Serendipity3 @Caesars Palace Summer 2012

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As Vegas grew in popularity and air travel became the primary means of transportation for those visiting Las Vegas, the need for large parking lots taking up vast amounts of real estate became an impractical use of space.  Multi levelled parking garages replaced them and the challenge then became, what do we do with all this space.  Some properties expanded their hotel casinos right up to the strip; many were simply destroyed and replaced.  Properties like Caesars & Bally’s chose to repurpose the areas with varying degrees of success.

Caesars never really had the option of moving the property closer to the strip.  The long drive up to the Porte casher is part of the ambience.  The famous fountains are iconic and could never be moved so redevelopment was pretty much the only choice.  While some would argue they still haven’t made proper use of that strip frontage, Caesars will tell you it’s a work in progress.  A major piece in the puzzle is Serendipity 3

Dining, right on the strip, in the elements has become the hot new trend and Caesars was one of the early adaptors.  Serendipity 3 is a restaurant made famous by their original location in NY opened back in 1954.  Their signature dish is the frozen hot chocolate that First Lady Jackie O loved so much she requested the recipe so she serve it at a party.  The owner declined to acquiesce to her request but did offered to come to the party and make it for her.  Today, they sell the recipe in the gift shop.  Offering way more than sweets, the common theme you will notice at Serendipity 3 is unique takes on familiar dishes as well as portion size.  Bother are excessive, in a good way, regardless if you order from the takeout window or choose to sit and eat. 

Vegas Mate Rating - 4/5 chips

Mark Rates - 4/5 chips 
Keren Rates - 3/5 chips

Planet Dailies @Planet Hollywood Fall 2013

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Every property in Vegas has a coffee shop, its part of the blueprints of a hotel & casino.  Slots here, craps table there and coffee shop around the corner.  As with everything in Vegas, quality varies from one property to the other.  But if you’re tired of the decadent dining surrounding you in Vegas, it’s the one place you can be sure to get a simple meal of eggs and bacon for breakfast or a club sandwich for lunch.

Enter Planet Dailies, the coffee shop at Planet Hollywood.  At first glance you get the impression something is different here.  Not only is the space modern and sheik but it very much fits in with the property surrounding it.  The space showcase warm colours, wood furnishings and surrounds you with 48 flat screen TVs with programing consisting of movie previews, celebrity news and various accident-prone blooper entertainments.  But who cares about all that, how’s the food.

Why bother doing what everyone else does?  Why not attempt to rethink the standards and elevate them to a new plateau.  It is Vegas, blur the lines.  At Planet Dailies, the French toast is dipped in a crème Brule batter, the BLT is topped with two poached eggs and angus hamburgers are served on a bed of rice, topped with an egg and covered in gravy.  Good luck deciding what you want to try 1^st here and once you do that, good luck trying to not order it every time you go back.  Rest assured that, almost without exception, no matter what you order, you are going to love it.

Recommendations

Mark  - Creme Brulee French Toast and the Loco Moco

Keren - Corned Beef Hash and Steak Eggs Benedict

Vegas Mate Rating - 3/5 Chips

Mark and Keren Rating - 5/5 Chips

CUT by Wolfgang Puck @Palazzo Spring 2013

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Regardless of where you are enjoying it, steak is largely considered to be fine dining.  Or at least right up they’re with lobster as a clear indication that you are getting laid if your date orders it.  Like all dining, the quality of the produce differs from location to location.  So what’s it like in Vegas?

In a world like Las Vegas, where everything is a heightened experience, the steakhouse is the pinnacle of fine dining in a property.  Not saying that its always the best thing that a property offers or it’s the nicest place to eat in Vegas but simply that it’s a benchmark of fine dining that all properties seem to measure themselves by.  Hell, the consensus would say that the only good thing at Circus Circus is their steakhouse.

In a property like Palazzo, they’ve got a high-end reputation to live up.  In the murky waters of celebrity chefs, quality runs the gambit and sometimes celebrity exceeds talent, especially the more recognizable the name.  This is not the case in Wolfgang Puck’s case, at least not at CUT.  Prepare yourself for a dining experience that sets the bar very high, not just in the food but also in environment and service.   This is dining, VIP style and makes it clear that some people are chefs first and celebrities second.

Vegas Mate Rating - 4/5 chips

Mark, Keren & Matt Rating - 5/5 chips

Twin Peaks @Mekka Walgreens Spring 2013

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Twin Peaks is a self-professed “Breasterant” set in what is described as the ultimate man cave/Mountain lodge.  Founded in Lewisville Texas in 2005, Twin Peaks expanded into the Vegas Market as part of the Mekka Walgreens complex in 2013.  The Vegas location offers two-story dining, a three-story rock climbing wall and 87 hi-def. flat screen TVs.  

29-degree beer, on tap.  Its so cold that when they poor it into their 40 ounce man sized mug, ice crystals form on the top.  Patrons are served by attractive waitresses who’s uniforms consist of tops exposing both ample cleavage and bare mid-drifts as well as low-riding short khaki shorts and boots.  Think Hooters 2.0 with waitresses about a decade younger or even Tilted Kilt hunting lodge

If those two things were all Twin Peaks had to offer, it would be a must visit.  However Twin Peaks actually has really good food.  Couple that with their 2^nd story offering outdoor dining and the best view of City Center in Las Vegas.  The view is so remarkable, it has been referred to as one of the top five views in all of Vegas.  

Mark, Keren & Matt's Rating - 4/5 chips

Palazzo Spring 2013

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Continuing with the Italian theme, when Las Vegas Sands decided to expand their Venetian brand into a sister property next door, they choose to name it Palazzo.  Palazzo, in Italian, simply means Palace.  Earning its grand name, Palazzo is the tallest building in Las Vegas, topping out a 642 stories.  While it is true that Stratosphere is the tallest structure in Vegas, since it isn’t habitable, it isn’t technically considered a building.

Continuing with the concept that bigger is better, Palazzo didn’t stop with just being the tallest building in Vegas.  There 6.9 million square feet replaced the Pentagon as the largest building in the US per square foot.  Palazzo also has the largest standard rooms per square foot on the strip at 720, all suites.

Palazzo's gaming floor uses an open concept that allows you to see virtually every inch of the casino from wherever you are in it.  Unlike many Hi-End properties, it also managed to create an atmosphere that is both luxurious and welcoming.  While Palazzo is a separate building, it operates under the same gaming license as Venetian. The two properties are connected to each other via their indoor shopping promenades.

Vegas Mate Rating - 4/5 Chips

Mark Rating - 4/5 Chips
Keren Rating - 3/5 Chips