vegas uncork'd
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Vegas Uncork’d 2016: Grand Tasting (Las Vegas, NV)

This past weekend marked the 10th annual Vegas Uncork’d event by Bon Appetit, a large event covering 24 individual events over four days. They spanned “Master Series’ dinners/luncheons, cooking and wine demos, and tasting affairs. I attended this year’s Grand Tasting, my fifth in a row (six total). The Grand Tasting featured dozens of restaurants and many more libations from wineries to spirits to handcrafted cocktails sprawled around Caesars Palace’s Garden of the Gods pool area.

t'ang court hong kong
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T’ang Court (Hong Kong)

While planning meals over the last couple of days in Hong Kong, we wanted to fit one more dim sum lunch in. T’ang Court, a Michelin three star restaurant at The Langham, was just a couple of blocks down from the hotel and had a last-minute reservation available.

Like fellow three-star Lung King Heen, the menu was extensive even for lunch. We planned to go for one of the set tasting menus, but they were only offered for tables of 2 or 4. Oddly, neither could be tailored for a party of 3 so we went a la carte.

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Hong Kong)
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L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Hong Kong)

I’ve enjoyed dining at Joel Robuchon’s various locations around the world and was happy to make a lunch stop here. Hong Kong’s version of L’Atelier is rated three Michelin stars, the only restaurant in the chain to hold this distinction. This restaurant is actually split into two parts – the signature wraparound bar surrounding the kitchen (L’Atelier) and a more formal dining room with tables (Le Jardin). Same menu, same kitchen, just a different type of atmosphere. We dined at the bar for a view of the action.

Charcoal Roasted Goose
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Yung Kee (Hong Kong)

My parents and I were walking around the Central District of Hong Kong trying to figure out where to have our last meal before heading to the airport. We initially walked over to Yat Lok, a Michelin-starred roast goose specialist. Unfortunately, it closed just as we got there (it’s closed for dinner on Sundays). We quickly called an audible to this restaurant, another roast goose specialist that my parents had been to previously. Established in 1942, the restaurant’s been very popular and highly acclaimed even garnering a Michelin star in 2009 (it has since lost it).

Steamed Shrimp and Crab Meat Dumplings with Egg White @ Lung King Heen
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Lung King Heen (Hong Kong)

Dim sum was one of the things my family and I really wanted to explore while in Hong Kong. How much better would it be in Hong Kong vs. California? My mother’s cousin, who is a frequent visitor to the territory, recommended Lung King Heen as his favorite. The restaurant at the Four Seasons, which is Michelin three-starred and ranked 99th best restaurant in the world, certainly promised to be a different kind of dim sum experience compared to what we were accustomed to.

tim ho wan
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Tim Ho Wan (Hong Kong)

Tim Ho Wan might be the most famous Michelin-starred restaurant in Hong Kong. The “hole in a wall” dim sum restaurant gained a star in the 2010 guide, launching it to fame as the world’s cheapest Michelin star restaurant (I’m not sure if it still is, particularly after dining at Ho Hung Kee). The restaurant has leveraged its success for expansion throughout Asia in recent years with outposts currently in Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. This location, at Olympian City, is one of the three Tim Ho Wans that currently hold a Michelin star in Hong Kong.

maine lobster spaghetti
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Robuchon au Dome (Macau)

While spending a couple of days in Macau, my parents and I decided to stop by three Michelin-starred Robuchon au Dome at the Grand Lisboa Hotel for lunch. The Robuchon name was certainly a draw, but so was the opportunity to dine in the dome atop the hotel, which happens to be the tallest building in Macau.

Much of the restaurant’s 14,000+ bottle wine list is on display at the entrance in a hallway of wines, before taking an elevator up to the dome and restaurant. The elevator opened up to a piano and grand chandelier, surrounded by seating with 360 degree views of Macau. Given some really dense fog on this day though, the view wasn’t quite as spectacular as expected.