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| - I haven't really explored Downtown Las Vegas, but this place seemed like a rock star with the current 4.5 Yelp average and the recent glowing review by the New York Times critic. Even though I don't typically go out for American cuisine, and I haven't actually tried any of Kerry Simon's establishments, I resolved to take advantage of Michael U.'s invitation (and the pleasant company of Clint B.) to give Carson Kitchen a try.
The entrance is actually on Carson, not 6th. It's in the southwest corner of the former Carson Hotel. Parking was readily available, and it's currently $1/hr (max 2 hrs) on the street.
Carson Kitchen itself is one of those places with intentionally exposed pipes and lumber in the ceiling, wooden tables, dark but not muted colors, simple music like Sting or Aerosmith, and a not too loud volume of chatter, at least not during our lunch. Casual attire seemed to be the norm. I liked it since nothing in the atmosphere or decor really distracts you from whatever food (or liquor) you're partaking in.
As is the case whenever you're attacking a menu with Michael, our order was enormous. We were able to split things from the Social Plates section of the menu easily, but we did need a serving spoon or fork for a couple of other items. And now, the blow-by-blow commentary:
Devil's Eggs ($8): surprisingly light take on a classic. Pancetta stood out the most, couldn't taste the caviar too much, and it probably could've benefited from a little salt (to be fair, hard to judge when you only grab one of four bite-size pieces).
Crispy Chicken Skins ($6): couldn't stop eating this. Savory, chip-like crunchy skin with more than enough (smoked, apparently) honey to dip it in. I could have ordered another had our meal not run so deep.
Bacon Jam ($12): almost couldn't stop eating this one either. It's a sweet but still savory concoction with a classic complement in the form of melted brie. Michael is going to ream them for the extra bread that they gave us without asking and without mentioning that it would be any sort of extra charge. In the grand scheme, the $1.50 isn't too bad, but it makes you wonder what other stuff they might try to pull.
Gyro Tacos ($10): the ground marinated lamb is actually a little bit higher quality than what I typically get at a gyro shop, but otherwise it just feels like a tapas-ized take on the classic gyro, with tzatziki, feta, cucumber, and tomato. It's worth a try if you're a lamb and/or gyro fan, but I personally would shy away next time.
Rabbit Ragu ($12); I think this is actually my first time eating rabbit, and Elmer Fudd does now have more of my sympathy. Tasty meat, not gamy. Came with a fairly crunchy (fruit-crunchy, not chips-crunchy) spaghetti squash and grated parmesan. Was a little spicy, but even my wimpy palate tolerated it.
Wellington Empanada ($10): ground beef tenderloin, with something that I had to Google called duxelles (buttery minced mushrooms, onions, herbs). Great crunchy empanada shell, really flavorful filling, good complement of a vinegar sauce of some sort on the plate.
Sprouts & Spuds Hash ($10): probably the 3rd or 4th item I would re-order if I were to come back here. Properly cooked potatoes that have that bit of a crust but are so soft inside, with no trace of that raw potato flavor. Did not mind what I assume are baby brussels sprouts.
Wild Mushroom Flatbread ($10): mushroom was good, caramelized onions were good, mozzarella was good. The cabrales bleu cheese was nice and creamy, and not quite as sharp as other bleu varieties. Unfortunately, I couldn't really taste the cabrales in a whole bite of flatbread and had to rely on eating it separately to enjoy it.
[DESSERTS]
Not Your Father's Twinkies ($8): flavor-wise, this somehow reminds me of the sweet dumpling dessert that I had last week at an Indian place. It does not resemble Twinkies at all, by the way. The mandarin orange coulis brightens the dessert. I was the only one at the table who liked it though.
Bourbon Fudge Brownie ($8): so heavy, so chocolatey, so yummy. The bourbon isn't too pronounced, and the bacon is something I always welcome in dessert. Eat the brown butter ice cream fast or it will melt on you. The kind of utter indulgence you expect from something called Bourbon Fudge Brownie.
Glazed Donut Bread Pudding ($8): soft bread pudding with very restrained sweetness, lovely caramel and creme anglaise. I like all the desserts, but this one might be the one with the widest appeal since it's relatively safe.
Overall, Carson Kitchen is a somewhat upscale take on American food, with commensurate increase in both quality and price. I wasn't too concerned with the bill since I figured it would be up there with how much we ordered, but a ~$45 w/ tip split was a little surprising. Then again, it's solid value for the sheer volume of menu items that we experienced. Given my usual budget, I'll have to hide for the rest of the week to absorb the hit, but it was worth it.
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