Posts Tagged ‘Dining’

 

You’ll Flip for our Burgers

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

Craving a big, juicy burger? Think twice before opting for that fast-food joint, instead stop by M the next time you’re hankering for a burger. We’re excited to introduce our newest restaurant, Anthony’s Gourmet Burgers & Brews. Located next to our Oyster Bar, Anthony’s Gourmet Burgers will serve up unique, homemade burgers that have been paired with the perfect craft beer.

BurgerBarDining

While their whole menu is packed with items you won’t want to miss here are our top picks:

Imperial Burger

Our most regal of burgers on the menu, the Imperial Burger is topped with stout braised short ribs, mushrooms, gruyere cheese and caramelized onions. This burger pairs best with a Sierra Nevada Stout.

Lollipop WingsBurgerBarBar

Wings are good on their own, but when they’re prepared with the “lollipop” technique they not only resemble our favorite candy but they’re also much easier to eat (read: less messy). Our lollipop chicken wings are served three different ways with your choice of garlic, buffalo or ginger thai chili sauce (our personal recommendation).

Tsingtao Chicken Salad

Our Tsingtao Chicken Salad is chock-full of soy-caramel glazed chicken, cabbage, carrots, mandarin oranges and water chestnuts all topped with Tsingtao peanut vinaigrette. What makes this salad special is the dressing; Tsingtao is a Chinese beer known for its high-malty flavor and we infuse it into the peanut dressing making for one unique experience for your taste buds.

Sides

Anthony’s Gourmet Burgers has not one or two, but five different selections of fries and onion rings on their menu. We love these salty snacks so we couldn’t narrow it down to just one. You’ll be able to choose from Just Simple Fries, Garlic Parmesan Fries, Truffle Fries, Sweet Potato Fries and Beer Battered Onion Rings. Order one, more or even try them all!

Gelato Tasting for Two

We’re all about the sweets, so be sure to save room for dessert. The gelato tasting comes with gourmet gelato and cheesecake and brownie lollipops. It’s the perfect ending to your burger experience.

Anthony’s Gourmet Burgers & Brews is open nightly from 4-10pm.

 
 

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

CNYDragonDance

Most of us have already celebrated the beginning of 2012, but the end of this month marks the beginning of Chinese New Year. The Chinese culture celebrates each New Year according to the lunar calendar which is why the date fluctuates from year to year. January 23 marks the beginning of the celebration for the auspicious Year of the Dragon.

The Dragon is the most powerful of all 12 signs in the Chinese Zodiac, which associates an animal to each calendar year. Everyone born in 2012 will be considered a Dragon. Dragons are said to be dominant, ambitious, driven, willing to take risks and unafraid of challenges. These strong character traits are said to cause an increase in births for every Dragon Year. Dragons are also said to be charismatic leaders. In the year 2000 the birth rate in China spiked and is expected to do the same this year.

Each Dragon Year is also associated with one of the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire and earth). 2012 is the year of the Water Dragon. Water Dragons are able to see things from other points of view. They don’t have the need to always be right. Their decisions, if well-researched, are usually better since they allow others to become involved.

To kick-off the two week celebration a traditional Dragon Dance will be held on Monday, January 23 at 6pm to bring good luck and fortune for our guests. A 63 foot-long dragon will feature adult and baby lion dancers, buddhas, musicians and festive flags and will make its way through our entire casino.

Studio B Buffet will feature eight hard-to-resist New Year specialties. Until February 6 you can feast on Meatballs with Bok Choy, Poached Chicken with Ginger and Scallions, Spinach and Bamboo Shoots, Beef Lo Mein, Tofu and Eggplant with Black Bean Sauce, Lettuce Wraps, Mandarin Oranges with Leaves and Spring Rolls. Our bars will also be serving up specialty cocktails, a Lychee Martini and a Mulan cocktail.DragonChip

Starting this Friday our limited edition Year of the Dragon gaming chip will be available. Keep the good luck coming and purchase the chip at our casino cage for $8. The chips will be available until supplies last.

You can use your commemorative Dragon Chip in our Poker Room for their Live Poker Lucky 8’s promotion. From January 23 – 30 enjoy 8 days of great poker action. Flop four 8’s and win $888. Make four 8’s and receive $88. Plus, the first 88 players that make 8’s full receive a collectible Year of the Dragon Gaming Chip. Play live poker every day at 8:08am and 8:08pm and a random lucky player will receive $88!

