Robuchon au Dôme

Review Highlights

Alexander arrives in Macau — the Gambling Capital of the World — headed for the weird-looking Grand Lisboa Hotel and its unmistakable dome, 230 metres up. He has a strong reason to believe this place will be exceptional, and it starts with the wine list: he checked it the day before and knew immediately he'd found something special. Robuchon au Dôme is the only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the region, holding that status since 2009. The space is opulent — a chandelier of over 131,000 Swarovski crystals, a handmade Steinway grand piano, enormous vases, live piano music — and though the design feels antique rather than fresh, the inside of the dome is breathtaking and the room is still cosy. Alexander skips both the à la carte and seasonal menus, going straight for the Extravagance Truffle menu at $560 per person: eight courses with so much white truffle 'that one might feel guilty about it.' He does not.

• ·Parsley leaf with comté cheese — the first appetizer, a gondola-shaped leaf delivering intense but balanced flavours; "crunchy, creamy, a kick of umami, pure perfection"
• ·Le Caviar Imperial — one of Robuchon's most iconic creations: Imperial caviar on king crab floating in crustacean jelly with cauliflower mimosa, plus a potato cracker with cream and white truffle; "pure, elegant gastronomy. There's no storytelling in it, no show-offs. Everything on this plate is perfect"
• ·Scallop spaghetti — a turban of spaghetti stuffed with scallop, served with Noilly Prat sauce and finished tableside with white truffle; most dishes follow the same recipes for 30 years, and Alexander notes that means they are 'so good that they didn't have to change them for decades. They still feel very young'
• ·Bresse chicken cooked in pork bladder — an old-school technique similar to sous vide but organic, served with blanched vegetables, the famous foie gras sauce, and more white truffle, alongside Robuchon's legendary pommes purée — considered the best mashed potatoes in the world; "Half a kilo of chicken with half a kilo of truffle. Thank you very much, I'm okay with that"
• ·Cheese trolley — a cornerstone of French fine dining, featuring some of the best cheeses in the world alongside fresh bread from the bread trolley
• ·Yuzu sorbet — with crunchy meringue, tangerine, and French vodka jelly, serving as a palate cleanser; "Cold, beautiful acidity, refreshing, different layers of textures. So well balanced. Sensational"
• ·Dessert trolley — classic French sweets including mille feuille, opera slice, rum baba, ice cream, freshly baked madeleines, macarons, and cookies, followed by a third trolley with more macarons and biscuits; Alexander calls it 'a never-ending joy park'

This style of classic French fine dining is fading, but Alexander finds Robuchon au Dôme a compelling argument for keeping it alive. "Amazing how after Robuchon's passing, the staff still executes these dishes perfectly" — credit goes to executive chef Julien Tongourian, who trained under Robuchon for over 25 years and now leads both this restaurant and L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Hong Kong. The wine list, in Alexander's view, "might have the strongest wine list in the world," and the sommelier was "a true professional during the whole night." The waiter provided "absolutely errorless service" — kind, professional, and patient with Alexander's jokes. The only tension in his verdict is existential: he doesn't know how long these temples of classic gastronomy will remain standing, but "I'll be one of those guests who comes back from time to time. That's for sure." Total: around $2,200 for two.

About

Robuchon au Dôme is Macau's only three-Michelin-starred restaurant, perched 238 metres up inside the distinctive dome of the Grand Lisboa Hotel. Opened in 2001 as Robuchon a Galeria and relocated to the dome after a 2011 renovation, the restaurant has held three Michelin stars since 2009 — a 17-year streak that makes it one of Asia's most enduring fine dining destinations. Executive Chef Julien Tongourian, who trained under the legendary Joël Robuchon for over 25 years, now upholds the late chef's philosophy of contemporary French cuisine built on simplicity and big flavours, served in a breathtaking space crowned by a 19-metre domed ceiling and a chandelier of over 131,000 Swarovski crystals.