I was looking for somewhere to enjoy some good cocktails and the universal recommendation was Herbs and Rye, a small steakhouse and cocktail bar located well away from the Las Vegas Strip. It’s far enough that you’re not going to be able to walk to it, but the cab ride wasn’t horrible. Don’t let the outside fool you, it’s deliberately designed to look that way due to the 1920s speakeasy theme. Once you go inside, you’re in a dimly lit, red walled, vintage steakhouse. The lighting has the effect of turning each table in to its own island. They’re known for their extensive cocktail repertoire, to the point where the menu is pages of cocktails, broken down by era, and a half a page of food choices.
I was flying solo tonight, so I asked them if it’d be a problem to stuff me in a corner so that I could enjoy some food, cocktails, and read a book I’d brought along. They happily obliged, without any fuss. Amy, the hostess, was fantastic, as was Christian, my server. For starters, I asked him to bring me a Vieux Carré, which was delicious, as well as a 14 oz. New York Strip, butchered in-house, with a side of “Brussels Sprouts with Honey Swine”. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare, seasoned with nothing more than a little salt and pepper. The side was also tasty, and should help convince people who aren’t too keen on Brussels sprouts that they can be done well. After dinner I asked the bartender to surprise me with something based on an Islay malt. It didn’t have a name, but was Laphroaig 10, Cherry Heering, orange and grapefruit juice, bitters, and an expressed and flamed lemon peel. Also incredibly delicious, and went well with some quiet reading time. When I finished up, they called me a cab and notified me, at my table, when it had arrived.