If you’ve celebrated Chinese New Year before or if this is your first time for the occasion we hope you take part in the festivities at our resort!

 
 

Ring in the New Year Your Way

Thursday, December 29th, 2011

MGirlNYEWhat better place to ring in 2012, than Las Vegas! With only a few days left in the New Year, we’re planning something special for those who are spending their last hours of 2011 at M. Our resort is the perfect spot to party on New Year’s Eve, so be sure to make this year one to remember and celebrate whichever way you please. We’ve got entertainment, dining and parties for every taste and budget complete with a champagne toast at midnight for our guests.

Party

We think cover charges are overrated so we invite our guests to celebrate without waiting in line or paying an entry fee. We’ll be offering complimentary party favors, and cake and champagne stations throughout our casino. Toast the New Year with us and enjoy live entertainment beginning at 9pm in Lobby Bar, Ravello Lounge, M Bar and Hostile Grape. See which venue is the right fit for your celebration style.

Ravello Lounge – The New Year’s evening will kick off in our lounge with go-go dancers and a DJ spinning hits to get the party started, beginning at 9pm. At 10pm, 80’s tribute band Loveshack will take the stage and sing the best of the 80’s and 90’s and some NYE-style party music. The entertainment in Ravello will be going all night long and is ideal for our high-energy party goers.

Lobby Bar – Relax at Lobby Bar and take in a performance by Lowkey Junction. The band is a unique blend of masterful music mixes, live percussion and saxophone. With the best people-watching views, Lobby Bar is the perfect fit for a relaxed New Year’s celebration.

M Bar – For those who like to be at the center of all the action, M Bar is for you. Located in the middle of our casino floor, DJ Simon and go-go dancers will be kicking off this party at 9pm. Get there early for a seat on M Bar’s cushy couches or get your groove on to the tunes DJ Simon will be spinning.

Hostile Grape – Take a sip of more than 160 wines by the glass in our underground wine hideaway. Veteran DJ Art will be mixing up the music for the night for the oenophiles.

Play

End the year with good luck here at M! We’ll be giving away $24,000 in free pay randomly beginning at 8pm on New Year’s Eve. Every 15 minutes we’ll be drawing 10 winners. Two players will win $300, four players will win $150 and another four will win $100. All you have to do is play with your iMagine Rewards Card to be eligible.

Not to be outdone, our poker room will be giving away a grand share of money as well. Play with us and you could win the following: Heart Royal = $2,012; Club Royal = $2,012; Diamond Royal = $2,012 and Spade Royal = $2,012. All Four of a Kinds = $212 and the poker room will have $2,012 in cash giveaways. Complete details can be found in the M Poker Room.

Dine

Our restaurants will be ready for you to kick-off the New Year’s festivities. Marinelli’s, our authentic Italian restaurant will be offering a la carte specialty items in addition to its regular menu beginning at 4pm and our steakhouse, Anthony’s will be serving up a limited menu for the holiday starting at 5 pm. And of course, Studio B Buffet will be serving specialty dishes all day.

No matter which way you decide to spend your holiday night, we hope to have you at M to celebrate 2012! We wish all of our guests a happy and safe New Year.

 
 

Getting to Know M’s 16TH Floor Chef: Nathan Frost

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

Chef Nathan FrostWe’ve got nothing against our other restaurants but there’s just something about dining at the top of our resort that holds a special place in our heart. Our very own rooftop restaurant (there are only a few others in the city), Veloce Cibo is the perfect destination for casual drinks or a romantic meal both offering a great view. It is also home to Executive Room Chef Nathan Frost who has been turning out tapas and seafood specialties in Veloce for over a year now. We caught up with him to get the dish on him and his amazing food.

Where have you previously worked?
I’ve worked all over the West Coast. Starting out in Beverly Hills at La Cachette Bistro, a contemporary French bistro, then working in Los Angeles at the Asian fusion restaurant Yi Cuisine. I made the move to Vegas several years ago and started working at Tableau at Wynn. I’ve since worked up and down Las Vegas Boulevard at restaurants such as FIX, Stack, Stripsteak and finally here at Veloce.

Have you always had an interest in cooking?
Absolutely! My parents always say I asked for my first baking set at age three.

What’s your favorite kitchen gadget?
I don’t use a lot of kitchen gadgets, just my chef’s knife and my Vita Mix Mixer.

