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Las Vegas is slow in the Summer.  Probably because it's 100+ degrees during the day and most of the night.  I wouldn't be here if wasn't for World Cup and the fact that sports gambling was only legal in Nevada when I booked the trip.

To get a low-roller like me, Caesar's Entertainment offered me heavily discounted rooms.  I chose to stay at Paris, because of its central location on the strip and I like its perpetual sunset lighting in its casino.

As for food, I usually get Chinese (just so I can get some green veggies) and try absentee celeb chef restaurants.

Btwn Planet Hollywood and MGM is Ruyi Noodle, an authentic Chinese joint on the strip not backed by any casino so you don't pay ludicrous prices.  It's not dirt cheap either - priced similar to Hong Kong Palace.  Lots of specials written in Chinese.  

In SLS is Jose's Bazaar Meat.  I did Jose's Way with a friend and the Texas Ribeye was tremendous.  Meat that almost melts in your mouth (without costing $100/oz) and seasoned perfectly.  I have a hard time imagining a better steak (granted, I have a limited imagination because I rarely go out for steaks).  There was way too much food - I skipped the sides since I ate my greens at lunch.

Inside Paris is Yong Kang Street.  The dim sum is decent, although at twice the normal prices.

In Aria is Carbone.  This is supposed to be upscale red sauce Italian.  My linguine vongole had good flavor and the pasta was al dente but a few clams tasted off.  I really wanted to try the veal parmesan but at $65, I thought it would be too much food and I really didn't want to pig out.   So I had bass (actually red snapper) oreganata.  It was a nicely grilled and well seasoned piece of fish.  Included with dinner are 3 types of bread, pickled cauliflower, and a small plate of salami.  They definitely don't want you to leave skinny.

Today, I will try my first Wahlburger.  Damn the grilled onions smell so good wafting out of that place

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The fragrant onions came from shoe string onions and they were good.  The Our Burger (@ Wahlburger) was actually pretty average - 1/3 lb cooked to order, topped with "government" cheese (i.e., American shit), pickles, tomato, onions, and house made blend of ketch-up and mayo.  Maybe losing $250  while watching Croatia tie Russia during regularly time affected me, but I don't think so.  

Here are some more unsavory practices that I find in Sin City.

Dopes dressed as "showgirls" and superheros for photo ops.  

Charging a $40+ mandatory extra resort fee for shitty wifi and fitness center access.

Don't offer in-room coffee/tea maker.

Overcharge for shitty casino food.

Not having signs in the hotel hallways telling drunk shitheads to be quiet at 4 a.m.

Shitty casino food.

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Las Vegas was its normal shit show.  We were there for less than 24 hours and that was more than enough.

SLS Hotel:  If cell block chic is your style you might appreciate SLS.  Our hotel room have an exposed concrete ceiling.  Trendy? I don't know?  The bed headboard glowed in the dark until we found the dimmer knob.  And the bathroom/sink/shower were behind sliding closet doors which didn't quite slide shut properly.  Frankly, I'd just avoid this hotel all together.  At least the room was inexpensive.

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at the MGM Grand:  I've certainly had worse pizzas in my life, but there was nothing remarkable about this one (I've already forgotten what I ordered).  The chicken wings were a mess, kinda Asian-y but not, with a puddle of sauce on the plate and the wings unsauced and basically served plain.

I agree with Eric about the shitty $40+ per night "resort fee."  It seems to be the going rate. 

Plus Vegas traffic at 5pm sucked.

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1 hour ago, Tweaked said:

Las Vegas was its normal shit show.  We were there for less than 24 hours and that was more than enough.

Plus Vegas traffic at 5pm sucked.

I'm pretty sure I've said this here before, somewhere, but do you know when the last time I've been in Las Vegas was?

48 years ago!

There was no traffic, I distinctly remember the bank thermometer saying 126 degrees (!), and the entire "strip" was very walkable by a family of five with an eight-year-old (me) - they wouldn't let me in the casino. :( I also distinctly remember a *penny slot machine* in a little drug store.

