The Café at THEhotel - Las Vegas, NV

Sometimes having a "balanced" meal means balancing something decadent with something healthy. 

Chicken and Waffles - The Café - THEHotel - Las Vegas, NV

After a disappointing first breakfast in Las Vegas, I took a little more time to wander around and consider all of my options on my second morning out there. When I reviewed the menu posted outside The Café, located in the lobby of THEHotel, I immediately noticed the Chicken and Waffles.

I knew it would be a heavy start to the day, but I was in Vegas and didn't care. Besides... indulging every now and then is good for the soul, right? ;-)

Individual Coffee Carafe - The Café - THEHotel - Las Vegas, NV

Naturally, my meal started off with some Coffee ($4.25). A little steep for a cup of regular coffee, but they give you your own individual carafe to keep at your table, so I guess the inflated price was worth not having to continually wave down my server to fill up my cup. Plus, after I had finished my meal and paid my bill, my server poured the remaining coffee in the carafe (and then some) into a to-go cup so I could take the rest with me. Nice touch!

Chicken and Waffles - The Café - THEHotel - Las Vegas, NV

Now, let's talk about the main part of my meal -- the Chicken & Waffles ($18). I'll admit that part of me was anticipating another let-down. I was half-expecting to be served chicken that was tough and dried out alongside under-cooked waffles that tasted like cardboard. I am so glad I was Wrong.Wrong.Wrong.

The waffles were light and freshly prepared (as opposed to sitting in a chafing dish for 30 minutes before I ordered them) and had a hint of vanilla flavoring to them. They were topped with perfectly crisp applewood-smoked bacon, creating a lovely barrier between the waffles and the chicken breasts (organic), which were soaked in buttermilk before being battered and fried to a mouth-watering golden brown. The outside of the chicken was crunchy and seasoned lightly with salt and the inside was juicy and absolutely delicious.

And did I mention that the whole dish was drizzled with bourbon maple syrup? Heavenly and sinful all at the same time. And I'm not ashamed to admit that I ate 90% of what was on my plate. That translates to all of the chicken and bacon and most of the waffles.

Being a food blogger who covers restaurants is seriously hard work, you guys.

Seasonal Market Fruit - The Café - THEHotel - Las Vegas, NV

To make myself feel a little bit better about putting down all that heavy food so early in the morning, I ordered a plate of Seasonal Market Fruit ($9). The generous portion of fruit included sliced pineapple, honeydew melon, and cantaloupe with orange wedges, whole grapes, and a halved strawberry in the center. Seriously, it was almost too beautiful to eat.

My breakfast experience at The Café blew my experience at Raffles Café completely out of the water. If I ever have the opportunity to stay at Mandalay Bay again, then I know where I'm going to go to enjoy a satisfying meal at the start of my day!

The Café at THEhotel
Mandalay Bay
3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 632-777



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