RoobiFood

Bamboo Forest (at Mohegan Sun Casino)
One Mohegan Sun Boulevard
Uncasville, CT 06382
1-888-226-7711
Bamboo Forest website

Chinese Food and I have something in common and that something was on display on Saturday evening. Essentially, you can dress us up and take us out, but when it comes right down to it- I am a girl in sweatpants laying on the couch and Chinese Food is right beside me in a cardboard container. But on Saturday, we both went for glitz and glamour in the name of a long-anticipated reunion with college friends.

Upon viewing the website for Bamboo Forest and noting its designation as one of the “fine dining” options at the Mohegan Sun Casino, I was doubtful that the meal would be worth the elevated prices listed beside the entrees. But my dining partners were eager to sample the cuisine, so I went along. Bamboo Forest is located in the “fine dining” sector of the Mohegan Sun layout and reservations are not required but highly recommended. The restaurant is tucked into a corner and does not exist on its own, rather as a part of the whole that is fine dining at Mohegan. The décor is like most things at the Casino: a bit over the top, pleasant to the eye, but just a little bit on the “fake” side.

For my appetizer, I chose the Shrimp and Pork Steamed Dumplings, which were by far the highlight of the meal. Priced at $8, the six perfectly shaped dumplings with a savory and hearty filling seemed like quite a bargain. However, as a dumpling enthusiast, I am quite sure I have never met a dumpling I did not like. For my entrée, I shared a plate of Imperial Fried Rice ($18) and General Tso’s Chicken ($22) with my boyfriend. The rice was pleasant and tasty, and adorned with bacon. The bacon, of course, improved the dish tremendously. The chicken was bland and lacking the spice and flavor that I usually enjoy in this dish. The food was; in a word- forgettable. I would like to applaud the presentation, as it was beautiful and this is something that I value and am always conscious of. Also, the wine selection was eclectic, and I enjoyed a delicious Chardonnay.

The service at Bamboo Forest may be its greatest downfall. Upon arriving early for our reservation the hostess assured us that we could be seated early, only to disappear and return to her station ten minutes later, inquiring as to whether we had been helped. We were finally seated (even later than our original reservation) after two tables had to be haphazardly put together for our “large” group of five diners. Our waitress was pleasant and personable but not well trained in her craft. Returning from a trip to the restroom, I was tantalized by a tale of the waitress covering my then-vacant chair with a bottle of beer, spraying it across one of my dining partners and onto my appetizer. The chair was changed, but the appetizer was not. The waitress appeared amused, but strangely unapologetic. Feeling un-adventurous, we had all ordered the General Tso’s Chicken for our entrée. Upon its arrival, there was only one plate as the waitress had mistakenly only put in for one order in lieu of five. My boyfriend was told to begin eating the entrée and she would give him another when the other four arrived. How awkward…

The night was wonderful and the company was exceptional but the meal was uninspired and a bit “phony.” The food lacked the authenticity that I appreciate in Asian Cuisine. As I originally anticipated, we would have been better to try one of the other fine dining options at Mohegan Sun. Or, we should have gone for the gluttonous buffet. But that seemed more appropriate for the “sweatpants” me and on Saturday evening food had squeezed me into my “going out” jeans and high heels. There is a great Chinese restaurant close to my house. There is certainly no glitz nor glamour. The prices are low and food presentation is indeed an afterthought. But the $6 General Tso’s Chicken could compete with that of Bamboo Forest, and would win any day of the week.