Recently, I made attempt #2 at finding good food in Las Vegas and not really having much success. Buffets aren't really my style ever since I worked at one in high school and learned what really goes on and celebrity chef restaurants leave me skeptical and tightfisted. Actually, all of Vegas turns me into a miser that doles out the coin grumpily and usually only in exchange for coffee.
Until I got lost in the Venetian Hotel's casino looking for the doorway that lead to the elevators that would take me to my room. There, on the edge of the casino, was a darling little cupcake shop called 'Sweet Surrender.' I couldn't resist. I also couldn't resist attempting covert pictures. I managed but was terrified all the while that the casino people who don't allow pictures in the casino were going to come flying out of nowhere and confiscate my camera. That feeling persisted all afternoon, actually, because I imagined some set of camera hating goons in a security room somewhere 'spotting' my actions on a surveillance camera and busting down my hotel door.
I digress. Sweet Surrender had nearly a dozen different flavors of cupcakes and other candies and sweet things to choose. I chose a basic vanilla cupcake because I always feel that you can get an immediate feel for a place by choosing their most simple dish (or cupcake) because there are less things to cover any potential flaws. After my cupcake was boxed, I beat a hasty retreat.
Safe and sound back in my room or so I hoped! I pulled up a chair to the window and sat down with cupcake, coffee and a good book. Don't be alarmed, I know it was Vegas and there are more exciting things to do but cupcakes & coffee are more my style than betting and dicing.
Even if the cupcake turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. The gold balls were rice krispies dipped in white chocolate and coated in a gold shimmer powder. A lot of work but surprisingly tasty! The vanilla buttercream was whipped until quite light before it was piped onto the cupcake in a decorative, but unfortunate manner. The edges of the cupcake were not covered and the cake below was well on its way to stale. This is a trend I've noticed since cupcakes have gotten more popular; frosting is placed to be decorative in complete and total disregard for its more important job of protecting the cake's freshness, but more on that another day. I set the cupcake aside.
It was probably for the best. Isn't there some rule about not eating an hour before you go in the pool?
