eating vegas style

Last November (yes, I know, this post is a little late) my hubby and I went to Las Vegas for the first time. This was more a trip for him, as he had always wanted to go. Vegas wasn't high on my places of "must visit before I die" but I went along and happily planned all the great places I'd be eating at while I was there.

That's one thing about Vegas - if you're not a gambler (I'm not a gambler) but you're a food-lover (yep, that's me!) Las Vegas really has it all. There are SO many restaurants here, and so many celebrity-chef restaurants, that it's hard to know where to even start!


We ended up having breakfast every day at the Bouchon Bakery (by Thomas Keller), which was conveniently in our lobby and had the most amazing pastries. Check out the sticky bun and the lemon macaron! (That macaron was the size of the palm of my hand. Ok, I have small hands, but still...it was huge)



We also ended up spending our "one really good meal" at Bouchon (also Thomas Keller), which was in the Ventetian. Unfortunately, it was really dim in the restaurant and our food shots came out...very dim, so I'm only going to share the exterior restaurant shots for now. The waiter was amazingly nice and we had a really great dining experience here. The food was exactly what you would expect from a high-end Vegas celebrity-chef restaurant.


We both had a lovely soup du jour to start - I can't remember what it was, but it was green and creamy and was topped off with creme fraiche and truffle oil - and then hubby had a place of fresh oysters while I enjoyed the duck confit. For dessert, what else? Creme brulee.


We also HAD to (according to my hubby) eat at the Burger Bar, which is a really popular restaurant. You pick your bun, your meat and your toppings. Seriously - the best burger I've EVER had.

Hubby's Kobe beef burger, with mozzarella on a ciabatta bun.


My Angus beef burger, with mozzarella and priuscutto on a ciabatta bun.


Oh, while in Vegas I also had the best hot dog I've ever eaten - at Nathan's. By the time I got my camera out, it was already almost too late...


The guidebooks also told me I HAD to stop at the famous Jean Philippe Patisserie to gaze at the world's longest chocolate fountain...but I got distracted by their chocolate Louis Vuitton suitcase cake.



And I gained a few calories having their "must have" dulce de leche brioche (I'm drooling at the memory), although the powdered sugar made a mess.


There was also $7 gelatos, the Bellagio buffet and a few other food gems that I'm sure I've forgotten about.

Needless to say, I had an absolute fabulous time in Vegas and I can't wait to go back since there's still so many places to eat there!

Oh, in case you're wondering, after this trip was over, I had lost 4 pounds overall. Must have been all that walking from restaurant to restaurant.