In 2013 Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto announced with enormous fanfare that he was going to open a new space in the Mirage where the current Japonais restaurant occupies. Despite employees looking for new jobs, everyone ready to pack up and leave, the restaurant never came to fruition and three years later never opened.
Chef Morimoto even took to social media almost exactly three years ago to himself talk about how happy he was with this selection:
“They say, “What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas,” but I hope that isn’t the case with my new restaurant, I hope you tell all your friends about it. I’m so excited to be making this dream of mine into a reality with the launch of my first restaurant in Las Vegas. We will be opening in 2014 at The Mirage Hotel and Casino in the space currently occupied by Japonais.”
Susan Stapleton of Eater Las Vegas isn’t quite sure it will open, but does have a good description of their food:
“If and when it does arrive in Las Vegas, expect to find dishes that meld Western ingredients with traditional Japanese fare in the form of tempura, sushi and sashimi. He’s perhaps best known for his Morimoto sashimi salad made with seared toro, smoked salmon, barbecue eel, tun and hamachi, blended with five sauces and served in a blond wood box. His Duck, Duck, Duck features a roasted duck leg with a duck sandwich made with cucumber and a foie gras-infused croissant, all served with a red miso sauce and a soft duck egg.”
“We are happy to partner with Chef Morimoto and would like to officially welcome him to MGM Grand,” said President and COO of MGM Grand Scott Sibella. “His culinary talent and expertise is respected around the world and the vision he has with this restaurant will continue to elevate our culinary portfolio, offering guests a one-of-a-kind experience only available at our resort.”
