Recent Las Vegas dining/trip report

Ate at some old and many new places this trip. Mostly, good eating, but some disappointments.

Day one had us pigging out at the Bellagio buffet for the breakfast/lunch. This was my second time eating here. There are certainly enough choices but it's hit or miss. Had a great tuna hand roll and a serviceable steamed port bun. The ceviche was chock full of seafood and tasty. Forget about their shrimp as it's too watery. Breakfast items serviceable; same with some of the lunch items. I'm a dessert person but wasn't wowed by much of their offerings. On the other hand, thanks to the My Vegas app, it was free so no complaints for the value. Dinner at Lotus of Siam. The three of us over ordered to get to sample as many items as we could stomach. All was very good, but I still prefer Chada Thai primarily because of the ambiance.

Day two was brunch at the Veranda which is always good and this didn't disappoint. Late night tapas and craft cocktails at Lago which were very good. We had food and beverage credits to use and were very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and the personality of the bartender who served us. We especially liked the shrimp marscapone stuffed ravioli.

Day three took us to Hexx for brunch. I never get to go here with my family because my son is so opposed to paying their "strip surcharge" of 4%. However, the menu sounded great and the food did not disappoint. The portions were huge. The fruit plate was beautifully crafted and the roasted potatoes that came with the eggs were really delicious....crunchy exterior and nicely flavored creamy innards. When the manager came by to check on us, I mentioned that I hadn't eaten there before because my son is boycotting their surcharge, but that I really wanted to try it because their instagram and twitter feed photos really looked good. He was happy to hear that and brought over the social media manager to accept her kudos. What a pleasant surprise when the bill came...while the 4% surcharge was there, there was also a 30% customer appreciation discount from the manager. Now, that was unexpected but really appreciated. In my opinion, my son is missing out on some good eats here. That night we had intended to go to the Oyster Bar at Station House as a friend had an oyster craving. Unfortunately, the wait was too long and we were starving so we trotted over to Other Mama where she got her fix. Not only did she get her oysters, amongst the three of us, we managed to sample almost all of the daily and regular menu because we were so hungry. I presume it was one of the owner's who waited on us as he was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, the restaurant, and very engaging. I had been wanting to try this place for awhile but we just never got around to it. I know there were some negative reviews about it on this board, but virtually everything we ordered was really good. Only the hushpuppies were mediocre.

Day four started with breakfast at Babystacks. You can really get a sugar rush here if you're not too careful. The service was great as were the pancakes and various egg dishes we ordered Dinner was at Todds as that's our neighborhood go to restaurant and it didn't disappoint. For the price point, the food is good as is the service. They were offering a $20 off coupon which they tend to offer from time to time which is an added benefit. Getting on their email list will get those coupons delivered to you.

Day five had us sweltering at the pool but we still managed to have a very enjoyable outdoor lunch at the Bellagio pool restaurant. The menu had more than the usual pool fare and what we had was executed well. Dinner was at e. I had dined there several years ago but I wanted to treat my friends to the experience as I knew they'd enjoy it. The first time I was there, the social aspect of it was really good as we had a master chef dining that night with us who was quite a character and made it really a foodie evening. This time, the group of nine diners had a nice camaraderie and to me, the food was more interesting the second time around. Because of the cost, it's truly a once in a blue moon type of occasion. The wine pairings alone come at three option levels: $130,300, and I believe $500. Two of us tried the middle option this time while one (and everyone else dining that night) went the "cheaper" route (LOL), We all enjoyed the pairings and I can't say that the extra money spent was worth it. Interestingly enough, at the end of this dinner, two of the diners ultimately disclosed that they work for Jose Andres and travel all over the world eating at his restaurants taking notes to insure quality control. They eat at e every five weeks!!! Needless to say, we then had quite a few questions for them which they graciously answered.

Day six took us to Honey Salt in Summerlin for brunch/lunch. We had a pizza which was quite good and an exceptionally tasty and really beautifully prepared beet salad. We were supposed to try Chef Marc's trattoria that night, but with the crazy weather that day (storms/rain/hail) we didn't want to venture back on the roads to Summerlin after returning to the strip so that will have to wait until another visit. Instead, we decided to stay close and try Bardot Brasserie for dinner. Let me first say that Michael Mina has a great restaurant near my home (Bourbon Steak) but in the past, we were disappointed with his restaurant in the Bellagio, so it was with great trepidation that we tried his restaurant in the Aria. The service was great; but the food just didn't wow us and for the price point, we were all disappointed. So, for me, that's two out of three Mina restaurants that were disappointing. Lesson learned.

Our last day needed to use up the balance of our food and dining credits so we had a very expensive breakfast at the Bellagio Cafe. It was good but certainly not mind-blowing and for the price point, it would have been a major disappointment but for the fact it was free.

Lots of good eating, Hopefully, I'll burn some of these calories in time for our return to town in a few weeks. I plan on trying Chef Marc's and/or Bottiglia if time allows, but since I'll be returning with my husband this time, I suspect we'll return to Carnevino and Le Cirque and whichever restaurant our son selects for his birthday dinner. No worries though as there are at least two more Vegas trips on our schedule before the year is out.