The Much-Hyped L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon...

A setting that will do any restaurateur proud

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon belongs to one of those restaurants in my over-hyped category. The only strong feature of this restaurant is in its decor. The interior is decked out in stunning shades of red and black and features a sleek counter seating that opens up to a panoramic view of the kitchen. It is a very well-executed concept as you have a bird's eye view of the whole plating process, thus providing good entertainment whilst waiting to be served. Plus, though it is the wrong Chef, you half expected Mr Gordon Ramsey to make a guest appearance a la Hell's Kitchen...*chuckles, chuckles*

Gazpacho with a hint of balsamic and basil, Fish of the Day and Mango Mousse

As for the cuisine, it is disappointingly mediocre considering the credentials of the famed Joel Robuchon. With the title of "Most Starred Michelin Chef" bestowed upon him, you just cannot fault me for expecting a mind-blowing experience! I had the Gazpacho followed by the fish of the day. It was good but fell short of that Michelin 2-star rating it had garnered. For dessert, the Mango Mousse with a thin layer of crystalline sugar crisp perched precariously atop a scoop of coconut ice was well-presented but still nothing to set my heart a-flutter.

No doubt you will find a long snake of diners eagerly awaiting to savour the cooking from the famed L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon but nay, it is not worth the effort. Sometimes the anticipation from a 2-star rating can lead to a huge letdown:(

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon
Address: Roppongi Hills Hillside 2F, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Telephone: 03-5772-7500
Website: www.robuchon.jp
Michelin: **