The only reality TV show I could ever stand to watch was Cake Boss. It was a show set in a family bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey. The titular Cake Boss was Buddy Valastro, a hardworking chef and baker who used to make the most amazing specialty cakes. It has been years since I saw that show and I was not even sure if it was still airing until I checked (it is). But I do know that Buddy’s popularity has gone up because of that show and he has been on other cooking shows since, including Kitchen Boss and Next Great Baker. Additionally, as I found out last week when I was in Nevada, he now has a restaurant in Las Vegas.
Buddy V’s Ristorante is an Italian restaurant located in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. When I went into the restaurant, I found that the decor was kind of all over the place but it felt charming and cozy. The tables had classic red-and-white checkered napkins and plain wooden tables with no tablecloths. There was a chalkboard with the restaurant’s name and a couple of little drawings on it. All very homey. At the same time, the wall decor was quirky. There were rollers suspended in midair and these lightbulb-esque chandeliers that almost looked like hanging clear balloons. As a whole, the decor came together nicely and I was excited for the food.
Something unique about this restaurant is that it lets you see the chefs working in the kitchen, which I have a feeling is Buddy’s influence on the restaurant. On the show he liked making the point that everything he made was personal somehow. We didn’t order any appetizers, but they gave us this wonderful bread. First, a waiter came up to our table and poured olive oil and vinegar into a plate. Then, another waiter came and handed each one of us, we were three people, a square of bread. It was warm and fresh, definitely homemade. The oil and vinegar plate they gave us was a Mediterranean influence. We dipped the bread. The bread was soft and slightly sweet which matched well with the acidic vinegar and the taste of the olive oil.
Then we ordered our entrees. And I swear, we got our food in ten minutes. I thought it would take three times that. Our portions were a perfect size. Enough for one person, and a little extra so that you could be sure that you’re full. I got the chicken parmesan and my parents also got chicken dishes. They all came with a little pile of pasta. I tried the pasta first and, like everything else, it was delicious. The flavor from the sauce seemed to have been infused into the linguine. Then I tried the chicken. Normally when I get chicken parmesan at other Italian restaurants, I basically get a big chicken fillet with tomato sauce on it. The chicken parmesan I had at Buddy’s made me think that I had never had chicken parmesan before. It was fried but not saturated in oil and the meat seemed fresher that way. In other restaurants, the dish will often get soggy under the tomato sauce, but this one didn’t feel like that. As you may have guessed, I loved it.
We ended the night with the queen of Italian dishes, the tiramisu. I’ll say here that the service was really good. The waiters were attentive and fast, but it didn’t feel like they were rushing us. There are only two downsides I saw to the restaurant. One, is that it is on the pricier side. The chicken parmesan I had was $24, and the main entrees prices ranged from about $25 to $40. That being said, Italian restaurants tend to be more expensive and I do think you get your money’s worth here. The second downside I would say is that it is difficult to find the restaurant. It is buried deep within the Venetian hotel. But if you ever get the chance, I highly recommend Buddy V’s Ristorante. I give it five stars!
If you would like to write for Her Campus Mount Holyoke, or if you have any questions or comments for us, please email mt-holyoke@hercampus.com.