Savor the Old South as Magnolia – A Delta Grille
Opens Sunday, August 19
Chef James Gentry showcases Delta fare inside Legendary Horseshoe Casino Tunica
TUNICA, Miss (August 10, 2007) – Horseshoe Casino & Hotel and award-winning chef James Gentry will unveil their newest and long anticipated creation, Magnolia – A Delta Grille, on Sunday, August 19, 2007. Past will meet present as Horseshoe customers pass through the doors into the casual fine dining world of the Mississippi Delta of old.
A warm welcome and the ambiance of Magnolia, accompanied by Gentry’s inventive twist on traditional Southern fare, creates a one-of-kind experience that can only be found in a region as diverse and unique as the Mississippi Delta.
A welcome change from other dining options in the area, Magnolia is open daily for lunch, and promises to be a great place to meet friends or business associates to grab a quality meal in a casual, yet refined, setting. Dinner service will be more formal, while remaining casual. Magnolia also offers a champagne brunch on Sundays, in true Southern fashion.
Lunch menu items include: Oysters on the half shell, frog legs, seared beef and grilled asparagus salad, soft shell crab po’ boy, pan roasted striped bass with greens, and cornmeal dusted Mississippi fried catfish topped with toasted pecans. Dinner menu items include: Gulf Coast seafood sampler, chicken livers three ways, Tennessee tomato and crab bisque, Mississippi buttermilk fried chicken and toasted waffles with warm maple syrup, filet of beef, whole smoked trout with crawfish mousse, sorghum-garlic marinated rack of lamb, and braised ham hocks served with white beans and sweet cornbread.
Southerners have always enjoyed their spirits and desserts and guests at Magnolia are sure to as well. Pastry chef, Maurice McMillan brings his knack for invention and vast experience gained in top restaurants on the west coast to Tunica to prepare delectable dessert creations nightly. Guests may also want to whet their whistles with traditional southern drinks and mouthwatering signature cocktails that are sure to put a relaxing end to a stressful work week.
Dinner reservations are highly recommended and can be made by calling Horseshoe Casino at 1-800-303 –Shoe (7463). Hours of operation are Monday – Saturday lunch 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Monday – Thursday dinner 6 p.m. – 11 p.m., Friday – Saturday dinner 5 p.m. – 12 p.m., Sunday brunch 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Sunday dinner 5 p.m. -11 p.m.
Magnolia Chef - James Gentry
Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider of branded casino entertainment through operating subsidiaries. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada nearly 70 years ago, Harrah's has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions, and now owns or manages casinos on four continents. The company’s properties operate primarily under the Harrah’s, Caesars and Horseshoe brand names; Harrah’s also owns the London Clubs International family of casinos. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership.
More information about Harrah’s is available at its Web site – www.harrahs.com.
Tunica Airport Lands Tasty Deli
Cruiser’s Deli Takes Off to a Successful Start
Tunica, Mississippi (July 11, 2007) — While waiting for flights at the Tunica Airport, visitors can now enjoy a variety of sandwiches, salads, and specialty items at Cruiser’s Deli that opened this month at Tunica Airport.
“It was my dream that when I retired to be able to open my own eating establishment,” Cruiser’s Deli owner Terry Lancaster explained. “My first job when I was 14 was working in a deli, and I’ve worked for FedEx as an Aviation Maintenance Technician for most of my career since then.”
Now his love of airplanes and passion for cooking are coming together. Terry and his wife, Janice, got the idea for the deli when some of Terry’s former co-workers, who started the aircraft maintenance group at Tunica Airport called TAG, told Terry that there was no local catering service at the airport. Currently, there are hundreds of private and charter passengers and pilots who fly in and out of the Tunica Airport daily.
“There definitely was a need for a specialty deli, and we are very pleased that Cruiser’s Deli will now be able to cater to our private and charter passengers and be open to the public as well,” Cliff Nash, the executive director of the Tunica Airport, said. “Our airport goes above and beyond to serve our customers, and now we can serve them with great meals, too.”
Cruiser’s Deli hours are 9:00 am to 9:00 pm seven days a week. Call-in orders are also welcome. For more information, contact Cruiser’s Deli at 662-357-7370.
With the completion of phases 1 and 2, which included a 7,000-foot runway and parallel taxiway, a general and corporate aviation ramp, 10,000-square-foot Air Center, 5,000 square foot terminal, 20,000 square foot hanger, and addition of new instrument landing capabilities, the Tunica Airport is now capable of supporting any corporate and general aviation aircraft, narrow-body commercial charter, and scheduled air service operations.
