jeffj

Thanks everyone.  I have to tell you, good light never hurts...as solid as my Photoshop skills are, having a decent light source is really the key.

I'm looking forward to posting many more photos in the coming year.

-j

jeffj -- From your inspection of the menus, was there some duplication between the longer menu and the shorter menu, or could a diner take one on one visit, and the other shortly thereafter?  Also, can you discuss the wine aspects of your meal?

Did you get your table for the entire evening, and are there some tables that are more desirable (e.g., have better views)?

The shorter menu overlapped the longer menu by 2 or 3 dishes.  Supposedly there is an a la carte menu available if you specifically ask for it.  I was very tempted to return the following night to sample more of the kitchen’s creations and I’m sure they could provide you with a substantially different experience.

I am not a wine expert so I’m not comfortable discussing the wine list in much detail.  It is organized by region and the markup seemed quite steep.  We asked that the sommelier pair some appropriate wines by the glass with our meal.  They mentioned that, in theory, they can accommodate a different wine for every course.  We however opted for a new glass for every 2-3 courses.  We had 5.5 glasses each and it totaled about $150 per person…the wines were not particularly high end: Bruno Paillard Champagne, Frederic Emile Trimbach Riesling, etc.

We had our table for the entire evening.  The meal lasted about 4.5 hours. Unlike us, most tables opted for the shorter menu.  Only two tables turned throughout the night.  There is only one main dining room (tastefully decorated) as well as a small outdoor patio area.  Being Las Vegas, many people were not highly dressed...those who appeared more casual seemed to be seated out on the patio.  We sat at one of the four two tops that are lined up down the center of one side of the main dining room.  I felt the tables were too closely spaced together.  I’d rather not feel like I’m right in the middle of my neighbor’s conversations.

Chef Claude Le-Tohic was in the house cooking that evening.  Toward the end of the night he came out and chatted with a table of industry people from the Bay Area who had brought an assortment of fine wines to their meal.

Cabrales, I’ve followed your posts for years and, knowing your palate, I have no doubt that you’ll very much enjoy Robuchon.

What were the highlights of the meal?

Highlights:  

1) The pristinely clean and subtle flavor combinations of the first four dishes.  What a fabulous series of dishes to start the meal.  The interplay of flavors in that tuna tartar dish was fantastic...it is one of the most successful raw tuna preparations I’ve had in a long while.

2) The frog leg was incredibly succulent.  Would have loved a plate of those.

3) While I would have preferred a savory set, the L’Amadai was mind blowing.  Probably the best cooked piece of fish I’ve ever had.  The scales and skin were perfectly crisp while the flesh was moist and cooked to just the right doneness.

4) The Epoisses was at its peak ripeness...runny and perfectly unctuous.  Tried to get more the next evening (while dining at the L’Atelier next door) but they were evidently out.

Really, most all of the dishes were fantastic.  The one's that didn't please my palate as much were the “Les Aromates”, “Le Homard de Bretagne” and the “La Semoule de Ble Dur”.

Yeah, I'm the guy from eG.  Camera is a Pentax Optio S...nothing fancy.

Joel Robuchon at the Mansion did not provide me with my best meal of the year...but it was a close second.

Top Ten Meals of 2005:
1. Pierre Gagnaire, 11/20/05    
2. Joel Robuchon at the Mansion, 12/27/05
3. The French Laundry, 08/21/05
4. L'Arpege, 11/21/05
5. L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, 12/28/05
6. Le Meurice, 11/23/05
7. The French Laundry,  12/11/05
8. The French Laundry, 06/04/05
9. L'Ambroisie, 11/22/05
10. Urasawa, 04/01/05

Robuchon at the Mansion differs from classical French cuisine in that it’s much lighter and utilizes a great deal of Asian influence.  However, in terms of its culinary foundation, precision, attention to detail, and deliciousness, the Mansion is as close as you’re going to get to a French three star in the U.S. right now (and yes, I’ve eaten at Bastide.)  In a nutshell, the cuisine at Robuchon exudes elegance through its subtlety and refinement.

Photos from dinner Dec 27, 2005.