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Meal
To lead his first venture in Manhattan, Joel Robuchon chose Executive Chef Yosuke Suga, who obviously has his complete and utter trust. Chef Suga has worked with Robuchon for the past 10 years, after all; his first job with Robuchon was as an assistant in his laboratory and also on his television program after Robuchon had temporarily retired in 1996. During this time, the pair traveled significantly, cooking and creating together. In April 2003, Robuchon asked Chef Suga to open the L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Tokyo. After the success of that venture, he asked him to move yet again, this time to New York, where he opened L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in the Four Seasons Hotel in 2006, a very wise choice. Chef Suga's style is very similar to Robuchon's. He considers himself a French chef, although his roots are Japanese, which give him a fondness for simplicity and a talent for extracting the maximum amount of flavor from his ingredients. Perhaps that's why he was named as one of Star Chef's 2007 rising stars.
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*Le Homard
The menu options at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon are almost endless, and a portion of it changes seasonally. There is a tasting menu for $190 that can be paired with wine for an additional $125, an express menu from which you can choose three courses for $59 and a main menu that is organized into several sections, including one that's devoted to smaller tasting portions, not to mention the traditional appetizers and entrees. Or, feel free to choose a la carte from the menu in order to build your own multi-course meal; it's really up to you. After your meal, you can look forward to a selection of post-meal cheeses, desserts, coffee and perhaps an aperitif.
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L'Amadai
If the food isn't enough to woo you, the restaurant's extensive wine collection surely will be. You can enjoy wine by the glass, by the half bottle or by the full bottle. The wine list even comes with a page for martinis; at $20 apiece, there are 18 from which to choose. Like the cocktails, the service at L'Atelier is out of this world. Seamless is too bland a word for it, in fact; spectacular is more like it. Not only will your servers help you decide what to order, but they'll also clear your plate so discreetly that you'll never notice when it's taken. What's more, your wine glass and water glass will never be empty. If you care to chat about Joel Robuchon or the restaurant, the staff is eager and willing to answer your questions; if you don't want to chat, though, they are entirely invisible. With its commitment to white-glove service, this restaurant is absolutely one of the most hospitable in Manhattan. While the entire staff is phenomenal, our favorite servers were Robert and Manny, followed closely by Saleh. If you don't stop by L'Atelier for dinner, certainly consider taking a break from your day in order to sit at the counter for lunch; it will be an experience that you'll remember for a long time. If you'd like to see the full listing, complete with dinner menu, please click here. Or, if you'd care to read the listing for Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas, at the MGM Grand, please click here. Otherwise, please read on for the lunch menu.
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Meal Price Ranges:
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$14 - $37
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$15 - $125
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$24 - $120
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$17
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