So it was my sisters birthday a couple of weeks ago and although we would usually go out for a birthday meal, I thought that it would be nice to create a restaurant at home.

I asked Liz for a brief and her request was for me to recreate our favourite meal in the US, which was an unplanned and unassuming meal at Stack, one of the restaurants in our hotel, The Mirage in Las Vegas. Apart from the fact that it was a million degrees outside and we didn’t want to leave the air conditioned comfort of our Mirage world, after a couple of happy hour beverages, Stack’s minimalist decor, low lighting and its nightclub feel drew us in.

At first we had no idea it was a steak house, there were no obvious signs, no stuffed animals on the walls, no waitresses in cowboy hats. However, upon inspection of the menu we quickly realised that this steak house had it going on and we had made a fabulous decision. We chose a number of seafood nibbles and entrees to share such as lobster tacos, kingfish sashimi and crispy wonton tuna tartare, plus a couple more cocktails and throw in a cute friendly waiter who loved Aussies, it was the best night.

So, after this wonderful dinner and others just like it at Katsuya and Nobu, now when I think about modern American food, well in LA and Vegas at least, I think of fresh, modern Japanese inspired morsels. The list of celebrity hotspot, Japanese inspired, Tinseltown institutions is as long as your arm, and I love that as it is just the food I love to eat.

For Miss Lizzie’s birthday I dredged the menus of our favourite haunts, as well as others we didn’t get to and did my best to reconstruct a night in Vegas.

So complete with centrepiece, typed menus and lychee and sake cocktail on arrival, we enjoyed 6 courses and had a wonderful night. Much better, and cheaper, than eating out!

Course 1 Kingfish Sashimi
Course 2 Coconut Prawns
Course 3 Scallop Spoons
Course 4 Tuna Crisps
Course 5 Miso Cod
Course 6 Chocolate Lava Cakes

Yellowtail Kingfish Sashimi

Serves 4

1 large fillet yellowtail kingfish, or other sashimi grade white fish
1 jalapeno chilli
1/2 cup coriander
1/4 cup yuzu dressing
1 tbs light soy sauce

Slice kingfish into thin sashimi slices and arrange on a plate.

Finely slice jalapeno and arrange on top of the fish.

Pick coriander and arrange one leaf on every piece of fish or in a mound in the centre.

Finally mix the ponzu dressing with the soy sauce, drizzle over the fish and serve.