Peppermill Restaurant - Breakfast Review (with a visit to The Fireside Lounge for photos)

Peppermill Restaurant - Breakfast Review

Another restaurant I've had on my "to do" list for quite some time is the Peppermill Restaurant.  Mom and I decided that breakfast on Halloween morning would be just about right.  

I've been hearing about the Peppermill since my very first trip to Las Vegas.  I'd heard they have very large portions, and that the Fireside Lounge is quite popular and an interesting sight you to see.  I was finally able to verify both things.


Because it's really a much longer walk from Harrah's to the Peppermill than many people think (like most things in Vegas), we decided to take a cab to save my mom's legs.  We planned to take our time after breakfast by visiting all the casinos along the way back to Harrah's, so it wasn't too bad to spend $6 for the taxi ride.

The Peppermill Restaurant is located between The Riviera and Encore Las Vegas, in the middle of a strip mall parking lot, not too far from the Guardian Angel Catholic Church.  It's quite inconspicuous, and I wouldn't notice it if I were driving by in the daytime because it looks like another building in a strip mall parking lot...on the outside.

I'd almost forgotten it was Halloween when we were dropped off at the door, but the zombie who opened the restaurant door for us with a low moan made me give a little scream of "EEP!"  His was the best costume in the restaurant, and he posed for a picture.

Tell me that wouldn't freak you out -
he's got an eyeball on his cheek!

When we were seated, our waiter offered us a drink menu as well as a breakfast menu.  I seriously considered a mimosa for about 10 seconds, then decided it was probably better not to drink if I was planning eating most of anything and/or walking back down the Strip so early in the day.

Breakfast drinks, anyone?

The view from our corner booth.

After looking over the entire menu, mom and I decided to share two dishes so we could try more things.  We chose the Mediterranean Omelet and French Toast Ambrosia.  Guess what?  They were both HUGE!

The Mediterranean Omelet takes up most of the plate.
It's a big plate.

 The Mediterranean Omelet was filled with lots of crab and shrimp meat, as well as lots of American and Jack cheeses.  It was also covered in yummy Hollandaise sauce (which I LOVE!) and served with a generous side of hash browns.  We poked at the hash browns, but didn't even attempt to really eat them at all, which was probably a good thing.  The omelet was very good, but it was far too much for even two people to share, and we ended up eating a little over half of it before we finally gave up.  What a waste of food!  

The French Toast Ambrosia-
Enough food to make a whole 'nother breakfast.

The French Toast Ambrosia is actually four slices of thick cut French toast cut into halves, so there are eight pieces of French toast covered with tons (and I mean TONS) of seasonal fruit, all topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream.  We could have easily shared this dish with two other people and still not have eaten everything on the plate.  The fruit was all very fresh and flavorful, and the French toast was warm, crispy around the edges and had a delicious cinnamon flavoring to it.  Out of the two dishes, I personally would order the French Toast over the omelet because it is a more refreshing dish and not nearly as heavy.

We took our time eating and ordered coffee and juice, people-watching and chatting about our trip so far and what we planned to do.  When our waiter brought the check, I asked if it was okay to check out the Fireside Lounge because I didn't know if anyone could just walk in or if it was even open during the day, and he said, "Of course!  Go right in."  So I paid and left a tip ($32+tip for two huge meals, plus coffee and juice) and we headed back to the Fireside Lounge entrance I'd noticed when we entered the restaurant.

I'd rate our breakfast experience at Peppermill as a strong 7 out of 10.  The large amount of food is overwhelming, though, and we should have shared one plate instead of two to avoid wasting so much.  Lesson learned.

Visit the Peppermill's website for more information and menus: Come Hungry!

A visit to the Fireside Lounge

The Fireside Lounge is off to the left of the restaurant, behind a dark glass door with simple white lettering and no outward sign of what's waiting on the other side.  Once inside, you definitely see the theme jump out at you: 70's lounge, in bright pink and blue.  It's everywhere, and quite unusual. 

I don't know what I was expecting.  Not this.

There are intimate seating areas everywhere, and the lounge can accommodate quite a crowd and still remain very private with its seating arrangements.  I loved the look of the Fireside seating area itself:

An interesting combination that somehow works.

