Joel Robuchon - Las Vegas

Yeah, yeah...I should have titled this post, "Better late than never." I know.

Danny and I went to Las Vegas back on Memorial Day weekend. We stayed in THE Hotel at the Mandalay Bay. It was wonderful and definitely worth staying in again. The only real downside is that it is far enough at the end of the strip that it's necessary to take a cab to most of the great restaurants, which as you know, is why we went to Vegas in the first place.

These photos are from Joel Robuchon (the 3 Michelin star location, not L'Atelier which is also great, but only holds 1 star.) I ordered an entree and dessert, while Danny opted for the 16-course tasting menu, which also comes with bread, an amuse bouche, and chocolate confections, making it really a 19-course meal. Here is the menu, right off of the MGM Grand website:

Sixteen Course Degustation Menu $385/Person

• Le Caviar
  en infusion de corail anisé, en surprise
  Caviar on a fennel cream served as a surprise
• Le Foie Gras
  en duo mêlé de pomme ratte comme un carpaccio aux copeaux de truffe blanche
  Carpaccio of foie gras and potatoes, covered with white truffle shavings
• Les Champignons
  une fine feuille croustillante aux cèpes en gondole, une royale tremblotante au cappuccino de persil plat, thé de matsutakés au gingembre
  Crispy toast topped with cèpes mushroom, trembling parsley royal and ginger matsutake tea
• La Grenouille
  la cuisse en fritot à la purée aillée et au coulis de cresson
  Crispy frog leg, garlic and watercress coulis
• Les Crustacés
  le homard rôti au curry et fines graines de chou-fleur, la langoustine truffée et cuite en ravioli, l'oursin, zéphyr lacté d'un nuage tout moka
  Roasted lobster on cauliflower with green curry, truffled langoustine ravioli with chopped cabbage, delicate flan of sea urchin with mocha foam
• La Châtaigne
  dans un fin velouté soyeux sur un voile virtuel de lard fumé
  Chestnut velouté with smoked lardons foam
• L'Os à Moelle
  garni d'un ragoût de légumes aux éclats de maïs épicé
  Bone marrow and vegetable ragout with corn and spices
• Le Bar
  poêlé à la citronnelle avec une étuvée de jeunes poireaux
  Pan fried sea bass with lemongrass emulsion and stewed baby leeks
• Le Veau
  en côte au plat avec un jus gras et escorté de taglierinis de légumes au pistou
  Sautéed veal chop with natural jus and vegetable taglierinis flavored with pesto
• Les Racines et Pousses d'Ici
  maraîchères, mêlées de couleurs de saison à l'huile d'argan en tagine
  Fall root and sprout vegetables with Argan oil
• L'Ananas
  infusé aux saveurs des Iles en coque meringuée
  Fresh pineapple inside a crunchy meringue, finished with an exotic fruit cocktail
• Le Café
  glacé, frappé, sur un crémeux de chocolat grand cru
  Coffee ice cream, dark chocolate ganache and tahitian vanilla
• Le Moka - Le Thé
  escortés de mignardises

Don't worry - we ate it all and it was DELICIOUS. We thought it might be hard to follow up a meal that amazing, but we did. More posts about more incredible restaurants await...