Morels French Steakhouse at The Palazzo made our list of favorites.
Doing a “Best Restaurants in Las Vegas” list is sort of like doing the “Sexiest Man Alive” issue of People magazine. We’ve probably missed a couple of hotties; you might think a few are past their prime; and we may even have you shaking your head in a “What-the-hell-were-they-thinking-picking-Zac-Efron?” kind of way but, hey, it’s our list and we’re sticking to it. (At least until our next trip to Vegas later this month….)
And while you can go to innumerable websites and find scrolls and scrolls of Las Vegas restaurant listings, we’re going to give you a workable, two-page printable list of our favorite Las Vegas restaurants — mostly on the Strip — conveniently arranged into different categories. We’ve even included the 36 links you need to check them out for hours, phone numbers and all the info you may need.
A gorgeous view of the mountains and a moonlit Colorado River as seen from Harrah's in Laughlin.
I think one of the best ways to recall a year is to sort through the photos I’ve taken over the past twelve months. They bring back lots of great memories either through the specific image or by tweaking my brain into remembering what all happened on that occasion. To break down a whole year into a few paragraphs isn’t easy, especially when I’m fortunate enough to say lots of great stuff happened in the past twelve months. So rather than doing a monthly blow-by-blow, I chose to pick out some highlights from our year in gaming.
Best Casino “Hits”: P.B. - Dealt four 4’s then hit for two out of three kickers on the draw playing Triple Double Bonus Spin Poker Deluxe™ with a payout of $1190. C.C. - Dealt four 3’s and a kicker playing TDB Spin Poker Deluxe™ with a $1600 payout.
Best Discovery: The Diamond Lounge patio over-looking the Colorado River at Harrah’s Laughlin, Nevada casino. A great spot for relaxing with a drink, especially on a warm full-moon night. (more…)
Fireworks will light up the sky on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas.
There’s still plenty of time to pack a suitcase and head to Las Vegas for a memorable New Year’s Eve celebration. Las Vegas hotels – both on and off The Strip – are more affordable than ever this year with many offering dining and show ticket discounts as well as last-minute hotel deals. (Really, if I hadn’t offered to host this year’s party for friends, I would so be loading up the car RIGHT NOW.) (more…)
Steve Wynn at the entrance of the captivating atrium at Encore Las Vegas. (Photo courtesy of Wynn Resorts.)
It seems completely appropriate that the signature restaurant of the just-opened Encore Resort at Wynn Las Vegas should be “Sinatra.” Owner Steve Wynn and “Ol’ Blue Eyes” have at least two things in common: they do things their way and they are very good at what they do.
In a city, in an industry and in an economy that are all seeing their biggest downturns in recent history, Steve Wynn opened this glamorous $2.3 billion property on Monday — yes, a Monday! — during what is traditionally the slowest week of the year in Vegas. Pure genius. The timing is perfect for working out any slight bugs — and with Wynn’s legendary attention to detail, the problems are apt to be small — prior to the big New Year’s Eve holiday and the major conventions coming in early-2009. I also like his approach of simply opening the doors to the public. No massive grand opening events, it’s just like he says in the commercial: “THIS is Encore.” Let the resort speak for itself.
Using a “back-to-basics” approach — when those basics include paying attention to what makes a resort a Five Diamond experience — owner Steve Wynn, told The Associated Press that guests at the new Encore resort should expect “better service, nicer rooms, better lighting. Themes that are corny get old quickly, but real and wonderful environments with great service are timeless.”
In addition to Sinatra, the 2,034-room Encore will feature four additional chef-driven restaurants including “Switch” - a dining experience where walls, ceiling and even server uniforms change colors every 20 minutes. The resort also boasts the highly-anticipated exclusive new nightclub, “XS,” which opens for the first time at 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Also, long-time Strip entertainer Danny Gans will begin his run at Encore in February.
See photos of the resort on the Encore website here and video reports including interior shots are here at local Channel Eight’s Las Vegas Now. (We’ll be making our maiden voyage to Encore in January so look for more coverage then.)
