Leone Cafe, Las Vegas

Leone Cafe is an all day cafe in Las Vegas, open continuously from 7am until 9pm daily.  I think they mostly focus on breakfast, as the menu has a slew of egg dishes (all the benedicts, egg sandwiches, omelets, scrambles, skillets, etc), along with crepes, pancakes, french toast, and waffles.  They also do have standard cafe style lunch dishes of salads, sandwiches, paninis, and burgers, plus ... pizza and pasta too.  So sorta all over the place, menu wise.  

Equally extensive is the baked goods and desserts lineup.  Multiple kinds of cookies, danishes, croissants, puffs, and twists.  Tarts (apple, mixed fruit, banana, chocolate, pecan, key lime, raspberry almond), cheesecakes (blueberry, strawberry, Oreo), Italian desserts (cannoli, tiramisu, napoleon), French (eclairs, chocolate mousse), and gelato.  On the drink side, they also have a smoothie bar, barista espresso drinks, wine, and a few cocktails.  The full menu seems available all day long.

"A traditional Italian coffee shop located in Tivoli Village Summerlin. Come dine with us for baked goods and specialty homemade breakfasts."

The cafe is located in Tivoli Village, however I did not visit in person, so I can't comment on the setting itself, as I opted for delivery.  I focused on the pastry and dessert side of things.  I wasn't really sure, without seeing the place, if they operate their own bakery, but given the vastness of the menu on all dimensions, it seemed unlikely.  Still, I had a bit of hope as reviews in general for the baked goods seem decent.

Large Delivery.

So, what I ordered?

• Pina colada (alcoholic).  
• Pistachio tiramisu.  
• Side of berries.

What I got?

• Pina colada (non-alcoholic).
• Bonus! Strawberry daiquiri (non-alcoholic)  
• Pistachio tiramisu.  
• Bonus! Cannoli.
• Bonus! Fruit tart.
• Side of berries.

Yes, I ordered one dessert, one alcoholic drink, and a side, and got 3 desserts, 2 (non-alcoholic) drinks, and side.  I was quite shocked when this feast was delivered!

The cafe did call me soon after my order was placed to tell me they could not actually do the alcoholic drink for takeout.  They apologized, and said they weren't sure how it got on the DoorDash menu.  They removed it (and other alcoholic drinks) immediately from the delivery menu.  The staff member who called offered to send me both the pina colada AND the daiquiri in non-alcoholic form instead.  I said that was fine.  So those I did actually expect both of those, but what I didn't expect was the other bonus box of treats!  While it was slightly overwhelming to suddenly find myself buried in desserts, I wasn't exactly upset with this turn of events.

Strawberry Daiquiri & Pina Colada (non-alcoholic). $8 each.

Starting with the now virgin drinks.

Oh, DoorDash.  My Dasher picked these up at 4:33pm. They got delivered to me at 5:59pm.  Yes, basically, 1.5 hours later.  It was 90* in Las Vegas that day.

Let's just say, if these were once blended slushy drinks, they certainly no longer were.  You can see the separation in the pina colada in particular.  Sigh.  So, slushy, refreshing, icy drinks these were not.

But ... I'll admit, they were both very tasty, although very sweet.  The cafe has a large smoothie menu (in addition to all their cocktails), so I think they actually do make these all with real ingredients, not just mixes.  The daiquiri was fruity, sweet, and I think would have been really enjoyable in slushy form.  I kinda used it as a berry sauce to drizzle over things the next few days. The pina colada was less strong flavor-wise, but had decent coconut undertones.

Both had this super thick whipped cream on top, definitely not the kind out of a spray can.  It was fantastic.  I used some of it on top of my other desserts and that was fabulous.

So, these were good even in their totally melted and separated from, I think they would have been very good fresh.  ***.

Side of Berries. $4. ($4.50 Doordash)

The fruit was fresh and vibrant.  Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.  It wasn't the most flavorful, but it seemed very fresh.  For Vegas prices, this was a remarkable deal.  ***+.

Pistachio Tiramisu. $6.50. ($9.36 DoorDash).

The one dessert I ordered: pistachio tiramisu.  

I wasn't entirely sure what the pistachio tiramisu would be, as that is not a commonly found item, but a few photos I saw showed a layered parfait style cup.  So I thought it was likely a pistachio mousse/cream/pudding, with some bits of pistachio for crunch, and likely a pistachio cake layer soaked in spirits of some kind?  Very on-trend with the Dubai chocolate craze inspiring pistachio everything everywhere.

The form matched my expectations, but the contents were not quite what I thought.  This was my bad, but I didn't expect espresso in this, even though it was a play on tiramisu.  I eagerly dug in, at 8pm, and instantly tasted ... yup, espresso.  Doh.  I avoid all caffeine at night, even chocolate.  So, sadly, I could not enjoy this as planned, which made the bonus unplanned items actually work out really well.  I just saved this for after lunch the next day!

Anyway, the main component, the pistachio cream, was fine, although a bit ... gloopy?  The pistachio flavor was decent though.  And of course, the espresso soaked layer, which was nicely soaked.

There were tons of bits of chopped pistachio on top which gave great crunch and tons of pistachio flavor, and the little swirl of thick whipped cream was most welcome.  Eh to the little hunk of ladyfinger garnish, but that is just my own preference.

I think this was a well composed parfait, with good textures at play, and plated in a way it ate well, but I didn't really enjoy the flavor combo of pistachio and coffee, they felt like competing flavors to me.  Perhaps that is just me.  I added fresh blackberries to it and that added a nice freshness.

