On a weekend getaway to Las Vegas, the Destination Luxury team enjoyed a polo match at Sam Boyd Stadium and experienced a stay in Caesars Palace’s newly renovated Palace Tower.
We knew we would be doing some Las Vegas gambling at the casinos, attending shows, dining at exquisite restaurants, and experiencing the hotel’s amenities so we decided to balance out these activities by customizing a package that allowed time away from the Strip.
Caesars Palace – Palace Tower Villa. Photo courtesy of Caesars Palace.
We started our journey from Los Angeles, driving a new Maserati 2018 Levante S. Given the gravel and rough terrain of the long drive, we comfortably lost track of time as we enjoyed the comfort and power and features of the car. The Levante S is equipped with a V6 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine and powerful all-wheel drive that hits 424 hp.
The comfort of the SUV is remarkable as well. We fit all our luggage for four people in the trunk. It was spacious and ideal for road-trips. Two of the passengers in the backseat slept comfortably for most of the ride.
Maserati Levante S. Photo courtesy of Maserati.
The Maserati Levante on a turn. Photo courtesy of Maserati.
We arrived at Caesars Palace in less than four hours without stopping for gas. We started out our weekend doing a little window shopping and grabbing a bite. Interested in purchasing a watch, we did some research on Chronoexpert to cross-compare prices. With our early morning for the polo event, we decided to head to bed to get a good night’s sleep.
The polo event was a major hit with so many fashionable people relaxing on their picnic baskets.
That evening, we dined at Gordon Ramsay’s famous Hell’s Kitchen. It was everything you expect from Ramsay with such a decadent and delicious cuisine experience.
Gordon Ramsay with the finalists from the 17th season of Hell’s Kitchen. Photo provided by Caesars Palace.
Hell’s Kitchen is located right outside Caesars Palace. We were fortunate to have reservations, otherwise, it would have been a two-hour wait-time. The ambiance and atmosphere were bustling and filled with commotion and noise from the open-kitchen style of chefs, to waiters running around providing their top-level customer service.
To begin, we started off with the Plymouth Dry Gin — which included green tea, lemongrass, peach, lemon, with a fun message from Gordon Ramsay himself.
The first sip left us with a zesty yet freshly squeezed lemon soda. It was not overbearing. The green tea and lemongrass combat the sour taste. The elixir is soaked and smothered by the earthly blends. We enjoyed reading Gordon Ramsey’s note.
Plymouth Dry Gin with a fun note from Gordon Ramsay.
Ramsay’s note unscrolled.
We were welcomed with our freshly made cuisine following our cocktail.
Our first dish to arrive was the Tuna Tartare with soy chili vinaigrette, pickled Fresno chilies, and cilantro. It has a mild, somewhat benign, tangy kick from the chilies that adds a unique touch with the rice cracker sprinkles in the shape of tiny balls giving the Tuna a deepened glow. The cilantro adds a garden-scented kiss to the smoothly christened tuna. There’s a crunchiness with every bite when you add the tuna to the chips to accompany each bite.
Tuna Tartare served with home-made chips.
Pan-Seared Scallops
The Pan Seared Scallops which included celery root braised bacon lardons pickled Granny Smith apples immediately melt in your mouth the moment it touches your palate. There is a gooey filling with a slightly crisp texture. The apple cinnamon bacon provides a salty twist. There are four ways celery is served in this dish — a celery root purée, celery, celery root, and celery stick — all adding a fresh and healthy mix to the dish.
We also enjoyed Ramsay’s famous Lobster Risotto with butter poached lobster tail, butternut squash, sage. It brings out the umami flavoring, combining the sweet, sour, salty, and butter flavoring from the risotto. The lobster and scallops were both featured in 17 seasons of Hell’s Kitchen.
Lobster Risotto
Gordon Ramay’s famous Beef Wellington.
Next on the menu was the Beef Wellington, a potato purée, glazed root vegetables, and red wine Demi-glace. The Beef Wellington was cooked to a medium-rare perfection engulfed in a buttery breading. The meat was tenderly prepared. There is no critique we could offer to prepare this better. If you’re going to try one main course on the menu, this is Gordon’s specialty.
Roasted Rack of Lamb.
We followed The Beef Wellington with their roasted rack of lamb with vadouvan carrots, blooms dale spinach, and harissa lamb jus. It’s a rich bite with the jus greeting your mouth. The rhythmic strokes of each bite waver in an orgasmic frequency as you chew and enjoy the lamb.
Gouda Mac & Cheese.
For our sides, we had their baked macaroni & cheese with smoked gouda and crispy prosciutto. Ideal for both children and adults, it gives you a nostalgic feeling of your childhood. Mac and cheese is traditional to go with a beef Wellington, ribeye, lamb or a meaty dish. It has just the right amount of cheese.
Side of Brussell Sprouts.
We also had a side of Brussel sprouts with pickled Fresno peppers and cilantro. The sweet Brussel sprouts are accompanied by a spiced bite with the peppers. Its sweet and vegetable delicacy accompanies the meaty entrees.
The Pitchfork cocktail has Bulleit bourbon, Giffard Pamplemousse, Fonseca 10yr tawny, lemon, and egg white. It’s the drink of all perfections, blending all the taste buds in your mouth as it hits all parts of your pallet. You’ll salivate for your next sip. It’s well-balanced with every sip touching your soul. You will question, how do you make this even better? The answer: you can’t.
The Pitchfork with the ‘HK’ insignia still intact.
The Sticky toffee pudding with speculoos ice cream was unbelievable. Where do we begin? A moist, soft, fluffy date brownie topped with a toffee ice cream. The texture, flavoring, and firmness of the date brownie holds stiffly and sturdy after each bite,
We followed that up with the Pineapple carpaccio with citrus foam, coconut sorbet, passion fruit, coriander. Purifying your taste buds, it leaves your palate savoring and renewed, leaving you satisfied in Dante’s Inferno or the equivalent of what would be the lowest depths in Hells Kitchen. Gordon Ramsay awakens the inner-demon child within with each bite of his decadent food.
Chris and Derek were our waiters and took care of us during our dining experience. They tended to our every need and did a remarkable job of looking after us. Their service was impeccable.
Beyond the dining experiences, Caesars Palace is filled with a myriad of shows, nightclubs like Omnia and world-class casinos. They specialize in fine-dining experiences. Beyond the Vegas casinos, take advantage of all the other perks of Las Vegas.
All images courtesy Destination Luxury unless otherwise noted.