(plus Death Valley and the Mojave Desert)
March 31 - April 21, 2006
Over the last couple of years, Las Vegas has become my vacation of
choice. This would be my sixth trip in the last two years and, at
21 days, the longest yet. Why do I go so frequently, and for so
long? Because there are so many things to do in and around Las
Vegas that it never gets boring! I tried over 30 new hikes,
restaurants, shows, and other activities this trip alone.
Death Valley National
Park
Mojave National Preserve
Click here for all the details
Las Vegas
Quick Links to the Sections:
HOTELS
ACTIVITIES
SHOWS AND SIGHTS
NIGHTTIME
GAMBLING
FOOD
MISCELLANY
HIGHLIGHTS
I spent my first 6 days at The Flamingo. This is one of my regular haunts. Its main virtues: it has a near perfect center Strip location, with Caesars Palace, Bellagio, and Ballys as neighbors; it's one of the cheaper places in the immediate vicinity. Add to this reasonably comfortable rooms and a very good swimming pool, and I can overlook the run down feel and boring restaurants.
As usual, I tried the $20 trick. This has become part of my Vegas tradition. I got a room on a moderately high floor with a Strip view, so maybe it worked. The room seemed to have been renovated recently. Unlike prior visits, water pressure in the bathroom was good.
I didn't take any pictures this time. Click here to see some pictures of The Flamingo from a prior trip.
The next 12 days were at Wynn Las Vegas. I had stayed here once before, and liked it a lot. It felt like coming back home.
Registration
The last time I stayed at Wynn, registration was mediocre - not bad,
but not what I'd expect from a top
hotel. It was slightly better this time, but not much. The
wait was only 5 or 10 minutes, but there was an overall impression of
crowding and barely controlled chaos. This is a lot like other
hotels, but I expected better at Wynn.
I arrived
very early - around 9 am - and
asked for a Strip view on a high floor. As expected, I couldn't check into a
room right away, but I was given a room on the 56th floor. Not
bad! When I checked back around 1 pm, my room was ready - a
pretty good start.
The
Room
My room was on
the 56th floor - sort of. More on that later. Room 5646 had
a
full strip view. I could see all the way south to Mandalay Bay, a
little bit north, west past the Rio, and had a great view of the
mountains. The future addition to The Venetian was still low
enough to be unobtrusive; some day, it will block most of the view to
the south.
To quote
from my last report:
"The room is
very large. Ten foot ceilings make it feel larger still.
The walls have a textured, dark bronze wall paper. The ceiling is
white; the furniture is light colored. One wall is completely taken up
by floor to ceiling windows. The curtains (both sheer and solid)
are electronically controlled by buttons near the bed.
There's a
good amount of drawer space. The dresser itself is somewhere
limited, as one side is devoted to a mini bar. However, there are
two very large night stands with drawers. There is a large
closet, with a safe.
The flat
screen TV is mounted on the wall to the left of the bed. It
swivels to provide a good view from the bed, or anywhere else in the
room.
The A/C is
OK, but if the curtains are opened and the sun is shining into the room
it never gets cold - cool, but I like cold.
There's a
desk, a round table, a sofa, and a large oval footstool (or
something). There are three phones, a FAX, and internet
access. There's a fancy clock radio. If you have an iPod, a
cable from the radio will plug into the iPod and play back your iPod's
music.
The bed is
wonderfully comfortable. It has more pillows than anyone needs,
but the turndown service moves most of them off the bed and out of the
way.
The bathroom
is huge. It has a large shower, a very large tub, two sinks with
a center area and chair, a small flat screen TV, and a scale.
The toilet is in a separate room."
The Rest of the Hotel
The longer I stay at Wynn, the more I like the layout. It's easy to navigate, and everything is reasonably close. There are no long walks to rooms, restaurants, shows, or anything else that comes to mind. The atmosphere is bright and airy. Wynn Las Vegas comes across as simple and relatively intimate, compared to The Bellagio's overpowering statement. This is either a plus or minus depending on one's outlook. I prefer Wynn.
This trip reinforced my feeling that, overall, Wynn's restaurants are superior to those at any other hotel in Las Vegas. It has the best sushi bar, the best seafood restaurant, the best steakhouse, an excellent classic French restaurant (second only to Joël Robuchon at the Mansion), maybe the best American restaurant, and several other top notch places. Even the golf course restaurant is very good.
The pool is
large, and was not crowded (not surprising, given that it was
April). A big plus: the water was nicely heated. Contrast
this to the pool at The Flamingo, where even in July the water will
give you goose bumps.
Wynn is
still heavily into orchids. The theme was green Cymbidiums when I
first arrived. The second week, they began the switch to purple
Vandas.
Elevators
were frequently crowded, but I never had a long wait. I started
to time them, and my longest wait was just under 30 seconds. I'm
not sure how they managed this, but I guess I shouldn't complain!
Valet
service was worse than last time. I had to wait more than ten
minutes on several occasions. It didn't seem all that crowded;
perhaps they need to hire more valets? On the more positive side,
waits for taxis were never more than five minutes, usually less (even
on Friday and Saturday night). Their system still looks a little
awkward, so I'm not sure if I just got lucky or if they've somehow fine
tuned it.
Click here to see some pictures of
Wynn Las Vegas
·
Rock
Scrambling
The more rock scrambling I do, the more I like it. Rock
scrambling is a cross between hiking and rock climbing. There are
rocks, boulders, and even cliffs, to climb, but none are so difficult
as to require ropes. It's quite a workout, and can be more than a
little scary. It's also easy to get lost, so make sure to go with
someone experienced. I
highly recommend Neil Sobelson
of Hike
This!. Neil has been doing this for a long time, and has
never lost anyone - at least no one that I know of. Just kidding,
Neil!