Current plans are to extend the runway and parallel taxiway out to 8,500 feet by the end of 2007. Once completed, Tunica’s runway will be the longest runway in Mississippi north of Jackson. The Tunica Airport is located southeast of U.S. Highway 61 on Beatline Road. For more information on the Tunica Airport, please call 662-357-7320, or visit www.tunicaairport.com.
Tunica, an area where cotton, rice, soybean fields and catfish ponds still thrive, is “The South’s Casino Capital.” Located 30 minutes south of Memphis, Tunica welcomes more than 15 million visitors annually to its nine world-class casino resorts, with more than 6,300 new hotel rooms, over 40 restaurants, three championship golf courses, outdoor recreation, museums, outlet and antique shopping, and much more.
For travel information, please visit the Tunica website at tunicamiss.com or call Tunica toll free at 888-4-TUNICA.
Hitting the Mother Lode at Chicago Steakhouse
Consistency, high quality cuisine and service continue at Gold Strike
by Rudi Schiffer
When Jeff “Tree” Cayouette stands over you and says, “try this, you will like it,” one does not question his advice. The Tree stands 6'5'' and weighs in at a reported 350 pounds. But when he follows his advice with a wide smile and a friendly Cajun-tinted accent, you know the dish will be great. I spent an entire evening with some companions doing just what the Tree asked and came away totally satisfied and gratified from a great experience in the Chicago Steakhouse, one of the Southeast’s premium restaurants.
Tucked away in a far corner on the first floor of the 50,000 square-foot gaming floor, you will find the restaurant after passing through banks and banks of some of the 1,400 or so slot machines that tempt you to stop. But nothing would cause us to hesitate as the vice president of food and beverage, the congenial and knowledgeable Joe Maloney, promised we would experience fine and memorable cuisine.
We were greeted at the door by Ryan Jensen, Chicago Steakhouse manager, and escorted into the classic and intimate mahogany-paneled room near a fireplace and not far from the bar, a nice spot to be. Jensen, who had just earned his first level sommelier accreditation, the first such position at the steakhouse, arrived here from sister property Beau Rivage in Biloxi, where he worked in the Memphis Q restaurant. He also had stints at the Palm Room in Philadelphia and was manager of the Old Hickory restaurant at Opryland in Nashville. When with the Palm organization, he served as corporate trainer and this was evident during the night, as he was very particular in how things were done to make each experience just that much better.
After an opening cocktail to settle in, we heard the booming voice of “Tree” as he loomed over us and stuck out a huge paw for us to shake. This guy likes his food. Tree, the specialty room chef, said he was preparing a very special Asian appetizer…a half pineapple stuffed with large chunks of stir-fried fresh lobster, red peppers and onions. The succulent opener was a meal in itself but one never sends lobster back to the kitchen. We definitely did not.
Cayouette knows his stuff, and he should. He owned a restaurant in New Orleans called “Moe’s,” and it served a unique fusion of Cajun and Asian cuisine. His partner Philip Chang was the Asian, Cayouette was the Cajun. The restaurant was doing very well until it was evicted by Hurricane Katrina.
We were also were visited by Executive Chef Tony Harrington, who said there were no surprises on the menu, it was consistent and well received so why change it, but he did wax enthusiastic over a new dessert menu. “We’ve always have great steak and fresh fish specials, but wait until you see the desserts,” said Harrington, a Yorkshire man from England and big fan of soccer powerhouse, Manchester United.
It was time for salad and while the lobster salad with Mache and champagne vinaigrette looked great, I needed a change from that particular crustacean and zeroed in on the spinach salad with spiced pecans and warm bacon dressing. My daughter-in-law, Jennifer, and her lovely friend, Beth, a Memphis Grizzly dancer, went the same route and the crispiness and flavor of the selection was right on target.
Just before we ordered the main course, we opted for some wine and Jensen’s knowledge came in handy. While the room has an outstanding reserve list of bottles over a $100 each, we opted for another choice he recommended and were not disappointed. Jensen said the Cain 5 was one of his favorites, with its concoction of five different grapes grown in the Napa Valley. Later in the course of the meal, we also had a Silver Oaks merlot and the duo was excellent. Jensen has been in the room for nine months and this past year it won the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, following up on the same honor received in 2006. We noticed that many of the wine listings favored wine by the glass. “It is a demand we are satisfying and we will expand on it,” said Jensen.
With about 20 choices from the entrees that covered steaks, specialty items and seafood, the menu was a pared down representation derived from many of the favorite dishes enjoyed by the restaurants’ diners over the years. “We have what our patrons want, “said Pat Lekrone, assistant director of Food & Beverage. Pat also had what I wanted…a hard-to-get hand-rolled imported Padron cigar for after dinner in the waiting area outside of the restaurant.
