Coming this fall to Las Vegas.

With the whitest guy you know leading the way.

Click here for details.

What’s that we said about all Vietnamese food tasting alike?

All it took was one look and bite of these beauties to to disabuse us of that notion.

Unlike too many other versions, these are wrapped to order — not too tight and not too loose — in delicate rice paper that barely holds the rice vermicelli, roasted pork, shrimp and veggies inside.

The slightly sweet tamarind dipping sauce is a big plus too, and beats the pants off the peanut/nước chấm sauce that usually accompanies these summer rolls. Or Spring rolls. Or salad rolls.

ELV isn’t quite sure what the proper nomenclature is, but does know this is the best version he’s had of these tasty little packages anywhere near Spring Mountain Road.

Best of all, a complete order, more than enough for two to share, only costs $7.

Just thought you’d like to know.

PHO 87

3620 South Jones Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89103

702.233.8787

ELV is of two minds about Lakeside.

On the one hand, he hates the name — since it is neither on a lake nor near anything like a lake. (Cementpondside would be a more appropriate moniker.)

Plus, we’ve never really forgiven the Wynncore for running off Daniel Boulud from this spot. (“Running off” may be a bit of an exaggeration — the truth is, after five years of dealing with the penny ante politics of the Wynn’s F & B hierarchy, Boulud was off like a prom dress as soon as his five year deal expired. And who could blame him?) But there’s no doubt, for the first couple of years of its existence, when Philippe Rispoli was at the helm, it was one of the finest restaurants Vegas had ever seen.

Now that the space has been re-configured in bright white and orange, and the kitchen turned over to David Walzog (along with his able lieutenant Joe Zanelli), there’s almost no faulting the food — such as this beautifully fried squash blossom, stuffed with runny/tangy goat cheese:

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…or this porcini-crusted halibut which may be the most perfect piece of fish we’ve had all year:

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…or this vegan (yes, we said “vegan”) carrot cake:

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…that was deeply satisfying and practically guilt-free — in other words, just about the perfect dessert.

So is there anything to dislike about Lakeside? Not really. The place is gorgeous and comfortable (notwithstanding the Chilewich place mats), the service top notch (criticize the Wynncore’s restaurants all you want – and we have – but the service throughout the hotel is unfailingly excellent), and the cooking is done to a fare thee well.

But there’s something missing. And what’s missing isn’t unique to Lakeside. It’s what’s missing in any number of restaurants in Vegas. It’s the missing component that makes the rest of the food world look upon us with disdain — no matter how excellent our final product is. It is the thing that foodies yearn for and critics sense the presence or absence of like a wolf sniffing the wind.

And that thing, that missing component, that je nais se quoi is passion. Individuality. An intensity of purpose driving things beyond the need for a business to “make its numbers” according to the dictates of its corporate masters.

All restaurants are businesses, of course, and all need to crunch their numbers to survive, but big, expensive hotel restaurants that exist by committee will never garner the respect of smaller places that reflect the vision of a single person.

So, as we said, we are torn about Lakeside. Walzog and Zanelli are doing some fine work here. You will properly oh and ah over many of the bites you take during your meal, but ELV would love it a lot more if it didn’t feel like a something-for-everyone spot on a fake “lake.”

In other words, if it had an identity. And those three dishes above would be a great place to start.

“Lakeside Vegetarian” anyone?

ELV’s meal was comped.

LAKESIDE GRILL

In the Wynn Hotel and Casino

3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

702.770.3310

And do as adversaries do in law,

Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.

William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew (1593-1594)

So the evening is proceeding quite swimmingly Friday night. We’re ensconced on the second floor of Gordon Ramsay Steak, watching Ramsay work the crowd like a master, chatting everyone up, posing for pictures and stopping by every table — basically charming the pants off the lassies while impressing the lads about what a down-to-earth bloke he is.

The VIP party  isn’t swarming with the usual D-listers, and we’re getting more than our fill of tasty little bites of everything from beef Wellington to nicely seared yellow fin.

Ramsay sits with us for a spell and remarks how much we look like Alain Ducasse:

I'm very sensitive...just ask my publicist

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…while we ask him what his biggest challenge in Vegas will be. “Consistency,” he says. “That’s the problem in any restaurant, but in a high volume place like Las Vegas, maintaining your standards in the face of big numbers is always a daunting prospect.”

He then tells us he spent 279 days last year in America, and now has a house in Bel Air, California, which means we’ll be seeing quite a lot of him in the near future as he gets this place up to speed.

A little later, he stops by a booth we’re sharing with Norm! and his lovely fiancee Cara, for a quick interview:

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…and impresses us further by spending some quality time talking about his apprenticeships with Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon and his profane persona.

We’ll leave the exact quotes to Norm!, but suffice it to say that everyone asks him about his swearing and his temper, and he readily admits he plays them both up for his television shows. But there’s no doubt he’s a passionate guy who really cares about teaching people how to be better cooks — and even though he might come off like a kitchen tyrant, mean-spirited he is not, and a big part of his popularity no doubt comes from his being the type of dude you’d love to share a pint with.

While Norm! was conducting his interview (and we were taking the snaps above), we decided to get a little cheeky with the following tweet:

John Curtas ‏ @eatinglasvegas

.@gordonramsay01 explains his spotted dick to @norm_reviewjournal.com http://pic.twitter.com/a0FVFZmi

Innocent enough, wouldn’t you say?

