Dylan’s Food Blog

I was fortunate enough to go back home last weekend to see my family in Las Vegas. One thing Las Vegas is known for is its abundant options when it comes to excellent food and drink. When people think of these amazing restaurants, they mostly think of the strip. Being from Las Vegas, I am able to experience the great places to eat off the strip. There is a steakhouse down the street from my house that I got to try for the first time this past weekend and it did not disappoint. The restaurant is Harlo Steakhouse and Bar and this is my review.

Atmosphere

The most important thing about Harlo is that it is around 20 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. While this might be out of the way for tourists, locals can experience easy access to the restaurant with plenty of parking and constant availability to get reservations. The restaurant is in Downtown Summerlin, a premier outdoor mall gaining popularity for its popular restaurants and bars. For a local, this is the perfect place to have a nice meal without dealing with the chaos of downtown. When you walk into Harlo, you know you are not on the strip. The restaurant is quiet and dark, perfect for a date night with a significant other. I went with my parents, but this is 100% the vibe I got. I will say that the restaurant might be a little too dark, with barely any windows exposing the restaurant to outside lighting. This made it a little challenging to see the menu at times, but it was nothing too bad. The noise level was great, as I could converse with whomever I was talking to without interruption from outside noise. The inside of the restaurant screams luxury with fancy chandeliers and cool features hanging from the high ceilings.

Food and Drink

Ever since I turned 21 years old, I have made sure to get a cocktail every time I go out to a nice restaurant. For this dinner, I got the Playa del Carmen signature cocktail which includes charred pineapple patron reposado / amontillado sherry falernum / banana / toasted coconut / and lemon. When the drink arrived, it came on a stone platter with flowers surrounding the glass. The presentation makes you feel like you are about to taste something special. The drink itself did not disappoint. It was very well-balanced and had excellent flavors.

We did not order any appetizers, but they did bring dinner rolls and butter for all guests. These rolls are simply out of this world. They come super warm, so warm that the butter melts as soon as you spread it on. They were soft and fluffy; I could easily eat a million of them if I wanted. Then came the entrees. I ended up splitting a steak with my mom and ordering a side of rigatoni. We all split a side of the fried cauliflower. Starting with the steak was, without a doubt, one of my favorites. It was a 12oz skirt, wagyu. I got my steak medium, and it was cooked exactly that. Each bite was filled with flavor and very tender. The steak also comes with a selection of sauces. I chose peppercorn and complimented the steak beautifully, even though the meat was perfect on its own. The rigatoni pasta was also great. It was made with a spicy house-made marinara and topped with green onion and parmesan cheese. Interestingly, this pasta comes colder than typical pasta, and despite this, it was still terrific. Lastly is the side of fried cauliflower. The cauliflower was deep-fried with chili aioli drizzled on top. This side is so good that you forget that you are eating vegetables. I am typically not a cauliflower fan, but I loved this dish. We did not get dessert because we were all so full from the entree.

Prices

Harlo Steakhouse and Bar is not cheap but better than most upscale restaurants on the strip. The cocktails are around $14, and so are most sides. The rigatoni I ordered was $15, and the 120z wagyu was $46. The food and drinks, in my opinion, are worth the price.

Overall, Harlo Steakhouse and Bar is a great restaurant, perfect for a date night or any other significant occasion. If anyone visiting Las Vegas has the chance, I highly suggest making the trip to Harlo and trying it out.

Unfortunately, I have been super busy and unable to try many of the great restaurants around Eugene. However, I will take this opportunity to review a restaurant I went to recently in my hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. The restaurant’s name is Toca Madera, and it is located just outside the Aria Resort and Casino. Toca Madera is a contemporary mexican steakhouse that provides guests with great food and a unique atmosphere.

Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Toca Madera exceeds expectations when you think of a high-end restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip. The inside of the restaurant almost feels like a club with a DJ playing upbeat music, a crowded bar, and fire dancers walking in between each table. The restaurant’s decorations and architecture are stunning, unlike anything I have seen inside a restaurant. For a constantly busy place, the service was surprisingly quick, with waiters and waitresses constantly checking in. The restaurant does an excellent job of taking customers to a different world and giving them a unique dining experience.

Food and Drinks
Toca Madera features an expansive cocktail menu with exotic names and ingredients. The menu consists primarily of margaritas, which feels like a must for a Mexican-inspired restaurant. I got a passion fruit margarita, which might have been one of the best I’ve ever had. The ingredients included reposado, passion fruit, lime, and agave. The drink was neither strong nor sweet but a perfect combination. The presentation is also excellent, as the drink arrives at the table on fire.

For dinner, I got chicken al pastor tacos and mac and cheese. The tacos came with diced chicken covered in an al pastor marinade and topped with pickled red onion and pineapple salsa. The tacos tasted unreal but, unfortunately, did not satisfy my hunger. I proceeded to order the truffle mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was classified as a side order but was a large serving size. It arrived piping hot, and the cheese was very thick and creamy. I finished the whole bowl and could easily eat more if I had to.

My favorite part of the meal came at the end, the dessert. The menu had so many good options that my family ordered 3 of the top choices. We got the butter cake, tres leches cake, and the churro ice cream sandwich. The tres leches cake came with strawberries and, although very good, was my least favorite of the three. The butter cake was covered in a bourbon toffee sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream. The cake was phenomenal and each bite melted in your mouth. Lastly, my favorite is the churro ice cream sandwich, I have always loved churros, and this dessert did not disappoint. Churros served as the bun for the ice cream sandwich and were crispy on the outside yet warm and gooey on the inside. The vanilla ice cream center only complimented the churros; to make the sandwich better, it was covered in a delicious caramel sauce.

The one negative about this restaurant is the prices. This meal by no means is cheap. Cocktails and other drinks average about $20 a drink. The tacos I ordered were $18 (for only 2 street taco-size tacos), and the mac and cheese was $18 as well. Each dessert averaged $20 a piece. Although the expensive price tag, it was completely worth it because the food was out of this world, and the restaurant provided an atmosphere and experience that is top tier on the Las Vegas Strip. If anyone is ever in the area, I highly suggest visiting Toca Madera.