We just got back from a three-night trip to Biloxi, a Beau Rivage air package out of St. Pete/Clearwater airport. We've done this package a lot over the years, previously with either the now-gone Gulfport Grand or the IP, more recently only the Beau has the air packages. Linda (wife) got a slightly enriched offer, $40 pp FP with the package, so we made it an anniversary trip. When we got there, we also got another $10 in "we've missed you" FP; Linda got another $10 for making 100 points ($1K coin-in on VP). Oddly enough, we also were both given Pearl status (second tier), can't figure that one out since we haven't given MGM much play over the years. Not complaining, though. We had a lot of fun, hit some new places, did some VP scouting (the vpFree2 databases for Mississippi are usually outdated), wound up down about $500. Also had a lot less trouble with the passing hurricane than was predicted, it was windy and pretty cloudy, but weather was never a factor. Travel was easy, between the free Boomtown shuttle and the CTA buses (Casino Hopper, and the Beachcomber to get out to Treasure Bay). Anyway, here's the rundown:
SUNDAY
Easy flight and easy enough transfers from the airport in Gulfport (aside from a surly driver who was easy to make fun of), we wound up getting a Gulf view room for the first time. Nice room as always; we're used to downtown properties in Vegas (MSS, Four Queens), so this was a pleasure.
We got settled and went up to the IP to play and for dinner. The only real playable game there was Illinois Deuces, at the Insomnia Bar, had some fun with that. Linda also met some folks and helped them lose some money at the blackjack table ($10 DD, DAS, H17, 6 deck). Dinner was at 32, we've always wanted to eat there. Overall an excellent meal with a few uneven spots, great service, theoretically a great view if it weren't for the weather. Dungeness crab bisque was excellent. Linda had a BLT salad that was also very good, nice green goddess dressing but a bit too much tarragon for her taste. I had a salt-roasted beet salad that was fairly lackluster, beets retained too much salt and not enough flavor. Linda had a USDA prime Delmonico and some excellent white cheddar grits with bacon; my ribeye (45 day dry-aged in-house, and very skillfully so) was a truly memorable steak, perfectly aged and cooked, nicely marbled.
I also had some very good roasted cauliflower with an uninspired goat cheese mousse. I do wish we had had room for dessert.
After dinner, we went over to Boomtown, had a lot of fun there. I found some dollar 8/5 BPAF machines, hit two quads quickly (neither premium) and turned $100 into $300. Got some FP as well, they're pretty generous with that. Back to the Beau and to bed.
MONDAY
Got up early and got some coffee at the center bar at the Beau, which is also where the least crappy VP is. The bartops have 8/5 JoB with a progressive, for quarters and dollars. There are two progressives, one for the east side of the bar, one for the west. The quarter progressive on the west side was at around $1100 and it was crowded; on the east side, it was $1450 and nobody was playing at all (well, one woman was playing keno). Go figure. Anyway, I didn't hit the progressive, pretty much broke even, then played my $50 FP, hit two quads with that and turned it into $120. Linda did fairly well with hers as well, cashed out a little over $50. Also watched the baccarat table for a bit; lots of $500 and $1000 chips at the Beau. Most people were playing around $500/hand, one guy was playing $5000-10,000/hand. Everyone was charting the results in their own way, generally in two colors of ink. I guess nobody believes that baccarat is fundamentally heads-or-tails with a lot of ritual.
We walked up to the Ole Biloxi Schooner for lunch, it's been there for decades but was moved and rebuilt after Katrina. Still looks like a 1960s lunch counter.
Neat place, had some okay seafood gumbo, schooner fries (with debris gravy, cheddar and bacon--very addictive) and oyster po' boys.
Very good sandwiches, could have used more oysters but still a very good sandwich. The chef came out and told us something about the Fed declaring the Biloxi oysters unfit for consumption because of water pollution or something like that, but that he's been eating them his whole life with no ill effects and serves them with pride. I think he knows more about frying than about marketing. They were good oysters, though, and we're just fine so far.
Took the Casino Hopper from the bus station (1 block from the Schooner) to Boomtown, tried some $1 Bonus Deluxe, which can be fun but a real bitch when you don't get quads (which I didn't). Did okay on blackjack, though ($10 DD, DAS, H17). We went back to the IP, lost a bit at Illinois Deuces, then went back to the Beau for what's become a fairly lackluster dinner buffet (free, though, a MyVegas reward). This buffet used to be a lot better; still good variety, but mediocre quality (not nearly as bad as the surprisingly terrible buffet at the MGM Grand, which is comparable to any of the Vegas Axis of Evil buffets: Circus Circus, Imperial Palace, Sahara). Played a little more at the bar and went to bed.
TUESDAY
That bartop progressive is up to $1525 this morning; still, most people are either playing keno or playing one quarter per hand to get comped drinks. I did lousy but broke even after getting a late quad. The plan for today was to head out to Treasure Bay, about 4 miles west on US90, easily accessed by the Beachcomber bus. It's an interesting place, basically a 1970s-style motor court with a tower of rooms and a casino added. Friendly place, good BJ ($10 DD, DAS, S17), okay VP (mostly played 8/5 BP for 50 cents). Did okay, first session was spiced up by dealt quad deuces.
Enjoyed our day there, and hit the buffet early, they have Dungeness crab legs every day.
The buffet room looked terrible, just a big lunchroom, but the food was all surprisingly good, lots of local food, surprisingly good gumbo, great fried chicken, good Dungeness and great snow crab legs. Played a bit more, back to the Beau for a cigar and a little more VP, then bedtime.