So, interesting, but I wouldn't get again.  ***.

Cannoli. $6.50. ($8.64 Doordash).

"Crispy pastry shell filled with sweet ricotta cream, chocolate chips, and a dusting of powdered sugar."

I ... don't really care for cannoli.  Even from the most famous bakery in the US for them (Mike's Pastry).  They are "fine", but not something I'd ever pick, even when super fresh, filled to order, etc.  So this random cannoli that was definitely not freshly made from a cafe with huge pastry and dessert lineup?  I was not really interested, but of course I had to try it.  I hate waste!

It was not very good.  The filling was really, really strangely goopy.  I don't have a better word for it.  Just ... goopy.  Minimal chocolate chips within.  No real strong ricotta or cream cheese or identifiable flavor, just, sweetened goop.  The shell was a bit soft, and mostly uninteresting.  The powdered sugar dusting helped give it any flavor.

Overall, not compelling, and I don't think even someone who actually likes cannoli would be excited for this.  **.

Again though, I hate waste, so I actually took out the filling, and used the cannoli shell as a cone for gelato the next day (it was soft enough that I could re-roll it tight!) and used the filling spread on crackers with strawberries as a snack.

Strawberry Puff? $6.50. ($9.36 Doordash).

I'm not entirely sure what this other bonus item was, as I didn't order it, nor see any reviews of anything similar.  But it was a puff pastry, topped with custard, and fresh strawberries.  Perhaps the "strawberry puff" from their menu?  It was ok, not great.

The strawberries were really ripe, fresh, not mushy, etc.  Perhaps applied to order?  Or at least sliced fresh that day.  The custard was fine, thick, rich, pretty standard but good custard, akin to what you sometimes find inside a donut.

Strawberry Puff?

The puff pastry base was fairly generic puff pastry.  Not particularly buttery or special, sorta seemed like the kind of puff pastry you can buy in a tube at the grocery store.  It wasn't bad, and seemed fresh enough, but it just wasn't anything above grocery store quality.  Not bakery quality.  Low *** overall, as it did seem like something I could have put together in my own kitchen.

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Desserts and Wine from The Good Plate, Westin, Las Vegas

The Westin in Las Vegas is very different from any of the big resorts along the strip - in many, many ways. It is a non-smoking and non-casino property, is not quite on the strip, and has zero flashy amenities.  It is a perfectly acceptable Westin (clean, friendly staff, etc), follows the brand standards well (love the Westin Heavenly beds!, decent gym, etc), and does have the basics like a small, quiet, modest pool and spa, but it seems to mostly appeal towards business travelers, and lacks any real Las Vegas vibes.  It is comfortable and pleasant, but really could be located anywhere.  But this isn't Julie's Hotel Club.  This is Julie's Dining Club, so of course, I'm here to talk about the food!

Dining - The Good Plate

Unlike the major properties in Las Vegas, the Westin lacks a fun food court, or a fancy steakhouse, or much of anything in the way of dining really, besides the single hotel restaurant: The Good Plate.  It is entirely generic, sans any tie to a celeb chef, with a menu that is largely uninspired.  Again, you could be anywhere.  I don't really know why anyone would choose to dine there, besides maybe breakfast for an easy morning option (or, in my case, because I had free dessert vouchers to redeem!).  It seemed woefully understaffed at all times of day.

Restaurant Entrance.

The restaurant is on the ground floor, in a section that is separate from the rest of the vast lobby, but not actually enclosed.  Open all day long.  It was usually empty.

Lobby + Restaurant.

I'm not quite sure where the kitchen is, as it isn't part of the visible restaurant itself, and food had to be carried over from elsewhere.  I think they have one common kitchen that does the in-room dining, restaurant, catering, etc, and it is along the edge of the building somewhere?  A strange setup for sure. 

The restaurant never had many people at it when I walked by.  Service seemed slow - even to place a takeout order, as the hostess was often far away fetching food orders from the mystery kitchen.  I only got takeout and it was really amazingly slow each and every time.

I was there for only one thing: dessert.  Not only because, well, I have a serious sweet tooth, but because the hotel gave me a bunch of vouchers for free desserts.  The dessert menu is quite small.  Only 3 items.  Butter cake, apple tart, or chocolate cake.  $10 each normally.  The first two are served warm.  I had all of them.

Warm Apple Tart w/ Caramel Sauce.

The first item I tried, at the hostess's half-hearted suggestion when I asked her favorite, was the apple tart.  It took nearly 25 minutes to be ready, which seemed ... excessive.  I hoped this meant that perhaps it was being actually baked to order, although that seemed unlikely.  I opened my box to find something that looked buffet quality.  It was also barely warm, so, definitely not freshly baked, just crazy slow.

Anyway, it actually wasn't bad.  But it also wasn't really a classic apple tart.

The tart shell, a component I often actively dislike, and in many cases just toss, was surprisingly decent.  It was soft, sweet, buttery.  The softness wasn't a sign of a quality pastry, more of one that had been poorly reheated, but, I didn't mind it that much, and perhaps liked it more than most crispier tart shells.  Low *** shell.

The main filling was not actually apple, instead it was a soft gooey sweet buttery goo, sorta like pecan pie or chess pie or crack pie filling.  It wasn't particularly complex, but, it was tasty enough.  Higher ***+, but not what I expect from an apple tart filling.

On top of the filling was the actual apple element, 5 thin slices of apple.  Not too mushy.  Kinda just there, and they didn't actually add much as they were so thin.  ***.

