Day 1
After checking into the Palazzo on Friday, we made a beeline (bags and all) to the box office, all the way in the Venetian, to pick up the Phantom tickets that came with our special room rate (details of this room rate can be found in the unadvertised Las Vegas offers post). Since there were better seats available for Saturday's show, we opted for that one and I was happy that we would have time for a long dinner on our first night. Before going to our room, Willy insisted on going to Canyon Ranch Spa (bags and all, and also in the Venetian) so he could check out treatment options and possibly set an appointment. After Princess Willy did what he needed to, we finally headed back to the Palazzo and to our room. We spent some time unpacking and freshening up, and then headed to dinner.
Zeffirino's is an Italian restaurant located in the Grand Canal Shoppes of the Venetian, right where the gondola rides begin. We had a table on the second level, which overlooked the shops and gondola rides. We each started with a glass of wine and Willy ordered from the prefixe menu while I ordered Taglierini all' Astice (homemade pasta sauteed with lobster, white wine, and baby shrimp in a light tomato sauce). The prefixe meal started off with this amazing carpaccio, and was followed by some ravioli in pesto sauce. The entrée was beef medallions and dessert was a sampler of tiny pieces of tiramisu and cheesecake, and a mini eclair. During dinner, a violinist and guitarist also played a few songs for us.
After dinner, we tried our luck at the slot machines in the Palazzo... and found that we were not so lucky. We then made our way to the hotel's Salute Lounge for drinks and dueling pianos.
Day 2
We woke up and had lunch at San Gennaro, located in the Venetian casino food court. Willy just had to have his bacon cheese fries and we found that this place puts real pieces of bacon on their fries, not just Bac-O Bits! Undisciplined me enjoyed them as well. We gambled while our food digested and then headed to the pools.
Due to the heat, we had plenty of company at the pools. Willy and I swam (yes! I've learned how to swim) for about an hour before Willy had to leave for his spa appointment. I stayed poolside and read for about another hour before I went back to the room to get ready for dinner.We had dinner at Charlie Trotter's restaurant, Restaurant Charlie, in the Palazzo. Trotter's flagship restaurant is located in Chicago and has a months long waiting list. To begin, Restaurant Charlie doesn't just put a bread basket in front of you after you order. We were served different courses of breads throughout our meal; we each had a slice of French bread, a mini loaf of raisin bread, and a Spanish chorizo roll. The servers work as a team and even synchronize serving dishes. We also ordered from personalized menus that wished Willy a "Happy Birthday."
The restaurant has quite an extensive wine list and the half bottle of German Riesling we shared was amazing. Willy ordered the tasting menu and I had ocean trout with eagle rock oysters and ginger broth, which was poured on once the dish reached the table. It was a dish recommended by the server and was fresh, rich, and flavor packed. Willy's tasting menu consisted of eight courses, including two dessert dishes:
1. Geoduck, Manila Clams & Periwinkles with Lemon & Chervil
2. Australian Blue Fin Tuna Tartare with Hijiki Seafood & Daikon
3. Diver Sea Scallop with Shishito Pepper & Hearts of Palm
4. Four Story Hills Sweetbreads with Chanterelles & Mustard
5. Muscovy Duck with Thai Basil & Yuba
6. Dry- Aged Ribeye with Pearl Onions and Parmesan
7. Basil Semifreddo with Strawberries & Olive Oil Ice Cream
8. Dark Chocolate with Banana & Roasted Hazelnut
In addition to what we ordered, we also had a scallop dish before our meal, a palate cleanser (melon sorbet and prociutto) after our savory dishes, and a plate of chocolate confections after dessert, compliments of the chef.
After spending more than two hours at dinner, we rushed off to Phantom at the Venetian. We were only eight rows from the stage and I enjoyed every moment of this musical. I am still in awe of the staging and special effects.
Following the show, we gambled and then headed to Lavo for complimentary drinks, a gift that came with our Phantom tickets. We ended our night with a couple of drinks each ( I picked up another pair of tickets from the floor of the theater) and being amused by very drunk people flirting with each other at the bar (or at least I was).
Day 3
We packed up and reluctantly closed the door to Suite 41-837 one last time. We had lunch at Cafe Santa Lucia, in the same food court as the day before, checked out, and, since we couldn't say goodbye just yet, headed to the pools. We swam for about an hour, sat in the jacuzzi for about another 15, and then set out for home.
Cost Breakdown
$400.96 ($179+tax/per night) - 2 nights at The Venetian (inclusive of the Phantom tickets and other special offers)
$92.48 - Dinner at Zeffirino's with 20% discount on my pasta plate
$230.00 - 80 min Deep Tissue Massage at Canyon Ranch Spa with $50 discount
$229.82 - Dinner at Restaurant Charlie with 20% discount
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$953.26
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lol...leave it to Willy to get a $230 massage. but, hey, a birthday is as good of a reason as any right? =P
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