WEDNESDAY
Early departure, played some more VP at the bar, the progressive was up to $1615, but needless to say, I didn't hit it. Grabbed some coffee, easy bus ride back to the airport and easy flight back home.
Overall, it was a fun trip, we enjoyed Treasure Bay, and I'm glad to see Boomtown putting in some playable games. Could have done with fewer buffets, and wish we had made it to Mary Mahoney's again. Probably next time. We'll see if any interesting offers come in the mail. Thanks for reading, next trip is Vegas in February!
SUNDAY
Easy flight and easy enough transfers from the airport in Gulfport (aside from a surly driver who was easy to make fun of), we wound up getting a Gulf view room for the first time. Nice room as always; we're used to downtown properties in Vegas (MSS, Four Queens), so this was a pleasure.
We got settled and went up to the IP to play and for dinner. The only real playable game there was Illinois Deuces, at the Insomnia Bar, had some fun with that. Linda also met some folks and helped them lose some money at the blackjack table ($10 DD, DAS, H17, 6 deck). Dinner was at 32, we've always wanted to eat there. Overall an excellent meal with a few uneven spots, great service, theoretically a great view if it weren't for the weather. Dungeness crab bisque was excellent. Linda had a BLT salad that was also very good, nice green goddess dressing but a bit too much tarragon for her taste. I had a salt-roasted beet salad that was fairly lackluster, beets retained too much salt and not enough flavor. Linda had a USDA prime Delmonico and some excellent white cheddar grits with bacon; my ribeye (45 day dry-aged in-house, and very skillfully so) was a truly memorable steak, perfectly aged and cooked, nicely marbled.
I also had some very good roasted cauliflower with an uninspired goat cheese mousse. I do wish we had had room for dessert.
After dinner, we went over to Boomtown, had a lot of fun there. I found some dollar 8/5 BPAF machines, hit two quads quickly (neither premium) and turned $100 into $300. Got some FP as well, they're pretty generous with that. Back to the Beau and to bed.
MONDAY
Got up early and got some coffee at the center bar at the Beau, which is also where the least crappy VP is. The bartops have 8/5 JoB with a progressive, for quarters and dollars. There are two progressives, one for the east side of the bar, one for the west. The quarter progressive on the west side was at around $1100 and it was crowded; on the east side, it was $1450 and nobody was playing at all (well, one woman was playing keno). Go figure. Anyway, I didn't hit the progressive, pretty much broke even, then played my $50 FP, hit two quads with that and turned it into $120. Linda did fairly well with hers as well, cashed out a little over $50. Also watched the baccarat table for a bit; lots of $500 and $1000 chips at the Beau. Most people were playing around $500/hand, one guy was playing $5000-10,000/hand. Everyone was charting the results in their own way, generally in two colors of ink. I guess nobody believes that baccarat is fundamentally heads-or-tails with a lot of ritual.
We walked up to the Ole Biloxi Schooner for lunch, it's been there for decades but was moved and rebuilt after Katrina. Still looks like a 1960s lunch counter.
Neat place, had some okay seafood gumbo, schooner fries (with debris gravy, cheddar and bacon--very addictive) and oyster po' boys.
Very good sandwiches, could have used more oysters but still a very good sandwich. The chef came out and told us something about the Fed declaring the Biloxi oysters unfit for consumption because of water pollution or something like that, but that he's been eating them his whole life with no ill effects and serves them with pride. I think he knows more about frying than about marketing. They were good oysters, though, and we're just fine so far.
Took the Casino Hopper from the bus station (1 block from the Schooner) to Boomtown, tried some $1 Bonus Deluxe, which can be fun but a real bitch when you don't get quads (which I didn't). Did okay on blackjack, though ($10 DD, DAS, H17). We went back to the IP, lost a bit at Illinois Deuces, then went back to the Beau for what's become a fairly lackluster dinner buffet (free, though, a MyVegas reward). This buffet used to be a lot better; still good variety, but mediocre quality (not nearly as bad as the surprisingly terrible buffet at the MGM Grand, which is comparable to any of the Vegas Axis of Evil buffets: Circus Circus, Imperial Palace, Sahara). Played a little more at the bar and went to bed.
TUESDAY
That bartop progressive is up to $1525 this morning; still, most people are either playing keno or playing one quarter per hand to get comped drinks. I did lousy but broke even after getting a late quad. The plan for today was to head out to Treasure Bay, about 4 miles west on US90, easily accessed by the Beachcomber bus. It's an interesting place, basically a 1970s-style motor court with a tower of rooms and a casino added. Friendly place, good BJ ($10 DD, DAS, S17), okay VP (mostly played 8/5 BP for 50 cents). Did okay, first session was spiced up by dealt quad deuces.
Enjoyed our day there, and hit the buffet early, they have Dungeness crab legs every day.
The buffet room looked terrible, just a big lunchroom, but the food was all surprisingly good, lots of local food, surprisingly good gumbo, great fried chicken, good Dungeness and great snow crab legs. Played a bit more, back to the Beau for a cigar and a little more VP, then bedtime.
WEDNESDAY
Early departure, played some more VP at the bar, the progressive was up to $1615, but needless to say, I didn't hit it. Grabbed some coffee, easy bus ride back to the airport and easy flight back home.
Overall, it was a fun trip, we enjoyed Treasure Bay, and I'm glad to see Boomtown putting in some playable games. Could have done with fewer buffets, and wish we had made it to Mary Mahoney's again. Probably next time. We'll see if any interesting offers come in the mail. Thanks for reading, next trip is Vegas in February!
