Overall
4 day / 3 night trip to Las Vegas with just Wendy. This is the first trip that we have ever taken to Las Vegas alone, and without meeting up with anybody else (most trips have involved travelling with Wendy's family and/or friends, or meeting up with them while in Vegas). Definitely positive to not have to plan around anyone else's schedule and/or meal restrictions or desires. Probably missed some of the energy and fun of traveling in a group and having partners in crime in the casinos (especially since Wendy and I play different games). Probably don't need this much time if it's just the 2 of us, although it was nice to not feel like we had to pack it in - waking up late, taking naps, eating early or late or whenever we wanted, and not feeling like I had to stay up until the wee hours of the morning to maximize the experience were all good things.
Lodging
The Venetian
I'd stay there every time in Vegas if I could (i.e. it's free). Great rooms - spacious suites, well appointed, great bathtub for soaking, lots of space for a couple, fine for sharing among 4 people with a "living room" space. The best poker room in Vegas right now - tons of tables, they spread Omaha, dealers are good, etc. Probably the best selection of restaurants on the Strip - Enoteca San Marco, Bouchon and Noodle Asia are the ones that I've been to and would go back to, while I wouldn't mind checking out Carnevino, B&B, Morels and/or Taqueria Canonita. Nice amenities within the hotel - Grand Canal Shops and St. Mark's Square provide nice places to stroll around (and get gelato on every corner). Although at the end of the Strip is not great, it's totally fine if you want if Harrah's, Mirage, Treasure Island, Wynn and Palazzo are the majority of the orbit we'd want to travel in a trip (and more difficult if Caesar's, Bellagio, Bally's, Paris, Aria and MGM are in the mix).
Food
Monday dinner: Enoteca San Marco at The Venetian
Would definitely go back for a casual Italian meal any time that I'm in Vegas. Good flavors. Interesting menu that departs from the traditional fare found in Italian restaurants in the US. Great space in the Venetian's version of Piazza San Marco. Buys food from local, sustainable farms. Reasonably priced. Doesn't require planning super ahead. Both the bucatini alla matriciana and the gemelli with house-made sausage were very tasty.
Tuesday breakfast: Hash House A-Go-Go at Imperial Palace
Add this to the list of places that have decent breakfast/brunch fare on the Strip (along with Bouchon, and I'm hoping Payard). Breakfast/brunch is fast becoming the easiest place to find a good, decently priced meal on the Strip. Portions are way too large (splitting one plate with maybe a small side between 2 people is the way to order) and I wish it wasn't in Imperial Palace, but the "twisted farm food" tastes good and offers more than the traditional Harrah's Cafe type fare (and it can be paid with by Total Rewards points!). The fried chicken with bacon mashed potatoes (with biscuit and fruit) was tasty and filling.
Tuesday dinner: Bradley Ogden lounge at Caesars
Although I was disappointed by the dinner we had a Bradley Ogden a couple years ago, I'd go back for an affordable nice dinner in the lounge. I've always like Bradley Ogden's sustainability bent and I like Parcel 104 in Santa Clara - I just don't want to pay $100+ for the food. However, eating in the lounge this trip, we got the $29 prix fixe with a delicious farmer's market salad (beets over mixed greens), pretty decent burger & fries OR fish & chips, and yummy dessert (butterscotch pudding and snickerdoodle cookies). The vibe in the lounge is nice and mellow (not as stuffy as the restaurant). And throw in that we can eat here on Total Rewards points, and I'm sold. It's like Bouchon in The Venetian - I don't need to go there when I'm in Vegas, but I'm happy to go there if I'm looking for a decent, reasonably priced (i.e. I don't feel like I'm overpaying) meal on the Strip.
Wednesday lunch: Beijing Noodle #9 at Caesars
Disappointing and overpriced, I don't need to go back. I actually liked the hip decor that makes me feel like I'm in the middle of some kind of Asian-pop music video, but I'm not coming back for $16 for a mediocre bowl of braised beef noodle soup and $13 for a very plain pork fried rice (plus a menu that lacked many interesting options and way to much run of the mill noodles and fried rice). I'd definitely rather eat at Noodle Asia in The Venetian, and if I need an Asian fix paying with Total Rewards points, I think I'd actually rather eat at Ming's Table in Harrah's - that's how uninteresting it was.
Wednesday dinner: Grand Lux Cafe at Palazzo
The Grand Lux has its place - affordable, really expansive menu, good for a group lacking consensus about what to eat (especially if it's late at night). Outside of that narrow window, I don't really ever need to eat at Grand Lux in Vegas (or Cheesecake Factory in California for that matter). The atmosphere was nice (on the terrace looking out over the Palazzo casino) but the food is mediocre at best. I picked off the beets on my salad (while wishing I had ordered the Thai chicken pizza) and couldn't have more than a spoonful of the overly rich chicken pot pie that Wendy ordered.
Thursday breakfast: Bouchon at The Venetian
So I'd definitely still go back, but I'm not as impressed as I was the last time I went for weekend brunch. The weekday breakfast menu is not quite as interesting - which made the value seem a bit out of whack. I don't mind paying $20 for a nice brunch, but $20 for a well executed but fairly plain "Breakfast Americaine" (eggs, sausage, bacon, toasted brioche, pastry, OJ and coffee) seemed overpriced. The patio seating was definitely nice (it's good to go early like at 8:30am), especially since the tall buildings provide a great deal of shade from the heat. I'd probably still choose to come here more often than I'd choose to go to Hash House, but I'm not quite as enthralled as I was after my weekend brunch there last year.
Next Trip
Food: the places that we missed and/or want to go to
- Brunch at Payard in Caesars
- Morels in The Venetian
- Julian Serrano at Aria
- Sage at Aria
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