Las Vegas' best Sunday smorgy is, without a doubt, the Sterling Brunch at Bally's. It's also the most expensive buffet in town.
This ultra-gourmet spread is served from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Sunday only) in Bally's Steakhouse. The Champagne is Perrier-Jouet ($35-$40 per bottle in a wine shop).
The menu changes with the seasons, but staples include fresh sushi (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, eel, squid), oysters (raw and Rockefeller) and other cold shellfish (shrimp and crab claws), smoked salmon and trout, chilled lobster gazpacho, French country pâtés, sturgeon caviar and blinis, and a killer rack of lamb that leads a parade of meats and breakfasty entrées, such as eggs Benedict and the Sterling's signature omelet made with lobster, Cognac, and boursin cheese.
Speaking of lobster, this brunch is also known for its broiled lobster tails and claws. On one visit, when our reviewers failed to locate them at the serving stations, the waiter brought a plateful to their table.
For dessert, you'll find bananas Foster and crème brulée, along with another mainstay: big goblets of fresh berries.
Throughout the meal, as you'd expect, a veritable river of Champagne flows from the bottle into your glass. The service is uniformly excellent. It's amazing how the wait staff is always on the spot, supplying what you need or want practically before you know you need or want it.
You can and must make reservations as far in advance as possible. The buffet opens at 9:30 and the last seating is at 1:30, but go earlier to get the full (and fresher) selections.
Lately, we've heeded the seldom-heard discouraging word about the Sterling. Diners have complained about the lack of caviar; dry, too-highly seasoned, and scarce lobster; and a messy dining room. Also, we've heard reports that if you don't present a Harrah's Total Rewards card at the door, you're treated like second-class citizens and given tables in Al Dente, the Italian restaurant next door, which is used for "overflow" seating.
Of course, for $75, expectations going in to the Sterling are necessarily high, so for some, it may be impossible for the actual experience to live up to the advance hype (especially if you're the one forking over the dough for the rest of your party). If you're worried about any of this or if you can't fade the per-person price tag, consider one other idea for a special-occasion non-traditional-buffet Sunday brunch.
The Steakhouse Brunch, in the quiet and elegant Steakhouse restaurant at Circus Circus, features omelet, pancake, and carving stations, plus fresh shrimp, oysters, crab claws, and an assortment of deli-style fish. Included in the price is your choice of entrée (usually beef, lamb, or specialty egg dishes) prepared in the kitchen and delivered tableside. The champagne is Domain St. Michelle and your glass gets filled often. Reserve ahead for one of three seatings (9:30 am, 11:30 am, or 1:30 pm).
Sure, you have to pass through Circus Circus to get to the Steakhouse, but if anything, the contrast between the madhouse casino outside and the serene and comfortable setting inside is conducive to an even more enjoyable dining experience.
The price is $36.95; children under six eat for free and for children six to 14, it's $25.
