Las Vegas: More Than the Strip

Las Vegas is easy to picture as the Strip: bright lights, enormous resorts, casinos, restaurants, shows, and crowds moving from one attraction to the next.

We’ve made plenty of trips to Las Vegas over the years, and we’ve certainly enjoyed all of that. But on this visit, we decided to see what else the city and the surrounding area had to offer.

We explored immersive art, stepped back into ancient Egypt, experienced The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere, took in another Cirque du Soleil show, revisited some teenage memories at the Pinball Hall of Fame, and finally made our way to the famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign.

We also discovered a desert preserve, drove into the mountains, saw some unexpected wildlife, and ate pretty well along the way.

It turned out to be one of our most enjoyable visits to Las Vegas. Not because we did everything the city is known for, but because we found a few things we hadn’t experienced before and a few old memories worth revisiting.

Places

Arte Museum: Stepping Inside the Art

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when we walked into the Arte Museum in Las Vegas. I knew it was a digital art museum, but I wasn’t really prepared for how immersive it would be. Instead of paintings and sculptures, the exhibits filled entire rooms with light, sound, color, and movement.

Waterfalls flowed across the walls and floor. Flowers appeared and changed. Landscapes stretched across the room, and scenes shifted as we moved from one exhibit to another. Instead of viewing a piece of art from a few feet away, we were surrounded by it.

Each room was different, which kept the experience interesting. Some exhibits were relatively quiet and simple, while others were much more dramatic. The music and sound effects changed with the visuals and were an important part of the experience, not just background noise.

As someone who spends a lot of time with photography, I naturally noticed the use of light, color, and composition. There were plenty of scenes that caught my eye, but I wasn’t there specifically to make photographs. I was more interested in experiencing the exhibits and seeing what would appear next.

That said, I did take my camera out from time to time. Photographing the exhibits presented a different challenge than photographing a traditional subject because everything was constantly changing. A scene could look completely different just a few seconds later as the colors shifted or the animation moved across the room.

What I liked about the museum was that there wasn’t really a set way to experience it. We could walk through the exhibits, stop and watch for a while, take photographs, or simply move on to the next room. There was always something changing, so even standing in the same place for a few minutes could produce a completely different view.

The Arte Museum was one of the more unusual stops during our Las Vegas trip. It wasn’t what I normally picture when I hear the word museum, but that’s what made it interesting. There were no traditional galleries or collections of artwork to work through. Instead, the exhibits created an experience that was as much about the environment as the individual images.

It was a nice change of pace from the usual Las Vegas attractions, and a worthwhile stop if immersive digital art sounds like something you’d enjoy.

Hint: The very last exhibit room is huge. And the immersive presentation lasts for a good while, it’s worth the time to take it all in! The few photos here can’t begin to promote how great the exhibit is, please see the link above for a much better representation. Oh, and don’t pass up the Arte Cafe at the end. Some very unique teas are available.

King Tut Exhibit

As a young child, I had the opportunity to see the original King Tut exhibition when it came to the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. My mom waited in line with us because she knew it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Looking back, I’m grateful she made sure we got to be part of it.

I wish I remembered more than a handful of snapshots from that day, but I do remember the excitement of seeing the actual artifacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb, not reproductions.

The King Tut exhibit at the Luxor, while made up of high-quality replicas, was still well worth visiting. Even knowing the artifacts were reproductions, I never felt disappointed. The storytelling and presentation made it easy to appreciate the significance of one of history’s greatest archaeological discoveries.

I came away with a much better understanding of Howard Carter’s discovery of the tomb in 1922, the life of the young pharaoh, and the history and culture of ancient Egypt.

One story that stayed with me was learning about Hussein Abdel Rasul, the 12-year-old water boy who first uncovered the steps leading to Tutankhamun’s tomb. Early in the exhibit, he is referred to simply as “the water boy,” and I couldn’t help but wonder why someone who played such an important role wasn’t identified by name.

Fortunately, near the end of the exhibit, visitors learn his name and see his photograph, giving him the recognition he deserves. Considering that Howard Carter was working what was expected to be his final excavation season, Hussein’s discovery came at exactly the right moment and changed the course of archaeological history.

