You can’t help but be enthralled by MGM Grand’s Hakkasan, the recently opened Las Vegas outpost of the Michelin-starred London hot spot. At five stories and 85,000 square feet, the space is majestic and breathtaking while encompassing the vast majority of the property’s newly remodeled front corner.
The Las Vegas version is a megaclub with a rotation of resident DJs to match; Tiësto, Calvin Harris and Deadmau5 are among the superstar talents that can be found working the club. While these artists can be encountered in the upper-level club spaces, you’d be mistaken to overlook the talent to be found on the lobby level, where the restaurant is housed.
The majestic doorway leading into Hakkasan is a precursor to an experience. A narrow hallway leads into a huge room with towering ceilings and ornate furnishings. To create a more intimate affair, seating areas are subdivided with wooden framework; the Jenga-like separations effectively serve to subdivide seating areas while maintaining visual continuity, although you may need staff assistance to navigate the path to your table.
Hakka steamed dim sum platter
Dining selections are on par with the majestic qualities of the room. The menu is an extensive selection of traditional Chinese dishes commingled with more modern riffs; dim sum platters include out-of-the-ordinary truffle bean curd rolls and black pepper duck dumplings, while Peking duck is offered with caviar. This is not your mother’s Chinese cuisine.
There is no better way to begin your experience than with the crispy duck salad. Tossed tableside, the combination of crispy waterfowl with pomelo, pine nuts and pomegranate atop leafy greens provides a symphony of textures and flavor contrasts. The duck’s inherent richness contrasts the light, flavorful fruits, resulting in a dish that will undoubtedly be one of 2013’s best new dishes.
Hakkasan’s Mongolian beef could be the best you’ll ever have. Unlike in your garden-variety takeout version, the sauce enhances the beef tenderloin rather than masking it. It is a lighter rendition and is so memorable you’ll never see the dish in the same light again.
Crispy duck salad
The roasted Chilean sea bass with Chinese honey is also a standout. The honey contributes a hint of sweetness and a lighter, flakier piece of seafood could not be found elsewhere. A light spice mixture doesn’t overwhelm the delicate fish in yet another remarkable dish.
If you haven’t gotten your fill of fowl at this point, then you should try the crispy roasted duck with kumquat and mustard. This particular offering is a Las Vegas exclusive, so only at this Hakkasan can one experience the balanced interplay of the tart fruit and sharp condiment in contrast to the meat’s richness.
Save room for dessert, because the exotic fruit platter is a spectacle to behold. Selected daily by Hakkasan’s dessert chef depending upon what’s seasonally available, the dish is an elongated interwoven presentation serving as a nod to the wooden décor in the room itself. Tropical favorites such as pineapple and mango are intermixed with Asian rarities such as dragonfruit and lychee. It is only fitting that your experience be capped with a majestic culinary presentation like no other. This is what Hakkasan is about.
MGM Grand, 5-11 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 5 p.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat. 702.891.7888
