In keeping with my promise to be honest...
After spewing my candid thoughts on Tulum earlier this year, I am back with complete transparency on a recent trip to Vegas.
I'll firstly say that the trip was not sponsored in anyway, just a stopover while I was on the West Coast; in fact, it was actually my first trip to Vegas, and nonetheless, I was with my parents!
I've never felt the unwavering urge to travel to Sin City like some of my peers, none of my friends had done bachelorette or birthday parties there (yet, at least!) but if the opportunity came up, of course I was eager to check it out.
That opportunity came when I was in California and hadn't seen my dad in a couple months so I went to meet up with him and my mom in Vegas, where he was attending conferences. As someone who's been to my fair share of casinos, including Atlantic City, the Bahamas and Montecarlo, I felt I was prepared for the onslaught of oxygen and buzzing debauchery of the Vegas landscape.
Spoiler alert, I was not.
⟡⟡⟡
From the minute I stepped into the casino (which happened to be the lobby to my hotel), I was completely overwhelmed by the lack of clothing, morals (I swear I'm not a prude) and given the mask mandate had just lifted, the lack of face coverings. This was back in the first week of March, when I hadn't even been to a packed bar since the mandate lifted. And as someone who didn't necessarily love crowds before COVID, it was the biggest, baddest (read: not best) way to be thrown back into the sweaty crowds of a pre-pandemic world.
So, my first impression wasn't great. But, I was keen to stick around the confines of my hotel, and check out as many as the famed eateries on the Strip as I could pack in to a weekend. On my first evening, I found comfort at Bobby Flay's newest Italian restaurant, Amalfi, located in Caesar's Palace. Inspired by its namesake region along the Tyrrhenian Sea, the restaurant immediately evoked a sense of place with its focal point of cerulean tiled drums displaying market fresh fish over ice. The interactive menu encourages diners to visit this centerpiece, where a fishmonger will help choose the perfect whole catch for their meal. Other Amalfi accents like lemons dangling at the bar and a seaside color palette transported us to the coast before we took our first bites.
With a menu organized in the traditional Italian fashion, expect to splurge, starting with antipasti like shellfish fritto misto, charred octopus and tuna tartare (I wrote it on my Instagram, but I'll say it again: I would actually go back to Vegas for this tuna tartare, alone) then primi pasta dishes, like squid ink fettucine, pasta "rags" and spaghetti limone before moving onto the showstopper: the whole pesce that you picked out at the beginning of your meal with your choice of sauces. The meal had me completely forgetting my Vegas hesitancy and that I was just a stone's throw from the casino floor. To top it all off? Our server wouldn't let us leave without a sip of Limoncello; a true nod to the regional attention to detail.
Upon waking after my Amalfi-fueled food coma, I was reminded of the chaos ahead of me. As the weekend continued, it was time to experience the Strip. Walking along the strip was the most panicked I'd felt in a very long time. It had me craving for not just the safety of my hotel but any hotel for that matter. Though I admit I attempted to embrace it, I was uncomfortable with just about every part of the Strip from the performers to the stumbling drunkards I felt may try to start a fight or stumble into me and knock us over. I focused intently on my breathing at that point and feel as if I blacked out a portion of the afternoon from the grip of anxiety. So I can't tell you exactly anymore details on this, except that the Strip is not where I belonged.
It got me curious about what exactly Vegas-lovers see in this city. With no judgment of course, I really want to know (aside from the obvious liberation and power to play + gamble) if you're a fan, please let me know what it is that draws you back!
I don't want to drone on and on about how a place where so many find respite wasn't for me, and since I had some more culinary and cocktail bar highlights, I figured I'd close with positive praise for these amazing venues; after all, it's not lost on me that with such an impressive chef line-up for its square-mileage, the food and bev scene is undoubtedly a draw to Vegas in itself. The magnitude of celeb chefs and variety of restaurants though can be overwhelming, so if I can help point you in the right direction with any of these five suggestions, plus the aforementioned Amalfi, I'll feel like my trip wasn't completely without purpose!
⟡⟡⟡
The Highlights...
Cocktails
Though the original New York speakeasy shuttered, Ghost Donkey is alive and well in Vegas' Cosmopolitan, serving up the agave-centric menu it's known for (and truffle nachos!). Arrive early and expect to wait in line for a seat at this coveted bar behind the Urban Food Hall.
Very off-strip, I knew Herbs & Rye would be on-brand for me before walking in. Far from the crowds and a local hangout? Count me in. Unsurprisingly, they're known for their vast collection of rye, reflected in speciality and classic drinks featuring the spirit. Go for the Vieux Carré and you won't regret it.
Dining
I'm all about bazaar and I'm all about Chef José Andrés so when I stumbled on his Bazaar Meat during my pre-trip research, it propelled to the top of my list. With a menu celebrating carnivorous creatures, make sure you come hungry and with a group of friends; the goal is to share! A few of my favorite things included: José's Asian Taco, Capa Negra Jamon Iberico, grilled pulpo and American Wagyu skirt steak.
Din Tai Fung is part of the global reconception of the simple dumpling to speciality status. It's one of those places that was born out of no-frills but has steadily gained cult-following since the restaurant's Hong Kong branch was awarded a Michelin Star (at this point back in 2010, no other Taiwanese restaurant had been awarded a Michelin Star). You cannot go wrong with an order here, but the soup dumplings are a solid place to start.
If you didn't know this about me before, you will now; I am a spice fiend! Having stooped to accept the less than impressive spice levels on other American-Thai menus, I was not let down at Lemongrass. If you can take the heat, make sure you don't shy away from ordering on the higher end of the numerical spice ratings and wash it all down with a bottle of the impressive list of dry Rieslings on offer.
⟡⟡⟡
Some recent articles:
An Inside Look at Estate Yountville
Vineyard Farmers Are The Focus of Washington Wine Commission's Newest Ambassador Program
Xo,
J