Food Finds: More Winning Meals in Las Vegas

Breakfast on the Strip: A quiet breakfast in a subdued beautifully lit "created" Italian street scene in the lower level of the Venetian Hotel. Meandering into the Venetian Hotel, up, down, across, you're not sure if you're in an M.C. Escher drawing or some Bizarre Disney Land experiment. The Venetian offers many lovely zen-like places of calm in an otherwise town of pulsating madness.
We hit up Caffe Zefferino for a quiet breakfast. It felt very authentic. The mood lighting, the air quality (smoke free!) and the pretty surroundings, with the calls of the Gondoliers in the distance truly put us in a happy place. Breakfast was more American style in that the portions were large and tasty. Coffee, well, stick to Starbucks, but for a good breakfast that won't hurt your wallet and will keep you going well past lunch, this is a place to fill up!
Dinner on the Strip: We had fun meal at The Yard House at the LINQ along the QUAD corridor between The Flamingo Hotel and Harrahs. I was skeptical at first, not wanting to dine at yet another knock-off bar filled with penis balloon toting bachelorettes (there were quite a few, wearing sashes and tiaras no less); or muscle headed bachelors sporting foot long dong bong vuvuzela shaped drinking vessels strung around their necks (way more than a few of these all over the place).
The Yard House is a multilevel, fine pub grub dining and drinking destination in the heart of what is to my eyes and ears, a busy, night club, food club, shopping arena. It was too dark for food photos so none to share. I had the first of several street food fusion meals. Korean meets Mexican style tacos. Short Ribs slowly cooked until meltingly tender. Piquant Mexican Rice. Luscious Beans. And an East-Coast Centric Micro Brew Draft Beer List - which really surprised me. I opted for some North East Coast brews. If you find yourself in Las Vegas, the street known as the QUAD is worth a look-see and The Yard House is well worth a stop for a nibble and a slosh!
Il Fornaio at the New York New York Hotel: Head here for the sheer audacity of doing the entire NY skyline, from The Statue of Liberty, all the important iconic sky scrappers to a miniature Brooklyn bridge walkway. Whether or not you do the roller coaster that winds its way around and through the buildings is up to your and your nerves. If you find yourself hungry and the Coney Island food court fare isn't for you (and it shouldn't be) walk through the casino floor and do yourself a favor and have a nice, calm, quiet meal in Il Fornaio Restaurant and Bakery. Authentic, New York style, thin crust pizzas. Decent wine by the glass selections. Good hearty bread with nice olive oil for dipping. If you aren't starving, you and your dining companion can share a salad and a pizza and feel satisfied for under $50!
Off the Strip and way way away from the casinos: If you are adventurous, not into the crowds and hubbub of Vegas, in any of the areas like the main strip, downtown near the Stratosphere, or in Old Las Vegas in the Old Downtown now known as The Fremont Street Experience, I have some DYNAMITE Places to suggest. You'll need a car or be willing to pay a lot for taxi rides.
District One LV - off the beaten path, in one of the many areas of the China/Asia Town district of Las Vegas, there are dozens of places to dine. I can't exactly remember how we stumbled into this place. I think we were googling one place, and found three others and then practically threw a dart at a map and here is where we landed. District One LV is a brand new Vietnamese Seafood and fusion bar and restaurant. We hit on the hip insider's spot before the hip insiders found this place and ruined it! Uber cool, the place has a North West Street Food and Pho vibe going on in here. Lots of street food and other Asian food fusion influences happening on the menu. If only we had time to eat more and more often...




It was a quick trip filled with a lot of laughs and some amazing meals. Vacations should be about enjoyment of the new found things. Our trip to Las Vegas was unique as so much of our nearly 30 year friendship is. Whatever brings to you to Las Vegas, convention, business, sin and pleasure, you won't be disappointed by the many authentic food finds if you just look beyond the glitz.
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