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I don’t consider myself an expert food maven or restaurant critic, but I do know a few things here and there about what makes a great customer experience—whether it be a shopping or dining environment. And conversely, I also know what makes one horrible. Allow me to explain and entertain you with the details…
Firstly, I’ve never been a fan of Las Vegas—I don’t gamble, have no interest in seeing The Thunder from Down Under and find Barry Manilow intensely creepy. Combine that with the stale-cigarette-scented casino aroma looming around every corner, which makes me want to yak, and that pretty much closes the deal. However, when business calls, I’m there. So on my most recent trip to Sin City, I took the opportunity to sample several restaurants, some new establishments mixed with a couple oldies. The results were mixed, but I’ve managed to categorize the main standouts as the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
First off, the Good goes to Wazuzu in the new Encore casino, the Wynn’s sister property. The casino/hotel itself was gorgeous, and the food and service at the Pan-Asian restaurant were equally on par. It was a delightful experience and a delicious meal.
Next up, the Bad award goes to Margaritaville. I know what you’re thinking (“well duh!”), but I’m referencing their margaritas! You’d think a place called Margaritaville would at least have good margs! But no…I sampled one of the worst margaritas I’ve ever tasted.
And now, for the grand finale, the Ugly goes to…drum roll please…VooDoo Café! Sitting atop the 50th floor of the RIO (where trailer park meets glam) and wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass walls, the restaurant seemed promising—if not a little cheesy (I figured, it’s Vegas, what ISN’T cheesy!)—from its pictures online, and at least it boasted a great view and was in my price range.A Vegas local highly recommended the restaurant, so we took her word for it. And boy were we wrong. It was ugly from the start, with a rude hostess and a waiter who was odd and apathetic (he probably wonders why he never makes any good tips). We didn’t even get a seat near the windows, and were stuck in a leopard-print booth for 20 minutes until we begged and pleaded to be moved to a table with a view that had opened up. The atmosphere was gloomy, desolate and quiet—except for the sound of old '90s music blasting in the background (think Monica and Brandy’s “The Boy is Mine” or anything Sheryl Crow). The place felt old and abused, smelled weird and had the tackiest decorations. What had looked possibly fun and kitschy online, turned out to be like a Mardi Gras-themed aisle in Part City gone awry. When I asked the waiter to recommend a good cabernet, he immediately asked me if I was at least 21 years old, giving me a look that said he clearly was sure I wasn't. Couldn’t he have at least answered my question first? We should have gotten up and left after the moment we sat down, but at 8 p.m. in Vegas, I didn’t want to think of the work involved trying to get into another restaurant last minute.
Lastly, the food was horrendous. I got this strange lobster dish, which basically looked like they had exploded the body cavity of a lobster and injected it with 10 pounds of shredded crabmeat, complete with little pieces of shells throughout every bite. The only saving grace, I kept telling myself, was that at least this would make a great story for the Retail Design Diva.
--Jessie Bove
Photo: The VooDoo Cafe in RIO, Las Vegas.
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