It was drizzled with average caramel.  More sweetness.  Low ***.

So overall, it was actually kinda enjoyable.  That said, it was barely lukewarm, and I think it would have been better either properly warm, or actually chilled.  It also needed something to compliment it - ideally ice cream when served warm, or whipped cream if served chilled.  It was a bit one-note sweet without anything else.  My research says this used to come with ice cream, but alas, when I asked about that, they told me they no longer have any ice cream.  Not even for an extra charge.  So, just a plain tart, not even whipped cream was served with it.  I think the ice cream or at least whip would have made a pretty big difference.

I added some fresh blackberries to mine, and that lightened it up a bit.

***+ overall, by far the best of the 3 desserts.

5 Layer Chocolate Cake w/ whipped cream.

Next I went for the more decadent sounding 5 layer chocolate cake.  This one was ready within about 10 minutes, presumably because it doesn't need heating up?  Interestingly, the chocolate cake does come with whipped cream.  It was clearly just from a can, e.g. the kind that deflates quickly, but I still appreciated it.  It was also drizzled with some kind of berry sauce.

The cake was less successful than the tart.  It was fairly dry, particularly the exterior.  Not a moist, inviting cake.  The fudge frosting on top and between layers was thick and rich, fairly classic chocolate fudge frosting.  Basically, this tasted a few days old, and grocery store quality.

The whipped cream was nice to have, but it was a very thin/airy style, so it didn't stand up well against the rich cake.  The berry sauce was the best part.

Least favorite of the desserts by far.  **.  I almost got it again another day to see if a fresher slice would be better, but, meh.  Too many actual good desserts in Las Vegas to waste on this.

Butter Cake w/ Whipped Cream & Berries.

The final selection is the one that I had read great reviews of, and I saw a couple people eating at the bar on previous days, and I'll admit, it did look pretty good: butter cake.  I've just never been much of a butter cake person - granted, I think I've only had it once before, from California Pizza Kitchen, which people *adore* and I hated.

This was better than the CPK one, but I still didn't care for it.  It was served warm.  It came with not only whipped cream and berry sauce like the chocolate cake, but also, some fresh berries!  In terms of value, as all 3 desserts cost exactly the same, I find it strange that the apple tart is so small and has no additions, whereas this one is the biggest, and has all the toppings.

Anyway, the cake was ... eh . Again, I think maybe I just am not a butter cake person?  It seemed like a too rich pound cake crossed with a too dry cheesecake.  It was rich but not in a decadent way.  The top layer was the best part, the rest just kinda dry and flavorless.  I did like the toppings.

***+ toppings, * cake.

Apple Tart, again.

My last day, with a stack of free dessert coupons in hand, I decided to at least get one more apple tart.  It was remarkably consistent with the previous one, in looks, in taste, in lukewarmness.  Still the best of the bunch.

Drinks

I also had free drink vouchers that I could redeem for beer, non-alcoholic drinks (no sparkling water option, doh), or the house wine.  I assumed the wines would be horrible, but was pleasantly surprised that I actually liked all 3 that I tried.  I'm not sure what brand any of them were.

House Cabernet Sauvignon.

First up, the cab, my mostly commonly consumed varietal these days.

Well, huh.  It was really not bad.  Not too much acid or tanin, a bit of complexity.  Very drinkable.  ***+.

I had this one other day, and felt the same.  Happy to get this again.

House Pinot Noir.

I decided to mix it up and try the other red option, pinot noir.

The pinot noir I also enjoyed, although it wasn't nearly as light as I'd expect from a pinot.  It was an easy drinker, very little tanin, very little acid, but mildly interesting overall, and a bit of structure.  It drank more like a red blend than a pinot, but I didn't dislike it.   ***+.

House Chardonnay.

The last day, when it was 98* (literally!  <3 Vegas!), I opted for a white wine, as it seemed more fitting.  Plus, I had seafood planned for dinner, and this seemed like a great match.  I got it togo, which meant for a rather amusing plastic cup with straw, but, hey, it worked (mostly people I think got them to go to bring to the pool?).

I don't drink much white wine, but again, I was pleased with this.  A touch buttery, not too dry, not too much acid.  Just again, an easy drinker, but not boring.  If I was craving white wine again, and I'd gladly get it again too.  ***+.

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Wetzel's Pretzels

Update Review, April 2025 Visits

Another year, another National Pretzel Day, which means, free pretzels at Wetzels!

Original, Buttered, No Salt. $7.39.

I waited in a fairly long line for my free pretzel, only to have the person before me claim the last salted pretzel.  The worker unapologetically told me they didn't even have another batch baking, so plain (buttered) was all he could offer (which, confuses me, they salt them after baking and usually just pluck the plain ones from the display, dose them in more butter, and dunk in salt ...).  But anyway, original, buttered, no salt it was.

The pretzel was fairly average and as expected.  Warm but not super fresh.  Covered in butter.  Baked well, no under baked nor burnt bits.  Standard US style fairly plain base flavor (e.g. not malty like European ones).  I had a little of it then, and took the rest home to re-warm up and use as a dessert with more toppings and sauces.  Low ***.

Original, Buttered, With Salt. $7.39.

The one I got fresh, fresh, fresh out of the oven (as in, I had to wait 2 min for it to finish baking).  Amusingly, it was actually a bit darker than it should be, so they really *should* have pulled it out sooner.  Anyway, classic original pretzel, buttered, and buttered again and salted.  Well formed, piping hot, nice salt level.  I definitely liked having a flavorful mustard I brought with me to dunk it in.  *** due to freshness, but there isn't actually anything particularly remarkable about these pretzels.