This is the Las Vegas I remember, c. 1970 - there's a very good chance I went to that McDonald's, and that may well have been the drug store with the penny slot machine.

LV.jpg

 

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On 7/8/2018 at 10:50 PM, Ericandblueboy said:

The fragrant onions came from shoe string onions and they were good.  The Our Burger (@ Wahlburger) was actually pretty average - 1/3 lb cooked to order, topped with "government" cheese (i.e., American shit), pickles, tomato, onions, and house made blend of ketch-up and mayo.  Maybe losing $250  while watching Croatia tie Russia during regularly time affected me, but I don't think so.  

Here are some more unsavory practices that I find in Sin City.

Dopes dressed as "showgirls" and superheros for photo ops.  

Charging a $40+ mandatory extra resort fee for shitty wifi and fitness center access.

Don't offer in-room coffee/tea maker.

Overcharge for shitty casino food.

Not having signs in the hotel hallways telling drunk shitheads to be quiet at 4 a.m.

Shitty casino food.

I dont know what possessed me to order lobster at a terrible hotel one time. It must have been in the freezer for years. 

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On 7/31/2019 at 10:21 PM, Ericandblueboy said:

The best hotels/casinos for food are Cosmopolitan, Aria, Caesar's Palace, Bellagio, Venetian/Palazzo, Wynn/Encore.  Pretty much all the good restaurants on the strip are on Open Table.  I do like Costa di Mare at Encore (fresh seafood flown in from the Med).

I would put Venetian/Palazzo at the bottom of this list - their offerings were mediocre a few years ago, and they've declined ever since.  I would say that I had a comically bad business dinner at Mott 32 this year, except after two hours the food hadn't appeared so we left the (very expensive) restaurant.  The only saving grace here is Bouchon, which is a little hard to find but worth it if you're in this complex and hungry.

I would put Cosmopolitan at the top of reasonably affordable and good.  Wynn/Encore have some really good places if you're traveling on an (unlimited) expense account.  Will have to give Costa di Mare a try!

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This guy started out in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in a strip mall (that is being gracious).  Matarorano's, the place was nothing, but the food and show kicked arse.  My wife and I purposely planned an overnite layover in FTL on our trip back the Bahamas to have dinner at the original location.  Things have gone very well for Mr. Martarano and he has expanded quite a bit.  The food, if at all like Fort Lauderdale, is exceptional.  The atmosphere is entertainment on its own. They used to not have a menu and never took reservations.  I ate there a lot and it was just fun.  I could bore everyone with details, suffice to say classic movies (Gangster) played throughout dinner, and at 9 PM, they start blaring Barry White music.  People get up from their tables and start dancing with everyone.  Sounds tacky as hell, but it obviously worked.  Steve is a character and if you happen to meet him you will know why.  Good stuff.

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I recently had dinner at Best Friend at Park MGM and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It seems like a love letter to 1990's LA, but it's really an ode to the American dream--its menu is a tour of the Southern California melting pot with Korean tacos, carnitas, elotes, soondubu, and even a (vegetable) schnitzel.  Don't get put off by how small it looks when you walk up to it (the real dining room is behind the convenience store setup).    

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On 8/5/2019 at 10:01 AM, washingtony said:

I recently had dinner at Best Friend at Park MGM and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It seems like a love letter to 1990's LA, but it's really an ode to the American dream--its menu is a tour of the Southern California melting pot with Korean tacos, carnitas, elotes, soondubu, and even a (vegetable) schnitzel.  Don't get put off by how small it looks when you walk up to it (the real dining room is behind the convenience store setup).    

Trying to find restaurants for a friend. This looks interesting. How loud is it?

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On 10/1/2019 at 2:52 PM, washingtony said:

It’s insanely loud—conversation was difficult. 

But good and fun. Recommend it after i was there on recent trip. Also recommend the Crack Shack - a fried chicken place that you enter from the strip (not inside a hotel). Had a nice lunch meal at the greek place in the Cosmopolitan which has an expensive but value deal for LV standards. 

