Not Even 'The Economy' Can Ruin a Grand Tasting
Where: 3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South
[map],
89109
An estimated 1,000 people crowded the Garden of the Gods pool complex at Caesars Palace Friday night for the Vegas Uncork’d Grand Tasting. The crowd was substantially larger than last year – we heard one estimate of 40 percent larger – which equated to high energy and, in some cases, choked walkways and long lines at the roughly 70 high-end restaurant- and vintner-sponsored booths.
At this rate, folks planning next year’s event would be wise to find a larger venue.
In any event, once we made it to the front of those lines we especially enjoyed the gnudi drizzled in a pesto sauce from Simon at Palms Place. Turns out gnudi are like bloated gnocchi, but stuffed with ricotta cheese. Also tasty were the open-faced, pulled-pork sliders from NobHill and the fascinating lobster ravioli from Joel Robuchon. Instead of pasta, the ravioli’s filling was wrapped in what appeared to be a paper-thinly sliced root vegetable. Fancy!
Fortunately for the throngs of epicurean enthusiasts in attendance, Friday’s near-100 degree temperature fell a few degrees by the 7 p.m. start time. Also helpful was the fact the sun had sunk well behind the monolithic Caesars towers that now flank all sides of the pool.
One Caesars executive lamented the fact that not all of the towers are finished; one visible from the pool was heavily cloaked in construction tarps and scaffolding. “They’ll be finished one day, though,” he avowed. He notably didn’t disclose exactly when, though.
We admit we’ll be glad when indefinitely postponed hotel opening dates are no longer the subject of small talk at every event. Sigh. One day.
[Photo: Las Vegas News Bureau]
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