Categories: Food & Wine

“Bar Americain” at Mohegan Sun

If I had been asked who Bobby Flay was a year ago, I would have stammered, trying to recover the familiarity of that name rolling around in the dark recesses of my mind. Of course I had heard of Bobby Flay. I just didn’t know who he was. I know now. He is the chef/creator of “Bar Americain”. But, I also know who a certain young gentleman named Christopher Catanesi is. He makes “Bar Americain” at Mohegan Sun the wonderful dining experience it is.

The ex and I were at Mohegan Sun last Thursday night and made a reservation for dinner at “Bar Americain. Todd English’s “Tuscany” never really impressed me, with the exception of one meal a while ago, and I just don’t find “Michael Jordan’s Steak House” all that sophisticated. Sorry Michael. So “Bar Americain” it was.

We were greeted and seated immediately. I won’t bore the reader with the “stop watch” ratings of how long it took for water, cocktails or dinner rolls to arrive. It should suffice to say our server was extremely attentive, but not a “hoverer”.

We were enjoying our cocktails, and planning our after dinner gaming strategy when we were approached by the young man who had seated us. He apologized for the delay in our crab cake appetizers. Huh? Delay? We really hadn’t noticed as we also were a bit lost in the atmosphere of “Bar Americain”. I couldn’t quite put my finger on exactly what it was about the restaurant, but it makes you want to relax and enjoy yourself.

He explained that our server wasn’t completely sure if the presentation of the crab cakes was acceptable, so she consulted him. He agreed, requested they be redone, and assured us he wanted our experience to be perfect. I wondered how the “presentation” of crab cakes could be sufficiently screwed up to require a second shot, but the ex and I assured him we appreciated his efforts. A couple of minutes later our appetizers arrived.

See also Crab Cakes Made of Real Crab?

I stood corrected. Living in Maine, I have had a vast array of seafood prepared in just about every way possible, but these crab cakes were in fact, perfection. Can I explain them? No. No more than I could explain color to a blind man. After I lapped my plate, our main course arrived. I’m still wondering how the chef made my massive slab of rib-eye look dainty (for the ladies), and the ex’s exquisite red snapper look manly, but he did. We did not have dessert. That was what the sweet potato casserole was, no?

The following is taken from the “Bar Americain” home page:

“With a menu that ranges from Shrimp-Tomatillo, Crab-Coconut and Lobster-Avocado Shellfish Cocktails to Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Black Pepper Biscuits and Brookdale Farm’s Honey Sauce, Bobby combines his American menu with the energetic fast pace of the time-honored European brasserie.

When the manager/host came by again, I had a conversation with him about the theme of “Bar Americain”. He explained that it was designed by the Rockwell group, intent on capturing a traditional European-American element of the past, while maintaining the warmth and comfort of a friendly environment (paraphrased). It does just that.

Of course, food is the main evaluator when selecting a restaurant, but service and atmosphere rank high on the list of considerations. “Bar Americain” has all three. It also has a young manager named Christopher Catanesi to greet you and cater to your every need. He is genuinely personable without being aloof, knowledgeable without being condescending, and a main reason we will continue to return to “Bar Americain” every time we visit Mohegan Sun, and so should you. Ask for Christopher. Tell him Nancy sent you. And by the way, try the crab cakes!