After touring the exhibit, we added the virtual reality experience. While the idea has a lot of potential, the technology felt dated, and the audio was difficult to hear at times. Given how far VR has come in recent years, I expected a much more immersive experience.

If you’re trying to decide whether it’s worth the extra cost, I’d recommend skipping the VR and spending your time enjoying the exhibit itself.

Seeing The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere

I wanted to experience The Sphere more than I wanted to see The Wizard of Oz. I’d seen the movie countless times over the years, first as a kid and later as a parent, so it wasn’t really the draw for me.

The Sphere was.

Demi, on the other hand, was all in from the beginning.

The Sphere itself is a marvel. Long before you reach it, the massive glowing globe dominates the Las Vegas skyline and immediately grabs your attention. We were familiar with it but didn’t really understand just how remarkable the technology was until we stepped inside.

The interior is enormous, with long escalators, wide-open spaces, merchandise, and exhibits related to the current show. We knew there would be a few 4D effects, including wind during the tornado scene and soft apples falling from the ceiling during the apple tree scene, but we intentionally didn’t know much beyond that. We wanted to be surprised.

Our seats were in the center of the third row of Section 400. They were excellent seats, although we had been told that most of the apples fall into the 300 section. Since the tickets in the 400 section were about $30 less, I couldn’t imagine the apples being worth the extra money. Besides, we were traveling with friends and wanted to sit together.

The hotel concierge also recommended this section and row, saying it offered one of the best overall views of the Sphere.

One thing worth mentioning is how steep the seating is. The Sphere is exactly that, a sphere, and the seating follows its curve. If steep stadium seating makes you uncomfortable, it’s something to keep in mind.

When the show began, the movie filled the entire interior of the Sphere. It was incredibly immersive. The sound was outstanding, and there were moments when the combination of the enormous screen and the audio created the illusion that we were actually moving.

The tornado sequence was easily the highlight of the experience. Wind swept through the theater, leaves drifted from above and were blown in from the front of the auditorium, and the seats rumbled as Dorothy’s house was carried away.

It was one of those moments when you forget you’re simply watching a movie.

The apple tree scene was fun in a completely different way. Soft apples fell from the ceiling while people laughed and scrambled to catch one. A few reached our section, but we weren’t lucky enough to grab one. Someone a few seats away ended up with two.

After the show, we noticed the same apples for sale in the gift shop for $10 each. They would have made a perfectly good souvenir, but catching one as it fell from the ceiling would have added another memory to the experience.

A few other immersive moments appeared throughout the film, but none matched the impact of the tornado. In some ways, that opening sequence set such a high bar that the rest of the movie never quite reached the same level.

It was great to finally experience the Sphere and see what all the excitement was about. We both left impressed by the technology and its potential. It feels like they are only scratching the surface of what’s possible.

Just as movies have been created specifically for IMAX theaters, I can easily imagine filmmakers eventually creating productions designed exclusively for the Sphere.

If you’re visiting Las Vegas, I’d recommend seeing a show there regardless of what’s playing. For me, the Sphere itself was the attraction, and it was well worth the visit.

KÀ

Over the years, Demi and I have seen several Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas: O, Mystère, and Michael Jackson ONE.

On this visit, we made plans to see KÀ at MGM Grand.

As with the other shows, the actors’ athletic ability was stunning. The strength, flexibility, and stamina were remarkable. While all Cirque shows are acrobatic in nature, it’s impressive that each one manages to have its own personality.

The stunts and overt martial arts displays in KÀ were no less impressive than those in the other shows. Some of the stunts were breathtaking—almost death-defying.

One unique and remarkable aspect of the show is the rotating stage. I don’t mean just in a 360-degree way. It tilts up and down, diagonally, and in all kinds of directions. That allows for incredible illusions that seem to trick the mind, and the production makes full use of the stage throughout the show.

The illusions and stagecraft were top-notch. In some ways, they impressed me more than those in the other Cirque shows, although the hologram in Michael Jackson ONE was beyond belief.

The show has a solid storyline, but like the others, I can’t always keep up with what’s going on. Maybe that’s because I tend to sit back and take it all in.