My first scramble this trip was a return to Pine Creek (south
fork). The night before the hike, it snowed in the mountains,
followed by a quick warm up. As a result, there was a fair amount
of water in the creek, making the scramble a lot more interesting.
Click here for details of
the Pine Creek rock scramble
The next scramble was a hybrid. We would scramble up Brownstone
Canyon to the back side of Turtlehead Peak, then hike down the front of
the mountain. Unlike most of its sandstone brethren, Turtlehead
Peak is made of limestone, which results in a different experience.
Click here for details of
the Brownstone Canyon/Turtlehead Peak scramble
·
Hiking
Hiking is the next best thing to rock scrambling, and Red Rock Canyon
is a great
place for both. For some reason, I had never hiked a peak
before. This trip I would hike four (two in Red Rock, and two
elsewhere). One of the more interesting was North Peak, both due
to the terrain and the view at the top.
Click here for details of
the North Peak hike
I also hiked the Grand Circle trail. Sounds, well....grand,
doesn't it? The reality was somewhat more down to earth.
It's a long but easy hike that combines pieces of a number of other
trails.
Click here for details of
the Grand Circle hike
·
ATV Tour. Yet another thing I had never
tried before. Based on recommendations found in some of the
web forums, I chose Adventure Tours. They offer a number of
different ATV tours. Despite my 18 days in Las Vegas, I had
somehow or other managed to run short of time, so I chose the
relatively short Hidden
Valley run - 4 hours total, of which 2 hours were on the ATV.
This was a good tour for beginners: not too long, not too difficult,
but still a lot of fun. Definitely worth it.
Things to remember:
(1) You will get very dirty, especially if you end up in a large
group. Dust gets everywhere. If you bring a camera, put it
in a ziploc bag to keep it clean. (2) While it can get very hot
in the desert, it can also get very cold, especially when you're
zipping along on the ATV.
·
Dune Buggy! After signing up for the dune buggy, I
began to have second thoughts. After all, I was already going on
an ATV. How different could a dune buggy be? Was it really
worth the money? Absolutely!
Sun
Buggy Fun Rentals Las Vegas runs the show. Its a new branch
of the more established Sun Buggie Fun Rentals Pismo Beach (note the
spelling difference). They'll pick you up at your hotel, drive
you to the dunes (about 30 minutes north of Las Vegas), and drive you
back. Total trip time is 3 to 4 hours, of which 90 minutes is
spent driving the dune buggy. A helmet and goggles are provided,
but you might still want to bring sunglasses.
After spending about 30 minutes on operation and safety, as well as a
lengthy you-break-anything-you're-liable speech, it was time for
action. And what action! Even though you always follow the
lead driver, it takes a lot of concentration, and a certain amount of
skill, to keep on track. The dune buggies are so low slung it's
unlikely you'll tip over, but there are plenty of obstacles, from two
foot high washboard humps that can turn you into a human bobble head
(and back surgery candidate), to dunes high enough to get you stuck, to
crests that drop off so sharply you'll launch into the air if not
careful.
I had a great time. Compared to the ATV tour, the dune buggy tour
offers less chance to appreciate the scenery, but it is a much more
intense, exciting ride. I'd love to do it again.
Just like the ATV tour, you will get very dirty and dusty. There
not really much opportunity for photos, but if you do bring a camera,
seal it in a ziploc bag.
·
Pinball Hall of Fame.
3330 East Tropicana
Avenue. When I
was growing up, pinball machines were considered to be just a little
bit unsavory. That didn't stop this six year old from standing on
an orange crate (so he could see over the top of the machine), sticking
in his hard earned (well, hard begged for) nickel, and shaking the hell
out of the machine. Fond memories! Las Vegas now has
a place where one can relive those tender, juvenile-delinquent-wanna-be
moments. It's the Pinball Hall of Fame.
This is a museum containing nearly 200 pinball machines, some dating
back to
the 1950's or earlier. Now here's the really good part - you get
to play the machines. It's twenty five cents for the older
machines,
fifty cents for the newer ones. This is way cheaper than the
casinos.
Click here for pictures
·
KÀ. MGM Grand. I
had seen this once before. Sort of. A long day of rock
climbing meant
that I had slept though much of it the first time around. This
time
would be different!
KÀ is one of a host of Cirque de Soleil shows offered by MGM
Mirage. At $165 million it was the most expensive to produce, and
is chock full of technical wizardry. Like the other Cirque
shows, its main attraction is the skill of its performers. Unlike the other Cirque
shows, there's a plot - but just barely.
This
show has been reviewed to death, and I'm just too lazy to provide
a detailed summary. Suffice it to say that I managed to stay
awake this time, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's one of the
better Cirque (and Cirque-type) shows.
·
Hairspray. Luxor. Broadway
plays are now the rage*, and Hairspray is one of the newcomers.
It is based on John Waters' movie of the same name, and takes place in
Baltimore in 1962. Having been born and raised in
Bawlmer, Merlin, I felt an obligation
to see this play.
You can read as much as you like about the plot on the Internet, which
relieves me of the burden of showing that I was actually awake during
the play. No..... that's not fair. I actually enjoyed the
play. It's pretty light weight, but for a Baltimore baby
boomer it was fun. Harvey Fierstein is perfect as Edna Turnblad;
see him soon, as he relinquishes the role shortly.
*Or are they?
With the imminent demise of Avenue Q,
some people wonder if
plays are here for the long run. It will be interesting to see if
Phantom of the Opera and Spamalot survive.
·
Bob Dylan. Aladdin.
