First I found the restaurant and then I read their menu ... uncertainty battled with a kind of queasy interest. L'Atelier was definitely the weirdest, scariest establishment that we'd ever considered dining at, but it also seemed like it had great potential ... what to do; oh, what to do?
Well, the easiest thing, and that to which I was most inclined, was to do nothing because I wasn't really sure if we could afford to demolish this place as well as Alize' on one trip. That may seem out of character for me, but you have to remember that I'm great with vacation budgeting until we actually go on vacation. Then all my good intentions and money saving ideas get thrown out with the excess baggage at 37,000 feet.
Once I finished working on our 2007 Federal and State Income Tax Returns and realized that we were going to receive more benjamins back from Big and Little Brother than originally anticipated, I made an executive decision and booked a reservation. And then we developed another leaky crack in the basement wall (some day I'll bore you all with the soggy saga that has been our life in the house we had built 8 years ago ... there have been so many instances of water trying to enter our cozy love nest that I think Jay and I may actually be water deities) and then we discovered a problem with the roof and then we noticed that our kitchen counter tops were bubbling and then we found out ... well, you get the general idea. Our house was throwing a pre-adolescent temper tantrum and we couldn't afford to ignore it.
Bye-bye Joel Robuchon, hello epoxy injections and roofing materials.
But then two more things happened:
1) We were notified of a "rebate" check that would be coming our way from Uncle Sam. While we felt that the idea was a bad one on the part of the US government, who were we to turn up our noses at some extra coin? Jay and I agreed to use the money to pay off the balance due on the cruise we're planning to take in October 2009.
2) We arrived in Vegas and made the mistake of walking through MGM on our way to the Vegas monorail. While making the casino circuit we happened to stroll past both of Joel Robuchon's dining establishments and of course we had to stop to look at the menus.
**DANGER WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!!!**
It was too late.
We hot-footed it over to the Concierge desk faster than you can say, "We've got a rebate check and we're not afraid to spend it all on a single meal!"
**As a side note ... you may have already deduced that we did not pay off that cruise with our welfare check from Uncle Sam.**
After waiting in line for something like three days behind a group of retirees who wanted to buy tickets to a show that they didn't know anything about it and who couldn't agree on how much to spend or where they wanted to sit or who was paying in the first place we finally reached the lovely young lady behind the desk and asked about getting back the reservation that I had made in February and then canceled in early April.
Our original time slot was gone, but we were able to nab one for later in the evening, around 8PM, and we were happy. She noted on our reservation that we were celebrating Jason's birthday, printed out a confirmation, assured us that we would love the Robuchon experience, and sent us on our giddy way.
Why giddy, you ask?
Allow me to answer that with a question of my own:
Who the hell is Joel Robuchon, anyway?
According to the internets, this man has been named the Chef of the Century by the guide Gault Millau, which means absolutely nothing to me but certainly sounds impressive. He operates more than a dozen restaurants in cities worldwide, including Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Macau, Monaco, New York, Paris and Tokyo with a total of 17 Michelin Guide stars among them - the most of any chef in the world.
L'Atelier is a 4-Diamond AAA rated restaurant and it also has received a 1-star Michelin Guide rating. It's a unique counter service establishment where guests are primarily seated at a long bar facing an open kitchen where they can observe meals being prepared in an interactive environment. The Degesutation menu that we ordered included 10 courses and was priced at $135 per person.
Just for comparison, Joel Robuchon has a second establishment at the MGM Grand right next door to L'Atelier. Following in the bold, egotistical footsteps of Todd English, Chef Robuchon simply named this restaurant after himself; some day, when Jay and I decide to hock my engagement ring, we're going back to Vegas and we're going to eat dinner there. That restaurant has a 5-Diamond AAA rating, a Mobil 5-Star rating, and is the only 3-Star Michelin Guide winner in the city of Las Vegas. They offer a 16-course tasting menu for about $400 per person ... insert fainting emoticon here.
Someone pass me the smelling salts ...
Deep breaths ... that's it ... breathe.
Alright, now that I've recovered from my food swoon; grab yourself a snack and a cool beverage because we're going to be here for a while.
