Chef Flay combines his American cooking style with tastes of the Southwest; serving up tiger shrimp & roasted corn tamales; spice-rubbed pork tenderloins; lobster tacos; and blue corn crusted halibut is only a few recommendations.
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Dinner: Mon-Sun, 5 p.m.- 11:30 p.m.
Brunch: Sat. & Sun, 10:30 a.m.- 3 p.m.
This restaurant was reviewed in the February 2005 LVA; some of the information contained in this review may no longer be accurate. The newest culinary hot spot at Caesars Palace, Mesa Grill, burst onto the scene with a reputation built on the avant-garde Southwestern cooking of its celebrity chef, Bobby Flay. The preparations are nothing if not imaginative, starting with appetizers such as roasted pumpkin soup, chile-seared scallops, and cornmeal-crusted oysters with mango-Scotch bonnet sauce and caviar ($10-$16). Entrees, including bourbon-ancho pork medallions, ancho-honey salmon, and horseradish-maple veal chop, go for $26-$37 and come with small, mostly killer, side dishes--wild-rice sage-butter tamale, coconut-cashew rice, chile-pine nut couscous, etc. After $12 desserts--try the chocolate dulce de leche cake with pecan ice cream--a drink or two, and a tip, this is another $100-a-head experience. The spotty service didn’t live up to the food, but the place is young. Let ’em work out a few of the kinks and this could be a must-try eatery at the high end. This restaurant was re-reviewed in the May 2006 LVA; some of the information contained in this review may no longer be accurate. In our review of Mesa Grill (LVA 2/05), we emphasized the varied tastes of this unique Southwestern fare. A good way to experience those tastes is to hit the brunch on Saturday or Sunday. You can start with a really spicy Bloody Mary ($8.50), then choose from appetizers ($10-$13) and entrées ($13-$22), plus dessert ($10) if you have room. The roasted cauliflower soup and tuna tartar were the stars of the appetizers we tried. Most entrées are south-of-the-border egg concoctions, with good cheese grits on the side, though there are also non-breakfast options, including a tasty lamb cobb salad with crumbled bleu cheese. Mesa provides a nice brunch atmosphere with picture windows looking out into the sports book. Almost no one else was there when we arrived at the 10:30 am opening, but the place was nearly full by noon (it runs till 3 pm). Three appetizers, three entrées, and two Bloody Marys came to $104—not bad.