The Never-Ending Tour continues, with an interesting twist: the
opening band was Merle Haggard and The Strangers. I was prepared;
I knew all the words to I'm
Proud to be an Okie From Muscogee. Unfortunately, Mr.
Haggard declined to sing
it. Such is life.
On a slightly more serious note, Merle Haggard was pretty
good. His voice is still strong, and he knows how to entertain a
crowd. Sadly, Dylan's voice is pretty much gone. If you
don't already know the words to his songs, you won't learn them by
listening. I knew this in advance, and the band was good, but I
think this will be my last Dylan concert.
·
Matsuri. Riviera.
This is an import from Yokohama, Japan. Translated as Festival, it is also known as Muscle Musical.
It has some
of the
elements of Cirque de Soleil shows, such as acrobatics, stunts and
dancing. However, I'd hesitate to make too strong a
comparison. Matsuri is simple and unpretentious. While
amateurish would be an unfair description, it isn't as slickly
professional as the Cirque shows. The fresh faced performers are
usually smiling, even encouraging the audience to participate in some
numbers (think of a Japanese version of YMCA). I thoroughly enjoyed
it.
·
Amazing Johnathan. Sahara.
The Amazing Johnathan combines magic and comedy. With the help of
Penny Wiggins (better known as Psychic Tanya), AJ produces a show that
could be described as funny, irreverent, or moronic, depending on one's
sense of humor. I lean towards funny, but just barely. Still, it's worth seeing.
·
George Wallace. Flamingo.
This is old school stand-up comedy, in the style of Redd Foxx. As luck would have it, David Brenner
made a guest appearance. Both performers were OK, but I was happy
enough to see the show end. Given the relatively high ticket
price, I'd skip this one.
·
Kathy Griffin. Suncoast.
Ms. Griffin is a semi-famous comedian. She's appeared on a number
of TV shows, including four years on Suddenly
Susan, a stint on Celebrity
Mole (she won), and more recently the comedy special The D-List. I would have
recognized her face and voice, but I never knew her name.
I was really tired before the show (another long day), but my few
remaining brain cells distinctly remember enjoying her act. I'm
surprised she wasn't in a theater on The Strip. If she happens to
be in town when you're around, go see her.
·
The Pickadillos. The Freakin' Frog.
With a motto of "Mutant bluegrass that rocks", what's not to
like? The Pickadillos
can be
seen weekly at the Freakin' Frog,
starting around
8 pm. Don't confuse them with a similarly named band that plays
at
the Double Down Saloon. Want to know more? Check out The
Pickadillos web site.
·
Rollergirls. Roller
derby lives! If you remember the Great Depression, McCarthyism,
or Joanie Loves Chachi, you
probably remember roller derby. Sometimes a serious sport,
sometimes a three ring circus, roller derby had pretty much died out by
the mid-eighties. Then, early this century, a new breed of
skaters emerged. All-female teams, skating mostly flat-track and
with decided punk personae, revived the sport. These self named
rollergirls now have leagues in over fifty cities. Las Vegas'
own Sin City
Rollergirls, aka the SCRG, aka the Neander Dolls, are a new team,
formed by
Ivanna S. Pankin (you figure it out). Other players include Trish
the Dish, Glam BAMM!, and Lorena Bobbitt.
Now, I remember Joanie Loves Chachi. And I remember roller
derby. I decided to check them out. Once every month or so,
the SCRG meet a team from a rival city. I wasn't lucky enough to
be in town for one of those bouts, but was able to see one of their
practice sessions.
Practice sessions are informal affairs; the SCRG outnumbered the
spectators, and the most vocal fan was the mother of one of the
skaters. Nonetheless, it was worth a quick visit, and I'd
definitely be up for seeing a competition.
Want to see more than these few pics? My Google Pages site has
more - even a short video.
·
Clark County Fair & Rodeo
Yee-haw!
Rodeo was something I had never seen before. At least, not in the
flesh. This
wasn't the huge to-do they have in Las Vegas. No siree, Bob, this
was a genuine local affair. The fair grounds are a good hour's
drive from Las Vegas, in Logandale. In addition to the rodeo, the
fair has amusement rides, livestock exhibitions, and typical fair
food. I had my very first corn dog - delicious!
Now about the rodeo. My only knowledge of rodeos comes from
television, but I must say that this rodeo met my preconceived ideas:
introduction of the 2006 Clark County Rodeo Queen and Rodeo Princess,
along with past winners; one corny announcer and clown act; a
choreographed horseback riding routine; and of course, bareback riding,
calf roping, steer wrestling, and the like. It was fun to see
once, but I think this will be my last rodeo.
·
Drag Racing
The NHRA
SummitRacing.com Nationals were held April 6 - 9. A drag racing
competition was
another thing I had never attended
before. It was a blast! Television doesn't do it justice;
you've got to see it live.
Click here for all the
noisy details
·
Atomic Testing Museum
Don't miss the Ground Zero Theater.
From
the gift shop.
755 East Flamingo
Road (and 1.5 miles east of The Strip). Not too
many decades ago, Nevada was the main U.S. test site for nuclear
weapons. Above ground explosions could sometimes be seen from Las
Vegas (makes the Mirage volcano seem kind of wimpy). The Atomic
Testing Museum
has loads of information about this era. It's a very strange
place, but is also very interesting and informative. Make sure to
see the Ground Zero Theater, which "mimics a concrete bunker and
features a large screen show that includes the history of test effects
from a variety of viewpoints."
·
Shark Reef
Mandalay
Bay. If you have a spare 30 minutes, this overpriced tourist
attraction is still worth it. Walk through a tunnel with fish
swimming over your head. See brightly lit jellyfish.
