Tao

Another step on the culinary tour of Las Vegas.  Pretty sure Chis Santos is the one who recommended this place and this gem.

Let's be clear... I loved this place.  I mean LOVED it.  My absolute favorite stop on my culinary tour... hands down, no contest.  I've heard it gets ridiculously busy and that likely would deter me from enjoying it after hours, but in the late afternoon, this is one of my happy places and would definitely make my "Best Thing I Ever Ate In Las Vegas" list.  Might not even need to add the last three words there.

Tao.  A swanky, dark, lounge chair laden, feel like you belong and don't all at the same time kind of place.

The Engineer and I were interested in having a snack before a super nice dinner and I was interested in knocking one more "must-do" place off my list, so Tao it was.  We sat at the bar where they brought wasabi peas over.

I have never had wasabi peas.  I have a love-hate relationship with these things.  I don't like hot for the sake of hot... and these are hot.  But MAN that crunch with that flavor... it is SO good.  Until the heat kicks in.  But as soon as the heat dissipates, I absolutely NEED another one... or six.  Thanks, Engineer, for introducing me to these addictive little devils.  Or "thanks" (as in sarcastic)?  Still not sure which.

It helps to cut that pain with a drink (duh... why do you think they serve them?) and this delighful little pomegranate and blueberry something or other certainly did the trick.  

But the REAL star of the show... the reason for coming... was the Chilean sea bass satay.  I've loved Chilean sea bass ever since a trip to El Gaucho in 2010 with The Guys had them licking MY plate of it without even giving a thought to how ridiculously lucky they were to even get to taste it.  You would have thought it was Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.  Still, it is a delicious fish and, well, if you put it on a skewer and call it a satay it is going to be good.  And it was.  Perfect little snack... easily could have had 4 and called it dinner.  Thanks, Chris Santos!  You did not steer me wrong, my friend!