On a recent trip to Las Vegas with fellow GT’er Rafie Iannello, we made it a point to sample some of the innovative cuisine on offer. When in Vegas, right? On our first night in Vegas, we stopped by Chef Scott Conant’s D.O.C.G. at the Cosmopolitan, a Las Vegas wine bar named for a category of Italian wine. Conant happens to be a regular judge on one of my favorite Food Network shows, Chopped. To tickle our taste buds even more, Rafie and I decided to split several dishes at all of our meals, allowing us to sample more. At D.O.C.G., we tried the meatball with whipped ricotta; the Burrata pizza with tomato, olive oil and cracked black pepper; and the Pici pasta, with a braised duck sauce and black truffles. In a word, yum! The following night we headed back to the Cosmopolitan for Chef José Andres’s Chinese/Mexican fusion at China Poblano. Intrigued by the dual concept, we each started with a taco, then shared When Pigs Fly dim sum; Dan Dan Mian noodles; and Shrimp Mojo. In a word, delicious! On our last night, we had plans to see Ms. Spears, so we kept dinner simple and close to home (in our hotel), but still tasty, at Cleo. Here, we enjoyed hummus (a must!), Wagyu kebabs and Brussels sprouts. All are highly recommended choices. In a word, mouthwatering! Back on the East Coast, I had another great culinary experience just a few weeks later, when a friend and I signed up for a wine and cheese class at New York City’s Eataly. The theme of the class was Legends & Lore, and the cheesemonger and sommelier shared legends and stories about the three wines and six cheeses we sampled. The cheeses were exceptional and unique, and I was so happy for both a sparkling and a white option with the wines. Additionally, the cheesemonger and sommelier were friendly, funny and knowledgeable. My culinary experiences on both sides of the country are highly recommended next time you find yourselves in these cities! — Kim Krol, vice president/managing editor