Joel Robuchon - Las Vegas - Mansion & L'Atelier

[robyn]

"Executive Chef Claude Le Tohic of Joel Robuchon at the MGM"

If this guy was working at L'Atelier - who was holding down the fort at the Mansion - where a couple was paying maybe $1000 for dinner for 2? Robyn

[molto e]

"Executive Chef Claude Le Tohic of Joel Robuchon at the MGM"

If this guy was working at L'Atelier - who was holding down the fort at the Mansion - where a couple was paying maybe $1000 for dinner for 2?  Robyn

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The fine dining side was not open on that night...

[Elrushbo]

"Executive Chef Claude Le Tohic of Joel Robuchon at the MGM"

If this guy was working at L'Atelier - who was holding down the fort at the Mansion - where a couple was paying maybe $1000 for dinner for 2?  Robyn

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The fine dining side was not open on that night...

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That post of your was just stunning! I'm going to have to go now! If it were just me, I'd go to Joel Robuchon as well...

Edited February 14, 2007 by Elrushbo (log)

[robyn]

"Executive Chef Claude Le Tohic of Joel Robuchon at the MGM"

If this guy was working at L'Atelier - who was holding down the fort at the Mansion - where a couple was paying maybe $1000 for dinner for 2?  Robyn

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The fine dining side was not open on that night...

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The fine dining side is open 7 days a week. Seems to have been closed for a few days in December before Christmas - so I guess that's when you were there. But - normally - this chef would not be in L'Atelier - correct? Robyn

[molto e]

Elliot, This is simply stunning and allows me to say that this is one restaurant I will not miss on my next trip to Vegas!

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That post of your was just stunning! I'm going to have to go now! If it were just me, I'd go to Joel Robuchon as well...

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Doc & Elrushbo,

I have throughly enjoyed my meals at L'Atelier in Paris and Las Vegas. Chef Robuchon is able to replicate the look, experience and cuisine on different continents which is no small task. Joel Robuchon and his "Dream Team" have done a phenomenal job in Las Vegas. If I lived in a city that a L' Atelier was located in, I would be a weekly diner (can not wait for the Chicago branch).

Molto E

[Swicks]

"Executive Chef Claude Le Tohic of Joel Robuchon at the MGM"

If this guy was working at L'Atelier - who was holding down the fort at the Mansion - where a couple was paying maybe $1000 for dinner for 2?  Robyn

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He's got Marcel, Top Chef finalist and Master of Molecular Gastronomy holding down the fort!

[kai-m]

Great report and pictures molto e - makes me want to fly to Las Vegas *right now*! Even though I was a tad disappointed when we went 1 year ago, 2-3 dishes were among the bery best I have ever had (so far...).

Anyway: since you obviously had a "personalized" tasting menu, would you mind telling us how much it was (food only). Would they do this for every customer? Or are you some sort of "VIP"? (no kidding).

How long did the dining-experience take? Because one of the letdowns for us was how incredibly quick everybody was in'n'out: well under 2 hours, which, at this price range, I find very strange...

Thanks.

Greetings from germany

kai

[molto e]

Great report and pictures molto e - makes me want to fly to Las Vegas *right now*!    Even though I was a tad disappointed when we went 1 year ago, 2-3 dishes were among the bery best I have ever had (so far...).

Anyway: since you obviously had a "personalized" tasting menu, would you mind telling us how much it was (food only). Would they do this for every customer? Or are you some sort of "VIP"? (no kidding).

How long did the dining-experience take? Because one of the letdowns for us was how incredibly quick everybody was in'n'out: well under 2 hours, which, at this price range, I find very strange...

Thanks.

Greetings from germany

kai

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Kai,

The tasting menu was $125 at that point but I think that it is $135 now. When I was there there was a group around the corner that made various substitutions to the tasting menu and they accomodated them without issue. As far as the time that dinner at L'Atelier takes, this is not the fine dining restaurant so 2 hours for haute bistro food is acceptable to me. Unfortunately, prices at restaurants in Las Vegas are affected by "Vegas inflation" so correlating price and experience there is skewed.

Best,

Molto E

[kai-m]

Thanks, molto e.

But I'm a bit confused now - you mean you had the *regular" tasting menu? Not a tasting menu that was put together especially for you? Because the dishes on your pics are not the ones listed on the menu-picture...and furthermore you had 12 courses all in all, if I counted correctly, usually it is 9...and some of your portions were way larger (2 foie-burgers!) than anything I have seen so far from the Atelier-tasting-menus (no matter what city...)...and you had petits fours, which one usually doesn't get...