First up, the obligatory and surely by now tiring for the audience, self-portrait. I was not then and am not now pleased with my appearance in the least. The weather had turned decidedly windy ... so windy in fact that the palm trees were bending over to kiss the pavement. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I knew the weather conditions were less than ideal so I didn't bother to spend a ton of time on my appearance ... why wear your hair down when you know that it will be sticking to your lipstick the moment you walk out of the hotel? If you think I exaggerate, try this on for size: Jay suggested we take a cab over to the MGM when we could have easily walked there from Mandalay Bay in about fifteen minutes... or been blown there by a strong gust of wind in five.
I hope this dress has an elastic waist ...
This is another one of those reviews where I'm going to try to let the pictures do most of the talking...please, hold your mocking laughter at least through the end of this sentence. For one thing I am a culinary ig-nah-ray-moose. For another thing ... this experience was so incredible that I don't know how to begin to describe it. But I can tell you about my hilarious bathroom misadventures and the French chef who was seated beside Jay during the better part of the meal but didn't say a word to us until we ordered the cheese plate.
To start, this is the outside of the restaurant as seen from the casino:
Unimaginable delights await you ...
We checked in with the hostess, who was waiting at a podium located outside of the restaurant; she led us through the interior and seated us at the short end of the bar near the back looking directly into the open kitchen. The decor is sleek and contemporary and the primary colors are black and red. The walls and the floors are black, and I'm here to tell you right now, when you pay this establishment a visit ask the staff where the restroom is located because the door blends right into the wall.
Place Setting
Upon settling in at the surprisingly comfortable bar, we were greeted by our server, although that's not really the right word because all the servers at L'Atelier are chefs in their own right. He introduced himself, presented us with the menus, explained the different ordering options, and then inquired as to whether or not we wanted to order a bottle of wine or perhaps start the evening off with a glass of champagne.
A bottle of wine?
After last night at Alize', probably not.
But a glass of effervescent, French bubbly?
Don't mind if we do!
Bubbles tickle my nose ...
It's probably hard to tell from this picture, but the raised barrier / ledge in front of us was clear plexiglass, and there were decorative peppers inside of it. The serving teams can see through the barrier and that's how they know when it's time to clear the plates. It's quite sneaky and clever - this way the staff doesn't have to keep peering over the top of the bar to see how guests are progressing with their various courses. We also liked this set-up because the serving team always approaches guests from the front, which in this setting is much more convenient and interactive. And it makes it much easier for the server / chef to describe and explain the various courses and answer any questions that may come up during the meal.
Here's a glimpse into the open kitchen from our seats at the bar:
Mmmmm, French mini-loaves!
We gnawed a bit on some bread and butter while taking a look at the menu. There were actually a few different options that we could have chosen. The restaurant has a listing of small appetizer-sized portions that guests can order a la carte, essentially building their own tasting menu. There is also a selection of larger "meal sized" portions to choose from. And, of course, there is the Chef's Tasting Menu. After comparing the prices for all the various options we really thought it made more sense to go with the Chef's Menu since we'd have a lot more food to try for lower overall cost, relatively speaking.
We also advised our culinary guide for the evening that we wanted to try the L'Atelier cheese plate later in the evening; he said he doubted that we would have room for it but that he would check back with us as the meal progressed.
Us not have room for a cheese plate?
Bwaaahahahahahaaaaa!!
Oh, if only he knew who he was dealing with.
Course One: Le Citron - Lemon Gelee topped with Fennel Cream
Mmmmm, a cool tasty start to the evening's gastronomic festivities; this was similar to a lightly flavored lemon jelly topped with just a bit of cream. And to add some texture and saltiness there was a wee dollop of caviar nestled within the fennel cream. You might think from the description that this was too sweet or maybe too tart, but the flavors were all subtle and blended together exceptionally well.
Course Two: Le Thon Rouge - Big Eye Tuna with Tomato infused Olive Oil and Spicy Guacamole
This was excellent and I'm pretty sure it was the first time I've ever tried sushi-grade tuna, but it won't be the last! The tuna had a mild flavor and the texture was fairly soft ... with just a hint of firmness; there were some herbs and cracked pepper sprinkled across the top of the fish and while I did try both the olive oil and the guacamole, I liked the tuna best without any kind of condiment. The guacamole was far too spicy for my delicate tastebuds, but Jay really enjoyed it.