Update Review, April 2024 Visit

Yes, another visit to Wetzel's Pretzels for a free pretzel on National Pretzel Day.

Original (no salt).  $5.99.

I got this hot and fresh.  It was already glistening with butter, from the bath they give the pretzels as they take the out of the oven.  I opted for no salt, so I could use it in either savory or sweet dips.  If you do get salt, it gets brushed another time with fresh butter, to help the salt stick.

The pretzel was pretty massive, and not particularly well formed, more like intersecting rings than a proper pretzel shape.  It was buttery, moist, not burnt, but not particularly good.  I tried both savory and sweet dipping sauces and glazes with it, which helped, but the base pretzel just didn't have much flavor.  Auntie Anne's, located in the same mall, and also doing free pretzels was considerably better (in both taste and shape).  Eh.  **.

Update Review, June 2023 Visit

Almond Crunch. $6.49.

Meh.

The pretzel just didn't taste very fresh.  It was taken from the display case and dunked in copious almond crunch coating (which I definitely appreciated, although much of it fell off), but I suspect it had been sitting in the case quite a while.  It also seemed sightly over-baked, was fairly dry, not dough and fluffy, and was pretty dark in one area.  It wasn't very buttery.  Solidly, meh.  

The almond crunch coating was good, sweet, crunchy, but, overall, not a good showing by Wetzel's. **+.

Update Review, April 2023 Visit

Another year, another National Pretzel Day!  Of course I went to celebrate with my favorite (free) pretzel at nearby Wetzel's.  I was thrilled that there was essentially no line, and staff seemed friendly despite the "holiday" that they likely weren't especially excited to be taking part of.

Original w/ Butter & Salt.

"Hand rolled, baked fresh, and lightly buttered & salted. Also available in non-buttered."

I managed to score one fresh out of the oven, then promptly freshly dunked in copious amounts of butter and coated in salt to order.  It was basically as good as a generic soft pretzel of this style is going to get.  It was soft and puffy, the base pretzel had a reasonable flavor (American style soft pretzel of course though, not the malty nature of a German pretzel), and the butter was glorious.  Salt made it all pop.

When you get one of these fresh, it really is quite good.  ***+.

Update Review, May 2022 Visit

National Pretzel Day.  Always a fun day for me, as I enjoy making a journey out of claiming my free pretzel at various vendors, which this year included both Auntie Anne's and Wetzel's, co-located in the same mall, just moments away from each other.  I used this opportunity to try something totally different at Wetzel's, and went to Auntie Anne's, my preferred vendor, for my sweet pretzel (which I reviewed last week).  But at Wetzel's, I kept it simple.  Very simple.

Original Pretzel. No Butter, No Salt.

Have you ever had a plain pretzel?  Like, truly plain?  No butter, no salt, just, pretzel?

I ordered one on a day I was mildly curious what Wetzel base pretzels taste like, and when I saw the display pretzels were all really sad looking ... they looked old and dried out.  And, obviously, like their pretzels normally are, buttered.  So I did the "trick" some people do to get fresh fries at McDonald's by ordering without salt, and asked for an original pretzel, no butter.  I was told there would be a slight wait, which I anticipated, and had no problem with.

It was nice to get a pretzel hot and fresh out of the oven.  It was warm, doughy, and far less crispy/dried out as they can be from sitting under the heat lamps.  It was also, um, very boring.  I knew butter added goodness to it, but, wow, I didn't realize just how plain the base is without it.  No malty, wheaty taste, no ... anything really.  Just some warm, fluffy dough.  It needed far more than mustard to make it interesting.

I actually just brought it home, reheated it up (I know, defeating the purpose of having it fresh!), and dunked half in cheese sauce (yum!) and did the other half covered in cinnamon roll glaze I had left over, and the non-buttered base made it a perfect vehicle for both sweet and savory toppings.  If you plan to bring your pretzel home to use for something else, I recommend this no butter approach, but if you want something to enjoy on the spot, unless you are getting interesting dip, go for the buttery goodness.  Butter is a good thing.

**+.

Update Review, November/December 2021 Visits

Nearly two years in to the pandemic, and my regular mall soft pretzel place, Auntie Anne's, was still closed.  So even though I didn't love Wetzel's Pretzel's my first visit, I decided to try a few more times, this time getting more decadent coated options.

The good news is that I found one I do like, but, I like to have whipped cream to dunk it in, and I like it warm ... and Wetzel's never seem particularly warm nor fresh.

Sinful Cinnamon. $5.79.

"A whole pretzel baked fresh and tossed with cinnamon sugar. Sweet!"

Since the regular pretzel I had last time was a bit boring, I decided to go for a sweet, dessert-like pretzel.  My choices were cinnamon sugar or almond crunch.  I opted for the former, sorta craving a churro at the time.  I went for a full size pretzel, known as the "Sinful Cinammon".  When served in smaller bite form, the cinnamon sugar bites are known as "Cin-A-Bitz".

My pretzel was tossed in cinnamon sugar to order, but the pretzel itself was a plain buttered pretzel plucked from the display.  It was lukewarm, kinda hard, and I don't think was particularly fresh.  

When I tried the Original pretzel, I found it didn't have much base flavor, so this was an improvement over that, in that the sugar and cinnamon coating was generous, and it did add flavor and sweetness.  I found myself still wanting something to dunk in it, or icing, or just ... something.

So overall kinda lackluster, and at $5.79, it just felt expensive for a mediocre item (cinnamon sugar is $0.50 more than plain pretzel).