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Don't miss Egg Slut (I hate the name) in the Cosmopolitan.  The line that I heard countless times about the place was "The lines are ridiculous but it's worth it!"   I went in the early afternoon and there was no line at all, but I understand at breakfast and lunch hours the lines are nuts.  Who would have thought they could make simple egg sandwiches a destination meal, but they did!

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On 7/19/2019 at 10:30 AM, DonRocks said:
On 11/6/2019 at 8:17 AM, Bart said:

Don't miss Egg Slut (I hate the name) in the Cosmopolitan.  The line that I heard countless times about the place was "The lines are ridiculous but it's worth it!"   I went in the early afternoon and there was no line at all, but I understand at breakfast and lunch hours the lines are nuts.  Who would have thought they could make simple egg sandwiches a destination meal, but they did!

In conjunction with Egg Slut, I find it very funny that Hangover Heaven has "Group Discounts." (*)

Screenshot 2019-11-11 at 18.01.06.png

  • Booking must be made 24 hours in advance.
  • Must be paid in full at the time of booking.
  • Group pricing is for a single appointment and cannot be split over multiple rooms or multiple days.
  • All members of group must be in same hotel room/suite within 15 minutes of appointment time
  • Group appointments are non-refundable for unused treatments.
  • Parties of 11+, please call for special pricing.
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On 8/5/2019 at 9:01 AM, washingtony said:

I recently had dinner at Best Friend at Park MGM and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It seems like a love letter to 1990's LA, but it's really an ode to the American dream--its menu is a tour of the Southern California melting pot with Korean tacos, carnitas, elotes, soondubu, and even a (vegetable) schnitzel.  Don't get put off by how small it looks when you walk up to it (the real dining room is behind the convenience store setup).    

I did a blowout dinner at Best Friend with a large group of people a few months ago and it was a massive hit. The table ranged from novices/basic eaters to total food snobs (cough) and everyone was raving. The menu has a few different prix fixe options, and when we tried to go that route for the table the server waved us off and said  that unless we really wanted 12 orders of kalbi we'd be better off just letting her order with that same budget. We gave her the wheel and ended up making our way through about 1/2 the menu. It was awesome, and we probably wouldn't have been mad with 8 orders of kalbi tbh.

As already mentioned, it's loud as hell in there. 

My LV Crack Shack experience was pretty bad, but they were still in their opening month so I can give them a pass. Cheap beer there at least.

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Attending a work conference at the Aria (not a fan of their food hall) and staying at Vdara (no real restaurants on-site), we spent a good deal of time at the Cosmopolitan for in-between meals. A somewhat treacherous walk from Vdara and through the Cosmo parking garage should be soon remedied as they connect the indoor walkway between Vdara, the Bellagio and the Cosmo into one; construction was already underway as the brand partnership Marriott and MGM has apparently been long in the making, despite the recent announcement.

Once on the second floor, the Cosmopolitan's Block 16 Food Hall -- a collection of name-branded, regional take-out franchises -- became a mainstay for us due to the relative value and ease of access. Lardo was my first meal in the city, and the PBLT ($16.50) was as simple as described: sliced pork belly, tomato, lettuce and mayo served on a crusty bread that isn't overwhelmed by its fillings. A side of fries ($5.50) was fine, liberally covered with fried sage, rosemary and bits of toasted parmesan.

Hattie B's is also a member, if you are in the need for a juicy hot chicken sandwich ($16, one side included). We have an outpost in Dallas but it was still a pleasant sandwich done right: buttered and toasted bun, the heat level cut with coleslaw and pickles (and you can get one without any spice at all, if that's not your thing). Red skin potato salad was mayonnaise-based yet oddly refreshing.

Eggslut did indeed have a crowd, although the line moves fast enough. The bacon, egg and cheese ($10.50) and sausage, egg and cheese ($10.50) sandwiches were everything promised, jazzed-up Americana within a warm brioche bun. The eggs are jammy and runny at the same time, with the ratio and proportions of other ingredients just right. The truffle hashbrowns ($6) are your typical misnomer, yet still damn crispy and delicious. I enjoy arugula so the side salad ($5.75) with a few specs of Manchego hit the spot.

