Mesa Grill; Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas

It's Time for a Throwdown Between the Gut Worm and the Godfather of Spice!

This was probably one of the most talked about and difficult dining decisions ever made in the anal annals of Jay and Bendy's digestive adventures. There were on-line reviews and pictures to dissect, menus to study, and friendie recommendations to consider ... all thanks to the gut worm who, while often unpredictable, can always be counted on to throw a temper tantrum when presented with overly spicy foods. Jay often defers to my dining preferences because he knows how ugly things can get when the worm is upset, but this was his birthday trip and I knew how much he would enjoy dining ala Flay. So I took it upon myself to have a private discussion with the gut worm in the hopes of working out a temporary truce.

Poke. Poke. Poke.

"Ouch!"

"Hey, worm! Wake up - we need to talk."

"Whut?"

"Jay's birthday is coming up and you know we have that gluttonous trip to Vegas planned - I want to take him to Mesa Grill for lunch but I need you to behave yourself."

"Don't eat anything and we shouldn't have a problem."

"I can't drink a margarita on an empty stomach - you know that!"

"True. Hmmmmmm .... alright, here's the deal: avoid the spices and peppers, eat something boring, and whatever you do, skip dessert. You shouldn't be eating a lot the day before you fly home, anyway."

"Thanks a lot, now you sound like my mother."

"One of us has to be responsible."

"Shut your world hole and go back to sleep - preferably forever."

"I'll be seeing you ... in all the old familiar places ...."

We'd reached a bargain, of sorts; but let me tell you ... it's downright chilling to have your gut worm croon Billie Holiday as a parting shot in a conversation about behaving while on vacation. Despite my nervousness, I went ahead and called the hotel to book a reservation. I was a little surprised that Mesa Grill required a credit card to hold the table and that they charge a $50 per person fee for no-shows because we haven't encountered that with many Las Vegas establishments. Nothing, however, was going to stop me from getting my lovey to Bobby Flay's joint for his birthday so I booked a table for lunch on the final day of our trip and crossed my fingers that you-know-who would behave.

Mesa Grill is one of the easier to find restaurants in Caesar's Palace - it's located directly off the casino floor not far from the entrance to the Forum Shops; if you know where the Colosseum is then you know where Mesa Grill is housed. The decor is open and comfortable with splashes of bright color to offset the more neutral Southwestern tones and textures. As an extra bonus, which had absolutely nothing to do with the decor, Bobby Flay's cookbooks were available for purchase; we made sure to nab a copy of Burgers, Fries, and Shakes before we left.

We arrived for our reservation just a wee bit early but that was not a problem and we were seated immediately; the place filled up very quickly, however, so I completely understood why they required a credit card to hold a table. There appeared to be a healthy mix of tourists and business people dining at Mesa Grill, which I took to be a good sign; if the locals were eating there while conducting business then odds were that the food would be tasty.

Before I get into the food, please take a moment to enjoy a few pictures of the restaurant:

Why do I suddenly want to search for the Letter People?


The very cool bar


Dining Room interior


The first order of business once we were seated and situated was to order a couple of drinks - Mesa Grill is famous for their delicious and very potent margaritas so it was, of course, a moral imperative that we try some for ourselves. Jason ordered a Partida Margarita, which was made with 100% agave nectar, tequila, and fresh lime juice - it was delicious and sweet and perfectly blended. In Jay's words, "A refreshing and surprisingly light drink with which to start off the day!"

Partida Margarita


I chose the Cactus Pear Margarita, which was made with tequila, cointreau, fresh lime juice, and cactus pear syrup. I thought it tasted great but was very surprised by the color when our server first presented it to me ... it was hot pink! And was it ever tasty - a wonderful blend of sweet and tart, I sucked it down before we were finished with our appetizers and had to order another ... how embarrassing.

Cactus Pear Margarita


Our server was really helpful and he pointed out some Mesa Grill specialties on the menu; Jay and I decided to share two appetizers that were a bit more indicative of Chef Flay's spicy flare, but before they showed up we were gifted with a yummy bread basket: blue cornmeal bread with peppers, corn muffins, and sourdough bread - all of it fresh and warm and delicious!

Bread bounty


Our appetizer selection included the Tiger Shrimp and Roasted Garlic Corn Tamale with Corn and Cilantro Sauce and the Blue Corn Pancake with Barbecued Duck, Habanero Chile, and Star Anise Sauce.

Both were very good but it will probably come as no surprise when I say that I much preferred the shrimp tamale to the duck-cake. The freshly made corn tamale was bursting with shrimpies while the light corn sauce provided a flavorful mix of garlic, cilantro, and chile. There was a little heat to this dish, but nothing that a wimp like me couldn't withstand.

Shrimp & Corn Tamale


As for the duck pancake, well, I'm not really a fan of duck unless someone is serving me its overly fattened seared liver on an exotic fruit. I did try it, but I just didn't care for the flavors; besides, anything with barbecue sauce is anathema to the gut worm so I saw no reason to push the envelope. Jay, however, enjoyed this selection just as much as the shrimpie tamale; he said the flavors were amazing and he really liked the kick provided by the habanero chilies.

BBQ Duck Pancake


For his real lunch, Jay ordered the New Mexican Spiced Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with Grilled Red Onion, Arugula, Ancho Chile Mayonnaise, and Southwestern Fries. The big surprise of this selection was that the sandwich was served cold. Interestingly enough Jay thought it worked better this way as the spices really took the spotlight, even though the pork was still very good and tender; the chile mayonnaise provided a nice afterburn that he also really enjoyed.

Pork, Bobby's Way!


Following the gut worm's directive, I ordered the Mesa Burger, which was supposed to come with Grilled Vidalia Onions and Horseradish Mustard. I had them hold the mustard and the onions and all was right with the world. This was the best burger I've had dining out since I ordered a Kobe Beef Burger at the Burger Bar two years earlier - cooked medium with a double helping of ooey-gooey cheddar cheese, it was a huge, juicy, tasty serving that I would order again in a heartbeat.

Mesa Burger - boring but safe!


We were both too full to order anything for dessert and besides, I'd been warned against that. But when I made the reservation I'd apparently mentioned that the hubba was celebrating his birthday so our server insisted that if Jason didn't want dessert on the house he should at least have a shot of tequila to commemorate the big 4-0!! Never one to turn down a free drink, Jay perused the menu for a few minutes and then made his selection ... an anjeo tequila the name of which escapes us both but which was smooth and warm and almost scotch-like in its color and taste. We both tremendously enjoyed this little treat from the Mesa Grill staff.

Birthday Tequila - Anjeo all the way!


So, what is there to say about Mesa Grill? The food and the margaritas absolutely lived up to the hype - everything we tried was very good, even those things that I personally don't like! The service was top notch, the atmosphere was relaxed and fun, and it was a truly enjoyable meal where I learned that spice doesn't always have to mean "set your mouth on fiyah and wait for your intestinal tract to explode." I do think that lunch at Mesa Grill is a better deal than dinner, but that's really a matter of personal preference. Jay and I definitely liked this restaurant - Bobby Flay can cook and so can his staff - do yourself a favor and make a reservation the next time you're in Vegas; you won't regret it!