Morimoto Las Vegas

The Iron Chef Opens at MGM Grand

by Michael Barbieri
Share This Article

I may never eat anywhere but Morimoto from now on!  The food was beyond sublime, the service was impeccable, and the space was slick and modern, yet still comfortable.

Morimoto Las Vegas, in the MGM Grand, is the latest in a successful collection of restaurants by renowned Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.  Born in Japan, Chef Morimoto’s style combines traditional Japanese cuisine with Western influences, and he now owns restaurants in Philadelphia, Mumbai, New Delhi, Tokyo, Boca Raton, the Napa Valley, Waikiki, Walt Disney World, and New York City.

Located in The District; MGM’s dining and shopping area, the enormous glass-fronted space turns the Morimoto experience into theater for passers-by, showing off three distinct dining areas - an open, yet intimate lounge, a primary dining room, dominated by a wall of dramatic, backlit photographs by Yasumichi Morita as a backdrop for the signature sushi bar, and a secondary dining room featuring a teppanyaki grill.

I had dined at Morimoto in New York’s Meatpacking District, so I was excited to sample the fare in Las Vegas.  Accompanied by my dear friend Rhiannon, what we experienced was beyond my expectations!

Cocktails first: Rhiannon had the appropriately named Las Vegas Fizz, made with gin, Tuaca - a sweet brandy liqueur, cava - a sparkling wine from Spain, blackberries and fresh lemon.  The gin gave the drink a slightly herbal, woodsy quality, while the sweeter elements balanced out the flavor, making it mild and refreshing.  I chose the Devil’s Advocate, a nicely spicy mix of tequila, yuzu, pomegranate, and habanero pepper.

We split several appetizers.  First, the orgasmic Wagyu Beef Carpaccio - slices of tender raw beef, pounded flat and dressed with yuzu soy, ginger, sweet garlic and a mouth watering combination of warm olive oil and sesame oil.  The exotic flavors and butter-soft mouth feel of every bite, made this a dish I never wanted to end!  The Spicy Tuna Tacos had clean, bold flavors, with a hint of spice.  The crunchiness of the taco shell contrasted nicely with the silky texture of the tuna, and the accompanying house made guacamole was creamy, with yuzu adding a lighter citrus note than the usual lime or lemon.  Next came the Sticky Ribs - meaty baby back pork ribs in an irresistible sweet & spicy tamarind glaze, with a touch of sriracha to add a satisfying heat; like the best American barbecue with a tongue-tingling Asian flair.  Finally, the astonishing Oysters Foie-Gras - deeply cupped Kusshi Oysters, topped with a sliver of uni (sea urchin,) a morsel of seared foie-gras, and a dollop of house made teriyaki.  I had tried these in New York, and found them to be the most decadent thing I had ever eaten!  Here in Vegas, they didn’t disappoint!  The oceanic flavors of the oyster and uni - sometimes called the “liver of the ocean,” played beautifully against the true liver of the foie gras, and the sweet/salty teriyaki brought all the elements together, for a rich flavor and texture that had our eyes rolling back in our heads with delight!

We ordered individual entrees, but shared them both.  The Ishi Yaki Chashu Bop, a refined take on the traditional Korean Bi Bim Bap, came to the table in a stone bowl heated to 450 degrees.  The dish consisted of rice topped with thinly sliced braised pork known as Kakuni, various pickled vegetables, chili threads, spinach, and a raw egg.  Seasoned with a spicy citrus mix called yuzu kosho and sweet soy, the ingredients were stirred together, cooked by the heat of the bowl.  The interplay of flavors - sweet, salty, spicy, and a touch of acidity from the veggies, made for a dish that was comforting and homey, yet still elegant enough to be considered fine dining!  Even better was the Duck Duck Goose - a platter laden with a bowl of duck confit fried rice, topped with a fried duck egg, a small portion of roast duck breast in gooseberry compote, a confit duck leg, and a demitasse of duck meatball soup.  The shredded duck meat gave the fried rice a luxe texture, and when mixed with the runny egg yolk, the flavor was rich and explosively ducky.  The duck breast was slightly rare and paired perfectly with the sweet/tart taste of the berry compote, the leg was tender, yet hearty, with just the right touch of gaminess, and the soup was delicate, with the meatball adding a subtle heat.

Just as we felt our meal was coming to an end, our server suggested we try the sushi for which Morimoto is known.  Oh, okay!  Twist my arm...!  We let him make the selection, which was simple, yet perfect - rich, melt-in-your-mouth toro, or fatty tuna, which I had never tried before, being more accustomed to maguro, the leaner, meatier cut.  There was also fresh, delicately flavored amberjack, sweet, tender kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper,) a toro maki roll, and two pieces of nigiri sushi, showcasing the best uni I’ve ever tasted!  

Our sushi was paired with four very different and distinct sakes, as well - the first with a fruity finish, the second had a rather grassy, herbal profile, the third had notes of anise, which complemented the fish very well, and the fourth was bold, strong, and almost whiskey-like.  Although I’m not a fan of sake, I had to admit that I enjoyed these very much, particularly the first two.

We wrapped up our meal with two absolutely fabulous desserts: The Fiery Chocolate Tarte - a sphere of chocolate set afire with 151 proof rum, which then melted down to reveal a hidden treasure of marshmallow, salty caramel ganache, and dark chocolate sorbet.  A chocolate lover’s dream, it was creamy, deeply chocolatey, with a vague saltiness and the flavor of the rum preventing it from becoming overly sweet.  We also tried the Doughnuts - light, airy doughnut holes, pierced by pipettes filled with luscious vanilla pastry cream.  We squeezed the pipettes, filling the doughnuts with the delicious cream.  They were a do-it-yourself dessert! 

Our meal at Morimoto Las Vegas was extraordinary.  I was able to sample a much wider spectrum of dishes than I ever had in New York, and aside from the incredible flavors, the thing that was most evident to me, was the lovely balance between delicate and bold - some dishes had bold flavors and delicate presentations, others had showy presentations, yet subtle flavor profiles.  But we always got the best of both worlds.

Dine at Morimoto Las Vegas, and experience the delectable art of the Iron Chef with a delicate touch!

Michael Barbieri

Food & Entertainment Writer