Romantic New Year in Las Vegas...but unfortunately money IS an object...
(I posted this before but it never made it on....the boards were having "issues" that day...sorry if its somehow a repeat and I missed it the first time...)
Anyway, we are celebrating 25 years of marriage over New Year's weekend...but due to the same perfect lousy financial storm everyone else is caught in we have decided to go local and not go overboard....saving our money for more important things, like college tuition and a trip to see our son who will have moved to Japan by then....
So we want to celebrate in style without breaking the bank....say no more than 200 or 250 for the evening, including a drink or two. I'm looking for the hounds' collective opinions on the best "second tier" restaurants in Vegas...on or off-strip....good food, service, and ambiance all important. Thoughts? Anywhere in town is worth considering, although we probably won't make the haul to Henderson.
Also, I'm curious if there is any buzz out there about new restaurants that will be opening with City Center....I hear its beautiful inside, and that might be a good excuse for a visit.
By janetofreno
on Nov 21, 2009 10:05 PM
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Congrats on 25 years! I'll let the other CH-ers chime in on off-Strip places and Taste of Wynn menus. Some of the most romantic meals we've had were when we've shared plates in the bars at the very finest Strip restaurants. We'll get cocktails or a bottle of wine, an appetizer, salad and an entree that we share. And one dessert that is for me. The bill usually comes to $125-175, and that includes a generous tip for the barstaff's trouble. It's much more intimate and less stuffy than eating in the dining room and no one's in a hurry for us to leave so they can turn the table. We always check before-hand to make sure they're ok with it all, but we've never been turned down or even looked down upon.
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Well, I probably wouldn't go to the Strip NYE, and I'm not sure you are talking about NYE night. If not, I think your choices are much more varied. I'd think about Marche Bacchus, which I think has a very nice atmosphere; Vintner Grill, which has some very romantic outdoor areas that perhaps you could reserve (they have those heater thingies, and are small cabanas); Todd's Unique (although it is in Henderson)....I think in general strip properties will be packed that weekend, and am not sure it would be too fun to be navigating through all that....
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NO, we are NOT going out New Year's Eve...having a quiet dinner with friends at home. I was thinking probably New Year's Day night (Friday) or Sat. the 2nd....Have any other hounds heard much about Marche Bacchus? I hear good things about it, but I'm not exactly sure where it is....
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It's in Desert Shores...it's actually on the shores of a little lake, and they set up the outside with heaters and tables even in the winter, I believe, so it is warm enough outside. You enter thru a retail shop, in which you can select whatever wine you wish, and then they charge you a ten dollar corkage fee. The food is generally very good and I've heard good things about the new chef. I would definitely say it has a nice romantic vibe (and no, I don't think either Raku or Lotus, for all their excellence, do).
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Isn't it sad that this is where Las Vegas is lacking the most off-Strip? Dozens of great little ethnic hole in the wall places with decent food and little ambience, but just not many places to linger over a romantic night out. Have to agree with Marche Bacchus and Vintner Grill (especially if the evening is warm enough to possibly dine al fresco), and there are the old standbys like Piero's, The Golden Steer and Pamplemousse that bring the atmosphere you are looking for (although the food quality at the latter two has not kept pace with their Strip competitors). Although it is a bit of a haul, Medici at the Ritz Carlton works for both food quality and atmosphere, and perhaps you can make the trip easier by spending the night if your schedule allows - they are offering a "Resort Reconnect" package that brings a $50 food credit, and also includes breakfast the following morning. That does start to touch the upper end of your price point, but room rates these days can be pretty flexible.
Also keep in mind that both Raku and Lotus, a couple of the local gems, will have finished expansions by that time. Neither was much in terms of atmosphere in the past, but perhaps the newer arrangements might work.
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I must admit that the deal at the Ritz Carlton is tempting....and no, I don't think that it will be warm enough to eat outside. Remember, we LIVE in Las Vegas...it feels cold to us this time of year! Both Raku and Lotus are favorites of mine, but neither comes close to romantic in my book...I doubt if the remodels will be THAT different in atmosphere....Fussy, aren't I :-)
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Don't forget that the Strip will be closed around 3:00 pm to all traffic.This means no crossing the Strip from south as Tropicana (and perhaps further south) to at least as far north as Charleston. This means you will have to go far out of your way to cross the Strip or dine on whatever side of the Strip you reside on.
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