From huge family-friendly food festivals, like the bi-annual Feast of San Gennaro that's currently underway on the west side, to the monthly downtown Vegas StrEATS food-truck gathering, to gourmet happenings like Bon Appetite's annual "Vegas Uncork'd" extravaganza, also taking place as we write, which celebrates fine dining, wines, and spirits, with celebrity chef-hosted dinners, tastings, and parties, Las Vegas has truly become a foodie heaven, whether you're in the market for exotic sushi flown in fresh from Japan or a homegrown hot dog.
It's been this evolution from our past reputation (in the main deserved) as a dining destination that valued quantity over quality that means Las Vegas can sensibly accommodate multiple resident food writers, with every major Strip resort worth its kosher salt now boasting a lineup of top chefs and sommeliers on the F&B roster. Events like the city-wide, week-long "Vegas Uncork'd" or the upcoming "Epicurean Affair," hosted by Venetian and Palazzo, in theory give these properties an opportunity to showcase their wares, while offering the public a chance to sample an array of dishes and drinks, all under one umbrella, that might otherwise be out of wallet-range, or which at least would entail committing time to multiple meals and restaurants.
Your question raises an interesting point, however: Do these culinary chow downs achieve these objectives, or is an eatery's ambiance a vital component of the enjoyment that you'll miss out on, eating off a paper plate by the hotel pool? In our personal experience, which has included "Vegas Uncork'd" and a previous showcase at the Palms called "Taste of the Nation" that's been discontinued under the new ownership, at least for this year, these events are really fun social events, both in terms of the dishes you get to sample and the famous chefs you get to meet (most of whom are colorful characters who relish the chance to chat about their craft). But we're not "professionals," so we turned this over to ELV's Al Mancini for his take. (We didn't hear back from John or Max in time for our deadline, but we've run into both of them at previous of these affairs, so if they're in town then they'll almost certainly be there.)
Al writes:
"There was a time when these "dine-around" events were rare treats, and no foodie worth his umami would miss one. These days, however, we seem to have several every month when the weather is nice. Because of this, competition has heated up for chefs (many of whom have multiple venues in town) and restaurants (it takes some planning to participate, not to mention taking staff away from their "day job," so a venue needs to pick and choose how many events it can commit to).
"Hence the individual events tend to be smaller these days and in some cases, participation is limited to restaurants from a single resort or resort group. [This may or may not be the case with the Epicurean Affair this year -- it's what the Box Office told LVA>/i> when they called this week, but the publicity to date has been vague on the subject and Public Relations evidently doesn't want to commit until nearer the time.]
"That said, if you’re an infrequent visitor to Las Vegas, it's almost always worth your while attending one of these gastronomic showcases: They’re fun, and you get a lot of food and a lot of booze. Even if the 75-or-so promised stations at Epicurean Affair turn out all to be culled from the host properties' own on-site restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, Venetian/Palazzo collectively boast five of our "Essential 50," including a Top Tenner, and have plenty more recommendable offerings, including two of our picks for "Best Wine Bar," so I don't think you'll be disappointed with the munchies or the vino.
"While some chefs occasionally phone it in, most of the restaurants who participate in these events consider it an important form of advertising and make sure to give it their best. For example, last year (or maybe it was two years ago - I must've sampled too many of the cocktails and it's a bit hazy), I recall having Nobu’s signature "Black Cod with Miso" -- a favorite of Chef Nobu's good friend Robert DeNiro -- at one of these events at Palazzo, and it was a huge, perfectly cooked portion, which would regularly be priced at around $23 on any Nobu restaurant menu. I could have made a meal of that alone. When you consider that the better Vegas buffets can cost $45 or more for dinner these days, without drinks, the all-inclusive price tags on these food festivals are generally pretty good value – especially if you plan to enjoy a few cocktails, like me. (Anthony Curtis often cites this booze add-on in the value-proposition. You get good wines and Champagnes, at these events, not PBR in a cup.)
"On the flip side, if you spend a lot of time in Las Vegas (or live here), you’ll want to pick and choose which of these events you attend: Weigh the ticket price against the list of participating restaurants, as well as any additional entertainment, but also keep in mind that proceeds from many go to benefit various charities, so that may be a factor in your decision-making, also.
"Unfortunately, the full chef lineup for the 2013 Epicurean Affair hasn’t been announced yet, but this is usually an event that draws top chefs from numerous resorts. Throw in the appearance by Daniel Boulud (most likely to announce his new restaurant), and even a snob like John Curtas is likely to attend. (John usually shuns events that cater to the masses – which is good for the masses!) Even at the regular General Admission price of $105, it's amazing value; at a mere $60 with the discount offer you jumped on, it’s a steal."
If, having read all this, you too would like to snag one of these $45-off tickets to the 2013 Epicurean Affair, taking place poolside at Palazso from 7-10 p.m. on May 23, then hurry, as the offer expires on Saturday! For notification about future deals like this on hotel rooms, show tickets, restaurant deals, and special events, often exclusive to LVA, sign up for our free weekly LVA Gold email newsletter.
