As we walked into the restaurant we were welcomed by what seemed like the whole staff as they all shouted "Welcome to Fukuburger!" Then one of the girls who was about to give us instructions on ordering asked if we've been here before and at that moment our friend and Fukuburger co-owner Colin popped out from the bar area and announced, "Hey this family are OG's (originals) from the truck!" and gave the Fam a personal welcome. After checking out the restaurant we finally ordered and realized the same interactive Fukuburger experience that you get at the truck on the streets of Las Vegas is also experienced here at the restaurant. Same process of ordering up from one of the girls off the same Fukuburger menu. And just like what the truck has been doing lately, instead of giving your real name you'll be asked to give a funny or unique name for your order. (I couldn't think of one off hand and one of the girls said "OG Family!") Then after ordering you'll have to find a place to sit yourself. But instead of sitting on orange paint buckets you get to sit on orange picnic tables or at the bar area and wait for your name to be called when your order is ready. You will also find the "Tip Jelly" jar here at the restaurant with the staff yelling "Tip Jelly" when tips are placed in it. Our experience was also special as we also got to see original Fukuburger Gal "Jasmin" here at the restaurant who has transferred from the truck in Las Vegas to this new Hollywood restaurant location.

I won't blog about the food because I've raved about it in past blogs below or in person to all you Foodies. The menu is the same however the prices are slightly higher than what's found at the truck. (Don't complain, I did say slightly higher. It's a restaurant folks and prices are still lower than other restaurants in the area and you're guaranteed that same Fuku-fabulous taste!) The restaurant has the same street vibe as the truck with japanese murals on one side of the restaurant and a bar with 3 flat screen TVs above it. The walls and ceiling are painted black which kind of reminds you of being out late night at the truck which for those who don't know, the Fukuburger Truck only operates from 8 to late (8PM to 4AM). The restaurant hours are from 11AM to accomodate the lunchtime crowd and is open (just like the truck) until 4AM to serve the late-hour Hollywood club scene crowd. You might even get to see the Fukuburger Mobile which is a black pimped out Fiat 500 parked outside or close by the restaurant. And if you're lucky, since it is Hollywood you might even see a celebrity or two just like actor/comedian Jim Carrey who has already dined at the restaurant as well as some well-known YouTube stars hanging out having a burger. This is the new hip place to hang out at in LA so go check it out! Click here to see more photos of the new restaurant and much continued success to Colin and Mags on your new venture! We're so happy for you guys!

Posted on October 24, 2011 | Read Comments | Post Comment |

The Heart Attack Grill is a hospital themed restaurant located at the corner of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard, and has a giant neon sign atop the entrance that reads "Over 350 Lbs Eat Free." As you walk in a nurse checks you in, gives you a hospital wrist band, and dresses you in a hospital gown which is mandatory for all customers to wear. At this restaurant the customers are the patients and the waitresses are nurses dressed in sexy nurses uniforms and scrubs. The nurses also wear stethoscopes and check your pulse before you dive into your meal and after. The menu items include "Bypass Burgers" which vary in size of one to four patties (single, double, triple or quadruple bypass). The "Quadruple Bypass" burger is reported to check-in at 8,000 calories. The burgers contain generous portions of cheese, tomatoes, onions, bacon and lard-covered buns. The "Flatliner Fries" are also cooked in lard, and they also serve "Butterfat Milkshakes".

Hoping to share a burger, the only burger you are allowed to share is the Single Bypass Burger which Carole and the girls shared among the 3 of them along with some Flatliner Fries. Nico ordered the Double Bypass Burger and I couldn't help but order the Triple Bypass Burger. Nico did pretty good tackling his burger but only finished about 3/4 of it. I on the other hand knew this Triple Bypass Burger that was stacked with all the fixings (especially bacon) was too much to handle and I actually took off the top bun and ate 1 1/2 layers of the burger with plans to take the rest home. Looking around the restaurant there were a few people that did look over 350 lbs. and actually ate for free when they stepped on the scale to weigh themselves. One person in particular weighed over 400 lbs. After our meal the whole family stepped up on the scale and we tipped the scale at 591 lbs. There were 2 other Heart Attack Grill locations open before this Las Vegas location. The original one in Chandler, Arizona which has closed and one remaining in Dallas, Texas. This is definitely not a restaurant to frequently go to but it was a fun experience for us. One other note to mention is at the Heart Attack Grill, there's a sign that reads "Cash Only"...because you might die before the check clears". An ATM Machine is available in the restaurant lobby. Check out the rest of the heart attack photos from our experience at the Heart Attack Grill. And for those interested in a job, there are still job openings at The Heart Attack Grill, including a spokesmodel. The original spokesman for the Arizona restaurant, Blair River, died of pneumonia at the age of 29 in March 2011. He reportedly weighed 575 pounds.