Course Three: Le Homard - Maine Lobster in a Gelee of Vegetables topped with a Chilled Leek Soup
Wow! There was a ton of action happening in that bowl and every bite yielded a different mix of flavors that I can't even find appropriate words to describe. I didn't think I'd care for cold seafood soup but this was very tasty and Jay and I both agreed that it was surprisingly good and very enjoyable.
Take a look at some more pictures of the kitchen, including one of the chefs in action ...
Course Four: L'Asperge Verte - Cappuccino of Green Asparagus with Parmesan
This was a creamy soup with a distinct asparagus flavor. At first I thought it was going to be a bisque, but there were little bits of asparagoose hidden at the bottom of the bowl. And I adored the shaved Parmesan that partially melted into the soup ... oh yum! One of the things that surprised us about this selection is that it was served warm while the seafood soup we'd had with the earlier course was served cold. In our limited culinary experience the seafood soups are usually served warm while the vegetable soups are chilled, but as Jay and I talked it over we realized that there was a grand plan, so to speak. The tasting menu started with a cold tastebud teaser, followed by a cold, raw fish dish, then a cooked, chilled fish soup, progressing to a warm, vegetable soup ... and so on and so forth.
Course Five: La Sole - Dover Sole Filet with Zucchini and Mushrooms
Yes, you guessed it! This fishie was served nice and hot and it tasted wonderful - mild, slightly sweet, and flaky. I thought the grilled zucchini was also quite tasty but of course had to shunt the mushrooms over to Jay's plate. He did not complain but the French man sitting next to Jay raised his eyebrows in Gallic disbelief. How did I know that this gentleman was from my favorite country in Epcot? He and his party came in about 30-45 minutes after we were seated and they were either friends of management or well-known in chef circles because all the chefs and managers and generally important looking people employed at L'Atelier kept stopping by to chat with them in French.
They didn't seem to be particularly fluent in English and had also ordered the tasting menu. Jay is such a nice guy that he shared his copy of the menu with them to give them a better idea of the food they'd be eating. L'Atelier's menu is in French and in English, so that worked out nicely, don't you think? The gentleman seated next to Jay was actually a chef, as we found out later when we apparently won some brownie points for America at large by ordering the cheese plate and evidencing enough knowledge to ask the poor serving guy exactly what type of cheeses they were - cow, sheep, goat ... Kraft singles ... ;-).
Course Six: L'Ceuf - Fried Egg with Sweet Onion Cream and Smoked Salmon
Before I share the picture, I have to admit that this was another one of those dishes that surprised the hell out of us. Jay and I read the menu description and both had a mental picture of a typical fried egg served on a nice piece of smoked salmon and drizzled with some cream.
How dull.
How pedestrian.
How not-French.
Take a gander at Joel Robuchon's idea of a fried egg:
It was soft-boiled, breaded, and then flash-fried. Where's the salmon? This artery clogging delight was topped with salmon roe and was surrounded by onion cream. Our first reaction was: What the hell is this? And then our second reaction was: How are we supposed to eat it?
Breach the egg, baby, and feast on the warm, runny goo inside!
This was really tasty, especially once the yolk blended with the onion cream. I don't like onions and thought the cream by itself was overpowering, but once I managed to dip my fork into some yolky cream and then scoop up some breaded egg and a little salmon roe ... fabulous! Try to imagine salty, creamy, sweet, crunchy, and gelatinous tastes and textures all combined in one bite and you'll be on the way towards understanding why this course was so incredible. I believe that this was our favorite dish of the entire evening due to its originality and wonderful taste combinations.
The next course was the only one in which Jay and I had something different - there were two items to choose from for "dinner" so he picked one and I chose the other.
Course Seven: La Caille - Free Range Quail stuffed with Foie Gras and served with Truffled Mashed Potatoes (Brenda's "dinner")
This was my first time eating quail and I found myself marveling at the delicate flavor and the dollhouse-like portion size. My only complaint was that it must have been stuffed with gnat-sized foie gras, because I couldn't find any even though I searched desperately for some. I liked the potatoes best - they were a light, creamy melt-in-your-mouth dream and I could have eaten an entire bowl of them - they were that good.
And somewhere along the way I'm pretty sure we ordered a half-bottle of white burgundy and took our time drinking that along with several bottles of Perrier throughout the evening. It's important to keep yourself well hydrated when eating this many courses!
