This was too funny. Melissa was able to wrap the yarn from back to front to back again!
The next game was guessing how many M&Ms were in the baby bottle:
This is my favorite picture of Melissa from her baby shower. With every single card she read, she would say, “This is going to make me cry” and she would quickly put it down and Melissa said that she would read it later. This picture shows her genuine emotion over a card that Jen made for her, and you can clearly see her appreciation and love for those surrounding her on this special day.
One last photo of the Mom-to-be:
The second place that Vivian recommended (in addition to Oyster Bar) for my bachelorette party was L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. All the girls ordered from the L’Unique menu, consisting of three courses served within 15 minutes. It was quick, easy, and I remember how tasty the veal was.
Fast forward: I enjoy watching Top Chef and on the last season, Top Chef Las Vegas, they talked about the Chef of the Century. As Taro and I were watching, the footage showed MGM Hotel and I saw a glimpse of L’Atelier and I exclaimed, “Hey, I ate there!” Taro looked at me in surprise…possibly with a hint of disappointment just because we love experiencing new places together. (Telling him we also ate at Nobu brought a sad face as well.) I did not realize that I ate at a restaurant created by the world renowned, Chef of the Century, Joel Robuchon. All I could say afterward was, “It was pretty good.” So when we went to Vegas after the wedding in September, I actually booked reservations at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon so my family could experience L’Unique; however, we had a late lunch and since that particular menu is only offered before 6:45 p.m., I had to cancel. It was a disappointment, but I vowed that the next time we were in Vegas, I would take Taro there.
And so came New Years in Vegas. We did not want to make the same mistake of eating too much prior to Robuchon, but we did; we had lunch at Bouchon so we actually pushed our reservation until 8 p.m. and played blackjack to let ourselves become a bit more hungry. By the time we sat, we were ready to enjoy some French cuisine. From the decor to the presentation to the service to the food, everything was the same as the first experience, but even better! L’Unique was perfect to enjoy with girlfriends, but the winter tasting menu was perfect to experience with Taro. We ordered different main dishes so we could share and the portions were larger than expected; we were close to giving up before the cheese was brought out because we were stuffed! But we made it to dessert and really enjoyed our experience at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. I am curious to try the other side of the restaurant, but we will have to wait until the next time we are in Vegas…
A tiny Christmas tree displayed on the counters and in the background, vegetables and delicacies displayed in containers. After we ordered, the waiter brought out bread and I fondly said, “The bread is soooooo good here.” Of course, Taro gave me the “Are you kidding, it’s bread look,” but he quickly understood once he took a bite into the fluffiness.
Foie Gras Parfait with Port Wine and Parmesan Foam: This was the perfect starter to our meal and seemed to set the tone for the rest of the night.
Mussels and Mimolette Veloute with Croutons, which we quickly finished and even dipped our bread into. I think Taro could have licked the bowl clean. Compared to the mussels I had from the L’Unique menu (it was served cold), this dish completely surpassed it.
Crispy Langoustine Fritter with Basil Pesto, which had a tempura-like texture. I ordered the Scottish Salmon with Aromates and Crispy Potatoes. It was good, but I am going to have to say that it did not stand out compared to Taro’s main dish and also, the salmon at Providence.
Beef Cheek Burgundian Style served with bacon chunks on the side:
Alongside the main dishes, we were also served Pommes Puree (Mashed Potatoes). Similar to Bouchon, these potatoes were perfection! They were creamy, buttery, and served in a rich, red ramekin. It inspired me to want to present in a similar fashion – and wouldn’t it just be ideal for a small dinner party? Hmmmm… After our main course, we were served a selection of imported cheese. At first I thought our waiter heard me say, “I am so full!” and decided to give us a moment to breath, but it turned out that there was a delay in our cheese platter. What was nice was that he noticed, even though Taro and I were quite content with taking a break, and poured us each a glass of wine to enjoy. We did enjoy the cheese once it was brought out, but we really wanted to leave room for our dessert, which stunned us. It was not just a small slice, but an assortment of tarts! That was just Taro’s dessert because again, we like to get different things when possible.
My dessert was an assortment of ice cream and sorbet:
The next time we dine here, I am definitely going to try the souffle. If I had room, I would have ordered it, but like I said, until next time…
When Taro and I went to Napa during our adventure up the coast, we ate at Ad Hoc, which was AMAZING. I find it difficult at times to find that special breakfast place; however, Ad Hoc is that place. Sometimes I dream about their waffles and their breakfast pastries. I know it sounds silly, but I just cannot name a breakfast place (yet) that is local and makes me crave the first meal of the day.
So when we were deciding on where to eat during our rendezvous to Vegas, Bouchon was one of the choices. Since we had such a great time at Ad Hoc, we figured Thomas Keller’s other restaurant would be just as stellar. It did not fall short on expectations. To begin with, I did not know what to choose on the menu. Should I go for the pastry basket? french toast? sourdough waffles? corned beef hash? The dilemma! They are all dishes my eyes stray to immediately. Just when Taro and I thought we knew what we wanted, I spotted the daily breakfast/brunch specials: escargot with puff pastry and eggs benedict on crab cakes. We ordered that, along with a bowl of soup and 1/2 dozen oysters.
What stood out at our meal at Bouchon? The crab cakes were phenomenal and the potatoes that were served alongside it were perfectly cubed and crisped. I know it sounds crazy that potatoes could be that good, but I want to say there was something magical about them. And the oysters? We slurped away.
Bouchon opened up here in Southern California and I definitely want to experience it again, most likely with my family because like I said, it is hard to find breakfast places that truly stand out. Thomas Keller is two for two so far…
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