Let me continue my review of The Venetian. The property itself didn't score very well. However, two of the three restaurants did much better. During my stay, I dined at The Grand Luxe Cafe, Pinot Brasserie, and Bouchon. I rated each of these restaurants on 19 data points for a total of 95 points.
Evening 1 we dined at the Grand Luxe Cafe. I rated the quality of the food a 4 out of 5. I also gave Grand Luxe a 4 out of 5 for diversity. The food was served hot and the server was extremely friendly. I ordered a cheeseburger medium rare. To my surprise, it was served a perfect medium rare. The major downfall to this restaurant is that it is located at the entrance to the gaming floor. It was busy and I rated the service timeliness a 3 out of 5. The major distractions for this location are the noise from the casino and the cigarette smoke. If you are a non-smoker, this is a strong "Do not recommend". Overall this restaurant scored 67 out of 95 points available. The overall experience and value delivered was good, but not great. The major drawback is the location.
Evening 2 we dined at the Pinot Brasserie. This was far and away the worst dinner we had in Vegas. We had planned on dining at Valentino next door (which I've eaten at several times in LA). Although the properties shared the same wine list, that is where the similarities ended. We had 3 people at dinner. One hour after placing our order, we inquired about our entrees. We were told the kitchen was backed up, as two restaurants are now sharing one kitchen - due to budget cuts. That was too much knowledge and not our problem (except for the fact that we had no dinner, which made it our problem). I live in Portland, OR and prefer Oregon pinot noirs. Our server had little to no knowledge about wines and was completely lost in the conversation on wine. When the food was finally served, my veal was mediocre at best. Overall the food was quit unremarkable. When one of my guests asked what they were going to do to make up for the experience the server replied, "What would you like us to do?" After calling the manager over, we were comped one dessert. For the record, I just wanted to leave. The dinner was very pricey for the quality of food and service delivered. Pinot Brasserie scored 59 out of 95 points available. The wait was long, the quality mediocre, and the service was shoddy. Thank god for the almonds I had saved in my room. This restaurant gets a strong "Not Recommended"!
Evening 3 we dined at Bouchon. This restaurant is brought to us by Thomas Keller of "French Laundry" fame in Napa Valley, CA. Well - finally a light of redemption at The Venetian! The evening started with our server recommending one of my favorite beers from Europe. I can't even remember the last place that had Delirium Tremors available. We had a party of 3 dining this evening. I ordered the highly recommended lamb shank. The preparation was exceptional, as was the quality of the food. The server and sommelier were both outstanding and scored 5 of 5 points. The food was served hot and everyone at the table was raving about their meal. The ambiance is sophisticated, yet friendly. On a side note, I collect crumbers. Yes, I know it is unusual. It takes some deft and negotiation to get a server to part with his crumber. Our server played the game masterfully and garnered a 25% tip, while making us all laugh at my begging. My evening ended with a flight of ice wines for the ages. From the minute we entered Bouchon until the moment we left, the service was amazing. Bouchon scored a 91 out of 95 points. This was far and away the best thing The Venetian has to offer. While it isn't the French Laundry of Napa, it was the most memorable experience at The Venetian. Bouchon receives a very strong "Recommend"
Overall the dining options were much better than the accommodations themselves. If you go to The Venetian, don't skip Bouchon! Matter of fact, stay at Wynn and eat at Bouchon for the ultimate Vegas experience.
Safe travels!
The Travel Brain
Full Disclosure: For the benefit of the FTC, I did not receive any compensation directly for this blog post. All opinions expressed are strictly those of The Travel Brain.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have a comment or question? The Travel Brain would love to hear from you!