My friends and I visited Valley View Casino out in Escondido a little over a month ago. None of us are real gamblers so we didn’t actually hang out at the casino until later in the evening. When we arrived, we swiftly checked into our rooms to chill before embarking on our dining experience for the night.
I was rather impressed with my suite. The living room was large enough to entertain friends (so I invited mine over to share in the wealth) with a dining room table.
The living room is separated by a door into the bedroom, complete with a bathtub outside of the bathroom. There is also a large shower and two sink vanity so you’re not fighting for space with your partner or whoever is sharing your room.
The balcony offered a view of the mountains.
I also wished I had known about the fantastic pool they had, I would’ve brought a bathing suit.
When the time came to step out, we made our way through the jam-packed casino and to Black & Blue restaurant, the casino’s fine dining establishment.
I loved the aquarium which runs alongside the restaurant from the bar into the restaurant which is decorated in dark mahogany hues. Our server was a sweet gal who was very patient with us as we took our time deciding what we wanted to order.
If you don’t drink alcohol, start with one of their decadent house special iced teas ($). The ice cubes are made from iced tea which means when the cubes melt, it doesn’t water down your tea. They also give you freshly squeezed lemon juice. It was SOOOOO good!
If you’d like a cocktail, choose from a bloody Mary, margarita or Manhattan, all of which were decent. The margarita was my favorite!
An amuse bouche of gigante beans and feta was brought over. It had some cherry tomatoes tossed in and a touch of olive oil. A nice way to start our meal.
I was so impressed by their bread service. They had a delicious roll topped with cheese, another walnut whole wheat was also awesome, but I think our favorite was the brioche which was light and fluffy and oh so buttery!
Our Lobster Avocado Tower ($12) was quite tasty. Lobster meat with avocado was laid on top of one another and each bite encompassed a little of each into a a mouthful. We all enjoyed this one.
Smoked Mozzarella ($12) was a little misleading as it wasn’t just smoked mozzarella, but an antipasto plate WITH smoked mozzarella. We had some prosciutto, salami, olives and blistered cherry tomatoes as well.
I loved the Tomato Bisque & Lobster Panini ($8), well the tomato bisque of it anyway. It was nice and tart just the way I like it. Unfortunately, the bread on the panini was too soggy although the lobster was really nice.
Our entrees were pretty good. The Lobster Ravioli Zafferano ($28) was pillowy and had nice chunks of lobster hidden inside.
Steaks were seasoned well and the Cowboy Ribeye 20oz ($39) was huge, perfect for a healthy appetite.
I personally enjoyed the Filet Mignon 10oz ($36) immensely. The meat was tender, flavorful and cooked a perfect medium rare.
Garlic Prawns ($29) were served with squid ink pasta which was rather delicious. Shrimp was a tad overcooked, but the squid ink pasta more than made up for it.
The evening’s special was Seared Scallops ($) served with pumpkin risotto in a baby cast iron pot. Loved the scallops — so tender, seasoned and seared perfectly.
My favorites of the sides were Potato Galette ($7), a really lovely, skillet-baked scalloped potatoes with gooey cheese.
The Forest Mushrooms ($7) were out of this world. A flavor-filled medley of King oyster mushroom, cremini and shiitake complemented the steaks perfectly.
End your meal with a souffle, it takes 20 minutes so order yours when you receive your entrees because it will take that long to execute. It is well worth it! A spoonful of flavored creme with tiny golden malt balls is served alongside for you to dip into the souffle and swish about a little to incorporate the flavors within.
Valley View is a nice break from your day to day and it doesn’t take five hours to drive to like Vegas. It is under two hours from Orange County depending on where you are and less than an hour from San Diego. So here’s a chance for you to experience this for yourself. My last giveaway of 2012 is listed below:
Valley View has generously offered one of my readers dinner for two at Black & Blue and an overnight’s stay at the casino’s hotel. Come up with something catchy as to why you deserve to win this and you could be the winner of this getaway package. Only entries with FULL name will be considered. Best of luck! Entries close on Sunday.
Valley View Casino
16300 Nyemii Pass Road
Valley Center, CA 92082
Black & Blue
Tel: 760-291-2130
I’d love to help my boyfriend chase the blues away at Black & Blue; he will be out of a job by the end of this month so it’d be wonderful if I could treat him to a nice weekend. That’s all, thanks for a wonderful year of good eats, Anita! Happy holidays 🙂
– Stephanie Han
My husband and I haven’t been on a vacation or even a getaway for just the 2 of us in years. Our vacations lately consist of driving my daughter to and from school up North. We need some “us” time, if only for one night. This would be a nice giveaway to win. Thanks.
The Filet Mignon has my name on it. I really really want to win this time. Thanks
Who knew Escondido has a swanky place like this? I would love to check it out with my boyfriend. And those mushrooms look divine!
I’d love to win this for my parents because they need to get away for an ‘us’ weekend. They would have a blast enjoying the views and the amenities at Valley View along with dinner at Black & Blue. They would definitely not be blue after an experience there.
Wow… What a tremendous and awesome place Valley View Casino looks like! I would love to have some R&R with the hubby there… You see, he’s been beaten Black & Blue by the State and his Students these past few months. Being a High School educator in this day and age is NO picnic… Add a 25% pay cut to that picnic. We are thankful to have one job, but a weekend at the casino would be a dream come true!
Sarah & James 🙂
ah my hubby and i could really use a getaway after being apart for almost a month!
