Sin City is home to a lot of restaurants and bars, but there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Las Vegans aren't unearthing. To help guide us to these potential discoveries, we've enlisted some of our city's food players to share their recommendations for a weekly feature dubbed Dining Confidential. Know a chef who wants to share some top dining spots? The tipline is open.
Laura Augsburger [Photo: Chelsea McManus]
Laura Augsburger kicked off her culinary career at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh before she worked at Bossa Nova as a head grill and pastry chef and earned the nickname Dessert Queen. After an externship at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo., she landed at Rao's at Caesars Palace as the pastry chef tournant in 2007. Augsburger is not limited to creating pastries. While she prepares desserts and other meal-end sweets, she is also responsible for managing kitchen staff members. Here she shares some of her favorite places to dine when she's not making sweets.
Which Vegas restaurants do you turn to when you're not working?
I love eating at Bachi Burger in Henderson, The Cracked Egg on Rainbow and 215 and Ping Pang Pong in Gold Coast.
What dishes are most memorable?
Bachi Burger: I love their Lonely Bird with ground chicken and turkey "Tsukune" burger with herb pesto, which is amazing, topped with brown ale battered onion rings.
The Cracked Egg: Their Nutella S'more Stuffed French Toast is delicious. Just imagine French toast filled with Nutella, topped with toasted mini marshmallows and crushed graham crackers! Their coffee cake is also very scrumptious.
Ping Pang Pong: Where do I begin? I love their Hot and Sour Soup with just the right amount of hot and sweet, Ma Po Tofu over white rice, Walnut Prawns that are tossed in a sweet mayonnaise and Hot Braised Chicken that is thinly sliced chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy chili reduction.
Why do you enjoy going there?
Bachi Burger: I love the style of food they offer! No matter how many times I go there, every time I take a bite of the burgers or sautéed edamame with garlic butter and truffle oil, it tastes like the first time and I fall in love with it all over again.
The Cracked Egg: I eat at The Cracked Egg at least once a week. One of the main reasons I go there is the service and the selection of breakfast and lunch items they have. The coffee cake is like no other and changes every day.
Ping Pang Pong: What is there not to love about Ping Pang Pong? The food is amazing and they are open late! We go there after work and enjoy. When I have friends or family in town it is always a must to dine at. There has never been a time that it is not busy when I go. And not to mention, the prices are great for the amount of food you get!
· All Coverage of Rao's [~ELV~]
· All Dining Confidentials [~ELV~]