· Porn slappers. Still there. Still with T-shirts saying "strippers delivered to your room" and stacks of playing card sized handouts picturing their escorts' assets. They've been around long enough, I think it's time a porn slapper museum was opened.
·
Freakin' Frog. 4700
South Maryland Parkway. See my review of The Pickadillos, under
Shows and
Sights. Located near the University of Las Vegas, this place is a
cut above your typical student dive (I think
- it's been a while). It's an
interesting bar, with lots and lots of beers (Chimay is on tap), and
live music now and
then. As a tourist, I wouldn't come here unless something special
was happening, such as The Pickadillos, but it's a pleasant place to
spend a few hours.
Craps. Yeah, I'm hooked. And worse yet, I'm hooked on playing at Wynn Las Vegas. This trip, I played at a bunch of places: Wynn, Bellagio, Flamingo, Palms, MGM Grand, Riviera, Sahara, Primm and who knows where else. Wynn has by far the most interesting characters for dealers - and low rollers are made to feel welcome. By contrast, dealers at The Bellagio seem comatose - not unfriendly, just more like statues. The only problem with Wynn is its minimums. Ten dollars is the absolute lowest you'll ever find; sometimes $15 is the lowest; once in a while, $25 is the lowest, although this was rare during my stay.
Once all the rage, it's now almost extinct, barely surviving in a couple of casinos. The best maintained machine is at The MGM Grand. Try it before it's replaced by flying monkey slot machines.
I've placed some of the longer reviews on their own pages; follow the links as directed. When I specify the amount of the bill, it includes tax and tip.
Key:
= Placed before the name, this
indicates a restaurant that I have not reviewed in prior trip
reports.
Joël Robuchon at the Mansion. MGM Grand.
This is a fairly new restaurant, having opened in September 2005.
It and its baby brother, L'Atelier
de Joël Robuchon, have been getting rave reviews.
Some critics have called it the best restaurant in Las Vegas, and one
of the best in the United States. Did it live up to its hype?
Click here for a full
description of my meal
·
L'Atelier
de Joël Robuchon. MGM Grand.
This is one of two restaurants at the MGM Grand operated
by famed
chef Joël Robuchon (the other is Joël Robuchon
at the Mansion). I'd eaten here three times
in the past, and felt that its food was the best I had eaten in Las
Vegas (even better than Picasso). It's an informal place, where
most of the seats are at a food counter, with a working kitchen right
behind.
Click here for a full
description of my meal
Alex. Wynn Las
Vegas. When Steve Wynn built The Bellagio, he talked to two chefs
about running his signature restaurant - Julian Serrano and Alex
Stratta. The story is, Serrano responded first, and became the
chef at Picasso. As a sort of consolation prize, Wynn set Stratta
up at Renior, at the Mirage. When Wynn Las Vegas was built,
Stratta rejoined Wynn's team at the restaurant bearing his name.
It's gotten excellent reviews, often mentioned as an equal to
Picasso. I had to give it a try.
Click here for a full
description of my meal
·
Okada. Wynn Las
Vegas. An old favorite - relatively speaking, since it's
less than a year old. Readers of my prior trip reports know that
I think it's the finest sushi bar in Vegas, and its other offerings are
also excellent. I ate at the sushi bar once more, and once at a
table.
Click here for a
description of my two meals
·
Bartolotta. Wynn Las
Vegas. This Italian seafood restaurant specializes in whole fish
flown in daily from Europe. The chef lets the food speak for
itself, using very simple sauces and plain presentations. This
was my third time here - my first time for dinner.
Copying from a prior review: "The color scheme is creams, browns
and oranges. Six foot tall
urns, with large aloes atop, are spread throughout the dining
rooms. Tables are spaced far apart, and it is fairly quiet.
There's a view of a lake, the mountain, and trees. Each table has
a vase with one orchid bloom (genus Cymbidium)."
I started with Baccalà mantecato - Venetian salt cod
mousse. It was smooth, mild flavored and salty, served with
greens and a fancy version of garlic toast. It doesn't sound all
that wonderful, but it was really good.
Since I had previously tried whole fresh fish, I decided to try royal
langoustines. Like the fish, they're flown in fresh from
Italy. These shrimp sized crustaceans were split in half,
grilled, and served with olive oil and lemon juice. Accompanying
them were good finger potatoes and zucchini, and excellent roasted
yellow and red peppers. The langoustines were very good, but
pricey - $95 for a recommended plate of five. Next time, I'd
either choose the slightly cheaper fresh fish, or the slightly more
expensive slipper lobster (declared by a neighboring diner to be
excellent).
The
bill (appetizer, entree, tax, and tip): $150.
·
Daniel Boulud Brasserie. Wynn Las
Vegas. This was my second time at DB. The first was in July
2005, not too long after it had opened. That time, the food was
very good, but the service was spotty - not unexpected for so new a
place. I decided I'd try it again.
This time, I was seated
promptly, at an outside table right on the water. A good
start. Outdoors, the atmosphere is relaxed. There's lots of
greenery and one of Wynn's waterfalls. Popular music plays at a
moderate volume.
I had heard good things about the Danish Smoked Salmon appetizer.
What I heard was correct. It was very smoky, chewy yet soft, and
not too salty. Creme fraiche, minced onion, capers and some green
accompanied it. Very good!
My entree was the day's special: osso bucco. It was
extremely tender, falling apart, with a rich sauce. On the side
were small pieces of zucchini, yellow squash, fingerling potatoes, and
some leafy vegetable. Also very good.
The
bill (with two glasses of wine, tax and tip): somewhere around
$100 - I didn't write it down.
Wing Lei.
