95289 Fri Sep 30 17:07:52 -0700 2005 22 6 Southwest 0 521296 My goal during next week's Las Vegas trip to to spend absolutely no money dining on the strip. (I know that Bobby Flay's place gets good reviews here but I can't stand the guy's personality (like the whiney kid who always told on you) and don't want to give him my money!) Aside from Lotus of Siam (also I see Rosemary's keeps coming up in previous posts), what are some great local joints? Don't care about scene, alcohol, etc. Only solid, great food. Thanks hounds! Mr. Taster Fri Sep 30 17:07:52 -0700 2005 0 Mr. Taster 1 521307 That's what I did on my last weekend trip to Vegas. If you're willing to drive to Henderson, Kathy's Southern Cooking had some great fried chicken. Other places in Henderson that have been recommended on this board that I hope to try on future trips are Todd's Unique Cuisine, Memphis Championship BBQ, Hawaiian Plantation House, and Tinoco's Bistro. If you're into Chinese dim sum, west of the I-15 and the Strip, there are places like Cathay House and Orchids Garden, both which are pretty good. Chang's Hong Kong Cuisine has made my wishlist to try on my next trip. If you're going near downtown LV, places to try might be the Hill Top House Supper Club, where I've read that the fried chicken is really good. Big Mama's Rib Shack was also pretty good, although I was disappointed by the lack of beef ribs on the menu. Also, the Triple George Grill across from the Lady Luck got some rave reviews when it opened this summer. Hope that gives you a good starting point to work from. Fri Sep 30 18:40:58 -0700 2005 521296 0 Wonginator 2 521316 The Hilltop House is nowhere near downtown. It is on Rancho between Cheyenne and Craig. Fri Sep 30 23:05:48 -0700 2005 521307 0 eddie w 1 521318 Fiamma at MGM is absolutely incredible, food, service, ambience all among the very best in Vegas. Something for everyone, you don't even have to like Italian. This is one of those 'absolutely guaranteed to love it' places, like Delmonico. It IS that good! I had their steak, it was better than Delmonico or Prime, and who would have thought? Bradley Ogden at Caesars-I had soup and dessert at the bar, soup is so good you wonder how could they make something taste SO good? Service was very friendly and professional, am DEFINITELY going here for dinner next trip. Dessert is the best in Vegas, imho, a work of art and tasted as good as it looked. What a great setting, too! Seriously, you want good food, Fiamma is THE place to go, I have paid much more for food not as good. Prices are very good for the quality Sat Oct 01 00:24:34 -0700 2005 521296 0 Elrushbo 2 521336 I am now gathering, after your 15th mention of this place, that you like it. Sat Oct 01 19:55:48 -0700 2005 521318 0 felix 3 521348 And of course I specifically mentioned that I wasn't requesting anywhere on the strip... Mr. Taster Sun Oct 02 03:15:35 -0700 2005 521336 0 Mr. Taster 4 521356 Mr. Taster, where are you from? I've seen your handle but can't remember on which board. Whether you are from a large metropolitan area or a small town, please consider the following: I appreciate your determination, but, umm...have you been to Vegas lately? Yes. there is good food to be had away from the strip. Perhaps your stated determination that you won't eat on the strip is just your way of trying to get info on the best recommendations of those. and perhaps you only want less expensive, less upscale places, which, with a few exceptions, means leaving the strip. I appreciate that. However, when people start recommending Andres over places on the strip, because Andres is not on the strip...and if you are seriously considering it as an option....well...I think it misses the point... As my prior posts imply, I really think you are missing out on a big part of going to Vegas if you avoid the strip, particularly if you are avoiding it because of concerns about celebrity spots. There is some really fun and some would say even exciting stuff going on at strip eateries. Indeed, if it weren't for LOS and the restaurants on the strip, I wouldn't even be plotting my next trip to Vegas months in advance. Sure, I like to play Blackjack and the slots, but can do it a lot closer to home. Other parts of the Southwest are nicer for desert atmosphere. And the spa at the Bellagio was nice, but I've had just as nice elsewhere. In other words, to me, Vegas is in no small part about the food and the style in the restaurants, and a lot of that, particularly in higher end, non-ethnic places, is on the strip. Yes, there are some good eateries off of the strip, and at least one outstanding one (LOS), but for the most part (LOS being a notable exception, at least from the perspective of someone who lives in the SF bay area) there isn't much off of the strip that you won't find in larger, better quantities in LA, San Francisco, NY, Philly.... For that matter, you can find many of the strip places in those big cities too and many are of course branches/outposts of famous places from elsewhere. However, what you *can't* find in many other places is the concentration of high-end places, the sense of style, and the attention that the chefs are paying to food in Vegas restaurants... Finally, where are you staying? Are you staying off of the strip, or on? If you are staying on the strip, you will spend a lot of energy getting to those non-strip restaurants: you can't walk to them, and waits for taxis and even to get your car from valet can be long. Wouldn't you rather walk to dinner now and then, particularly if you plan to partake? Now that the heat has gone down, were you aware that Vegas is actually a surprisingly good city for walking (on the strip only!)