A lot of thought went into this intricate light fixture at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Things may not be looking up in Las Vegas — yet — but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Look up, I mean. Here’s another entry in our “Las Vegas Look Up” series of posts and photos showing some of the striking design elements we’ve found in Las Vegas casinos.
Today’s entry comes from Caesars Palace — the registration lobby at Caesars to be exact. For some reason, this light fixture really caught my eye. From a distance, it reminded me of some sort of giant cell colony. Don’t ask me why but when I looked up it instantly reminded me of something you’d see under a microscope. Upon closer inspection — click on the photo to enlarge — those cells are actually etchings of classic Roman figures and symbols.
Check out, too, the intricate flourishes painted onto the ceiling surrounding the base of the fixture. And, yes, that is accent lighting surrounding each of these accent lights! I LOVE this lavish attention to detail that you always find in casinos throughout Las Vegas.
The spectacular new Wynn Las Vegas property Encore will be opening this coming Monday, December 22, with a sold out crowd for that specific night. Rooms (including New Year’s Eve) are available beginning the 23rd. Reservations at the original property, Wynn Las Vegas, can be had throughout the time period.
The new Encore website is up and running with lots of photos and information along with a video of the very cool Encore commercial showing owner Steve Wynn atop the stunning copper-colored tower.
For up-to-date information along with “live” reports from the opening celebrations, tune into a new website built specifically for this grand event. This exciting new venture is helmed by the editors/bloggers of two popular Las Vegas websites, vegastripping and ratevegas. Thanks to them, we can all ride along as they experience the exhilaration of opening night at the fabulous new Encore resort and casino.
The alluring pastry case at Payard Patisserie at Caesars Palace.
Making a visit to Payard’s exquisite bakery at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas takes on Holy Grail-like overtones because this place is NOT easy to find. My advice — save yourself a lot of time and shoe leather and just ask any hotel employee to point you in the right direction. (It’s at the back of the resort near the Café Lago buffet. Look for the caramel-toned lighting and chocolate-colored curlicues facing the walkway.)
Once you do find it, you’ll be presented with two options for dining - either the casual counter-service-only café or the adjacent tiny jewel box of a restaurant. The timing may decide for you since the café is open from 6:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. while the bakery counter serves from 6:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. Either way, you can rest assured that the fabulous pastries and desserts are on both menus.
And fabulous is not an overstatement when it comes to Monsieur Payard’s artistic pastries and sweets. Winner of numerous “Best Pastry Chef” awards, Francois Payard proves his culinary mettle in every buttery croissant, velvety mousse and perfectly-constructed tart and gâteau on the menu. Our favorites include the lush Maple Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote, the classic multi-layered Raspberry Napoleon and the sophisticated Vienne with its masterful blending of dark chocolate, orange and caramel.
Dessert flavors extend to the decor at Payard with its caramel-toned lighting.
Since man cannot live by dessert alone (well, you could but probably shouldn’t) Payard Patisserie offers breakfast fare including omelets and quiches plus a lunch/light dinner menu of sandwiches and salads including a Tuna Nicoise salad that will remind you why this is one of France’s most beloved dishes. For a heartier appetite, the Roast Beef Panini on authentic ciabatta with caramelized onions is robustly flavored while the accompanying house-made spicy potato chips are addictive.
In addition to the café and bakery, there is a retail store stocked with boxes of luxurious handmade truffles and candies as well as Payard’s signature gift baskets to take home.
Where: Caesars Palace
Hours: Breakfast: 6:30am to 11:30am
Lunch: 11:30am to 3pm
Pastry Counter: 6:30am to 11:00pm
Retail Store: Tue-Fri 6:30am to 11:00pm
Retail Store: Sat-Mon 6:00am to 11:00pm
A quiet spot for a drink is just behind these striking light fixtures at BOA Steakhouse in the Forum Shoppes at Caesars Palace.
In our quest to seek out the best bars for a quiet drink in Las Vegas, we give you Part II of our list. Covering the stretch of the Las Vegas Strip from Caesars Palace to Mandalay Bay, we found great bars and lounges for you to sit back, relax, and enjoy a cocktail or two while enjoying the company you keep.
