Royally Flushed

It may seem odd to go to the Nevada desert to indulge in your favorite seafood dishes but that is exactly what P.B. and I set out to do when we dined at RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino. RM refers to Chef/Owner Rick Moonen, a former New Yorker who previously helmed the kitchens at two of our favorite NYC seafood restaurants – The Water Club and Oceana. Because we were familiar with his food, we were expecting excellent meals and weren’t disappointed.

Occupying a back corner of the casino, the two-story restaurant is near the Mandalay Bay theater. Upstairs is the high-end more formal restaurant complete with chef’s tasting menu, Hudson Valley foie gras and an assortment of caviars. Downstairs, where we ate, is a seafood joint that would be perfectly at home on any street corner in New York or San Francisco.

White leather banquettes, teak chairs and table tops — plus a few TV screens perched over the bar — let you know you’re in the “slang” portion of the restaurant. While the setting and menu may be more casual, the attention to food and service is most decidedly not.

Our table was near the front of the restaurant with a view of the casino floor. Although close to the gaming area, we didn’t notice any noise or other negative distraction. (Perhaps we didn’t notice because we were too busy enjoying our meal.)

We started with a bowl of superb clam chowder for P.B. and a lemony seafood salad for me. The creamy pale golden chowder was packed with flavor from fresh herbs, diced potatoes, onions and best of all – tons of sweet chewy clams. This was easily one of the best clam chowders we have ever eaten.

My seafood salad was a colorful, puckery plate of calamari, shrimp and lobster mixed with celery and sweet red peppers. The assertive lemon dressing had a spicy kick to it and if anything, the lemon was a little bit over-powering. A quick sprinkling of salt improved the balance of the vinaigrette.

Our next course consisted of shared plates of tuna sashimi, steamed Manila clams and a side portion of sautéed spinach with garlic. The velvety tuna was textbook fresh and of high-quality but the star of the show was the mound of petite clams. Served in a sprightly broth with white wine, morsels of fresh tomato and ribbons of fresh basil, this was a superb dish. The two fat wedges of crusty, cheesy garlic bread that accompanied the clams were just right for soaking up every last drop of the flavorful broth.

A fresh, light ending to the meal came in the form of the angel food and fresh berries shortcake served with a tangy vanilla crème fraiche that we shared.

Service throughout the meal was attentive and friendly. Both wine and water glasses remained full and the courses and check arrived on time.

Next visit will be for lunch when we can try the Catfish Sloppy Joe that “Esquire” magazine and Oprah Winfrey have both raved about.

Read more of our Las Vegas restaurant reviews here:  Bouchon, Olives, BLT Burger, Payard Patisserie, Jean-Philippe at The Bellagio.

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Tags: best restaurants Las Vegas, Las Vegas dining, Mandalay Bay, Mandalay Bay restaurants, Rick Moonen, RM Seafood, seafood restaurant Las Vegas