Wynn Las
Vegas. Wynn's upscale Chinese restaurant, Wing Lei offers some
familiar dishes, and some not so familiar. A page focusing on
Cantonese specialties includes such ingredients as beef tendon, belly
pork, jelly fish, fish maw, and goose web. Prices range from
moderate (many entrees are around $30) to immoderate (Australian Coral
Cod runs $99/pound).
The atmosphere was formal. Red and gold abounded. The
carpet was a mix of cream, gray, black, and light blue.
Moderately soft music (sometimes Chinese, sometimes not) played in the
background. The view outside was of two gnarled (pomegranate?)
trees and a large sculpture that might be a Botero. On my table
was a single red rose in an igloo-like base. Chop sticks and
flatware were gold.
I began with the Wing Lei Sampler. Prawns with black bean sauce
consisted of two large shrimp, barely cooked through, with a mild
sauce; pretty good. Minced squab in lettuce cups was just that:
minced squab and mushrooms with a small amount of sauce that must have
included Hoisin sauce. A thin vegetable spring roll was crisp and
very good. Overall, a good appetizer, albeit not very adventurous.
The adventurous part would be my entree. I decided to try
something a little different. Braised Pork Belly is the same cut
of pork used in bacon. Served in chunks about 1.5 inches square
and a quarter inch thick, it was braised in some sort of flavorful
liquid, and had the appearance of warm raw bacon, somewhat darkened by
the sauce. Ah, but looks can be deceiving. It was quite
flavorful, and just chewy enough to be pleasing. Accompanying it
were slices of shiitake mushroom and chunks of daikon and bamboo
shoot. A very interesting, very good dish. If you're a
little adventurous, and can get past the thought of chewing hunks of
bacon fat, I'd recommend it highly.
Dessert would be more familiar. Chocolate Dome was well
named. Dark chocolate ganache covered a hemispherical chocolate
nut center - similar to mousse, but thicker. A little creme
anglaise and chocolate sauce covered the plate. Very good, but
then I'm a chocoholic.
With dessert, a little tea. Wing Lei offers a menu of teas that
are lovingly described. Now, my knowledge of tea ends with
green-versus-black, but it was fun to read the descriptions, and try
and figure out what each tea would be like. I finally settled on
Ti Kuan Yin, the "Ultimate Oolong. Picked by trained
monkeys." It had a pleasant aroma, good, light flavor, and none
of the bitterness I associate with tea (but then, when I make tea, I
get out my box of 3 year old tea bags, and stick the bag in a cup of
boiling water until I remember to remove it). Now about those
trained monkeys: I have a feeling there might have been a slight
problem in the translation to English. As I understand it "monkey
picked" is the term, and it refers to a top quality grade.
Based on conflicting
reviews on the web, I hadn't been sure what to expect. Perhaps
one review got it right, when it stated that some of the specialties
were excellent, while some of the standard Chinese choices were no
better than you'd get at a carry out. All I know for sure is that
my meal at Wing Lei was
very satisfying.
The
bill: $90.
Country Club Grill.
Wynn Las
Vegas. When I first read about Wynn Las Vegas, I classified The
Country Club Grill as Wynn's golf club restaurant. Translation:
boring! However, I'd read many complimentary reviews, and decided
that perhaps it was worth a shot.
I had two meals here, but managed to lose my notes, so details are a
little fuzzy. The short summary is that it's a surprisingly good
restaurant. Located next to Wynn's golf course, it has wonderful
views. It managed to maintain the feel of a golf club restaurant,
albeit one that was a lot fancier than any such place I'd ever been to.
My first meal was lunch. Cobb Salad was a mix of the standard
ingredients, including lettuce, chicken (or was it turkey?), bacon,
blue cheese, tomato, and avocado, all cut into small pieces. A
few words about "small": to me, the pieces should be as small as
humanly possible - less than a quarter inch square. The Country
Club Grill didn't meet this standard, but it did make cuts as small as
any I've seen in restaurants. More importantly, the ingredients
were very fresh, as if everything had been cut to order. It was
very good.
The Cobb Salad was more than large enough to be an entire meal.
However, I was on a mission, having read lots of praise of the Country
Club Crisp Potatoes. This dish consists of roughly mashed
potatoes, placed in a small round dish, baked or roasted or something
until crisp on the outside, then covered with fried onions. One
order was enough for at least two people. It was very good, but
not to die for. Don't feel sad if you don't have room for it.
Another recommended
dish was Plum Crisp. This is not the type of dessert that appeals
to me, but I'm glad I ordered it. The plums were both sweet and
tart, the crust was crisp, and I quickly polished off the Armagnac ice
cream with raisins, even though I have never liked its close relative,
rum raisin ice cream.
After such a successful lunch, I decided to return for a breakfast of
French toast. I don't remember the details, except that it was
very simple and very good.
·
Tableau. Wynn Las
Vegas. This was my third trip to Tableau: once for dinner (click here) and once for
breakfast. This time it would again be for breakfast. In
the morning, large windows admitted lots of sunlight, for a bright,
airy, relaxed feel. Sprays of Phalaenopsis orchids decorated the
room; a single green Cymbidium was on each table. Light jazz
played at a medium volume. I had a table overlooking the pool
area grounds. Masses of blooming roses and other plants made for
a nice display.
I had Banana French Toast, made with raisin brioche and a layer of
mashed bananas. The french toast was very good - crispy on the
outside, soft inside. However, I thought the banana flavor was
too strong, overpowering the rest. Chicken and apple sausage was
surprisingly good. Two fat links had excellent flavor and
texture. Grapefruit juice was sweet and very sour, as it should
be.
