If DJT had had as many customers as it does people willing to write superlatives about it, it would still be in business. ELV was blown away by all the love and commentary generated by our simple post of last week that the fine dining concept was kaput after four months. But obviously, enough people received a taste of it to know why we were so disappointed.

For the last(?) words on the topic, I’ll leave you with this exchange between DJT’s (now departed) chef de cuisine David Varley and The World’s Greatest Restaurant Critic:*

DV: DJT and the Trump Hotel were two of the biggest gambles in a city known for brazen. uncalculated moves. To open a very straightforward hotel….and a large one at that, in a city of mega resorts is a gamble. To expect those guests to stay on property and utilize the dining venue was idiotic, especially because there are not reasons for guests to stay on peoperty and no reasons for outsiders to visit. It’s like running a youth hostel in Ibiza.** There was a surplus of talent propertywide from the people behind the scenes to those in direct contact (with customers). The F&B team was the finest I have worked with outside of the St. Regis in NYC. The enthusiasm, passion and commitment in that department from Joe Isadori on down to the stewards was the finest the city. I am glad too have been a part of it and am as disgusted as everyone else that it failed. Bottom line (and being a Monday morning quarterback***) we all should have seen that coming like a freight train.

ELV: Well, I must agree and disagree with mon ami DV. Whatever brazenness once existed in Vegas left with Lefty Rosenthal and his gang of thieves back in the early ’80’s. These days, every move in every hotel – from the napery to the nachos – is calculated to within an inch of everyone’s life, and DJT was no exception. BTW: I will cherish the ultra-fine napkins I….uh…er…purloined from DJT on several occasions and now only regret I didn’t lift more of them to complete my set.

Such a fine operation was planned and executed to perfection by everyone on the ground (as the current saying goes), but a perfect storm of bad market conditions (really bad) and no marketing conspired to do it in. With more hotel customers (or how about any? – the Trump International is about 20% occupied these days), a marketing plan, and a corporate commitment to push such excellence out there to the national and international media for a year or so, DJT would’ve been a shining star in our restaurant constellation.

As it was, it was but a small meteor streaking through our night sky. But like all meteors, it was something to behold.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* Self-proclaimed, but also heartily endorsed as such by Ruth Schroader Curtas of Athens, Georgia – The Official Mother of ELV.

** ELV wouldn’t know. ELV doesn’t do youth hostels. ELV didn’t do youth hostels even when ELV was a ute.

*** ELV prefers Tuesday Morning Quarterback.