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Generic Vegas?

The food truck gathering that happens every Saturday night in Tommy Rocker's parking lot was special this week. Two executive chefs from a couple of very nice restaurants in major strip resorts were having a battle royale. I got there late and had no idea it was happening, but apparently the chefs were throwing down and a couple of food truck owners let them do it in their mobile kitchens. They had the task of creating something wonderful from the same set of ingredients and letting votes from a select panel of judges determine who made the best dish. I have no idea who the chefs were or what they made or who the judges were, but a very big gentleman with a mohawk, who might belong to a biker gang, looked like he was part of it. He had a few cool words to say about the food truck culture in Las Vegas. I could have jumped on the bandwagon and had someone catch me up on the whole thing, but I left that alone and decided to see what the other trucks had to offer.? My first stop was Sausagefest and boy was I glad to see them without a thirty minute line. I've been wanting to try them for a while. The dudes in the Sausagefest truck were upbeat and jovial and looked as if they were doing exactly what they wanted to be doing. They were doing it quickly and efficiently, too. I ordered the Italian sausage sandwich and it was pretty much off the hook. The bread was fresh, man. Baked that day, no doubt. The Italian sausage was moist and flavorful, and the sandwich was topped with just the right amount of perfectly cooked peppers and onions to avoid any shoe splotch. I hate shoe splotch. This is a good truck with some hard-working people.
After I devoured the sandwich, I ran into two old friends, my Bulgarian brothers from another continent, Ivan, and his daredevil sidekick Pavel. I used to work with these dudes and together we made plenty of trouble. It was all hugs and kisses and all that catching up stuff. Man, it was great. That for me was certainly the highlight of the night. Those guys are crazy and sweet as they could be. It was as if no time had passed at all. I am glad I was there just for the fact I ran into them. They are very much movers and shakers in the underground, which is why there are no photos, and they had to bail to take care of business, so I started looking for more food. I started talking to this dude who told me the best thing he's had tonight were the pulled pork nachos from XXXXX. He was a food truck aficionado, this guy. He knew all the food trucks and has tried them all. I asked him his favorites and he enthusiastically told me that 'Fukuburger' rules. That was a good indication that this guy has a good food truck palate, because Fukuburger are the pioneers of the Las Vegas Food Truck scene. They get from me the same greeting Wayne and Garth give to Aerosmith and Alice. I asked the friendly gentleman if he'd ever tried 'sloppy tots' from 'The Love Grub Truck'? He said they were 'OK'

I went with his recommendation and the pulled pork nachos I ended up with certainly looked great, but 'OK' is all I can say for them. They couldn't touch sloppy tots on their best day. The fake nacho cheese on top got cold in less than a minute and the chips were way too big to be eating standing up with your fingers. The pulled pork had a raw taste and the rest was just unexciting. Half of it went in the garbage. Win some lose some I guess, but in no way can you compare those nachos to sloppy tots. I've had better nachos from 7-11.

I walked back to my car to have a cigarette and make some calls, and a sweet tooth settled in. Luckily the Foxxy Lady's cupcake truck hadn't pulled out yet and she had a cupcake for me. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.? Honestly, I am not the best guy to get an objective pastry critique from. I just love sweets too much and if it's chocolate, forget about it. I found this cupcake to be quite the spot-hitter and most delectable. Besides, I'll eat anything served to me by a foxxy lady.? ??
When I started looking around on the Internet to see who's getting props for cocktails on the strip, a post on Lavish Las Vegas' website made minus 5 at Mandalay Bay sound pretty cool. I will admit that I was in a hurry and I should have paid more attention when I was checking out the websites. However, I left with my own reasons why 'minus 5' is an appropriate title for this place. When I walked into the joint it didn't match what I was thinking of. I remembered something about an ice bar, but I just chalked it up to my bad short-term memory and hasty research. The bar I was sitting at was pretty basic Vegas. A hipper than now bartender, obnoxious girls at the bar making the bartender think he was actually funny, and daiquiri machines. The bartender was willing to make anything I wanted but he told me there are only two specialty drinks, the 'Snowflake' and the 'Avalanche.' (So original)? The avalanche has Red Bull so I opted for the snowflake. It appeared before me within seconds of ordering as if it were pre-made. There was no muddling, no cocktail shaker, and what I got was a cherry-vodka fuzzy navel with a splash of cranberry juice for twelve bucks. Oh, well. That's how it goes sometimes. I just chilled and decided to make the best of it.

Then I overheard the manager telling some customers about the ice bar. Apparently,? it has a separate entrance. Then it all hit me. I had been sitting right next to an area that I thought was a gift shop selling gimmicky crap, but the parkas and gloves were for people going into the ice bar. I'm such an airhead, I thought to myself. Turns out I was in 'The Minus 5 Lodge.' I dissipated my snowflake and went to ask someone how to get into the ice bar. The young lady I asked then showed me a menu with different packages. Apparently, just to get into the ice bar you have to rent the gloves and parka. If you want to drink, the price goes up. Prices increase and each package gives you more bells and whistles. The lowest was fifteen bucks (just to get in,) and the highest was seventy-five dollars, with additional upgrades available. I decided to pass because if I'm to dress like an Eskimo, you're going to pay me. I politely declined and wasn't even offered a thank you. I so got sucked into generic Vegas, but I'm a little wiser from the experience, and I had a great walk afterwards.

For those of you who don't know, one can walk from The Mandalay Bay resort, to The Luxor, to The Excalibur, and to The New York, New York hotel, and virtually never have to be outdoors. except for the short time from when you exit The Excalibur and cross the street to NY NY. They got you roped in, man. It's not like the old days when you could walk out the front entrance of a casino and on to Las Vegas Boulevard. You could if you wanted to, I suppose, but it's not easy by any means. Also, just my opinion, The Luxor is weird. There is something creepy about that place.?

However, this design to trap everyone inside the casinos has spawned a totally new culture of street performers on the bridges that cross the strip and connect the hotels. I came across these two kids who looked as if they had missed curfew, who were just wailing man. The sounds caught my ear long before I knew where they were coming from and it was a groove that captured the vibe perfectly. Just a funky sax and a two-piece drum-kit scoring the night. Dudes were funny too. Luke and Mike. They are working on a good name for their group. They let me put the camera on them for a cigarette apiece. (Yeah, I put money in the hat too.)? Check out these dudes. They got skills, man. This kind of stuff, to me, is priceless and why I try not to sleep for fear missing out on something positively rad.
Check them out. Luke and Mike on You Tube?

Oh, one more thing I should tell you about. The walk from Mandalay Bay to New York New York is only about 30 minutes with no traffic, tops, but don't fret. Starbucks has six convenient locations to serve you along the way. lvfrankg?
ONE LOVE > OUR LOVE

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Source: http://www.bluntdinerz.com/2012/03/las-vegas-food-trucks-cocktails-street.html

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