Hell's Kitchen Foxwoods is a huge success: Great service, inventive drinks, and perfectly prepared food are just beyond the coolest entrance we've ever seen: a hologram of Gordon Ramsay emerges from a life-sized frame, asking you if you want to go in or just stand there.
That's typical of Ramsay: hero to some, devil to others. It's easy to forget he's a Michelin-starred chef.
One visit to Hell's Kitchen proves he knows how to run a restaurant, despite rumors in the dining room when I visited in April that he had never been to the restaurant, which opened about a year ago in the Grand Pequot Tower at the casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, marking his sixth Hell's Kitchen location.
Ramsay visited Foxwoods last week and documented the experience on social media, including posting a photo on Instagram of himself with Guy Fieri from “Hell's Kitchen,” which means he's finally been to his own restaurant.
Why was Gordon Ramsay at Foxwoods?
It's safe to assume Ramsay was checking out the new studio being built at Foxwoods, where he'll be filming the next two seasons of his FOX-TV show, “Hell's Kitchen.” The celebrity chef's new collaboration with Foxwoods was only announced in March. The custom-built studio will be the setting for the next epic culinary battle for his reality show, which already has 22 seasons in production.
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Upon entering Hell's Kitchen, guests are greeted by photos of all the past winners.
The dining room space is dramatic: A high tray ceiling is dotted with plenty of lighting, and a large TV plays old episodes of “Hell's Kitchen” and a giant painting of Ramsay himself.
To the right of the room is a long bar, and to the left is an even longer open kitchen. A sous chef and a host of other cooks are busy at work. An expeditioner checks the food as it is brought to the servers. The kitchen walls are lit up for Team Blue and Team Red.
At one point, yelling was heard from the kitchen: It's hot in Ramsay's kitchen.
menu
The cocktail menu is excellent, full of amazing drinks made with the finest bourbon, gin, tequila and mezcal: My Duchess ($16) cocktail is made with Empress 1908 gin, while the Pitchfork ($16) combines Filibuster Dual Cask Straight Bourbon Whiskey with Fonseca 10-Year Tawny Port.
The wine list has a good selection of wines by the glass, and there are also mocktails on the menu.
Appetizers range from Wagyu meatballs ($28) to lobster risotto ($33), while soups and salads include a perfect Caesar ($19).
The main menu is small and well-chosen. The Beef Wellington is undoubtedly the restaurant's signature dish. Served medium rare, it's encased in soft pastry and is incredibly tender, accompanied by creamy pureed potatoes and glazed root vegetables ($65). You'll notice a Wellington on almost every table; it's a great option here.
The Chicken Scaloppini ($32) and Braised Short Ribs ($48) were served with vegetables and potatoes, both beautifully cooked.
The dinner menu is steakhouse-style, which means sides like asparagus, Brussels sprouts, pureed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and mushrooms are all $15 a table. The filet mignon ($61) comes with roasted cherry tomatoes, and the 24-ounce bone-in ribeye ($110) comes with mushrooms and roasted garlic, both of which come with sauce.
Steak accompaniments include indulgent ingredients such as lobster tail ($27), crab meat Oscar ($28), foie gras ($21) and truffle shavings ($29).
Things to know before you go
If you want to dine on a Friday or Saturday night, make sure to book online early – reservations are accepted up to 60 days in advance – you're more likely to get a table on a weekday or at lunchtime.
The lunch menu includes a specialty burger. Lunch, served Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m., is a more casual affair. Dinner also has a $95 prix fixe menu and a $140 prix fixe menu with wine pairings.
Where else to eat:From fine dining to sumptuous treats, a trip to Foxwoods will satisfy your cravings.
The restaurant caters to everyone's needs, whether you want to relax in casual attire or dress up for a special occasion.
The waiter asks the guests if they are celebrating anything special, we were celebrating a birthday and the waiter brought us a complimentary sticky toffee pudding, which was unexpected and delightful.
