Avoid if you're Hungry and other Las Vegas, NV Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Fleur de Lys

I couldn't wait to get a reservation here as the restaurant was recommended by a Chef friend from Ireland.

The decor was impressive - 40ft ceilings, walls of stone and others draped in grey and black, mood music and soft modern lighting. However tables appeared very close together. The tablewear (plates etc) are speciallydesigned for the restaurant and are very pretty.

First impressions were a little offputting, and that theme continued through the evening. We were first shown to a bar area and, when the cocktail waitress took our order for a sparkling water and a soda, she visibly grimaced and suddenly our table was immediately ready!

The waiter was helpful and pleasant and explained the menu to us. It was rather strange. One could order 3,4,or 5 courses. The cost increased accordingly - 75, 85, or 95 dollars per person. He went on to explain that the more courses one ordered, the smaller the portions. My experience has generally been that American portions are huge, so I ordered just 3 courses.

At the end of the meal I was tempted to head for the nearest McDonalds, so small were the portions of the 3 course meal. I felt abysmally sorry for the very snooty girls beside me who had ordered 5 courses each. It was evident that they were pretending to gush over the miniscule morsels on their plates.

My starter was called a giant lump crab which consisted of five flakes of crab, artistically presented in a star shape in a melon sauce. It was tiny, it was tasteless, and it was heartbreakingly disappointing.

My main course was no improvement - my allegedly roast lobster was the size of my thumb, and again tasteless. It was served on a puree of peas and carrots that tasted vaguely stew like, although the lobster froath sauce was good.

It was very expensive - over 210 dollars and we drank just sparkling water! Be wary here, too, in that the majority of dishes carry a supplementary charge...and you don't get larger portions!

Favorite Dish: This restaurant is renowned for its souffles and this is well merited - I had the grand marnier souffle and it saved me form hunger. It was large and tasty, and served with a delicious banana sauce.

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Theme: French
Comparison: most expensive
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: 702 632 9400
Address: Mandalay Place
Directions: In the food court/restaurant area of the Mandalay bay complex.
Website: http://www.fleurdelyssf.com/

Restaurant Name: Bouchon

For restaurant tips, VT throws up a catch phrase worded as above, but I have added the "honestly" as that's how it was.

This was the second restaurant recommended by my chef friend, and really there was no comparison between the incredible Bouchon and the disappointing Fleur de Lys.

From the moment you enter the world of Bouchon, you really feel as if you are in a busy, bustling French brasserie. The tables are close together but you don't mind. Such is the nature of this happy place that you become firm friends with your table neighbours; at least, we ended up having drinks and exchanging email addresses with ours.

The food is divine. The fresh, crisp linen napkins are wrapped with a tissue light menu and the specials of the day are displayed on a blackboard.

The staff are wonderful, attentive and friendly.

Be sure to make a reservation as it's incredibly busy and, I would imagine, hard to get into.

Favorite Dish: You simply must have the Grand Plateau of shellfish. Two of us shared it for a main course, but as it's actually chilled seafood served on ice I would advise it as a starter for four. A smaller plateau is available if there are just two of you. It included four or five varieties of oysters, clams, mussels, a whole giant crab, a whole lobster, prawns and so on yummily.

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Theme: French
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: 702 414 6200
Address: Venezia Tower, Venetian Hotel.
Directions: On the tenth floor of the Venezia Tower at the Venetian Hotel.
Website: http://www.frenchlaundry.com/bouchonLV/bouchonLV.htm

Restaurant Name: Chalie Palmer Steak

Charlie Palmer's Steakhouse at The Four Seasons represents five star eating at its very best.

The setting is great - spacious tables with silver service setting, dim lighting setting an intimate mood, comfortable seating (we were seated in huge comfy couches), and friendly helpful waiters. One of the things we commented on to each other was that most of the waiters here were big big men - it kind of gave a feeling that it was OK to eat. There's nothing worse than wanting a dessert when your waitress is a stick thin model! Great food deserves to be eaten with relish.

The waiters are efficient and service is prompt, but nobody crowds you. They are helpful without being superior when explaining the menu. I still can't remember what mahi Mahi is, but it sounded great!

I ordered a main course of surf and turf - it consisted of a large, melt in the mouth fillet steak plus a curved lobster tail. It was artfully presented on a sort of double plate. I have never seen a plate like this before - see my pic here. I can still taste the delectable food. As for my starter, see my comment below.

Dessert was a lemon and lavender tart - I just love it when a restaurant successfully integrates beautifully scented flowers into a dish.

I loved this place so much that it was the only restaurant in Vegas I visited twice.

Favorite Dish: I simply adored the foie gras. It was perfectly done - almost caramelised on the oitside, but fluid inside. It melted, no, disintegrated in my mouth. The flavour lingered. I licked my lips to taste the last of it and wanted more.

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Theme: Steakhouse
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: 702 632 5120
Address: Four Seasons Hotel, 3960 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Directions: The Four Seasons Hotel is part of the Mandalay Bay complex. Charlie Palmers is to the left as you enter the hotel's main entrance.

