My Visit to Marcus at MGM

I read chef Marcus Samuelsson's memoir Yes, Chef last year during my 112 Books Challenge. Of all 112 Books, I ranked his memoir in the Top 12.  Recently chef Samuelsson opened a restaurant in the MGM Resort and Casino at National Harbor. My great friend invited me to go for a very post-birthday girls lunch.

The menu was mouth watering and the cocktail/wine list was quite extensive.  For appetizers were ordered the shrimp cocktail and crab dip gratin.  Shrimp cocktail is a fairly straight forward dish, and this was the best shrimp cocktail I've ever had.  The shrimp were quite large and served with a dip that was a remoulade topped with cocktail sauce. The crab gratin was served bubbly hot and was creamy, delicious and filled with lots of crab.  So good.  At the last minute before ordering entrees, my friend adds cornbread.  That too was pretty great.  It was moist and the flavor was great.  

For my entree, I got the highly recommend chicken and waffles.  Unlike any other chicken and waffles I've ever had.  Allow me to build this for you.  The waffle was large, fluffy and smelled of vanilla with a drizzle of syrup.  This waffle was topped with fried chicken that was drizzled with mumbo sauce.  Let me say that again.  Mumbo...Sauce.  I lived!  The dished was finished off with shaved, pickled daikon.  It was beyond.  My friend had the shrimp and grits and proclaimed that the grits were the best she'd ever had.  

The food was so incredible that I purchased the chef's cookbook of his other restaurant, Red Rooster in Harlem.  I got the last signed copy!  I highly recommend Marcus at MGM National Harbor.  Let me know if you check it out. I'll be sure to share my experience with the cookbook.

-J

Can't wait to try some recipes!