Posted on October 16, 2011 | Read Comments | Post Comment |

As we approached the counter the menu which was displayed overhead offered various burger and sandwich combinations, hot dogs, chili, fries, onion rings, shakes, malts, and ice cream. The different burger choices at Fred's consist of a Quarter Pounder, Half Pounder, and the Monster Burger which had 3 quarter pound patties in it and all burgers come with all the fixings such as lettuce, tomatoe, cheese, onions, pickles and bacon. Fred's also offers a Garden Burger for vegetarians to enjoy. But if you are a true carnivore and have a hunger for a really big burger, Fred's offers the Goliath Burger which has a huge 2 pound burger patty on an oversized bun with everything on it. This burger is huge and definitely too large for one person only to devour, although from what we heard it has been done. We did order the Goliath Burger but it was divided among the Torres Family boys to tackle. (There was no way I was about to try to eat that burger by myself.) So for those who live in San Diego or those from out of town who plan to visit, check out Fred's Old Fashion Burgers if you're hungry for some good ol' burgers. The food is great and it's a great place to take the family. But before you head out there, go to their website at http://www.fredsburgers.com and print out the coupon for 10% off of your order. For more photos of our food adventure to Fred's Burgers click here and check out this burger joint and food they offer, especially the gigantic Goliath Burger!

Posted on July 7, 2011 | Read Comments | Post Comment |

The other KBBQ restaurant here in town that is worth checking out is over on the other side of the 15 freeway in Chinatown. "Sura BBQ Buffet" is located at 4480 Spring Mountain Road, Las Vegas, NV 89102. We dined here a few nights ago as we celebrated my son's birthday there with the family. They too offer the same meat selections here such as bulgoki, pork bellgeo, and kalbi but also offer seafood such as shrimp and squid and other food items. The one difference between Jin Mee Korean BBQ and Sura BBQ Buffet is that Sura is a true buffet. Instead of the food items served at your table, you basically serve yourself and go up to the different stations to pick the food items you want to grill. Aside from the meat station, they also have a condiments station that serves different kinds of kimchee, rice noodles, and vegetables. They also have a sushi/tempura station that serves sushi rolls, fish, and tempura as well as a station for soups and rice and also a salad station serving salads, fresh fruits and jello. The price for the all-you-can-eat meal at Sura BBQ Buffet is $14.00 during lunch and $22.00 during dinner. I don't have any photos from Jin Mee Korean BBQ but click here to see more photos from our birthday celebration dinner at Sura BBQ Buffet. The KBBQ is really good at both places but if I had to pick one over the other I would probably pick Sura BBQ Buffet because of the restaurant location, the food selection, and freedom to choose which items you want to eat. So go out and get your meat on! (Vegetarians need not apply.)

Posted on May 26, 2011 | Read Comments | Post Comment |

The next food truck we checked out was the "BBQ Boy Truck" (www.bbqboylv.com), Las Vegas's first Filipino mobile food truck. Owned by Chef Woody Rivero, BBQ Boy specializes in serving BBQ meat skewers with your choice of pork or chicken. They also serve other popular Filipino dishes such as pancit, lumpia shanghai, siomai (pork and shrimp), and also their special sizzling sisig plate that is served with rice. We ordered their BBQ Combo which included two BBQ pork (or chicken or one of each) meat sticks, two shanghai egg rolls and two scoops of rice. The BBQ was tender, juicy, and flavorful. The BBQ Boy Truck makes it's regular daily rounds around town and is also available for catering.

My daugther Kiana got to pick the next food truck to try out and because she has a sweet tooth, she saw something that caught her eye at the "Tasty Bunz Truck" (www.tastybunz.com). Tasty Bunz specializes in making these small dough buns filled a variety of options that are quite tasty. A few of their specialty bunz are the "McCheezy" (Mushroom infused dough filled with a mushroom truffle Mac n cheese), "BBQ Rib" (Cilantro infused dough filled with ma’s secret BBQ beef), "Bacon Bird" (Cheese infused dough filled with a creamy bacon chicken filling.), and the "Hot Pig" (Jalapeño infused dough filled with Asian pork dish Sisig). We ordered a Bacon Bird and it was very tasty. But it was the desserts that they offer that caught Kiana's eye and she ordered the "Sweet Ohhhh's" which were Oreo cookies dipped in tempura batter and covered in caramel and white chocolate sprinkles and topped with Oreo cookie crumbs. There was difinitely more menu items and food trucks to try out that night but we decided to save it for the next food adventure. For now, feel free to check out the rest of the photos from this past weekend's festival and stay tuned for future "Vegas StrEATS! Festival" announcements.