Jennifer decided to try the unusual coffee and pepper crusted 14 ounce New York strip with truffle potatoes and creamed spinach . This unusual preparation had the strip rolled in fresh roasted ground coffee beans with pepper. Beth liked the looks and size of the 32 ounce grilled Porterhouse, accompanied by Yukon mashed potatoes and sautéed mushrooms, while I asked for the seared salmon with herb crust, ginger and lemon butter sauce with broccoli.
Each dish exceeded our expectations, but an unusual appetizer caught my eye at the last moment and it was the bison satay, a sort of buffalo on a stick. Prepared in a red pepper demi reduction, this was as good as it gets. We all agreed and highly recommend you sample this appetizer when you dine here.
Other popular cuts on the menu included seared filet mignon with seared Foie Gras and truffles, grilled prime ribeye bone weighing in at 24 ounces and roasted herb crusted prime rib. Veal chops, seared organic chicken breast and molasses-glazed double cut Kurabuta pork chops were also offered. The seafood covered sautéed Dover sole, fresh Maine lobster and Chilean sea bass, a favorite of mine here in previous forays. Steamed King crab is also there.
During our dining session, we noticed that Matt, our server, hovered in the background, ever ready to make sure we enjoyed our experience to the fullest. I asked him about it and he said that Mr. Jensen liked everything in place, I think it is referred to as “mis en pláce” in the industry. It is the basis of a good organization and service, and a plank in the restaurant’s changing platform that was solidly in place, as agreed on by Jensen and Chef Cayouette. Jensen explained. “This approach helps us improve and remain consistent and will support our quality and growth so we can change effortlessly in the future when required,” he said.
We finally, after some two hours of gustatorial gratification, got to the acclaimed dessert menu as the cart pulled up to our table. Pastry Chef M. Fero RoJan was the genius behind it all and while we only had the unbelievable Crème Brulee Trio, it was difficult to single it out from the rest of the delights. The Trio features three servings that include a Chocolate Crème Brulee, Banana Crème Brulee and the Vanilla Crème Brulee with fresh berries. Perhaps the best dessert we ever had, it was agreed.
To further tempt you, there is the sampler platter of opera cake, chocolate Napoleon, and pistachio mousse cake, a Chocolate Marquice with chocolate striped sponge cake with heavy rich chocolate, raspberry mousse and served with a chocolate and raspberry sauce. We received the impression that Chef RoJan is a chocolate lover. There was also caramel peach cheese cake, Tiramisu and a Chicago Martini consisting of sorbet and ice cream.
Reservations are recommended at the Chicago Steakhouse
Call: (662) 357-1225 or
see them online at: Chicago Steakhouse
LB’S STEAKHOUSE, MORE THAN STEAK
By Rudi Schiffer
Looking for a place to relieve the stress of playing in Grand’s Wild Bill blackjack tournament, LB’s seemed the perfect choice. Located on the first floor of this spacious casino, the restaurant was only a few feet from the blackjack pit where I was pursuing the $100,000 first place prize. Alas, I busted out in the third session but came out a winner anyway after a delicious dinner at LB’s.
Named after Lyle Berman, the original owner of Grand, the steak house has kept his name over these many years remaining consistent as the cuisine. There are no surprises here. Like a Ruth’s Chris steak house, you can always expect your fine dining to be just that, fine all the time.
I was joined by another keen blackjack competitor, Frank Romain, who has seen more than his share of casino restaurants over his 50 years in the industry. Frank is retiring at the end of June after a colorful career that has taken him through the major venues of gaming where he once even owned a small gambling house in Las Vegas and has served with distinction as an executive at a host of top casinos. A real pro who saw it all in the fifties when Vegas were filled with unsavory types, Frank can tell you some tales but that’s another story. The business needs more professionals like Frank and he will be missed.
In addition to knowing his way around the gaming pits, Frank is a cuisine capo and LB’s is one of his favorite places in town and he expects to come here more often as he retiring with his wife to a home in Tunica.
“I always liked this room because it has a lot of privacy with areas broken up to make it cozy as well, if that is what you want,” he said sitting with his back to the wall. He opted for the grilled Portobello mushroom topped with sliced beef tenderloin and smoked mozzarella and served with spice fresh tomato sauce.
“This is a great selection if you are in a hurry to get back to the tables, which, in this case I am,” he said. Frank had advanced in the Wild Bill tournament and had just an hour to eat and get back in the next session.
But before he got his filet on the fly, we both tried the lobster bisque that came with a small portion of lobster meat and is finished with cognac and cream. It is a great prelude to whatever you order for your entrée. My momma never made it like this when I grew up with lobsters in Boston. Its smooth creamy texture just begs you to drain every last drop from the dish.