Mom and I walked all around the lounge, being careful not to trip down (or up) any steps.  I was glad there were hand rails everywhere, because it's actually a bit dark inside the lounge.  Halloween decorations were everywhere, but still blended in with everything else.  How much really sticks out when you're standing in a pink and blue lounge?

There is a long bar with video poker (of course) taking up the right side of the lounge, and a nice lady in a white tuxedo shirt polished glasses and smiled the entire time we walked around checking things out and taking photos.  There were a few patrons at the far end of the bar, but I tried not to disturb anyone with my photography.  I try to keep unsuspecting tourists and other people out of my photos.

Bar seating looks comfy, too.

The Fireside Lounge would be an interesting place to meet up for drinks with friends.  It might even make a pretty good place for a large group meet, too!

Central by Michel Richard at Caesars Palace (Restaurant Review)

My mom and I decided to try Central by Michel Richard during our October trip.  I've been keeping a list of restaurants to try based on their menus and reviews, and this was one place I've had my eye on for quite a while.  After showing my mom the menu, we decided a late, light lunch on the day we arrived would be just about right.

We had hoped to be seated out on the patio for a snack and a drink since the weather was sunny and in the low 70's, but the restaurant was not busy at the time (it was about 2:30 p.m.) and they only had bar seating or tables in one of the two main restaurant sections available.  In hindsight we should have taken the bar seating, but we prefer tables for our Vegas meals when traveling together.  When I'm by myself I personally don't care; bar seating is just fine for me, but then I'm not necessarily trying to talk to someone else, then, either.

For starters, I ordered a Strawberry Basil Mojito, and mom ordered the Summer Sangria.  We ordered the Cheese Puffs and the Potato Nachos with Chicken from the appetizer menu to share for our snack at the same time, but our waiter said he'd bring our drinks first, which was fine with us.  

We were literally seated less than 10 feet from the bar, and we waited...and waited...and waited some more for our drinks to arrive.  We kept looking around the restaurant and found our waiter at times talking to other employees, or we didn't see him at all.  There were probably four or five other tables seated in the restaurant, with most of the restaurant guests sitting at the bar.  Being that there was one other waiter in the restaurant for those few tables, it should not have taken more than 5 minutes at the most for our drinks to make it from the bar to us.  

After about 15 minutes or so, we were deciding if we were going to stay or leave when the afternoon manager, Rick, came by and asked how everything was.  My mom told him EXACTLY how everything was, which was not good.  (She's not a shrinking violet by any means.)  The manager apologized profusely and went to find our waiter and the drinks.  He found both at the same time, and the waiter brought them to us with another apology.  Immediately after that he brought our food.

Strawberry Basil Mojito

The drinks were very good - my mojito was a bit strong, but it had great flavor, with chunks of strawberries thrown in.  My mom really enjoyed her sangria, which had whole blueberries floating on top. (I took those - mom doesn't like fresh blueberries.  They were nice and drunken!) My taste of  the sangria it found it to be a great combination of sweet and tart, which is always good in a sangria.  

A Summer Sangria for the Fall

The afternoon manager checked in with us again a few minutes later and offered another apology, and then he told us he was comping our drinks because of wait time.  We thanked him for that.  It's nice to see a response from a manager who means it.

The Cheese Puffs were delicious: cheesy little ball-shaped pastries served in a wire basket, with no toppings or other accompaniments to take away from them.  They were very light and airy, not too thick or heavy at all.  There were about 10-12 of them in an order, and that was just right for two people to share.  It'd make a great appetizer for four people, as well.

Get the Cheese Puffs - you won't regret it.

The Potato Nachos were actually thin-sliced, handmade potato chips, fried in peanut oil and piled high on a platter.  The "nachos" were served with melted cheddar cheese, sour cream, chives, fresh jalapenos, diced tomatoes and sliced chicken breast on top.  It's not something I would've ordered anywhere else, but they were pretty darn good and quite unexpected.  We tried like everything to finish the entire plate, but we weren't able to make it all the way through.

An unexpected plate of yum, with a jalapeno kick.

Because of our comped drinks, our whole meal cost $24+tip, which is not a bad price at all for a quick meal in Vegas.  Of course, if the drinks had been included, the price would've been about $40+tip, so cost is certainly dependent on what you order.