? Do you really want the stress of worrying if you will make it back to the strip for a show? And if you are staying off of the strip, aren't going to shows, and don't want to eat there either, well, other than to eat at LOS, exactly *why* are you going to Vegas? Cut your trip short, eat at LOS for two nights, check out Boulder Dam, and spend a few days in East LA on your way home: similar ambiance (ie lots of little places in strip malls), more choices of good places to eat, and yes, we do have gambling in California now..... just my 2 cents...Thanks for listening. Sun Oct 02 12:50:25 -0700 2005 521348 0 susancisnf 5 521369 Wow, thanks for the comprehensive reply! I live in L.A., and I often eat excellent Chinese food out in the San Gabriel valley so LV Chinatown will be a curiosity to visit but I am not necessarily looking for grub there. Lotus of Siam is a big reason why I'm heading out to Vegas-- also I haven't been to LV in about 5 years so I'm curious to see how things have changed (the eiffel tower was mid-girder last I saw it). We're only there for one night, Oct 4-5, getting a mid-week special at New York, New York. I'm not averse to walking at all, nor driving extensive distances for excellent chow (obviously!), and I consider it more of an inconvenience to wait for a valet than to walk to my car in the back of a football stadium sized parking lot. (though I've heard there's an excellent monorail now...) I'll be doing a smidgeon of gambling but am mostly there for the rides and for chow that's hard to get in L.A. Also, it's just nice to get out of Los Angeles every so often, clear the smog out of your head and spend some quality time with your girlfriend who, incidentally, also loves to eat at new places and see new sites as much as I do :) So really, my determination not to eat on the strip is really out of interest in not paying inflated prices for food that can be had better or cheaper in Los Angeles. Scene is not my thing... I work in the entertainment industry and don't need that shit when I travel too :) Thanks again for your input! Mr. Taster Mon Oct 03 02:00:41 -0700 2005 521356 0 Mr. Taster 6 521429 Mr. Taster, I agree with you that prices are inflated on the strip. Part of the charm of LOS is that the prices are exactly as you'd find it at home (for me, California) but better quality.....something that can't be said for anything on the strip. All you have to do is look at the star-chef websites to see the prices on the strip are in most cases, more expensive, than the prices of the exact same restaurant in NY City or Napa. Wed Oct 05 12:04:19 -0700 2005 521369 0 blackjack 7 521440 well, I'd have to take your word for that, since I haven't checked that carefully, but you aren't factoring in the transportation factor: I'd probably choose something I can't get at home in SF (though even Napa can be expensive in terms of travel from SF these days), but a big part of the appeal is being able to walk to restaurants that otherwise would be thousands of miles apart... But a big part of my point to Mr Taster was not prices relative to home, it was that some of the off the strip restaurants being recommended to him were actually *more* expensive, and not as good a value, as (IMO) better strip alternatives, so if the goal is not to go to overpriced restaurants, avoiding the strip alone is not the answer.... and then, there is at least one restaurant that isn't open at home (Commander's Palace).... Wed Oct 05 14:47:24 -0700 2005 521429 0 susancinsf 8 521449 For example.....Bouchon in Las Vegas http://www.frenchlaundry.com/bouchonLV/BOLVmenu605.pdf and in Yountville http://www.frenchlaundry.com/bouchon/BOmenu605.pdf And have you even noticed how much they jack you in Vegas for cocktails? If not, you must not be paying for any of it. I love Vegas, but most Vegas people know the strip is not a bargain for fine dining. Sorry, but most people on the strip take taxis that cost $10-15 one way when they want to go out and eat, especially in a nice shirt/slacks and dress. So the gas theory doesn't play for most people in Vegas. It may for you. Wed Oct 05 19:24:09 -0700 2005 521440 0 blackjack 9 521452 yes, it looks like Bouchon in Vegas is about two or three dollars more per entree than in Napa, assuming both websites are up to date, and not factoring in any differences in sales tax. but then, if you are already in Vegas visiting from LA, and you go there, you don't have to pay the airfare or gas to Napa, which was my point (not how you get there once in Vegas). but anyway, I wouldn't take a cab. I walk. Even in June, I walked on the strip. Not sure where all those other people where going to that I saw walking on the strip, but there sure were *a lot* of them, and many appeared to be awfully nicely dressed to just be gambling.... Wed Oct 05 21:29:34 -0700 2005 521449 0 susancinsf 9 521460 When Chowhounding, I always rent a car in Las Vegas. The distance between, say, Henderson and Summerlin is not trivial. The prices of many LV restaurants have gotten out of hand, but luckily rental cars are still a bargain. I just spent almost as much to rent a car in NYC for one day as I do for one week in LV. Thu Oct 06 00:51:21 -0700 2005 521449 0 Dave Feldman 1 521320 For sushi, Koto on Eastern is terrific, locally owned, and very reasonable. They have a wide variety of cooked items as well. Todd's