March 30, 2001
At $52.95 plus tax, no buffet or Sunday brunch is more expensive. But consideration of the relatively high cost for this dining experience brings into question the concept of "value." As several have noted in various online forums, "value" does not necessarily equate with "cheap." "Cheap" usually means getting away for the lowest dollar-cost possible. But "value" means that you receive a superb product for your money, even if the absolute outlay is significant. It then follows that whether you receive value for your money depends on your personal opinion of whether benefits vs. outlay are reasonable.
I've said this before: A visit to the Sterling Brunch is like a visit to a fine gourmet restaurant, except that your visit gives you the chance to order a sample of everything on the menu. This wonderful brunch is value personified.
The Sterling Brunch is served in Bally's Steak House. This dining room has undergone a remodeling and offers a plush setting in which to enjoy the food. Tables are set with linen tablecloths and about eight different knives, forks and spoons. Formally dressed waiters take beverage orders, clear the tables, and pour Mumm Cordon Rouge champagne. We've noted, however, that the champagne selection changes from time to time.
Here is a complete listing of the items offered this day at the Sterling Brunch:
APPETIZERS-
Fresh smoked Nova salmon with its garnish and bagels; sturgeon caviar and warm
blinis; fresh sliced fruit; assorted fruits with yogurt sauce; prosciutto mousse
on red raspberries, mint garnish; assorted pates; shrimp bar with two sauces;
oysters and clams on the half-shell; seasonal berries with brown sugar, sour
and whipped cream; sushi made to order; assortment of meats, imported and domestic
cheeses; California field greens with choice of dressings and accompaniments;
Caesar salad; seafood salad - shrimp and seasoning, delicately mixed with a
Continental sauce; vegetable salad - fresh vegetables marinated with herbs and
vinaigrette; lamb and red potato salad with lime vinaigrette; spicy octopus
island salad; Waldorf salad; lobster gazpacho.
FROM THE CARVING STATION-
Thai-marinated lamb rack; herb-crusted lamb rack; roast salmon in phyllo dough
with shrimp spinach mousseline; Chinese barbecue sauce, leek beurre blanc, chayote
salsa; apple Calvados butter.
FROM THE GUERRIDON-
Diner's selection of eggs and omelets prepared to order; waffles with assorted
toppings.
ENTREES-
Mandarin crepe with cherry sauce; omelet with asparagus tips, red peppers and
toasted walnuts; poached egg with spicy pork tenderloin, accompanied by Cajun
hollandaise; Machaca scrambled eggs with jalapeno cheese; roasted red thumb
potatoes; oyster champagne sabayon, clams Provencale, mussels Café de
Paris; bacon & sausage; fresh vegetables; French goat cheese tortellini
in marjoram cream sauce; grilled swordfish, New Zealand mussels, garlic watercress
sauce; veal tenderloin piccata with citrus risotto; roasted pheasant breast
with diablo sauce; chanterelles crusted beef tenderloin with roasted shallots
and Pinot Noir au jus; Bally's fresh broiled Maine lobster.
DESSERTS-
An array of assorted breakfast breads, French pastries, pies and tortes; Normandy
French toast with cinnamon ice cream.
We spent almost two hours at the Sterling Brunch, savoring the leisurely atmosphere and the exquisite food in equal measure. I especially enjoyed the small but unusually creative selection of sugar-free desserts, which included cheese cake, tiramisu, and pineapple torte.
Among our favorite items were the sushi prepared and served by a Japanese chef, the rack of lamb, the veal tenderloin, the beef tenderloin, and of course, the broiled Maine lobster. The lobsters were served in halves, making it easy to scoop out the luscious tails, and were topped with a mouth-watering shrimp stuffing. It was clear that the lobsters were the most popular item on the menu, as everyone seemed to be digging into them while the staff kept bringing out one container of lobsters after another.
The total amount we paid for two with tax and gratuity was $140, and it was worth every penny. Don't miss a chance to enjoy Bally's Sterling Brunch if you truly want to experience some of the best food Las Vegas has to offer.
Was this good value for the money? Well, how's this for a benchmark: As we left the dining room, I took a look at the menu displayed at the entrance of the adjacent Seasons Restaurant, Bally's gourmet dining room. Seasons offers a lobster dinner for $75, which includes one Maine lobster. I ate four of them (eight halves) at the Sterling Brunch, not to mention all the other good stuff.
Call 702-739-4111 for reservations. Reserving two weeks ahead is not a bad idea.
--Best wishes from David in NV
