Without question, the centerpiece of the casino floor is the massive elevated bar-in-the-round. Flanked by sweeping staircases leading up to the second level poker room and velvet rope nightclub Silk, the bar is literally topped by an enormous stained glass sculpture depicting the oak tree imagery held in reverence by the Pechanga band of Luseno Indians. PR manager Coyle says the sculpture is the largest non-church stained glass artifice around, and it’s quite impressive.
The casino offers 126 gaming tables, mostly of the poker variety, and because I’m not much of a gambler (much less a poker player), I was slightly disappointed that there were no Casino War tables as at Barona Valley Ranch. But there were a large number of electronic roulette stations throughout, which attracted my wallet, and there is also a 20,000 square foot non-smoking gaming area. That, along with the sheer open size and state-of-the-art ventilation system helped to make the Pechanga casino surprisingly less smoky than most casinos. The casino also features a high-level gaming area – needless to say I spent no time there.
Pechanga: The Food
My wife and I had the pleasure to experience several of Pechanga’s numerous dining options – a whopping nine venues in all, covering every kind of taste and price level. On our first night, we dined at Kelsey’s, a bistro-style ale house pub. Sporting a warm, dark wood décor, the two-level Kelsey’s features the imaginative food stylings of Chef Javier Castro. Not content with just serving standard pub fare, Chef Javier has created a menu that elevates standard bistro fare such as burgers and pizza to a new level.
We had the pleasure of chatting with the personable Chef Javier about his background and cooking philosophy, which he said is a fusion of styles applied to familiar dishes. And boy, his sense of fusion certainly has flair. At his suggestion, I had the macadamia crust halibut and my wife had the tumbleweed salad, as well as the egg roll cigars. All of the dishes, which were exquisitely presented on beautiful dinnerware, were delicious. Chef Javier explained to us that working for a casino restaurant, unlike a standalone or chain place, allows him the latitude to be fluid and bold, and he does that in spades. Kelsey’s was an absolute hit with us.
On our second evening, before heading to the Wallflowers concert, we dined at the resort’s fine dining venue, the Great Oak Steakhouse. This elegant seafood and chop house features elegant booths and tables in a woody (oak, of course), white tablecloth décor. The wait staff was politely attentive, and Chef Brian Johnston’s menu adds a touch of French cuisine flair to the dishes. I had the filet mignon with a traditional Diane sauce, and it was prepared to perfection. My wife had roasted chicken breast stuffed with Serrano ham and Gruyere cheese and white wine sauce and it was rich and delicious. Chef Johnston, who studied classical French cooking in France’s La Varenne Cooking School, only uses hand-selected, dry aged USDA prime beef. The Great Oak also features a renowned wine list. For fine dining, the Great Oak Steakhouse is worthy of the resort’s commitment to excellence.
I also had a chance to eat a tasty breakfast at the 24-hour Pechanga Café, and the resort offers other food choices such as Paisano’s (Italian), the Grotto (seafood and sushi), Blazing Noodles (Asian), Festival of Foods (food court), a snack bar and, of course, a buffet. Our stay wasn’t long enough to sample all of these venues, but undoubtedly, we would have made the effort if possible.
