BACCHANAL
A lavish sanctuary of gourmet dining at
Caesars Palace in Las Vegas is the Bacchanal restaurant. Named for Bacchus, the mythical
god of wine and revelry, the Bacchanal re-creates a Roman feast in the atmosphere of a
private villa from the time of the empire's golden era.
The menu is a six-course feast of
continental cuisine -- a prix-fixe fantasy of crudites, pasta, soup, salad, entree and
dessert, followed by coffee. Included are three wines, poured into ornate chalices by
exotically clad "wine goddesses." Middle Eastem-style dancers sway to modal
melodies, and an elaborately costumed "Caesar" and "Cleopatra"
personally welcome honored guests to their domain.
A Las Vegas attraction since Caesars
Palace opened on Aug. 5,1966, the Bacchanal is widely recommended as a place where dining
is an entertaining, festive experience, long remembered by its patrons.
Guests enter the Bacchanal through
brass-framed glass doors flanked by giant murals. Two golden stone lions guard the foyer.
Scenic murals, created by Southern California artist Ivo Petko, open the room to vistas of
ancient Roman countryside, transforming the dining room into the portico of an Italian
villa. A faux colonnade with Ionic capitals lines the walls and creates a frame for the
guests' view.
Central to the two-tiered dining room is
a bronze statue of a vestal virgin pouring water into a marble reflecting pool. Marble for
the pool, flooring and the balustrade separating the upper and lower seating areas was
imported from Italy. The carpeting creates a mosaic effect on the floor, while upholstered
fabric in the booths echoes the pattern of an ancient Roman fence. Overhead, a stylized
grape arbor loops among the ceiling beams.
In autumn 1991, the restaurant design was
enhanced with such additions as the interior Petko murals, strobe and special lighting
effects, a sophisticated sound system and other amenities. In December 1998, the Bacchanal
lounge and entrance were redesigned.
"The Bacchanal is wonderfully
decadent," says Aram Stepanian, head of the Southern California design firm Integra,
which was responsible for the 1991 interiors. "Before beginning the project we
researched the Roman feast and how the guests were treated," Stepanian says. "We
wanted to go back to the original intent of the Bacchanal. The murals were the most
radical change in the design concept. We found that these festivities were usually created
around water and that they were often held on a patio. The entrance facade takes guests
from villa walls, through the portals, to a patio." Today's Bacchanal restaurant at
Caesars Palace carries forth the tradition stablished when the restaurant was first
conceived -- to make a meal a party and entertain visitors in royal style, befitting the
guests of a mighty emperor.
Serving dinner only, the Bacchanal is
open Tuesday through Saturday. Seatings are 6, 6:30, 9 and 9:30 p.m. The price is $69.50
per person, including wines and dessert, excluding cocktails, tax and gratuity. Guests
should allow approximately two hours for the Bacchanal experience. Advance reservations
recommended. Phone 731-7731.
