Las Vegas Surf & Turf: A Hit and A Miss
Living in Las Vegas has turned us into value shoppers for good restaurants. Cheap is not our mission, but getting the best food and service for our money is. In a town where money talks (it says goodbye), this goal can seem a bit lofty at times. Luckily, price and quality are often inversely related, as I discovered on our two most recent steak and seafood ventures…
- Location: Inside the Rio Casino and Hotel, just off strip
- Overall Rating: 2 Forks
- Comments: Over-priced and under-serviced; It’s all about the views
Some friends visiting from the great Northwest selected the Voodoo Café and Lounge atop the Rio as a meeting spot for dinner. Both my husband and I felt immediately uneasy as we took the glassed elevator up fifty floors, straight to the top. This restaurant is not recommended for the acrophobic.
The atmosphere was excellent for meeting with friends. It promoted good conversation and a bit of picture taking. Every table had a sky-high view, and the décor emulated a fun Merlin the Magician type theme. Unfortunately, these were virtually the only redeeming qualities of this trendy Vegas nightspot.
Our server was attentive and accommodated our requests, but apparently a smile or kind word was not included in the $30 entrée prices. She was unbelievably rude; making it known that she didn’t like her job in the slightest. To add insult to injury, she casually pulled the ‘soup or salad’ comment as if it was included with the entrée. I chocked it up as my own mistake for not double-checking when the very simple plate of greens (with a few candied pecans and an overly sweet orange vinaigrette) amounted to an additional $8 charge on our bill.
Our table started with the Witch Doctor Appetizer, an assortment of Creole Crab Cakes, Coconut Batter Shrimp, Andouille Beignets, and Voodoo Hot Wings. The crab cakes were quite good, and there were no complaints, but a platter of American-style deep-fried appetizers and hot wings wasn’t really the experience I was expecting from a restaurant that touts itself as elegant French cuisine. I would suggest skipping the appetizers to indulge in the giant assortment of breads, which they subtly place on each table.
My husband and I each ordered the Seared Ahi Tuna on the rare side. It came with a Chorizo & Cilantro Rice, which we both thought was excellent even though neither of us cares for cilantro. The tuna itself was mid-grade at best, and unfortunately drowned in a very (very) overpowering Soy-Sesame Chipotle Chili Glaze.
Our friends each chose the Voodoo Ménage A Trois, an assortment that included a 6oz Filet Mignon, Grilled Prawns, ½ Lobster Tail, Horseradish Mash, and two sauces, Bourbon Demi & Lobster Cream. They cleaned their plates with satisfaction, but none seemed to feel it was really worth the near $50 price tag.
The VooDoo Café does offer many interesting drink concoctions, including the smoking Witch Doctor’s Brew as pictured below. But…if you plan on drinking while at the VooDoo Café, be prepared for a good wallet draining. The least expensive drink in the house was a bottled beer at $8. Luckily, we were having far too much fun to worry about how much the Witch Doctor’s Brew was going to set us back…
If you are looking for breathtaking views of the strip and a place to be seen, then give the VooDoo Café a try. However, if your goal is excellent food at fair prices, I have a better restaurant to suggest…
- Location: Just off-strip, East of Bally’s
- Overall Rating: 4.5 Forks
- Comments: Simple, delicious, and fairly priced
Yes, I know…this restaurant is not unique to Las Vegas. In fact, there are several McCormick and Schmick’s nationwide, but this didn’t seem to make it any less of a dining experience.
This restaurant was a cross between elegant and uptown brewhouse, with very simple décor and a relaxed atmosphere. Overall, it provided the perfect backdrop for an intimate dinner or meeting up with friends and family. Our server was pleasant and very accommodating. When I made a request for non-dairy items, he went out of his way to ensure my side dish was butter free, and even gave me an extra dish full of vegetables sans butter at no additional cost.
Their menu of steaks and fresh seafood was impressively large, though we had no problem in narrowing down our selection to a few. Our server quickly made the final call for us from there. I had the Mahi Mahi and my husband enjoyed the Swordfish. Both were generously sized, yet simply prepared with just a light condiment/sauce. The flavor of the fish was easily enjoyed in its presentation, and the side dishes were simple accompaniments. The prices were very reasonable for the quality received. In general, the entrees fell in the range of $15 to $25.
Though soup or salad was not included (and the server never implied it!), some delicious San Francisco style bread was served that easily filled the pre-dinner void.
The desserts looked heavenly, but alas all were loaded with cream and butter, so I was unable to sample. The cream and berries in this artfully designed almond crust looked almost too good to be true. Other standard fare, such as a flourless chocolate cake, made the tray.
If you are browsing for a reasonably priced dinner while wandering near Bally’s, Harrah’s, or Paris while on the Las Vegas strip, you may want to take a look just east on Flamingo Road. McCormick and Schmick’s may be your stomach and your wallet’s savior. If steak and seafood aren’t your game, but affordable fare is, there are several “chains” just surrounding McCormick and Schmick’s to offer a touch of financial relief after a long day at the tables.
Stayed tuned for next month’s Las Vegas dining adventure as I go ‘Fishing for Sushi in the Desert.’