If you think about it, ELV could’ve said “gordonramsay01 explains his cock-a-leekie to Norm.”

Or “explains his bubble and squeak to Norm.”

Or “puts his toad in Norm’s hole.”

The mind reels…

As any foodie knows, British food is full of colorful and obscure names — the vocabulary is a veritable Eton mess of treacle and black puddings that only a fool would be alarmed by — all of which lend themselves to adolescent tittering and jokey puns.

So it would seem, but nobody told the dimwits who act as Ramsay’s publicists — who went ballistic when ELV’s tweet was posted.

First came the “please take it downs,” followed by the “demand to take it down,” followed by the “if you don’t take it down you will never have access to Gordon Ramsay again!!”

Pretty stupid, huh?

ELV’s final response to a series of ever-increasing angry texts was to question whether Ramsay was offended or just a know-nothing, hyper-ventilating p.r. wag who needed to justify their job for the evening.

Because the chap we met seemed to have quite the sense of humor…and the sort who would be a pretty tough to offend.

And seemd like someone who could make one helluva spotted dick if he wanted to.

Which we hope he does when he opens his gastropub in Caesars Palace later this year (you heard it here first).

Because publicist or not, we’re looking forward to his food.

GORDON RAMSAY STEAK

In the Paris Hotel and Casino

702.946.7000

ELV's usual at Gordon Ramsay Steak

ELV is just kidding about the wine bottle above — although the gracious neighboring table allowed us both a few sips and a picture of it. But it was an appropriate magnificent wine to kick off  the magnificent transformation of the space below into the destination restaurant it is sure to become.

London calling!

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The tube-like entrance (and the bar inside it) symbolizes the London Underground, and immediately makes an architectural statement about the big, brash Brit whose aura alone is enough to ensure the success of the place.

Ramsay’s star continues to shine brighter than just about any celebrity chef, and will no doubt sustain the crowds for some time to come, but it will be the steaks and sides that keep them coming back.

Those steaks get presented on an elaborate, multi-level trolley:

Open wide!

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…replete with over-sized round mirrors to….well, we can’t figure out what the mirrors are for…but they reminded us of those angled thingees the dentist uses to check your back molars. Regardless, you’ll have a tough time finding a flaw in any of the Pat LaFrieda meat here.

So, as usual, it will be the sides and sauces that distinguish Gordon Ramsay Steak from its competitors. Since ELV’s tasting menu was comped (and since we ate there on opening night), we shan’t opine too much on the blizzard of food placed before us, except to say some things were exceptional (rabbit cavatelli, Kurobuta pork belly, beef Wellington), and some ho-hum (shrimp cocktail), but on the whole, the cooking was careful and the presentations as good as you’ll get in any Vegas steakhouse — which is to say as good as any steakhouse in America.

Prices are what you’d expect for such top shelf vittles ($63 for an 18 oz. New York Strip), and are listed along with the discounts offered to those who join whatever gambling junkie club is being promoted at the casino (something called “TR” (Total Rewards). For example: the drop your fork delicious braised beef short rib is listed for $40, but “TR” members get a whole whopping two dollars off that price — which they will immediately lose (and then some) back to the casino. Smart.

The Duke would approve

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As we said, this is a “First Bites” post, not a review, so we’ll let things simmer down for awhile before diving into the rest of the menu. But true to his word when we interviewed him several months ago, Ramsay has brought a big touch of British cheekiness to what could have been just another modern meat emporium. Loup de mer fish and chips anyone?

GORDON RAMSAY STEAK

In the Paris Hotel and Casino

702.946.7000

If it is good to have one foot in England, it is still better, or at least as good, to have the other out of it. – Henry James

Rick gets thirsty just thinking about it

Do you enjoy a tasty libation on occasion?

Rick Moonen does.

On hot, dry days, does your thirst demand to be slaked with a satisfying, bottled beverage?

Then you are just like Rick!

Finally, ask yourself: Do unique, artisanal, hand-crafted concoctions hold you in their thrall?

If so, then you’ll be thralled to drink just like this cutting-edge kitchen maestro.

Because you see, Rick Moonen doesn’t always drink obscure Chinese brandies, but when he does, he only drinks obscure Chinese brandies with unborn fetuses of dead rats floating at the bottom.

Stay thirsty my friends.

Amanda has bartending in her blood. She comes from a family of serious foodies and meticulous mixologists (Dad Coop whips up potent potables at Carnevino), and she has beautified the bar at several top shelf operations up and down the Strip. (She has also done some serious modeling, and looks pretty damn good in next to nothing, which has zero relevance to her drink-mixing skills, but gave us a good excuse to link to those tasty snaps.)

These days, you’ll find her at the just opened Gordon Ramsay Steak in the Paris Hotel and Casino, where she wears a lot more clothes, but looks pretty damn snappy in her English schoolboy duds.

She also has some serious skillz at slaking whatever you’re thirsting for. But fair warning: You’ll be tempted to pay more attention to her than whatever luscious libation is placed before you.

Licentiously leading you to languish languorously at this soon-to-be-liquid-landmark.

Or something like that.

GORDON RAMSAY STEAK

In the Paris Hotel and Casino

702.946.7000