Course Seven: L'Agneau de Lait - Roasted Rack of Lamb with Fresh Thyme (Jason's "dinner")
Isn't that cute? Jay's dinner was prepared in the de-bigulator! He had the same incredible mashed potoates that I had along with his juicy, flavorful, miniscule rack of lamb.
It was about this time that I decided that I needed to use the restroom once again. It's not advisable to drink like a fish while taking antibotics for a UTI (again) but since we were on vacation I decided the only prudent thing to do was ignore all sound medical advice, drink lots of water, and hope for the best. Here's the thing about the bathroom at L'Atelier ... there's only one for the ladies and one for the men. And by one I mean one little closet with a single throne that is honored to accept your waste. That means you must lock the door when using the closet or some Midwestern doofus will walk in on you while you're doing your business. And that's just awkward for everyone.
I tell the truth when I say that there was no way to know if the closet was in use other than by giving the door handle a good yank.
And I did.
And it opened.
And someone was horrified to see me and I was equally horrified to see her.
I scooted back to my seat faster than you can say don't squeeze the Charmin and told Jay what had happened. Of course we both snickered about it and rolled our eyes that someone could have neglected to lock the door.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
After waiting a few minutes and being certain that the bathroom was indeed free, I attempted a second visit. I made very sure to lock the door behind me and proceeded to use the facilities. Imagine my surprise when just as I was completing my flush-aroo and rearranging my dress the door opened!!!
Rewind to previous horrified exchange and switch my role from the doofus at the door to the appalled "I hope no one saw my thighs" user of the bathroom.
Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes, can't it?
As a side note, I did mention to the staff that the lock on the bathroom door appeared to be broken. I hope they've managed to fix it by now.
Course Eight: Cheese Plate (not on the tasting menu, we ordered it on top of everything else, much to the amazement of the staff) Cool. Now we can say we've actually met a French chef even though we have no idea who he is.
There were only four cheeses included, but they were all excellent: Tomme de Brebis (sheep); Pont Leveque (double creme cow); Roquefort (ewe); and Tomme de Chevre (goat). I think I've listed them in the reverse order in which they are pictured below. And they also provided us with a heaping helping of some kind of dark bread that we chose to ignore. I asked our server for some note paper so that we could write down the names of the cheeses and that's when the French gentleman seated next to Jay suddenly spoke with us. He mentioned that one of these was his all-time favorite (and of course I have no idea now which one that was) and he also seemed quite pleased that we were asking questions and taking notes - that's when he told us he was a chef.
It doesn't compare with the Alize' cheese plate, but it's still a tasty treat!
To further aid in our digestion we ordered some port to accompany the cheese plate. Mmmmm, mmmm good; there's nothing quite like a rich glass of port to savor along with the finely flavored results of what is essentially a bacterial process.
20-year Tawny
And now, it's time for desserts. Yep, you read that correctly ... I said desserts!
Course Nine: Le the Glace Vanille - Lemongrass Mousse, Vanilla Tea flavored Sorbet and Crunchy Caramel Tuile
We took two pictures of this one ... a side view and an aerial, because it was hard to capture the whole dessert presentation with just one photograph.
And now we really started to see the menu offerings tie themselves together. We began the meal with a light, creamy, lemon appetizer and we wrapped the meal up with a light, creamy, lemony dessert. The lemongrass mousse was actually on the bottom of the serving container and the sorbet was resting on top of it. This was a refreshing and delightful dessert and not at all filling, which was a good thing since we still had another dessert to get through.
Course Ten: La Mangue - Hazelnut Cremeux, Fresh Mango and Coffee-Caramel Streusel
Another double picture shot for everyone to ooooooooh and ahhhhhhhhh over!
This was also quite creamy, but definitely a heavier, more solid dessert offering. The hazlenut and chocolate and coffee all worked really well together and the streusel was almost like a crunchy little cookie hidden beneath the cream. My only quibble was with the mango, which didn't seem like it belonged with this at all. And such is the beauty of differing opinions because my hubby thought the mango was a great contrast with everything else and he really liked it and didn't mind eating mine in the least.
Course Eleven: Birthday Dessert!! Not on the menu; by this point the staff were watching us eat in slack-jawed admiration...or was it revulsion?
Our guide brought out a selection of specialty tarts offered by the restaurant ... Pecan, Raspberry, Chocolate, Lemon, and Cinnamon. 