What’s your favorite dish to make and favorite ingredients to work with?
Hands down, seafood; I love working with anything from the water. My favorite dishes are the ones I’m able to come up with that day and feature as a special in the restaurant. I love being able to bring fresh ingredients to all the tables.

How do you come up with your dishes on the spot?
Based on past tastings and knowing what ingredients work well with each other, I’m able to pull together a dish with flavors that complement each other. By creating dishes with a limited amount of time it challenges me to really use my creativity.

What notable people have you cooked for?
Michael Mina, Mark LoRusso, Richard Sandoval and Jean Francois Meteigner.

Culinary trends that you like/dislike?
I like the sharing and communal dining trend; it’s a big focus on our menu at Veloce. Also, farmer’s markets which, allow the freshest ingredients for farm-to-table cooking. There aren’t culinary trends that I dislike. While I personally don’t like molecular gastronomy any trend is good for cooking. It’s like art, not everyone is going to like it but we can at least appreciate it.

Three things in your fridge right now?
Pomegranates, almond milk and mushrooms.

Are there any foods you hate to admit you like?
Oreos, nachos anything dipped in sauce and fried food. If I could have a big bowl of fried food and sauce to dip it in I couldn’t be happier.

What’s the best meal you’ve ever ate?
It was from a restaurant called Kolkovna in the Czech Republic. I ordered a quarter of a roast pig and garlic cheese soup. It was definitely the best and most memorable meal.

Haven’t dined at Veloce before? Take advantage of their great Happy Hour deals including a sushi platter for two for only $10 and make sure to say hello to Chef Frost while you’re there!

 
 

It’s All About the Menu

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

M Resort Menus

How many times have you been to a restaurant, looked at the menu and thought to yourself… “There’s nothing I’d like to eat on here.” There’s an art to creating a restaurant menu and a fine line between a menu that’s overwhelming and one that doesn’t have enough choices. So how does one go about creating the perfect menu? We sat down with our Vice President of Food & Beverage Anthony Layton-Matthews to learn just that.

Why is developing a restaurant’s menu so important?
Your menu ultimately determines the types of customers you will attract, the employee skills that are necessary, the equipment you need, and the sales and profit your restaurant will produce. There’s a lot of thought that goes into a restaurant menu aside from what sides will be offered with each entrée in Veloce.

What factors do you consider when creating the restaurant menus here at the M?There are so many things that we consider like what descriptions we will use to best convey to our guests what they will eat. Those descriptions need to accurately reflect the dish that guests will receive, but at the same time need to make the dish sound delicious and interesting and make them want to order that selection.

We look at pricing and weigh our food cost and portions and also make sure we have a balance of expensive and inexpensive items.

We also consider the menu design; it’s a reflection of the restaurant itself. We work with our marketing team to determine the menu layout, color, font choice, etc.

And of course, we look at various items to put on the menu. We evaluate the restaurant and its identity, what competitors are offering on their menus and what items would ultimately set our restaurants apart, what dishes our chefs prepare the best, those types of things.

What do you recommend to those developing or updating a restaurant menu?

  • Interview your staff to hear their suggestions and opinions about the menu.
  • Talk to your customers. Ask them about why they visit your restaurant.
  • Visit all the restaurants in your area that compete directly for your customers. Note their volume of sales, the type of menu items they feature, their price range.
  • Stay up to date with culinary trends. Know what’s new on the horizon.
  • Try new items as daily specials at varying price points to test their popularity.
  • Improve the name, description, presentation of all high profit items.
  • Plan the layout of your new menu. Simple layout changes to the menu can help a great deal and make it easier for customers to find your signature item dishes.

What makes our restaurants unique?
We pride ourselves on offering our guests a warm, comfortable atmosphere that offers food that is both approachable and a great value for our guests. At the end of the day though, our service sets us apart and everyone from our hostesses to our waiters and bartenders strive to make sure each guest has an unbelievable experience from start to finish.

What’s your favorite item on our menu?
We have some great items on all our menus, but I’d say the Ahi Tuna Tartare with preserved lemon featured in Veloce is my favorite. Everything from the presentation to the combination of flavors is extraordinary.

 
 

It’s Vegas Baby! Plan Accordingly…

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

conciergeImagine your ideal Vegas vacation, all the details are taken care of, right down to the last drop of your martini (Grey Goose, one olive, shaken not stirred). There’s not a care in the world except the outcome of your next roll at the tables and pull at the slots. Our concierges make this happen for guests at M. Our team can craft an exceptional and unique experience that incorporates all quintessential Vegas things that a vacationer, such as yourself, must see and taste both at our resort and in the city. We know there’s a lot to explore so we’re offering tips for the entire city (and any budget) because we want you to have the best Vegas experience that you possibly can.

