Where Do The Whales Eat?

There’s good eats to be had in Vegas, and then there’s really good eats. Where do the whales eat?

Turns out, some of them eat here, at least, the Chinese ones do. My strong guess is that every major casino in Las Vegas has something like this, catering to different kinds of crowds. Chinese here. Japanese somewhere else. English-speaking somewhere else still. I’ve heard that there are private bungalows of palatial luxury at Caesar’s Palace, each staffed with its own butler, who is actually more like a mini-concierge assigned to your specific unit – and instructed to not eat garlic so as to preserve good breath. This level of service is apparently very impressive for some people and I guess the very wealthy expect it. A good restaurant, with good service and high-end food, maybe even a celebrity chef working the menu? I’m cool with that. But the formal private club is different kind of animal entirely, and it doesn’t seem like it would be so comfortable.

I remember eating at the now long-gone Charlie Trotter’s at the MGM Grand while on a rather luxurious junket from the wingnut factory where I used to work. This was somewhat different than the restaurant described in the linked article – Charlie Trotter’s at the MGM had most of its tables filled, and was located on the casino floor. But it was quite discreetly located and most of the staff at the casino claimed to not know who or what a “Charlie Trotter’s” was, maybe some sort of a cocktail from Alabama that our bartender might know how to make?

In fact, the restaurant had been intended to be a semiprivate club for high rollers, but that didn’t attract enough business so it was later opened to the public and today I think that a high-limit blackjack and baccarat pit can be found where Trotter’s Tower of Truffles used to be. Pity. (But hey. Charlie's back, baby! You can now dine at Restaurant Charlie in the Palazzo. For those times that the Venetian just isn't expensive enough to impress your friends.)

Anyway, this was about as high-end as I would really care to go in most imaginable circumstances. And yes, this is still quite high-end. But it’s not like the secret club. I just don’t see the value to it.