A proper Chinese meal always contains an equal division of fan (grains and starches) and t’sai (meat and vegetables). The balance between fan and t’sai fits the Chinese belief that equilibrium and harmony is important in every aspect of life.

Chef Choi lives his philosophy and has brought it to life with the construction of three, 100-gallon aquariums in the Fin kitchen. One tank is warm salt water, another is cold salt water and the third is fresh cold water. This certainly elevates the concept of “fresh fish.”

Inside the tanks are rock cod, Maine lobster, Spiny lobster, Dungeness crab, sea bass, squid, Santa Barbara prawns, and any other exotic seafood Chef Choi decides to import from around the world. Diners decide if the fish is to be steamed, baked or wok-fried.

The Fin menu was a collaborative effort by Chef Choi, Mahoney, and restaurant manager Tony Lee. It is as much a menu for the sophisticated diner as it is for someone who just wants beef lo mein.

Beginning with appetizers, guests can select chilled abalone with jellyfish, foie gras with black pepper or plum sauce, vegetable egg roll, or barbecued spare ribs.

Seafood entrees are crisp salt and pepper squid, Szechwan scallops, Cantonese-style shrimp, and wok-fried lobster tail. Featured meat and poultry dishes are imperial Peking duck, wok-fried lamb chops with garlic and pepper, chicken with cashew nuts, kung pao wok-fried chicken, and braised Mandarin pork chops.

Asian hot pots include braised spicy oxtail, braised beef brisket stew, diced chicken with tofu and salty fish, and abalone with lobster and seafood. The fan (grains and starches) menu presents soy-flavored rice noodles with beef, seafood lo mein, Singapore rice with curry, lo mein with vegetables, salty fish and chicken fried rice, curry shrimp fried rice, and chicken, beef, or barbecue pork fried rice.

“At its opening, and for years following it, The Mirage set the standard for Las Vegas resorts,” said Scott Sibella, president and COO of The Mirage. “The changes we’re introducing, starting with Fin, ensure that the resort remains at the forefront of the city’s contemporary scene.”