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| - Joël Robuchon was the choice for the girlfriend and my dinner on our first night in Vegas. While there were plenty of other, much less expensive, restaurants I could've taken my girlfriend, unbeknownst to her, I planned to propose to her over dinner and the occasion called for something special. Upon stepping through the door and up until we left several hours later, Joël Robuchon exuded style, class, opulence, and Franco/Vegas charm in all facets of its operation. We elected to have the 16 (or so)-course degustation menu. The team of wait staff was off the charts with its informed, surgically precise, personable, but never "stuffy" service throughout our meal. Likewise, the sommelier was spot on with her wine recommendations (we had two splits, one white and one red), which were surprisingly affordable and very well suited complements to the varied courses of food received.
Our meal started off with a bread cart, which was more aptly described as a boulangerie on wheels. Every type of French style bread or roll was present and was served with amazingly creamy butter and an exotic sea salt. After the bread, came our culinary Tour de Force. We received the following...
La Cerise - Cherry gazpacho with pistachios and ricotta ice cream
La Tomate - Salad of tomato with basil infused olive oil, tomato gelée topped with mozzarella
Le Caviar - Red turnip and radish with yellowtail carpaccio, delicate cream of corn, caviar on a fennel cream served as a surprise
La Saint-Jacques - Pan seared sea scallop in green curry and fresh coriander
Les Crustacés - Truffled langoustine ravioli, Sea urchin prepared in "chaud-froid" with anise juices, spiny lobster served atop spinach in a black Malabar pepper sauce
Les Petits Pois - Sweet green pea veloute with vegetable aroma and hints of mint
Le Foie Gras - Seared foie gras with red berries and kumquat compote
Le Bar - Pan-fried sea bass with a lemon grass foam and stewed baby leeks
Le Boeuf - Grilled beef rib-eye, black olive and bone marrow condiment
Le Broccolini - Broccollini and soybean sprouts cooked as a risotto
Le Pop-Fraise - Fresh strawberries and strawberry mousse with Rosé Champagne cream and soursop sorbet
Le Dome - Black fruits on a delicate chocolate fondant and dolce.
Our meal closed with the Le Moka-Le Thé, a cart filled with over 35 different Mignardises. It was the proverbial sweet finale to an amazing meal! Every course was beautiful in its presentation, but easily matched by the complex, yet exquisite flavors delivered with every bite. In truth, I can't pick a favorite course since they were each amazing in their own unique way. It was definitely not traditional French bistro fare.
Joël Robuchon was the perfect choice for our most special occasion. I highly recommend it for yours. And if you were still wondering...she did say, "Yes".
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