Grand Café Red Rock
Sticky Bun
Apple Fritter
Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes
Tableside Flambee Bananas Foster French Toast
Kitchen Sink Cookie / Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
Carrot Cake Bar
Located within walking distance of my door, and visited frequently for movies as well as meals at Hearthstone, I’d admittedly not given much thought to Red Rocks Resort and Casino’s other dining options until I found out an old colleague was in town for a Bariatric Surgery conference and with her packed lecture schedule largely precluding lunch or dinner the decision was made to meet up at Grand Café for breakfast, the resulting meal anything but ‘physician approved’ but surprisingly delicious with service that outperformed nearly any of Las Vegas Boulevard’s 24/7 dining options by a country mile.
Arriving just after 7:00am, but requiring a reprint of my Boarding Pass in order to collect on a $15 coupon, it was a few minutes later than anticipated that the two of us sat down in the large dining area overlooking an expectedly empty pool and deferring the order to me with the stipulation that we must try the pancakes a three-course meal was requested, a smiling Hispanic waitress effortlessly managing a half-dozen tables while keeping water brimming and the silver coffee pot of surprisingly balanced brew filled throughout the hour long stay.
Starting off with two pastries, the chopped pecan topped sticky bun and house-made apple fritter both rewarmed at our request, it was much to my astonishment that Red Rocks’ in-house pastry team makes items throughout the day in order to replenish supplies and although the fritter was a touch too oily despite being jammed-packed with apples the nicely laminated bun unraveled as a textbook spiral, the exterior golden and crunchy while the interior featured a springy yeasted stretch packed with butter and cinnamon notes.
Moving onward to entrees, the four-stack of chocolate chip studded buttermilk flapjacks taking no shortcuts and fluffy as can be despite the bargain basement price of $8.78, there was no way I was passing of the “house specialty” Bananas Foster French Toast and with an unexpected tableside show of liquor-laced caramel being lit ablaze as it was poured over thick egg-bread with whipped cream added afterward every single bite of the dish was well worth not only the $8.95 tab, but also the signature status – easily one of the best off-Strip French Toasts in town and the only one I know of that is delivered with such flair.
Sitting, chatting, and sipping at third pot of coffee with my friend stating she couldn’t possibly eat another bite it was only here that I realized I’d not yet spent the requisite $30 to qualify for use of the coupon and leaving aside just how much of a bargain that indicates for the rest of what we ordered it also justified the purchase of a trio of desserts, the elegant carrot cake beneath crispy praline bark proving quite moist even before considering the rich cream cheese frosting while both of the cookies were admittedly quite sweet, though soft centered with a crispy rim that held up nicely for an afternoon snack later that day.
FOUR STARS: Using the coupon with a total bill after tax and tip ringing in at a mere $26 one would be hard pressed to name a better bargain for such a large amount of surprisingly well made food in any Southern Nevada casino and with service proving better than several places charging more than twice the price for food no better I’ve little doubt I’ll revisit Grand Café sooner rather than later, at the very least to sample some more of the extensive pastry case…though I can’t rule out another order of fiery French Toast, as well.
RECOMMENDED: Bananas Foster French Toast, Buttermilk Pancakes, Sticky Bun.
AVOID: Apple Fritter, as there are simply better versions available elsewhere at less than the $1.25 cost.
TIP: Open 24/7, with everything but the Prime Rib and a few specials offered throughout the day and night, those looking for a bargain are encouraged to keep an eye on local mailers and papers, the $15 off $30 easily enough to feed a family of four for less than $20 if ordering right.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
https://redrock.sclv.com/Dining/Grand-Cafe.aspx