So you are sure you didn't get some special treatment? (Thats why I was curious about the price - because if you paid 125,- for all that it is quite a "bargain"...)

best

kai

Edited March 7, 2007 by kai-m (log)

[molto e]

Kai,

I ate there with one other person so there were a couple of courses that I got one thing and he got the other. There were no petit-fours...do you mean the tarts?? I received the same tasting as the group around the corner did. One of the dishes was new and they were trying it out ( tartare ) and I saw that go to other people as well. As far as portion size...I could of used a bigger piece of that Wagyu ...that was the first time I had the sliders so I could not tell you anything about those.

Hope That Helps,

Molto E

[kai-m]

Yes I meant the little tarts - when we were there, only the customers who ordered a "dessert menu" seemed to get those...but maybe we were just unlucky...

In any case (maybe due to the "big chef" being present that night) you had more courses than usual for the price (just take a look at your picture of the printed tasting menu) - without even ordering it...very lucky man!!

best

kai

[stetson99]

Yes I meant the little tarts - when we were there, only the customers who ordered a "dessert menu" seemed to get those...but maybe we were just unlucky...

In any case (maybe due to the "big chef" being present that night) you had more courses than usual for the price (just take a look at your picture of the printed tasting menu) - without even ordering it...very lucky man!!   

best

kai

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I don't think the chef of the mansion being present had anything to do with it. I dined at L'Atelier around six months after both restaurants opened. The head chef was at the more casual outpost at this time as well. The formal restaurant was also closed at that point for renovations ("For the third time since we've opened" according to the server). No special treatment or extra courses were offered. It was simply the same tasting menu that others had written about before, although they did happily sub a course for my raw fish phobic dining companion. It was still one of the best meals I've had. I look forward to revisiting Vegas this August and dining there again. Hopefully by that point this poor college student will be able to save up enough green to hit up Guy Savoy as well.

[docsconz]

For photos and my impressions of a recent visit see this post.

[fchrisgrimm]

Had the opportunity to visit Robuchon at the Mansion while on busines in LV a few weeks ago. In for a penny, in for a pound, so I opted for the 47 course, er, make that 13 course dinner.

The short version of the menu...

La Sangria

Le Caviar

La Langoustine

La Truffle

L'Oursin

L'Amadai

Le Bar

Les Legumes

Le Boeuf de Kobe

L'Epeautre

Le Punch

Pom.Pom.Pom

Le Cafe ou le Cafe

(and le Bread to go, I suppose)

And a variety of thoughts on the food (sorry, no pix)...

Started with a vanload of bread - too many choices and I suppose I most enjoyed the milk bread. The bacon bread was fun. The rosemary bread was nice.

the three caviars were fab - especially loved the asparagus perfumed flan with caviar and the cauliflower jelly with.

The truffled langoustine ravioli with stewed cabbage was sublime.

I loved the mini truffle tarte with carmelized onions. Maybe my favorite bite of the meal, until I had...

the sea urchin in potato puree with a hint of coffee. wow was that good - though I don't recall tasting the coffee. loved it. everything about it.

Now up to this point (I hadn't noticed until later dishes) everything was very good, and immaculately prepared, but rather neutral in style because the emphasis was on some serious ingredients that didn't need to be overwhelmed (the caviar, the truffles, the sea urchin). At this point, the meal took a serious left turn.

The amadai was cooked with scales on - after a bit of doubt, I ate the skin too and found the tiny fried scales to be like breadcrumbs. I still don't know if I was just supposed to leave the skin in the bowl, but the fish, served in a 'lily bulb broth' was tasty. And crunchy.

The sea bass with five spices and verjus sauce was another seriously bright dish, really waking up the taste buds after the early fabulous but subdued dishes.

The root vegetables and beans, served solo, were amazing - and forced one to think of vegetables as a stand-alone dish, rather than an accompaniment.

The kobe beef, with watercress tempura and horseradish mustard was succulent and wonderful.

Farrow, prepared like risotto, except with gold leaf, was another dish (like the veg) that made you think. Great stuff.

The rum punch sorbet was refreshing. The apple dessert (with vanilla and caramel) was the least inspiring dish of the night - but certainly not bad.

The chocolates were fine - though I tend to dig through for the jellied fruit - and the bread for breakfast to go is a fun touch.

I drank a split of white burg, and glasses of burg and bordeaix throughout.

What can I say - the food was (not surprisingly) spectacular. Immaculate preparation. Mindful, unrushed service. And a really beautiful room for in the middle of the MGM Grand. (When I die, I don't know if there's a heaven and I don't know if I'll be invited - but if there is a heaven and I get it, I kinda hope heaven is like the MGM Grand.)

