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Author Topic: Vegas Trip Information for anyone looking to go this year.  (Read 952589 times)
Simon Galloway
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« Reply #3270 on: July 03, 2015, 08:21:11 AM »

Gulp!  Hopefully I didn't oversell it.  It is nowhere near as bustling as the main strip places, a throwback to more serene times, nice relaxed service whilst still serving up a decent meal at acceptable prices.  Well, that's how I'd describe it Smiley  How did you find it and what did you order?
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Tal
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« Reply #3271 on: July 03, 2015, 08:57:14 AM »

Gulp!  Hopefully I didn't oversell it.  It is nowhere near as bustling as the main strip places, a throwback to more serene times, nice relaxed service whilst still serving up a decent meal at acceptable prices.  Well, that's how I'd describe it Smiley  How did you find it and what did you order?

Ambience nice without being poncey. Cutlery could have been more polished but not dirty. Service friendly rather than snooty. Menu is huge compared to other big steak restaurants.

Starter: tomato soup. Cost $12 and was a good cupasoup size, with accompanying bread and olives. No stupid cheese film on the top like you get in most places. Thick and full of stuff. Good value by Vegas restaurant standards, considering a bowl of frosties in the Aria cafe costs $9.

Main: Japanese Wagyu 8oz Filet Mignon. Went balla for my main with a $115 steak. It was cooked exactly as I ordered it (I like it medium and actually had a little too much blood when I ate at Prime the other day). Meat just fell apart here and was absolutely beautiful.

Sides: creamed spinach was a little too creamy for my taste but it was all nicely done and that's probably just me. Mashed potatoes were really good and a decent size for one person.

Dessert: vanilla ice cream. Proper vanilla stuff with the black bits in. For $4, I was expecting about a teaspoon worth, but it was bigger than a tennis ball and it came with a really nice piece of shortbread.

Total for three courses with drinks and tax was $165.

Luxor can't give you a view of the Bellagio fountains and the service isn't the reassuringly snooty stuff you get central strip.

But that's kind of the point: they can offer you superb meat for less. I reckon the dessert was a third of the price of what it would be in Prime. It wasn't noisy, either, as you're far enough back from the gaming floor if you can get in one of the booths. I used OpenTable to book it three quarters of an hour in advance, so I didn't have to wait when I got there. The wine list, like the menu, is massive. The tasters of bison, wild boar and venison did appeal, but I'd come here for a steak.

Really would recommend it as an alternative to the main heavy hitters.

So full...
« Last Edit: July 03, 2015, 08:59:06 AM by Tal » Logged

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Tal
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« Reply #3272 on: July 03, 2015, 09:12:19 AM »

Giles Coren I am not.

Not. A. Word. Ever.
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Simon Galloway
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« Reply #3273 on: July 03, 2015, 09:25:51 AM »

The tasters of bison, wild boar and venison did appeal, but I'd come here for a steak.


The game tasting menu was a massive let down.  I definitely wouldn't order it again, whereas the soup tasting trio was really good, simple yet really tasty.  Nice cheese menu too!  Sounds like you ordered well though (apart from the medium bit Cheesy)
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« Reply #3274 on: July 03, 2015, 10:09:47 AM »

We had a great steak in the voodoo steak house at the rio 3 courses 2 x champagne for 4 of us $ 500!
It was as good as anywhere Ive been to in Vegas I
 I usually have fillet mignon never tried wagyu or kobe
Mine came with 3 large shrimp n a lobster tail all of us agreed it was very good
Surprisingly not too busy either !!
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Tal
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« Reply #3275 on: July 04, 2015, 09:56:38 AM »

I ate at Charlie Palmer Steak in the Four Seasons tonight. Another one of those I hadn't even heard of until the Galloway List.

For those who don't know, the Four Seasons is a comically posh hotel behind Mandalay Bay. The dècor makes Encore look like Excalibur. The restaurant is very nice, but the steakhouses are all much of a muchness in that respect - comfy seats, well upholstered, clean tables, well-dressed patrons - but this is definitely one you can dine in alone. I tend to dine alone everywhere, but I know some people aren't quite so comfortable doing that. There are smaller tables or you can sit at the bar (sod that if I'm having a proper meal but each to their own).

The table service was comically slow. I brought a book with me and I won't overstate it but let's just say I got through more pages than I expected. In fairness, the waitress who primarily served me recognised she'd not been to see me as quickly as she ought, she apologised after the main course and explained they were a little short on staff tonight. She then came back after taking my plate with some cookies and ice cream, which she explained were by way of apology.

As to the meal, I had a lettuce starter, which was ridiculously big - it was a good 60% of a lettuce - I don't think I've ever left some of a starter before. For the main, I had a rack of lamb, which was four ribs with a mint sauce and some veggie stuff I can't pronounce but ignored. As sides, I had a baked potato (which was some form of enormous, genetically engineered superpotato) and sauteed spinach. All absolutely delicious. Main was $52 and sides were $8-14 a pop.

