Jennifer Harman's Favorite Casinos

I didn't think Jennifer Harman was old enough to come up with her list of favorite casinos, but there she was, spouting herself off to one of the poker magazines, so I had to give a listen.

While I have never played against Ms. Harmon and have no idea how she plays, her idea of picking out her favorite casinos appeals to me.

Her favorite casino is -- get this, gang -- the Red Rock Casino.

Not the Bellagio. Not the Venetian or the Aria or some other magnificent terraced resort on the Strip, but the Red Rock Casino.

Well, I remember playing there on a bad night. The poker room manager was a river and the games were less than inspiring. That was the last time I ever played at the Red Rock.

Her other favorite casinos are the Bellagio and Caesar's Palace. Really, Jennifer? Do you actually play poker at those casinos?

She likes the Venetian and can't say I blame her for that choice. But I need to add a new casino to my list of favorites. It's the Aria and I have to admit to my regulars I have never played at the Aria.

Leon Wheeler, a favorite dealer of mine from The Orleans, jumped ship and went to the Aria some time ago. Leon is a breezy chap who gets along wherever he goes, I am sure his machine gun way of whipping the cards around the table impressed everyone who ever saw him deal. He is easily the fastest dealer in Las Vegas.

In addition to his other qualities, Wheeler belongs to an exclusive club made up of dealers who have dealt bad beat jackpots. He dealt me one when my four aces were cracked by a royal flush. I won $19,000 for that hand. I hope something similar to it comes again.

He was tipped nicely that night and in gratitude, he drove me home to my apartment just off the Strip. If anyone runs into Leon in Las Vegas, give him a big hi for me.

Now not to change the subject, but in your opinion, who is serving the best buffet in Las Vegas? For years the answer always was the Rio. I know the Rio probably serves the biggest buffet in Las Vegas, but let's see a showing of hands from this crowd.

I plan on gaining a bit of weight from the restaurants in Phoenix and Las Vegas. Ever since the Bill Johnson Family decided to shut down the Big Apple Restaurants, I have been searching for a restaurant to replace the chain. Nobody ever made deep dish apple pie with ice cream better than Bill Johnson. And nobody makes blackened catfish better than Red Lobster.

Now I happen to know a French Creole restaurant that will delight your palate every time you go there. But it's on the French side of St. Maarten Island in the Eastern Caribbean and you'll have to do a bit of searching to find this one.

I also happen to know the best pizza place in the Caribbean. It is located in the heart of Basseterre on the island of St. Kitts. The pizza there never changes. It is just yummy and nobody can eat it without sharing.