Dining
Vegas has turned into a culinary mecca in recent years, but we know not everyone has the palette (or pocketbook) for a Michelin-star meal.

BananaSplit


Fun and Funky
– Have a sweet tooth that needs satisfying? Baby Cakes, our European-inspired patisserie will have you loosening your waistband after sampling pastries and homemade gelato from our world-renown pastry chef Jean Claude Canestrier. His delightful creations are just as beautiful as they are delicious. We suggest his new line of cupcakes with selections like Peanut Butter Cup, Coconut Pineapple and Red Velvet or stick to a traditional sundae, it’s just a delicious! If in the heart of the famous boulevard is more your style, Serendipity 3 at Caesars Palace offers a whimsical and wacky menu that will bring out the kid in you. Sip on a Frozen Hot Chocolate, feast on a triple-decker grilled cheese and finish it all off with a deep-fried Oreo sundae (and then some Tums).

One-of-a-kind – So you won big at baccarat and want to please your inner foodie (and oenophile), Charlie Palmer’s Aureole at Mandalay Bay will entertain all senses. Boasting a wine tower with over 10,000 choices and ‘Wine Angels’ who ascend said tower to retrieve your selection makes this one of those “only in Vegas” dining adventures. If 10,000 bottles isn’t enough for you, you can check out the variety of vinos from around the globe hostilegrapeoffered at Hostile Grape. While there are no ‘Wine Angels,’ there are fancy machines that pour the wine for you in one, three or five ounces. Choose from more than 160 wines by the glass and enjoy those sips in an atmosphere that screams hip – we’re talking broken wine barrels for the ceiling – how cool is that? With that many selections it’s a wine bar that appeals to both the wine novice and the newbie.


A Feast Fit for a King
– Now, we don’t want to brag too much, but we do have to mention our killer buffet, Studio B Buffet. With more than 200 dishes served daily this is one Vegas buffet that should not be missed and not just because of the food, the price also includes unlimited beer and wine! Can you say bargain?

Other Experiences
Must-see attractions line Las Vegas Boulevard. The Bellagio fountains seem to top most tourists’ to-do lists, but there are many more things hidden in plain sight that are just as show stopping as the fountains themselves.

Retro Vegas – Ever wonder where old neon signs go to die? The Neon Boneyard, of course. Located just off the Strip (hey, so are we) is the Neon Museum of Las Vegas. It is home to more than 150 old signs that once graced Vegas’ streets of yesteryear. For a more simple (but essential,) retro experience, enjoy a shoeshine fit for a president from the M’s very own resident shoe shiner Heather Holton.

VeloceViewOne-of-a-kind – Love a good view? Good, so do we. Take a short elevator ride up to Veloce Cibo. At 400 feet higher in elevation than the hotels on the Strip, you couldn’t ask for a better view of the Strip and of the entire Las Vegas Valley. The stellar views and killer terrace can’t be beat. Tucked inside Mandarin Oriental is their lobby bar, Mandarin Bar. It’s an escape from Vegas, within Vegas. Offering panoramic views of the Strip but perched high on their 23rd floor you escape the chaos below from the city that never sleeps. For another escape,

Vegas offerings are extensive so ask your concierge for more suggestions and any (or all) of these recommendations can be pre-arranged for your enjoyment by one of our award-winning concierges. Stop in and say hi when you’re here for a visit. They’d be glad to assist you.

 
 

Bring on the madness

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

RSB3So imagine it’s April 4 and since you’re not at the final game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament, you’re instead sitting in the M Resort race & sports book, or perhaps at 32 Degrees. The action is intense – fast breaks, big points and unexpected runs. What did you take? The over? Maybe a first-half money line? Nope, you took the next free-throw would be made. What? That’s madness! 

MarchMadnessblogIt sure is – March Madness. If you haven’t tried In-Running Wagering technology from Cantor Gaming here at M, the tournament is the perfect time. The folks over at Cantor asked themselves “Why should the betting action stop when the game starts?” The simple answer was that it shouldn’t. From one of the betting stations in the book or from a mobile tablet you can use in areas beyond the book here at the property, the betting action at M matches the action on the court. 

