Mohegan Sun Recap

Even though Mal and I spent less than 24 hours at Mohegan Sun, I felt like we enjoyed a real vacation. We made the most of our time there and really lived it up, so our experience was the perfect little get-away.

After our Hotel Happy Hour, Mal and I headed downstairs to do some gambling at the Black Jack tables. Cameras are not allowed in the gaming area, so I didn’t snap any photos, but, honestly, you guys didn’t miss much. Mal and I played Black Jack for almost 2 hours. We had a blast testing our luck, but, in the end, the House always wins and we walked away losers.

Thankfully, we had a dinner reservation at Bobby Flay’s new restaurant, Bar Americain, so it didn’t take long for my bummed-out mood to change.

I heard great things about Bar Americain, so I was really excited to dine there.

From the Bar Americain website:

Bar Americain celebrates America?s diverse culinary heritage, inspired by Bobby?s extensive travels throughout the country. His decidedly American menu is mirrored by the energetic fast pace of the time-honored European brasserie.

?I?m thrilled to introduce Bar Americain to Mohegan Sun,? said Bobby. ?Here too I will celebrate the vast culinary traditions found in the US while also featuring dishes that showcase the wealth of ingredients and traditions of New England and, given our location, that of the Native American culture.?

Bar Americain is definitely a hip place. I especially loved the modern, sophisticated decor. It made our dining experience seem even more special.

The birthday boy looked very handsome at dinner.

To start, Mal and I each ordered a Dirty Martini with extra olives.

While waiting for our cocktails, a wonderful selection of dinner rolls with whipped butter was served to our table. I dug right in and helped myself to a piece of cornbread.

Then, we ordered a couple of appetizers to share: 1/2 dozen raw oysters and Hot Potato Chips served with Blue Cheese Sauce.

Mal loves raw oysters, so, of course, we ordered them for the birthday boy.

So, I’m on the fence about raw oysters. I don’t love them, but I don’t hate them either. I’ll pretty much eat anything, so I added some hot sauce to mine and down the hatch they went. Hot sauce makes everything taste better!

The Hot Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Sauce came highly recommended, so Mal and I needed to see what the hype was all about. And, ohmigod, they were delicious. The blue cheese had a bold, sharp flavor, and the warm potato chips were thin, crispy, and a perfect compliment for a thick and creamy cheese sauce. I practically licked the bowl clean.

For my entree, I ordered the Asparagus Chopped Salad, which came with chunks of Vermont Cheddar and Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette. I was actually a little disappointed by this salad because I thought it would be mostly chopped asparagus, but instead, it was predominately romaine lettuce with just three spears of asparagus on the side.

Taste-wise, this salad had a nice, strong olive flavor, which I really enjoyed. But, it was doused with vinaigrette, so it was a tad on the soggy side.

Mal ordered the Grilled Venison Strip Loin with Concord Grape Red Cabbage Bread Pudding. I’ve never had venison, so he shared a few bites with me, and all I can say is WOW! It was soooo tender and flavorful. The bread pudding was pretty amazing, too. It was soaked in Worcestershire sauce.

Dessert was outstanding: Pistachio Creme Brulee.

Mal is pretty much a Creme Brulee connoisseur, so he had really high expectations for this dessert. And, I’m happy to report that he absolutely loved the Pistachio Creme Brulee… and didn’t want to share. I had to fight for a few bites!  The consistency was more like a mousse than a custard, and the pistachio flavor was really something special– bold and slightly sweet.

Delicious.

After dinner, Mal and I headed to Leffingwells Martini Bar to enjoy an after-dinner drink and watch the Celtics game. We also didn’t want the night to end!

Leffingwells is located on top of the casino’s Wombi Rock, a glowing three-story white onyx mountain. The bar has fancy, plush seating, intimate lighting, and the world’s largest indoor planetarium dome. It looks like the open sky is right above your head.

I ordered the most amazing Almond Joy martini. It was basically a second dessert made with Ciroc Coconut Vodoka and Absolute Vanilla Vodka shaken with Amaretto, Créme de Cocao, Baileys, and a dash of cream. Holy, holy yum!!!

It was heaven in a glass.

We spent a couple of hours at the Star Bar before heading back to our hotel room. Look what was waiting for us! Birthday cake! What a fun surprise!

Mal and I were pretty full from dinner at Bar Americain, so we didn’t have any. We put the cake in the fridge to take home with us.

All in all, an AWESOME trip! Thank you, Mohegan Sun, for allowing us to enjoy a wonderful get-away at your wonderful casino. I can’t wait to visit again!