I thought the theatrics, stunts, pyrotechnics, creative illusions, and especially the stage really set this one apart from the others. That said, I don’t think it’s my favorite. I’m torn between O and Michael Jackson ONE for that distinction.

That shouldn’t discourage anyone from seeing KÀ. The show is by no means inferior. It is truly amazing and well worth the time and money.

Welcome to Las Vegas Sign

For as many times as we’ve been to Las Vegas, there was one obvious stop we’d never made: the Welcome to Las Vegas sign.

This time, we decided to change that.

The sign sits in the median of Las Vegas Boulevard, with a small parking area right alongside it. I was pleasantly surprised by how accessible the parking was. It was easy to get into, and just as easy to get back out onto the boulevard. For such a well-known Las Vegas landmark, I had expected getting there to be more of a hassle.

A fairly long line of people waited to get right in front of the sign for photos. We decided not to wait. Instead, we grabbed a few selfies from nearby, took in the scene, and called it good.

We weren’t there to turn it into a major attraction. We just wanted to say we’d finally been there.

The Pinball Hall of Fame was nearby, so the sign was a natural first stop before heading over. After our quick visit and a few photos, we got back in the car and headed to the Hall of Fame.

I was looking forward to that stop for a completely different reason.

Pinball Hall of Fame

As a teenager, my friends and I would play pinball at the local community college. They had a bowling alley with 10 lanes, several pool tables, foosball, a few video games such as Pong, Breakout, and Tank, and four pinball machines. Two of the machines I can still remember were Outer Space and Grand Slam.

Most of us actually played in a bowling league on Saturdays at this alley. During the week, after school, we would often head up to the bowling alley and play pinball. My favorite was Outer Space, made by Gottlieb, a well-known pinball manufacturer.

Outer Space was just plain fun to play. It had lots of targets to shoot at, but the best one was the Vari-target. It was essentially a channel where, if you were skilled enough, you could shoot the ball into the target and rack up points. If the special light was lit, pushing the target all the way to the back would award a free game.

Enough about the game. Whenever I have the opportunity to go into an arcade, especially one with a mix of new and older machines, I always look for Outer Space, usually without much luck.

I was aware that the Pinball Hall of Fame existed, but it wasn’t on the Strip, so I had never made the trip to check it out. Several years ago, however, it moved to a location on the Strip, close to the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. With this trip to Vegas coming up, I wanted to finally check it out. Demi, not being much of a pinball enthusiast, agreed to go along.

The building is some 25,000 square feet and lined with pinball machines. I don’t know how many machines are in there, but there are a lot of them, and there seems to be something for everyone. I immediately went on the hunt for Outer Space. I wanted to be methodical with my search so I wouldn’t skip a row or section and run the risk of missing it—assuming there was one there.

We started on the left, and about halfway down the row, I saw graphics that looked like Outer Space. It was a machine called Orbit, but wait a minute—it looked just like Outer Space. I had to look it up and discovered that Orbit was the four-player version of Outer Space. They had the same exact playing field. Well, it wasn’t Outer Space, but it was its sibling. That would do, so I popped in a quarter.

Only three balls for a game. Back in the day, it was five balls per game. Apparently, the machine came with a switch that allowed the arcade operator to choose between three or five balls. No biggie. I was up to the challenge.

I won a free game on my second play, exceeding the 53,000-point threshold. It truly felt like riding a bike. All the reflexes came back, and I was able to hold the ball with a flipper and fire it up into the Vari-target.

After a few games, we walked around checking out the other machines. Many were games I recognized from my early years spent in arcades, but there was no actual Outer Space. Either way, it was definitely a walk down memory lane.

Once we had walked through the entire place and played a few games along the way, we made our way back to Orbit. I could have stayed there for another hour, and Demi would have been perfectly happy to let me. In fact, she said she felt like she was back in high school, watching a friend play pinball.

I managed to turn the score over to 104,600 before leaving. The machine rolls over at 99,990, so the actual score showed 04,600. That gave me two free games. I happily played those final two games and left feeling completely satisfied.

What a great place.

