I'm more curious what MV his Avatar GIF is from.

Anyways, I'm heading to Vegas from Dec 13-20.

I'm hoping to have one or two high-end meals.

While going to the suggested middle end places like:
Burger Bar at the Mandalay Bay (High end Burgers mmmmmmmmmmmmm - Check out $20 Rosini Burger)
www.mandalaybay.com/dining/burgerbar.aspx

Rosemarry (Contemporary American?! wtf) located off the strip few miles west on Sahara - prix fixe lunch for about $25-$30, 3 courses, many choices, all amazing--they could be charging much more. Service was impeccable.
www.rosemarysrestaurant.com

Vintner's Grill off the strip near Red Rock on Charleston - Amazing value at what might be a 1 star Michelin restaurant (if they rated this place)
www.vglasvegas.com

I'm looking at Nobu for their Omakase @ $100/head and N9ne (About how much here w/o alcohol).

But I am very curious about pricing for Joel Robuchon, for lunch/dinner tasting menu without alcohol.

So the question which I saw asked, but not answered? Is it awkward to go to a place and not order wine/alcohol (not big drinkers). And should we look into making registration in advance or is spacing usually available day of (Party of 7).

Thanks

Don't sweat the drinking - do what you want.

Definitely make reservations for a party of 7. Especially if you already picked out places you want to dine, why rish it?

I wouldn't give it one star but I admit its close. Vintners Grill might be the best kept foodie secret in Vegas now that the whole world knows about Rosemarys.

wow Rosemarys seems like a winner. I'm going to Vegas next week (over txgiving), which I would think will be a dead time.

I'm looking for a few nice meals. I can spend some $, but I don't think I'm interested in anything thats extremely expensive and just "good", which Rubuchon seems to be. basically, overpriced b/c of location and/or name chef.

I may even go to Rosemary's for Txgiving, looks like they have a special menu

Bouchon seems like a good value - worth skipping A'Telier to go here?

any other reco's along these lines?

Joel Robuchon does not do lunch and the only dinner choices are three different tasting menus. They are each $300-400 if I remember correctly.

What steakhouse do you think is better? If you had 2 to choose from?

Delmonico's (Emeril's joint) @ Venetian or
Strip House @ Planet Hollywood?????

I have to decide soon?

bump>?

If the choices are between those 2, Delmonico's, hands down. However, if you are open to other suggestions, I would recommend Craftsteak which up to now has been my favorite steak place, even over Prime.

We are going to SW @ the Wynn this Wednesday, Bartolottas for a family dinner that I planned for 17 for Thanksgiving Day and back again to Guy Savoy Friday. I will provide TR and WGR (weight gain report) upon return.

i think delmonicos is way overrated. that's not to say it sucks because it doesn't. just not up to the 2p2 hype it gets. i went with a group of 6 and we all ordered and shared sides with our steaks. only the twice baked potato stood out, everything else ie garlic mushrooms, mashed potato, asparagus, etc was average. my ribeye was really fatty. i tried someone else's filet and it was excellent. the caesar was prepared tableside and i really liked the dressing. but the lettuce was not cold and i hate that in a salad.

strip house is way underrated. not that it's the best or anything, just doesn't get mentioned too often. i found it better than the steakhouse at circus circus and craftsteak. sides are all excellent. defintely get the garlic bread with gorgonzola fondue appetizer. bone in filet on special was the best steak i've had in vegas. but it's not on the menu all the time. rarely busy, so atmosphere will be lacking. service probably not up to standards of other fine dining places, definitely not up to delmonicos snuff, which is quite high.

Just got back and feel obliged to contribute a bit here after having read some of these reviews to prepare for the trip.

Bouchon:
French Bistro food done right, courtesy Thomas Keller. As I'm from the bay, I'm a fan of Keller's stuff and was excited to check this one out. Made a reservation for two well in advance; got placed in the outdoor seating by the pool where service (as well as customers) was non-existent. I asked to be reseated after 5 minutes passed without seeing any waitstaff. I blame the maitre 'd, who probably thought we were too young to have loot

As for the food, the pate was the best I've ever had, highly recommended. Also got an octopus salad (cutely labeled a "stew") which had the octopus prepared sous-vide (under pressure, a new, fancy cooking technique pioneered by Keller), which was decent but not up to par with the pate. The trout entree was delicate and recommended; the duck was a step up from standard bistro certainly, but not the best entree on the menu. Wine list was great. Overall, recommended. Total for 2 came to ~$200 after tip.

L'Atilier de Joel Robuchon:
If you are a fan of sampling and witnessing extraordinary cooking, this is your heaven. All parties of two sat along the bar, where we could watch the staff at work. Spotless kitchen, which proudly displayed Cerdo Negro (Black Iberian Pig) -- the wild pig from Portugal that eats only acorns, was unavailable in the US until 2008, and costs, well, an insane amount of money to enjoy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jam%C3%B3n_ib%C3%A9rico).

