Cooking For Engineers

[Dilbert]

Dinner at JoelRobuchon - Las Vegas / MGM

There are some one dozen three star restaurants in USA; a large number of those in New York City. It's a surprise with all the eateries and famous chefs "doing" Las Vegas, the only three star in Las Vegas is Joel Robucon.
ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Michelin_starred_restaurants#United_States_of_America

We opted to splurge. The setting and decor is very elegant and first rate - quality, well done everything, everywhere. Lots of fresh flowers.


Dress is requested as "business formal"
The restaurant does not seat a large number - I'd estimate 30 or so. Hence it is an intimate experience with a top notch service team who are seriously well trained and experienced.

Menu are prix fixe; one can choose from two to 12+ courses (priced at 127 - 435 USD); or ala carte. For example one can choose two appetizers + two mains, or 2+1, or 1+1.
Individual items do vary with the season, the on-line menu is representative but not necessarily what will be on offer at any given time.

Stunning bread, cheese and post dessert delight carts on-hand.
Starters:
- Alaskan King Crab salad. Served cold, excellent selection of dressing, greens, etc.
- Sea urchin with (spiny) lobster medalions. Very tender, very flavorful nibbles.
- Foie Gras.
Without question the best sea urchin and foie gras I've eaten anywhere - domestic or European, including some high end places in France proper!

main courses:
- Whole Spiny Lobster in its juice w/ sweet pepper and lemon grass
- (real!) Iberico Pork w/ polenta and endive spears
The plating / presentation / garnish were just simply spectacular and the food taste/texture/temperature/etc - way over-the-top-perfect. I'm frankly not all that "up" on what makes for how many stars - but the service, environment, table setting, service ware, and what all else - amazingly well done without being pretentious. Not a single boo-boo or glitch _anywhere_ or _anytime_.

Wine: an Australian Grosset Gaia 2000. Very nice red, next to impossible for the retail consumer to obtain; (sigh)

The cheese course (optional) - we're cheeseheads and the cart was too good looking to pass up. Something on the order of 25-30 different selections and our server knew everything about all of them and was able to steer us along our preferences as well as "try a little of this..." I can't name all the different types we sampled, but it was a real treat.
The bread cart (all baking done in-house) came around again, just in case one was insufficiently stuffed.

Desserts:
- Sugar globe filled with mint and fresh berries. This dessert is made by magic! Delectable selection somehow 'encased' in a clear spun/cast/? sugar globe.
- Chocolate souffle with a side of two ice cream flavors. Wonderful texture - a chocolate souffle is not an easy thing to do - I've tried!

Following dessert was a selection a mini-sweets. Intricate, had made on the premises, all lip smacking good.


Pix: sorry about that - we have a few - but I was not comfortable screwing up other people experience by constant knipsing....

Recommendation: for a major splurge, one of the best you'll find. It is multiple hundreds per head before you're done.

[Michael Chu]

Best dinner I've ever had in my life was Joel Robuchon. One day I will finish writing this unpublished article: http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/314/Joel-Robuchon-Las-Vegas-Nevada

[Dilbert]

heehee. the pix are the easy part (g)

when were you there? I see some small changes in linens, etc - the breads / rolls are very similar - the post dessert cart was much changed.

I liked their "butter berg" -

[Michael Chu]

We went in 2012 (pre-baby). That bread cart is one of the best experiences I've ever had. I keep telling people I would gladly pay $50 for the privilege to dine at the bread cart alone. I'd love to go back, but I'm not sure when we'll be able to.