Our experience at Joel Robuchon was highly anticipated, as we were popping one friends Michelin star cherry, and it was another 2 of our birthdays. Luckily it was a good choice for a special occasion.
The dining room is a feast for the eyes without feeling too stuffy. The service was polite but they adapted and became more relaxed when they saw we were out for some fun. And of course, the food was great.
As we were planning a night of Vegas-style debauchery after, we didn't want too crazy a tasting menu and opted for one of the smaller ones. Starting with a refreshing cherry gazpacho, I moved onto lobster salad with cauliflower velouté, daikon radish soup (which was richer and better than it sounded, or the alternative pea soup), duck with foie (defibrillator anyone?), and chocolate souffle (heavenly).
The sommelier picked a great pairing for our diverse courses. The bread cart and mignardaise cart were mind blowing. And we topped the visit off with a kitchen tour. They send you home with a chocolate bar and a booklet about the restaurant (basically some food porn) so you can relive the experience.
So why only 4 stars? It was comfortable but nothing necessarily life-altering. But still a very good choice if you happen to win big and treat yourself :)