Need a Hug? Or a Matzo Ball in Vegas?
Sometimes we all just need a hug. Sometimes the hug is provided by a person, sometimes the hug comes from a drink or the next meal. I happened to be visiting the El Cortez for lunch on a rare windy, rainy and chilly day. This was one of the nastiest days of 2016. Not only was I crankier than usual but I needed a pick me up.
On this awful day that pick me up came in the form of a hug from a delicious bowl of Matzo Ball soup at Siegel’s 1941 inside El Cortez. This was the first time I visited the new restaurant so I was hoping that the soup was the hug I wanted. Thankfully, it was as good, if not better, than any Matzo Ball soup I’ve had in Las Vegas.
I don’t crave soup often since this is a desert. However, it was just what that cold and miserable day needed. It’s fortuitous that I happened to be at the El Cortez that day. Siegel’s 1941 has a menu chock full of Jewish and New York delicacies. The food may not be kosher but that’s what you get in Las Vegas.
The El Cortez is home to the most fun promotions and frequently offers special meals for the Jewish holidays. They don’t quite offer free tableside hamantashen while you gamble like they do with pie every now and again but they do offer special meals at Siegel’s 1941 for Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah. Unlike some prix fixe meals around Las Vegas, these are usually very affordable for a specialty dinner.
There aren’t many restaurants in casinos that cater to Jewish customers in casinos but there are a few. You can find Matzo Ball soup and huge sandwiches at Carnegie Deli inside The Mirage. That’s probably my favorite place to get a big sandwich on the Vegas Strip. Canter’s Deli from Los Angeles will open a location at The Linq later this year and should have a similar menu. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to another place to grab some corned beef on the Vegas Strip.
One of the many reasons to love Las Vegas is that there’s something for everyone in every mood within a few minutes. I wasn’t seeking Matzo Ball soup when I left for the El Cortez on that awful day last year. I’m so glad it was available. It was just what I needed on that day.
