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| - I have dined at Mesa Grill four times since living in Las Vegas, and have been very pleased with my meal every time. It's not often that I enjoy a meal I had on the strip, as most of the strip restaurants are overpriced, and serve average food with a celebrity name on it. Bobby Flay created a great restaurant, and I think it's very telling of the chef that Bobby Flay is. Many don't like his conceited attitude, but he makes great food and does it while running many restaurants.
The decor is very unique, and is perfect for it's location. It is located in the Caesar's Palace, right next to the sportsbook. The restaurant is scattered with a mosaic of rusty, yet bright colors. The colors represent the southwestern theme of the restaurant, with influences of South America.
The service at Mesa Grill is top notch. When your water is even close to done, it will be full. When your drink is almost gone, they will ask you if you want a new one. The corkage fee is $35, which is a bit steep for a place like this, but it's not too bad considering it's Las Vegas. The waiters always have great suggestions, and are very knowledgeable on the menu and the terms of Southwestern cuisine.
There are several signature items on the menu that are must-order items. One of them is the Blue Corn, Duck Pancake. BBQ duck is shredded and put into a blue corn pancake, and is topped with Habanero-Star Anise sauce. This is the best appetizer. Another great appetizer is the "Queso Fundido", a cheese dip made with goat cheese that is easy for the whole table to eat, and is the best cheese dip I've ever had.
The best entree I've had here, and their signature entree, is the New Mexican Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin. The portion is pretty big, and the pork is cooked perfect every time I've had it. It is served with a sweet-potato tamale, and a bourbon-ancho chile sauce. I have had this 3 times, and every time it has been the best thing at the table.
The other entree that I recommend is the Lamb Porterhouse Chops, served with Red Chile, Lime, and Rosemary. If there was any dish that could be better than the Pork Tenderloin, it's the Lamb Porterhouse Chops. Although, if you like fish, try the Spice Rubbed Tuna, which is also very good.
If you want a steak, there are 3 steak options on the menu. All of them are very good, but not as unique as the other menu items. There is a chipotle-glazed Ribeye, Coffee-rubbed Filet Mignon, and a New York Strip Steak served w/ their house-made Steak Sauce. If you are looking to sample signature Bobby Flay cuisine, do not get the steaks. But if you are the person in the group who wanted to go to the steakhouse, this is not a bad second option for a great steak.
In conclusion, do not let your opinion of Bobby Flay steer you away from eating at Mesa Grill. You may not like the guy, but the cuisine he cooks is a full of bold, unique flavors, and combines those flavors perfectly to show you why Bobby Flay is so popular.
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