Todd English's P.U.B- City Center Las Vegas

http://www.toddenglishpub.com/

For My last meal review in Las Vegas i'll be reviewing a Celebrity Chefs place. Todd English's Public Urban Bar located at the City Center Aria Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.  For years I have wanted to go to a Todd English place in Vegas ( he has three of them) and so this vacation Simone and i did.  The first problem I had was actually finding the entrance.
You can see the place from the inside of Aria but the only entrance that i could find was from the outside walkway. At any rate, when we got to the P.U.B, the place was rather large and it was packed full of people. our waitress was able to squeeze us in at a table once again right beside the restrooms (this always happens to me). While I took advantage of being so close to the crapper Simone took a look at the menus.

The P.U.B features an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs making the food. This is always a good thing as it helps pass the time while you wait for your meal and also gives you a good indication of the quality of the place. The menu is extensive with a complete carvery menu for those meat lovers that includes turkey, beef, duck, chicken and more. Also a raw bar and many grill choices.

Simone and I started with an appetizer called Duck Buns.  These were extra large Hoison shredded Duck filled steamed dumplings. They were topped with scallions and served with Ailoi for dipping. They were pillowey and soft on the outside and the duck overflowing from them was steaming hot and tender. They were a very good start to our meal.

Next up were the entrees. Simones choice was, of course, a salad. The chopped Salad to be exact, and that is what it looked like when it arrived.  A bunch of vegetables and lettuce, chopped with dressing. Simone liked it. I didn't bother to even take a picture, that's how excited it made me, but i suppose its hard to make a bunch of rabbit food all the special. Perhaps stupidly so, I went a bit more adventurous with my meal. I went for the Brown Bag Lunch. Artisan Bologna Sandwich on simple white bread with melted cheese and Mayo and a side of chips.  I have not had Bologna in years and about 8 hours later ,I would remember why, but i digress. The Bologna was sliced thin and grilled until the edges were crispy then served on white bread with melted Swiss.  When it arrived at the table it looked kinda pornographic but I dug in anyway. It was definitely artisan and homemade, not your lunch meat variety Bologna. It was kicking with lots of spice and garlic. Good, but perhaps to spicy for my already pickled stomach after a week long battle with gluttony in the City of Vegas.  Being the trooper that I am, I pushed through and finished the entire sandwich and then of course had to move on to the dessert menu.

We went with the Mona-Resee dessert option, basically it was a tasting plate that included homemade Twinkies, a cupcake, red velvet cake, a cookie and even some cookie dough. Simone and I both enjoyed this and Simone took some with her for the rest of her late night chocolate fixes. But this is not where this review ends...

As mentioned earlier,  I feel the need to share with you the aftermath of my meal choice .  The Bologna bit me back  at around midnight. The word Fire comes to mind, Not just your average heartburn situation- this burned EVERYWHERE. And it hung on. Three Zantacs, and a night of getting to know my hotel throne and Todd English and his meat were still with me. It took me almost the next twenty four hours to feel well again and it made for a rather rough last day in Vegas ( sorry to the hotel janitorial staff). I wish I could honestly say that I will not hold it against the P.U.B, but I probably will. I can tell you for a fact my Bologna days are over.  Even doing this review today my stomach turns just a bit at the memory.  Maybe someday I will go back to the P.U.B , but who knows? Sorry Todd, I so wanted to love your new place... but it stayed with me for way to long. Thanks for the memories...Two stars for the PUB. **