Flay has been refining them for decades, and he knows what works. From another chef such touches might seem random or gratuitous, but Mr. An appetizer of escargots features not just the usual garlicky butter, but crawfish too. The vinaigrette on grilled asparagus contains whole green peppercorns. Brussels sprouts sport not only toasted pecans, but pomegranate arils as well.

Thus a deviled egg comes topped with a smoked shrimp and a splash of Tabasco. Flay’s method, apt for a casino restaurant, is to see your expectation - and then raise you one. This is food that’s pretty to look at, like the tasting trio of shellfish cocktails, served in supersized shot glasses on a rectangular plate: crab with mango, coconut and red onions, brightened up with cilantro shrimp with a rich green tomatillo sauce a lavish lobster-avocado salad tinged with tarragon, lime juice and Worcestershire. It is one of the richest, butteriest and best iterations of this standard I’ve had in a long time, better still for the unexpected dollop of bright green parsley pesto on top. “I wanted to create that ambience while celebrating regional American food.” As an example he points to his onion soup, a French favorite transposed to a grid of American ingredients: Vidalia onions, Parker House crouton, Vermont Cheddar. “I’ve always loved the bustling feel of a brasserie,” Mr. The spacious and opulent David Rockwell-designed interior features vaulted wood-paneled ceilings, stained glass, towering wine racks backlit in glowing orange, and a raw bar encased in gray marble. The brasserie, which opened in 2009, faithfully replicates the look, feel and menu of the Manhattan sister location Mr.

Eating thriftily will challenge the craftiest diner.

Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain, at Mohegan Sun, isn’t cheap. Parking nightmares, disorienting treks through cacophonous gambling halls - and all too often, when you arrive, prices to make the low-roller quake. I’ve never liked dining in a casino setting.

Bar americain mohegan