The Pinball Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization, and the machines are owned by one person. The Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club has a goal of providing the public with the world’s largest collection of pinball machines. I’m not sure whether they’ve reached that goal yet, but walking through the building gives a pretty good sense of the ambition behind it. There are machines from different eras, including plenty that brought back memories of my own years spent in arcades. And while I went in looking for one particular game, there’s clearly something here for just about anyone who enjoys pinball.

When I’m in Vegas, I’ll definitely be dropping in for another visit.

Springs Preserve

Even though we’ve been to Las Vegas many times, I didn’t know about Springs Preserve until recently. It’s a 180-acre preserve with trails, a botanical garden, museums, and other attractions, all focused on the desert environment. It’s only a few miles from downtown Las Vegas.

I’m always drawn to nature preserves, parks, and similar places across the country and around the world. Learning about Springs Preserve before this trip had me excited to visit. I imagined hiking some of the trails, taking photographs, and hopefully seeing some local wildlife.

There was one problem.

The preserve didn’t open until 9 a.m., well beyond the ideal time to see and photograph wildlife. And because we were visiting in the summer, it got hot quickly each day. The preserve even had signs warning that certain exhibits might close if temperatures became too high.

So I mostly ruled out the idea of getting many photographs, seeing much wildlife, or spending much time on the trails. This is the Mojave Desert, and there isn’t much shade. Any trail walk would mean being out in the blazing sun and heat.

Still, I was excited to see what the preserve had to offer.

Tickets were available online, so I bought ours ahead of time. It wasn’t very crowded. In fact, we rarely saw more than one or two people at a time.

Once inside, we were making our way toward the Botanical Garden when we came across DesertSOL, a small home packed with innovative technology and materials designed to capture solar energy and power the entire house.

While it is attached to the grid, it was designed to live off the grid. Students at UNLV built it for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2013, a world competition. The house took second place, with a team from Vienna University of Technology taking the top prize by just a few points.

The enthusiastic docent who showed us around explained that the Vienna entry’s hot-water system was better designed. I’m still not sure I completely understood the difference.

The exhibit was a pleasant surprise. It was a neat little home of about 750 square feet, with one bedroom, one bathroom, and an adequate living area for a small home.

As we entered the Botanical Garden, we immediately saw a hummingbird flitting around. They are always fun to see.

As we walked through the garden, we saw displays featuring flowers, cacti, herbs, vegetables, and more. We also saw an antelope squirrel hurry away from the trail into some brush. I was able to get a photo with my phone, at least enough to identify it.

The butterfly exhibit was closed for the season. I believe it’s open only during the spring and fall.

We did manage to see a roadrunner and a western cottontail while walking along the perimeter of the gardens. They were actually beyond the gardens and along the desert trails.

By then, it was getting progressively hotter, so we headed to the indoor exhibits: the Origen Museum and the Nevada State Museum.

Getting inside was a relief.

The Origen Museum provides a great overview of Springs Preserve’s history, taking visitors from the past to the present. We both learned quite a bit.

The Nevada State Museum covers a wide range of Nevada history, from the dinosaurs that once roamed the area and Native American culture to atomic bomb testing and art displays, including photography, that document the region’s history.

There were many interactive exhibits, with some being more stimulating than others. All in all, it was a great visit. We learned quite a few things and saw more wildlife than I expected.

We only wish it hadn’t been so hot. But hey, we were in the desert.

I’d like to actually get out on the trails during another visit. That would be best done during the cooler months.

Mt. Charleston

We knew of Mt. Charleston but had never been there, even after visiting Las Vegas three or four times. It’s Clark County’s highest peak and about a 50-minute drive from downtown Las Vegas. It’s part of the Spring Mountains Recreation Area and offers hiking trails, camping, and skiing for part of the year.

We planned to take a drive up the mountain, stop at some of the overlooks, and get a different perspective on the area. The drive wasn’t bad at all, and it gave us an opportunity to see a part of the region we had never explored.

Once we got out of the city, it was mainly desert with sporadic buildings and development, but the mountains were always in view. As we approached the base of the mountain, Demi spotted a group of wild burros in the distance. I told her she was seeing things, but she was adamant that she saw them. I really didn’t doubt her. It was more a matter of me wishing I had seen them, too. We’ve seen burros in Aruba and Arizona before, and we always enjoy seeing them, especially when there’s a young one in the group.

