Editor’s note: SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Katie Pesznecker made a quick trip to Las Vegas to see what’s hot-n-happenin’: food, frolic + lotsa fun. This is her report.
I don’t need much of a reason to go to Las Vegas. Weddings, milestone birthday parties, vow renewals – these occasions and more have lured me to Sin City. Hotels are cheap, fine dining is plentiful, and who says no to pool time and sun after an Alaska winter? The invite this time was simple: brother Scott and his wife Jane had a few days planned and asked me to join them.
While I’ve stayed at several spots on the Las Vegas Strip, my hotel of choice is Planet Hollywood. It feels trendy without pretention, with rooms that are mid-range in price and a location that is mid-range on the strip. I paid $30 extra for a noon check in, well worth the price after an overnight red eye from Anchorage through Seattle.
Upon reuniting with Scott and Jane, our first stop was brunch at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Hotel and Casino. I’m a faithful patron here when in Vegas. It’s airy, well-lit lunchtime seating is either in atrium-enclosed air-conditioned spaces or outdoor patio seating that faces the strip and mimics Paris cafes with its décor and furniture.
We shared the melted brie appetizer, served with apricot jam, brown butter walnuts, mint, and toasted baguette slices. My brother always orders the French onion soup; he swears it’s as good as any he had when visiting Paris. I enjoyed the croque monsieur sandwich with savory ham, gooey gruyere cheese, and a rich mornay sauce; and I added a poached egg to top it which technically makes it a croque madame. It was one of the best dishes I had on my trip.
It was easy to waste away the afternoons while on this mini Vegas vacay. Both NHL and NBA finals were on various bars’ TVs, and for sports fans like me, it’s always entertaining watching at the various casinos’ sportsbooks viewing lounges where dozens of screens are showing a multitude of match-ups. And of course there’s the boundless opportunities Vegas affords for people watching, shopping, and gambling.
Dinner night one took us just off-strip at the corner of Flamingo and Linq Lane to Battista’s Hole in the Wall, a divey and venerable Italian joint with a decidedly Rat Pack vibe that dates back May 1970 origins. Back then, it could only seat 14 people.
Decades passed and today, bustling Battista’s has increased capacity to 290 guests who are seated in various dimly lit rooms and cozy nooks in truly unique dining areas. I’ve never sat in the same space twice, so it’s a slightly different ambiance every time. Battista’s busy walls are a mosaic of trinkets and black-and-white photos featuring famous patrons — Glenn Ford, Betty Grable, Jimmy Stewart, and Clint Eastwood, for example.
Dinner at Battista’s includes a minestrone soup or Italian salad starter, crusty garlic bread, and an Italian entrée. Most are classic pasta dishes like veal marsala, lasagna, or spaghetti and meatballs. There are many meat, seafood and vegetarian options, with a general price range of $30-$50. Each experience includes a bottomless carafe of decent house red or white wine and ends with Battista’s cappuccino. There is also a full bar and specialty Italian cocktails. Expect a wait if you don’t make reservations.
The next morning started at a spa, because who doesn’t need a little detoxification and tranquility when in Las Vegas? I joined Jane at The Spa at the Linq. This modern and peaceful space is coed and offers an extensive service menu of facials, massages, and other indulgent treatments; any booking gets you access to the entire spa. This includes a large jetted jacuzzi; eucalyptus-scented steam rooms; a spacious relaxation lounge stocked with hydration stations, signature tea, and healthy snacks; and a restorative Himalayan Salt Cave. Staff members appeared at perfect moments with bottled water and refreshing cold towels.
After our morning at the spa, and glowing from the best facial I’ve ever had, we met up with my brother at Hash House a Go-Go, conveniently located in The Link. The food here: twisted farm favorites. Think fried chicken sage benedict, giant fancy pancakes, and griddled meatloaf and eggs. The coffee and cocktail drinks were off-the-charts fun; Scott’s banana latte and Jane’s campfire smores mocha were Instagram-ready in terms of presentation and tasted amazing, too.
Keeping on with the spa day theme, I hit up the pool deck at Planet Hollywood, a good decision on a May day that saw near-90 degree temps. The Scene Pool Deck (yes, that’s its name) has two pools on either end: one with a loud DJ party feel, the other delivering a loungey, low-fi experience. Predictably, I chose the latter. Vegas pools can feel clubby and exclusive but this one sported an inclusive, all-ages, all-types ambiance and was a wonderful place to soak in the sun and leisure.
We hit up Javier’s in Aria Resort and Casino for dinner. This sophisticated restaurant presents high-end, contemporary Mexican cuisine, incredible guacamole, and an impressive roster of crafty margaritas. Scott and Jane ordered lobster and shrimp enchiladas, and my juicy filet mignon came accompanied by whipped potatoes, sauteed asparagus, and a creamy poblano sauce. Reservations are recommended at this popular restaurant that also has multiple locations in California.
On my final full day in Vegas, Jane returned to Portland, and Scott and I kicked things off at Block 16 Urban Food Hall in the Cosmopolitan, a collection of fast-casual curated favorites from across the country. The aromas wafting from Bāng Bar by Momofuku stopped us in our tracks. Bāng means bread in Korean, and at Bāng Bar, savory spit-roasted meats like spicy pork and teriyaki chicken are served in wraps or on puffy bāng flatbread fold-ups. Topped with sweet and spicy sauces, pickled vegetables and crunchy slaw, the food tasted fresh and light, a great way to start the day.
When in Cosmo, a speakeasy is a must – the hotel and casino has several tucked in its secretive corners. My favorite is Ski Lodge. The discreet entrance by Wicked Spoon buffet is a nondescript door with a tiny plaque. Inside is a transformative, wintry haven that cuts through the Vegas bustle and heat with throw-back tunes (think 1980s), ski resort décor, servers dressed in ski-slopes gear, and the soothing scene of snow falling in a bluish forest outside the bar’s faux windows. In addition to an inventive menu of top-shelf beverages, Ski Lodge has pizza and DIY smores.
Back outside in the dry desert heat, we walked a few Vegas blocks to one of my favorites, Eataly Las Vegas. Eataly is the vision of mom and son Italian chefs Lidia and Joe Bastianich, and Oscar Farinetti, an Italian entrepreneur and author. With 37 locations around the world, Eataly’s mission is to bring authentic Italian food and culinary traditions to the U.S.
Though smaller than sister establishments in New York City and Chicago, the Vegas location is still worth a stop for any hungry foodie, home chef, and pasta-lover. The interior is dotted with numerous food counters and sit-down restaurants, selling everything from focaccia sandwiches to small hand-tossed pizzas to charcuterie plates. You can buy food to take home and prepare or eat right there. There is also retail space with treats like jarred truffles, tomato sauces, dried pastas, and of course, wine. Our destination: the sorbet and gelato bar. My zingy lemon sorbet was the perfect treat on a hot Las Vegas day.
I have a theory that people who say they don’t like Las Vegas simply haven’t figured out how to do it right, because the magic of Vegas is it’s exactly what you want and need it to be. Nightclubs, late-nights and pool parties? Check. Spa days, elegant upscale dining, and classy shows? You can do that too. Pop artists in residence, shopping, helicopter sight-seeing, penny slots or high-stakes gambling – Vegas has it all. And this time of year, spending a few days by a pool, getting steps in the sun, and enjoying great food hit the spot. They say the house always wins, but you can win too with a Vegas vacay.
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