I didn't have a dessert because I felt by this point like Joey Chestnut after his 69 hotdogs. The cookies and ice cream looked at me like I wasn't going to eat them but, being British, I had no choice because they were given to me and I'm not going to be rude. Obviously, they were very pleasant.

I finished with a pot of tea. Bostin'.

Total, with a bottle of Fiji water and two diet cokes was $118 and about the best value meal I've had this trip. The last two nights, I've done very well.

The only downside - and this is actual Vegas advice now - is, despite being part of Mandalay Bay, the Four Seasons doesn't offer MLife points. So, if you collect the tier credits, you don't get the 3k ish per person you would otherwise get. Only found that out when paying the bill!

Highlight of the evening was this pretentious establishment's sommelier introducing himself:

"Good evening. My name is Jason and I do the wine"

Cheesy

It's a small menu, but that's generally how it's done here. Thoroughly recommend the place. One for the shortlist.
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« Reply #3276 on: July 04, 2015, 10:11:07 AM »

Titanic exhibition was interesting and actually well-handled (with it being American, you expect it to be over-egged on schmaltz). Genuinely poignant and educational.

I also went on the Bodies exhibition while I was in the area (Luxor) and that was also very good. It uses real human bodies, donated to science, to show you how the body works. There is a room containing foetuses and you have the choice to avoid it, if you are so inclined. These things don't bother me particularly - dead people is sad whatever innit - but seeing a one week old foetus (through a magnifying container) is an incredible thing. The organs with diseases are also very informative. It's amazing how much bigger a prostate can get, for example and seeing a brain after a stroke is quite astonishing.

There you go, two more bits of actual stuff. 
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"You must take your opponent into a deep, dark forest, where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one"
Tal
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« Reply #3277 on: July 04, 2015, 10:21:45 AM »

When I got back to my hotel, I was accosted by a lady in a crop top and a short skirt. "Hey! You going back to your room?"

Two things: Firstly, I spend enough on steak and poker, thank you. Secondly, what was wrong with the high class prostitute in the nice dress? Why do I get the loose change ones coming to me? I appreciate it's academic and I'd rather none of them came within fifty feet, but nothing ruins a man's ego like being told he's only suitable for the Tesco Value Hooker. She's probably just unlucky that she found the one guy not full of luminous beverages, celebrating American Independence Day, I suppose.

I didn't say any of this, obviously. "No thank you. Have a good night" felt more gentlemanly.

Stay in school, kids.
« Last Edit: July 04, 2015, 10:23:20 AM by Tal » Logged

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« Reply #3278 on: July 04, 2015, 10:28:26 AM »

Not heard  Tesco Value Hooker before. 
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« Reply #3279 on: July 04, 2015, 10:51:23 AM »

When I got back to my hotel, I was accosted by a lady in a crop top and a short skirt. "Hey! You going back to your room?"

Two things: Firstly, I spend enough on steak and poker, thank you. Secondly, what was wrong with the high class prostitute in the nice dress? Why do I get the loose change ones coming to me? I appreciate it's academic and I'd rather none of them came within fifty feet, but nothing ruins a man's ego like being told he's only suitable for the Tesco Value Hooker. She's probably just unlucky that she found the one guy not full of luminous beverages, celebrating American Independence Day, I suppose.

I didn't say any of this, obviously. "No thank you. Have a good night" felt more gentlemanly.

Stay in school, kids.

Class.
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« Reply #3280 on: July 06, 2015, 02:48:10 PM »

A little something on currencies... a bit too late for the Vegas pilgrimage this year.

$2k territory - xe.com today is £1285.  A decent fx bureau will charge you £1295.  So while sports betting you should always take 11/4 rather than 5/2, with fx there are sometimes extra hassles with physical location, counterparty risk, time and hassle, to save a TENNER.  So for most people in this bracket:
  • Keep the $2k in your safe/sock drawer from last year's trip ~ why change it back and then change it up again unless you need the money?
    Try and swap with someone just coming back (or you know you will meet out there) at spot (xe.com)
    Make a quick scan of local fx offerings and just take the hit on a tenner and pick it up.  It isn't going to be worth a 3 hour drive to swap.
    Using a good currency card offering is also ofc fine, as is pretty much any method on small amounts.
    If you have made some money in $$ from gambling (for example) pre trip, then you don't really want to convert it into £ and then back into $ again and get hit up to twice.  E-wallet solutions, (particularly fee-free ones to have a pre-paid debit card) mean that you can use the card in ATMs or points of sale (including hotel front desk) and a purchase of $24.99 will cost you.... $24.99.  Note that drawing $$ out of casino-based ATMs attracts some baaaad fees.