Overall, the food and drinks were very good, but the service outside of the manager's efforts was lacking in almost every way, and service is very important to me.  I think it would make more sense to either A) close off all but one section of the restaurant, or B) only offer bar seating during the slower hours.  This would allow the wait staff to more efficiently serve guests, and the restaurant would not have to stretch their resources so thinly to cover every area of an almost completely empty restaurant.  Since they are currently open 24 hours a day, it would certainly allow them to manage and staff the restaurant based on need.  

At this time I would say that our entire dining experience would only rate a 5 out of 10, and the service definitely brought the number down.  I don't know if I'll be back, either; there are just too many other places to eat in Las Vegas.

To see the entire list of Central menus, click here: Central menus

Buffet Review: Bacchanal Buffet @ Caesars Palace (with photos)

People coming out of the buffet as we're going in.  Thanks for the seats!

This was the buffet experience mom and I had been waiting for:  The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace.

This is a napkin - proof that I will take a photo of ANYTHING in Vegas!  :)

We decided to try the buffet for breakfast, since we didn't really know what to expect as far as crowds and wait times, and we figured that would be the best time to try it out in order for us to hopefully be able to take our time and allow us to sample both breakfast and lunch items for the same, lower buffet price.  

This is not a new thing for me, going in at an earlier time to get a lower buffet price, and I'm not the only one who does it, either.  Don't judge.

Getting there at 9:30 a.m. meant no line to wait in on a Tuesday morning, and we used our Total Rewards cards to get $1 off the price.  Our buffets came out to $17.99+tax each instead of $18.99+tax each for breakfast.  Another case of the TR cards benefiting the users!

Creative pumpkin carving.

Our hostess was a lovely young lady who pointed out the details and buffet seating "sections" (glass, wood, and steel) a la Vanna White as she walked us to our table in the furthest section: the steel section.  We were seated near the Asian food section at the end, passing the fresh squeezed and bottled juices, desserts, salads, breads, salumis and cheeses, the carving station, pizzas, side dishes and hot selections in turn.  It was hard to know where to begin!  I decided fresh squeezed orange juice was in order, and our sweet, attentive waitress was quick with coffee, water and milk while we got our first selections.

Lovely display behind the salads.  I used the miniature effect on this photo, so the bottom is blurry on purpose.

The breads, cheeses and salumis...

The Asian section, near where we were seated.

Some of the hot breakfast selections.

Looking through the glass seating section to the buffet.

For the most part, the dishes on this buffet are presented in individual, serving-size containers, which seems to help limit people from getting more than what they will be able to eat and hopefully keep them from wasting too much food.  I have seen this at several Las Vegas buffets and I heartily approve of it; nothing bothers me more than seeing people be wasteful and/or rude with food.  I get small samples of things myself, but people aren't always so smart when they go to buffets, are they?

Mom thought the coffee carafe and salt & pepper shakers were cute.
She likes things that match.

Mom's first plate included Kung Pao chicken that lacked the "pow" (not spicy), but had a good flavor.  She also tried a hot cast iron serving dish of skirt steak and an over-easy egg that she described as "heavenly", with a just right steak and a perfectly cooked egg - hard to do for over-easy eggs on a buffet, I think, because of the amount of time a dish could possibly sit out. She also had scrambled eggs and sausage, and a biscuit that she said was a little on the dry side.  I can't remember what other dishes she sampled after that first plate because I became engrossed in my own food choices, so I don't have anything further to report on her meal other than a picture of her dessert plate at the end, sorry.

Mom's first plate.  I forgot about her turkey bacon.  She didn't care for it.
She should have gotten REAL bacon!

I opted to start with a plate that included the bite-sized Croque Madame and Croque Monsieur, as well as Red Velvet pancakes, artisanal sausage, chorizo hash browns, and some saucy shrimp and grits to go with my fresh-squeezed orange juice served in its own little bottle.  Both Madame and Monsieur were magnifique, but the Red Velvet pancakes left something to be desired.  Perhaps I had built them up in my mind too much because I LOVE Red Velvet cake and I was really, REALLY looking forward to trying these pancakes, but mine were a bit dry around the edges and lacked any real Red Velvet flavor, even with the strawberry and whipped cream topping mixed in.  The sausage had a great flavor and was still very warm. The hash browns were just that - hash browns, browned well and a bit crispy around the edges (which I like), not over-done with black edges and/or too much grease.  The shrimp and grits were delicious, as well, though not quite as mind-bending-ly good as the all-time best shrimp and grits I had at the Wynn Jazz Brunch in the Spring. (Seriously, I don't think that dish will ever be topped...ever!)

