Mirage April 15-22

Spent a few days in Vegas … here’s a quick show and dining report

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill (MGM Grand)
Truffled Potato Chips with Maytag Blue Cheese
Flat Iron Steak with Maytag Blue Cheese Butter and mashed garlic potatoes.
Chocolate Soufflé
Great service, good food. I was seated at the edge of the restaurant which allowed great people watching as they streamed past going to the casino. Actually spoke to the manager to tell him how good the service was.

David Copperfield
If he or someone didn’t say his name every 2 minutes I think that he would have just disappeared. Respectable show, but if there was more action and less about him and how famous he is it would have been better.

Delmonico Steakhouse
Emeril’s New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp Served with a Petite Rosemary Biscuit
Bone In Rib Steak
Fresh Asparagus
Bob’s Butterscotch Crème Brulee White Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
The steak was amazing and service excellent. Three servers were looking after my dining needs. I ordered an Auchentoshan single malt scotch which the servers hadn’t experienced, so I was able to teach them a little about this whisky, which they appreciated. The dessert was just ok. I was expecting a little more in terms of a selection matching the high quality of the main course. The restaurant actually sent me a thank you card to my work address. The only problem I experienced, which turned out to be a theme in the higher end restaurants I attend … jeans and a t-shirt are not acceptable dress for a “fancy†restaurant. It was very disconcerting getting dressed up in suit or a jacket and tie and being seated next to a table of people who looked like they had just sat down from walking from LA to Vegas.

Spamalot
Excellent! Best all around show I have seen in years. The only slight difficulty for me was getting use to the American accents when for years I have heard the same lines with English accents. I was tempted to see the show again during my stay.

Fin
FIN’s Four [Chilled: Jellyfish, Chinese Ham, Beef Flank & Octopus]
Cantonese Barbecued Duck Half
Good service, very tasty!


STACK
Miso Black Cod Lettuce Cups
Ultimate KOBE "Stacked" Burger
Jelly Doughnut "Munchkin" Holes
Great service from my server Leslie. The Jelly Doughnuts were a little too sweet for me.

Mystère
I had seen the show a number of years ago and since then have seen most of the other Cirque shows in Vegas and their traveling shows. Although very good, it didn’t have the same magical feel it did when I first saw it. That could have been from all the people who were removed from the rows around me for taking photos or being too rowdy. Still, very enjoyable.

Alizé
Andre's Foie Gras Terrine with Orange and Grand Marnier Marmalade, Frisée and Chervil Salad with White Balsamic Syrup
Phyllo Wrapped, Baked Anjou Pear and Roquefort Cheese with Lollo Rosso Lettuce, Spicy Pecans and Blueberry Vinaigrette
Roasted Rack of Lamb and Merguez Sausage in Crispy Crêpe with Ricotta Risotto and Pinot Noir Sauce
Chocolate Soufflé
The phyllo wrapped pear was magnificent. I almost got emotional due to the flood of flavours hitting my taste buds. The lamb was the most succulent, melt in your mouth cuts prepared to perfection. Exceptional service as one would expect from this quality of dining experience. The only disappointment with the experience was the restaurant not enforcing a suitable dress code. I can’t leave this part of the review without comment on The Palms and the Playboy Club. After many visits to Las Vegas this was my first trip into The Palms. I guess the best I could put it was that I was disappointed. I can’t really put my finger on it but it just felt dingy and cold in that casino. The fact that there were cameras and bright lights everywhere filming The Real World that I had to duck out of the way of didn’t help. I went to The Playboy Club after dinner. My father was a member of the club in the sixties and relayed stories of some of his experiences there. This new Playboy Club did not live up to the stores that he told. It is basically a cash grab with over priced drinks even for Vegas standards.

Le Cirque
Foie Gras de Canard Poêlé aux Fruits de Saison
Sautéed Foie Gras with Seasonal Fruits, Dried Cherries, Cranberries and Apricots
"Blanquette" de Lapin au Riesling et Spaëtzles Croquants
Rabbit Symphony: Ravioli, Roasted Loin, Braised Leg with Crispy Spaëtzles and Riesling Sauce
I decided at the last minute to try this restaurant so the only seat available was at the bar. I expected a restaurant of this caliber to have a better scotch selection, so much so that I was tempted to go to the Fontana Bar and carry in a dram of really good whisky but didn’t. All around this was the best meal during my stay. I did have dessert, but left it as a chef’s choice so I don’t know what I had, but it was delicious. Next visit to Vegas, I will definitely book in advance.


Samba Brazilian Steakhouse
“THE ALL YOU CAN EAT RODIZIO EXPERIENCEâ€
Side dishes of black beans and rice, sweet fried plaintains, creamed spinach, farofa carrots, and a bottomless bowl of “Samba Salad†tossed tableside
Slow cooked Sausage and Sweet Peppers
Honey Brushed Turkey Breast Roulade Wrapped in Bacon
Huli Huli Chicken Hawaiian Style
Churrasco Sirloin “Picanha†Style
Fresh Fish of the Day
Brazilian Style Baby Back Pork Ribs
“Alho†Style Chicken Legs
Ginger Soy Flank Steak
Slow Roasted Pork and Pineapple
The turkey was the best of the meat buffet. Some people complained about the restaurant being open to the casino, but where I was sitting it was very interesting. I was facing the Abbey Road Bar with the girls dancing within the Revolution sign. So I had a floor show while I was eating.

 

Nice high end dining! Makes me hungry. (for Vegas)

 

i ate at wolfgangs and the blue cheese witrh chips didnt appeal to me that much. i am used to uh less than that. i was thinking blue cheese dressing with ruffles potato chips. but i was glad to see the chunks of cheese, but im willing to try them again.

 

Should not have read this before lunch. Now noon will never come.

 

My kind of TR ,Dining and Shows. I agree I think Spamalot is a great show so much I'm going to be seeing it again in 2 weeks

 

Great eats. I will not be able to come near that come May 12 as I need more $ to play with .

 

Oh man there's nothing like fine dinning. Nice TR.

 

I agree

if you read my trip report from December i said the same thing about Playboy Club but your description of a "money grab" was much more accurate. Nice report on the restaurants I always enjoy the dining in Vegas considering I am sloppy drunk the rest of the time. Just curious how much were your tabs at each of the places? approximation is OK?

 

Makin me hungry!!! We ate at Samba 2 visits ago -- you are correct...Very good food! I love eating in restaurants that are open to the casino. It is all part of the Vegas atmosphere. I can eat in any restaurant here at home, but I will never be able to hear the sweet sounds of Vegas while dining in them!

BTW -- Aggie182, u're in Coppell? I live only about 15 or so minutes from you!