Another day, another comped meal. This time it was the elaborate Wynn buffet for an early 5:30 PM dinner.

We stopped by the player's club booth to get our comps activated. They reviewed our slot play and determined we were eligible for two free buffets as well as a line pass to avoid a long wait. This was not my first time eating the buffet at the Wynn, but this was my first time with a camera, my new must-have for anywhere I go now that I am a card-carrying blogger.

We entered through the private reserved line using our pass and were able to bypass about 2 people. I think it was just very early for dinner and we were in between the lunch and dinner crowds. Had we waited until 7 PM to 9 PM to eat, the line pass would likely have been a huge plus. As it was, I kinda felt silly skipping in front of Bob and Thelma from Des Moines as they were busy searching their fanny packs for exact change.

The total was $81.25 including tax and not including gratuity. DAAAAAMMMNNN that's aggressive pricing. When you see the spread, it seems more reasonable, but I'm sure happy we were comped. If you want alcohol, that's extra.

Here's what you see when you first walk in:

I started off with a sampling of a few different salads including a delicious Caesar complete with a couple whole anchovies. Yum. Also, I had a few cheeses from the salad bar including Havarti, Gouda, cheddar, and blue cheese. A few loose pistachios and a bowl of tomato bisque completed my first course (or "trip" as I call it at a buffet). Sorry no pictures of these.

For trip 2, my date and I decided to divide and conquer. She went to the seafood; I went to the meat. We normally share all our courses so we can try various items. As she waited in the shrimp and crab leg line, I hit the prime rib, lamb chop, and grilled veggies section. Here's how my plate looked before I dug in:

I have a picture of my date's seafood plate, but it was half eaten and doesn't look quite so appetizing in high-def so you'll just have to take my word that it was delectably delightful. Each item on my plate was very tasty. The prime rib was of a very high quality and the lamb chops were tender and flavorful. The grilled veggies, asparagus, and corn also were seasoned well with garlic and spices.

The rest of the story is likely best told in pictures. What you see in my little gallery here is only a fraction of what's available in the whole buffet. I focused on some items that are of particular interest to me, but there are many that you may like. One example was the dim sum offered. I'm not a dim sum fan, but if you are, they offer a small selection.

On to the photos:

At breakfast they have an omelet station. At dinner they have a pasta station as well as this noodle station. Get a bowl of Asian soup and pick your ingredients and broth.

I traveled to Spain when I was 18 years old and one of my favorite memories was how they served gazpacho soup along with diced veggies to add on your own. I've been unable to find gazpacho like that in America but the Wynn buffet has it. Cold tomato soup, and add your chilled, crisp, cut-up, vegetables.

Here are little glasses of random gourmet items. I don't know what you would call them. Salads perhaps. If you can't read the signs, here are what they say left-to-right: 1) Marinated Mushroom (Balsamic Reduction), 2) Grilled Red Onion and Orange Segments, 3) White Anchovies and Roasted Peppers, 4) Oven Dried Tomatoes (Shaved Ricotta, Roasted Garlic), 5) Currant Tomatoes and Micro Mozzarella (Lemon Oil).

A little sushi selection including a salmon hand roll, a veggie roll, and a California roll. (Can you label them as to which is which?)

Shrimp gumbo, shrimp sandwich, shrimp stew, shrimp kabob, shrimp ... sorry just was thinking of Bubba for a moment. Anyway, all the shrimp you wanna eat, and they're already peeled. At other buffets when I hear "peel-and-eat shrimp," I think to myself, "No shrimp for me." Ya, I guess I'm spoiled, but I sure like being able to dip them, and chomp them, without the hassle.

Ah, the crab legs. The line is always the longest to get here. I have never seen people stack a plate so high. Sometimes people are doing balancing acts, carrying two plates loaded with crab legs so high that they look like they're walking on a tight rope getting back to their tables. I want to tell these people, "You know, you can always go back for more."

Remember when I told you about the price? Well how much would a nice restaurant charge for unlimited crab legs, prime rib, lamb chops, and other gourmet items? I'd think more than $40 a person. In other words, I think the price is well-justified, just a little eye-popping at first glance.

And to finish, I chose my 3 favorite Wynn buffet desserts from their selection of candied apples, pastries, ice creams, cakes, pies, cookies, puddings, and other confections. Here's the picture:

A final trio of creme brulee, key lime pie, and green tea mousse. The key lime pie is very tart to the point where you pucker up from the extreme flavor. The green tea mousse had a softer finish and was not as sweet as other desserts. The creme brulee, ah, decadence. It's like liquid sugar... only better.

The Wynn buffet gives a large variety of different food experiences and is a great choice for a group visiting town if you're up for the price tag. While it's high, it gives you the opportunity to eat gourmet foods that would cost you more in a traditional sit-down restaurant. The Wynn has always had a good promo for new player club sign ups where if you earn a minimal amount of points, they'll give you two free buffets. This is probably the best route to get in the door. Check with the player's club for details.

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