In my last blog, I wrote about my trip to Phoenix and Las Vegas. Of course, that trip had several food highlights.

Thanks to our resident foodie Jason Fleigel, we stopped at DeFalco’s in Phoenix before the baseball game. DeFalco’s was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, but Jason’s word carries more weight with us. The sandwiches and pasta dishes were delicious, but the real star was the cannoli. I’d put it in my top five of all time.

Our first night in Vegas was spent watching football at Triple 7 in the Main Street Casino. Their standard bar menu (with well-above-average flavors) kept 10 hungry men satisfied all night long. The light and crispy calamari and the portabella sandwich were my favorites.

Our first stop on Saturday was the Road Kill Grill (also seen on Fieri’s show). Our trip leader (and father of the groom-to-be) Scott Parker set up a menu of pulled pork, barbequed chicken and ribs, accompanied by mac and cheese and finished with a warm apple delight. The chicken breast was the biggest, juiciest, tastiest one I have eaten. The mac and cheese was so good, even the staunch meat eaters were piling it high on their plates.

For a quick slice of pizza on the Fremont Street strip, Picadilly Pizza was my pick. As an added bonus, they serve awesome fountain Coke. I also have to mention American Coney Island, my other pick for a great fountain Coke. In the 106-degree heat, these places come in handy! Our trip proved Vegas isn’t all about gambling and alcohol. Of course, there was plenty of that, too, but what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor