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Brock Radke

Wed, May 4, 2011 (7:32 p.m.)

If you thought Rick Moonen’s RM Seafood was in trouble when his dream team of chefs Adam Sobel and Gerald Chin moved on, think again. Moonen brought in a fellow New Yorker and Vegas veteran, Anthony Fusco, to help run the show in December, and the results remain devastatingly delicious. An extensive run though the Fusco-created, Moonen-approved seven course tasting menu at RM’s elegant upstairs dining room yielded some memorable bites. Here are my favorites.

Marinated California octopus Usually served with sweet peppers and falafel, this dish came with a summer melon medley and Serrano ham on our visit. Luscious and buttery, the juicy fruit and tasty pig proved the perfect counterpart to the tender chew and sweet taste of this sea creature.

Smoked sturgeon blintz This is the stunner, an heirloom potato and cheese blintz with lemon creme and undulating tones of smokey, salty fish. It’s creamy, decadent and unlike any seafood dish I’ve ever tasted.

Braised lamb belly Yes, RM is all about the ocean, but this crew can handle land just as well. Crispy, fatty and rich, and served alongside asparagus and turnips, this dish can compete with any of the trendy pork belly plates served up and down the Strip these days. With Fusco, Moonen—our champion of sustainability—is keeping his team and the RM experience just as fresh as the fish.