Unique Cuisine, which is on Sunset, is very good. The Tinoco's that was in the south part of the Valley has closed, but there is a Tinoco's in the downtown area in the Arts Factory. On Friday of next week, that area will be crowded, because it is "first friday", which means various galleries, etc. will be open later; Tinoco's will be crowded that night. Very solid food. For a more upscale (and expensive) experience, you might think of Andre's, which is a very good classical French restaurant, located downtown behind the Federal Court building. Andre has since opened restaurants in some of the casinos, but this is the original and is very good. There are a number of inexpensive and tasty restaurants in the Chinatown area, including Pho Vietnam and Cathay House for dim sum. That's due west on Spring Mountain from the strip. Sat Oct 01 10:40:36 -0700 2005 521296 0 lvnvflyer 2 521321 If I had to do it again, and was absolutely bound and determined not to eat on the strip (which wouldn't be me, there are lots of good and some great non-Bobby Flay options on the strip), I think I would have choosen to eat at Lotus of Siam a third time rather than at the original Andres. My report is below. It was good, but far from outstanding, and service was quite disappointing. If you are going to pay those prices, why not eat at one of the top choices on the strip? Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/94655#518363 Sat Oct 01 11:56:45 -0700 2005 521320 0 susancinsf 3 521343 Actually, I think you hit it on the head in your original post...that it is a solid choice with a romantic and pleasant (and not as frenetic as most strip places) atmosphere. I would probably go to LOS myself! But the OP wanted some off-Strip choices, and I think Andre's remains a solid choice...I've been underwhelmed with some of the latest entries in the Strip high end restaurants, including Mix, for example. I enjoyed the lounge and the views at Mix, but boy, was it pricy (makes Andres seem like a bargain) and I wasn't blown away by the food. Our favorite French restaurant is on the Strip, though...it's Bouchon, in the Venetian. Rosemary's is another good local option as well. Actually, another French bistro-ish option to consider is Marche Bacchus, which is over in Desert Shores. Very pretty restaurant with great outdoor seating, attached to a wine store, so you get the wine for $10 over retail (much better deal than Andre's...or most other restaurants in LV). Solid French food, with a very nice atmosphere. Sat Oct 01 22:47:56 -0700 2005 521321 0 lvnvflyer 4 521347 In case anyone doesn't read my original post, I think saying that I thought it was a 'solid' choice is somewhat of an overstatement. Though I did say I thought the food was solid, my overall assessment (taking service, ambiance and value or lack thereof in to account) was 'eh' and that it was 'ok'. I enjoyed my strip meals at both Commander's Palace and Mon Ami Gabi more than that dinner at Andres, and both were cheaper... Sun Oct 02 01:31:01 -0700 2005 521343 0 susancinsf 1 521324 Table 34 (formerly Wild Sage) on Warm Springs is a personal favorite. I soundly second Todd's, too. If you like Mexican, Lindo Michoacan on Desert Inn is one of the best in town. I haven't been for awhile (so many restaurants, so little time!), but Yama Sushi on Flamingo is a great value and if Paul is still there, he's very innovative. Have fun! Helen Sat Oct 01 13:28:25 -0700 2005 521296 0 Helen MS 1 521360 if you want great dim sum, I second Chang's of Hong Kong or Cathy House. Chang's has a larger selection. Both places are easily rival LA and SF dim sum houses. Shanghai Noon on Spring Mountain Road does Northern Chinese food. Great dumplings, onion pancake, soup noodles, "smoked" fish, stir fried little fish with peanuts and seaweed. Small place and gets packed at mealtimes. We always make a point of going here when we're in town. Sun Oct 02 17:29:53 -0700 2005 521296 0 daantaat 2 521446 I have been going to Chang's for years now and although it is good dim sum and great for LV....it is no in the same league as the good dim sum places in the SGV. But it is still good....and Jimmy really takes good care of his customers. Wed Oct 05 18:46:49 -0700 2005 521360 0 Josh 1 521363 Assuming you will still have an appetite for Thai food after (or if) you go to LOS, try Ocha, which is on 2211 S. Las Vegas Boulevard - a couple of blocks north of Sahara, and across the street from the Stratosphere. Even more bare bones than LOS, and very good. Open very late (I think until 3 AM). A bonus is that it is within walking distance (a few short blocks) from Luv-It Frozen Custard (just off of LV Blvd. on Oakey - closed on Sundays and Mondays). Sun Oct 02 19:02:35 -0700 2005 521296 0 felix 1 521424 We've had good meals at Paymon's Mediterranean Cafe, at the SW corner of Maryland and Flamingo. The combination platter was enough for two to share. If you're really hungry, add another entree or a pita to also share. Finish it all off with Turkish coffee and tasty baklava. Paymon's and LOS are our two "must visits" for any trip to LV. See link below. Link: http://www.paymons.com Wed Oct 05 06:04:14 -0700 2005 521296 0 ricetravel 2 521459 There's also a Paymon's on West Sahara. Both have hookah lounges with happy hours from 5-7 P.M. featuring half-priced drinks -- lots of fun. I wasn't as enthusiastic about the food quality as you are the one time I had a full dinner at the Sahara location, but it was only one meal. Thu Oct 06 00:47:28 -0700 2005 521424 0 Dave Feldman