Seablue. MGM Grand.
This seafood restaurant is part of the Michael Mina empire, which
includes Michael Mina and
Nobhill. It's an informal place, with a glazed brick floor, lots
of wood, and lively music. Paper placemats serve in lieu of
table
cloths. The overall lighting level is low, but spots on the
tables provide plenty of light. There's a fair amount of noise,
but it's not overwhelming. Service was pleasant and fast paced,
but not rushed.
The bread of the evening
was nan. This fried Indian offering was served with three
dips: olive oil; eggplant spread; crumbled feta. The
eggplant spread was especially good.
Seablue offers a number of
appetizers. If you have trouble deciding, they offer several
tastings consisting of small portions of three different
appetizers. I chose a marinated trio: scallop ceviche,
grilled octopus, and shrimp. All were good, but the octopus was
the star. A piece of a tentacle, slightly spicy, firm but not
chewy, with a decidedly smoky flavor; worth ordering on its own.
My entree was Loup de Mer, a fish from the Mediterranean.
Grilled, it was moist, somewhat firm, and mild flavored. A good
amount of lemon juice enhanced its flavor. The fish was served
skin on, but filleted; a nice touch. It was served with mashed
potatoes strongly flavored with olive oil, plus asparagus and
mushrooms. I thought it was very good, but some people might be
turned off by the strong olive oil flavor of the potatoes.
Dessert was Pistachio
Frangipane with Roasted Pineapple and Coconut Sorbet. Wow!
I'm not sure how to describe it: kind of like a flat corn meal cake,
loaded with chopped nuts and drenched in butter. The coconut
sorbet was intensely flavored and very rich. If you like rich
desserts, this is the one to get. If you don't like fat, stay
away.
Other than dessert, nothing about this place knocked my socks
off. However, everything was good, and had character. I
liked the strong flavors, and thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
Recommended to all.
The
bill: around $100.
STACK. Mirage.
STACK is the newborn sibling of FIX at The Bellagio. Both are
operated by the Light Group, which had previously been known for its
lounges. The two restaurants are similar in food and style -
trendy American best describes it.
I arrived at 7 pm on a Tuesday. It was packed. The
atmosphere: noisy, dark, with candles and spot lights on tables, plus a
few accent lights. Servers were dressed a little more
conservatively than at FIX. Otherwise, they were similar: young,
all in black. Service seemed harried, with some minor
mistakes. Growing pains, perhaps?
I had a Kobe burger, which comes with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and an
onion ring, all on a bun. Tall is the theme at this place.
It was decent. Fries are served on the side. I also tried
the adult tater tots, which include mild brie and bacon flavors.
Also decent.
Based on one meal, I'd say you shouldn't come here for the food, but if
you're here already, the food is better than you might expect at a
trendy bar. It isn't as good as FIX, but it also isn't as
expensive.
The bill for a burger, tater tots, a tamarind martini, tax, and tip:
$45.
·
Michael Mina. Bellagio. I
had eaten here twice before, and enjoyed it a lot. Then, last
September, there was a problem with my reservation, and a problem in
the way they handled the problem. Despite this, I decided I
wanted to go back one more time.
This time, there was no problem with the reservation; I was seated
immediately. This would be the first time I ate at a table
instead of the bar. The overall tone was informal: lots of light
wood; cream and tan carpet, upholstery and table cloths; medium
lighting; bustling and noisy. Service was friendly but not
especially good, with awkward waits at times.
The meal started off with an amuse bouche of sweet pea soup: thin,
slightly sweet, with a slight graininess. A good start. On
the other hand, the roll that accompanied the meal had good flavor, but
was doughy inside.
I started with one of the
signature trios: foie gras, served both hot and cold, with three
different accompaniments (lychee, poached pear, and pineapple).
The roasted foie gras was buttery smooth, but could have been a little
crisper on the outside. Still, it was very good. The
chilled torchon was as soft as warm butter, and full of flavor.
Overall, very good.
My entree was Phyllo-Dusted Dover Sole with Dungeness Cod
Brandade. It takes a simple dish like fried fish and mashed
potatoes, and shows just how good it can be. The fish was barely
coated with phyllo, fried until crisp but very juicy and tender.
Under it was a bed of nicely flavored cod brandade. Accompanying
all
this was horseradish butter and two tasty sauces. A winner!
Dessert was three flavors of panna cotta: mango, coconut, and passion
fruit. I was a little disappointed. The mango version was
bland; it barely had the flavor of the fruit. The same was true
for the coconut version, which paled in comparison to a perfect version
I had at Okada a few months earlier. The passion fruit panna
cotta was much better, with the sweet and very tart flavor of fresh
passion fruit.
Overall, the food was very
good. However, the atmosphere just didn't do it for me. I
think the problem is that it came across less as high energy, and more
as plain old noisy and rushed. I'd stick to the more pleasant bar
area.
The
bill, including wine, tax and tip: just under $150.
Bouchon (dinner; also see my
breakfast review below).
My meal consisted
of:
·
Beignets
de Brandade de Morue. Three small balls of mashed cod, covered in
a thin coating, and fried; served on a moistened dried tomato and a
small fried herb leaf. In essence, a grown up cod fish
cake. Very, very good.
·
Braised Lamb Shank. This was a special, recommended by the
server. It was a large piece of meat, so soft it fell off the
bone. Served on a bed of potato puree, along with micro chives,
capers, lots of garlic cloves, and pimiento strips. The lamb
flavor was strong, the garlic soft and sweet. Also very good.