Caesars Palace - Between the resort itself and the sprawling Forum Shoppes complex, there are so many options for drinking and dining that you’re sure to find a place to call your own. For us, that spot is BOA Steakhouse on the third floor of the newer shopping galleria. Their homemade potato chips with cheese and shaved truffles are as decadent as they sound and a perfect foil to an icy cold beer. If the weather is cooperating, we’re also partial to the outdoor Spanish Steps bar with its frozen concoctions and best-ever bar stools not to mention superior people-watching opportunities. (more…)
Sink into this comfy colorful sofa at Parasol Up lounge at Wynn Las Vegas and enjoy a classic cocktail.
These aren’t the Las Vegas bars or clubs where you have to stand in line for hours and hope you get in (that is if you forgot to buy the now popular line pass.) Nope. And they’re not the kinds of places whose music makes you feel like the drummer just took up residence somewhere inside your rib cage. Uh-uh. These are just a few of our favorite spots to grab a drink, maybe a light appetizer or two, and enjoy some conversation with our companion(s). We’ve organized these by proximity so you can find a calm little reprieve no matter where you find yourself along The Strip.
Wynn Las Vegas - Hands down, it has to be the lobby levelParasol Up lounge. We smile every time we see the “Alice in Wonderland” parasols and the bar’s whimsical décor. Who knew red and gold, blue and green, stripes and polka dots could be so ultimately classy when combined? (If you take the adjacent circular escalator to the lower level, you’ll be at Parasol Down lounge with its gorgeous view of the lake.) (more…)
The iconic Mirage Volcano made it’s newly-renovated debut on The Strip in Las Vegas last night. Under construction since February of this year, the $25 million face-lift caps a recent $110 million room and suite redesign to The Mirage’s 2,765 Deluxe and Tower Deluxe accommodations.
The new volcano show features a musical score by Mickey Hart of Grateful Dead fame and Indian impresario Zakir Hussain and comes from the acclaimed design firm WET, creators of The Bellagio lake show. Fireballs and the aptyly-named Fireshooters explode into the air and send fiery waves of burning lava across the Strip-front lagoon during the four-and-a-half-minute blazing spectacle.
See it for yourself with this terrific video of the opening night’s show from KLAS television. Mirage Volcano Video.
Chef Todd English's "Olives" at The Bellagio is a great bet for lunch.
Don’t be fooled by the location or first impression of Olives at The Bellagio, Las Vegas. It’s open to the walkway through the tony shopping arcade and at first glance appears trendy-casual. And while it is marketed as one of the resort’s casual eateries, Olives at The Bellagio is actually a paragon of culinary consistency and excellence.
Once inside, it’s also pretty nifty looking with rich, dark hues, luxurious furnishings and over-sized arched windows leading out to a lovely patio overlooking the fountain.
The briskly professional staff sweeps to the table with water, menus and the most seductive bread service ever. An artisinal assortment is accompanied by both mellow, satiny black and green olive tapenades and glistening, giant whole olives. Warning — don’t overdo — the dishes that follow are equally spectacular. (more…)
The newest room deal from The Venetian in Las Vegas continues the $119 weekday/$159 weekend room offer that has been so popular since first being announced back in October. Along with the fantastic rates, the package (available on select dates) includes not only the luxury room suite but also the following enticements:
- $25 in Slot Credits or Table Match Play
- 2-for-1 drink voucher at the V Bar
- 2-for-1 Gondola Ride
- 2-for-1 admission to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
Book offer code EVODECR by December 15 to nail those rates.
Unlike the last offer, The Palazzo is NOT included in those rates at this time. Rates at The Palazzo are $159 weekdays/$199 weekends and again, for select dates. Visit their website for details.
While you’re at The Palazzo site, don’t miss the opportunity to register for “The Lamborghini Italian Getaway Sweepstakes.” Fill out the entry form for your chance to win a Grand Prize that includes a trip to Italy and a demonstration racing drive at the Lamborghini factory among other goodies. The drawing will be held in April 2009. (Some exclusions apply so be sure to read all the fine print at The Palazzo’s website.)