As we made our way up the mountain, the temperature began to change. It was 105 degrees at the base, where there were sporadic homes and even what looked like small ranches, some with horses. I like the desert environment and landscape. I find it beautiful, but I still wonder how people live there given the harsh climate. As they say, it’s a dry heat, and there really is something to that. I find 105 degrees with very low humidity much more tolerable than something like Florida, where it could be 90 degrees with 60 percent humidity. That’s just my opinion, of course.

Going up a mountain also reminded me of visiting my grandparents as a kid. They lived in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, and we had to cross the Blue Ridge Mountains to get there. The winding curves, the ears popping, the change in vegetation, and the possibility of seeing wildlife all came back to me as we climbed Mt. Charleston.

This was mostly a car tour, with a few stops along the way. We stopped at several trailheads and walked around a bit. There were adequate restrooms available, too, which is always a plus. We could see people in the parking lots loading and unloading mountain bikes, backpacks, and other outdoor gear, as well as tents below where people were camping.

Throughout what I would call the mid-level elevation, we saw small communities of homes. Some were fairly basic, while others were lavish, multilevel mountain homes built into the mountainside with floor-to-ceiling windows. We could only imagine the views from those homes.

We eventually made our way to the ski area and could see the slopes. I’m not a skier, but the area looked impressive—and steep. I tried skiing a couple of times while in the U.S. Army. It was part of an introduction to both downhill and cross-country skiing. We carried gear during the cross-country portion, and that was very physical work.

Our final stop was Desert View Overlook, at about 8,200 feet. The highest point of the mountain is just under 12,000 feet. Plenty of parking was available, and a short, paved trail led us to the overlook, where we could see the Mojave Desert in the distance.

Apparently, this area was once used as a place to observe bomb detonations during the atomic era. The view is expansive. We also noticed the various blank stands that once held panels providing information about the area’s history, flora, fauna, and geology, according to information we later found online. There were plenty of stands, some with graffiti, but not a single information panel. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the view and read about the area later. We couldn’t do much research at the time because of the spotty cell service.

It was a great way to spend half a day during our Las Vegas visit. Being there made me want to come back and actually hike some of the trails, to get out into the wild a little.

While at Desert View Overlook, we both noticed a slight effect from the altitude. We did most of our walking there, so that made sense. Nothing serious, but notable just the same.

As we came back down the mountain and reached the flatter road, we saw a single burro eating brush along the side of the road. It was a nice way to say goodbye to the mountain and the desert, for now.

Food

In-N-Out Burger

I’m not sure, and I have no real data to back this up, but I feel like I’m one of the few people who had never eaten at an In-N-Out Burger.

Having done some general research into what might be happening in Las Vegas during our trip, I learned that a new one had recently opened. And it was the largest In-N-Out Burger in the world. The largest by square footage, that is. There is another location in California that seats more people but isn’t as large by square footage. The Las Vegas restaurant seats 170 people indoors.

Having read that, I knew I would soon be joining the crowd on the other side: those who had finally eaten at an In-N-Out. I wasn’t quite sure what I was excited about, to be honest. Other than feeling like I might be missing out on something or not being able to join the conversation about In-N-Out.

So Demi and I made a point of going to the newest one, the world’s largest.

There are several In-N-Out locations in Las Vegas. The one we wanted to visit is on the third level of The BLVD shopping center on the Strip. You can see it from the street. It’s hard to miss with its large sign, recognizable color scheme, and logo.

We were both hungry when we got there. We’d done a bit of walking that morning, so it seemed like a good time to grab lunch. Like most escalators in Vegas, these were long. There were two of them leading to the third level. Elevators were also available, but we opted for the escalators.

As we reached the top of the second escalator, the entrance came into view. From that angle, it didn’t look overly large, but there is a lot of space around the building, including outdoor seating for 50 people. It also turns out there is a large merchandise store attached to the restaurant. I wonder if that counts toward the square footage claim? Do the other In-N-Out locations have merchandise stores, too? I have no idea. This is the only one I’ve ever visited.

