The Lobby Bar is located, as you may have surmised, right around the corner from the Encore's guest registration area. It's open to the casino and lobby on all four sides and is decorated with plush red and gold sofas, lacquered tables for two, black floors inlaid with colorful mosaic tiles, and a huge golden statue of Daphne sprouting light bulbs and red lamp shades along with the requisite tree branches. Jay and I have since decided that the decor is a whimsical mix of baroque and late nineteenth century frontier bordello.
In the mornings this is the easiest place at the Encore to grab some fresh coffee and a quick breakfast snack; once the clock turns noon they open up the cafe and serve light appetizers, caviar, and a full range of specialty cocktails. To be honest, we would never have stopped here for anything other than coffee if it hadn't been for the strategically placed, oh-so-clever signs that caught my wandering eye one afternoon:
Tapas Tree - Three Appetizer Selections for $21.
A pun?
And an appetizer sampler?
What's not to like?
To tree or not to tree ... that is the question.
For our appetizers we chose Beef Carpaccio with Parmesan Cheese and Capers; Ham and Swiss Cheese Paninis; and Chicken and Amarillo Pepper Empanadas. There were about a dozen different items to choose from with the tapas tree, and there were also salads and sandwiches available for guests who wanted something a bit more substantial. Jay and I assumed that we were paying primarily for the presentation, which was pretty freaking cool - a miniature Daphne-tree was delivered to the table with three small, glass plates of food nestled in the branches. It was one of the most charming and whimsical things we tried during our trip and once we realized that the food was actually quite good we were very pleased with our decision to stop here for a snack.
Tapas Tree
Tapas Tree - again
The carpaccio was very good - several thinly sliced pieces of beef with lots of shaved parmesan cheese; I ended up eating most of this selection, although I did share a bit with the hubba! Our other two choices were also very tasty - yummy little grilled ham and cheese finger sandwiches and plump empanadas bursting with chicken and spicy cheese. It was the perfect mid-afternoon snack for the two of us to share!
Beef Carpaccio & Accessories
Empanada and Panini
To accompany our finger food Jay and I each ordered the Lobby Bar's specialty cocktail: The Earl Grey Martini. The drink was a blend of Earl Grey infused Plymouth Gin, Limoncello, Sweet and Sour, and Agave Nectar and it was, in a word, amazing!! It tasted of lemon-infused herbal tea and was so well mixed and so subtle that there wasn't a hint of alcohol ... until we stood up to leave!
Earl Grey Martini
We enjoyed the atmosphere, food, and drinks at the Lobby Bar so much that we came back late one night with Catherine and tried to order another tree and some drinks only to be told that the kitchen closed at 10PM - that just didn't make good sense to us since the establishment stays open until 4AM and is located right off the casino floor; to be candid this was the biggest, and only, flaw we could really find with the place. Jay and I would definitely spend more time here on our next trip and suggest you do the same if a Vegas visit is looming on your horizon!
1 comment:
Looks like a great place except for closing down food at 10:00 pm. Every thing you ate looked yummy but I'll pass on the earl grey drink, don't like tea!
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