Earlier this month I had the opportunity to spend a full week in Las Vegas for work. I hadn't been to Vegas in four years and I was really looking forward to my second visit.
I was traveling with a coworker who had never been to Vegas, so I let her research and make reservations for all the nights we could have dinner on our own.
On our first night, we walked from our hotel (Planet Hollywood) down the strip to the Wynn.
Outside the entrance to the Wynn is a large scale water fall. Vegas isn't so much into the subtlety.
When we entered the hotel we walked through the most beautiful, illuminated botanical garden on our way to the restaurant.
We finally reached our destination, Red 8, and before we even set foot inside, I knew I was going to love it.
From the hallway you could see into the restaurant through a parted curtain. The red and black color scheme is so dramatic.
Inside the restaurant, you walk past four large red columns before you enter the dining room.
We were seated on the left side of the dining room which was a bit quieter and more cozy.
The table settings were gorgeous and felt very luxurious.
We started off with drinks. My dinner date wasn't in the mood for a cocktail, so ordered one of the mocktails. She chose the watermelon cooler which was garnished with a nice big sprig of fresh mint.
I ordered the Red 8 Flirtini. I basically chose it for the lychee. It was a grapefruit pink color and very delicious.
To start, we shared an order of spring rolls. They had a crispy exterior and were packed with fresh veggies.
We were having a tough time deciding what to get for our main course and our waiter basically strong armed us into his recommendations. He was so adamant it was kind of hard to go another way.
His first suggestion was the brown rice with mixed vegetables. Though it came served in an elegant bowl, the rice itself was mostly tossed with broccoli and scallions. I was hoping for a bit more variety in the veggies.
He also recommended the Gardein chicken with cashews and celery. For those who aren't unfamiliar, Gardein is fake meat.
Though I like Gardein, I don't love celery and that was the majority of the dish. The silver lining was the bites with cashews. They added great crunch.
I think had I ordered things that appealed to me, as opposed to going with our waiter's ideas, I might have really loved Red 8. The restaurant was stunning, the cocktail was refreshing and the food was high quality. Next time I'll stick to my guns.
We walked out of the hotel a different way than we came in and this new path lead us to a gorgeous room with floral floor titles.
If you peered over the gold railings, there were Koi ponds!
This is what I love about Las Vegas, there is no such thing as too over the top. Anything goes!
I have many more restaurant reviews to share with you from my time in Sin City. Stay tuned!