It's hard to judge a place like this on its merits. First, their is the baggage of the expectations because of Robuchon. You expect a perfect meal. Then there is the price - that would also suggest a perfect meal.

Was it my favorite meal I've ever had? No. My favorite restaurant I've ever eaten in? No. The best? Well, yes and no.

One thing I have to say is at least you know where the money goes. Into the beautiful room (at least indirectly) and to the big staff (for what is a really small place). And the ingredients are basically unmatchable.

I guess I'd say that I loved being able to eat a remarkably well prepared meal made with these spectacular ingredients. That's where my money went. And the progression of the menu was something to behold and, I like to believe, a reflection of Robuchon's genius. Would I have enjoyed sinking the same amount of money into a meal of these ingredients made by one of my favorite chefs? Gordon Ramsay or Racha Bassoul? Sure! But I don't have that opportunity.

The service was like a good umpiring crew - keeping things moving without being obtrusive or rushed. They were so nice with this solo diner that as I was about to leave, when I asked for a glass of water, they brought be a new bottle, gratis, and I was grateful. Here, I'd just spent a forture on dinner and wanted to apologize for accepting a free, what, $2 bottle of Pellegrino, because they had all been so nice to me. I guess that is good service!

Would I go again? Probably not. Have I urged my friends who do happen to be blessed with the means to afford this kind of splurge to go have dinner at the Mansion - you bet.

Edited April 9, 2007 by fchrisgrimm (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

We all have our own personal outcome/expectations formulas which, for better or for worse, affect the way we ultimately feel about the places at which we've eaten. Because my expectations for Joel Robuchon's L'Atelier were so high, I was nervous that I'd be disappointed by it. So far, our 3 earlier dining experiences in Vegas had been a mixed bag and while we'd enjoyed everything we'd eaten, with the exception of Lotus of Siam, none of it really exceeded our expectations. We'd saved L'Atelier for last and the moment had finally arrived.

After a short walk through the MGM, we found ourselves in 'Robuchon corner,' where L'Atelier and the more formal 'Mansion' were located, right next to each other. Even though we hadn't specifically reserved seats at the counter, our request was accomodated and the 4 of us were seated at the counter right away. I'd made the reservations and really had no idea at the time that non-counter seating was even available. I suppose that a meal taken at a table could be just as enjoyable but that seemed to go against the grain of the entire concept at L'Atelier where chefs prepare and plate your meals directly in front of you at the counter and at the open kitchen, which is located directly behind the counter.

Shiny blackish-gray granite, black tile and chrome surfaces dominate L'Atelier's sleek interior and there are accents of red throughout. Chefs are clad in black uniforms with red trim at the pockets, etc. The overall room is dark with zoned lighting focused on the kitchen, eating areas at the counters and tables. The space looks futuristic but in spite of that, also conveys a feeling of warmth too. In any case, it certainly is one of the most distinctively-designed restaurants I've ever seen. Here are a few fantastic images, captured by my friend John Sconzo (eGS member docsconz), at the meal we shared:

The 'Discovery Menu,' is an approximately 10-course tasting menu and there is also an la carte menu which offers tasting portions of a couple dozen items as well as hot and cold appetizers and full-sized entrees. My friend and I each opted for the Discovery Menu (adding one course, the Langoustine, from the a la carte offerings) and my wife and son decided to create their own tasting menu by ordering and sharing several items from the a la carte menu.

Here's the menu we had:

L'Amuse-Bouche

Honeydew gelee, peppered yogurt and prosciutto ham . . . nice, brightly-flavored, a perfect palate opener.

Le Thon Rouge

Bluefin tuna with tomato infused olive oil . . . clean, distinctive flavors which complemented each other well and showcased the tuna.

Le Langoustine

Crispy langoustine fritter with basil pesto . . . loved this crispy and tender bite of succulent langoustine.

La Saint-Jacques

Fresh Scallop cooked in the shell with seaweed butter . . . immaculately fresh and tender scallop accented wonderfully with the seaweed butter.

Le Homard

Maine lobster custard with curry scent and fennel foam . . . decadance made subtle, a wonderful combination.

L'Asperge Verte

Cappucino of green asparagus . . . this really was the essence of asparagus, just terrific.

La Morille

Crispy tart with fresh morels, onions and bacon . . . I enjoyed this simple tart quite a bit.

La Caille

Free-range quail stuffed with foie gras and served with truffled mashed potatoes . . . my favorite course, great, luxury ingredients which worked perfectly together. Robuchon's legendary pommes puree were all they were cracked up to be.