**+.   It was much better when I brought it home, heated it up, and dunked into whipped cream.  ***.

Almond Crunch. $5.79.

"Make it nutty! A fresh baked Wetzel's Pretzel topped with our sweet and salty almond crunch."

I still have yet to find a Wetzel's pretzel that makes me as happy as I want it to, so for my next selection, I went for the most decadent of the sweet options, the almond crunch.  Much like the Soulful Cinnamon, it was coated in the crunch coat to order, but was otherwise was a plain buttered pretzel plucked from the display.

This was the best pretzel I had so far, but, it still let me down.  The pretzel was both hard and soft, was lukewarm, and clearly was not fresh.  Sigh.  The base flavor was again fairly boring, although it was heavily buttered.

The coating was good though, and very generously applied.  I was impressed with how well the coating stuck to the exterior.  That said, it in no way tasted like almond, and there were no bits of almond identifiable.  "Sugary crunch" seemed more accurate than "almond crunch".

This pretzel was sweet enough, and decadent enough, to be close to a dessert, which is what I was looking for, but it really still needed either caramel to dip into, or whipped cream, or something.  Although, at 596 calories, it didn't "need" it from that aspect ...

Like the Sinful Cinnamon, this pretzel was $0.50 more for the coating.

*** as served, but again, once I brought the other half home, heated it up, and dunked into whipped cream, it took it up a notch, ***+.

Almond Crunch. $5.79.

"Make it nutty! A fresh baked Wetzel's Pretzel topped with our sweet and salty almond crunch."

I had a free pretzel coupon to use a few months later, and since the almond crunch was the best I had so far, I went for it again.  It came out looking like a pretzel from a totally different place, way less coating on it.  I also was able to watch it being made, and saw a regular, unsalted pretzel was plucked from the case, dunked into liquid hot butter, and then put into the crunch coating.  I wonder if you can ask for one salted, or one without butter?

Anyway, this version actually had larger bits of crunch coating, and seemed crunchier than the previous one, even though that one had so much more coating on it.  I think I liked it a bit more, but I also knew what to expect at this point - warm dough, not what I think of as a pretzel, very buttery, slightly sweet coating.  It still needs a caramel or icing dip, or whipped cream and ice cream, or something to complete it for me.

*** as served, ***+ once I added my own ice cream this time.

Jalaroni Twist. $6.29.

"Fresh baked cheese pretzel topped with pepperoni slices and big, juicy slices of jalapeño."

And finally, I went savory.  And rather all out, if you are thinking of a stop at a pretzel place as a "snack".

I'm not really sure this should be considered a pretzel at this point.  Yes, I think it is the same base dough that Wetzel's uses for all their pretzels, and yes it was vaguely pretzel shaped, but ... it really didn't remind me of a pretzel in any way.

But let me back up.  In the savory, cheesy department, Wetzel's has several offerings, all dubbed "Twists", starting with the simple "Cheese Meltdown", which, the best I can tell is just cheesy bread (using their 3 cheese blend), then they have jalapeño or pepperoni versions, and this, the "Jalaroni" which has both.  All are cheesy, and, although they look like pizza, none have pizza sauce (although you can purchase marinara dip separately).  Hence, my evaluation of basically cheesy bread vaguely shaped like a pretzel, more like what you find at a pizza place, just, shaped like pretzels instead of breadsticks.

So how was it?  Well, like all my pretzels from Wetzels, not exactly hot and fresh.  Lukewarm.  Sigh.  Auntie Anne's really does a much better job with freshness.  The base dough used by Wetzels never strikes me as very pretzel-y, not like Bavarian style soft pretzels, which drives me crazy when having a plain pretzel, but works better here.  The very generic dough makes a decent enough base for cheesy bread, but, besides the shape, I wouldn't say it was any different than very generic pizza place cheesy breadsticks.  The jalapeño did add little pops of spice, and the pepperoni made it kinda taste like pizza in a traditional sense, and made it a bit greasier, but still ... just pretzel shaped cheesy bread.  

I think with marinara sauce dip it likely could serve as a pizza replacement, but, at 600 calories per pretzel, uh, why not just get real pizza?  It really isn't a "snack" like this.

Overall, glad to try it, but, eh.

**+.

Original Review, May 2021

Mmm, soft pretzels.  Such classic mall food court food.  Or, well, I suppose the classic setting is sporting events or street vendors selling reheated Superpretzels (which, don't get me wrong, can be quite tasty!), but I'm talking about fresh soft pretzels, usually made right there in front of you, the aroma irresistible, with a bunch of fun dips to pick from.  Like my usual goto, Auntie Anne's.  

Wetzel's has been around since 1994, but I don't think I ever saw them before ... 2015 or so?  Not the common brand where I grew up, and a late comer compared to Auntie Anne's.  They have franchises all over the US, and a few internationally.

Much like Auntie Anne's, pretzels come in "original" (salted with butter), "soulful cinnamon" (cinnamon & sugar), sour cream & onion, and sweet almond crunch.

They also make a slew of pretzels with cheese baked in (some with pepperoni, jalapeno, etc too), smaller "bitz" - nope, not "bites", "bitz", and of course, crowd favorites, pretzel dogs (in several varieties).  Standard soft pretzel shop dips are offered (savory options like cheese or pizza sauce, sweet ones like caramel or icing glaze), and a few fountain drinks like classic lemonade.

Wetzel's Stand at the mall.

