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| - Lip Smacking Foodie Tours gets an A+++! It will definitely be top of our to-do list on return visits to Las Vegas. My wife and I signed up for a mid-week afternoon tour. We opted for the beverage package as well. We were pleasantly surprised to be Donald's captive audience for the next almost 3 hours. I'm almost glad it worked out that way because we received a lot of personalized attention. It also gave me the opportunity to ask Donald a lot of questions about how he got started, how he decided on his company's name, how he contracts with restaurants of such high quality, and what his vision is for company growth. Donald is a delightful young entrepreneur with a bright future ahead of him!
We started our tour at Javier's in Aria. We started with a margarita and chips and salsa. Ask for the habanero salsa if you're adventurous! We had a trio of enchiladas with chicken, shrimp, and crab. The restaurant is beautiful with a semi-nautical theme. We toured the private dining room which costs thousands of dollars just to reserve. There is a wood mural along one wall that was carved with a chain saw. There are a lot of interesting things to see within the mural. Take pictures to review later. The owner's two sons are carved into the mural on the top right.
We then ventured over to Estiatorio Milos in Cosmopolitan. We had the basil press cocktail. We had the tomato salad with feta, olive oil, and Greek herbs. It seems so simple, but was the best we've ever had! The fried zucchini and eggplant with tatziki sauce and kefalograviera cheese is out of this world. Be sure to take pictures when it first comes out and after the server prepares it for eating.
Our next stop was Jaleo by Jose Andres. Hands-down the best Spanish tapas and paellas you could ask for! We had rosemary lemonade served in a porron decanter. It's meant to be passed around and poured directly into your mouth from the long spout. You'll have fun seeing how far you can pull it away from your mouth while continually pouring without making a mess! We ate chicken fritters (croquetas de pollo) that were served in a sneaker (fun presentation!). The paella was made fresh right in front of us on a million-dollar wood-burning setup with ventilation system. It was as fun watching them cook the food as it was enjoying the Spanish flavors. We also learned about his secret restaurant , "e", which has a 3-month waiting list just to get into. We will plan a vacation just around that reservation soon!
Last but not least was Hexx kitchen + bar in Paris. It's a true bean-to-bar facility. After touring how the chocolate is made, we tasted chocolate samples from Peru, Tanzania, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Madagascar. We then sat in the restaurant and sampled the Aztec cake made with Venezuela chocolate, spiced ganache, cinnamon icing, and toasted almonds. We were also treated to chocolate pudding made with Tanzania chocolate, cocoa nib infused cream, and banana bread crumble.
We would have gladly followed Donald anywhere else but, unfortunately, that was the end of our tour. We cannot say enough great things about the hospitality from Donald as well as all the restaurant staff. We skirted past wait lines and had VIP seating waiting on us everywhere. It really was the highlight of our mini-vacation. We will be back! And we will tell all of our friends to take this tour when they go to Las Vegas!
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