Culinary Dropout

“Culinary Dropout, Fox Restaurant Concepts’ little “rebel child” breaks all the rules with its uniform-free staff and relaxed, soulful ambiance. Five-time James Beard Foundation semi-finalist for Outstanding Restaurateur, Sam Fox, brings Vegas a hip and funky hangout to sip creative libations, savor tasty pub grub and take in live music every weekend.”

The official description of Culinary Dropout from their website is completely spot-on, but it doesn’t quite do the restaurant justice. I hope that I can. Warning – the food is so fantastic that I don’t have nearly enough adjectives to properly capture how great the experience was. You’ll have to try it for yourself!

I brought my favorite dining partner, Stacy, with me for dinner. We both love food and aren’t afraid to try new things. Once we sat and looked at the menu, the manager, Mike, offered to bring us a sampling and we were happy to agree.

We started with the most amazing Soft Pretzels and Provolone Fondue. I have to interrupt myself and say that everything is made from scratch, including the bread – so the pretzels were incredibly flavorful and delicious. Of course you have to dip them in the provolone fondue which was the perfect blend of salty, creamy cheese, heated up just enough.

The cocktails he chose were really well balanced in flavor, when so often they can be too strong or too sweet. These were neither. The Smashed Irishman and The Persuasion – both true to their names and unexpectedly delicious.

Next he sent out shrimp and raw oysters. Now, oysters are not on my radar normally, but there was no way I was going to let them go to waste. They were so fresh that I had to remind myself that we don’t live by the beach, and the cocktail sauce was spicy and delicious enough to warrant its own mention.

After that the procession of food became a blur. We tasted beautifully thin sliced meats and amazing cheeses from their Antipasti menu. The Seared Tuna salad was so delicate that the tuna just melted in your mouth.

Mike had told us how fantastic the fried chicken was going to be, and I have to agree. Served with homemade biscuits, coleslaw and mashed potatoes (all of which were really incredible) the chicken was most definitely the star of the dish. The breading was crunchy, flavorful, and surprisingly not greasy at all. The chicken was so juicy inside that I had to take a moment to just enjoy the food.

The other entrée was the Sweet Corn Cannelloni, and Stacy started on that one first. While I was lost in the fried chicken, she was getting her first taste of an unexpectedly great dish. The pasta was made fresh, of course, and the filling was so creamy and delightful. Not to mention the flawlessly cooked vegetables in a creamy sauce to complement the pasta. The balance of flavors was just perfection.

We ended our meal with their famous Monkey Bread and vanilla gelato. It’s baked to order, and if you have enough self-control to save room for it, you will not be sorry.

An amazing and unforgettable experience – I promise you will regret leaving Las Vegas without eating at Culinary Dropout.

Located at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino – Call 702-522-8100 for hours and more information.

By Tracy Hartley