Sure, sightseeing is great, but I prefer to eat my way through a city.
I recently spent a week in Las Vegas and had a number of memorable meals.
Here are some of my favorite finds.
Giada
The Cromwell, 3595 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
To be completely honest, I wasn’t planning to eat here. While I don’t like to rely on Yelp reviews, so many people said this restaurant was overpriced and the food was so disappointing, it was hard to believe they could all be wrong. My money would be better spent elsewhere, I told myself. But as I left Caesars Palace one night and spotted The Cromwell in the distance, the Giada De Laurentiis fan in me put her foot down. We were in Vegas. How could I pass up the opportunity?
Don’t get me wrong. This restaurant is expensive, but I would go back in a heartbeat to order the spaghetti (pictured above) again. The description is incredibly simple — shrimp, lemon, and basil — and at $34, you’d think it would come with more than two pieces of shrimp. But it was so, so good. The pasta was perfectly al dente. The sauce was light and creamy with a hint of lemon. Fried capers and cracked black pepper added just the right kick. If you only order one dish, this should be it.
Giada posted the recipe on her website and I’ve tried to recreate it in my own kitchen, but sadly, it didn’t come close. The recipe calls for 2/3 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup lemon juice, which I found way too oily and overwhelmingly sour. Unless I can crack the secret (and even if I do), it’s back to the restaurant for me.
Tacos El Gordo
3049 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Tacos El Gordo was about a mile’s walk from our hotel, but we knew it was worth it when we heard every customer around us speak Spanish. The restaurant was packed with long lines that snaked nearly out the door.
The chaos seemed intimidating at first, but Daniel and I each picked a line to stand in (there are separate lines for different types of meat, so you need to know what you want to order first), and eventually sat down with a variety of tacos: carne asada, chorizo, and our favorite, adobada al pastor. The pork was juicy and flavorful — a clear winner in our book — though to be fair, we demolished all of our plates in record time.
At roughly $2.25 per taco, this is one of the best, and most delicious, deals in town.
Shake Shack
New York-New York Hotel and Casino, 3790 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
If there is ever a debate over In-N-Out versus Shake Shack, I’m on Team Shake Shack.
I fell head over heels for the Shack Stack, $9.95, a cheeseburger with a crispy, fried portobello mushroom tucked inside.
Don’t be fooled by the poor quality of this photo. It’s honestly one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.
Secret Pizza
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
It’s no secret: If you’re near The Cosmopolitan, you need to find Secret Pizza. Make your way to the third floor and look for a dark, narrow hallway that seems to lead to nowhere.
I don’t know who came up with this concept, but the restaurant’s utter lack of signage or marketing (it’s not even listed on the hotel’s website) hasn’t stopped customers from seeking its hot-out-of-the-oven pies.
We ordered pepperoni and mushroom, but as is the trend on this trip, one emerged the clear winner: the white slice, $5.50, topped with mozzarella and ricotta cheese and garlic. A ton of garlic.
The only downside is that this place is so tiny, there’s nowhere to sit. You’ll need to take your slice outside and find an empty table.
Or just eat it while standing awkwardly by a wall. It’ll hit the spot either way.
Eggslut
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
If you’re still hungry after eating Secret Pizza, wander over to Eggslut and order, as politely as you can, The Slut, $10.
It’s a coddled egg gently nestled in potato purée, cooked in a glass jar, then topped with salt and chives.
I like to stir them together before scooping a generous amount onto a perfectly charred baguette slice. The mix of creamy and crispy textures is absolutely addicting.
Jean Philippe Patisserie
Bellagio Hotel and Casino, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
I passed by two locations of this patisserie while exploring the Strip — one at ARIA, the other at Bellagio.
I regret not stopping at both.
Arguably nothing puts me in a better mood than a sweet treat and a strong cup of coffee, and this patisserie offers just that.
Almond croissants (my favorite!) were in the pastry case, and I found it to be one of the tastiest almond croissants I’ve ever had. Not only was the texture of the croissant incredibly fluffy and buttery with a crisp outer layer, but the almond filling was rich and creamy, and packed with flavor without being overly sweet. Not a lot of bakeries can knock both elements out of the park the way Jean Philippe did.
If pastries aren’t your thing, there’s a fresh crepe station and a floor-to-ceiling chocolate fountain to enjoy.
As for me, I sat at a table overlooking the hotel’s extravagant pools and savored my indulgent breakfast in bliss.