Touted at the world's first dessert restaurant, Brulee is located in the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, NJ. It's a nice concept, but certainly doesn't live up to the hype.
Ever since I saw a piece on The Food Network about Brulee (actually, the executive chef of the restaurant has his own show on the network called "Sugar Rush"), I had wanted to give this place a try. I mean, who wouldn't want to have a three-course dessert?
Well, after having gone just once, I'm certainly not going back. After spending $28 (not including a "sharing fee" of around $10) on a Chocolate-Raspberry Jubilation and $15 on a Metropolitan that took the bartender thirty minutes to make*, and dealing with the ridiculously awful service, I was left with a bitter (not cholocate) taste in my mouth.
Even the decor, designed by New Yorker Steve Lewis, was a let down. I mean the ambience was nice and all, but the tables, chairs, and even the walls were marked up and scratched -- it was like a bunch of preschoolers were let loose upon the place.
If you're at the Tropicana and you feel like having dessert, go to Cuba Libre, or Ri Ra, even...They're a lot less expensive, with better service and better food. But if you have all the time in the world and don't care how much you spend, I guess you could indulge in Brulee's Brownie Extraordinaire which will only run you a cool $1,000!
(*When my drink did eventually arrive, after having already eaten the "first course", it was actually quite good -- and it's the only reason this place received a two-star rating.) read more
