LATEST LAS VEGAS

LOL, I get it now.

Got some info on Lotus of Siam and they don't take reservations for lunch so I'll just go and wait next monday.

That email address also bounces back so it may not be active anymore FYI.

 

Fab: all the Ramsay restaurants are amazing, would recommend reservations for all except BurGR which does not take reservations (wait is usually 20min or so depending on what's going on)

Michael Jackson One is a lot of fun but imo, was really loud to my 30 year old ears, not sure if it's just me or if they've toned it down. The attempted story line throughout I thought was a bit of a distraction to the performance but overall I'd recommend it. If you are taking a cab to Mandalay to see it, have them drop you around back and then when leaving go back to that same location, avoid the massive wait for taxis out front!

 

Is Il Mulino new? At Caesar or Forum Shops? Wife loves Italian (I avoid it, since there's no competition with grandma's cooking!), so we may have to give that a whirl next time in LV.

Peppermill as others said, is a great place.

If you like In-n-Out, wife told me they've just opened up a White Castle on Strip (I think near Casino Royale). Anyone been there yet? I grew up on East Coast, so I try and hit WC when I am near one…T

 

anthem…Would you (or anyone else) care to elaborate on why you thought L'atelier was better than Guy Savoy?…T

 

Mayor..Is this the one?

Strawberry Shortcake | Yelp

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Thanks, my objective is to hit all 3!

When you say "around back" do you mean via Frank Sinatra dr.?

 

Il mulino has been there for a while, several years.

I've never had White Castle (doesn't exist in Canada) I would love to try it.

 

I never said L'atelier was better than Guy Savoy. . They are both excellent in different respects. What I did say was that I preferred L'atelier over Joel Robuchon (both JR establishments) - because L'atelier is excellent, and I though Joel Robuchon (the more formal of the two) is too stuffy, chairs are rieiculously uncomfortable, feels like a morgue in there, and I just didn't enjoy the food as much.

I understand that a good burger is a good burger, but Five Guys, In and Out are certainly good as a fast food alternative, but they don't come anywhere close to some good burger joints. Like even the Gordon Ramsays burger is excellent as are several others.. .

 

Burger-wise I've had all kinds. Fancy expensive, fast-food low cost, etc...

But the In n Out burger beats all of them for me. We'll see if Gordon Ramsay will change my mind next week!

 

Thanks for the clarification. Man, this thread is making me envy the folks at the next gate. They're going to Vegas. I'm waiting for a flight to Pittsburgh. Nice city, but it's crazy cold there!
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10 years ago, MIX restaraunt and lounge was my favorite place to eat and have drinks in the whole city. Yes it's dated now... and yes they have planned a complete renovation of the entire 64th floor. Those views are incredible for sure.

Last time I was there they were saying all of THEHotel was going to be rebranded as something new.

 

Yeah see that's just it. I think in n out (and five guys) just rate the best against fast food and casual food. It's a decent burger but nothing great in my opinion. I mean - yeah the sauce is good (and I would argue the main contributor) but there would be too many places I would have over in n out. It just isn't all that it's hyped to be for me. Just like that White Castle comment. Yeah it was great when I was drunk 20 years ago. And people still hold onto that ideal. If you go now to a White Castle and order a 4 or 6 pack of White Castle and eat it you will understand just truly how bad it is. (In n out is not in this category but I think the hype transcends the reality).

Sort of like a Nissan Maxima is a fast car but once you get into the pseudo exotics(bmw m3/m5, Porsches, amg) and exotics it just pales.

 

I know White castle is supposed to be low cost garbage and perhaps not even real meat but I just want to try it because of the Harold & Kumar movie and because I've never been.

But, In N out is just absolutely amazing, fresh and the flavor that comes out of that 3$ burger is just so damn great, even the fries are some of the best I've had. I've had Five guys, McDonald's, I had a truffle burger, I had a kobe beek burger and I had a 100$ burger once but none of them as good as a double-double from In N out.

