For additional info
goto lasvegas.comNovember 2018 49WHERE TO EAT
Fleur at Mandalay Bay
Prepare for outstanding
international sport with
small plates of outstanding
international cuisine
prepared by Master Chef
Hubert Keller.
mandalaybay.comBeerhaus t The Parka
Right next to the arena
and the perfect place to
get into hardcore
Hockey-fan mode for the
game. theparkvegas.com
Mon Ami Gabi t Parisa
Enjoy an outdoor breakfast
alongside the Eiffel Tower,
watching the Las Vegas
Boulevard crowds go by,
feeling just a little Parisian.
caesars.com
The Kitchen t Atomic a
Liquors
Located in the hip, newly
revitalised Downtown area
of Vegas, this gem has a
unique New American
menu and is a standout in
the Vegas craft beer scene.
atomic.vegas
Sushi Roku
A colourful, modern menu
of Asian cuisine in an
uber-stylish setting that
looks straight down the
barrel of the Strip.
innovativedining.com
Jaleo t The Cosmopolitan a
For an authentic Spanish
experience it’s hard to beat
a paella cooked on an
open-fire wood grill, one of
only three in the world.
jaleo.comACTIVITIES
Driving experience at
SPEEDVEGAS
speedvegas.com
Vegas Golden Knights
fixtures available at
nhl.com/goldenknights
Vegas Rugby Sevens
at Sam Boyd Stadium
March 1-3 2019
usasevens.com/las-vegas
UFC Fights at T-Mobile Arena
t-mobilearena.com/events/
detail/ufc
NASCAR’s Pennzoil 400
Race takes place in March
and from this year there
will be a second Vegas
race in September
nascar.com
Topgolf Las Vegas
topgolf.com/us/las-vegasand, even though they’re tiny specs
from up here, every shuddering blow
rings through the air. This being Vegas
I take up my driver’s tip to “have a few
dollars on the skinny white kid with
the bird wings tattoos” and cash in as
the impressive Sean O’Malley springs
an upset.
SUNDAY 09:00 - NASCAR
I step out of a helicopter feeling like
a rock star and enter the mysterious
world of NASCAR. Most of my
knowledge comes from watching
Cars and Cars 2 with the kids. Today
is the day when great swathes of the
Mid West come to town, with close
to 100,000 devotees visiting over the
course of the weekend.
As the drivers are announced an
almighty boo greets Vegas local Kyle
Busch. When I ask a fellow punter
why he explains that 95 per cent
of spectators aren’t from Vegas and
therefore hate him.
As the drivers begin circling in
formation amid a deafening roar, foam
ear plugs are applied and the packed
crowd wave their yellow towels. Then
something happens that I hadn’t
prepared for. Rather than running
back and forth with armfuls of beer
and fried chicken for a big redneck
party, the crowd is actually here to
watch the race. With the noise making
conversation difficult, everyone is
absorbed in the action. The track
appears beneath me like a giant
Scalextric starter pack spread across
the Nevada landscape. There are no
injuries or serious crashes but later my
ta xi driver tells me it was “the worst
goddam NASCAR race” he’d ever seen
for that ver y reason.SUNDAY 18:30 - Topgolf
With my ears still ringing I head for
the relative calm of Topgolf. Vegas does
everything bigger and better and I’m
on the mother of all driving ranges.
Balls with sensors are struck across a
neon-lit target range. The vibe is more
bowling alley than golf course and
players of every level pack the four tiers.
The higher up you go the pricier it gets.
By the top level you’re into Sheiks and
celebrities territory and your booth
comes with an infinity pool and a
butler. I am quietly told JT and Samuel
L Jackson are regulars up here.
As I watch my ball make a satisfying
arc through the Vegas night towards
its neon target, a smorgasbord of
supersized televised sport behind
me, it feels like the perfect way to end
what has to be one of the best sporting
weekends on the planet.