Posted on May 16, 2011 | Read Comments | Post Comment |

I recently took my wife Carole to dinner there for Mother's Day and we discovered that it had recently been remodeled and was much fancier and modern than in the past. The restaurant offers several stations serving a variety of flavors representing the Mediterranean, Pacific Rim, American Coastal, Baja, and Latin American. They also have different stations such as a Produce Bar (salads and fruits), Raw Bar (sushi), Crustaceans Bar (crabs, lobsters, shrimp, etc...), Gelateria Bar (gelatin ice cream and desserts), and a Wine & Spirits Bar.

The price per person at the Village Seafood Buffet is alittle steep compared to most Vegas buffets. (Adults $39 plus tax and children ages 4-8 is $25 plus tax.) Although some people may have different taste and expectations, I could honestly say our experience was quite satisfying. The atmosphere was nice, the service was great, and the variety of seafood was abundant. Yes you can get seafood at other buffets for alot cheaper but if you are truly craving just seafood, this buffet restaurant won't disappoint you. The Village Seafood Buffet is open Monday-Friday from 4PM - 10PM and Saturday/Sundays from 3:30PM - 10PM. Sorry, no other pictures are available to salivate over. (We were too busy eating.)

Posted on May 11, 2011 | Read Comments | Post Comment |

On our visit Carole and Nevaeh ordered the "Strawberry Sensation" crepe which consist of strawberries, cheesecake, strawberry syrup with ice cream and whipped cream. Kiana ordered the "Rock in the Road" crepe which consist of almonds, marshmallows, white chocolate syrup with ice creame and whipped cream. I wanted to get my fruit on and ordered "The Mix" on a waffle that was topped with strawberries, bananas, and kiwi with ice cream and whipped cream. If none of these specialties tickle your fancy, you can also customize your crepe or waffle to your liking by creating your own specialty by combining your own choices of fruit, toppings, and ice cream. Personally I still like Crepe Island in San Diego the best but if I ever have a craving for crepes here in Las Vegas, Crepe Shack and Waffles is a great place to go for a delectable dessert. Check out some of the photos from our experience at Crepes Shack & Waffles or go to http://www.crepeshackandwaffles.com/ for more info or to study their menu so you will know what to order ahead of time. Also if you would like to receive discounts and free items, text message CREPES to 77948.

Posted on April 2, 2011 | Read Comments | Post Comment |

Known for their Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches and Europeon-style sandwiches served on fresh baked baguettes and croissants, Lee's also serves appetizers such as egg rolls and hot wings, pasteries and desserts, iced and hot gourmet coffees, smoothies, ice cream, and soon at this Las Vegas location self serve frozen yogurt. The prices of the sandwiches range from $3.00 to $4.00 each and a wide range of different sandwich choices, 68 choices to be exact. The banh mi sandwiches are all served on a 10 inch baguette and include house pickle (daikon & carrot), onion, jalapeno, cilantro, house mayonnaise, salt & pepper, and soy sauce with choice of cured, grilled, shredded, or bbq pork, or grilled chicken. The Euro-style sandwiches are served on either a croissant or a 10 inch baguette and include mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoe, american/swiss/provolone cheese, with pickle, pepperoncinni, red onion and mustard on the side with choice of ham, turkey, roast beef, or combinations of 2 or 3 meats.

So for Las Vegas locals or visitors who want a great sandwich or need to satisfy their banh mi craving, go visit Chinatown over by Spring Mountain Road. (Click here to view photos from our visit to this Las Vegas location.) Also unlike all the other Lee's Sandwiches locations, this Las Vegas location will always be open - 24 hours/7 days a week. Yet another location for a late night/early morning snack or even for breakfast. (Breakfast sandwiches also available at this location.)

Posted on March 19, 2011 | Read Comments | Post Comment |

Last night while showing some out-of-town family around town, we ended up in downtown Las Vegas by the Fremont Street Experience where just down the street the "Vegas StrEATS! Festival" was taking place. Eight of Las Vegas's mobile food trucks were all parked by the El Cortez Hotel and Casino. It was just a week ago when Slidin Thru, Fukuburger, and the LBS Patty Wagon trucks were out at last week's "Street Food Throwdown". Last night Slidin Thru and Fukuburger were back out again along with the Sloppi Jo's, Tasty Bunz, Curbside Cafe, Snow Ono Shave Ice, Island Breeze, and Cheese Steak trucks. It was a nice evening outdoors with live art displayed, streetwears sold, and DJ's playing music throughout the night. But the main attraction was the food as people stood there in long lines waiting to order. Having tried half of the food trucks there already, we wanted to try something different. My sister-in-laws wanted to try the Fukuburger truck but the line was really long. Fortunately for them, my Fuku-Buddy Colin (Owner) hooked them up with a Fukuburger to try out, which they loved. (Thanks Colin!)