·
Pommes Frites. There was no need to order them, but I had heard
such good things about Bouchon's French fries that I had to give them a
try. They were a huge portion of thin cut potatoes, twice
fried in peanut oil. According to the server, peanut oil doesn't
get absorbed as much as some other oils. They were good French
fries, but I was a little disappointed. Perhaps all the hype made
for unrealistic expectations.
·
Bouchons. Three small chocolate morsels, like brownies but crisp
on the outside, soft on the inside. The chocolate flavor was dark
and intense. Served with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, it
earned its name.
·
Mignardises. A few sweets at the end of the meal. This is
becoming more and more common, and is a nice touch.
When I first read the menu, I was
underwhelmed. There were no knock-your-socks-off fancy dishes. However, like breakfast, the chef
concentrated on simple dishes, and executed them very well. This
was a very good meal indeed.
The bill:
$85.
Mon Ami Gabi. Paris.
It's a chain restaurant. And what's with the name of the
corporation? Lettuce Entertain You?? But what a
view! If you're lucky enough to snag one of the outdoor tables,
you're almost on top of Las Vegas Boulevard, with a view of The
Bellagio fountains.
Reservations are not taken for outdoor tables, so it's first come,
first served. I
arrived for lunch at 11:20 am, ten minutes before opening time. That earned me a table next to the
railing, with a direct view of The Bellagio. There was some
traffic noise, but nothing terrible.
I had Steak Classique: a
large (10" x 8"), thin piece of grilled steak, tender and with very
good flavor. A large pat of herb butter was on top.
Accompanying it was a huge pile of french fries, cut thin like egg
noodles and very crisp. All in all, a good meal in an excellent
setting.
The
bill (including a drink, tax, and tip): $35.
El Coquí. 2210 Paradise
Road. This place offers Puerto Rican cuisine.
It's simple food, tending to the heavy, greasy side, but I like
it. As an appetizer, I had bacalaitos - deep fried salt cod
fritters. The portion was enough for two people, and was very
good - hot, crispy, with good cod flavor. My entree was mofongo
con carne frita - mashed plantains with garlic, broth, and chunks of
fried pork. It's an odd dish: heavy, starchy, full of garlic, and
a little greasy. I suspect most people wouldn't like it, but I'd
order it again.
·
Red 8. Wynn Las
Vegas. In my prior two visits, I felt that Red 8 was OK,
but not good enough to merit a return trip, especially considering its
mediocre service record. However, I noticed a
couple of interesting items on the menu, and was hooked.
What seemed so interesting? Congee. A thin rice
porridge, it's felt to be a healthy dish, appropriate after one has
been eating or drinking too well for a few days. Kind of like
thin oatmeal. However, meat, chicken, fish, and other ingredients
may be added to congee. I chose to add pork and preserved
egg. The egg, sometimes called century egg or thousand-year egg,
is preserved in an alkaline solution. Wikipedia
has a good explanation.
The verdict? Not bad. As expected, it was pretty bland, but
it actually had a little texture. The pork gave it some flavor,
and the preserved egg was interesting. I don't know if I'd order
it again, but I'm glad I tried it once.
I had planned to try an unusual dessert - sweet potato porridge with
sago - but the huge bowl of congee had filled me up. Maybe next
time.
The
bill: under $20.
·
Zoozacrackers. Wynn
Las
Vegas. If I weren't already at Wynn, I wouldn't eat at
Zoozacrackers. Wynn's delicatessen is small, the atmosphere is
only fair, the selection is limited, and the prices are a bit
high. On the positive side, it's convenient, and they make a mean
heart attack sandwich, also known as the Zoozaburger: one hamburger,
large, thick, and tasty; a layer of warm pastrami; melted Swiss cheese;
cole slaw; some sort of dressing; a good bun. Tomato, pickles,
and some other stuff are served on the side. They also offer a
ridiculously large, ridiculously rich, ridiculously fattening
brownie. This brownie gets around. It's been seen at some
of Wynn's other informal eateries as well.
·
Wynn
Buffet. Wynn Las
Vegas. "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little
minds." At
least, that's what I keep telling myself. Otherwise, why would I
keep going to buffets when I don't care for them that much? This
trip was no exception. Having previously tried the Wynn buffet
for breakfast and lunch, I decided to try dinner this trip. My conclusion is unchanged.
The Wynn buffet is pretty good (for all I know, it's the best), but
it's still a buffet. The food is pretty good but not outstanding,
so why bother?
·
Terrace
Point Café. Wynn
Las
Vegas. This is Wynn's 24 hour coffee shop. I had breakfast
there once, and was not impressed by its mediocre food and high
prices. However, it was four in the morning, I hadn't had dinner
yet (playing craps can do that to you), and I was hungry.
I settled for French Toast that was decent: four large, thick slices of
eggy bread, fried until brown. This still wouldn't be my first
choice for a place to eat, but it will do in a pinch.
·
Sugar
& Ice. Wynn
Las
Vegas. Same comments as last time. Serving desserts and
light snacks, I've never tried anything but ice cream. Coconut
crunch is very good, peanut butter is pretty good.
·
Bouchon (breakfast; also see my
dinner review above).
·
Boudin blanc with scrambled eggs, croissant and beurre noisette.
This is my favorite breakfast at Bouchon. There's one very large
link
of sausage. It's soft, smooth, somewhat sour, and very
flavorful. I
think it's excellent, but it's unusual enough that the server sometimes
warns you about it. The scrambled eggs are...well...scrambled
eggs,
but they're perfectly prepared: cooked through but still soft, creamy
and rich. The croissant has varied between very
good and truly excellent.
·
Steak hash with eggs any style, and brioche toast. The hash was
very good, with lots of tender diced steak. The scrambled eggs
were well prepared, and I liked their brioche a lot. I've only
seen this once, listed as a special.