After a Caesar salad, hearts of romaine tossed with classic Caesar dressing with croutons and Reggiano parmesan cheese (I had anchovies added to mine) we moved to the main event.
Figuring he didn’t have a lot of time and was not overly hungry, Frank went for the Portobello and filet but his portion was generous and more than filled up what space he had left.
“This hit the spot,” he said. “I’ve tried all the various steaks here, like the New York strip and prime Chicago cut bone-in ribeye, and it was a nice change since the Portobello is almost like eating steak.” He suggested I try for the 20 ounce T-bone or the center cut filet mignon but I had halibut on my mind and it was a great choice.
The flaky white filet portion was as a big as a steak and was prepared pan seared and came with sautéed spinach and citrus zest and brown butter. Just like momma used to make. We had to eat fish in Boston on Fridays but it sure was no halibut or snapper but something out of Canada called a white fish. It wasn’t always white.
Other sea food selection on the menu included steak and lobster, Alaskan king crab, and twin lobster tails at market price. If chicken is your thing, there is free range chicken that is grilled and served with wild mushroom and roasted shallot ragout.
We were visited after our dinner by room manager Chris Johnson who knew his customers as he brought a silver platter with a fine imported and hard-to-get Padron 1964 Anniversario maduro cigar. He will go far in the business. Chris told us that a new menu would soon make its way to the tables at LB’s, thus we limited the items to be reviewed knowing some might be absent when the new listing came out.
He invited us to come back and have an after-dinner drink in the intimate bar and smoke the fine stick he had presented. We did just that and bartender David not only knows how to make a fine cocktail but also knows his cigars. He told me he favored the Padron #11 and convinced me to try it also, which I did using all those comp points to pay for them.
The humidor at LB’s bar is well-stocked with top brand cigars but Padron, one of the best ever, dominated the choices. If you are looking for a secluded corner to get away and smoke a cigar in peace, this bar is the place.
LB’s, closed on Mondays, has been recognized as one of the finest restaurants in North America by DiRona and also has won the Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator magazine.
TEAMWORK TOPS AT FAIRBANKS
Gene Schnell Newest Member of Room Team
By Rudi Schiffer
When Gene Schnell wore a green beret with the 5th Special Forces teamwork was the essence of survival. He brings that same attitude to his new post as room manager at Hollywood’s Fairbanks Steakhouse where he will fit his imposing 6-foot plus frame smoothly into the food and beverage team that has made the restaurant a showcase of fine cuisine and outstanding service.
And he brings more than military training to the table. Schnell has seen service in some of the world’s top dining establishments such as the Mauna Lani Hotel’s Five Star Canoe House in Hawaii, rated 10th best in the world by Conde Nast, where he was general manager for three years, and the Isis at Luxor in Las Vegas where he was director of fine dining at the 7th rated top gourmet room in the U.S. for seven years. He also helped bring the coveted Zagat award to the Camelot Room at Excalibur Casino in Vegas.
“We are delighted Gene has joined our team, “said Tony Hall, assistant director of F&B.”It has been a smooth transition and with his experience and new ideas, we fully expect to make the dining experience here even better.”
Schnell, along with key team members Chef d’ Cuisine Ben Gordon and Maitre d’ Werner Lechner, have only been together for less than two months but impressively, the restaurant has seen a recent increase in diners and on the night we visited, it was humming with activity at both the cigar bar and in the dining room.
Schell also joins up with Director of F&B, Don Sally, but this is not a new relationship. He and Sally worked together worked together at the Luxor and the reunion bears promise for the restaurants guests.
Visiting with Hall, Schnell and Gordon, they had a common message; solid team training for the staff with customer understanding and to exceed guest expectations.
“That’s the bottom line along with our exceptional food and service, “said Schnell.” But we will also have innovations at Fairbanks and a new menu coming out that while still putting steak at the top, will also have new specialty dishes that will add to the already varied line of selections.”
One of the innovations will be table side dining, a chef’s table if you will at the patron’s table. “Ben and I will prepare and serve dinner from scratch for qualified guests right at tableside and this will be an experience unique in this area to Fairbanks,” said Schnell.
He also plans wine seminars and flambé training for the staff.
One of Schnell’s pleasing attributes is his mastery of the art of flambé, a fire show for guests. He prepares a four berry combination over vanilla ice cream with Chambord and then takes three ounces of Grand Marnier that is flamed in the glass and transferred back and forth with another glass and finally poured like a flaming waterfall over the dish to create a rainbow of fire.
“It is a great guest show that pleases not only the recipient but also diners watching the show and it also underlines what this room is all about…professional interaction that leads to guest satisfaction.”
