Photo by Grace Kenyon
The MGM Conservatory at National Harbor is ready for spring.
In the MGM Conservatory last week, with the backdrop of birdsong and a trickling fountain, half a dozen restaurants showcased new menu items coming this spring. Guests mingled with chefs and I got the chance to try some of the newest offerings coming to the MGM food scene.
One of the chefs gave me a peek at the inspiration behind a few of the new dishes. Bryan Voltaggio and his brother Michael are the mastermind chefs behind the Voltaggio Brothers Steak House. Since opening the steakhouse in 2016, they have been serving up creative twists on classic steakhouse dishes. This spring, Voltaggio said they are switching up their menu with even more innovative items.
One of my favorite menu items of the night came from this imaginative twist on classic dishes, a
Photo by Grace Kenyon
A delicious new twist on ceviche was served by Voltaggio Brothers Steak House.
tuna ceviche prepared with hibiscus ponzu and a sea bean tostada. Ceviche is often served chilled, so one of the twists on this dish was a lemongrass-infused coconut cream that was frozen in liquid nitrogen — essentially edible and flavorful ice.
The menu twists also come with a side of humor. Another new menu item is the "Voltaggi O’s," a twist on a childhood classic (hint: it comes in a can and rhymes with Voltaggio’s). At the restaurant, they serve the upgraded sauce out of a can as a performative homage to the childhood favorite.
The night was full of new flavors ranging from adventurous combinations to classy takes on comfort food. Diablo’s Cantina featured churros, birria tacos and a shrimp ceviche. The ceviche was light and refreshing, made with avocado, cucumber, red onion, radish, mango and pineapple chamoy served with thin and crispy sweet potato chips.
Ginger, a restaurant specializing in dim sum and classic Pan-Asian dishes, was serving steamed chicken and shrimp siu mai drizzled in a spicy wasabi chili sauce. Both the siu mai and the boiled dumplings were satisfying and perfectly cooked.
Tap Sports Bar served deviled eggs, fried shrimp and smoked cajun mussels served with linguini and garlic broth. Although I still had several tables left to sample, I enjoyed a mid-meal dessert, a strawberry pound cake with lemon curd that was the perfect combination of sweet and tart.
Photo by Grace Kenyon
Osteria Costa served up thin-crust pizza with fig, prosciutto, gorgonzola cheese and arugula.
Osteria Costa took comfort food to a new level with a thin-crust pizza topped with fig, prosciutto, gorgonzola cheese, and arugula. Another favorite was the Pompeii Shrimp, a variation on shrimp and grits made with polenta and doused in a spicy broth.
We finished the night with some spring-inspired pastries from Bellagio Patisserie. There were chocolate bars with flavors ranging from peanut butter dark chocolate to milk chocolate mango chili. There were also macarons and flaky danishes filled with blueberry cream cheese.
Bon appétit!
