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| - An exquisite dining experience, starting with the modern décor, then moving on to beautifully presented dishes that look too good to eat, and, of course, culminating with the actual food itself, which are treasure troves for the taste buds.
A light amuse bouche and an appetizer of crabe royal (king crab) were a great way to cleanse, yet prime, the palate for all that was yet to come. The l'anguile fume (smoked eel) was bursting with texture and flavor, even more so with some foie gras as an accoutrement. This balance between texture and flavor continued with the next dish, les pates fraiches (spiced Maine lobster over orechiette), with perfectly executed al dente pasta matching the consistency of the somehow light, yet substantive, lobster. Next, the la hampe (French style hanger steak) was of an oh-so-tender, melt-in-your mouth consistency.
Service is outstanding and patient, especially when going through the many wine options available to pair with your dishes. What I also liked was the fact that there were lots of options to choose from on the menu, at all price points, so that you can sample a variety of offerings from the Joel Robuchon playbook while still suiting your budget.
If there was only one gripe I had about the experience, it's that the hostesses leave the front sliding door open whenever a new customer enters the restaurant, and don't close it until the customer is seated. Maybe this is proper etiquette, but what it leads to is a wind-tunnel effect of nasty, cold, smoky casino air washing over customers while the door is open. Personally, I'd say that it'd be better to close the door right after opening it.
Overall, however, this was delightful in every way, and a great way to sample Joel Robuchon's cuisine, which consistently receives Michelin stars almost everywhere he opens up. A perfect venue for my 750th Yelp review!
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