Inside, there was clearly plenty of seating, and, of course, every table was taken. There wasn’t much of a line, though, so ordering was quick. Demi and I ordered the same thing: a single cheeseburger with fries.

I failed to order Animal Style. I knew about the “secret” order but completely forgot about it. I wish the guy taking our order had asked if we wanted Animal Style, but then it wouldn’t really be a secret, would it?

Oh well.

I waited for the order while Demi cruised around the restaurant looking for a place to sit. She found a booth in a few minutes, and we were set. The food was ready in less than 10 minutes.

The burgers looked good. The buns and fixings- lettuce, tomato, and onions looked fresh. The fries looked good, too: fresh and crisp. My first impression was that the burger wasn’t particularly substantial, and I immediately thought, “Maybe I should have ordered a double.”

Everything tasted as good as it looked. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the meal, but it was tasty and hit the spot. Demi felt basically the same way, a good, solid meal.

Between the two of us, Demi is the only one who has also had a burger from Whataburger. She couldn’t really say which she thought was better since it had been some time since she’d eaten there. I know there is a big debate about which is better. There was actually a Whataburger across from the In-N-Out, and I thought about trying it another day. We never made it there.

So, would I go back? Absolutely. What would I do differently? Order a double. Animal Style. I don’t think I would go Animal Style with the fries, though. Demi feels the same way. We both like our fries crisp and free of “stuff” like chili, cheese, or other toppings. Don’t get me wrong. I like dipping fries in mayo, ketchup, or mustard. I just like controlling how much goes on the fry.

Hell’s Kitchen

On a previous visit to Las Vegas, Demi and I wandered into Hell’s Kitchen to check it out. It was early afternoon, and we were thinking about lunch. A few seats were available at the bar, so we settled in for a light meal.

The food was very good. Good enough, in fact, that before we left, we decided that next time we came to Las Vegas, we would have dinner there.

For anyone unfamiliar with the restaurant, this Las Vegas location is inspired by Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen television show, but it’s not where the show itself is filmed.

This time, we made reservations before the trip to make sure we got the day and time we wanted.

We arrived about 10 minutes before our reservation and waited another 20 minutes or so before being seated. It wasn’t really a problem. The waiting area had plenty to look at, including Hell’s Kitchen merchandise displayed in cases and on the walls, along with photos of winners from previous seasons of the show. It was a nice way to pass the time.

Once inside, the open kitchen looks much like the one on the show, with the familiar Red and Blue sides. From our table, we could see much of what was happening as the cooks moved between the stations.

There was one noticeable difference, though.

There was no yelling.

We’re both big fans of the show, so there was something fun about finally sitting down for a full meal at Hell’s Kitchen. But being a fan of Hell’s Kitchen isn’t a prerequisite for eating there.

Even if the show isn’t familiar, I wouldn’t let that stop anyone from making a reservation. The food, service, and overall dining experience stand on their own.

This is a top-notch restaurant that just happens to have a television show wrapped around it.

Ironically, without planning it, Demi and I ended up ordering almost the same meal.

For appetizers, Demi ordered the pan-seared scallops, served with English pea purée, bacon lardons, potato crisp, and citrus beurre blanc. Gordon Ramsay makes such a fuss about scallops on the show that Demi decided she had to try them.

The scallops had a nicely browned exterior while remaining tender inside, and the different components gave the dish a combination of sweet, salty, creamy, and citrus flavors.

I went with the roasted shrimp, served with polenta, capers, roasted garlic, and lemon butter.

I don’t ever recall having shrimp prepared this way, and I really enjoyed it. The roasted garlic and lemon butter worked well with the shrimp, while the polenta gave the dish some substance without overwhelming it.

I would definitely order it again.

For the main course, we both ordered the dry-aged New York strip. The 14-ounce Creekstone beef was served with shishito peppers and a red wine demi-glace.

We ordered our steaks medium.

We normally like our steaks medium-rare, or just on the other side of medium-rare, so we figured ordering medium would give us a pretty good chance of getting them close to how we like them.

It did.

