November 23rd, 2014

Horseshoe Casino, Baltimore, Maryland, Table Games, Slots, Entertainment….Dining!! Guy Fieri’s Baltimore Kitchen & Bar, Casual Dining, Burgers, Wings, Small Bites, Shareables, Downtown Charm City, Maryland

I’ll bet you…..Who hasn’t said this at one point or another?  We all have.  You are gambling on the outcome of something.  Growing up in the Island of Puerto Rico, a destination for gambling, it was no big deal. Let’s face it.  You “wanna” gamble, you’ll do it anywhere, even from the comforts of your own home.

In Puerto Rico the islanders do visit the casinos which are in every hotel.  Years back the dress code was:  men would wear coats and the women were very smartly dressed.  Casinos would have racks filled with coats of every size for those that did not have any.   After dinner it was fun to go to the casinos and try your luck and hopefully nobody would have to stroll the walk of shame.

One of my favorite casinos in Puerto Rico was the one at the El San Juan Hotel in Isla Verde.  Elegant and classic, just like casinos should be.  It still looks that way.

Casinos bring out a lot of emotions on people.  The gambling factor, the drinking, the undesirables….but, some will always live La Vida Loca.  Pennsylvania, and Delaware have casinos.  So, when Marylanders were up in arms about the casinos coming to Maryland……I was like, what’s the big deal?  The State needs money, and jobs. Otherwise, they will come to Delaware and Pennsylavania, so if you can’t fight them, you might as well join them.

Horseshoe Casino opened in Baltimore, in August of this year.  Arriving in Baltimore, I passed it and did not even notice it.  That’s how understated it is.  Located at 1525 Russell St., Baltimore, MD 21230.  Tel. 844-777-SHOE.  Website?  http://www.caesars.com/baltimore.  Right next to the Ravens’ Stadium, Orioles Stadium, and the Inner Harbor….walking distance!!

Horseshoe Casino offers free parking, which by the way is bright, and with plenty of security around the perimeter of the casino.  We are in Downtown Baltimore and just like any downtown, security is a must.

Horseshoe has partnered with the local hotels.  You can make reservations right from their website.  The casino has 122,000 sq.ft. of gaming space.  For those that love table games…Blackjack, Craps, Bacarat, Roulette and plenty more.  Check the website above mentioned.  Slots?  Many, many.  It is also a multi-level casino.

We arrived early afternoon, just in time for lunch.  Entertainment in this cool bar at Horseshoe was already on-going.

For those that love to sit at a bar and enjoy a food court for there is a level just for that.

Celebrity chefs have taken notice of Baltimore and the charm this city has to offer.  We decided to visit Guy Fieri’s Baltimore Kitchen & Bar.  This restaurant has seating for 350 customers, but it does not feel that big.

Guy Fieri has about 7 other restaurants throughout the U.S.  So, this latest one is part of the branding of a chef’s cuisine.

Immediately, we noticed that the servers were attentive and friendly.

Are you hungry?  Be prepared for large portions.  Shareables, they call it.  Eat them tapas style.  I am not kidding, the portions were huge and the food was great.  You will have to “up” your exercise routine, after dining here.

I started to notice other customers getting their food brought to the table….wow, we were in for some trouble.

The B-More Fries passed by….waffle cut with a creamy blue crab dip, Old Bay and green onions.  You see what I mean?

A Caesar Salad!!

A Burger followed those gigantic dishes for 2 people.

We had already ordered and suddenly our table was covered with food…decadence!!

Following is what we had.

Shashimi Won-Tacos – Love these, really, they were delicious.  Sashimi grade ahi tuna and mango jicama salsa on crispy wonton taco shells, drizzled with sweet soy and wasabi cream.

Vegas Fries – A Guy Fiori’s signature dish.  The crispy cut fries, the spicy buffalo sauce, topped with blue cheese crumbles, served with a blue-sabi dipping sauce. Crispy, well seasoned and the sauces were just right.  Yikes!

Lollipop wings served with veggies and Guy’s blue sabi sauce, added to an already exciting afternoon lunch.  These particular wings a little sweet and a little tangy!  Easy to handle!

How could we not have a salad?  Always complementing a lunch or dinner….this was a meal in itself.  The Guy-Talian Deli Salad it was called.  It was in a crown of prosciutto-wrapped smoked provolone.  It was also filled with crisp romaine lettuce, imported Italian meats and cheeses, pickled veggis and tossed in a red wine vinaigrette.  Totally, awesome!  Presentation and taste did not disappoint.

Needless to say….no dessert was needed or necessary, but they do offer desserts comparable in size to our lunch.

I think Horseshoe is a good addition to Downtown Baltimore.  Check the websites for the upcoming events at Horseshoe.

Something that caught my attention was that on Thursday nights, except Thanksgiving and Christmas…Chips & Salsa is a happening thing at Johnny Sanchez.  This restaurant offers extended Happy Hour on Thursdays and free Salsa Lessons by dance instructors Mike Fok and Kaya Barraza.  This Mexican and Southwestern restaurant was opened by celebrity chefs John Besh and Aaron Sanchez.

Have a good one!!