To me, the nice thing about In N out is that there's no hype, it's a plain-jane simple chain that does not claim to be the best and everyone from the celebrities to a simple cab driver love the place.

 

White Castle is a nostalgia play for me and I suspect many originally from the East Coast. The movie helped rekindle that...T

 

In and Out is must I agree but I've always liked Stripburger in Vegas, at the mall.

 

In N out is usually my first stop in Vegas. Very good, best in Vegas, maybe not in other places. Might catch some flack with this one, but Fatburger for overdone fast food is pretty darn good here. Keep in mind the suppliers for everything are different in Canada. Not sure about the American locations. Ours are angus beef, etc. and maybe better. Fatburger here also serves beer, a major bonus for fast food.

 

Finally had a chance to try White Castle a couple weeks ago in New Jersey and it was not great for me...also didn't help that they were mopping the floor and the guy just put too much ammonia and it filled the air intensely which prevented us from enjoying our meal. Happy to have tried it, been there, done that and do not need to go back...many other fast food burgers taste better than that.

As for my Vegas trip, here are my reviews:

1-Lotus of Siam: Believe the hype, believe Anthony Bourdain....absolutely amazing & delicious authentic Thai food. Ordered from the Northern part of the menu, a must.

2-Gordon Ramstay Steak: Being a fan of the Hell's kitchen TV show, I was thrilled to see they had a special Hell's Kitchen Tasting menu so I decided to go for it. Tasted delicious but the portions were so small....even the rice which costs nothing was a tiny portion. I understand that it's a "tasting" menu but for 145$, give me SOME food...that Beef Wellington portion was embarrassing. Felt short-changed, taste was great but disappointing. Would probably go back but order from the standard menu.

3-Peppermill: Amazing place, great service, great portions, great taste....best place ever! I had been to Vegas so often and had never noticed the place, thanks for the recommendation, LOVED IT! unassuming and humble...perfect for breakfast, lunch or late-night meal.

4-Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill: Really good, had the sheperd's pie, loved it. Definitely want to go back to try other things.

5-Giada: Beautiful place, amazing tasting food but a total RIP-OFF!!!! small portions on appetizers, Portion was insanely small for a 24$ pasta dish, no bread (when we asked, they tried to sell us bread), espresso 6$!!! Really disappointing lunch, spent 100$ on lunch for two, left hungry and frankly pissed off! Bread is the most essential part of all Italian meals, how can you open a so-called "authentic" Italian restaurant and NO BREAD??? Never again, great place if you just want to hang out and you're not hungry. This whole review would have been positive if they would have given me the equivalent of 80 cents of additional food (some bread and about 12-15 additional penne in my plate) So stupid!

 

Fab…Thanks for the update. Seems Giada's place is up and down. Would have assumed they'd smoothed things out by now. And, yes, being Italian (OK, Sicilian), a meal without bread is NOT a meal….T

 

Wow, I've heard that so many times about Giada's, a total rip off. Glad I haven't been, I would be mad too if they didn't have bread with my pasta.

 

I really enjoyed Giada's - the people there are very pretty. Of course, it probably helped that one couple we were dining with knew the manager that shift. So, we got free champagne and dessert. Plus, at dinner time, I seem to recall bread being in ample supply.
For me, it was a nice experience and I'd go back. We had a nice view of the Bellagio fountains during our meal. And the lobster ravioli was heavy on the lobster and light on the ravioli. Perfect.

 

Beautiful place, friendly staff, nice decor, delicious food, great location, great view.

Imagine, this place has all that going for it yet for less than a dollar's cost of food, they managed to lose me as a customer forever.

I also want to be clear that I am sophisticated enough to fine dining and expect smaller portions at that type of restaurant. However, when you really go overboard on short-changing me with pasta & bread (which are dirt-cheap), you lose me.

 

Fab... Next time you're in Vegas try Le Cirque, if you have not yet dine so. Wife l & I left there full! A novelty in many fine dining establishments....T