Just got back from Vegas celebrating anniversary number 10! We don’t gamble much, and we don’t go to shows. But we can put away some food and drink! Sure you can find great food all over the city, but here are my top 5 eating and drinking experiences from the past week. Enjoy!
#5. Pub 1842 at the MGM Grand
Double smoked, double bacon burger with smoked gouda, American cheese, lettuce, secret sauce, bacon, and bacon. Need I say more? This relatively new Michael Mina spot reads traditional pub and sports bar and delivered one of the best burgers I have eaten (and I’ve had quite a few). Cooked a perfect medium rare, it oozed meaty, flavorful juice — and the bun was one of those light, fluffy, slightly-crispy things that melts in your mouth. Diverse menu, loads of unique beers, and that damn burger make this a great casual, lower-priced restaurant option for lunch or dinner.
American fare. Lunch and dinner. Casual. Moderately priced.
#4. La Cave at the Wynn
We didn’t eat at La Cave although we’ve heard lovely reviews. But after walking a couple of long miles we were ready for a break and we found it on La Cave’s bar patio, where we sat in rocking chairs and had a couple of cocktails. Great service, good drink selection, and swinging chairs made this a heavenly pit stop. The menu is small and simple, which is refreshing after having to pore over some of the menus at larger restaurants. Next time we visit, we’ll definitely try the food.
American small plates. Lunch and dinner. Casual. Moderately priced.
#3. Craftsteak at the MGM Grand
James Beard Award winner and Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio is the chef/owner at this classic steakhouse. The menu is big and diverse with an abundance of meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes with an emphasis on quality ingredients, local food sources, and simple preparations. If you’re a meat eater, try the grilled dry-aged ribeye. (Oh heavens.) If veggies are your thing, you won’t be disappointed by the salads or vegetable dishes, which include a selection of wild mushroom dishes. And there ain’t nothing wrong getting to choose from a list of more than 200 bourbons and scotches.
American fare. Dinner only. Relatively formal but you can wear jeans. Pricey but well worth it.
#2. Mon Ami Gabi at Paris
We ate breakfast here every morning despite the fact we had to walk a mile to get to the prize. Mon Ami Gabi is a lovely little French bistro with a dark interior, enclosed sunroom and bar, and an outside patio with a view of the Bellagio and grade A people-watching opportunities. The classically French menu provides loads of choices including crepes, quiches, soups, sandwiches, meats, and seafood. At dinner, you can choose from a dozen varieties of steak frites — aka steak and fries. Nice.
French food. Open all day. Casual. Moderately priced.
#1. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon at the MGM Grand
Food lovers, prepare yourselves. We discovered L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Paris and planned this trip just to have dinner here on our anniversary — that’s how incredible we think it is. Chef/owner Robuchon has been dubbed “Chef of the Century” no less, having won 28 Michelin stars (more than any other chef) and owning restaurants around the globe. L’Atelier in Las Vegas is his only fine dining restaurant in the U.S.
Limited seating makes you feel special. The dark atmosphere punctuated by shiny metals and colorful fruits and vegetables provides intimacy and a bit of whimsy. And the open kitchen allows you to watch the chefs/artists as they carefully craft each bite of every dish with perfection. The French menu can be daunting (particularly when you look at the prices), but the servers are there to help you make decisions, recommend drink pairings, and make your experience awesome. This time, I opted to try the tasting menu which gave me the opportunity to try a variety of dishes including (and saved me from having to make more difficult decisions).
French food. Dinner only. Formal. Very expensive, but oh so worth it for a special occasion!
Heading to Vegas soon? Check out one of these amazing dining spots and share your favorites with our readers. Oh, and happy anniversary Jon! Love you tons.
Image Credit: Las Vegas via Shutterstock
Happy anniversary!!