“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.”
― Ruth Reichl
Anniversary dinner at Hell’s Kitchen! The hubby and I are obsessed with the show Hell’s Kitchen and Gordon Ramsay. So of course we go here. Hell’s Kitchen is a reality competition cooking show. The series is hosted by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. Each season, two teams of chefs compete for a job as head chef at a Ramsay property, while working in the kitchen of a restaurant set up in the television studio. This season was won by former restaurant owner Alex Belew, and he won a position as head chef at the Hell’s Kitchen in Atlantic City, NJ. This restaurant makes this Gordon Ramsay’s third restaurant in Caesar’s Entertainment. The restaurant design features a nod to both the red and blue teams featured on the show. The menu includes Chef Ramsay’s signature classics like Beef Wellington as well as using inspiration from the restaurant’s seaside locale… like seasonal menu items using locally-sourced, fresh ingredients and seafood delicacies.
Before I dive in on the food, I wanted to talk about my excitement of meeting the winner of this season’s Hell’s Kitchen, Alex Belew! When the hubby and I arrived to the restaurant, we were told that Alex was here by the hostess that sat us to our table. We asked our wonderful server (Jordan) if we can meet him. We sat and after we ordered our main entrees, Alex came to our table. (I’m not gonna lie, I totally fan-girled out) He was super nice and took the time to talk with us, hang out, and just chat about life and food. What a great experience and so happy he won!
Ok, now to talk about the food. First, we started with the drinks. Loved the drinks! My husband had a mocktail called “Meet your maker”. The drink consisted of maker’s mark bourbon (my husband had it without the bourbon and Domaine de canton), Domaine de canton, mint, apple, and strawberry. The taste was fruity and refreshing, but not overally sweet. My drink was the “King’s Coronation”. This drink is Stoli blueberry, lemon, blueberry, honey, and sage. It was a lovely drink and you can definitely taste the blueberry! Again, not too sweet… just the right amount. In addition, the restaurant gave us complimentary champagne because they knew it was our wedding anniversary ❤️.
TUNA TARTARE
soy chili vinaigrette, pickled fresno chilies, cilantro
butter poached lobster tail, butternut squash, sage
Appetizers. Both out of this world with flavor! The tuna tartare was so fresh and flavorful! The mixture of the vinaigrette, spices, and the yuca chips made this dish enjoyable and light. The risotto was delicious and decadent. It was creamy, tasty and the squash added a nice touch to it. The lobster was tender, soft and buttery. So good!!!
vadouvan carrots, spinach, harissa lamb jus
beluga lentils, shaved fennel salad, citrus herb beurre blanc
crème fraîche, chives
pickled fresno peppers, cilantro
Entrees. The rack of lamb was heavenly. It was cooked medium well (which I love, but you can request it any temperature of course). Great sear, tender, and tasty! The salmon… loved the crispy skin and it was cooked perfectly. The pairing of the lentils and beurre blanc with the salmon really harmonized the dish. The sides were great. The potato puree was creamy, a bit heavy, but delicious! The brussel sprouts were very good. Loved the cook on them and the fresno pepper added a nice spice!
Dessert we decided to do the strawberry shortcake. To me, the presentation looked like a deconstructed strawberry shortcake (all the elements of this cake are separated). The cake was moist and sweet. The strawberry ice-cream and the gelato were creamy, refreshing, and tasty. The whip cream was light, smooth, and definitely had that homemade taste. The strawberries were fresh and delish! All these components, when eaten together, made it delicious and light. However, not sure if because we were full from our meal, but we felt like it was a huge dessert with a lot going on.
Overall, a great experience at Hell’s Kitchen! Great food and ambiance! The staff was super friendly and I felt they went above and beyond. A special shout out to our server, Jordan, is definitely deserved. She knew the menu through and through… was friendly, professional, and just a great ambassador for the restaurant. Every member of the staff we met was incredibly professional and friendly. Keep in mind though, it is a bit pricey and you will drop some serious cash. However, it was well worth it and sometimes it is good to indulge?. I will definitely return. Thanks for reading my review and continue to chomp away!
-Chomping Chica