L'Ananas

Pineapple sorbet, passionfruit sauce and caramel mousse . . . light, refreshing and sweet -- but not overly so. A nice pre-dessert.

Le Chocolat

Sensation - Creme Araguani with oreo cookie crumbs . . . I loved the balance of this dessert. It was deep and rich but had enough sweetness for me, too.

I also tasted a few of the items ordered by my wife and son. I have to say that I loved them all including the 'prosciutto' ham served with toasted tomato bread, the Norwegian smoked salmon with potato waffle and the Atelier-style spaghetti which was very similar to carbonara and done to perfection.

Service was wonderful -- professional, knowledgeable and friendly. The concept of these luxurious but approachable dishes being served by the chef, at the counter, is a fantastic one. Rumor has it that the Robuchon team will be opening a L'Atelier in Chicago. I certainly hope it's true and if it is I definitely plan to dine there on a regular basis. This experience was fantastic on every level and easily surpassed my expectations over and over again. When it was all over, I was actually sad that it had come to an end. I certainly couldn't have eaten anymore but we'd had such a great time, I wished it could have continued.

=R=

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon

3799 Las Vegas Blvd S

Las Vegas, 89109

(702) 891-7777

Thanks again to docsconz for the fantastic images in this post.

[babern38]

could anyone comment on whether this restaurant could do a vegetarian tasting to accomodate my wife? Thanks

[ronnie_suburban]

could anyone comment on whether this restaurant could do a vegetarian tasting to accomodate my wife?  Thanks

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No answer you receive here will be as definitive as the one you could get by calling the restaurant directly. My guess is yes, but it's only a guess.

=R=

[hemingway]

My wife and I dined at L'Atelier last week and both really enjoyed it. I have been to Joel's formal restaurant next door and while the dining room settings are very different , I could not tell a big difference in the food. It was excellent in both spots. My wife likes nice restaurants but is no foodie like I am so she judges places different than I do.

I ordered the 10 course tasting menu which is still $135. My wife is not as adventurous so ordered two regular portion dishes, the lobster and lamb. She enjoyed both and I got several bites of each dish. I really enjoyed the 10 course menu. It was an opportunity to taste many dishes and I recommend that menu to anyone. They handled the pacing well and it was no problem to order that way. I added the langoustine course as it was not on the tasting menu and I had always wanted to try that. We did get an extra desert for free and it was a great meal that we both enjoyed. The bill still came to $430 plus tip but that is still less than the $1100 (with tip) average bill for two at the more formal restaurant. The L'Atelier experience is generally two hours or less while next door will take three to four hours. I still would encourage you to try both places if you can afford it because they both are "worth it" for the experience. I may not try the formal restaurant every trip to Vegas but I will go back to L'Atelier every time now. The $135 menu is a bargain in my eyes.

[BryanZ]

In early August 2007, I spent a few food-centric days in Las Vegas. My full trip report can be seen here. This is an excerpted report on my meal at L'Atelier:

As countless others have reported, the space here is sexy, dark, and intimate. The staff is generally young and convivial but serious about food, well-suited to their surroundings. The meal I had here was amazingly solid, superceding the hype that precedes Chef Robuchon. The cuisine is ripe with classic flavors updated with well-placed touches of lightness and creativity that rarely seem contrived.

Naturally, we selected the Discovery Menu, which at $135 represents a fair value given the rather high a la carte pricing.

Le menu

After receiving our basket of crispy mini baguettes, the procession of food began.

Amuse bouche

Although this dish wasn’t bad by any means it was undoubtedly the low point of the evening. This was the only time when a deconstruction of a rather classic flavor combination—cucumber, yogurt, cumin—seemed rather disjointed. I thought it was a fresh way to open up the palate, though my mother genuinely did not particularly enjoy the dish.

La tomate

In my mind, this was the true start to the meal. Basil oil and the addition of a simple scattering of croutons subtly enhanced the positively vibrant tomato gazpacho. A nearly perfect, yet basic beginning.

La langoustine

Another home run that again demonstrated how excellent ingredients creatively combined can create a memorable dish. Here, a thin layer of raw langoustine was topped with poppy seeds, baby chives, Espelette pepper, and a light drizzle of oil and sprinkling of salt. This dish was crazy good. The Espelette pepper giving the faintest hint of smoky heat.

Les huitres

Kussi oysters were poached butter and served with this herbal, lemony, salty poaching liquid in the shell. Additional lemon was provided for more acidity. This was another excellent dish; among the best oyster dishes I’ve ever had and certainly up there with Oysters and Pearls. One of my trio was particularly plump and literally exploded briny, buttery goodness when met with the slightest pressure.

