Restaurant Review:
Tien: IP Casino Resort Spa
Biloxi, MS
1-888-WIN-A-TIP
www.ipbiloxicasino.com
Published July 2008
Written by Keith Burton

Ip Casino Biloxi Miss

Biloxi and its many casinos took a major blow from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. While the casinos seem to be leading the recovery, real progress is being seen, especially at the IP Casino Resort Spa.

Since the hurricane, IP has been on a multi-million-dollar program to move the popular resort upscale with more features, better rooms and a far more interesting dining experience. In May, the resort opened its newest dining and gaming venue tien (pronounced tee-in) in the area that once housed the casinoâ??s movie theaters.

We decided to experience tien first hand. But before we tell you about that, it might be best to bring everyone up to speed on the IP Casino Resort & Spa. If you havenâ??t been to the IP since before Hurricane Katrina, you are in for a shock, as it is not the IP you once knew.

The owners of the IP decided that up-market is the future for the Biloxi casino. That is a real commitment to where this hurricane-recovery area is headed in every way. The IP was the first to open after Katrina, and while the property did suffer some expensive damages, it was decided to do more than just renovate.

The IP Casino Resort Spa is a resort located in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was founded by Minnesota businessman Ralph Engelstad. Imperial Palace Casino Biloxi Nestled on the Back Bay in Biloxi, the IP Casino Resort & Spa's towering 32-story hotel is hard to miss over the Biloxi landscape. More than 1,000 luxe rooms, highlighted by free Wi-Fi Internet, mini bars and two telephones, inhabit the IP Biloxi. Videos from the IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, MS. Videos from the IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, MS. Skip navigation. IP Tien - Duration: 28 seconds. 91 views; 2 months ago; 0:22.

The entire complex on Back Bay in Biloxi has been remodeled and upgraded to appeal to the customers wanting a complete and enjoyable gaming and spa vacation. Everywhere you look, you can see the changes at the IP. The latest projects include tien restaurant and a new on-land gaming area with more than 600 additional slots and 10 table games.

Upon entering the IP on the main floor, you are greeted immediately by Chill Nightclub, an extremely popular spot for both locals and visitors at the resort featuring live entertainment within a colorful and fun atmosphere.

To the right of the entrance is Carnival De Brasil, a restaurant featuring an authentic Brazilian dining experience with roasted meats and a salad bar. Far left on the first floor is IPâ??s elegant and extremely well-equipped spa and salon, Senses.

The overall experience you can now count on at the IP is one of fine dining, great amenities and, best of all, terrific service and friendly personnel. Everyone we spoke to was smiling, happy to talk with and genuinely friendly. Katrinaâ??s wrath has had a major impact on the people of the Gulf Coast, who are truly thankful for surviving and for visitors vacationing here. The hospitality and charm that has made Southern gaming a different experience than Las Vegas or Atlantic City remains strong, if not even more in place in Biloxi.

So, with all of these exciting enhancements of the property, tien restaurant, located on the second level, fits right in with the elegance and style of the rest of the property. The 10,500-square-foot restaurant is an Asian-themed experience that is much more than noodles and rice. It is not a buffet but a true dining experience featuring the expertise of chefs recruited from around Asia.

Steve Morgan, IPâ??s Vice President of Food and Beverage, is the mastermind behind tien. Morgan has 28 years experience as a chef. He traveled throughout the Far East in preparing for IPâ??s new restaurant, seeking chefs and the unique flavors of Asian cuisine to bring to the Gulf Coast.

The menu reflects the results of his efforts. It is uniquely divided among the regions in Asia. There are items that are the specialties of Japan, Korea, Vietnam and several provinces of China. Each regionâ??s food is outlined on the menu.

Morgan said he was brought to IP in the months shortly before Hurricane Katrina to completely revamp all of the restaurants on the property and move the dining experience upscale, and tien is the latest effort.

â??You donâ??t just taste, you experience tien,â? Morgan said.

The executive chef is Teruo Kinoshita, who was involved in the preparation of a royal meal for Queen Elizabeth while working as an apprentice in Japan. As part of our dinner, we selected a featured sushi item called aburisushi, which included an assortment of the chefâ??s choice, including tuna, white tuna, abalone, fitti and squid and was beautifully displayed on a custom tien staircase plate.

Every item on the menu is extremely fresh and delicately tasteful. If you are a fan of sushi, we recommend aburishushi. And even if you are not a fan, this would be a great way to sample what fine sushi is all about.

You will surely find something enjoyable to your pallet on this richly varied menu. Most Southerners are familiar with the Chinese buffets throughout cities in the South and enjoy the flavors of Asian food. At tien, you can experience the authentic flavors as well as those flavors you are familiar with, but at a premium level in what is truly a wonderfully decorated restaurant.

The dining experiences at tien are like no other on the Mississippi Coast or at any of the many casino restaurants in the region. Tasteful colors and interesting antique Asian artifacts are placed throughout the restaurant. Morgan said the decorators sought out historic items throughout Asia to add to the ambiance of the restaurant.

One of the menu items Morgan said is unique is Shabu-Shabu dining. Here the meal is prepared right at the table where you cook your own items in a shared boiling pot of oil.

â??This started as a form of communal cooking that was done years ago by soldiers who would use their metal helmets to prepare a hot meal in the field. The method was regionally adopted as a style of cooking that is very popular in Asia, but is rarely seen in the U.S.,â? Morgan said. â??This is actually a very healthy way of preparing food.â?

Ip Casino Hotel Biloxi Ms

Besides the Shabu-Shabu dining experience, the restaurant features teppanyaki, Korean barbecue, dim sum, sushi, and an Asian noodle bar. Many items are prepared at your table by skilled servers. And speaking of the servers, we found ours was extraordinarily attentive and very helpful at every point of our meal.

â??The idea for tien was not to just give our customers the experience of a sushi bar or Asian restaurant, but to give them a real experience of the different cultures in Asia,â? Morgan said.

You may think that a dining experience at tien might be beyond your budget, but there are items that are easily affordable and up to the sublime. Everything is carefully selected daily by tienâ??s chefs.

Officials say the word tien has multiple meanings in several Asian languages. Those meanings include wealth, convenient and heaven. After experiencing tien first hand, â??terrific foodâ? also comes to mind.