Portabello Mushroom Philly Cheese Steak at the Sporting House, Las Vegas

Not everything that happens in Vegas needs to stay in Vegas. This sports bar located in the the New York, New York Hotel and Casino is one gem that should definitely be explored next time you visit the city of sin. Usually, it is very difficult to find a sports bar that meets all of my needs: a wide variety of beer selection on tap, a wall of televisions within a reasonable view, friendly and attentive wait staff, and most importantly a good menu. What makes sports bars even more difficult is finding one that can also satisfy the culinary tastes of the wife. Let's face it, most sports bar menus are pretty boring. Wings or burgers anyone? Would you like fries or fries with that?

The Sporting House, which used to be the ESPN Zone in New York, New York, is where all of these elements combine to perfection. Not only is the wait staff friendly, the beer a-plenty, and the televisions voluminous (with a personal flat-screen right at your table with surround sound built into the booth)-- this place has a fantastic menu to top it all off. Both my wife and I were surprised to find not only one, but several vegetarian friendly meals offered by the on staff chef. Yes, CHEF. Not cook.

One of these delightful meals was the Portabello Mushroom Philly Cheese Steak. When I was eating meat, I loved me a Philly cheese steak. The grilled peppers! The caramelized onions! The savory and juicy steak, covered in cheese, that drips on to your chin as you bite into the gooey bun. Yum! So you have to believe that I was excited to see a vegetarian Philly cheese steak on the menu made from portabello mushrooms instead of steak. It had all of the flavor of a Philly cheese steak, but with the earthy richness that only portabello mushrooms can provide. And yes, I had it with a side salad instead of fries! How many bars offer that as an option? It was also not just a chopped iceberg lettuce bore. The salad was made with field greens and fresh vegetables with a nice house ranch dressing.

Overall, it was a delight to find the perfect sports bar. This was a dish that I truly enjoyed and hope to try to replicate at home soon!