normally I am not a big fan of burgers or am pretty wary about trying new burgers. They toast their buns on the grill which adds that nice smokey grill flavor into the bite. I wish I had ordered more of these. Guess I will have to come again next time and grab some more.

Am I burger fan? Not necessarily but I do enjoy a succulent and juicy slab of meat from time to time. After attending so many Burger Bashes how can I NOT be a burger fan? When they are good... they are GOOOOD! I am a picky eater and I make no exception for hamburgers because I rather have a steak than ground up meat. So I never actively seek a burger unless it has been around the block because I am not easy to please! What's all the buzz these days? Five Guys Burgers & Fries have moved to So Cal. With their most recent location in Huntington Beach I had to stop by since I was at another event nearby.
As you open the doors and walk in, the first things you see are not just the red and white tile decor but the massive amount of signs telling you how good their burgers are! Hmm... humble much? lol It's funny how much they are telling you who loves them. Plastered from wall to wall are magazine write ups and quotes. The lines are formed by using sacks of their special potatoes that they use for their fries.
So is all the hype true? Is it all just a gimmick? Does all the advertising in your face really work? Well...
I decided to try their 100% Fresh Beef burgers that are made with no fillers, no preservatives, and trans fat free. All their meat is cooked juicy and well done. You can choose your own toppings or even all of them and it is free. I decided on the Bacon Cheeseburger, $6.29, which has 2 thick patties. For my toppings I chose Mayo, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Grilled Onions, Grilled Mushrooms, and Ketchup. To be honest I do think the burgers are a bit pricey but at least it is one filled up burger. Open up wide to sink your teeth into this thick and juicy burger. They come wrapped up in foil so the burger gets a little scrunched but the size definitely did not shrink nor did it lose its flavor.
Did the gimmick work? After seeing those massive 50 lb. bags of potatoes I thought that their fries must be good! Right? Well I was greedy and got a Large Cajun Fries for $4.49 to munch on. I wasn't blown away by the fries. They were nice thick cuts but the flavor didn't stand out much. Also, those were some pricey fries man!
Don't forget to grab some peanuts to snack on while you wait for your burger!
All and all I enjoyed the burger. I know this is going to stir up some controversy but I think this is much better than In N Out but it is also much more expensive than In N Out... My whole meal with a drink ended up being $15 for burger, fries, and soda. Ouch! That was a dent in the wallet but nonetheless it was tasty! =) Am I willing to drive 30-40 minutes for this burger? Nah, but I left a happy customer and would come back if I am in the neighborhood.

Five Guys Burgers & Fries
18645 Beach Blvd.
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(714) 861-4448