January is high season for black winter truffles, and the greatest of these truffles is the Périgord truffle, named for the Périgord region of France but also native to parts of Spain and Italy.
The truffles are often called black diamonds because their dark color, their earthy musky aromas (variously flecked with red wine, Cognac and chocolate), and their rich deep nutty flavors typically fetch at least $100 an ounce fresh, though that price might rise depending on the harvest.
Fresh black truffles used with even one dish elevate the meal, but a 12-course dinner showcasing the truffles? That’s a feast of fungi. On Jan. 31, Joël Robuchon Restaurant in the MGM Grand is presenting a truffle tasting menu featuring a progression of a dozen truffle-forward dishes.
On the menu
Executive chef Eleazar Villanueva, a 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist, and his team created the menu, which draws on black truffles sourced from Périgord by Sabatino, the family-owned truffle house founded in Umbria, Italy, 115 years ago.
Among the courses: lobster and thin celery slices in rosemary-black truffle sauce, ratte potatoes (French heirloom fingerling variety) and foie gras carpaccio with shaved Parmesan and black truffles, cheese soufflé with black truffle coulis, truffled langoustine ravioli with simmered cabbage and foie gras sauce, and chateaubriand served Rossini style with foie gras and black truffles.
Cost: $575, plus tax and gratuity. Optional wine pairings and pours of Louis XIII Cognac are available at additional cost. For seating times and reservations, visit mgmgrand.com, then navigate to the Joël Robuchon page, or call 702-891-7925.
The late Joël Robuchon, named the greatest chef of the 20th century by the French food guide Gault Millau, opened his eponymous restaurant at the MGM Grand in September 2005. In 2009, the Michelin Guide bestowed three stars, its highest rating, on Joël Robuchon, the only Vegas restaurant ever to be so honored.
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.
Dining and Cooking