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I totally agree with you that the cuisine of Europe is vastly overrated. Now it might have been true 20-30 years ago that the Europeans had it over us in the culinary department. But we've made huge strides since then.

The quantity, quality and affordability of fine cuisine has literally exploded here in America over the past quarter century and I'm not even talking about the casual dining super-chains like Olive Garden, Longhorn and TGIs, that have popped up in our suburban sprawl areas like fire ant hills. Though even those places represent an overall improvement what existed on the American landscape before the 1980s as now even low-income people can take their families to a decent sit-down meal now and then without golden arches and creepy clown mascots being involved.

Many of our cities, including New York, Houston, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, have so many fine-dining establishments that people that live in those cities can go out to eat every night of their lives and never see the same restaurant twice.

Las Vegas, yes, Las Vegas is now the fine-dining capital of the world. Paris, Rome and Tokyo don't even come close to Las Vegas. Forget about London, might as well put a dome over that entire city and just call it a Ground Round.

Most of the world's fine wines now hail from the Americas (sorry France and Italy) and California all by itself will provide sommeliers with a lifetime of discovery.

And if you get sick of going to restaurants, our supermarkets and specialty markets here in America have an an astonishing array of quality foods that you can prepare at home.

I’m not going to flame with you but I heartily disagree

That most olive oil is substandard....maybe less than extra virgin when labeled so

Or that Vegas is culinary capital of the world....yes many big chefs have been paid to do corporate outposts there but I found them lacking in comparison

Wine....yes you can find better wine for the money comparatively in California.... Willamette Valley Oregon....Australia.... Chile....South Africa

Than in Bordeaux or Burgundy or Champagne....or the best Amarone in Italy or rioja in Spain

But at top end you cannot find anything to beat the best premier cru in whichever French commune....or further down in Chateaunuf due Pap....and so forth...or a top drawer Krug...

The depth and character and body of big old world...especially French wines is unmatched.....

But some Kali wines have come a very long way....but the varietal approach will always fail against the commune/chateau angle....its just not as comprehensive

That said right now we have stocked Meomi Belle Close special edition (35.00) and Trisae (40.00) both Willie Valley Oregon and for the money superb...velvety and nice currant and plum....deep

But neither will ever be a top notch Cote de Nuits burgundy like Romanee or Gevrey Chambertin....which of course cost way more...out of my price range usually

For the record....I found Vegas tacky and trashy with too many young drunk people from southern Kali

But I don’t begrudge folks who go for that

The staff at the Venetian/Palazzo were very very nice