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| - Four stars is my split-the-difference rating for our March 29th dinner at Mr. Chow. The space/atmosphere was easily 5 stars on the relatively slow Tuesday night when we visited. Unlike so many restaurants at Caesar's, Mr. Chow feels miles removed from the casino floor. It's a bright, airy, smoke-free spot looking down on the pools. We arrived so that we could enjoy the view of the pools before dusk, then the restaurant's fun, funky lighting after. Both were immensely appealing.
The food was a solid 3, not because it was bad, but because, for less money, you could get the same quality elsewhere. I enjoyed everything we ate--quite a bit in fact--but it didn't leave me wowed in the same way that the atmosphere did.
We chose the prix fixe menu. For $66 per person, we each had one appetizer (beef pancake, glazed prawns); one entree (sea bass, fiery beef); and one side (fried rice, string beans). The prawns, sea bass, and string beans were my favorites. All were very very tasty. None were mind-blowing.
The Five Spices Old Fashioneds (made with Bulleit bourbon) were scrumptious--and $16 each. I nursed my first as long as I could, a feat that required clutching the glass quite tightly to keep the staff from snatching it away....Which brings me to the service: the staff were friendly, personable, and attentive (perhaps even a bit too much so).
I have hesitated to recommend Mr. Chow to out-of-town guests simply because of the prices vis-a-vis the food. Our dinner for two--the prix fixe menu; two drinks; and two desserts--cost $192 before tax & tip. Not a particularly high bill for a nice dinner mid-Strip, but high for what amounted simply to good Chinese food. We were definitely paying a premium for the ambiance.
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