Category: Miscellaneous

Hi-Scores/The Players Club is a 1up in the Rough

Anyone who’s talked food with me in the past week will attest to my vigor in recommending this hip little spot down in Henderson.   If you can remember way way back when people couldn’t stop talking about Insert Coins because it was a new, cool idea?   Then, in our embarrassment at having had high hopes for a bar/arcade (I am loathe to use the portmanteau: Barcade) which were quickly dashed by what became one of the least appealing bars downtown, we quickly developed a Pavlovian gag-reflex against the concept?   Well, I do; that’s why the overbearing theme for my visits here at Hi-Scores were just “Surprise”.   A preface: I’m not even a ‘video game guy’, and even without that much interest in the subject (I’ll shoot up some Zombies when I’m there if the mood strikes, but that’s it) Hi-Scores and The Players Club stands very well on its own.  I have to say that there is no other restaurant or bar that has surprised me so thoroughly, in almost every facet.

The Hi-Scores Bar

First:  While these are technically two separate places, there are only a couple differences.  Primarily, it’s a matter of atmosphere;  the Hi-Scores side caters to a bit of a younger crowd, and is the primary video-game-centric side.  This is the side that has a slightly longer tap-list, is a bit more of a high energy setting, and has a ton of old arcade cabinet games, racing chairs, tabletop Pac-Man, and a row of modern gaming consoles on projectors.  The best part about this is that they are all free; not one red cent you’ll have to divert from your beer tab.  The other side is a more upscale venue.  It’s quieter, more relaxed, and just has a few Golden Tee type games.  They have a very solid list of whiskies and especially tequilas (look up that Casa Dragones tequila in the picture, it’s WORLD class), and is more cocktail focused than it is beer.  Aside from that, both sides have the same menu, same beer bottle list, and same craft cocktail list.

Casa Dragones. This is a beautiful tequila and I haven't seen it elsewhere in town...

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You say Andrea’s (an-DRAY-əs), I say Andrea’s (AN-dree-əs).

Named after Wynn’s wife and featuring her ever-present eyes glaring across the expansive lifted dining area Big Brother-style, Andrea’s opened just before NYE among a roar of… cautious optimism?  I’m not sure what everyone was supposed to feel about something as vague as another “hip Asian dining” opening in a casino that has Mizumi, Wing Lei, Wazuzu, and even a central dim sum kitchen (for buffet, brunches, in room, and any dim sum menu items in the restaurants) in the way most just have a central pastry kitchen.  While I’m sure the people tirelessly churning out mountains of dumpling steam-baskets were perhaps less than thrilled, the promise of Joseph Elevado taking the reigns as Exec Chef should pique a good interest or two.  With experience in Social House, L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, and TWO whole Nobu locations, Andrea’s looks right in his wheelhouse.  Wynn does have a penchant for churning out spaces that fit his specific view of  class, and Elevado’s cuisine sounds like a match made in heaven.  Well, let’s go ahead and take a look at the website, why not?

She's always watching...

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Side by Side Reviews: Le Cirque and Olive Garden

I’d like to start off my writings here on a humorous note.  Don’t worry, proper reviews are just over the next ridge, but maybe we get to know each other first?  Take a seat.  How are the kids?  Is little Jayden still in lacrosse?  How nice.

I wrote this a while back when everyone and their adorably-naive grandmothers were writing articles about Olive Garden for laughs.  I actually really like to write comedy, so I did it, and people seemed to like it.  Enjoy it, won’t you?  Thank you.

– your pal, Mitchell Wilburn

View original article on my own website

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In retrospect of my last birthday fun-times, I realized the potential for an interesting article comparing the two dinners and dining establishments I made merry.  So what I thought I’d do is parse out my thoughts, pull an article together, people read it and laugh, I become rich and famous overnight, retire in the Bahamas, you know, that old chestnut.  So, that private nude beach is waiting – let’s get cracking.

Pictured: Palace of woes

I thought the best way to compare the two is to set up some kind of metric that would compare their common features.  What do they share?  How do they differ?  What are all those fancy Stars and Forbes ratings REALLY about?  Well, I decided on the categories of decor, service, and food.  I couldn’t properly compare some things that the Olive Garden has a monopoly on, so there is no category for senior discounts or all you can eat deals.

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