Thursday, June 7, 2012

An Unrivaled Cincinnati Reds Experience in the Diamond Club

Dexter Joins the Fun as Rosie Dances
      Looking for the ultimate Cincinnati Reds baseball game experience?  Then check out the Diamond Club on your own, or wait for friends to ask you to join them.  We were fortunate to have Pete and April invite us to a recent Friday night game.  

Diamond Club Lounge
      Specifics are laid out on the Reds official website, but I still didn't know what to expect exactly.  Entry was through a private entrance in the garage where your parking is reserved.  The Diamond Club Lounge decor is modern sports bar and restaurant with a circular layout and light fixtures mimicking a catcher's helmet.  It's a scene right out of a Las Vegas casino.  As one might expect, attire is anywhere from
business casual to classic baseball paraphernalia.  Everything beyond that was top notch.

Samplings from the Buffet
      We glanced at snippets of the buffet as we passed by on the way to our table.  Service was welcoming and more than attentive.  It was time to relax with friends and settle in to game mode.  Swimming upstream to the start of the buffet, sandwiches and salads were up first.  Menus change throughout the season, but on that particular night the standouts were Smoked Gouda Au Gratin Potatoes, Shrimp Po'Boys, Pasta Salad with Jalapeño Dressing, Poached Trout in Butter, and Prime Rib with Creamy Horseradish.  
Preparing Cherries Jubilee
Desserts had their own station and a working chef preparing on-the-spot Cherries Jubilee among small compotes of Caramel Apple Cake and Decadent Brownies.  All were excellent and reminiscent of Bellagio.

The View from the Diamond Club Seats
Joey Votto at Home Plate
      A little fatigued from overeating, we took our extra-wide (thoughtful after that buffet) padded seats behind home plate.  One can't get any closer than that to the playing field.  It's a fishbowl and you're in the middle of it.  As if the inside indulgence wasn't enough, the royal treatment continues outdoors with a server assigned to deliver your every want from the menu placed on your seat including a full bar at your fingertips.  It all comes to you and it's all inclusive.  Service concludes around the 7th inning, but not before April placed an order for two warm cookies for each of us.  It was the perfect accompaniment to the spectacular fireworks display hovering overhead. it didn't even matter that we lost that night!

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