Visit to a top '21 eatery at Mohegan 

Tao opens door to upscale Asian food & drink, cool visuals

The world "tao" in Chinese philosophy is all about yin and yang and harmony in the natural order.

Tao Asian Bistro and Lounge, on the hotel level at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, works hard in this pandemic era to restore some harmony via expensive set pieces in a tasty, theatrical setting.

If you're ready to pay handsomely for a premium experience, you'll likely find Tao a savory treat.

The entry way to the reception desk at Tao. Most photos courtesy of Tao.

Tao opened in late March 2021 after a few COVID-influenced delays in construction and setup. Its colorful visuals, ambiance, appetizers, soup and drinks have been earning raves even as it deals with the industry-wide staffing issues and living up to the weight of upscale prices and expectations in the hotel-level space that once housed Bobby Flay's Bar Americain.

The visuals and quality of the pan-Asian food (Chinese, Japanese and Thai) are generally excellent, including a Pad Thai with mushrooms and peanuts, a perfectly done side dish of bok choy and numerous sweet-and-spicy appetizers that steal the show when paired with a cocktail such as the Ruby Red Dragon with  grapefruit vodka, yuzu citrus and pomegranate ($17).

Asked recently about popular offerings at Tao, Assistant General Manager Christina Chiu said, “Our signature appetizer, I would say, is our Satay of Chilean Bass (above), a dish that has been on our menu for roughly 21 years at this point.” 

That's a reference to the fact that while Tao is fairly new to Mohegan, there are even larger Tao locations in New York, Las Vegas, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Another popular starter dish, the King Crab Egg Drop Soup (left), is exclusive to Mohegan's Tao, said Chiu. With corn, some crab and chili oil (which plays a bit too hot on the throat, be warned), it's an “Asian spin on chowder” in New England.

The signature entrée at Mohegan's grandest eatery is the Surf and Turf, a $188 tomahawk steak with a 1.5-pound  lobster, noodles and vegetables.

The atmosphere is swanky but casino-casual, with a deejay feeding upbeat tunes into the colorful space dominated by a 16-foot Quan Yin statue that occasionally changes hue. Entering the restaurant involves a walk down a dramatically lit hallway to the reception desk. Then you're escorted through the good-size lounge to a bridge featuring two dimly lit water walls that escort you into the eye-popping main dining room. There are more-private spaces behind that, too, for groups.

As for the sound level, a server said the modest volume goes up and the lighting goes down during the latter part of food service (running through 9:45 p.m. weeknights and 10:45 on weekends; the bar and lounge is open a bit later than that). The earlier dining time allows for easy conversation, thankfully.

There's an interesting list of sushi and sashimi, of course, including a Spicy King Crab Roll ($26) and Crunchy Spicy Yellowtail ($18), the latter we found to be decent but not tempura-crunchy.

A top entree is an $88 Peking Duck for two, which Chiu described as “air-dried, slow roasted” and “phenomenal.” But there are other intriguing dishes to sample, including Filet Mignon Tokyo Style ($52), Triple Pork Fried Rice (with pork belly, $23) and Hong Kong Fried Noodles ($26).

A special meal also requires some fun cocktails and, if you like the idea of a smoky treat, there's tableside decanter service of a Smoking Dragon ($45 for two, $80 for four), featuring Eagle Rare Whiskey, Antica Sweet Vermouth, Rosemary Port Wine Reduction, Peychaud’s bitters and (wafting out of the decanter and glass) hickory smoke. 

For small-plate lovers and value-seekers, you can just stick to the appetizers such as the sea bass skewers, sweet/hot chicken satay, pork potstickers in a chili sesame glaze, chicken wing lollipops and chicken gyoza (running $15-$24 each). They're tasty and fun.

For a truly memorable meal, check out some cool dessert cappers, including creamy caramel gelato, a rich lava cake inside a chocolate box and a giant fortune cookie stuffed with vanilla and chocolate mousse. (A dessert sampler runs $42.)

Tao's tony looks, attentive service and tasty dishes aren't so over-the-top that they make your head spin. Instead, they wow the average casino patron while wooing the Saturday night and special-event crowd. A delicate harmony in a difficult time.

(For more on top restaurants in the Nutmeg State, see the upcoming Best Restaurants issue of Connecticut Magazine.)