Makai Pacific Island Grill - Las Vegas

Makai is a Hawaiian style spot that opened up recently. Despite only recently opening, I have already been twice and have enjoyed each visit.

You can select from several different sizes varying from a small bowl with one protein option to the largest option that allows you to choose three different proteins. On my first visit I ordered the poke, kalua pork and pulehu steak with brown rice. The kalua pork was good but not great but the poke and and pulehu steak were tasty. On my second visit I went with the Mochiko chicken and poke salad which was delicious. 

I enjoy that they offer so many health options and allow you to choose brown rice or salad in place of white rice. I look forward to returning soon for some more poke and Mochiko chicken. The prices are reasonable but can get high as you add additional add-ons.

Items sampled: Mochiko chicken, poke, kalua pork and pulehu steak.

Location: 5165 S Fort Apache Rd, Ste 150, Las Vegas, NV 89148

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rosallie - Las Vegas

I have been here on two separate occasions and I can't believe I almost forgot to review this place.

Rosallie is a fantastic cafe that recently opened in the area. The pastries are amazing and so is the cute little shop. The owner and his family are so sweet, it's definitely a welcoming spot to enjoy treats.

The lemon tart, almond cake and almond croissant are a revelation. The quiche and teas that I've tried are excellent as well.

Having this in the area is amazing and I can't wait to make it a regular on my rotation.

Location: 6090 S Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89118

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kitchen Table - Henderson, NV

With so many new brunch restaurants sprouting up around town, Kitchen Table has quickly risen to the top of the pack. 

With an inventive menu that is constantly evolving I can't wait to go back often and enjoy everything the restaurant has to offer. 

The restaurant gets extremely busy so I recommend coming early. We arrived around 7:30 on a Saturday morning and we had no wait at all, but it filled up almost immediately after we were seated. 

We started with the monkey bread which was amazing. I ordered the duck Mac and cheese omelette. An extremely creative take on breakfast that left me excited for my next visit.

The service was excellent. Our server was attentive despite being very busy and the chef came out to check on all the tables as well.

Items sampled: duck Mac & cheese omelette, monkey bread and smoked salmon stack

Location: 1716 W Horizon Ridge Pkwy, Ste 100, Henderson, NV 89012

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Trattoria Reggiano - Downtown Summerlin

We arrived at Trattoria Reggiano for a group lunch and from start to finish the meal was anything but exceptional.

The restaurant was pretty empty the entire time, but despite this fact service was not as attentive as I would expect. 

We ordered a number of appetizers for the table to share, including meatballs, calamari and caprese salad. I only tried the meatballs and caprese salad, nether of which  were remarkable in the least. 

For my entree I decided to steer clear of the pastas and pizzas and offered the salmon with vegetables. Both the vegetables and salmon lacked flavor and I had no desire to eat everything. 

The whole table seemed unimpressed with their food so I wasn't alone in my assessment. I don't see myself returning for any reason.

Items sampled: meatball appetizer,

Caprese salad and salmon entree with vegetables 

Location: 2020 Park Centre Dr, Ste 140, Las Vegas, NV 89135

Rating: ⭐️

Pasta Idea - Las Vagas

The newest pasta shop in town is serving up generous portions of delicious pasta.

We arrived on a weekday night and were surprised by how packed they were. The restaurant is tiny so only a handful of tables are available for dining in. They had a large table reserved for a party that was coming in so we had to wait for one of the already occupied tables to vacate.

Our patience was rewarded and we were seated quickly and allowed to peruse the menu. I was torn between all the great options, but settled on the pappardelle with Diablo sauce. My pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce had a great kick. 

Portions are not for the faint of heart so we had plenty of leftovers after our meal was said and done. Great spot and happy to have this quick serve option in the area.

Items sampled: pappardelle with Diablo sauce 

Location: 7668 W Lake Mead Blvd, Unit 107, Las Vegas, NV 89128

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Khoury's Mediterranean Restaurant - Las Vegas

Khoury's new and improved location is spacious and very pretty. 

We arrived for lunch and were seated quickly. The menu is extensive and almost everything in the menu was tempting me. It took a few minutes for my friend and I to decide what to order, but the waitress was patient.

I decided to order the lamb and filet kebab lunch plate. They are accommodating with gluten free and low carb requests which is great. I ended up asking for broccoli in place of rice and a side of baba ghanoush. 

Our meals came out quickly and everything was delicious. I haven't loved Khoury's in the past but this experience was much better and more impressive than my previous visits. 

Glad to have this new convenient location and I look forward to visiting again soon.

Items sampled: lamb and filet kebab lunch plate 

Location: 9340 W. Sahara Ave, Ste 106, Las Vegas, NV 89117

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Donuttery - Huntington Beach, CA

We were driving around the area with a hankering for dessert. With good word of mouth, we stopped at The Donuttery knowing it'd likely be a safe bet.

We arrived around 9pm on a Saturday evening and there was a line. Looking over the menu the selection is out of control. With so many options our initial plan of ordering a couple of donuts went right out the window. We decided to order a dozen so we could try as many as possible and share with my family.

The employees were very friendly and accommodated all our requests. Some donuts we wanted weren't available they made on the spot. We ordered the Nutella strawberry, butterfly, red velvet, salted caramel apple, tiger tail, peanut butter and jelly, creme brûlée, dulce de leche, smores and a bear claw.

Trying to be good lately I only took a couple of bites to try them out and shared the rest. The flavors were on point, very creative and the pastries were fresh. 

A great 24 hour donut shop in Huntington Beach.

Items sampled: tiger tail, peanut butter & jelly, red velvet, butterfly, Nutella and strawberry, salted caramel apple, dulce de leche, creme brûlée and smores. 

Location: 17420 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach, CA 92647

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️