September 18, 2014

Michael Mina Pub 1842

Years ago, Seablue at MGM was one of our favorite restaurants. It had great seafood with a Mediterranean influence, and everything was light and healthy. It has since switched gears, the space closed for a brief time and re-opened, last summer, as yet another Gastropub. Burger and pizza joints have monopolized the dining scene on the strip much to my chagrin. Michael Mina joined the trend with Pub 1842.

The space has a great pub feel. Servers were quick and friendly. The draft beer selection was a bit lacking, but they did offer Weihenstephaner ($12) which is a solid choice. Beers were on special during our visit, buy one, get one.

I have a weakness for all things duck. So, the spring rolls ($16) were an easy choice when it came to choosing an appetizer. They offered a Bourbon Burger ($19) on special. Which Frank was unable to resist, he's been hooked on Maker's Mark since our tour in KY earlier this year. I chose the 1842 Burger.

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The spring rolls failed to impress, they fell into the category of your typical pub grub offering. The 1842 is served in a basket (awkward for eating) and comes with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms and a truffle aioli. I was offered cheese, but Swiss was not an option and it was what sounded most appealing. I had requested the burger to be cooked medium, but it was a poor choice. It was well done. It was dry. The bun was dry. And I found the truffle aioli to be far more tangy than expected and the truffle flavor was very faint. I struggled to eat half of it before throwing in the towel. The Bourbon Burger was a better choice, but still left Frank pretty underwhelmed. Both burgers came with a generous portion of seasoned fries.

The prices are inflated and the menu items do not warrant the price. I've always been a big fan of Michael Mina restaurants, but this one missed the mark. It's really quite sad that Seablue shuttered for this.

Pub 1842 by Michael Mina on Urbanspoon

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