As we learn from Three Square Food Bank‘s Erica Thompson, Restaurant Week combines great food and great prices. . .all for a great cause. That’s the happy, peppy, bursting with love portion of the show. Then John Curtas is back to spread a little love among some of his favorite Restaurant Week locations, followed by a two-prong attack against FCC regulations and fellow Las Vegas food critics. (For those scoring at home and listening to this on the radio. . .John: 4.5 BLEEPS. Al: 1...

As we learn from Three Square Food Bank‘s Erica Thompson, Restaurant Week combines great food and great prices. . .all for a great cause. That’s the happy, peppy, bursting with love portion of the show. Then John Curtas is back to spread a little love among some of his favorite Restaurant Week locations, followed by a two-prong attack against FCC regulations and fellow Las Vegas food critics. (For those scoring at home and listening to this on the radio. . .John: 4.5 BLEEPS. Al: 1...

On this episode of Top of the Food Chain Al is talking tapas with Nina Manchev, owner of Bar Forte. Together they discuss the history of tapas (it’s not just small plates), tapas for beginners, and wrap up by discussing Bulgarian cuisine and the lazy man’s sangria, Calimocho. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guest: Nina Manchev, Owner of Bar Forte * History of tapas * Reason for tapas * Nina’s recommendations for beginners trying tapas * Calimocho *...

On this episode of Top of the Food Chain Al is talking tapas with Nina Manchev, owner of Bar Forte. Together they discuss the history of tapas (it’s not just small plates), tapas for beginners, and wrap up by discussing Bulgarian cuisine and the lazy man’s sangria, Calimocho. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guest: Nina Manchev, Owner of Bar Forte * History of tapas * Reason for tapas * Nina’s recommendations for beginners trying tapas * Calimocho *...

Al is joined by Chef Jet Tila (Iron Chef America) to discuss the regions, tastes, and history of Thai cuisine on this episode of Top of the Food Chain. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guest: Chef Jet Tila * History of Thai cuisine * Regions of Thai cuisine and how they differ * Chef Jet’s recommendations on how to make your own Thai cuisine * Live chat questions

Al is joined by Chef Jet Tila (Iron Chef America) to discuss the regions, tastes, and history of Thai cuisine on this episode of Top of the Food Chain. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guest: Chef Jet Tila * History of Thai cuisine * Regions of Thai cuisine and how they differ * Chef Jet’s recommendations on how to make your own Thai cuisine * Live chat questions

Al is joined by Tony Abou-Ganim (Iron Chef America, Fine Living Network) to talk about the evolution of mixology from the Gothic age to the present on this episode of Top of the Food Chain. (It’s pretty cool to talk the guy who invented the Cable Car.) * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guest: Tony Abou-Ganim, author the modern mixologist * History of mixology * Importance of ingredients * Tony makes some of his favorite cocktails

Al is joined by Tony Abou-Ganim (Iron Chef America, Fine Living Network) to talk about the evolution of mixology from the Gothic age to the present on this episode of Top of the Food Chain. (It’s pretty cool to talk the guy who invented the Cable Car.) * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guest: Tony Abou-Ganim, author the modern mixologist * History of mixology * Importance of ingredients * Tony makes some of his favorite cocktails

Comme Ca’s executive chef Brian Howard makes a return visit to Top of the Food Chain, together he and Al define offal and give us a look at it’s many different uses. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guest: Comme Ca’s executive chef, Brian Howard * Definition of offal * Ways to cook offal * Brian’s favorite uses for offal

Comme Ca’s executive chef Brian Howard makes a return visit to Top of the Food Chain, together he and Al define offal and give us a look at it’s many different uses. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guest: Comme Ca’s executive chef, Brian Howard * Definition of offal * Ways to cook offal * Brian’s favorite uses for offal

Al welcomes back Marche Bacchus’ Jeff and Rhonda Wyatt and together we discuss wines in the port family. We explore the types of port, what foods pair well with port wine, and more on this episode of Top of the Food Chain. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guests: Marche Bacchus’ Jeff and Rhonda Wyatt * Port wine * Types of Port wine * Foods that pair well with Port wine * Email questions

Al welcomes back Marche Bacchus’ Jeff and Rhonda Wyatt and together we discuss wines in the port family. We explore the types of port, what foods pair well with port wine, and more on this episode of Top of the Food Chain. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guests: Marche Bacchus’ Jeff and Rhonda Wyatt * Port wine * Types of Port wine * Foods that pair well with Port wine * Email questions

Besides bringing up whose grandma makes the best meatballs (don’t ask), Al and his guests Due Forni Pizza’s Alex Taylor (managing partner) and Carlos Buscaglia (partner/executive chef) dole out a slice of pizza wisdom. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guests: Due Forni Pizza’s Alex Taylor and Carlos Buscaglia * Everything there is to know in the world about pizza (give or take a continent) * Email and LIVE chat questions

For our first episode of 2012 Al welcomes back author and food writer John Curtas. Together, with boxing gloves put aside, they review the foodie trends of 2011. Then the boys look ahead and make some predictions for the food landscape in 2012. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guest: John Curtas, author and food writer * Al’s food trends for 2011 * John’s top tastes of 2011 * Predictions for 2012 food landscape * Email and LIVE chat questions

For our first episode of 2012 Al welcomes back author and food writer John Curtas. Together, with boxing gloves put aside, they review the foodie trends of 2011. Then the boys look ahead and make some predictions for the food landscape in 2012. * Visit Bread and Butter, LV. The best bakery in Las Vegas! * Guest: John Curtas, author and food writer * Al’s food trends for 2011 * John’s top tastes of 2011 * Predictions for 2012 food landscape * Email and LIVE chat questions