A substantial number of online food lovers, as well as many Las Vegas locals I know, credit Bellagio with offering the best buffet in town. It costs $20 at lunch, and the crowds can vary from teeming to nonexistent to teeming again in a matter of minutes. If the line swerves round the corner, don’t sweat. It moves quickly.

It is, as buffets go, classy. Among the many choices: a composed salad station offering a decent niçoise; kurobuta pork shoulder braised in apple cider with apple compote; dry-rubbed, St. Louis-style ribs; pizzas that emerge constantly fresh from the oven; curried duck breast (the most polished dish I sampled); sushi rolls; turkey with stuffing; and soft-serve ice cream.

Roving servers are sweet souls who won’t prod you to rush. I spied folks who looked like they’d been lingering for quite some time.

A remodeling of the buffet’s Parisian café setting, street lamps and all, will soon occur. No word yet on what the new look might be, though the hotel will be installing a new station offering – wait for it – flambéed dishes. Yeehaw!

Bellagio
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South
702-693-8111
www.bellagio.com/restaurants

It seems like everyday we hear about another food that is bad for us and pushing us another step closer to the grave. But wait, maybe there is a silver lining after all.  As the holiday season winds down, most of us ponder all the food we devoured and notice those extra pounds around the mid-section.

We’ve all heard how chocolate, french fries and Burgandy wine are not wise choices for our health. However, that may be not true after all. Inhaling a box of chocolates isn’t wise, but just a small portion a day may actually help prevent cancer and stave off weight gain. Where do I sign up?  To learn more and see nine surprisingly healthy foods ….. Full article

Your favorite high-end restaurant has perfect ambiance, impeccable service, and the the food is to die for. The problem is you can never get in to some of the best restaurants because they’re almost always booked well in advance.

In Napa CA.,  the French Laundry restaurant is booked sometimes two months in advance, making it frustrating for anyone dying to eat there. It just received two stars from the Michelin Guide, so those reservations will be even harder to come by.  The trick is to keep calling and get on their email wait list hoping for a cancellation notice.

The French Laundry, isn’t alone.  Take a look at ten top restaurants where finally getting a reservation can feel like a gift from above. Full article

The World Cancer Research Fund just released its findings based on reviewing 7,000 studies related to exercise, diet, weight and cancer.   Nine teams of scientists conducted over five years of study to produce the report.

Dr. Walter Willett, a nutrition expert, says, “We need to think about cancer as the product of many long-term influences, not as something that just happens.”

Much of the report’s findings are well established recommendations, such as watching what we eat, getting plenty of exercise and rest.  The key is how all the factors integrate together and the collective effect on cancer. Full article

Human beings love food and we’ve always had a very complicated relationship with food. Following the non-stop news of worldwide famine, human history has actually been characterized by too little to eat rather than too much.

Ever wonder why our appetite is such a powerful driver of our behavior, and more importantly, how can we reel it in? Full article

Texas chef Tim Love beat the mighty Masahuru Morimoto on the Food Network’s Iron Chef this spring–and Love credits his victory in large part to the spicy, sophisticated margarita he whipped up on the fly. Full article

Glasses of juice may go down more easily and more quickly than bowls of fruit, but if you drink them, beware. Your body is less likely to register the calories they contain, and you may end up overindulging. So drink up! >Full article