Whenever I've walked by Wetzel's, I've seen it as "the other" pretzel place in the mall.  Auntie Anne's was always my goto for a soft pretzel, and they had a "real" storefront, whereas Wetzel's just has a little kiosk in the middle of the hall.  Plus, Auntie Anne's was open for years before Wetzel's joined the lineup.

But Auntie Anne's closed during COVID, and didn't reopen.  Wetzel's did.  Plus, really, how do you resist the aroma of a fresh baked pretzel?  Even with my mask on, I couldn't resist the smell.

Pretzel Making.

Since the kiosk has no separate kitchen, all prep is done right in front of customers.  I felt a bit bad watching with such fascination, much like watching a pizza dough being tossed, but it was really amazing to watch the pretzel dough be rolled out, shaped into a pretzel with the flick of a wrist, and laid out.  The next one was done before I could blink.

Another staff member took the formed pretzels, dipped them in a solution, and put on baking tray.

From there, they went into the oven, where they baked until timer went off, then were rotated 180*, baked again until timer went off, then were moved down to a different rack, and a new batch put in.  One more baking, one more rotation, and they were done.

Clearly a *very* well controlled baking experience.

Bag.

I had to laugh at the message on the bag: "Moderation has a time and place. This isn't it".

<3.

Original with Butter & Salt. $4.89.

"Hand rolled, baked fresh, and lightly buttered & salted. Also available in non-buttered."

For my first pretzel from Wetzel's, I went simple: original.  But yes, of course I got butter and salt.

My pretzel was hot and fresh.  As fresh as can be, literally, we had to wait for them to come out of the oven.  And then to cool a little before they'd hand over.

I was given the option of salted or not, and clearly went for salted, the salt was applied to order, along with being dipped in fresh butter.

It was hot.  It was fresh.  It was glistening with butter.  Salted just enough to really have salt in every bite, but not excessive.  Fairly evenly applied.  All great things.

The pretzel had a lovely chew to it, a bit chewy on the outside, but very soft inside.  Really, just perfectly cooked.

But I'm not raving about it.  Every aspect of the execution was spot on.  It just didn't ... taste like much?  Butter and salt, sure.  But the base pretzel was really lacking in any depth.

I had a packet of mustard in my bag, so I dunked some in there, and it worked, but this really screamed out for something more like warm cheese dip, or even an icing.  Maybe cinnamon/sugar?

So, execution wise?  ****+, but actual satisfaction?  **+.  Overall ... ***.

The $4.89 price seemed high for a pretzel too.

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Garrett's Popcorn

Garrett's Popcorn is THE famous popcorn from Chicago.  Whenever I mention my popcorn obsession to others, they always ask, "Oh, have you had Garrett's?"  Given that I have never been to Chicago my answer thus far has been no.

Update Review, 2025 - Las Vegas Location

When I was recently in Las Vegas, I spotted a Garrett popcorn store in the mall I was walking through.  I wasn't actually hungry for a snack, having just finished a meal, and wasn't going back to my hotel anytime soon, so I didn't really want to lug popcorn around with me, but I couldn't resist taking a closer look ...

They actually only had a few flavors: the classic CheeseCorn and CaramelCrisp of course, along with one with nuts, and I think either butter or plain.  Not much jumped out at me, so I nearly walked away, when the staff member asked if I wanted a sample of anything.  I of *course* turned right back around to get one! 

Adorable mini sample bags.

I was absolutely charmed by the sample bags.  Mini, really mini, popcorn bags.  <3!

Spicy CheeseCorn.

"Experience the savory delight of freshly melted sharp-cheddar cheese - with a spicy, chili-lime twist - in this gourmet popcorn from Garrett Popcorn Shops."

I went for the most novel, the limited edition Spicy Cheesecorn, to see how spicy it was.  The answer?  Not very.  I was quite underwhelmed by the spice level.  Great cheesiness, like their regular CheeseCorn, but the heat was quite subtle, and took quite a few pieces to build it.  It was fine, but not as spicy as I was anticipating.  ***.

Original Review, 2016

But, this past year, one of my co-workers went to Chicago and came back with ... yup, a giant tub of Garrett's Popcorn!

Garrett's has been making popcorn since 1949.  The signature creation is Garrett Mix®, their version of Chicago Mix (which used to be marketed as such, until, lawsuit).  In addition to "CheeseCorn" and "CaramelCrisp", the two components of Garrett Mix, they also offer up plain and butter, plus some nutty variations on CaramelCrisp: Macadamia, Pecan, Almond, and Cashew.

My co-worker of course brought the Garrett Mix.  I was glad to try it, but, well, I don't see any reason to hop on a plane to Chicago for it.

Garrett Mix®

"Our handcrafted recipe is often imitated, but never duplicated. First created by our loyal fans, the Garrett Mix® combines the sophisticated sweetness of CaramelCrisp® with the savory goodness of CheeseCorn. The original Chicago style Popcorn, from THE original gourmet Popcorn Shop."

Breaking this down into its mixed components:

CheeseCorn: "Freshly-melted, sharp cheddar cheese is stirred into each and every batch. Fans proudly display their "Cheesy-Fingers!"

Ok, wow, yes, this gave me cheesy fingers.  Each piece was absolutely coated in orange goodness.  It tasted like fake cheddar, but I really liked it.  It required consumption by the handful.  And, yes, of course I liked it better frozen.

CaramelCrisp: "Deep butter notes, sweet brown sugar and a crème brûlée crunch combine for a rich taste sensation."

Caramel corn can go so many ways.  This one was ... mediocre for me.  It was sweet and they get great credit for perfectly coating the kernels, but, the caramel itself was just a bit too deep of a flavor.  I still did enjoy it, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't my favorite.

