"By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea" is where you'll often find Rick Moonen, chef/owner of RM Seafood and R Bar Cafe at Mandalay Place at Mandalay Bay. Chef Moonen will not be singing; he'll be checking the sea -- "our last wild frontier," as he describes it.
This is no casual interest for the committed chef. Moonen is a dedicated advocate for sustainable seafood and he is devoted to educating about the dangers of overfishing and ocean conservation.
Learning that I shared his interest in sustainable seafood and his concerns about the inherent dangers of overfishing, we immediately became friends. The peripatetic chef and I keep in touch by cell phone. When we connect, my first query is always, "Where are you?" Recently, when I asked that question, Moonen was at the Boston Seafood Show where he was recognized with a Seafood Champion award.
Moonen has long been acclaimed for his skill with fish preparations. He is a most happy fellow when he is cooking, teaching and writing about fish and seafood. His new cookbook, Seafood Without a Doubt, was recently completed and will be published in 2007.
Wildly passionate about all sea life, Moonen carries this passion into his kitchen. Working side-by-side with Executive Sous Chef John Tesar, he is always creating new dishes and seeking out the freshest seasonal seafood.
I've not yet tasted all the dishes that were recently added to RM's new menu ... menus change seasonally, yet knowing the excellent fare served here I do not hesitate to recommend new and old favorites. Firsts, starter courses such as Hawaiian Rainbow Runner ceviche with ruby red grapefruit or toro tuna tartar with black truffle and Japanese cucumber broth or tandoori Kona kapachi, are succulent assurers.
Wild burgundy snails with garlic, Roquefort and walnuts in puff pastry are divine. The chef's delicious use of citrus is profiled in the robust salad of blood orange and pomegranate, watercress, blue cheese and toasted walnuts. The petit New England lobster roll on toasted brioche is too good to be considered "cute," but it is.
Seconds, main courses, are a mix of heavenly fish, seafood and red meats. The arctic char with its accompanying fennel puree, blood orange soy reduction and blood orange and Dungeness crab salad is a winning combination, yet I long for the herb-crusted Dover sole served atop a mellow brandade with a mustard and chive beurre blanc. Seared diver scallops in a shellfish and basil minestrone also capture my attention. Turbot with braised leeks, brilliant fava beans and velvety potato gnocchi send me over the moon.
An 18-ounce prime sirloin steak with a dreamy truffled-baked potato and a seasonal selection of wild mushrooms is almost too good to be true. It's a carnivore's fantasy come true.
And while I exalt over the blissful first and second courses, I never forget the Chef's Tasting Menu -- prix fixe six courses and dessert, $135 per person. This grand tasting menu requires that all diners participate.
Before or after dinner, have a libation in the chic, comfy lounge and bar downstairs. It's a favorite locals and visitors hangout. Light fare is offered.
Small and intimate RM Seafood is located on the second level of Mandalay Place. Stroll the shopping promenade before or after a leisurely dinner.