Restaurant Name: Stratosphere Tower

The restaurant on the 106th floor of the Stratosphere Tower is quite appropriately named The Top of the World Restaurant.

It was my Mum's 69th birthday while we were in Vegas so I took her there to celebrate - and what a place it was to celebrate.

The restaurant is beautifully designed as a revolving room. It takes one hour and ten minutes for a complete revolution so that every guest can see every part of Las Vegas from the very best vantage point that exists in this City.

If you decide to go, book well in advance as it's hard to get a reservation. Ask for a table on the floor as it is my opinion that these have the best views - also, you're not getting in between other guests to take your pics. We had a table in a booth and although we were facing the view at all times, I would have been happier on the floor. Also, the booth was a bit of a tight fit for our tummies after we had eaten the great food ;-)

Yes, the food was great - as was the drink. I ordered pink champagne for the birthday treat, and it was cutely called "Naughty." I thought how appropriate it was for the City we were in. The waiter explained that they used to have a beer called "Arrogant Bas.ard" - it was their best seller. People love to be naughty methinks, lol.

One word of advice is that if you allow them to take your pic you will really want to buy it, and they are very expensive (though beautifully presented and very professionally done). I paid about $130 for a set of pics.

Favorite Dish: We ordered the starter platter for two - it was a bit too "Chinese Restaurant" for my taste, although it was lovely and a little different to what I usually get in every Chinese Restaurant in Ireland.

The main course, however, was just great - giant scallops and enormous prawns.

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Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: (800) 998-6937
Address: 2000 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Directions: At the very top of the tallest structure in Las Vegas, the Stratosphere Tower.
Website: http://www.stratospherehotel.com

Restaurant Name: The Verandah - Breakfast

The Verandah restaurant at the Four Seasons is always booked out for Sunday brunch and, having eaten there, I can see why.

The breakfast is served mainly buffet style, with an option to order from a full and varied menu. Tea/coffee and juices are waiter service.

The buffet is vast in its variety, serving everything from corned beef hash, asparagus and mushroom quiche, and eggs benedict, to strawberries, blackberries, and delectable Danish pastries. The food tastes divine, making breakfast a pure indulgence.

There is an option to sit inside, or outside on the terrace. The terrace looks over the pool and is surrounded by palm trees and cooling greenery.

In typical Four Seasons style standards are truly excellent, silver service table settings with smiling attentive service.

The down side to breakfast here is that the buffet brunch is only available on Saturday and Sunday, with standard waiter service from menu during the week. While most of the same dishes are available, each item is charged individually. I was rather surprised on the one morning that I ate from the menu that the waitress wouldn't even refill my glass of juice! It's easy to see why the restaurant is pleasantly full at weekends but very quiet on weekdays. I must add that this failure to refill the juice is not typical of FS, and perhaps I just got an awkward waitress.

The cost of breakfast is $32 per person which I guess is expensive by any standards, but as a special treat it truly is worth it.

Favorite Dish: I adored the eggs benedict. Lots of places offer this dish for breakfast, but few know how to do it properly. The Verandah is one of the good ones with a perfectly poached egg and tantalisingly tasteful hollandaise sauce.

All juices here are freshly squeezed, too.

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Theme: Breakfast
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Address: Four Seasons Hotel, Las Vegas Boulevard S.
Directions: Four Seasons is part of the Mandalay Bay complex with its own seperate entrance.
Website: www.fourseasons.com

Restaurant Name: The Verandah - Dinner

I have already written a tip on the Verandah, but such was the nature of this lovely restaurant that it requires one tip for breakfast/brunch, and another for dinner.

The management do a wonderful job in transforming their restaurant froma breakfast venu to a romantic Italian restaurant at night. There's a small bar at the entrance where you can enjoy a pre dinner drink while perusing the menu. As with breakfast, you can opt to sit inside or out.

When we were shown to our table the staff had wisely reserved a double couch for us so that Mum and I could sit side by side and look out. I find that common sense and thoughtfullness are trade marks of Four Seasons.

The staff are terrific, service excellent, and the menu is varied, providing something for every taste. They have an innovative idea in that for your main course there is a section of the menu where you can choose one protein, one starch, one veg, and one sauce to make a balanced meal. Naturally you can order extras too. Though the influence here is Italian, it's not heavily so, hence my title of American Italian.

You will not be disappointed leaving here.

Favorite Dish: I'd like to give a special mention to the bread, because although great restaurants these days are innovative in their selection and presentation of breads, I have never come across anything as unusual or as nice as the manner in which they serve bread here.

We were served an olive bread. It came to our table on a hot slate, and the slate was on little stilts - the whole thing was like a tiny slate table. Our side plates were filled with olive oil and a fig balsamic which was elegantly flavoursome.

Normally I try to avoid the bread to leave room for dinner, but I could not resist clearing every last crumb of this delight.

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Address: Four Seasons Hotel, Las Vegas Boulevard S.
Directions: Four Seasons Hotel is part of the Mandalay Bay complex.
Website: www.fourseasons.com

Restaurant Name: Bay Side Buffet at Mandalay Bay

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Theme: Breakfast
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: 3950 Las Vegas Blvd.
Directions: In the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino