'Bon Appetit' Honors Vegas Pastry Chef

IN THE NEWS: In its October 2007 issue, the 10th Annual Bon Appetit Awards include David Chang (New York City's Momofuku Noodle Bar and Momofuku Ssam Bar) as Chef of the Year, Dan Barber (New York's Blue Hill) as Chef of Merit, Kamel Guechida (Joel Robuchon's restaurants at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas) as Pastry Chef, Audrey Saunders (New Yorks' Pegu Club) as Wine & Spirits Professional, Father Gregory J. Boyle (Los Angeles' Homeboy Bakery and Homegirl Cafe) as Humanitarian, Laurent Tourandel (New York's BLT Steak, BLT Prime, BLT Burger, and BLT Fish) as Restaurateur, and Ari Weinszweig and Paul Saginaw (Zingerman's Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Mich.) as Lifetime Achievement. ... The magazine also rounds up Vegas steakhouses, including Stripsteak (Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, mandalaybay.com), Craftsteak Las Vegas (MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, craftrestaurant.com), Strip House (Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, stripohouse.net), BOA Steakhouse (Caesars Palace, The Forum Shops, boasteak.com), and SW Steakhouse (Wuynn Las Vegas, wynnlasvegas.com). bonappetit.com ... Las Vegas Weekly's Geri Jeter reviews Aroma Garden Café (5875 S. Rainbow Blvd., 221-4893). lasvegasweekly.com ... The Review-Journal's Heidi Knapp Rinella gives a C to Tahiti Joe's (Tahiti Village, 7200 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 440-6950). reviewjournal.com ... City Life's Al Mancini reviews Himalayan Cuisine (730 E. Flamingo Road, 894-9334). lasvegascitylife.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com