Road Trip-Las Vegas: (Wynn Buffet)

mmm-yoso is not on vacation.  Cathy is out of town, and apparently eating all she can.  Read and live vicariously.

Hello again. Still in Vegas, and eating from recommendations of friends.  Mr. C, who I know from my job, and I had lunch at Lucky Seafood a couple of weeks ago...yes, it was the first time I was eating pho with only one hand because of the cast still being on up to my shoulder....anyhow, Mr. C works for a company in San Diego that sends him out to Las Vegas for weeks at a time and he *has* tried every buffet out there.  I asked him what was the best and he immediately replied-"The Wynn"..at at lunch, when its cheaper..and it isn't cheap... $22  each, but, you get what you pay for, we wanted great food, and we got *great* food...I only wish I could eat like this all the time.  (The Buffet (that's what its called, original, eh?) is $34 for dinner and $38 on weekends).

The first plate, but I thought the most creatively loaded of all my photographs...First the salads are pre-mixed  and served in those small glasses-so creative..You might notice the silverware and that the serving plates are asymmetrically shaped..all just kind of beautiful. Oh, the food- there is a cheese tray (the blue and goat cheeses were*excellent*, the cheddar was mild) then  a bit of everything.  The albacore tuna was a overdone, and probably not meant to be, and the only non-perfect item out there... the mahi mahi was exquisite.  The prime rib of beef from the carving station was sooo tender and flavorful, as was the rack of lamb.  The carrots were not mushy and cooked just right in a buttery herb-ed sauce ..the zucchini were so flavorful and the green beans with chopped tomatoes and still crispy almond slices were as as fresh tasting as I got from my garden this year.  The asparagus was very, very good, stir fried and still slightly crispy.

Here is  my appetizer plate, with smoked salmon (almost candied..), smoked trout, an excellent potato roll and a different salad.  There selection of 5 different salads was overwhelming  I got one made with white anchovies , roasted yellow pepper strips and another with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and chopped olives.

OK, here are photos of the various stations: smoked trout, anchovies, capers chopped onions...all to go with the nice fresh bagels.

More of the smoked salmon/cream cheese/bagel topping area, which I used more as my appetizer area..

Oh and the sushi area.

The Italian foods area was quite crowded, so no photographs, but I liked the food there best. Kobe beef meatballs...oh my, they were so good!  I suppose the sauce helped, and it was light and complimented/did not overpower the meat flavor...I got this photo of the Asian stir fry area...not exciting to look at, but extremely tasty with use of many spices.  It was very un-Americanized.

Oh yes, the chilled shrimp-perfectly cooked, and served with superb cocktail sauce and tartar sauce too...both made fresh at the restaurant.

Oh, there were desserts..and you know I am *not* at all a sweets eater...

They make the eclairs fresh..with real custard..eggy and still warm custard...

some desserts were served on individual plates..flan, sweet potato pie, chocolate peanut butter something (*dark* chocolate, people...dark chocolate)...and the strawberry cake, lemon bar and something else...oh it doesn't matter..

My *absolute* favorite...

The Floating Island..oh yes, a homemade marshmallow, with a buttery caramel sauce, floating on a vanilla sauce and topped with toasted chopped hazel nuts.

We ate so much more and I guess I was trying to take photographs and waiting for areas to be less crowded but areas were with people and I don't take photos of people...All of the food was excellent and so fresh, Mr. C gave me a great lead on a wonderful buffet.  Thanks Mr. C!

The Buffet at the Wynn Hotel Click here for website

Comments

[nhbilly]

Hmmm I wonder how crowded the lines were for lunch. I usually thread lite for lunch and for dinner I go all out but the lunch looks pretty good. Wife and I last time for dinner was $75ish.

[cathy]

Hi nhbilly- It was Monday, a slow day, and we got seated immediately (but were there about 11:45). All the "meat" stations seemed to have people milling about constantly(hence not many photographs), but when we left, there was not a line waiting to get in. I would think its more crowded other days of the week and weekend. The food was superb, and I tend to eat more for lunch and have a light dinner and maybe snack in the evening...and on this evening we had tickets for that Competition....Prices are at least $15 more for dinners and weekends. I can't imagine more food or how much better or different it could be.

[wandering chopsticks]

Wow, Cathy, I haven't been to Vegas in years but this looks good. Are you gonna try Bellagio's buffet? That's my fave, I love their lambchops and lychees.

[Kirk]

Hi Cathy - Looks good. Like WC if we "hit" a buffet in Vegas, it's usually the Bellagio. The last itme there the Missus had a ton of Rambutan, and drew a crowd cause no one knew what it was...I think they thought it was decoration. And before we knew it, everyone had rambutan on their plate......

[cathy]

Hi WC- I have actually never been to Bellagio, except to walk through and check out the fancy restrooms(I love seeing how those casinos spend their money...)for decorating ideas, but next time...I am actually home now; the December trip is only a few days long...to see the Competition.
OK, Kirk...I promise next time I'll try it out. The Mister and I have to go to Vegas for some Continuing Education Credits next year and I will ask for more recommendations. :)

[wandering chopsticks]

Hey Cathy,

Next time if you do try the Bellagio, they give you free vouchers to skip the buffet line if you play in the casino first. I don't gamble so I'm not sure how much you have to win/lose for that to happen.

[Jon Martinez]

This brings back memories. I was at the Wynn for a couple of nights earlier this year and hit the buffet a couple of times. When I was there they also had these huge Alaskan King crab legs. These were fresh, meaty and yoso deluxe.....similar to the kind they sell at Costco. The other buffets on the strip have AKC legs but most are of the small, water logged and.....you get the picture.

[cathy]

Hi WC-I think you have to have bet a lot per hour, and they want to get you into and out of the buffet quickly, so you will continue betting/losing...it is all a business you know....but since I am new to the Bellagio, sometimes when you go for a Players card the first time, you get a coupon for a free buffet...I will try that route.
Ah, Jon, you might know Mr. C...those guys working in Vegas got very specific about certain aspects of Wynn versus Bellagio...Wynn has gelato and two types of ceviche, Bellagio has the bar and miso soup...and the crab legs at Wynn...yes...the large ones take less work and you get a bunch of tasty crab at one time. Being not waterlogged is the plus. Still, in the interest of "research", for all the blog readers out there, I will try Bellagio next time.