If sports betting isn’t your thing though, have no fear. The property is filled with great venues which are in turn filled with lots of TVs for all your basketball viewing pleasure. On select dates between March 17 – April 4, you’ll also be able to join in some viewing parties in Ravello Lounge hosted by Mike O’Brian from KKLZ 96.3. With drink deals, contests, prize giveaways and of course the lovely Bud Girls, it’s going to be party after party. Check out the graphic for specific dates and time and join us here at M – bring on the Madness!

 
 

M Turns 2

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

MsignblogSometimes it feels like just last night that we were opening our doors to let thousands upon thousands of guests experience M Resort for the first time. Other times, when we see each other in the back-of-house corridors or our guests at their favorite machine or dining in one of our restaurants, it feels as if we’ve been open for 10 years – we know the names and faces well and the feeling of being part of a larger “M Family” comes easily. 

The reality is that M Resort Spa Casino is celebrating its second anniversary. We opened our doors on March 1, 2009 and have been open for business 24/7/365 since. It’s been a remarkable two years for us – like the rest of Vegas, we’ve experienced our ups and downs, but fortunately most have been ups. 

2nd-Anniversary-LOGO-BLK-F2As another year has passed, we want to take the opportunity to say thank you. First and foremost, we’d like to express our gratitude to our wonderful guests – we know that without you there is no M Resort. You have continued to visit our property time and again and we cannot thank you enough for your continued patronage of the resort. We also have to say thank you to our amazing Team Members who once again have exceeded expectations a second year in a row and continue to challenge themselves and each other to even greater levels of guest service and exemplary performance in the many roles they fulfill every day.

If you’d like to join us in a little celebrating, we’ll be doing some here at M this Saturday, March 5. You’ll find free cake and champagne on the casino floor from 4-8 pm, a great promotion going on in our poker room, and you may be able to get your hands on a commemorative second anniversary shirt and casino chip. Don’t forget to take advantage of our most popular hotel room package deal too. We’d love to hear your “M” moments and memories from the last two year – share away!

Happy Birthday M.

 
 

Just when you thought M couldn’t get any better

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

FantasyMelonGingerHappy hour? Reverse happy hour? Happy hours? Be at this bar between these hours and get these drinks for this price. As you know we like to say here at the M Point of View – that’s all well and good. But as you also know, we like to do things better. 

Your happy hour options are almost endless here in Vegas – just about everybody has one (or several) and everyone is trying to get you to come to theirs. Isn’t it a bit confusing though? Don’t you hate having to plan your schedule around the happy hour or even happy hours? “We have to get there by 6 or we’ll miss happy hour!” “Would you like to order another drink – happy hour ends in a few minutes?” 

HHAdblogAt M Resort you won’t miss it and you won’t be scurrying to find a server and order another before the magic hour is over, watching as the “spare” one you got just in case gets warm. Ours friends, is Happy Hour Guaranteed. What does that mean? Simple. Happy hour. Every bar. Every day. All the time. $5 for premium drinks, $3 for bottled beer and 1/3 off bottles of wine. It’s simple, it’s a great deal and it starts today. Sapphire and Tonic? Captain and Coke? Goose Martini up, extra dirty? Bottle of Stella? Bottle of your favorite cab? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. You call it, we pour it. 

Thirsty? 

MBarblogLobby Bar M Bar 32 Draft Bar – Red Cup Bar – Ravello Lounge Bar Bar Veloce Marinelli’s Bar Terzetto Bar Hostile Grape Wine Bar 

*Must be 21 years of age or older. Some restrictions apply. Management reserves all rights.

 
 

Terzetto’s Happy Delights

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

TerzettoHHmenuOysters on the half-shell? Perhaps some fried calamari or a chopped salad? Cocktail to wash it down? If you’re in the mood for some delicious food and drink, we’ve got something for you. Terzetto here at M Resort is offering a limited time Happy Hour that you should get in on while the getting is good. 

TerzettoOystersOffered 5-7pm now through the end of February, the upscale steak and seafood restaurant is delivering delectable half-price premium cocktails and half-price appetizers in their bar and lounge area. We weren’t able to capture everything that was being served when we dropped by, but what we did see looks, smells and tastes delicious. Add that to a hip and stylish atmosphere and you’ve got a must-experience this weekend.

TerzettoCalamariIf you haven’t had a chance to visit Terzetto yet, now is a perfect time. If you have had a chance to visit Terzetto, this is certainly a great reason to come back for seconds.

*Management reserves the right to alter or cancel this promotion at any time.