There was also David Chang's attempt at shawarma, a New Orleans donut shop and a handroll sushi counter within the food hall, if so inclined.

I wasn't impressed with the greatest (tired) hits of Chang and Andres as far as the Cosmo's sit-down restaurants went, but I did find late night salvation at two other eateries within the hotel.

Secret Pizza is not so hidden, look for a long hallway on the third floor without signage. Although portraying a New York-style pizzeria in décor and menu, the foldable slices ($6) should not be expected to deliver East Coast promises. However, for a quick meal after-hours (open until 4 a.m.) the pizza was satisfying and about as good a cost-ratio you are going to find within the walls of an Autograph Collection hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard.

The Henry was actually a little harder for me to find, nestled in a first floor corner between the haze of cigarette smoke and flashing slots machines. A mini-diner (an oxymoron in a luxury hotel) that opens at 10 pm and serves through the night until lunch, we were happy to find gregarious service and well-cooked hangover food while recovering from a late night and Dubai-level heat indexes outside. Tater tot nachos ($16) were topped with braised short rib and the typical accoutrements, working really well together -- I discovered I prefer mushy potatoes in nacho cheese over mushy chips. The Henry breakfast ($20) was the All-Star classic of eggs, protein, hashbrowns and toast, all of which done adequately.

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Breakfast sandwiches from Eggslut

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Pork belly, lettuce and tomato at Lardo

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Tater tot nachos at The Henry

Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace

Being my inaugural trip to Las Vegas I had the antiquated notion we needed to try a buffet, which is how we ended up at Bacchanal for lunch ($65 per person). Reservations on a Monday were easy enough to secure, and though I didn't see much of a queue at the entrance I would recommend saving your place online. Once through the amusement park-esque screening process the dining area is largely sleek -- however, beware of the truly dreadful banquette two-tops that you should request to avoid if assigned to.

While the food was plentiful, at the end of day (or 90 minutes, since they are timing you) a buffet is still a collection of hot-held cuisine with varying levels of quality. I did enjoy a large slice of prime rib, seemingly requisite for a Vegas buffet, and the Asian section was probably the most enjoyable variety of food. Lechon and roast duck sounded better than they were, but the shumai wasn't half bad, I love Chinese-American takeout (I go where General Tso leads me) and the little poke bowls (tuna and sushi) were certainly craveable. If you are in the mood for Mexican there is a rotating birria taco section, pozole, tostadas, mini-churros and so on -- what I sampled was good, but I generally refrained since better can be found back home in Texas.

The shellfish was a solid collection (shrimp, Jonah crab claws, mussels, clams and a crawfish boil) but none were a particularly memorable edition of their species. Many of the dishes are small plates, which is not my preferred style of buffet eating -- I enjoyed the mini loco moco and Sonoran street dogs, less so the watery shrimp ceviche and salty arancini. Your own experiences will probably change drastically based on the freshness when you encounter the same items.

Fortunately the meal ended strongly. Desserts lend themselves much better to miniature portions, and nearly everything sampled from the dessert bar was a winner. Many of the items were different flavored panna cottas or custards, with Vietnamese coffee-chocolate and lemon-blueberry being standouts.

So is the Bacchanal worth it? I would not spring for the "crab leg" upcharge ($85 per person) based on the seafood sampled, but I enjoyed the meal and the buffet felt like many other things in Vegas -- an experience you pay a premium for. I don't think it is a "must-do" when in the city, but all said if I'm ever back in Vegas I'd probably try the Wynn's buffet to compare.

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Bardot Brasserie

With both of Robuchon's restaurants and Guy Savoy all closed for summer break, Mizumi closed for renovations, as well as a desire for somewhere more unique than a steakhouse (Bazaar Meat included), it took a bit of hunting to find my preferred "blowout" meal on our last night in Las Vegas. While there were enticing options an Uber trip away, for various reasons we decided to stay on the strip, and Bardot Brasserie was the winner of the online menu contest.

