Kurt's Thoughts

I’m a 20 year Vegas veteran and I’m always amazed by people that “hate” Las Vegas or “can’t stay there for more than 3 days”.  This puzzles me to no end & I think part of it has to do with the fact that they don’t know what’s there.

So here’s my top 10 things to do while in Las Vegas – starting with Restaurants & Food.

10.  RESTAURANTS & FOOD
If you love great food, this is a fantastic town to be in.  Instead of throwing out categories & random places to eat at, I’m simply going to list my all-time favorite restaurants

1. Hugo’s Cellar (Four Queens) – Food, service, ambiance:  There’s no question that this is THE best steakhouse in Las Vegas hands down.  It’s worth taking a cab downtown for.  And it won’t break your bank.
2. Andre’s (Monte Carlo) – Arguably the best food in Vegas, probably the best French.  Definitely the best Lobster & Corn Bisque & not off the charts pricey.  I dine here every time I go to Vegas.
3. Picasso (Bellagio) – Again, arguably the best food in Vegas, possibly the best French.  Every dish is heavenly but you’ll leave much, MUCH poorer.  Service can lag though… y’know those French.
4. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse (Off strip) – Second best steakhouse in Vegas and I don’t give a damn if it’s a “chain”.  It’s got some of the best beef in Vegas.  Great variety in the menu & not hard to get in, but the ambiance is lacking.  Not a bank breaker either.
5. ENVY Steakhouse (Renaissance Hotel) – Third best steakhouse in Vegas.  The broiler uniquely knows just how to leave the right amount of char on the beef.  Pricey unless you get the Restaurant.com coupon.  Ambiance is quiet.
6. Sage (Aria) – The dishes are very creative & flavorful.  The ambiance is gorgeous & tasteful… but when you get the check, it’s gonna hurt.  This is definitely the best restaurant in City Center outside of maybe Mastro’s.
7. Sterling Brunch (Bally’s) – Amazing but it’s gotten EXPENSIVE.  Only on Sundays, the Sterling Brunch is all you can eat seafood & champagne.  Including lobster, crab, oysters, and shrimp.
8. Strip Burger (Fashion Show Mall) – Best burger in Vegas especially versus BLT Burger & Burger Bar.  Just the right amount of bun, just the right cooking of the burger.
9. Nobu (Hard Rock Hotel) – Yeah, yeah.  I know.  But you can’t help but enjoy the scenery & talent here while you dine on what is generally some of the better sushi & sake in Vegas.  Probably the best near the strip & you’ll pay for it too but no one said dining across from ladies wearing negligée was cheap.
10. Fleur (Mandalay Bay) – Fantastic tapas dishes.  Once a formal dining joint, it’s now casual.  Hubert Keller still knows flavors, but he also knows prices and they ain’t cheap.
11. Border Grill (Mandalay Bay) – Susan Feniger & Mary Sue Milliken make the best Mexican food in Vegas hands down.  Soooo savory & sumptuous.  I dine here at least once a trip & it’s really inexpensive.  One of my top 3.
12. MIX (Mandalay Bay) – A former staple of mine, the atmosphere is cold, sanitary like a hospital ward.  The menu however is seasonal & usually quite good, especially the beef.  And this is the best night sky view in all of Vegas.

(I purposely left out Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy, or e by Jose Andres.  These restaurants are $200-$400 per person minimum and I don’t personally know anyone that can afford this even on an expense account in this economy so why bother listing them, I say.)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 4th, 2012 at 6:20 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.