Keeping up with the remarkable changes that continue to take place at Caesars Palace keeps this food writer on her toes.
Caesars Palace has been a major player on the Strip since it opened in the '60s. It was the first prime Strip property to offer a fully themed environment for adults. It still gives me a thrill when I come upon Caesar and Cleopatra, signing autographs and posing for photos.
A good portion of the original structure, including the Strip valet entrance with its signature fountains, remains as a reminder of the glory of Rome, Caesars-style.
The posh Palace Tower is home to exceptional convention facilities and banquet rooms, splendid guest rooms and suites, many services and terrific new restaurants. And, there are more on the way. (It's all very hush-hush, but I can tell you the acclaimed French Chef Guy Savoy's restaurant will open shortly.) Meanwhile, Caesars restaurants continue to win recognition and awards. Among those are Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill, Bradley Ogden and, soon-to-come, New York's Italian fave, Rao's.
But it is not only the newer restaurants that win followers. Longtime favorite Empress Court has been moved to a location that has a spectacular view. Its menu is terrific, and the décor is fabulous. The stunning dining room is filled with Chinese artifacts, comfy sofas and art.
During a recent dinner at Empress Court, it was good to see that the magnificent sand-blasted glass lazy Susans are still in use in the intimate private dining rooms. Perfect for small parties.
A la carte diners will find much to choose from: appetizers, soups, chicken, beef and pork. There are noodles, rice dishes, vegetables and tofu, as well as shark's fin, abalone and bird's nest dishes. Fresh fish and seafood from the live tank can be pricey, but it's incredibly good.
Our party of four was delighted to share a la carte dishes. Adventurers all, we discussed what we liked. Our expert server added his suggestions and we were happy. Service at Empress Court is expert and caring. The aroma of our appetizers whetted our appetites, as did the wine, cocktails and green tea we'd ordered. Relaxed with our surroundings, we ate minced squab in lettuce wraps, savory crisp crab claws and tasty tidbits from Chef Pui Hui that are not on the carte.
We shared main courses ... sauteed scallops with macadamia nuts; stir-fried prime sirloin with black pepper sauce; a whole crispy fish (species unknown, but wonderful) and Empress Court's Imperial Peking duck?one of the best versions I've experienced.
The glorious lacquered duck was presented for our perusal. Who could resist this beautiful fowl? With the crisp skin and bits of meat came steamed wrappers, scallion brushes and hoisin sauce. The puffy steamed wrappers were tender and warm. Open the seam, slather on the hoisin, add a scallion, some skin and meat and enjoy. No need to call in advance for this succulent dish. It is available, without notice, every day. Chef Hui suggests that large parties call in advance.
I'd ordered a whole fish. It arrived, per my request, just as it came out of the wok. With chopsticks and a knife I separated the meat from the bones and pulled out any pin bones I could see. The sweet white meat was delish. Had I been dining in a simple neighborhood Chinese eatery, I wouldn't have hesitated to pull off the tail and the head and ravaged them. Somehow, it didn't seem quite appropriate for the Empress Court, even though it's not the least bit intimidating.
There is no end to the kitchen's creativity. I like the simplicity of many of the dishes, including braised E-Fu Mein (noodles) with fresh crab meat, braised Mandarin pork loin chop, braised whole fresh abalone (farm-raised, naturally), chicken with spicy curry sauce and more.
A mango crème brûlée with four spoons was the ideal ending to our tasty Empress Court experience. And we crossed spoons over who would get the final bite of the magnificent crispy fried banana with chocolate filling.