Off the plate: Croque Monsieur and Red Velvet Pancakes.
Hash browns and artisanal sausage on the left, Croque Madame at the top,
Shrimp & grits on the right.

They look good, but don't have any real flavor.

Shrimp & grits deserves its own picture!

Next I tried the Eggs Benedict, pappas con chorizo, a shirred egg with mushroom, and a spinach and mushroom quiche in it's own little pan.  The Eggs Benedict had good flavor and the egg wasn't over-done at all (which happens to Eggs Benedict on a buffet more often than not), but I wish I'd seen the Southern Eggs Benedict first, because I have no idea what the "Southern" ingredient was and would've liked to have tried it, but when I finally saw that dish I'd run out of space in my stomach.  The shirred egg with mushroom was actually TOO mushroom-y for me because of the small size of the dish, and I generally love mushrooms in any dish, but it was just too rich for me.  The pappas con chorizo (chorizo hash browns, really) were deliciously spicy, which this South Texas girl loves.  I was not a fan of the spinach and mushroom quiche and I can't remember exactly why.  I think it may have been a bit too salty for such a small dish, but I marked down that I was "not a fan" when I was listing my dishes, so that's what I'm sticking with.

Eggs Benedict, pappas con chorizo, and shirred egg with mushroom.

Spinach and mushroom quiche.  Not yummy.  :(

For my final selections after the lunch changeover (which was around 10:30 a.m.), I chose three salumi slices, a bacon, egg and spinach salad, a su Mia dumpling, a leek dumpling, a pork pot sticker, as well as beef and broccoli.  They had a large selection of pre-sliced salumis, including proscuitto, pancetta, coppa, lardo, and culatello, and they were all labeled, but I chose proscuitto, pancetta and the salumi salami for my tasting.  All three were thinly sliced and had very good flavor, fresh and aromatic, and I wish I'd tried more.  I've become a bit of a salumi and cheese buff, and I'm reading up on the different varieties so I won't be afraid to try new things next time I'm faced with choices like this.  The bacon, egg and spinach salad (with onions) was one of my very favorite dishes, with the flavors blending well and just enough light balsalmic vinaigrette dressing mixed in.  I could have eaten a whole plate of that salad by itself.  The su Mia dumpling was another favorite selection from this buffet - absolutely yummy and literally bursting with spices and flavor.  The pork pot sticker had a nice, crispy bottom and was also very flavorful, and the leek dumpling served in a little tin was almost as tasty.  The beef and broccoli was perfectly done; the broccoli was not limp or over-cooked, and the beef was delicious and tender, and it came apart easily when I cut it with my fork.  (Can you tell I tend to lean towards Asian foods?  Asian and Cajun food are my very favorites.  Sorry - back to the review.)

Salumis, su Mia dumpling, leek dumpling (in the tin), pork pot sticker, beef and broccoli
and bacon, egg and spinach salad up front.

I'm glad they don't just supply little, tiny dessert plates for the Bacchanal dessert station.  The plates are just as big as the plates at the other stations, and that makes my mom and I very happy because we both LOVE dessert!  You should always leave room for desserts at a buffet, because you can try unusual stuff in small portions without committing yourself to a new flavor you're not ready for.

Mom's desserts: chocolate mousse (in the glass), pecan pie bar, a chocolate-covered strawberry, and a chocolate muffin topped with peanut butter frosting and a chocolate "coin".
It was the day before Halloween.

 For dessert I tried the custard with angel food cake and raspberry infusion (served in a syringe) which was VERY sweet.  Too sweet, I think.  I also had a delicious miniature pumpkin pie that was probably the best dessert I've ever eaten at a buffet, top to bottom, from the perfectly flaky crust to the yummy, warm pumpkin filling and all the way up to the creamy topping.  I could have eaten a couple of those bite-sized pies without blinking, they were so good.  The chocolate mousse served in a chocolate-dipped mini waffle cone was also deliciously creamy.  It would be a great dessert at any restaurant, I think.  The mini cupcake was very chocolately, but I wasn't wow'ed by the peanut butter frosting.  It was a cute presentation for Halloween, though.

