Aqua Knox is located in the Venetian Hotel and Casino. Chef Tom Moloney and his talented staff know seafood. They
know how to cook it and dress it up without causing it to lose its flavor. The presentation might not be quite as elaborate as Bartolotta, and the pirouettes might not be quite as extreme as RM Seafood upstairs, but the food served here is thoughtful and refined. It is also nice to find a quality chef that believes in respecting good ingredients. The way he does that is to let the ingredients speak for themselves. A nice example of this is Moloney’s scallops with spring pea orzotto.
This scallop is sweet and rich, so it does not require anything to give it more flavor, except maybe a small amount of the lobster-carrot sauce. The mesquite grilled prawns are another prime example of Moloney’s “less-is-more” approach to cooking. The white king salmon is sure to be another favorite of people who want their fish to have just the right amount of flavor, without an aftertaste that lasts a long time.
The highlight of a trip to this restaurant is Moloney’s fish soup, his signature dish. In many restaurants around the country, cioppinos, cauccucios, bouillabaisses and soups have too much seasoning put in them. It is almost an epidemic. However, that is not the case with the soups you will find at Aqua Knox. Moloney’s soups are rich with the taste of tomato and saffron, giving it a memorable flavor.
All of this wonderful food can be washed down by selecting from a wine list that has a good selection at surprisingly low prices. The wine list has a complete page that is full of half bottles. These are ideal for people who are dining alone. It is also good for people who have a dining companion who may not be interested in drinking wine. The complete list is 50 percent off on Mondays and Tuesdays.