I got the 10-course tasting menu, choosing the quail stuffed with foie gras as my "entree" dish. $149/pp is totally reasonable for a collection of mini-masterpieces of cuisine. The seasonal pumpkin soup, with an unevenly-cooked collection of chestnuts, was the only disappointment. Everything else was superb. Anytime I get to eat foie gras twice in a meal, I'm already hooked. [spoiler alert] The "pina colada" dessert featured...pop rocks! Yes, the candy rocks that pop in your mouth. You might think this is pure gimmick, but it was done tastefully, and added that bit of surprise you really hope to get in a meal of this caliber. Wine selection excellent, though I went with Sancerre by the glass ($22), and finished with a chimay blonde (for which they thoroughly cleaned the tap before serving, an extra plus). Staff was superb. Highly recommended++. Total tab for 2 was $480 after tip.

huh, I had though Robuchon was more expensive.

I also found out the foie gras at Bouchon is $45 / 5 oz which is a bummer since I may be alone and if my friend goes I'm not sure he'll want it. does anybody know if/how flexible they are with smaller portions?

L'Atilier de Joel Robuchon is his small plates restaurant, next door to "Joel Robuchon", which is probably more expensive and more formal. Dunno about the foie gras portion sizes but it can't hurt to ask! It's vegas, you got the money they'll do it for you.

Case in point...the couple next to me at L'Atilier asked for a plate of smoked salmon and a spaghetti carbonara...I did a WTF, but hey if you prefer that to a well-thought meal, go for it. And they got it.

brizz,

Thanks for the trip report. Sounds like you ate really well.

That is completely reasonable. You said you drank wine by the glass. Did they offer a wine pairing with the tasting menu?

Hi Stevie. Nope, there was no wine pairing at L'Atilier, but I know there is at Joel's place next door. Great wine selection at both, though.

Ah, you know, now that I think about it, the 10-course tasting menu might have been $179/pp. Still well worth it.

it looks like they have a nice 5 course fall menu for $75. I may do this

* LES LÉGUMES
méditerranéens en mille-feuille à la mozzarella
Mediterranean vegetables layered with buffalo mozzarella

•••
* LA LANGOUSTINE
dans une papillote croustillante au basilic
Crispy langoustine fritter with basil pesto

•••
* LA MORUE
fraîche et sa pipérade de poivrons épicée dans un bouillon façon
« basquaise »
Fresh cod filet in a pepper and tomato broth

Or

L’ONGLET
de boeuf à l’échalote
French-style hanger steak with fried shallots

•••
* LES FROMAGES
de France sélectionnés par nos soins
Selection of imported cheeses

•••
* LES TARTES
de tradition
Traditional tarts

Or

GLACES ET SORBET
Ice cream and sorbet

•••
* LE CAFE
Coffee or Espresso

I kind of wish the main dish wasn't a steak or cod though.

If anyone me or Jimmy Fricke knows wants to get some Nobu tonight, hit one of us up.

I just typed out this super long post but lost it all...argh. I'm going to do the short version now of my last week

Fiamma @ MGM. I love this place, had the polenta and linguini. simple and fresh and tasty and reasonable prices. highly recommend.

l'Atelier de Robuchon. had the $75 Fall tasting menu and 2 silly priced glasses of wine. this was very good, but don't like counter service when I'm paying this much. a couple courses were very good, a couple were just fine, the bread was amazing. would not return anytime soon, I expected a bit more. I thought the food was on the level of say No. 9 Park in Boston, good to know we have at least 1 Michelin worthy restaurant here

I will say the amuse bouche (Foie gras parfait with port wine and parmesan foam) was amazing.

Picasso. amazing experience. had the 5 course tasting with recommended wine pairing. food ranged from good to amazing, service amazing, setting amazing. at $250 pp would not return anytime soon either. I said this in another thread, but there exist such diminishing rates of return in high end food that I find it hard to justify as an expense. you are also paying for all kinds of things besides the food which I don't need to do or really care about

Craftsteak. was about as exactly as expected, your typical high end steakhouse. the lobster bisque was the best thing I had (ribeye + spinach were the other 2). not as good as Prime but better than Delmonicos though I suppose they are all close.

the wine and liquor here also has such stupid prices. $25 for a Highland Park 12? really? I bought a bottle for that price last year.

I mean, I know and expect things to be marked up but there is a markup then there is gouging. I appreciate places that try to give a good value instead of maximizing every dollar they can possible acquire from you.

going to vegas for 5 diamond, just turned 21, can't wait to try some of these places out.

They do not expect repeat customers, and have the added aspect their clientele are in general less careful with money while in Las Vegas.

just b/c they have a rationale for ripping people off doesn't mean I will support it. I certainly don't need to spend $150 or $250 for dinner even though everything is excellent. I'm quite happy at mid/high range places like Fiamma.

Very Long Trip Report:

***CLIFF NOTES @ BOTTOM***

SW, Bartolotta, Guy Savoy & Il Mulino

We were in Vegas from Wednesday to Sunday, to celebrate my dad’s 70th birthday, my parents 40th anniversary as well as Thanksgiving.

SW:
There were 7 of us at this dinner. From what I read on 2 + 2, my expectations were very high, probably higher than they would be otherwise.

