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This wonderful evening was compliments of a media tasting. All opinions are my own. We had a great time and will be back again soon!
I am so excited for this year’s “Family Friendly Travel to Las Vegas” Series. I look forward to sharing all of the fun things for families in Vegas each year with you all and this year’s series is the best yet! We spent 4 days and 3 nights in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago and it was jam-packed with things to do and eat because I wanted to test out as many things this year as possible. I don’t recommend being as structured as our trip had to be because it’s fun to be spontaneous on vacation, but for us, it was a must as our days in Vegas were limited. There is just so much to do in Vegas that you could literally just start walking down the strip and find things to keep you busy for weeks. Ideally, you should plan a few stops for each day and then let the flow of the day decide how to spend your free time in between. This guide will help you make the best use of your family time in Vegas.
Let’s get started…
Vegas might be known for its nightlife and gambling, but I think it should be known just as much for the food. Long gone are the days of cheap steak and egg breakfasts and mediocre all you can eat buffets. Vegas now has some of the best dining in the world! One of my new discoveries {and new favorites I might add} is Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House…
I know that we are taught not to start our meals with dessert, but there is no rule against starting a story with dessert right? This dessert was so amazing that I have to talk about it first. Confession time, I had never had banana cream pie before and I had no idea what I was missing out on. My life will never be the same. Sous Chef James Richards {more about this food magician <— my term for the magic he creates in just a bit} told me that this is one of their most popular desserts and I totally get why. When I ate this I had already had more food than I’ve ever had at one sitting before and I really didn’t think that I could take even one more bite. Like, I felt so full that the thought of another bite of anything didn’t sound like a good idea, but I didn’t want to be rude so I took a bite. Then another bite and then Pete and the girls started giving me dirty looks and asking me to share. I didn’t want to, but I did because it was the right thing to do.
What makes this banana cream pie the best ever is that the flavors are layered so that each bite is perfect! It is balanced with tons of bananas and the fresh whipped cream. I am a pie specialist {self proclaimed of course} and this is the best pie I have ever had. Sadly I have been craving it ever since we got back home and I have tried other pies from local pie shops and none have come even close to this one.
A really good tip when dining in Vegas with kids is to go early. We had a reservation for 5:00 pm and it was a good time to dine. As we were leaving closer to 8 pm it started to get really busy. With our older two, at 11 and 13 a late meal would have been fine, but with the 3-year-old in tow the crowd would have been a bit much for her…
Back to our amazing meal. When we arrived for dinner we were greeted by some very pleasant staff and a really fun, albeit dimmed lighting dining experience {that was totally romantic} and that I would have really appreciated if I didn’t want to take pictures of all the food. I travel with my “big camera” a Canon DSL and a canon point and shoot along with my phone camera. The phone and point and shoot get the best pictures with less lighting, but the pictures I took didn’t do the food the justice it deserved. The food was beautiful… so beautiful that I asked to look at the menu again because I couldn’t believe the prices were as reasonable as they were. I would have expected to pay double. Anyhow, that leads me to the time when I asked if there was any way that I could get some help getting pictures of all the delicious food. I’ve never had to ask before and I’m so glad I did! Manager and Wine Director Scott McSimov came through in a big way and sent me over these beautiful pictures!
What came next made this meal even more special. Have you ever gone into a restaurant and with very little instruction asked the chef to send out whatever he feels like serving? It’s one of my favorite ways to dine. I always explain that all of us {except for Pete} are vegetarians and I leave it at that. It’s so exciting to see what food is coming next and I’m always amazed at what a great chef will create when given the option to wow you! We had so many courses, most of them on the menu in some way, but each one unique to the Sous Chef and Emeril Lagasse’s flair. Above is a candid shot of Sous Chef James Richards creating the Seasonal Apple & Butter Lettuce Salad. It features, among other things, honey glazed Marcona Almonds! It tasted like apple pie and we all agreed that it was really good.
Chef Richards has an enthusiasm for food that makes eating an experience you won’t soon forget. I said before that he is a food magician and I mean it.
Knowing that we are vegetarians Chef Richards decided to surprise us with this deconstructed ratatouille. I still don’t know how he knew all my favorite meals {magic maybe?} but I love a good ratatouille. Emphasis on good. The seasoning has to be within a good ratio of the vegetables and this was good. Really, really good.
He also made a special serving of vegetarian jambalaya that was out of this world. I love how it had a “kick” to it but was still mild enough for the girls to enjoy.
Pete was lucky enough to be served this masterpiece. Steak and pork ribs. He devoured these before I could even get a good look at them. I’d say that they were a big hit with my meat eating husband! The presentation is just beautiful and the portions are very generous, something that is often not found in fine dining establishments.
The mushroom risotto was fantastic. Risotto is another one of my favorites and I love mushrooms so this was a real treat to eat. Pete’s was topped with the most tender and flavorful scallop.
This is another example of comfort food paired with cutting edge flavors that Chef Richards creates! Pete loved this fish dish!
We started our meal with these two little ones. I love small bites packed with lots of flavors and again, aren’t they beautifully plated?
Happiness is being able to begin and end a story with something sweet… check out these other delectable desserts! I can’t pick a favorite from this plate but I want to highlight the flour-less chocolate cake. I love that they are so understanding at Emeril’s of dietary restrictions and have something for everyone. From vegetarian to gluten free… they can work with any diet so that everyone can have an amazing dining experience. I highly recommend adding Emerils to your Vegas bucket list. It’s an eating experience not to be missed!
A big thank you again to Emerils for this wonderful evening of tasty dishes and great family fun! We had a top-notch waiter, amazing Sous Chef and the Manager set the perfect tone for the whole restaurant! We will be back again the next time we are in Las Vegas!
Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South
at the MGM Grand Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: 702 891 7374
Fax: 702 891 7338
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