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We did not know
what to expect upon our first visit to a hotel casino owned by
Hooters. Would there be well endowed young women in one or two sizes
too small t-shirts dealing craps, tending bar, housekeeping, cooking
or babysitting the pit? Well… you get the point!
J
What we saw was
only a few of the typical “Hooter girls” serving cocktails, nothing in
the league of Pamela Anderson however. But to continue with the reason
for our visit to Hooters, the sampling of the food and fare of
Dan Marino’s…
If you are a jockey
or even an average sized woman, plan on asking for a booster chair if
you’re going to sit in a booth at Dan Marino’s restaurant at Hooters.
It was all “up hill” however, after my wife (VCO Publisher Marleen
Marino, I'm not related to Dan) tried to sit in one of their rather
sunk in booths.
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After being reseated, at a table, by our hostess Ashley, we were
greeted by our waiter Danny Zibulovic (we just called him Danny),
who presented us with a very extensive wine list that ranged in
offerings from Dom Perignon and friends to Beringer’s White
Zinfandel. He also handed us a rather unique menu, in as much as
the cover was what appeared to be a sport’s card of Dan Marino,
superimposed over a hundred or so small photos of Dan depicted
from childhood to his days with the Miami Dolphins. Inside, the
footballed themed menu offered a varied selection of exotic
drinks, appetizers, salads, main courses and desserts. |
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Pre-dinner
cocktails were, for me, a "Marino Margarita" and for Marleen a
"Quarterback Colada." Both were not only aesthetically appealing to
the eye but to the palette as well, in fact she had two Coladas (don’t
tell anyone!) We was so unique about this Pina Colada type drink is
the shredded coconut on the rim of the glass. YUMMMM!
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We started with
the appetizer "Three Cheese Spinach Dip" with sour cream, green
onions and bacon and served with colorful warm tortilla chips,
(which, by the way seemed very popular, as we saw three or four
orders leave the glass enclosed exhibition kitchen on their way to
other patrons, excellent! (We would definitely order it again) and
for me "French Onion Soup."
Marleen went
with the Filet, which was cooked to order (something you
don’t always find in some restaurants), and I had a seafood dish
called "Nut Crusted Mahi" which is
dusted with assorted nuts and baked golden brown, served over a
vanilla rum butter sauce, sautéed spinach with
smashed garlic potatoes (different and delicious). |
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Would someone tell me how to
avoid this while eating Onion Soup??? |
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For dessert' which
was a tough decision from all the attractive sounding choices
available, we ended up sharing the "Almond
Basket",which is a baked almond brittle folded into a basket and
filled with raspberry sorbet and seasonal berries, "To die for!"
The room though not
elegant, was casually upscale, and the menu prices were in line with
the atmosphere. The service from the hostess to the bus person (who
was attentive and available) was quite satisfactory.
Our hats off to
Chef Jaquelyn Nabong and her staff. We highly recommend Dan Marino’s
at Hooters located on Tropicana, behind the Tropicana Hotel across the
street from the MGM. |
