| rev:text
| - Red Square has an old world USSR feel with all the trimmings of revamped Soviet hangout. I first stumbled upon this place two weeks after they opened and have consistently enjoyed the dining experience (about 8 times in total). The last time I was there was a week ago.
Restaurant / Decor:
As you approach Red Square, two things will stand out, one, a huge statue of Lenin that looks like it has lived there for 50 years with all the trappings of pigeon minus the head and a large Russian stylized casement window to a freezer that holds some of the most exotic vodkas on the market today. The decor has changed some since the first year of operation to help accommodate their popularity but it has not significantly taken away from the overall experience. The furniture is all antiqued and the walls are designed as if it is pealing back decades of propaganda. The lush red velvet curtains and huge chandeliers makes it out to be a place where the Kremlin elite would come to have a drink with less than subtle hints of it's past as maybe a church or where Bolshevik revolutionaries might have hung out. The restaurant is very clean. Relatively accessible within Mandalay Bay Casio (casino's are hard to navigate in general). Though it has little online presence.
Specialty / Favorites:
The drinks! They host the largest selection of vodka's I have ever experienced and I love vodka. I have been exposed to new vodka's for the first time there by ordering tasting flights (explained below). They also have an awesome selection of cocktails from savory to sweet, all worth tasting.
Food / Drink:
They have had good consistency for many years though I would be remise if I did not say this last time was not as good as past dining experiences there.
There menu is relatively consistent with a few changes here and there though I am not sure if it is seasonal or otherwise.
For starters the Steak Tartare (raw beef, onion, capers, dijon mustard-anchovy sauce, creme fraiche, with melba toast) is fabulous, prepared at the table and good to the last bite. The Lobster Bisque has not been consistent and I have been disappointed with it, though the Chilled Lobster Salad (with cold lobster, tomatoes, baby greens, basil oil and lemon creme fraiche) was really awesome though I think it is a seasonal dish since I did not see in on the menu this time. I personally always order Caviar Smothered Blini (a large Russian blini smothered in creme fraiche, American sturgeon caviar and herbed beurre blanc, a potato pancake with caviar and a creamy sauce).
As for the entrees, the classics are all very solid; Chicken Kiev (stuffed with herbs, cheese and butter, served with vegetable rice pilaf and a mushroom and port reduction) and Seared Ahi Tuna (warm Yukon potato salad and chilled asparagus in a spicy tomato dipping sauce) are awesome; the Stroganoff, Roquefort Filet Mignon (potato pure with roasted garlic and red wine sauce) and Salmon Kulebyaka (salmon seared with dill on a puff pastry with a dill saffron buerre blanc) are also favorites, though I don't like Salmon all that much so it is a shared opinion.
Deserts... The chocolate cake was really good. Sorry, I am normally not very sober by this time.
But the real reason to go eat at the Red Square is to drink at the Red Square. It is truly all about the vodka. I love vodka. It is one of my favorite alcohols and they offer something here that I had never seen before, Vodka Flights. You can choose from several Vodka Flights, based by geography, ie, American or Russian, by flavorings, potato vodkas or exotic vodkas, etc. You get 4 shots served in a red block of ice. To best describe this you have to imagine a bright red cube of ice with 4 holes for the shot glasses, it is like nothing I have ever experience before. But if raw vodka doesn't float your boat, there are 3 pages of fabulous cocktails that are honestly some of the best drinks I have ever had. The showmanship at the bar is worth ordering five or six alone.
Service:
This is not 5 five star dining though there is a real attempt to be very professional and take the extra steps to make sure you have all that you need as you would find in a more formal environment. I have found the staff to be attentive, especially with water, which helps with the impending hangover. The wait staff's description of the menu offerings have been accurate and their opinions helpful.
Hospitality:
The staff is all very friendly and welcoming. There seems to be a pride in their work and most of the wait staff has a passion for food. I have never felt stupid asking a question about the menu.
Value (price vs. overall experience):
Setting expectations is very important. As experience has taught me, there is no such thing as value in Las Vegas. So in other words I always expect to spend more in Vegas for the same quality or less than I find else where.
My recommendation is it is worth the experience!
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