The Uncas American Indian Grill at the Mohegan Sun captures earthy delights
By Todd Lyon
From the New Haven Register
I’m writing to you from my room on the 16th floor of the Mohegan Sun Hotel, stretched out on a big bed, happily digesting a feast of short ribs, popcorn shrimp, Cheddar cheese grits, skirt steak, “pine cone” potatoes and more.
All weekend I’ve been spoiled, pampered, entertained, fed. My world, at least for these few days, has been an orgy of food and drink, punctuated by spa treatments, bubble baths with endless cascades of hot water and deep sleeps on sheets with thread counts higher than my annual income. Plus live music, a hugely amusing book launch and one glorious moment when 75 cents, idly put into a random slot machine, turned into 400 quarters that clanged and gonged their way into my budget, accompanied by squeals of delight that I later learned emanated from me.
The Mohegan Sun does everything right. I’ve been a fan since my first visit back in ’00; how could I not love a circular casino with thrilling aesthetics and top-notch restaurants?
My Mohegan Sun is not a palace of gambling where potential riches glisten. Rather, it’s a piece of living art, a resort for all the senses, a biosphere where beauty and excitement coexist in equal measure. Plus, it’s got a women’s basketball team. And loads of happy employees with health benefits and meal plans.
I also love the Mohegan Sun for its depth of hospitality. It welcomes and accommodates as many tastes, cultural preferences and pocketbooks as you can imagine.
Case in point is its newest restaurant, Uncas American Indian Grill. Located in the Casino of the Earth, the slightly older, slightly less splashy “territory” of the Mohegan Sun, Uncas Grill is a 350-seat, 15,000-square-foot eatery that rounds out a sort of restaurant row that includes Pompeii & Caeser (Italian), Bamboo Forest (Asian), The Longhouse (steak), Seasons Buffet and a food court.
If you haven’t been to the Mohegan Sun in a while, you may remember a deli and an upscale diner in that general vicinity. Don’t look for them; they’ve gone away, replaced by a multi-million dollar restaurant that honors indigenous cuisine, and then some.
At the entrance to Uncas American Indian Grill is a tall, sexy bar and lounge, decorated in shades of umber and sepia. Beyond is a waterfall (tiny, compared to Niagara); a semi-open kitchen with a dramatic rotisserie that emits intoxicating aromas; various comfortable seating areas; and a perimeter of real birch trees backed by glowing walls that change color to mimic the rise and fall of the sun.
There are nearly 90 items on Uncas’ menu, and the man who makes sure they’re prepared to perfection is Chef de Cuisine Paul Zenga. He’s a smiley guy from Rhode Island who started working in his parents’ restaurant — Zenga’s in East Greenwich — at the age of nine.
“I was washing dishes,” he recalls. “My father would stand me on two cases of tomato sauce, so I could reach.” With time, Paul grew. He went on to study at the Culinary Institute of America, landing an externship at Windows On the World (“I used to go in at 7 a.m. and cook 200 ducks,” he says); was hired by The Breakers in West Palm Beach; launched the kitchen at a country club in Blackhawk, Calif.; came back East to teach at Johnson & Wales; served as executive chef at the Mystic Hilton; then ran Dylan’s, a steak house in Westerly, RI.
“When my third child was born, I hardly ever got to see her,” he confesses. So, two years ago, Chef Paul jumped ship and joined the Mohegan Sun team. He started at The Cove, then was promoted to banquet chef at the casino, a job that required him to orchestrate as many as 10 events per day.
Along came Uncas American Indian Grill, a concept hatched by Michael Luboff, Mohegan Sun’s executive chef and all-around genius. His vision was to capture original American cuisine that was indigenous to the native tribes of Connecticut, and present it in a way that would appeal to the clientele that frequented the former deli and diner, as well as more adventurous folk. Paul Zenga was tapped to head up the kitchen.
Thus was born a massive space, with a massive menu to match, that integrated familiar foods (Buffalo Chicken Wings, BBQ Meatloaf) with culturally significant offerings (Smoked Peppered Trout, Maple-Glazed Salmon roasted on a cedar plank), plus burgers, sandwiches and pasta dishes, all oversized yet sensibly priced.
“I’m proud of the food,” says Chef Paul. “It looks good, it tastes good, and it’s affordable. There’s something here for everybody.
“I do a lot of table visits,” he continues, “and it’s very easy for me to recommend dishes. My favorite suggestion is to order lots of appetizers and share. The portions are huge, and if there’s something you love, you can order it as an entree.”
Uncas American Indian Grill is ideal for families, and for groups of friends whose cravings might lead them to order such diverse meals as Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, or Stuffed Turkey Timbers (sliced herbed turkey breast with a craisin and butternut squash stuffing, wrapped in sweet potato pancakes, topped with spaghetti squash, fried leeks and pan gravy), or a corned beef Reuben sandwich, or a Roasted Veggie and Mixed Potato salad, or Braised BBQ Short Ribs served in a cast-iron skillet.
I’m the lucky one who got to try a whole assortment of dishes from Uncas’, just tonight. Mind you, I’ve also dined at Mohegan Sun’s hi-fi eateries like Rain, Todd English’s Tuscany, Jasper White’s Summer Shack and Michael Jordon’s Steak House. Their fabulousness is beyond question, but the food at Uncas American Indian Grill has a certain earthiness that speaks to the oldest part of my soul — it is an American restaurant that honors the original America, before it had that name, and yet recognizes and respects the place it has become.
Everyone can eat at Uncas’, and I hope they do.
Right now, I’m going to sneak downstairs and put a fist full of quarters into a video poker machine. Maybe I’ll win. Maybe not. Doesn’t matter.
This place is treasure enough.
Todd Lyon of New Haven is a freelance writer.
THE ESSENTIALS
• Place: Uncas American Indian Grill, Casino of the Earth, Mohegan Sun, 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville.
• Phone: (860) 862-8000.
• Web: www.mohegansun.com.
• Hours: 11 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
• Reservations: Accepted for parties of 10 or more.
• Credit cards: All major cards accepted.
• Food: Indigenous New England ingredients and cooking techniques are at the heart of a vast menu, which itself is at the heart of a vast restaurant within the Mohegan Sun casino. Eighteen appetizers are offered in the $4.75-$9.95 range, including Smoked Salmon and Crisp Potato Pancakes ($9.25); all are sized to share. There are eight Entree Salads ($11.25-$15.95); 10 side dishes ($2.75-$3.25); four burgers ($9.95, served with lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions and fries); six “Big Bear” sandwiches served with Wolf Fries and chipotle carrot slaw; 10 classic deli sandwiches, each named after Mohegan tribal chiefs, costing $9.75 including fries and slaw; and nearly 20 entrees in the $13.25-$25.95 range, including Flat Iron Herbed Chicken ($13.50), and Lobster Macaroni and Cheese ($25.95, a best-seller). Desserts are big and extra-decadent.
• Drink: An intriguing list of wines features mostly American bottles from the West Coast priced from $18-$50. About 20 are offered by the glass, costing $6-$10; there are also loads of half-bottles, starting at $15 for a Kenwood Sauvingon Blanc.
• Kids: Lots of menu items, including burgers and Wolf Fries, appeal to little ones.
• Wheelchair access: Excellent access throughout the Mohegan Sun.
• Smoking: Not allowed in the restaurant, but permitted at various bars and gaming areas in the casino.
• Parking: The casino offers free valet parking (tips appreciated) as well as self-parking in convenient lots.
• Private parties: A 40-seat dining room, separated by heavy curtains, is available for private events. |
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