From December 5 to 14, most of the attention will be focused on the Thomas & Mack Center, site of the national rodeo finals, but it won’t be the only rodeo in town. The All In Barrel races are scheduled for December 5-7, 9-11 and 13-15 at the Orleans Arena, and All In Breakaway Roping December 9-11.
For the hungry cowboys and girls, The Orleans has several options, and there are plenty more nearby. Here are some of the best:
Alder & Birch
Alder & Birch is Orleans’ steakhouse, and as such, it offers a steak-based menu with four cuts of house steak and three cuts of quality steak, complemented by the 24-ounce dry-aged Porterhouse and 28 days, $ 70. Non-beef eaters will find chicken, lamb and pork, scallops, lobster, crab and fish and enough toppings and side dishes to ensure almost endless variety. Plus, craft cocktails such as And The Mule You Rode In On, craft beers and wines, all served in a quiet room decorated in neutral colors and plenty of glossy surfaces.
Orleans, 702-365-7111, orleanscasino.com
The prime rib loft
In addition to its regular menu, which includes four cuts of prime rib and a Cajun flavored version, The Prime Rib Loft offers options such as Cowboy Steak, a 1 pound bone-in ribeye with mushroom stew, served with grilled tomatoes, roasted cipollini onion and potato, $ 35. In honor of NFR, the restaurant will be offering the Rodeo Special, which includes a Loft Salad, 14-ounce New York Sirloin with Potatoes and Veggies, and a trendy hot peach cobbler for $ 36, available from 5 to December 14.
Orleans, 702-365-7111 or orleanscasino.com
Gallagher Steakhouse
You know Gallagher’s takes their beef seriously the moment you walk up to them and see various primaries on display in the fridge near the door. The steakhouse evokes the New York original with dozens of framed photos on the walls and plenty of hand-cut steaks on its menu. You can get Stilton cheese, brandy pepper sauce, or a number of other tasty little additions, and sides range from traditional creamed spinach to more modern roasted wild mushrooms or bacon mac and cheese.
New York-New York, 702-740-6450, newyorknewyork.mgmresorts.com
Slice of steak
Stripsteak, by award-winning chef Michael Mina, elevates steaks to the fine art – and does the same with fish and shellfish. Angus and wagyu steaks (including the Japanese A5) and several varieties of seafood are prepared on a wood-burning grill. The menu also includes platters of shellfish and hot and cold sauces to accompany them, small hot and cold platters and four choices of tartars including one vegetarian. And you won’t want to miss the Caviar Twinkie, a doppelganger of the real thing.
Mandalay Bay, 702-632-7414, michaelmina.net
Tender steakhouse
With its dark look, Tender is reminiscent of a traditional steakhouse, but its menu offers so much more. Bison as well as choices of American and Japanese wagyu and conventional steaks, for example – and you can get them with scallops, shrimp, Oscar chunk crab, and foie gras – as well as selections of farmhouse cheeses, cold cuts and chilled seafood towers. If you have room for dessert, consider the Hot Chocolate Sphere, served with tropical mousse, mango-pineapple-mint chutney and vanilla custard.
Luxor, 702-262-4778, luxor.mgmresorts.com
Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at [email protected] or 702-383-0474. To follow @HKRinella on Twitter.
