TOP TEN BANG FOR THE BUCK

Here's some food for thought:

If you listened last week you heard my Christmas gift to KNPR’s listeners. In the spirit of the season, I gave you my list of the top restaurants in town. But do I get gratitude or appreciation for this most munificent of presents??? No way. What I get is lots of carping about how expensive my choices were, and pleas to relate more to the little guy or gal who doesn’t have two hundred dollars to spend on dinner. You get what you pay for in restaurants just like anywhere else. But I agree that we shouldn’t forget quality food in lesser surroundings, so here they are food fans, my top ten “bang for the buck" places in Vegas. If you don’t like them, the line forms at Andre's.

Number one-1-6-8 Shanghai, no contest. If you’re a lover or liker of Chinese food and haven’t been here, you’re making a big mistake. Numbers two and three also take us to the Pacific Tim at the Thai Room on East Tropicana, and Thai BBQ downtown. Both seriously season their food for aficionados and undercharge for it. More expensive and continental, but also an incredible bargain is Gabriel’s Green Lips Café in Green Valley. Why the crowds aren’t out the door at this place is a mystery to me. Maybe it has to do with living in a place where all the houses are the same color. Tim: “now john….” Ok back to food. Number five has the largest size to sophistication differential the world has seen since I hit puberty. The Jazzed Café is a jewel box of the bohemian stripe—full of simple Northern Italian fare and complex wines.

Well folks, that’s only five but we’ll complete the list next week as we start the new year with more bangs for the restaurant buck here at food for thought on Nevada Public Radio.

This is John Curtas.

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