Other Mama
Kiki Cocktail with Black Tea infused Anjeo Rum, Lime, Crème de Banane, Vanilla Orgeat
Iced Tea
Hush Puppies with Crab, Jalapenos, Spicy Remoulade
Edamame with Yuzu
Mushroom Tempura with Soy and Remoulade
Mix Ceviche with Octopus, Shrimp, Whitefish, Habanero, Housemade Sweet Potato Chips
Amberjack Crudo with Ponzu
Japanese Fried Chicken with Buttermilk Dressing
Blistered Shishito Peppers with Cauliflower and Pistachio
Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Salad and Mole Verde
Kimchi Fried Rice with a Fried Egg
Pork Belly with Grilled Cabbage and Pozu
Crispy Jidori Chicken with Pipian, Golden Raisins and Braised Endive
Prime NY Steak with Miso Hollandaise, Waffle Fries
Rare to dine out on weekdays, particularly a lengthy Tasting Menu beginning at 6:30pm, it was largely out of a feeling of obligation for panning Panevino when a Pharmaceutical Representative suggested it that dinner was sat down to with six strangers on Monday night in the Private Dining Room at Other Mama.
Still a popular destination for locals as well as visitors, even a night when many Las Vegas eateries remain dark finding the dining room more than fifty percent full, it was immediately upon arrival that the same young server present during a similar event in December led guests to the comfortable room adjacent the well-stocked Bar, a menu designed for varied tastes and experiences including one pregnant woman presented and confirmed by the host.
Styled as a medical case review held behind closed doors, no powerpoints but plenty of “business” talk taking place in between bites, it was with most declining alcohol for various reasons that one of Other Mama’s Kiki Cocktails was selected to sip throughout the evening, its creamy base and up-front sweetness doing well in balancing the spiciness of items including a variety of Peppers such as Chef Krohmer’s Hush Puppies stuffed with Crab as well as Jalapenos with a sidecar of Remoulade.
Veering away from Shellfish compared to past visits, the reason for this decision unknown but potentially at the discretion of those in charge as the primary speaker appeared quite picky, it was as guests worked through steamed Edamame lightly accented by Citrus that course two was presented, the piquant Ceviche surprisingly well-received by most while all including the well-traveled were impressed by the crispiness of Other Mama’s Tempura applied to sliced Mushrooms.
Offered more as a progression of small plates than “courses,” two long plates of Amberjack in Ponzu again highlighting the quality of Chef Krohmer’s sourcing, it was in follow-up to this that pounded Chicken thighs in thick Batter had guests swearing off The Colonel forever though most did not find any comfort in blistered Shishito Peppers presented with a Russian Roulette warning that “one out of every five or six is really spicy.”
Continuing the string of complex spicing with Grilled Shrimp and Other Mama’s famous Kimchi fried Rice, the former a bit overcooked but otherwise a good balance of char, sweetness and heat while the Rice was expectedly hit n’ miss amongst a largely Latin American audience, it was following Pork Belly that all found under-seasoned that savories wrapped, the Steaks expectedly crowd-pleasing while more Chicken was met with a mixed response, all finding the crispy-skinned Bird itself delicious but many turned off by the aggressively flavored Sauce beneath, though those familiar with Mole or Pipian were delighted.
FOUR STARS: More difficult to rate than many meals, an inability to self-select items and a server’s insistence on adhering to the set Menu right up to the point guests were told Honey-Miso Ice Cream had been “thrown out” combined with a crowd who’d have been content with Bonefish Grill equally at fault, the fact that both Pork Belly and Shrimp were flawed makes one wonder if Other Mama has slipped from prior or if this was just a matter of an “off night” compared to usual excellence.
RECOMMENDED: Hush Puppies, Tempura Mushrooms, Mix Ceviche, Prime NY Steak, Jidori Chicken.
AVOID: Pork Belly was under-seasoned and Shrimp was overcooked.
TIP: The PDR can comfortably seat approximately a dozen. Please contact the restaurant to confirm cost and availability as a number of options are offered, though there is apparently a “minimum” which created a billing issue at the end of the evening per organizers (who nonetheless stated they would happy schedule Other Mama again for future events.)
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
www.othermamalv.com
