Friday afternoon found me in Manhattan, and I had about a 45-minute window for lunch while I was downtown, so I decided to fulfill a long-standing goal and headed to Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill. Overall, I was quite impressed, especially after the disappointment of Mario Batali’s Otto last year.
I sat at the bar and asked the bartender which fish dish he would recommend; without hesitating, he pointed to the ancho chile-honey glazed salmon. It was, as promised, outstanding. The salmon was covered with an ancho chile rub, seared, then glazed with honey and roasted. The three sauces (a spicy black bean sauce, an unidentified sauce that seemed to be based on roasted peppers, and a jalapeño crema) were all layered underneath the fish, so I could start by tasting the fish on its own and then add sauces to my liking. The spicy black bean sauce was the best option, spicy but not hot, with an earthy flavor that helped offset the spiciness both of the sauce and the rub. The crema was the worst, with almost no flavor, like little dollops of bland crème fraiche. The salmon was prepared medium-rare, slightly below where I like it, but the fish was incredibly fresh.
The pre-meal bread options are a bit different. One was a very plain, fresh white-flour roll, good because it was still warm, but otherwise not bringing much to the table taste-wise. The other was a corn muffin, although that doesn’t give you much of a feel for it. It was cornbread, shaped like a muffin, packed with yellow corn, made mostly with stone-ground blue cornmeal, with flecks of bell and jalapeño peppers, dense and moist and definitely heavy on the fat (which keeps a muffin or cake moist). I had a hard time getting through the entire muffin, although I toughed it out in the end.
Glad to hear you enjoyed a Flay joint! The guy is my favorite chef and has inspired all my home cooking.
Bobby gets a bad rap as a one-note chef. Yes, ancho chili, cilantro and blue corn are his favorite ingredients – and yes, he trots them out a little too often on Iron Chef.. but Mesa Grill’s food is terrific and made me a believer the first time out. Almost all of his “boy meets grill” recipes are easy to replicate at home and are big-time crowd pleasers.
Keith,
I know you don’t like where the direction of Food Network’s programming has gone (with the reality and travel/touristy type shows), but how do you feel about Throwdown? Personally, I like it because I don’t mind the pieces on different chefs/restaurants with a specialty, but I love watching Bobby spin traditional dishes into more unique dishes with his own personal touch.
I don’t like a lot of the stuff on the Food Network as well, but I love Bobby Flay and Tyler Florence. They both know how to cook and don’t dumb down their shows. Everything I’ve tried from those two has come out great.
I definitely want to try Mesa if I ever have a chance
I personally don’t like Tyler Florence. He comes off as arrogant and thinks he’s the best thing to ever enter a kitchen.
Jonathan:
I don’t care about personality. It’s what I learn watching the show and I have learned a lot watching his and Bobby’s shows, but ti each his own.
I can see that. I have learned a little but he got too annoying for me. I still watch anything by Bobby Flay though. Some people don’t like Flay at all but like you said “to each his own”.
Anyone enjoy “Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins”? There’s an appeal for me to see these meals that I wouldn’t in a million years eat. It’s like deep-fried everything and portions the size of the table. It’s also always funny to see Guy Fiori stuff his face with this junk — he’s probably the only host I’ve ever seen who actually eats the food.
And I suppose Tyler can be arrogant at times, but I do like the food he makes.
I’m just waiting for the day when Keith finally gets the call to be a judge on “Iron Chef.”
Jonathan:
I agree on Bobby as well. everything I have ever made from his recipes tastes better than most things I get at restaurants. I made a citrus marinated rotisserie chicken on our grill that I got from one of Bobby’s cookbooks and it was unreal.
Baileywalk: I agree that “Diners” can be entertaining in a strange way.
Tom:
I made my first Thanksgiving turkey using a recioe Flay had but I tweaked it a bit and it was a huge success. I have yet to find a recipe of his I attempted that I didn’t like. My wife thinks Bobby Flay is the best thing that has happened to us! Haha!
Anyone ever watch Jaime Oliver’s new show? I love the show, but I haven’t attempted anything from it yet.
I love “Jamie at Home,” and I’ve tried a few recipes. The roasted carrot, avocado, and mixed field greens salad was awesome and easy. It’s the second-best show on FN after the insurmountable “Good Eats.”
I love “Good Eats” as well. I’ll have to try some of Jaime’s recipes. If FN would feature more of those types of shows that feature great food and teach the home cook new techniques, I am convinced it could be a great channel. I guess their research must show that’s not what the average viewer wants to see.
Good Eats is the best show on the network, I like both Flay and Florence (but he loses a couple of points for Applebees), can’t stand Fieri, haven’t watched Oliver yet. I like the idea of Florence’s show where he takes classic fare and makes it a little more special. I made his mac and cheese for thanksgiving once and it ruled the day. I don’t give a shit if a cook is arrogant, as long as I learn a thing or two from the show and it doesn’t bore me. PBS offers some good, insightful cooking programs.
I too love “Good Eats”, that Alton Brown is a frickin’ genius! My favorite show still has to be “Boy Meets Grill” though.
Buzz Bissinger does not approve of this banter – cease the dumbing down of discourse immediately.
I’m probably in the minority for enjoying Flay’s FN shows, but no one can deny that he has skill when it comes to Southwestern cuisine.
Ever been to Bar Americain, Keith?
