Ellis Island Casino vs Atelier

I start by asking, What is the point of going out to eat? Why do you select a restaurant, why do you go back, why do you tell people about it?

I am often asked, for someone who claims to be a foodie like you, why are you holding down the mayorship of KFC on Foursquare, and at the same time, complain about so many restaurants that are well rated. How could KFC satisfy your foodie pallet, but Gordon Ramsay fail it?

My Answer is simple, and it I guess has to do with my first question, Why do I go out to eat? See Al Paccino had it right in The Glengarry Glenross movie when he was talking about sex. When you look back, you can never remember the climax, but you always remember the person, where you met them, that thing they said the got you hooked, a certain look they gave you, a smile, etc… in the end, its not about the climax is it?

So its not about the food, food is the climax of the whole experience. The place, the way you are treated, the atmosphere, the presentation, the memories it invokes, how it makes you feel, is all part of the build up. The taste, ya ya ya, it ends as soon as it starts. I bet you can not properly describe how the best meal you ever had tasted. I bet if I blind folded you, you will not be able to recognize half the ingredients in it. But I bet you would remember that restaurant where you had your first date, even though the cook sent you a burnt garlic bread, that you could not afford in the first place, but still ate it because you dont want to look like a loser in front of your date and complain, it was at Dunns. I bet you remember when a waitress went out of her way to make sure your dad got a pie in the face on his birthday because you asked her to do it, I remember it, it was at Montana’s, I dont remember what we ate, we have a picture of the pie in the face, the rest, irrelevant.

Fine dinning? what is that? Will I impress you if I said in a very mumbled french accent. In front of you, is 3 layers of baked Saskatchewan wheat, topped with a double of seared beef, grilled pork belly, seasonal greens, slightly aged Cheddar cheese, and special sauce to compliment the meal (its our chefs secret recipe)? You guessed it, I am describing a Big Mac. I am not impressed with this, I don’t care….

If you are going to Las Vegas and I come to know of it, I will tell you to make sure you go to Ellis Island Casino. By Las Vegas Standards, Heck, by all standards, its a DUMP. It is unlike casinos within walking distance where you can dine on a $90 Burger or a $350 3 Michelin Star restaurant. The casino has 2 restaurant choices for you. 1) Take out pizza 2) BBQ. There is a long wait, its dark, its old, its dirty. Once your name is called, you walk outside to be seated on plastic lawn chairs. The waiter walks up to you, and asks you a simple question, chicken, ribs or both? You see there is no menu. There is a strong smell of charcoal, heck you actually sit next to the BBQ and watch the cook smother the food with massive amounts of BBQ sauce, so much so that he is covered from head to toe with it. I always go for the combo. Oh there is no drink menu, there is 6 types of beer you can chose from, all brewed on the premises in a dungeon like area you walk through on your way to eat. The meal comes in about 10 minutes, served on a plastic platter, with a plastic fork and knife, the waiter never says a word, they dont socialize, they dont pretend to care, they just give you food that is so good, it makes you melt on the inside, you leave stuffed and satisfied all in, a full rack of ribs, half a chicken all the fixings, $8.99 with a $1 beer if you choose. But more importantly lots of stories to tell, It is guaranteed to be the only casino in Vegas where you really have fun. Black jack min bet of $1, the place is stuck in the 60′s there is so much character and history, but more importantly the stories, like the one time I was told by a toupee wearing man that he does not like immigrants, or the time a drunk lady asked me to go and karaoke, or the time the lady to told me to leave the slot machine cause that is her machine, or Elvis, or the one and only time, I ever split 4 aces. The place just has an awesome vibe, the fact the food is great, that is extra.

Last Saturday I went to Atelier, one of Ottawa’s “finest”, they serve “Molecular gastronomy”. Had to reserve 7 weeks ahead of time to get in. We arrived the place is very retro, sat down, a wine menu and a Sommelier greeted us, bread with powdered butter was served. The only think Atelier has in common with Ellis Island Casino is… No menu. Food dictatorship is rampant these days. First course, a nacho lollipop, basically frozen sour cream with salsa, Not the best. The rest, 11 courses worth, each has the equivalent of 1 bite, where an extreme elaborate assembly of blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah, bon appetite, followed by blah blah blah blah blah, bon appetite. on one of the courses, even the waitress mixed a blah with another and got all confused. In the end, $130 later, $10 per very confusing bite, not much to say. Will I go again? maybe if you buy. And its not that it was bad, it was fine, just not memorable, not satisfying, very pretentious. Powdered butter, WHO CARES?

Ellis Island Casino? every time I am in Vegas

Why do you go to restaurants, is it really about the taste?