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| - I guess this place appeals to some people, but not me. The room is attractive, in a hipster sort of way, and the "farm to table" branding will also appeal to hipsters, although I think it is a marketing scam - I mean, where do other restaurants get their vegetables if not a farm?
So what's the problem? Well, let's start with the noise. We had might as well start there, since it will be a good half hour before you even get a drink, much less your order. While you're waiting on the glacial service, you might want to talk a bit. Good luck with that. I'm not sure exactly how many decibels a jet engine generates, but I now feel like I have a pretty good idea. I could not hear a word over the din. We had might as well have been at an AC/DC concert.
Speaking of glacial, when the first course finally came (about an hour in) it was cold, as was every course after that, including the steak. The steak, by the way, was cooked well past the medium rare I had requested, and was not especially flavorful. I've had better at Outback, for less than half the price. The sides were meager, and not all that tasty. The soup and salad were both average.
I think that one good tip-off to the quality of a restaurant is the bread they serve. A basket of varied, fresh-baked breads tells me that the restaurant pays attention to every detail. Harvest served a small cup of bread sticks and flatbread, which seemed to be more "grocery store shelf to table" than "farm to table." I wouldn't disqualify a restaurant on that basis alone, but it tells you something. A nice roll would have helped pass the time while we were waiting, and waiting, and waiting for our food.
In short, if you are a hipster and feel good about yourself for eating locally sourced sustainable kale, hop into your Prius and overpay for dinner at Harvest. For anyone else, try one of the dozen or so other high end restaurants at the Bellagio.
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