$10k territory
  • Pretty much everything still applies as for the $2k stuff, only now the fx (even if done very well) is going to cost you £50 and may cost you closer to £200 if done carelessly.  So now it is worth a bit more effort checking rates and getting a train into London.
    $10k is the threshold for declaring at border control, so as stated many times in this thread, don't be flippant about it, make sure you know exactly how much you have and declare it, if > $10k
    You could start thinking about opening bank accounts, but at $10k it either costs a lot in dormancy fees or it ties up a big % of your money in minimum balances for the fee free version.  As your number starts getting bigger, the maths start to become more compelling.

$50k+ territory
  • All of the above are still options, but you can easily find yourself facing several hundred in unavoidable fees (note that getting 1.54 when you could have got 1.55 is a FEE) and many hundreds more in avoidable fees, so it starts to get worth your while to take a day off if necessary and spend a few hours getting this right.
    Wire to the cage.  Someone with more experience can chime in on this, but probably need to wire to the Rio directly and be prepared to pre-reg a bunch of comps if necessary (not sure what cash players do to get their money)  But I do know that if you stay at Bellagio (for example) and decide to wire money to Bellagio cage for an easy pick up, you'll find that Bellagio don't liek being used for free banking, they will expect to see commensurate action with it and will probably require you to draw down table markers in the pit.
    Hi-stakes 2+2 swap.  Several money brokers on there that will provide you with whatever you need, for typically 2-5% depending on method.  Ignoring counterparty risk, this can actually be a very good route, and a very fair price to pay for the service (I see this as very very different from somene binking $400k and trying to squeeze 2% out on top)
    Open an account.  BoA, WF and Citi have branches in LV that I know of, I'm sure there are others besides.  Citi also have branches over here, so it may be a good solution for you to use them and have a global online account.  Once set up, you can deposit in $, store in $, transfer in $ and withdraw in paper $.  So $10k in, = $10k out, which is ofc exactly what we are looking to do.  Note that it does take a bit of setting up, and there may be some new account restrictions to start with, so you have to respect the banking regulations a bit and not treat it as a reckless gambling account (perish the thought that anyone would..)  But once set up, it is a very nice facility to have.
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« Reply #3281 on: July 06, 2015, 05:39:31 PM »

Minimum balance for no fees on Wells Fargo is $1500. Easy to open, took me 30 minutes interview and processing downtown LV with Passport and address details. Allow you to operate it online when back in UK. Pays no interest , not that UK banks do pay much either, and if you check your balance etc in a US Casino you get ATM fees just for checking, as I found out last year Sad

Useful for keeping a fall back "tank" if you run bad.

 
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« Reply #3282 on: July 06, 2015, 05:46:27 PM »

What's all this coming back from Vegas with money business?

 Grin
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tonytats
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« Reply #3283 on: July 06, 2015, 05:50:51 PM »

What's all this coming back from Vegas with money business?

 Grin


Bunch of nits imo
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Redsgirl
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« Reply #3284 on: July 07, 2015, 12:43:59 AM »

I don't remember this being here before, but, when I walked past the Caesar's food hall today, there was an Earl of Sandwich there. Probably beats the queues in Planet Hollywood.

There are two really quite nice memorabilia shops in the Forum shops. Good for souvenirs and gifts that are a bit different to the normal 'Things with Las Vegas on' stuff. One is called Field of Dreams, which has more of a sports vibe and the other is Antiquities, which is more aligned towards Entertainment, although both have bits of the other. They're only a few shops apart and well worth a mooch. Not the cheapest if you want an actual autographed piece, rather than something in a nice display case, but you can haggle with them and they'll often include delivery in the price (again, if you give some patter). In the sports memorabilia shop on Friday, Mike Tyson will be making an appearance to do signing and pictures. After that, the same day, Dennis Rodman will be doing the same.

From Simon Galloway's list, I notice that you can get an eight ounce wagyu rib eye for just $260...plus tax...plus sides. I assume for that price, it is served by Mariah Carey and also adds 50% to your gentleman endowment. It's Vegas. Anything is possible. Someone will pay that tonight, probably, and leave half of it because they had filled up on bread!  

We went to a similar shop to the one you mentioned above but it was in the Venetian mall.
They had a great photo of the ratpack playing pool with their autographs on various napkins, checks etc underneath and the whole thing mounted on green baize to look like a pool table that I really liked.
Unfortunately I didn't have a spare 10k with me but if I was the kind of guy who ate $118 steaks and only entertained  Sainsbury's taste the difference hookers it would be on my wall right now.  Grin
Tyson was doing a P.A at that store too, he must regularly do the rounds.

I was curious about the Bodies exhibition,  but too squeamish to go in.
Sounds like I missed out.
More trip details please!
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