Wynn Las Vegas Magazine by MODERN LUXURY

Wynn - 2013 - Issue 1 - Spring+Summer

Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas

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DISCOVERIES CHOICE CUTS Wynn and Encore President Maurice Wooden highlights a trio of tantalizing dining experiences. F or more than two decades, Maurice Wooden has worked at Steve Wynn's side, from Wooden's years as President of the Golden Nugget to his executive positions at Mirage Hotel and Casino and Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. But from the moment the doors opened on Wynn Las Vegas in 2005, Wooden has witnessed firsthand how the resort has raised the sophistication level of the city's luxury lifestyle. "I see it on guests' faces every day when they walk through the doors, that notion of 'I've arrived in a completely different resort experience,'" he says. In late February, Wooden was elevated to the position of President of Wynn and Encore after successful stints as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Food and Beverage. Especially with the latter in mind, we knew he was the ideal person to select three outstanding moments from the vast and varied menu of Wynn's delectable dining options. 1. PARASOL UP 40 "People don't always wander to the end of our Retail Esplanade, but those who do discover Sugar & Ice, another favorite spot for a variety of reasons. It's a fun, casual café that offers salads, great pizza, and some of the best house-made gelato in Las Vegas, so it's approachable and affordable, and yet we never stray from offering the same level of service and quality that you'd find in any of our Wynn restaurants. It's also an ideal indoor/ outdoor environment—that's key to so many Wynn experiences—with a lot of natural light and a pair of beautiful cascading waterfalls. When the weather is nice, Sugar & Ice's patio has become popular precisely because of those waterfalls, which give you such a sense of calm and retreat. The overall effect is one of tranquility, to the point that you could forget you're in a resort in Las Vegas." n MERRILL VIRGEN (SUGAR & ICE) 2. THE BUFFET "We are fortunate to experience a wide range of accolades for all of our restaurants, yet The Buffet is without question a personal favorite, not only for myself but for all Wynn executives, including Steve Wynn, who I saw in The Buffet three times last week. I honestly believe what's integral to our Buffet experience is not merely the quantity of food, but most importantly the quality and variety of choice (the fact that Steve is famously a vegan and yet loves The Buffet speaks to that idea). I'm also sure that's why nearly a million customers dine in our Buffet every year. My personal favorites are the carving stations, where you can get marinated sliced flank steak, prime rib, roast turkey, or a variety of sausages, and the crab station, which is incredibly popular, primarily because the crab we use is of the highest quality. Indeed, all of the Buffet's chefs and culinary staff know it's their responsibility to provide the guest with an experience as though it were the most expensive meal they were going to enjoy in Las Vegas. That's the reason The Buffet has been consistently recognized as the best within Las Vegas—and this is a buffet town." 3. SUGAR & ICE PHOTOGRAPHY BY BY ALEX KARVOUNIS (WOODEN); BARBARA KRAFT (PARASOL UP, BUFFET); "It's easy for people to think, Oh, that's just a lobby bar. But for me, Parasol Up is one of the best people-watching spots not only within the resort but in all of Las Vegas. Because it's situated on an elevated platform, you're afforded a great view and are able to experience so many elements that illustrate why people come to Wynn. You see that moment when guests enter and walk through our atriums, and they never fail to marvel at the beauty of the trees and the topiaries, and then they experience that awe on another level when they move on to the parasols and the Lake of Dreams. You also see the very different behavior between day and evening. During the day you get a sense that guests are heading to their next destination with a purpose—perhaps they're here for a convention. But at night it's a lot more leisurely—they're dressed up and on their way to a great dinner at SW Steakhouse or Lakeside. Being at Parasol Up always brings back to me that what we do is so special and different; it makes you realize this is truly a unique place." WYNN 040_W_FOB_Discoveries_Spring_13.indd 40 4/3/13 5:46 PM

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