Le foie gras

Those who read the Chicago board and LTH Forum know that I’ve been living in Chicago for the summer, where foie is criminally (pun intended) banned. I’d gotten a couple foie dishes on the down low during my stay in the Windy City, but was generally in a state of withdrawal, constantly on the lookout for my next hit. This dish really satisfied my craving. It may be that my deprived state skewed my impressions of the dish—it was rather simple after all—but I do think this was a superlative piece of seared foie.

Le fletan

I really enjoyed this dish, too, but it was perhaps a bit of a step down from the dishes that preceded it. The halibut was perfectly steamed and topped with a light glaze of lemon-thyme butter and a medley of vegetables one normally associates with southern France—zucchini, peppers, olives, etc. Again, I would happily eat this dish at any Michelin three-star restaurant, but it just wasn’t quite as appealing as some of the dishes that came before.

La caille

The only bad thing I can say about this dish was that there weren’t enough of the truffled potatoes. It’s rare that the heady aroma of truffles “cuts” through the richness of a dish, but compared to the non-truffled version the truffles served to cut through the nearly comical butter overload of the potatoes. The quail itself was deliciously crispy and even a bit sticky, making it fun to eat with my hands. The foie rolled into the breast acted more as seasoning than anything else.

Le veau

My mother ordered this dish and I had about half of it. I thought it was perhaps the weakest of the “real” courses, but she really enjoyed it and found it among her favorite few courses. It was delicious, but I felt it was fundamentally the veal picatta with arugula that one can get at any decent Italian restaurant. Expertly prepared but not moved to the point of greatness.

L’aloes

A wonderful pre-dessert. Not seen in the picture is a blueberry compote at the bottom of the dish that added a bit of pleasant sweetness. Otherwise, the lime cream and subtle aloe sorbet did a great job of cleansing the palate.

La fraise

A fresh, summery finish with vanilla panna cotta, strawberry sorbet, and pistachio streusel. The quotes here are well-intended, as the dish really did taste like a more mature strawberry milkshake. It was also very refreshing to see a lengthy tasting menu end in something other than chocolate.

All in all, this was a fantastic meal. A solid three NYT stars, with four only dependent on a more complete dining experience vis a vis a formal dining room and service. I can easily see how Joel Robuchon proper could be among the very, very best restaurants in the country. With an average of 1.5 glasses of wine per person, the bill was $200/person after tax and tip. Not exactly cheap, but not in the realm of the super expensive either. We all thought it was worth it, the food surpassing most other “fine-dining” restaurants.

Edited August 19, 2007 by BryanZ (log)

[babern38]

going to vegas for the first time on friday. eating at wing lei and seeing le reve on friday.

I have reservations for fleur de lys on saturday, but really want to try laterlier. I was just wondering if my family did not want to do the tasting, how many appetizers/entress equal an average 3-4 course dinner? I'm just wondering how large the apps are if ordered ala carte. thanks

[iriee]

babern,,,enjoy vegas! when you get tickets to le reve ask for the waterfront tickets. its really nice being right down close! they say you could get wet but nobody was wet the day we went. its a great show!

[BryanZ]

Much of the show descends from the ceiling. I won't say more, but I was in section B, I think, about 1/3-1/2 of the way up. I think I'd rather be there than truly stage side and need to crane my neck up for stretches at a time. The theater is tiny but tall.

The staff will walk you through the menu, but I was told 3-4 small plates make up a normal app/main dinner. The other side of the menu is a la carte, full-size apps and mains.

[bgut1]

I'm going in November to L'Atelier and thought to put together my own tasting menu as a number of the items on the Discovery Menu will not appeal to my DW (i.e foie gras, quail and veal). Of interest are: the langostine, the egg, the oysters, the aparagus capuccino, the potato confit with truffles, the tuna belly, the hanger steak or rib eye, the steak tartare, the chocolate and the tartes. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Swicks]

I think you'll be very happy with those choices. Many of them I had when they were on the discovery menu last year when I dined. The oyseters and the egg are particularly memorable. I had a really nice piece of bass as well.

[vmilor]

I have found that Joel Robuchon Las Vegas is quite good but it is by no means a dining destination for its own sake. If you happen to be in Las Vegas, it is worth having a meal which ranks on par with the best in France in terms of service and ambience but many dishes utilize average quality luxurious ingredients. When Michelin was Michelin this was perhaps a one star level--in France.

For those of you interested in a fuller review here is the link: click here