Thoughts 17 Aug 2007 10:29 am
Circus Circus Steakhouse
It was a friends birthday yesterday and we decided on diner at the Circus Circus Steakhouse. This was my first trip to Circus Circus in at least 10 years.
In spite of knowing about and having seen a great deal of the remodeling, my mental file still says that the Flying Farfans should be working the trapeze and Peanuts the elephant should still be walking around.
I made it a point to come in off Industrial Rd, in order to avoid even a short stretch of the strip.
When I arrived I had to park on the top level of garage one. Next time I’ll just valet the car and let someone else get the exercise.
In spite of it being a Thursday, the place was crowded. I think this is because, in most places, school is not yet in session, and the tourists with children were taking an end of summer vacation.
I deliberately arrived early so I could play tourist and just wander around and gawk.
Two things struck me as being odd. The first was the difficulty in finding a bar, I found one, and a bottle of Corona was $4.25, a shot of Patron was also $4.25, but at least it was a full ounce, not one of the short shots you get in most joints.
The other was the Greeter? in front of the steakhouse. This man was standing out in front of the Steakhouse and talking to people, telling them that this was the best steakhouse in the city, and maybe the country.
He was definitely the right person for the job. I’m sort of curious what his official title is, but I got sidetracked and never asked him.
The real question is, who ever heard of a world class steakhouse needing a shill?
The entrance to the Steakhouse if exactly the same as I remember it. As you walk in they still have the glassed-in aging room, with it’s slabs of beef and a lobster you could put a saddle on. I wonder if anything in there is real or if it’s all just display.
The steakhouse proper looks just like I remember it, from more than thirty years ago..
The service was excellent, I ordered a porterhouse medium rare, everyone else ordered fillet mignon, medium or medium rare. One person ordered their fillet Cajun blackened, rare, and the waiter only did a split second’s hesitation before continuing on with the soup or salad questions.
Everyone agreed that the food was excellent, and my steak was as good as any I’ve eaten a Joe’s or Boa.
The Steakhouse in Circus Circus isn’t as fancy as some of the newer places. It’s an old school steakhouse, with dark wood, and lighting that is dim enough to feel intimate and bright enough to comfortably read the menu.
This is not a place to try some new and unpronounceable drink, or to see and be seen.
This is a place for people like me, who just want to enjoy a good steak and good conversation.