I love that girl working the MGM Concierge desk! She rocks for earmarking our dinner reservation so that Jay could get a little something special for his birthday for a change. I mean, we always seem to be traveling Disney around my birthday and some little something always seems to happen for which I am very appreciative. Now it was finally time for the man to be on the receiving end of some good karma and I'm glad it happened here.
The dessert tarts were all quite good, although I did not eat the pecan. I liked the chocolate and lemon the best, followed by the cinnamon and then the raspberry. Jay liked them all and doesn't he look cute with his dessert plate?
Course Twelve: Le Cafe - Coffee or Espresso ... I think we ordered coffee! 
We were offically at the end of the meal and our guide asked us if we would like some coffee or espresso. His tone was a little doubtful as if he were unsure what would happen if we tried to eat or drink anything else, but it was included with the meal and coffee sounded like a nice end to the evening. It was rich and flavorful, served with both raw and refined sugar, a pitcher of real cream, and a little chocolate square. Delightful!
Before we waddled out of L'Ateleier, we inquired as to whether or not we could get a copy of the menu and then had the gall to ask if the executive chef would sign it for us. That's a habit we picked up in New Orleans a few years back (thank you Commanders Palace). We've found that most establishments are more than happy to oblige - it's good publicity. Menu in hand we thanked the staff for a lovely evening and slowly made our way back to MGM's main entrance. We briefly considered walking back to Mandalay Bay but as we approached the front doors we could see that the wind was gusting even worse than it had been earlier in the evening. There was a line about 50 people deep waiting for cabs - you know it's bad wind when the long-haired ladies in the cab queue have their locks being blown straight out like a wind-sock.
Nuts to walking!
We joined the masses and waited about ten minutes in freezing cold wind for a ride back to our hotel. During the cab ride I asked Jay what he thought of our experience at L'Atelier and he was quiet for a moment and then said, "To quote that Civil War general who once ate an entire watermelon in one sitting ... 'that was monstrous fine!'"
So it's official; Jay and Brenda give L'Atelier their highest rating ever: Monstrous fine!!!
24 comments:
WOW Brenda, I'm almost speechless. That must have been such an incredible experience. Thanks so much for taking the time to share it.
Hi Kathy! Thanks for reading ... it was a pretty amazing evening. By far the standout experience in a week of terrific dining. And thanks for letting me share! ;-)
Wow. All I can say is wow.
Let's start from the very beginning...
Make no bones about it. His restaurant should be L'Atelier de Jöel Robuchon™. He's as shameless as Todd English, but apparently with better reason to be!
I would SO want to eat at either eponymous restaurant. Ok, now that we have that covered, I have to laugh at you...er WITH you.
You'd think a swanky place like that could afford a better door lock. Gosh! (giggle)
And you ate MUSHROOMS. Sure, they were fancy mushrooms hidden in the potatoes, but they were mushrooms! I must say that with the mushrooms and truffles, the asparagus soup and the "promise" of foie gras, I let out a little gurgle of pleasure reading this.
And I did take your advice for a snack and a cool beverage. I ran to the fridge to get some Humboldt Fog and a bottle of water. Heheh.
(Yes, I made a run to Whole Foods finally!)
Anyway, I found your salmon in that dish. I spotted three little bits of it surrounding the egg. ;)
And I'm glad you made a good impression on the French chef sitting next to you. Too bad you didn't get his name.
All in all, I'm awed by your dinner photos. I think the meal seemed to be worth every penny.
I'm so glad I read this while eating dinner at the computer. What a meal!
And yes, I think for what it costs to eat there they can afford a properly working lock in the ladies room.
Hey there Lori! I put that Todd English comment in there just for you. ;-)
And yeah, you would think that they could afford a better lock. I hope they've fixed it by now.
As for the mushrooms, I guess the lesson is (at least for me) grind them up into a fine dust and mix them in with something yummy and watch how fast they get eaten.
Mmmmm, Whole Foods! One opened up last month that is closer to our house (relatively speaking) and we are actually signed up for some cheese classes this month! Booyah!
Thanks for reading ... glad you liked it. This meal was definitely worth every penny and then some.
Hiya Deb! I think one reason that it took me so long to finish this review is that I kept getting hungry while I was writing it. I totally understand eating dinner while reading it. ;-)
And as I just stated to Lori ... yes, they should definitely be able to afford a better lock. Heck, they should have an occupied sign over the door just like the airlines ... then there wouldn't be any more embarrassing moments like mine (hopefully).
