Skip to main content

How a Steakhouse in a Casino is Upping the Cocktail and Food Pairing Game

michael jordan steakhouse
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Say you’re at a casino. You’re a gambling man and you’ve just went on a run, cashing out with a couple thousand more in your pocket than when you started. What’re you going to do with that money? Going to walk quietly away and put it in your bank account? Maybe, but the more fun options would be to a) let it ride or b ) treat yourself to a nice meal to celebrate.

Luckily, just about every casino has options for that, usually in the form of a fancy steakhouse. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Las Vegas; Atlantic City; Lake Charles, Louisianap or at a smaller casino in Washington State, you’re going to be able to find a place to dine without having to leave the casino environment.

Find the restaurants that are putting time and effort into crafting meals worthy of your winnings.

The thing is, not all casino steakhouses are created equal. Some offer very expensive dishes and drinks and don’t follow through on quality. They’re catering to people who want to blow money and don’t care about the caliber. These are not the places you want to go to. Instead, you want to find the restaurants that are putting time and effort into crafting meals that are worthy of your winnings (as if you were doing it at home). Better yet, you’ll want to find a place that creates all-star meals, but championship-level cocktails as well. If they can put those two things together with exemplary service, well, then you’ve got yourself a three-point play.

You may be wondering about the basketball puns, but wonder no more! In order to see how a steakhouse can live up to the higher standard we just spoke of, we visited Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse at Ilani Casino Resort in Ridgefield, Washington (just over the state line from Portland, Oregon) for a cocktail and meal pairing. Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse, which has locations in Chicago and Connecticut as well, is one of the anchor restaurants in the casino resort and serves up not only numerous of cuts of prime beef (“Steakmanship,” they call it), but also a rotating menu of spirits and cocktails that caters to the variety of people that visit Ilani.

To get an idea of the different pairings you can make at the restaurant, here is the menu we sampled. Each is worth traveling for, as they exceeded our expectations. All three courses were slam dunks, you might say.

(Sorry we’re not sorry about the puns.)

Course One

Deviled Short Rib and New Orleans-Style Barbecue Shrimp paired with Brandy Crusta

Paired with: Pierre Ferand “Cigare” Cognac, Combier, fresh lemon, Luxardo Maraschino, Angostura bitters

Why it worked: The citrus components of the cocktail, in addition to the oak and spice components in the cognac, played against the succulent short rib bone marrow while enhancing the spiciness of the shrimp. While you wouldn’t want to do a bite of the short rib with a bite of the shrimp and a sip of the cocktail, alternating is a great way to experience a nice array of sensations, textures, and flavors in one course. Having a cocktail that can apply to two very different dishes isn’t the easiest thing to create, but the Brandy Crusta does just that.

Course Two

Bone-In New York Strip Steak (dry-aged 28 days) and MJ’s Delmonico (dry-ged 45 days) paired with John Wayne’s Last Ride

Chase McPeak/The Manual

Paired with: Old Forester, Punt e Mes, Campari, chocolate bitters

Why it worked: First, we must say that these steaks were simply divine. As we mentioned above, quality is at the top of the steakhouse’s tenets. This isn’t just lip service. These steaks were the epitome of perfectly cooked. The richness, then, of the steaks and their accouterments would need a strong, spirit-forward cocktail to cut through the fat and myriad flavors — like John Wayne’s Last Ride. The whiskey, bitters, and Italian amari work in union to highlight the flavors of the steak. They play off each other, making everything taste better with each successive bite or sip. (If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve had a great steak with a great bourbon, and you know what we’re talking about.)

Course Three

23 Layer Chocolate Cake paired with Second Circle

Chase McPeak/The Manual

Paired with: Angel’s Envy bourbon, Taylor Fladgate Ruby Port, maple syrup, Angostura bitters

Why it worked: As with the steaks, this pairing needs a small precursor note. This cake is not just called a 23-layer cake because of MJ. It is literally 23 layers of decadence on a plate. That decadence is the key to both the food and the cocktail. The bourbon stands as a strong, smooth backbone, with the port and maple helping to round out the body. Bourbon and chocolate go together, port and chocolate go together. This is a case of A + B = C. Thankfully, the sweetness in the cocktail ingredients is muted by the whiskey and bitters, so it is not an overwhelmingly sugary pairing (which, considering the cake, it could’ve easily been).

Editors' Recommendations

Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
Our chimichurri recipe takes seconds to make, lasts for weeks in the fridge, and is great with everything
Seriously, this chimichurri recipe is just so darn easy!
Plated steak dish

If you've never had homemade chimichurri, you've been missing out on one of the brightest, tangiest, zippiest, most delicious sauces in the culinary kingdom. Perhaps even more significant than its exquisite flavor is the fact that it's tremendously simple and risk-free to prepare, making it a rare jewel in the sauce crown. With just a few simple ingredients thrown into a blender or food processor, this luxurious condiment comes out perfect every time. No need for temperature control or worries of breaking or curdling. This forgiving chimichurri sauce recipe is divinely idiot-proof and perfect on everything from a hearty grilled ribeye to delicately fresh and briny shellfish.

With the help of a good blender (we recommend Breville's Super Q Pro), this simple chimichurri sauce comes together in just seconds and will keep in your fridge for weeks, waiting to be poured on all of your favorite dishes.

Read more
5 incredible tequila recipes you’ve definitely never heard of
Have you ever heard of these tequila drinks and applications?
Corralejo Tequila Tropical being mixed with.

Tequila has always been an incredibly popular drink, especially when it's mixed into a variety of cocktails. Better still, the agave spirit is a lot more versatile than you might think. Sure, we've all heard of and even mixed up a few margaritas or some tasty Palomas. But what of lesser-known applications, like cocktails kissed with bittersweet amari or salsas for dipping?

With several distinctive styles, from blanco to reposado, tequila's uses are many. The lightest versions can perfectly accent an unbelievably refreshing batch of ranch water. Darker, aged versions can be used to cook with or join unexpected ingredients in your cocktail shaker. Want some proof? Check out some great, lesser-known tequila recipes below.

Read more
How to make hard cider (it’s not as complicated as you think)
Making your own hard cider is a surprisingly easy and an incredibly fun new skill to learn
Hard apple cider in a glass, surrounded by apples.

There's never a bad time to start drinking hard apple cider. Not only is it a wonderfully different, crisp, and refreshing adult beverage to enjoy, but making your own hard cider at home can be an incredibly fun hobby. If you're looking to try something new, consider learning how to make your own hard apple cider.

As much as we'd like to talk about beer, that's not what we're here for — not right now, at least. We're talking hard cider here, which is not only as tasty as beer, but it's also simpler to make in the confines of your home/apartment/Quonset hut. Read on and start brewing your own hard apple cider.

Read more