Saturday, February 19, 2011

Vegas Valentine

I went to Vegas. I now want to go back to Vegas because it felt too short. Being that this was a work trip, I don't have a lot of exciting things to report, but we did have a fabulous Valentine's dinner at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon.


It's obvious, right? The place is gorgeous. The food is amazing. The kitchen runs like clockwork. The service is fantastic. Chef Robuchon, himself, was even expected on the premises that evening, so things were probably even more on-point than usual - or not. I have a feeling that place is always run with precision.

We were very tempted by the 9-course Seasonal Discovery menu, but chose the more sensible Club Menu, which was 4 courses, but actually 5 because we started with a crazy foie gras amuse bouche.

Because I have the most annoying stomach in the universe (it tells me I'm starving and then becomes full after 3 bites), I was ready to burst by the time the entree came. The salmon was amazing, of course, but the most memorable part was the signature Pommes Puree, which is a fancy way of saying Best Mashed Potatoes in the World. They were like velvet and whipped cream babies...plus, they came in tiny casserole dishes! I wanted to climb inside the dish and swim around in the potatoes. So good.

Dessert was also lovely, as we shared the selection of tartes and housemade ice creams and even had after-dinner espressos like real adults...adults who were hoping to stay awake past 8 p.m.

All-in-all, the perfect Valentine's Day dinner. So perfect that my husband and I are ready to crown Vegas our official Valentine's Day destination going forward. Neither of us is sure why we never thought of this before...why spend money eating out here, when we could be there? Plus, it aligns with my whole "escaping Minnesota in February" mental well-being philosophy. That's right, going to Vegas is good for me.

The only downside of our dinner was the realization that there is just no way in hell I'm going to make it through Joel Robuchon's 16-course menu (#3 on my 40 by 40 list). Is there a training regimen that one should put their stomach through before undertaking such a meal? I can't just not eat for two days beforehand, as my husband suggested, because my stomach will shrink and I'll get full even faster (not to mention that I'll pass out from low blood sugar). Is it better to take just one bite of everything or just admit that you're going to have to vomit somewhere between courses 5 and 10? (Don't worry! I'll be back for dessert!)

Yes, these are the problems I have. Life is good.

1 comment:

A2HelloKitty said...

Ooh, that sounds like a perfect Valentine's and I do so love your rule of escaping Minnesota in February. We need one of those! Wish there was somewhere wihiin driving or reasonable train distance we could escape to.
Ah the 16-course meal! What if you made your husband split it. You each eat 1/3, leaving a not-to-offensive no-thank-you portion on the plate? Get the earliest reservation they have, say 4pm, and go SLOW. Eat a light breakfast - attack it like Thanksgiving!