My desserts, clockwise from the top: custard with angel food cake and raspberry sauce (in the glass), pumpkin pie, chocolate mousse in a chocolate waffle cone, and a chocolate muffin with peanut butter frosting.

There were way too many desserts to even begin to sample, including numerous varieties of cookies, gelatos, and cakes and pies presented in individual serving sizes.  I would love to go back and try more things.

Buffet guardian or Halloween decoration?

It was a lot of food, and it was good.  Almost 2 1/2 hours of eating and chatting, sampling items from the breakfast and lunch buffets, and just enjoying a nice Vegas buffet with great wait staff and bussers keeping our table free of clutter and refreshed regularly with coffee, cream and water.

I rank this new buffet right up there with the Wynn and Bellagio buffets for it's great selection. There are a couple of more expensive buffets that I love but can't (won't) afford to eat on a regular visit, but I hope to go back and try this one again someday.  Hopefully they will be able to sustain the quality of their food and the great selection.  Time will tell if they survive Las Vegas.  I hope they do.

The Bacchanal Buffet serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.  Current prices as of this posting are $18.99 for breakfast, $21.99 for lunch, and $24.99 for dinner.  January 19, 2013 - The prices have drastically changed since October.  I'm guessing Caesars decided they could raise them without cutting back on their guests, but I think that remains to be seen.  The Total Rewards website now shows the prices as are follows:

Breakfast: $24.99        
Lunch: $31.99
Dinner Mon-Thurs: $44.99
Dinner Sat-Sun: $49.99
Brunch Sat-Sun: $40.99

Get $1 off for each of those prices with your Total Rewards card.

Given the price changes, I don't think it's one of the best values in tasty Las Vegas buffets anymore.  Breakfast, fine, and lunch, maybe, but they seem like they are about to price themselves right out of a market that's hungry (pun intended) for a good, competitively priced buffet. 

October 2012 Trip Photos ("Vegas in Miniature")

I had SO much fun using the miniature feature on my little Canon Elph!  Here are photos from my October 2012 trip for those who have been asking me, "When are you going to post them?"  The answer is NOW!

The start of a fun trip!

Mom's Goldfish game looked odd on the top display, don't you think?

The only Louis Vuitton that Hayley will be seeing from this trip...

Bellagio walkway ceiling - it looked better in person...

Bellagio Conservatory

Gorgeous mums!

Love the miniature effect!

The covered bridge looks more romantic this way...

Beautiful mums, but they could learn about mum display from Wynn.

Spooky...

All chocolate...mmmmmmm...

Dusk makes photos in the conservatory look different...

One of my favorites

Romantic!

From pink to orange with the change from day to night...

 

Bacchanal Buffet

The Asian station near where we were seated.

Breads and accompaniments

A guardian?

The wood section

The glass section

 Caesars Palace

Trevi Fountain in The Forum Shops at Caesars

Another view with the Miniature Effect

Vlady and Tania, my friends from Mexico! <3 font="font">

Me and Sandy, a friend from Canada

My friend Jim, a wise ass hick (his words, not mine).

Bonnie and Cindy, two of my lovely friends (from Canada and New York state, respectively)

Fireside Lounge

This would be an interesting place to have a meet!

In miniature...

They certainly know how to keep a color scheme going, don't they?

The zombie worker who scared the poo outta me!

Riviera Hotel and Casino

The nicest part of the whole casino...

The famous women out front.

The Guardian Angel Cathedral Catholic Church is between The Riviera and Encore.

Encore Las Vegas

I've never been in this side...

Another one of my favorites.  Near the walkway between Encore and Wynn.

Wynn Las Vegas

I would love to do these for Hayley's wedding some day...

Parasol Up Bar

Lake of Dreams

I love the way Wynn mixes their mums.

Palazzo

Palazzo fountain near registration

Palazzo did a great job with their Fall decorations. 

The one photo I used the Toy Effect on.  I like it!

The Mirage

The Toy Effect again... 

Yes, even on Harrah's...

...and The Forum Shops at Caesars.

 That's all for now.  Hope you enjoyed them!