Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill
Blue Ribbon Wings, Chili Sauce, Wasabi Honey
Eggplant, Sweet Miso
Pork Belly Skewer, Watercress, Pickled Onion
Tiger Shrimp Skewer, Tomatillo Jalapeno Salsa
Chicken Thigh Skewer, Scallion
2lb Baked Stuffed Lobster, Bread Crumbs, Miso Butter (1st Half Top, 2nd Half Bottom)
Oxtail Fried Rice, Daikon, Shiitake, Bone Marrow, Egg Omelet
Popcorn Shrimp, Wasabi Mayo
Okinawa Potato Mash
Ginger Bread Pudding, Crystallized Ginger, Caramel Sauce
Although Eric and Bruce Bromberg may not be as well-known as Bobby Flay or Wolfgang Puck their cadre of Restaurants suggest no lack of success, twenty-three and counting with the newest Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill having opened in January 2019 at Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa.
Now in the industry since 1992, the original Blue Ribbon still open in New York and focused on upscale-casual items like the brother’s famous Fried Chicken, Roasted Meats and Shellfish, it is approaching Red Rock from the north that guests will find Sushi Bar & Grill across from Masso Osteria, the former “Libre” thoroughly redone including a spacious outdoor patio.
Familiar with the Bromberg’s cooking from both Brooklyn Bowl and now-shuttered Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken, the former better than one might guess while the latter couldn’t possibly justify its prices in the suburbs, it is at the entrance that guests are greeted by hostesses at a small podium, the plaid “uniforms” of servers as well as managers achieving the intended purpose of making the place feel relaxed even though several early-arriving diners were still donning work attire.
Open from 4:30pm until 11:00pm and an hour later on weekends, the “Lucky 7 Social Hour” offering Food and Beverage discounts for the first ninety and last sixty minutes daily, it was seated in a booth towards the front that an over-explaining young man presented menus, a description of format as well as what seemed like twenty recommendations droning on as though he was an automaton.
Soon replaced by a female staff-member, her ability to read a table much better and service fine henceforth, it was as Reggae played a bit too loud that opening plates were picked, five from the Happy Hour menu served in short succession with some, such as $13 Shrimp for $7, a better deal than others.
Attempting to set aside a strong dislike for the music across ninety minutes, no small task considering the volume and incongruous nature, it was beginning with Teppanyaki Pork Belly that first impressions of Food were formed, each bite well cooked and fat rendered such that it plays well off Onions just as Chicken Thighs with crispy Skin work well with accompanying Scallions.
Less impressed by the aforementioned Shrimp, all three overcooked and smaller than their standard pricing would suggest, it was returning to form that smoky Eggplant found its foil in sweet Miso while the Matzo-crusted Chicken Wings offered for just $1.75 a piece during Social Hour carry a lot of Meat beneath greaseless Batter and bold spices including Cayenne and Paprika.
Skipping Sushi, though everything from O-Toro to daily specials of Firefly Squid and Giant Clam are offered, it was after a brief wait that entrees arrived, a man who may have been the manager immediately pointing out that the $30 half-Lobster was dramatically under-portioned and promising another while guests instead focused their attention on Tempura Shrimp that are better with regular Mayonnaise than the Wasabi version plus Oxtail Fried Rice topped by an Omelet folded around Bone Marrow that, when mixed, is absolutely delicious and sharable by four thanks to its richness.
Happy with both halves of the Lobster, though the second was noticeably larger, it was liberally applying Miso Butter to both sweet flesh and a side of mashed Purple Potatoes that savories came to a conclusion, the Dessert Menu that is not listed online soon arriving and tempting with Blue Ribbon’s “Chocolate Bruno,” though it was a thick slice of impeccably grilled Brioche topped infused with Ginger Custard and topped by Ice Cream that won out and stole the show as the night’s best dish.
THREE AND A HALF STARS: Although Red Rock remains the crown jewel of Station Casino’s collection the Resort hasn’t had much luck with their north-facing Restaurants, a trend Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill hopes to remedy with Bruce and Eric Bromberg’s New York concept featuring Sushi, Steaks and signatures at prices competitive with other Summerlin staples, though the music and a occasional kitchen errors show room for improvement.
RECOMMENDED: Blue Ribbon Wings, Eggplant Teppanyaki, Oxtail Fried Rice, Ginger Bread Pudding.
AVOID: Tiger Shrimp Skewer, seating closer to the Casino interior where music is particularly loud as a result of internal and external speakers.
TIP: Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill uses the Bromberg’s original Fried Chicken recipe which is distinctly different (and far better than) the fast-casual Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken brand previously sold in Downtown Summerlin.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
www.blueribbonrestaurants.com/restaurants/blue-ribbon-sushi-bar-grill-red-rock
