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| - Upon walking into the restaurant, we'd given our name and were seated within one minute. The hosts were friendly. The restaurant itself is beautiful! We were at the table maybe two minutes before our server (the amazing Encina) came over with our menus and a mouth-watering description of the night's specials. We were taken aback by the amazing service and care, not only because Encina and the rest of the staff care about their food and their customers but also because Lillie's Noodle House and Grotto Ristorante at the Golden nugget were such a shit-show with their horrific excuses for service (see those reviews for why).
She gave us a few minutes to peruse the drink menu and came back with waters before taking our order. We couldn't resist asking for her favorite appetizers and ended up getting two AMAZING appetizers:
-Roasted Corn Soup: the soup itself is light and sweet, a delicious puree of sweet corn. It came out warm and had a slight bit of heat that lingered in your mouth. It was perfectly seasoned and a great way to begin our meal.
-Chicken and Black Bean Quesadilla: It's a great appetizer for four or two. The tortilla was crispy and had a little char to it. Inside, the cheese and meat mingled amazingly. On top, the cotija and quacamole beckoned us to the plate like Sirens.
We got our drinks and commented on how the meal was batting-a-thousand so far.
White Peach Margarita (my friend and one of my brothers): the sweetest of the bunch. Tasty and light; great balance between the tequila and white peach flavors.
Cadillac Margarita (my other brother): I like to taste my alcohol when I'm drinking and a Caddy guarantees that I will. This was a great margarita!
Cactus Pear Margarita (my drink): I ordered this one because of the rave reviews on Yelp and it didn't disappoint. It wasn't too sweet and packed a nice punch. The flavor was great.
Encina was back within ten minutes to take our orders. Here's what we got (and loved):
-Mango and Spice Crusted Tuna: good God almighty this was good (for an agnostic guy to say this is saying something)!!! The tuna was cooked perfectly. The spicy sear on the outside was enough of a crunch to perfectly contrast the tender tuna. The mango glaze the accompanied the fish was sweet enough to enhance the fish without being too sweet or overpowering. The pine-nut cous cous was soft and delicious. The green and red peppercorn sauces on the plate were the perfect accent. The peppercorns were a soft burst of peppery goodness.
-Sixteen Spice Chicken: although not the route I would have gone, this was really good. For those who want to play it safe. The chicken was tender and the sixteen spices were definitely a party in my mouth, but chicken just isn't adventurous for me. My brother loved it; we both agreed that the spiciness level was great.
-Coffee Rubbed Filet Mignon: The meat was incredibly tender and juicy. The rub on the outside could very well be the best thing ever put onto a piece of meat. The coffee shined through enough that you knew it was there, but didn't take over the dish. The mushroom-ancho chile sauce was the perfect sauce.
-Grilled Lamb Porterhouse Chops: these were incredible!!! The spices were just right and the meat was tender. The garlic tamale was delicious as well.
Encina checked on us throughout the meal and kept us laughing. Once we were done, she put down the drink menu and the desert menu and said, "Now, I know you're not leaving without another drink and some desert!" She knew us too well!!! Here's the grand finale:
-Pomegranate martini (friend): Light on pomegranate taste. Tasted a little cough-syrupy. She was not impressed, but our tastebuds may have needed a nap after the amazing dinner we had.
-Mesa Pisco Sour: very nice! The alcohol shone through without being too much.
-Mango Buttermilk Upside Down Cake: not enough to share for more than two, but I was really the only one who wanted desert so it was perfect for everyone to have a taste. The cake was nice, light, and warm. The caramel rum sauce was fantastic and the mango ice cream was great.
We got to talking about how it was my birthday. At another table, I guess Encina heard us. She said, "I wasn't eavesdropping or anything, but did I hear a birthday over here?" They pointed to me and she replied, "OK. Don't go anywhere" and sprinted across the restaurant. She came back, told me to close my eyes as she lit a candle and placed it in a small ramekin of their homemade vanilla-bean whipped cream (best ever!). She told me to make a wish before I opened my eyes and said, "From my heart, happy birthday." It was one of the nicest restaurant birthdays I've ever had.
Overall, we couldn't have been happier with dropping close to $300 on a dinner for four. The food was amazing! The service was spectacular. Encina is incredibly sweet and takes care of you. She took the absolute best care of us.
Do yourself and your tastebuds a favor and eat at Mesa Grill!
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