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| - Tourist trap alert! Tourist trap alert!
That's what first came to mind when I dropped by to have lunch in the awkwardly-capitalized Gordon Ramsey BurGR in the Planet Hollywood hotel.
Even at 11am -- before the doors had even opened -- there was a *massive* line at the front door, wrapping along the ultra-sleek fire-and-glass exterior and extending into the casino. My heart sank a little, since the prospect of a 3-hr wait did not appeal to me whatsoever.
The good news was the wait was only 5 minutes. I skipped the line and went straight to the bar, which has open seating and serves the full menu. (I recommend the bar to everyone trying to eat here.) The interior is absolutely gorgeous, with no expense spared to make the atmosphere contemporary and hip. Even the utensils are high-end.
The menu is long, and the portions are massive. It's very easy for your eyes to overestimate your belly's capacity here, so choose wisely.
For lunch, I had the Hell's Kitchen burger and a side of Maui parmesan onion rings. I was bummed at just how average they were. The burger tasted like jalapenos and grease -- and nothing else. I couldn't discern the beef, the cheese, nothing. And at $14, this burger was wickedly overpriced. I ate about half the burger before I didn't want any more.
The onion rings were better, but not by much. The crisp was nice, but the dish was underseasoned. No salt, no pepper. The dipping sauces helped a bit. I preferred the aioli.
Service was fast. Very fast. Fast to the point that I was being rushed out of there.
I'll skip this tourist trap next time.
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