The interesting thing to me is that I didn't really like these when mixed together.  I love mixing sweet and savory.  I should have loved this mix.  But, I didn't.  I had the same experience last time I had Chicago Mix, from G.H. Cretors.

So, I froze a bunch, gleefully ate all the cheese corn, and eventually ate the caramel.

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TCBY, Las Vegas Airport

Before I visited the Las Vegas airport, I of course did a tiny bit of research to see my food options, so I could plan to bring my own, or get something there.  I was pretty thrilled to see the large number of decent places in the D gates area where I was departing from, including ... ZOMG, froyo!  And not just any froyo, TCBY!  My hometown had a TCBY when I was much younger, and I had such fond memories of it.  Not somewhere we got to go often, definitely just a special treat, and I remember loving the Shivers.  But it closed when I was probably 10 years old at most, so it had been a really, really, really long.  I was so excited, despite the fact that this location gets *horrible* reviews (for the service, for having such a limited menu, etc).

I approached the counter eagerly.  My first TCBY in more than 30 years!!!  I was met by an extremely unfriendly staff member.  She was openly mean and hostile towards each guest.  Well, now I understand the reviews at least.  She made me feel so incredibly unwelcome, and honestly, I wasn't sure she'd even prepare my order.  She burst my bubble slightly (ok, a lot, I didn't do anything remotely annoying, didn't make special requests, wasn't indecisive, etc, and she was still just soooo mean!), but I still was happy to claim my treat.  

TCBY / Mrs. Fields.

This location is tiny, just a little counter shared with Mrs. Fields.

They had only two flavors, golden vanilla or dutch chocolate.  Only 4 toppings/mix-ins (mini m&m's, Oreo, sprinkles, Butterfinger), although the toppings sign said they had chopped mixed nuts too. When I tried to order these, I got VERY rudely told "We don't have!  See, only have these!", and she pointed at the little bins of toppings in front of her.  The menu board clearly had the 5 options listed, but she just GLARED at me, and I didn't press further.  Anyway.

Froyo comes in two sizes, or in shake or Shiver form, both of which are one size only.

Golden Vanilla Shiver, M&M.  $6.49.

"Your favorite frozen yogurt swirled and blended with your choice of toppings."

As Shivers were what I always got as a kid, that is clearly what I had to get, even though they didn't have Heath Bar nor peanut butter cups (which I think is what I always got back then?).  I opted for the mini m&m's not very excitedly, as it was the best of the 4 options: I don't care for Oreo, I kinda OD'ed on Butterfinger a while back when my office had it as a topping for froyo, and sprinkles I adore, and find essential in my daily life, but more as a garnish, not the star.  So, m&ms it was.

It came well mixed up, with a reasonable number of m&ms.  The country vanilla flavor was fine, pretty average vanilla flavor, average sweetness.  Definitely froyo, not richer, creamier soft serve ice cream, but not tart or lower sugar tasting.  Reasonably creamy, melted fairly nicely.

This hit the spot in terms of giving me something to do in the airport, and for scratching a *serious* nostalgia itch, but it wasn't particularly amazing.  Still more enjoyable than a McFlurry, as I think the base froyo flavor is a bit better than McD's soft serve.  ***+.

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Special Event at Stripsteak, Las Vegas

Michael Mina is chef who I learned about early on in my time exploring San Francisco's dining scene, when I went to his flagship Michelin starred restaurant (back when it was on Union Square), and loved it. Sadly, the newer location let me down in 2012, as did the Farewell to Foie Gras dinner we attended there later that year.  But I still followed his restaurants, and really enjoyed the cocktails and desserts at his smokehouse collab with Ayesha Curry, International Smoke, some of the sushi and bites I had from his Japanese Izakaya, Pabu, some of the bites and desserts from (now closed) RN74, and the (now-closed) Hawaiian inspired Trailblazer Tavern.  These were all in San Francisco.

I was excited to see that he had a restraurant in Las Vegas, where I recently was for a business trip.

"Located inside Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, STRIPSTEAK Las Vegas offers a reimagined dining experience where the elegance of a modern steakhouse meets the vibrant energy of the Las Vegas Strip. 

Designed to evoke the natural beauty of the Mojave desert, STRIPSTEAK provides an upscale yet inviting atmosphere, perfect for both intimate dinners and lively private events. Indulge in premium cuts of beef, fresh seafood, and an array of signature dishes crafted by renowned Chef Michael Mina."

The restaurant is a classic steakhouse, open only for dinner.  I visited two nights in a row, both times for hosted happy hours.  I would gladly return for a proper dinner though, as the main menu has some items I was really, really interested in (I'm looking at you caviar jelly donut (!!!), seared foie gras, lump crab cakes, and basically, ALL of the desserts).

Setting

The location is ideal for those attending conventions at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, as it is in the area between the convention center and the main hotel complex.  Every single person walking through must go right past it.

Entrance.

The area has a decently large bar with lounge seating around it, and a dining room.  The whole establishment is quasi-open to the hallway, as is common for many of the restaurants in this area.

Drinks

The first event I attended had a full open bar, with no special menu set out for us, and seemingly no limits on what we could order.

Special Cocktail Menu

The second night had a special cocktail menu, with 9 cocktails named after the happy hour theme (the Killers, since it was right before a concert for them).

Cabernet Sauvignon.