·
Pastries. Bouchon's croissant is always worth ordering, as are
the sweet pastries. The one I remember the most was a blueberry
muffin, flavored with blueberry juice and with bits of fruit, and a top
made crunchy by a glaze of sugar.
·
Bread that comes before the meals (at least, most meals) is very good -
crusty, chewy, great with a little butter.
·
There are numerous choices for tea and coffee. The lattes that
I've had (caramel and mocha) have been good.
The bill for a full
breakfast runs between $20 and $25.
Bellagio Café.
Bellagio. I wanted pancakes. Good pancakes. Really
good pancakes. A kind soul on one of the Vegas forums allowed as
how the Bellagio Café had the best in town. Off I
went. Well, the kind soul was right. The pancakes were
light, slightly crisp around the edges, and flavorful. A good
hunk of butter accompanied them. I'd say they were on a par with,
or slightly better than, the pancakes I had at Grand Luxe last year.
·
Le
Café Île St. Louis. Paris.
This is the 24 hour coffee shop for the hotel. I had eaten here
once before, and thought it was above average for its class, with
very good sandwiches. This trip I had breakfast and tried - what
else - pancakes. They were average.
Aloha Specialties. California ("The
Cal"). The Cal caters to Hawaiian clientele. As part of its
effort, the hotel has several Hawaiian themed stores and
restaurants. Aloha Specialties offers what I think of as Hawaiian
comfort food: chicken katsu, teriyaki beef and chicken, kalua pork, and
that most Hawaiian of foodstuffs - Spam. Throw in a scoop of
macaroni salad and two scoops of rice, and you're in high fat, high
carb heaven.
Since this was my first trip to Aloha Specialties, I decided to try one
of the standard plate lunches: chicken katsu, teriyaki beef, Spam
musubi, along with the obligatory macaroni salad and rice. For
dessert, haupia.
Chicken katsu is basically breaded and fried chicken, rolled and
sliced. It was OK, but not especially crisp or flavorful.
"OK" pretty much described the beef and Spam as well. Nothing was
bad, but it wasn't exciting either. The haupia (coconut pudding)
was downright disappointing. If you want local Hawaiian cuisine, I give
Aloha Kitchen (see my September 2005 trip report) the nod.
Settebello.
1776 Horizon Ridge Parkway (just off of Valle Verde Drive, in
Henderson). This is a new pizza place that has garnered a lot of
attention. To quote from its web site, it offers "...authentic Napoli style
pizza to the Las Vegas area. Owner Brad Otton was trained as a
pizzaiolo in Napoli by renowned pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia." You get the
idea.
I got there around noon on a weekday, and there was a pretty good
crowd; not full, but lively. It's an informal place, with a
glazed cement floor, dark brown with some black in a square geometric
pattern. The simple wood tables are completely bare. An
open kitchen contains a large wood burning pizza oven. Fans
attached to the black industrial ceiling provide air circulation.
Lots of windows give the place a bright and airy feeling.
I tried the eponymous
Settebello pizza: crushed tomatoes, pancetta,
sausage, mushrooms, pine nuts, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. The crust was thin and chewy, with black
char spots on the bottom. And the flavor! I could have
eaten the crust alone. The
crushed tomatoes tasted fresh, as did the mushrooms. Small
amounts of mozzarella and the other toppings served as an accent to the
crust. This is one very good pizza.
As I've noted, Settebello
pizzas are
very different from the standard American pizza. Toppings, including cheese, are applied
sparingly; they play a supporting role. The key is the crust.
Settebello is a
good 20 minute drive from The Strip. No pizza place is worth that
kind of drive, but if you're nearby, it's definitely worth searching
out.
·
The Chocolate Swan. Mandalay Place.
This was a return visit. My prior visit had been something of a
let down. I had heard wonderful things, but found desserts that
were good but not great. Well, the positive reviews kept
appearing, so I decided to give it one more shot.
This time I had an eclair - a monster of an eclair - a veritable
mountain of an eclair. For those wishing to enjoy the delights of
a diabetic coma, an even bigger version is available. The pastry
shell was thin, crisp, and not too sweet. It was filled with a
generous portion of rich but light pastry cream, and topped with good
chocolate. I still wouldn't rate The Chocolate Swan as highly as Jean-Philippe Pâtisserie or Lenôtre, but it's pretty darned
good.
The Chocolate Swan used to have two locations in Mandalay Place.
One has closed; the one near The Luxor remains open.
Miscellany
·
Take care of your feet. I must sound like
a broken record on this subject. Long walks are a fact of life in
Las Vegas. Blisters, sore arches, or whatever your particular
weakness is, can make your vacation a real pain. Wear
good, broken in shoes, with good socks. Take blister pads, toe
gel
caps, or whatever artificial aid your particular feet require.
· The good, the bad, and the ...dirty? Three week vacations, with lots of hiking, tend to generate tons of dirty clothes. Now, when on vacation I'm not too careful with money. This trip, I ate at a $500/person restaurant, went to a $100+ show, and worse yet, ate something from the minibar. Nevertheless, I refuse to pay for laundry. Is anyone else like this? My solution: a couple of bottles of Woolite, some plastic hangars, a few clothes pins, and all of my laundry is done in the bathroom sink. That's why Wynn Las Vegas is such a great hotel: two big bathroom sinks.
Highlights
Kelso Dunes in The Mojave National Preserve
Dinner at Joël Robuchon at the Mansion
Dinner at Alex
So many other good restaurants
Rock scrambling in Red Rock Canyon
Hiking in Red Rock Canyon
KÀ
Staying at Wynn Las Vegas
Home Main Las Vegas Page