Part of a quiet corner on the second floor of the Aria, neighbored by Jean Georges Steakhouse and Carbone, I'm not usually taken aback by restaurant interiors -- but this is a particularly handsome one. Dark wooden walls with light marble floors, golden accents tastefully accentuating, an absolute showpiece bar and the perfect level of lighting. Contemporary yet timeless.

While technically a Michael Mina restaurant, Bardot stands on its own after eight years. Mina seemed to let former executive chef Josh Smith lead the way for most of that time period, and although he has passed the baton a few times since 2020 (Smith moved to the Wynn's Delilah two years ago, taking a few of his signature dishes with him), the windowed view into Bardot's kitchen showed a brigade handling a high volume of dishes with seemingly ease.

After convincing our waiter that we could handle the amount of items ordered, and settling into our $20 cocktails, a warm mini baguette soon hit the table with soft butter on the side. I'm always glad to see bread service at restaurants and this was a capable starting point.

A plate of ouefs mimosa ($22) set the tone for the style of the meal -- four deviled eggs topped with caviar and chive; these would be classically derived dishes with an obvious or hidden luxury. Shrimp cocktail ($24) is another standard that is often boring, but the shrimp were especially sweet, served at the right temperature, and with the namesake sauce and remoulade both well-done. Fromage de tete ($14) was indulgent without being heavy, spreading nicely with a bit of Espelette aioli over grilled bread.

Bardot seems to alternate between hot and cold foie gras preparations, so excitement was raised to see the latter on their current menu. Foie gras parfait with strawberry gelee, compote and almond crumble ($33) was ridiculous and perfect: the creamiest, smoothest bar of liver contrasted by the right level of sweetness from the fruit, with texture from the almonds and toasted mini-brioche. Traditional and modern, I would put it up there with the best plates I've ever had. This was as good as dining out gets.

Recovering from the standing eight-count after the foie, I remembered that my true mission at Bardot was to conquer one objective: the beef wellington. The Bardot Wellington ($179) is nearly a pound of prime filet, split over four large slices and meant to be shared (as our waiter reminded us, once he took down our course progression). Having long anticipated but never eaten a beef wellington, I cannot accurately judge Bardot's version to any others -- I can only say it was exactly what I assumed it would be. Crisp puff pastry with a golden-egg tan, Bayonne ham replacing the prosciutto, and a fine thread of duxelles around an excellent quality tenderloin cooked medium rare (closer to the latter).

Although the accompanying sauce perigourdine wasn't that potent and side of pommes puree simply a palate cleanser (restaurant mashed potatoes are generally disappointing), the wellington stood on its own deliciousness and I managed to finish it all (my better half enjoyed a pleasant-looking salmon a la Francaise with pea puree, snow peas and snap peas; $52). If I ever have a superior beef wellington in my life I will be both surprised and pleased.

Sides are steakhouse-style, although do save room for the macaroni and mimolette gratin ($19). I am not a mac and cheese enthusiast but this is elevated fantastically.

Finishing in the same manner as the start, the dessert menu was intriguingly classic and it was hard not to double down on my puff pastry tasting menu with a warm almond pithivier ($29). Refraining, we split a Grand Marnier soufflé with crème anglaise, peaches and brown butter ice cream ($16). All accompaniments were dumped into the soufflé upon presentation, which was mildly unfortunate as I am a soufflé minimalist. Flavorful nonetheless.

I believe visitors to Las Vegas enter into a pact, knowing the city itself is designed to overstimulate and overpromise while extracting funds in the quickest timeline possible. The visitors agree to this, hoping to catch the fortune of a slot machine CPU and if not, at least they will have an enjoyable time parting ways with their money.

It was that frame of mind that I ate at Bardot. It was grand. It was seductively expensive. It was expertly delicious. Bardot was the Las Vegas I wanted to be at.

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Ouefs mimosa and fromage de tete.

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Above-average shrimp cocktail; perfect foie gras.

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Very rare but delicious beef wellington. Fancy macaroni and cheese.

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