"Diners may sit next to Chuck Norris, one of the celebrity photos that line the opulent space at the grand Joël Robuchon that feels like a cross between the inside of a Faberge egg and Marie Antoinette’s boudoir. The exquisitely crafted fare from Robuchon includes the multi-course degustation menu that is part French grandiosity, part Asian refinement. Truffled langoustine ravioli in a foie gras sauce, a semi-soft boiled egg on a spinach puree, and Maine lobster in a thinly sliced turnip join roving bread, butter, and mignardises carts. Chef Eleazar Villanueva is a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest this year, in part due to his spectacular tight-rope act of preserving the Robachon’s recipes exactly while still innovating — delivering new dishes to tables that maintain the late chef’s ethos even when dabbling in new flavors. —Janna Karel, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: Selections from both the bread and dessert cart number in the dozens. And there is no limit to how many of each you may select." - Matthew Kang