Collectively we ordered the foie gras, carpaccio, ahi and ravioli appetizers. The carpaccio and ahi were excellent. I also LOVED the bread and butter and their cocktails were delicious. For dinner, I had the Ohmi. For this type of meat, I would have rather ordered by the ounce. I find it impossible to eat more than 3-4 ounces of Kobe/Ohmi/Wagyu steak as it is very rich. Here, the portion is 7 oz., so everyone at the table had a slice. We also ordered multiple Filets, and the lamb. All of the meat had a salt crust – on the Ohmi, it was a good match to the fattiness of the meat, but on the other cuts it was too thick. That being said, I found the quality of the meat to be among the best I have had. The service left a little to be desired… the wait staff were not very attentive and even though there were 2 desserts ordered, they brought one big one to my dad (birthday) and 6 forks….

I think that Craftsteak is still my favorite steak place in Vegas, although I would return to SW.

Bartolotta:

I planned this dinner for 15 for Thanksgiving Day. For large parties, you choose from 3 different set menus ranging in price from $135 to $175. I also ordered a birthday cake through the pastry chef (pics to follow later) which along with the ‘symphony of desserts’ made it $155/pp excluding alcohol. I had never eaten here before and picked this restaurant because the Friday night dinner was at Guy Savoy and I wanted to separate it from a more fine dining experience.

I cannot say enough about the staff @ Bartolotta as well as Lia, the head of restaurant events. I had a lot of special requests and they not only met them, they went above and beyond even ‘good’ customer service. Example: I had requested mixed grilled vegetables as part of the appetizer selection. I didn’t specify the type, just left it up to the chef. They made over 8 different vegetables, all with their own marinade/ sauce. We had carrots, radicchio, endive, brussel sprouts, cauliflower with breadcrumbs, salad with artichokes and mushrooms, eggplant, each one more delicious than the last.

The pasta course was butternut squash tortellini in brown butter and penne with red mullet. The main course was traditional turkey w/ stuffing, ribeye and a whole roasted red snapper.

All the food was served on platters, family style which was a good fit for Thanksgiving and gave the dinner a more intimate feel.

For the birthday cake I had originally wanted a slot machine cake, so Lia told me to look for a picture of one. All of the ones I found were hopelessly tacky so I said that I thought I would like a chocolate cake with the outside fondant in milk, white and dark chocolate and left the rest up to the pastry chef. The cake they made was so perfect – it was the least tacky representation of a slot machine on a cake.

The service was phenomenal…. I am always happy staying/eating at the Wynn but this restaurant really went above and beyond to make sure that my dad’s birthday was special. Everyone there was working on Thanksgiving, but you would never have known it… I highly recommend this restaurant and, if you are planning any type of large dinner, Lia is absolutely wonderful and will soon be the recipient of a very large gift basket. Even though it was my dad’s birthday, I looked like a total star and it really was all them (shhh…)

Guy Savoy:

This was my third time dining @ Guy Savoy and I have loved it every time. From the charming oh-so-French staff to all of the trolleys that come by with Champagne, bread and desserts it is a food experience not to be missed. Because there were 15 of us, we didn’t have the full trolley service but the service for 15 was just as impeccable as it was for 4.

The menu:
Choice of: Milk fed Mossaic of Poullard or Colors of Caviar (I had the caviar..mmmm); foie gras (the best preparation
I have ever had), artichoke and black truffle soup, choice of sea bass or tenderloin (I had the sea bass) and coconut 6 ways for dessert along with the most popular selections from the dessert trolley. For the holiday, the chocolate lollipops were filled with the most divine spice combination.

We will be there on Christmas and are thinking of returning and trying the special menu.

Il Mulino:

It was ok…. Service not that great, but we were a large party and after all of those other meals spoiled rotten. I had the 3 pasta appetizer with Bolognese and Veal Marsala. The pappardelle with Bolognese sauce was excellent, the Veal good, the rest forgettable. The one standout is the antipasti on the table – salami, zucchini in oil with red pepper and an amazing Parmesan cheese.

I returned home surprised that I was only 2.5 pounds heavier as we also ate at Payard every morning where I felt it necessary to feed myself like a foie gras goose.

We are going back over Christmas and can’t decide between Alex or Joel Rubichon… any suggestions?

***CLIFF NOTES***

SW: B
Bartolottas: A+
Guy Savoy: A+
Il Mulino: B- (would have been a 'C' except for the antipasti)

I forgot one thing... when it comes to ordering in a group, be careful what you order. I thought I had *discreetly* asked the server for a glass of Warre's '77 port (Guy Savoy) The next thing I know, he shows up with an open bottle and asks the table if anyone else would like some... Thankfully only 2 other people accepted - one who just wanted port and one other who knew what was being offered....

KB4Z,

I don't like it either. My utility for high end dining might be greater than yours, but that does not mean I'll support high markup on wine. I was just confirming that it is how you perceive it - they're squeezing while they can.

Great TR. Thanks.

Any picture of the slot machine cake?

Almost all high end Vegas restaurants let you bring your own wine in for a $20-$35 corkage, and many of those will waive it depending on if you buy extra wine, or even if you are just nice to the waiter. I highly recommend it to any locals that have their own decent wine handy.

Eating LV had an interesting post about corkage fees over the summer.