We did however stand in line and ordered from the "Sloppy Jo's" truck (www.sloppijos.com). We ordered "The "Sloppi Jo" which was slow roasted pork with red chile sauce with a fried egg, pickled onions served with a flour tortilla (instead of on a traditional bun). It wasn't your traditional Sloppy Jo sandwich but it was very good and the pork was very tender and delicious. We also ordered the "Chicken Tacos" which was chicken with diced green chiles, cheese, and cabbage on a flour tortilla which was also very good. Sloppy Jo's also serves desserts such as unique cupcakes which we didn't have room for but will definitely try them next time. Check out some of the photos from the "Vegas StrEATS! Festival" and stay tuned on this site for announcements for future street food festivals.

Another burger join that made it's way out to the West which started in the East Coast is "Five Guys Burgers and Fries". While down in San Diego I got to visit the "Five Guys" out at Liberty Station (The old Naval Training Center). For my Las vegas Food Followers, the closest Five Guys is in St. George, Utah but through my research there will be 4 new locations opening up soon in the Vegas area. The burgers at Five Guys are made of 100% fresh beef and they cook their meat juicy and well-done. They offer a wide variety of toppings with your burger so you could either order your burger with "everything" or "all the way" which is your standard toppings or customize your burger the way you like it with even more toppings and sauces at no extra cost. And when ordering fries, plan on sharing with others because they give you a whole lot of fries with your order. The one unique thing about this place which was cool is when you walk inside, you're greeted by these boxes and 50 lb. bags of peanuts that are provided to customers as they stand in line or wait for their orders.

"Smash. Sizzle. Savor." is the motto of my last crossover burger joint "Smashburger". At Smashburger they "smash" and season fresh 100% Angus Beef, then have it "sizzle" on the grill, and top it with the freshes ingrediants between a butter-toasted artisan bun that you will definately "savor". Smashburger offers a variety of specialty burgers on their menu but just like "Five Guys" you can also customize a burger to your liking. One unique specialty on the menu is that there is a special burger dedicated to the city where you are at and can only be ordered at that city. The "Sin City Smashurger" is what I ordered at the Las Vegas restaurant and it was awesome. I can't wait to try the "San Diego Smashburger" on my next trip to San Diego. If a burger is not what you want, they also offer other menu items like hot dogs and sandwiches like the other two restaurants mentioned above. But some unique item not offered at the other two places are the Sweet Potatoe Smashfries and the veggie frites which are flash-fried asparagus spears, carrot sticks, and green beans. One other unique thing about Smashburger is that it has a modern feel to the restaurant and your meal is plated in a nice fancy gourmet fashion.

So if you're hungry for a burger and want more than your average fast food burger restaurant, check out one of these burger joints for a delicious meal. Check out all the photos of these restaurants and menu items. But seeing and tasting it for yourself is the best way to go. Stay tuned as "Ron vs. Food" takes on some more fancier upscale gourmet burgers in a future report.

Posted on February 1, 2011 | Read Comments | Post Comment |

Over the holidays down in San Diego, we had a craving for those same tacos. But instead of going down to Tijuana some family and friends decided to have lunch at "Tacos El Gordo" (de Tijuana, B.C.) in Chula Vista. Just like on the streets of Tijuana, the tacos are made right in front of you and offer Tacos de Cabeza (Beef Head), Lengua (Beef Tongue), Sesos (Beef), Buche (Pork), and Asada (Steak) with your choice of corn or flour tortillas. But our favorite is the Tacos de Adobada (Pork tacos sliced in front of you off a vertical rotisserie). These are not your average Taco Bell/Del Taco tacos but are definately as authentic as you can get. The menu also offers quesadillas (with or without meat) and tostadas as well. It's really hard to describe how good the food taste here at "Tacos el Gordo" but click here to see how good the food looks. If you're looking for some authentic street tacos like what you get in Mexico, "Tacos el Gordo" is the place to go. And for those in Nevada, "Tacos El Gordo" has also opened a restaurant in Las Vegas! (1724 East Charleston Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89104)

Posted on January 30, 2011 | Read Comments | Post Comment |