Both steaks were cooked perfectly for us. The outside had a nice sear, the steaks cut easily, and the meat was tender and full of flavor.

We always order dry-aged steak if it’s available. I’m not entirely sure why. My understanding is that dry aging breaks down the fibers, making the steak tender and giving it a buttery texture. It also gives the steak a deeper, more concentrated flavor.

Either way, the preparation worked particularly well with the rich red wine demi-glace.

For a side, I ordered the roasted asparagus with lemon and parmesan. The asparagus had some nice roasted edges and, of course, it’s hard to beat the lemon/parmesan combo.

Demi ordered the baked macaroni and cheese. The cheese was smoked gouda, laced with prosciutto.

It’s an excellent go-to side for a tasty steak.

And then there was dessert.

We both ordered the sticky toffee pudding with speculoos ice cream.

I have to admit that I had never heard of speculoos and had to look it up. They’re Belgian spiced shortbread cookies, and the ice cream captures that warm, spiced-cookie flavor.

The combination was pretty decadent. The warm, rich sticky toffee pudding paired with the cold, creamy ice cream made for a dessert that was hard to stop eating.

It’s not something I would order every time I have dinner, but I would absolutely order it again.

Our first visit to Hell’s Kitchen was almost an afterthought, a light lunch stop while wandering around Las Vegas.

That meal was good enough to make us decide to come back for dinner the next time we were in Vegas.

This time, we did.

And I’m glad we came back.

Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace

I admit that I rarely ever get my money’s worth at a buffet. I just don’t eat that much. As much as I might want to eat more, it’s just not a comfortable feeling to overeat. So, while Demi and I don’t normally seek out buffets in Las Vegas (something the city is known for), we were intrigued by Bacchanal due to its claim that, with food prepared right in front of hotel guests and non-hotel guests alike in open kitchens, it’s like having your pick of nine high-end Las Vegas restaurants in one location. Of course, there is a steep price to pay for that claim. Nevertheless, reservations for dinner were made, and we were excited to give it a go.

Arriving a few minutes early, there was barely a line. We were with a group of seven and were seated promptly at our reserved time. We were also informed by our waiter that we had a 90-minute time limit. This is the first time that I can recall ever being told of a time limit. But this is Vegas, so expect the unexpected!

Walking to our table, we got a good look at most of the offerings. I must say there were some tasty-looking choices. Fresh seafood, including lobster claws, shrimp, and crab legs; premium meats like prime rib and smoked brisket; and other stations featuring food from Mexico and Asia.

For my money, I went straight to the crab legs. I haven’t had them in a while, and they are always an expensive restaurant item I rarely order because you don’t get that many. Since it was a buffet, I could eat as much as I wanted. I also grabbed some brisket on the way back from the seafood station. I asked for a thin slice; I’m not sure if the attendant didn’t hear me or just ignored me, as he placed a rather large chunk of brisket on the plate.

I also had a salad to go with my meal. The crab legs and brisket were very good; the brisket was a bit dry, but nothing a little barbecue sauce didn’t cure. I went back for seconds on the crab legs (you can only put so many on your plate at a time). I tried a few of the Asian offerings: crab rangoon and an egg roll. Again, tasty.

I was just about full and thought it might be time to try the desserts. I searched out the crème brûlée and a cheesecake. They hit the spot as my finale.

As you can see, I didn’t eat all that much, but I left with a full belly. I’m positive I didn’t get my money’s worth. But that’s not always the bottom line. Especially when you are spending time with friends and relatives, we all enjoyed ourselves. We had good conversation and good food. That was the best reward and worth the price.

As we were leaving, the line to get in was substantial.

Until Next Time

We’ve been to Las Vegas enough times that it would be easy to think we’ve seen most of what the city has to offer.

This trip reminded us that we haven’t.

We still have museums we’ve never visited, trails we’ve never walked, restaurants we’ve never tried, and places just outside the city we’ve never explored. Even some of the obvious Las Vegas stops, like the famous welcome sign, were still new to us.

That’s probably one of the things I enjoy most about returning to a place we’ve visited before. There’s always another road to take, another place to explore, or something familiar to see from a different perspective.

We’ll be back.

We still have a few things left to discover.

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