Thanks for taking the time to read!
Whoo, what a meal! And I didn't even need my reading glasses, b/c I figured out I can increase the screeen to 125%--pretty smart, huh? You are a very adventurous diner compared to me. We just tried mahi mahi for the first time last week and really didn't care for it. (Maybe it was the recipe I tried). But Jason's tarts looked wonderful!!!!
This was quite a good accompaniment (sp?) to my lunch of turkey on double fiber whole wheat. We moved our Disney trip up to Oct. from Dec. so I have some serious dieting to do in the next 88 days!!!
This could possibly be one of my all time favorite reviews! :) Wow. I loved every little detail you shared. I just ate it up! Now I'm starving! :)
Sorry about the bathroom exerience. At least it was the ladies room and not the mens room on accident...I was kind of waiting for that to happen. lol.
Brenda -
What is it with you and bathroom stories?
I cannot wait to try this restaruant. I think you have sold me on our anniversary dinner choice. This sounds perfect.
Cheese plate... YUM!
Lemon Flavored just about anything... YUM!
Foie Gras... YUM!
GREAT job! Thanks for posting it!
Brenda, what a wonderful review! I love how you've turned into such an adventurous eater! Imagine how boring life would have been without the foie gras (invisible foie gras), soft-boiled egg, quail, sushi-grade tuna, and all of the other slightly odd yet delightfully delicious courses. And I'm SO glad you ordered the cheese plate! A good cheese plate makes me weak with pleasure ;)
My very favorite cheese is Constant Bliss, a raw cow's milk cheese from Jasper Hill farm. I am not sure if you've ever tried it, but I looked it up and the carry it at "The Wine Merchant" in stink town. If you've never tried it...please do! The textures range from the outside, slightly chewy, to inside getting softer and sweeter as you get towards the center.
Sorry, I posted my comment but then thought you might not recognize your ol' fan from the Dis - LisaDKG!
That was fabulous - and more so because I've been to L'Atelier too AND I've had someone walk in on me in that bathroom!!! And that was 3 years ago - sorry, I guess I should have warned you? Now, whenever I am in one of those single type rooms, where the door opens for enough people to get a good view, I actually contort my body, throughout the entire experience with the anticipation that the door is VERY LIKELY to open! I am getting very good at it, and there is now no chance of someone getting a bad angle of my pasty thighs!
Is that a bit TMI from someone you haven't heard from in a while? Sorry, but I think, somehow, you can take it!
I am really excited to be reading your Vegas travails because I am heading there next month - not sure what culinary exploits will be involved but as it is my sister's farewell to singlehood, (singledom?...she's getting hitched!) I already have a reservation at a Chippendale's performance. Its probably a really good thing I don't blog...
Anyways, I also want to tell you that you and Jay should really come to Calgary, Alberta Canada and come with us for dinner to our favorite restaurant, tucked away in the Rockies, called Eden (at the Rimrock Resort) - Google it! If you do, I swear the tasting menu will make you cry, sing, pee your pants and see angels. We did.
Just throwing it out there! Take care!
LisaDKG!
!
still eating and drinking I see. Man I miss the Molar Express. On the Magic, the courses are "free".
Jamie thanks for coming over to take a read! I wish I could access the blog while I'm at work but no dice.
Three years ago this review would not have been possible ... I've broadened my personal menu by leaps and bounds since that meal Jay and I had at Commanders Palace in the Spring of 2005.
Maybe you didn't get a fresh mahi mahi? It's a pretty mild fish so I'm a little surprised you didn't care for it.
And did you say October? Dare I ask when???
Oh, and yes ... Jay's tart sampler was yummy indeed!
Howdy Woo! Thanks for the kind words ... I'm glad you enjoyed the review.
I have made the mistake of entering the men's room ... just not at this restaurant. I did that a Disney last May. I'm just a never-ending source of mockery ... really, it's a gift. ;-)
Ms. Heimlich! I was hoping you'd get over here to see this review ... I'm so glad you enjoyed it and I'm thrilled to hear that you and the hubby are going to give it a try! What a wonderful anniversary meal that will be for the both of you! :-)
And I wish I knew why weird things keep happening with me and various bathrooms while Jay and I are on vacation. I just look at it as more fun to share with everyone here ... who doesn't enjoy snickering at my discomfort?
