Joël Robuchon
From the time I turned 21 until I turned 22, I visited Las Vegas about five times. I got the Vegas bug out of me and, thankfully, I haven’t had much of a draw to go back in the years since. Over the past decade I’ve been to Las Vegas just a couple of times. This most recent visit was to head up and celebrate, you guessed it, my birthday. Although I was in LV for my birthday, the days of long hours at the blackjack tables are behind me. Instead, I enjoy Vegas for the shows, some fun gambling, and the food.
For my birthday dinner I decided to try Joël Robuchon at the MGM. This used to be a Michelin-starred location until the guide decided to stop rating Las Vegas, but even without that rating today this opulent restaurant comes with one of the heaviest price tags I have experienced to date. Here’s the menu we had on July 2, 2017:
“Le Caviar Imperial” - Osetra caviar served atop king crab, crustacean gelee, cauliflower puree
One of Chef Robuchon’s signature creations. A stunning dish with beautiful flavors.
Bread service
“1st Service” - L'Artichaut Violet, Le Homard du Maine, La Tomate
“2nd Service” - L'Oeuf de Poule, La Cuisse de Grenouille
“3rd Service” - La Langoustine, Le Petit Pois, L'oursin
“4th Service” - La Noix de Saint Jacques, La Morille, Le Saint-Pierre
“Le Plat Tradition” - Roasted squab, foie gras, sweet and sour cherries, fresh almonds, Robuchon pomme puree
Another Robuchon signature dish. The roasted squab was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. A dollop of some of the best mashed potatoes ever, Robuchon pomme puree, makes the dish complete.
“Les Desserts” - L'Hibiscus, Le Matcha, Le The Early Grey
“Le Papillon Chocolat Azelia” - Smooth hazelnut milk chocolate cremeux, coffee chantilly, praline ice cream
Birthday cake - Complimentary
Cart of mignardises including bon bons, canele, candies, chocolates, macarons, creme brulee, and more.
Our selection of mignardises
Joël Robuchon does an excellent job at making its guest feel wowed. The beautiful dining room, bread cart, mignardises cart, and complimentary birthday cake (it was the whole cake actually) are all elements that add up to a venue worthy of a special meal. However, I did find the food a bit lacking save for a couple of stellar items. The food was by no means bad, just not anywhere near what I might have expected of a place that once carried a coveted 3-star Michelin rating. The price point at Joël Robuchon still hits the wallet like a 3-star Michelin (actually more expensive than most I’ve been to), which all the more highlights the somewhat lackluster experience.
Joël Robuchon
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
3799 South Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702.891.7358
MGM Grand Website
