I recently came back from a 5-day long trip to Las Vegas. I am not a huge gambler (a few penny slots is all I can handle) and I am not a huge drinker, so I decided the best way to explore Las Vegas was to dine at the different restaurants. Being a fan of the show, Top Chef, many of the big name chefs were familiar to me and I was eager to try their cuisine.
Las Vegas is unlike any place I have ever visited, it is truly larger than life. The hotels are huge, the architecture pretty amazing and everything is done on a grand scale. We stayed at Caesar’s Palace, a beautiful hotel in the center of The Strip.
My dining adventure began at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill inside Caesar’s Palace. We were attending a Super Bowl party at the restaurant, so there was a specific tasting menu for the event. The food definitely matches the name, it was all pub food, which was perfect for the event. Our selection included sliders, fries, soft pretzels and even a sticky toffee pudding. I ordered a glass of Merlot to go with my sliders and fries, yum!
The next day, I spent most of the morning wandering through the different hotels and casinos. I stopped for tea at the Lake of Dreams at the Wynn. The Lake of Dreams is surrounded by trees and has a large waterfall at one end. It is an oasis in the middle of the strip, and the perfect stop on my journey.
For lunch, I ate at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Las Vegas. The restaurant is located inside The Forum Shops at Caesars, but they had patio seating, so you could dine and people watch at the same time. I ordered the Chinois Chicken Salad and a cranberry spritzer. The salad was tasty and the service was excellent. I would go back based on the service alone.
The next day, I made my way up to Mandalay Bay and had lunch at Rick Moonen’s RM Seafood. They had a lobster roll on their menu, which is something I have always wanted to try. The only catch – it had heavy cream. To my surprise, the server spoke to the chefs and they made my lobster roll with no cream – no fuss and no complaining. And it was wonderful, lemony, buttery and very fresh. I would recommend RM Seafood to anyone, they made my dining experience exceptional.
That evening, my husband and I dined at Rao’s (in Caesar’s Palace). We buy their pasta sauce often, and have wanted to try their restaurant. The food did not disappoint, I ordered the Salsa alla Marinara and the Pasta e Fagioli soup. The food was excellent and we left the restaurant full and satisfied.
My last lunch in Las Vegas was originally going to be Todd English’s Olives as the Bellagio. Unfortunately, my lactose intolerance and Todd English’s love of cheese did not mix, so I abandon my original plan.
I headed back to our hotel and settled on Central by Michael Richard. This is a newer restaurant that serves american food with a bit of flair. The lunch menu was ok, and I settled on the Chicken Burger. There was an interesting twist to the sandwich, a crispy, very thin potato was added for crunch. I understood the concept of the potato, but found it to be a bit too crispy, making my bites more gritty than crunchy. Otherwise, the sandwich was tasty and the people watching was fun.
I had so much fun eating at the different restaurants, an opportunity I do not get very often. I hope to go back to Las Vegas again in the near future, so I can continue to try more cuisine cooked up by renowned chefs.
The Splendid Grape 