Bugsy, remember Bugsy Siegel, and company would turn in their graves if they knew what is going on now in the town they helped splash on the map. Those days casino bosses ran the show on the Strip and one of their marketing ideas of attracting traffic was to offer plenty of cheap eats. That's basic. Who in his right mind would turn down a tasty, totally affordable bite? 99 cent shrimp cocktail was one of their marquee items and $1.99 steak dinner was another, bargains you couldn't pass up.
That was then, though.
And this is now. Las Vegas is under new management, if you didn't already know. It's called corporate management and they have turned things completely around when it comes to using food as a marketing tool. They have gone au courant. In other words, upmarket.
Let's look at some of the latest ideas. One of the memorable menu items is the Fleur Burger 5000 at Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay. To put your hands on this Kobe beef creation sets you back a decent $5,000, so it must be the mother of all burgers. Oh, and it comes with a bottle of Chateau Petrus from the 90's and Ichendorf crystal glassware.
Another one that might get you salivating is the Ultra Highroller Roll at Sushi Roku in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. The humble ingredients in it are toro tuna, beluga caviar, lobster tail, Kobe beef, again, and white truffle oil. The main attraction, however, is the sprinkling of 24-karat gold flakes. Frankly, I didn't know you could eat gold in any shape or form. Anyway, a roll like that goes for $225.
Sin City sure has come a long way from Bugsy's days, hasn't it? It's anyone's guess how many of these delicacies are sold, say, weekly, but these restaurants and resorts certainly get the media to write about them and their other products. Maybe that is the whole idea. Get a discussion started. Bring up their name. Yet, it's a good bet, too, that there are visitors and gamblers who are in search of an out-of-body experience and one of these might well accomplish that.
photo by mykreeve
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