Cafe Heidelberg was a diamond. No gem, a diamond. Big, sparkly, good cut and color, and at least two carats. Las Vegas has some of the best dining in the world. One of my favorite spots, a strip club that will remain nameless, employs not one, but two Master Sommeliers. Now, there are not but less than two hundred of them in the world, so why does any one place need two of them? I'm not sure, but only in Vegas will you find such a splurge.
With all that said, sometimes you need to let your hair down. Sometimes it's necessary to leave the glitz behind and just find some good home country, motherland, my Oma made it this way, and her Oma made it that way, and dammit that's the way I want it today kind of food.
Cafe Heidelberg is just that kind of spot. In a strip mall, off the strip, and absolutely perfect. Walk in to the Market and take a right into the Bierstube. It's like walking into the basement Bierstube of some mountainside town in Bavaria. Tapestry on the walls? Yes. Dirndl donned bar wench? Yes! Lederhosen sporting accordion player? Oh yeah!
Sarah and I took the bus here from Bellagio for the adventure, and it didn't take long as it's only a few miles off the strip. But well worth the trip. Our tip: take a cab. But after our short adventure in public transport, the large draft Spatens were welcome, and cold.
We ordered a bit of everything as soon as we saw the food on our neighbor's table. It all looked so good! And with half the guests being regulars and speaking thick native German dialects, we ordered more and more. All of it wonderful. Nothing standing out above anything else.
After singing drinking songs, downing schnapps with John the accordion player, and six beers later, we found ourselves broke (having forgotten our credit cards), payed what we could of the tab, stiffed the waitress, and hoofed it all the way to the strip (Sarah in heels!)...
Now, looking back, feet all blistered and bloody, what does Sarah say about Cafe Heidelberg? When can we go back she asks!
And this time, we'll bring some extra dough to make up for the shoddy tip we left last summer... oops!