The first night, I had wine.  When I asked for "red wine", I was given a choice of pinot noir or cabernet.  I gleefully selected the cab.  The server told me the maker, but I didn't quite catch it.  In retrospect, I wish I did!  It was actually really quite good.  I think it may have been Pillar & Post Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, as that was offered the subsequent night, and is the cheapest cab on their wines by the glass menu.

Very little acid, very little tanin, yet still really well structured and robust.  I enjoyed it more than any other cab in recent memory.  ****.

Speciality Cocktail.

The second night, I opted for a cocktail, but ... I don't remember which I actually got.  This was my third stop that night, after the tasty margaritas and blue drinks at Border Grill, so my memory is a bit fuzzy.  I think it was probably the Neon Tiger (mezcal, aperol, lime, pineapple, vanilla, orange peel) or the Mr. Brightside (bourbon, sugar, orange bitters), as those are the ones that still jump out at me now, but I can't be certain.  I also don't recall much about it, besides that I vaguely liked it?

Food - Canapes

Since I attended Happy Hour special events, the hosts had pre-selected food both nights from the event menu, which included passed canapes and a few stationed platters.

For passed canapes, Stripsteak has 7 items available (1 vegetarian, 1 vegan, 3 seafood, 2 beef).  I skipped the tuna tostada since I had one just a few minutes before at Border Grill, and the falafel as I'm not generally into it, but I tried everything else.

This is not a cheap place to host an event, where every piece is priced at $8-11 each, with 24 pieces per item minimum.

Stripsteak Cheeseburger Sliders. ($11).

"American cheese, secret sauce."

The first item to show up was a slider.  For a moment I thought, "ho-hum", everywhere has sliders right?  Classic happy hour grub.  Usually mediocre bread, thin fully cooked well done patty, congealed cheese, maybe some attempt at a special sauce.  I nearly skipped it, but, I thought, "Hey, this is a steak place after all ...".

It also just looked dry and bland.  They didn't try to add lettuce, tomato, onion, caramelized onion, pickles, or anything to jazz it up.  Which at first glance, definitely made this look like a below average slider.

It was definitely the best slider I've had in ages.  As in, it was actually good.  But not without flaws.

The bun was incredible.  I know it doesn't look special, but it was shockingly delicious.  Definitely buttered, rich and fluffy, lightly sweet.  Just, wow, such a good bun.  I'm not normally one to fill up on bread, but this was totally worth it.  **** bun.

The online event menu said the cheese was just American cheese, but the cheese on this was shockingly good too, and didn't seem like American.  It was a white cheese, not too sharp or anything, but had a depth and nuttiness to it.  I really liked the cheese, although it wasn't particularly soft and gooey.  ***+.

The menu also said it would have secret sauce, and mine did not have any sauce.  I luckily had a packet of ketchup in my bag (always prepared!), and that was good to add.  I think it really must have just been an error that it was missing any sauce.

So, fantastic bread and cheese, would be happy enough with it just as a cheese toastie!

Slider: Close Up.

But of course, this is a steakhouse.  The patty was also a highlight.  Very thick, much thicker than your average cocktail slider.  Nice char/sear to it.  Flavorful beef.  Very moist.  And ... mid-rare!  The bite you see here is actually the most cooked, it was really nicely rare in the center.  Such a surprise for an event.  ***+.

Interestingly, the next night when I was also at a happy hour there, others had the sliders (after I raved about them) and they were medium-well, a totally different experience.  I would have had one that second night, but after seeing theirs, I skipped.

Lobster Fritter ($10).

"Pink peppercorn tartar."

Next came lobster!  

I thought the lobster fritter would be an easy favorite of mine, but I found it only ok.  It was nicely crispy, but I didn't taste any lobster at all, and seemed to mostly be like risotto?  The aioli was too easily lost.  Fine for an arancini, but boo for a lobster fritter.  **.

I realize in retrospect that possibly the server misspoke when presenting this, and it was actually the vegetarian mushroom arancini?  That would make considerably more sense.

Beef Kebab Skewer. ($10).

"Chimichurri, cilantro."

After the great slider, I had high hopes for the beef skewers, and again, I was at a steak place after all.  

The skewer beef itself let me down - it was slightly chewy, although quite tender, and cooked medium-well.  I really wanted more pink.  **+.

The chimichurri however was absolutely fantastic.  Fresh, vibrant, and extremely flavorful.  It opened my eyes to how good chimi could be, and definitely went well with the steak.  ****.

Tempura Shrimp Skewer. ($9).

"Spicy aioli, sesame, nori."

Another fairly common cocktail hour item, shrimp tempura.

This was a decent tempura shrimp.  Not quite as crisp as I'd like, probably because it wasn't super fresh (I got the last one from the tray), but the shrimp inside was succulent, and I appreciated the spicy aioli drizzle.  ***+.

Market Vegetable Crudite. $25/pp.

"Housemade buttermilk ranch." 

I was really craving veggies and not just standard happy hour appetizers after several days of this kind of reception, so I was really happy the hosts the second night selected the crudite platter.  

Everything was fresh and crisp, although some was a bit random, like, the slices of tomato?  Fairly average ranch dip. ***+.

Cheese and Charcuterie. $35/pp.

"Assorted artisanal cured meats & cheeses."

We also had a basic charcuterie and cheese board to graze on that second night.  I had the triple cream, it was fine.  I prefer more funk, and riper.  ***.

The mortadella though was fantastic.  I appreciated how huge the slices were.  Tender, flavorful, mmmm.  I love good mortadella.  ****.  Second favorite bite from the event.

The $35 per person price seemed quite high, as most people had at most 1-2 bites from here.

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