Heidi, thank you for your lovely comment. I'm blushing ... and I have a silly smile on my face. :-)
It's pretty amazing when I look at what I'll eat today as opposed to what I wouldn't eat three years ago. Sometimes I think the dinner Jay and I had at Commander's Palace was almost like a revelation. Food is good!!!
As for the Constant Bliss, I can't remember if we've tried it or not which leads me to think that we haven't. BUT ... not only do we have two Whole Foods in Stinktown now, but the Wine Merchant is one of our favortie places to get our booze on. We've never purchased cheese from them because they have a very small selection that is overpriced in our humble opinion, but I'll give 'em a second look now if only to try this cheese. Kabuki from the DISboards has also highly recommended this cheese, so if the both of you are touting it then I gots to get me some!
LisaDKG!!! I would have known it was you as soon as you mentioned Calgary ... for the same reason that I remember loans I've reviewed and underwriten from ten years and three employers ago I seem to remember almost everyone from the DIS who's posted at least once, especially the amusing ones!
I can't tell you how nice it is to hear from you. AND you've already eaten at Joel's "affordable" place. Amazing, isn't it? And I wish I could convey just how hard I laughed when I read that you had the same kind of bathroom experience there. Do you think that it's a candid camera kind of thing? Maybe they replay the video footage in France and laugh at all of us while they drink wine and eat stinky cheese?
Sounds like you have a fun trip coming up next month! I do have one last restaurant review to post from Vegas and then I'll be finished but I state the honest truth when I say we didn't have a single bad meal the entire time we were there. Everything was great.
As for Calgary ... hmmmmm, perhaps Jay and I will consider a trip up North for a change. We're looking for something to do over our 10th anniversary next May ... how's the dollar doing up there? We have some other DISbuddies up in Calgary ... what a fun trip that could be!
I have bookmarked your restuarant suggestion and will be taking a closer look very soon. I hope looking at their website doesn't make me incontinent. ;-)
Thanks again for coming over to take a read and to let me know you were here!
Paul! How the heck are you?
I miss the Molar Express, too. There are a group of us cruising in October 2009 ... any chance you could join us for the Bash on the Boat (BOB)?
As for us ... would you expect Jay and I to be doing anything other than eating and drinking? ;-)
And while it pains me to say this ... it does look like your Cubs may be on their way to the post-season again this year. They've got a pretty good team (ugh, I think I have to cut off a finger now).
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you and the wife and the girls are all doing well. :-)
Oh Brenda, sorry about that bathroom incident!!!! It's one of my recurring nightmares, either people walking in on me or having to go in a not so private bathroom LOL! You'd think with those prices, they could afford a better lock! Your dinner experience sounded incredible! Wish they had a hot dog/hamburger/french fry tasting menu somewhere LOL!!Thanks for the great review!
Oh my goodness, you DO need to try it! Get thee to a cheese monger!
Hi Cass! Ya know ... I seem to be destined for one wonky bathroom experience per vacation year. At least it was dark and I was getting ready to wash my hands ... unlike that poor woman that I startled half-to-death. ;-)
The dinner was amazing ... speaking of Vegas food, where are you going to eat for your anniversary?
Heidi, the more I think about it the more I'm sure that I tried Constant Bliss last fall at disney during PFTS ... but I've not been able to find it here in STL yet.
I'll keep looking. :-)
Although I am having a very hard time with the prices, I think our anniversary dinner will be at Delmonico. I'm not a foodie, so I've never been to a fancy place and never paid more than $50-60 for dinner for Rob and I so I may faint when I get the check! LOL! Lunch will be at the much cheaper Hard Rock Cafe :)
So, what's left for Vegas reviews??
I never would have called us foodies either ... but I'm starting to wonder lately. ;-)
I hope you two have a great meal at Delmonicos ... and if you do you won't notice the check so much because you'll have a wonderful evening to look on for years to come! We've tried three of Emeril's restaurants and they've all been really good so I've got high hopes for you and Delmonicos.
The last review, which I'm working on this week, is for Aquaknox - the seafood place at the Venetian. It's about half finished but I'm gonna be out of circulation the next few evenings so I probably won't get it published before the weekend. And then I just have a bunch of pictures to share in a separate post. And then I guess I'll be quiet for a while and leave everyone alone. ;-)
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