It’s pretty extensive, hardly French, and crazy busy at lunch as it’s in midtown: The bleu cheese sauce for the chips is fat-astic. I believe they use Maytag. Anyway, if it’s on the WWL’s dime, I’d recommend it. Otherwise? Probably not.
The design of the place is great, though.
Ever been to Casa Mono, a Batali joint?
I live around the corner from Mesa Grill, but prefer Batali`s restaurants (however I agree about Otto). Next time you are in town, you should try Batali`s restaurant Lupa in the Village — it`s one of my favorites. As previously suggested, Casa Mono (Spanish tapas) is quite good as well, as is Bar Jamon (more casual wine bar) right next door.
If you like Mario’s restaurants, check out Centro Vinoteca, which is run by his sous chef, Anne Burrell. It’s easier to get a reservation there than Babbo, and the food is quite good.
Every time I’m in Vegas, I make it a point to eat at the Mesa Grill in Caesar’s Palace. The menu constantly changes, but the quality of food and service is always first rate. The Blue Corn Pancake and New Mexico Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin are the favorites I can’t help but order every other time.
That was stupid of me to talk about those dishes right before I eat a lunch that will certainly disappoint.
I’ve eaten at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill at Caesar’s and it’s probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had while dining out. I ordered the aforementioned New Mexico Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with the Anaheim Chile Relleno on the side and I just remember it being the best meal I’d had in a long time. It also helped that I had a good day at the sports book that paid for the meal.
While Mesa Grill is a fine place to eat, if you don’t visit Buchon in the Venetian when you’re out in Vegas, you’re missing the best restaurant in the city. It’s a Thomas Keller restaurant, which should instantly indicate quality, and it’s a great little bistro-style French restaurant. Plus, they have the best breakfast in town, particularly their glorious French toast, which is served bread pudding style, with brioche and apples.
I went to Bouchon at Venetian on my trip to Vegas last summer and I have to say, I had the best steak of my life. A beautiful Kobe filet medium-rare without too much of that crap that ruins a great piece of meat. I highly recommend it, and it’s really not that unreasonable. Their escargot was particularly good, too. I should also mention that their sommelier was extremely helpful, and did a wonderful job, although I know Keith isn’t a oenophile.
Hey Keith, thanks for recommending I’ll have to check it out. Is there any place in the city you can recommend where one can get a good meal, see a decent variety on the menu, and it’s somewhat affordable?
Seems as if everytime my family goes into the city to eat we end up at Carmines (either 80th & Broadway or in Times Square), which is good but I feel the quality has dropped there. (Don’t know if you’ve been there or not before, its family style Italian food.)
So can you recommend another spot, doesn’t have to be Italian, lol. Thanks.
Oh and I was just in Vegas and ate at a great(or at least I thought it was) burger place in the Paris Hotel. Forget the name but it had a French theme and was located right before Paris entered into Bally’s. Anyone familiar with it?
Keith, just finished reading your chat. Two things. You really should try venison, and do/did you like ostrich? As always, thanks.
Keith, when you’re in NY do you check out places in the outer boroughs or do you normally stick to the city? There are many great places that I get the feeling you would enjoy on the way to Shea, particularly in Woodside and Astoria.
Keith I have an unrelated question about sushi, when ordering a couple of different rolls is it better to eat one roll at a time so as not to mix the different fish flavors or does it not matter? Thanks love the blog and the chats over at the four letter
Chris – I just eat it however I want, with one exception – I tend to save unagi for later in the meal, because the sugar in the sauce can give a slightly bitter taste to whatever follows it.
Christopher – I often stop by the little Chinatown area in Flushing, but otherwise stick to Manhattan, since that’s where I stay and it’s also where my meetings tend to be.
Bob: Ostrich was like a really lean steak, and why would you bother eating something like that on its own? It might be great seared or grilled over direct heat and thinly sliced in something like a fajita, but as a steak, it didn’t work that well for me. Steaks need the internal fat/marbling to stay tender. I’ve never had a good opportunity to eat venison.
Is anyone familiar with After Hours with Daniel Boulud on Mojo? Fantastic television.
Keith, I was wondering, do you sit with a pen and paper while eating at these restaurants, or do you simply reflect on them later and write them down?
JPM – it’s all after the fact. I never write down what I ate. If I can’t remember it a day or two later, that’s a pretty good sign that it was unremarkable. (As opposed to being terrible, which I would always remember the same way one might remember being tortured with razor blades.)
Had the pleasure of trying Mesa Grill myself out in Vegas at Ceasar’s a few months back I agree quite a treat. Loved the Yucatan Chicken Taco appitizer and the NY Strip I had was probably the best steak i have ever had.
Mesa grill seems to have gone down hill in recent years. I was there and it really seemed pretty average compared to when it opened.
Keith,
Otto really is not reflective of Mario Batali’s cooking. It’s him and his partners take on an enoteca/pizzeria, and of all his restaurants in the city, this one recieves the least of his culinary influence. If you want to try Batali’s cooking, you should really go to Babbo, on Waverly Place. It features excellent traditional regional Italian Fare at prices that are reasonable for NYC italian food. People talk about how hard it is to get a reservation, but if you walk in at about 530 or after 10, you’ll be able to eat no problem.
Keith,
I know this is an old blog, but I finally had the pleasure of eating at Mesa Grill (Caesar’s Palace) last week and I have to say it was fantastic. I got the Pork Tenderloin and I really think it might have been one of the best entrees I’ve ever had eating out. I will definitely try to eat there again next time I’m in Vegas.
-Robert