I generally don’t cover a lot of Uncork’d events.  I get to meet these chefs and have them cook for me all the time, so I don’t want them to take a ticket to a sold-out event away from a paying customer just to make room for me.  But I always attend the opening photo op.  I’ve been backstage at more concerts, festivals and award shows than I can remember, but I’ve never been in the presence of so many superstars in one room.  And nothing will ever compare to standing in Hakkasan today, feeling a tap on my shoulder, and turning around to see Joel Robuchon pointing at the new colors in my hair, smiling and nodding his approval, then leaning in to kiss me on the cheeks.  Now that’s a rock star moment!

Pictures of the few events I cover will be posted here over the weekend.  But I highly recommend you check out the schedule, find out what isn’t sold out, and go hang with these genius chefs yourself.

In a press release announcing the restaurant, Morimoto said, ““I am excited to work with The Mirage on this new restaurant and to bring my cuisine to Las Vegas. With many new features to present at Morimoto Las Vegas, from select menu items to unique design elements, I am passionate about delivering a culinary destination for all guests and visitors of the resort.”

This will be the chef’s first Las Vegas restaurant.

I’ve been a fan of rm upstairs since it opened in 2005.  In 2010, I documented its re-opening after being closed for a year in a Citylife cover story.  Later that year, in the first edition of our book, my co-authors and I named it one of the top 10 restaurants in Las Vegas.  Over the years, I’ve had some truly amazing meals there.  The restaurant has served as the workshop for some incredibly talented chefs, including Adam Sobel, Gerald Chin, Anthony Fusco, Chris Starkus and my good friend John Courtney.  It’s also hosted some incredible out-of-town guests including Marcus Samuelsson and Matt Accarrino.  I was really looking forward to finding out what new chef Johnny Church would bring to those fine-dining tables.

Instead, I’ll see how Rick and Johnny tailor the room to the families that will soon be flocking to Mandalay Bay to see the new Michael Jackson show.  I have no doubt the room will look cool, and the food will be good.  But it certainly will never be the same.  So like everyone else in the room on Friday, I want to take the time to thank Rick for all the great formal meals he’s served us over the years, and wish him luck on the new direction.

I’m willing to bend that rule, however for the restaurant where Sue and I had a tasting on Saturday.   Because Poshburger is, quite simply, the best burger restaurant I’ve ever experienced.  And in a town like Las Vegas, which boasts burger restaurants from celebrity chefs Hubert Keller, Kerry Simon and  Gordon Ramsay, that’s saying a lot.

Located on Charleston and Hualapai, Poshburger is the creation of Chef Conrad Gallagher and his wife Candice.  The Irish chef worked in the prestigious New York kitchens of The Plaza Hotel, The Waldorf Astoria’s Peacock Alley, Le Cirque, Lespinasse, Daniel and Le Bernardin before returning to his native country to open his own restaurant.  There, at the age of 25, he became the youngest chef to be awarded a Michelin star.

At Poshburger, the chef offers some of the most exotic burgers in town, including elk, venison, wild boar, lamb and duck.  His beef is grass-fed, his fruits and vegetables are organic, and all of the meats are antibiotic-free.  And as you can see below, his other dishes are just as creative.

For now, I won’t offer a more detailed review of the place.  All I can say is get your ass in there ASAP.  I’ll also give you a tip.  Sit at the bar, where sliders are available for $5.  That way you can try three different burgers for less than the cost of one full-sized version.