I so need a mini vacation. I’m unemployed and kids driving me crazy. 🙂
My husband and I love taking small getaways to new places! This place looks great and my husband is a big foodie that would love to check out this restaurant! Traveling to new places is our passion and we could use some relaxation from our daily work schedule!!:-)
Forgot to put my full name on last comment…sorry…Daniele Holmberg 🙂
I left a long comment but I am Not sure if it went through because it disappeared. I would love to win this contest because my husband and I love to travel to new places and check out local Resorts. He is also a huge foodie and would love to check out the black and blue restaurant. Our favorite thing to do is to travel 2 new destinations add try new restaurants:-)
Daniele Holmberg
heehee Daniele — leaving 3 comments doesn’t mean 3 entries ;-p
Oopppsss..well I definitely stand out now! 😉
Because I usually take the kids to San Diego (Balboa park, Safari Park) for a overnight trip, I thought this would be a great gift for the wife and I. I guess the only conundrum would be I would have to take my mom as a sitter to this place so we can truly enjoy it as a couple.
Nah, scratch that. If I win, I will just make sure the wife and I get a R&R weekend since her school will be out next two weeks. We’ll just have to drop off the kids with the in laws. 🙂
We never go to Vegas now a days because its just too far. This would be so us!
Have a great holiday Anita! Hope to see you at a event next year ! BR, Peter
This place looks amazing…this Christmas will be a tough one for me, it’s my first without my mom. Lost her 5 months ago. It sure is weird when you wake up one day and you have to be a grown up, live without your mom and dad… I would love to spend some amazing vacation time here and focus on the good and not the sad….
Lori, I am so sorry for your loss!
Having just recently moved to San Clemente, we are having a ball exploring the area but is is getting to be really pricey. It would be lovely to explore Escondido and a casino/resort/fine dining. Your descriptions are wonderful by the way so please do keep posting in 2013. We hope you have a wonderful holiday and look forward to 2013.
John and Karen Terry
I am a Black card carrier to Valley View but I have not been there in sometime because my wife has been sick….She is much better now and I am sure a night at VV would be the cure all !!…Thanks
I would love to surprise my best friend Dan with a trip to Balck and Blue. We had heard about it before, but your review really makes me want to go. Dan has been a wonderful best friend to me, and the only person who has been here for me. I’d love to thank him with an amazing dinner and experience.Financially we just aren’t able to, but I would definitely post about it so a ton of my friends will go and then their friends and so on and so SO many people will go that business will be way up, and people will be black and blue rushing to get to eat at Black and Blue. I’d love to thank him with an amazing dinner and experience.Thanks for considering me.
Because I won the Ultimate Food Venture and because we will be too full to drive home, would be lovely waddling up to our lovely room at Valley View after our delicious dinners at Black and Blue, that must be why they call it Black and Blue, you are so full from the wonderful food you become black and blue crawling back to your room…A.J. DeYoung
I’ve heard amazing things about Black and Blue and really would love to go, especially after reading your review. I am in a field where people are always asking where they can go to get a great dinner and money is no object. If I’m able to finally go, I am sure it will be an amazing culinary experience and I of course will be able to recommend it to my clients and everyone I know. Thank you !
I would love to go to Black &Blue with my boyfriend. He knows that this is a very hard time of year for me (anniversary of my father’s death and was laid to rest Christmas Eve) So I don’t have a holiday. My boyfriend normally goes home for the holidays.,but he decided to stay home with me and help me through the rough times since I’m also recently unemployed after working for the dame company for 18 1/2 years. Needless to say it would be a nice getaway for both of us.
I would love to surprise my husband of 38 years with a wonderful Valley View getaway! We are two retired folks so our budget is a bit tight. This would be an awesome opportunity to express my adulation to the love of my life. We love Valley View Casino – Thanks.
congratulations you are the winner.
Totally Awesome – thanks so much! (I replied to your email)
I would love to go to Black &Blue with my boyfriend for a few reasons. This is a very hard time of year for me ( anniversary of my father’s death. and was laid to rest Christmas Eve.) My boyfriend normally goes home to Texas for the holidays but decided that he couldn’t leave me this year because I recently lost my job of 18 1/2 years. He has been doing everything in his power to bring happiness back into my life since I’ve been so depressed. this is something o would like to do for him.
Of Restaurant Black and Blue
We want to be tongue tinkled
through and through.
Your epicuian delights
To be enjoyed for a night
would be a pleasure to our minds and
To pursue.
I think I deserve this package because all of my family go here to play and we love they’re Lobster buffet but we have not tried Black & Blue Restaurant which base on your blog looks delicious which I would love to try. I also would love to stay at the hotel it looks great. We get offers from casino to eat free at buffet but never to stay at hotel. I really love this casino because its an amazing place and I enjoy going. I hope I win cause its a great place and I deserve a Christmas present like this to go with my husband on a second honeymoon. Thanks
My brother and I go to Valley View Casino all the time. We always eat at the buffet, but would love to try the Black and Blue restaurant. we never ate at Black and Blue before becasue we could never afford to eat there. Staying at the Hotel would be a big plus and a dream come true. We always talked about staying a night at Valley View hotel but could never afford to. Winning this prize will beat any Christmas present either one of us are getting under the tree.
I would love to be able to share this great goddess adventure with my cousin so that we could have some quality cousin time, which we so rarely get to do these days!!!! Thanks for your great blog and for this give away! Happy Holidays!