Hopes were high for Meril, as anything open late night is a happy thing in Henderson – actually, in Las Vegas, as well, for post-event bites and beverages.
More: Emeril Lagasse’s New Orleans Concept Meril Opens at M Resort Spa Casino
More: New Dining: Bam! Emeril Lagasse Restaurant Set to Open July 16 at M Resort in Henderson
Bam! Despite Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant Meril being open less than one month at M Resort Spa & Casino in Henderson on South Las Vegas Boulevard south of the Las Vegas Strip, it has already been a full-experience at the new Contemporary American eatery.
The ribbon-cutting and VIP celebration, which Lagasse attended, was on Tuesday, July 14, at M Resort, which is about 10 minutes from home in Henderson. Meril, named after Chef’s daughter, opened to the public on Thursday, July 16.
Hopes were high for Meril, as anything open late night is a happy thing in Henderson – actually, in Las Vegas, as well, for post-event bites and beverages. Meril’s hours are 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 6 a.m.-1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Bam!
Neighbors on NextDoor were unhappy with Meril the first two days of opening. The Yelp rating was 2.5/5. Ouch! Complaints included slow service, unsatisfactory food (cold, flavorless and “pasta from a box”) and exorbitant pricing (who doesn’t complain about high prices). This somewhat deflated my expectations for Meril.
In a rarity for yours truly, a chef friend and I made an impromptu stop at Meril on Saturday, July 18, even though I had a reservation for Wednesday, July 22, already on the books. I was curious about Meril’s late-night dining, how busy it would be on a late Saturday evening and if my neighbors on NextDoor were right.
It was unfortunately not a good first impression. The positive: Our server was friendly and attentive, and our order was received at a good pace – the popular pineapple upside-down cornbread, shrimp and andouille gumbo over white rice and ribeye.
The negative: None of the three dishes was very good. The cornbread was OK, the gumbo was bland and the ribeye (the most expensive item on the menu) was meh. OK, bland and meh are never good words to describe food. And Meril was maybe 25% full from our time there from 10-11:30 p.m.
Spoiler alert: Meril has been redeemed 100% after a fantastic dinner there on Wednesday, July 22, with my brother Charles Chareunsy. Our reservation was for 5 p.m., and Meril was doing solid business – about 80% capacity. I spotted three Las Vegas Raiders rookies (I think) at the bar.
Our delectable dinner on Wednesday, July 22, with a lot of leftovers:
- Pineapple upside-down cornbread with bacon marmalade (the fan-favorite is pretty much dessert and much better than the first experience)
- House boudine balls (my first time trying boudine; I enjoyed it)
- House meatballs (my brother’s favorite of the evening – I had eaten Chef Fabio Viviani’s Wagyu meatballs the night before at his Ai Pazzi at The Resort in Summerlin – his are some of the best meatballs in town)
- Pocket bread (our server said it would be great for sopping, and she was correct)
- Deviled eggs with smoked trout roe atop Zapp’s potato chips (I love deviled eggs, and I devoured the chips, too)
- Barbequed shrimp (a Lagasse staple, my favorite of the meal and gluten-free – how have I never tried these before? Obsessed!)
- Seasonal seafood boil (also gluten-free and great – I don’t think a bad seafood boil exists)
- Blue crab linguine (the one disappointment of dinner – the pasta did not taste fresh or good; Charles thought it was good)
- Buttermilk friend chicken (surprisingly boneless – juicy and tasty, as well)
- Banana cream pie (now I understand why it’s iconic, and I’m not a banana fan – loved it)
- Rocky Road bread pudding (thumbs up, but I’ve never met a bread pudding I didn’t like)
- Old Fashioned (a little too sweet for my brother’s taste, so I – twist my arm – finished it)
- Carajillo (excellent)
Like I said, a lot of leftovers – for days! I could hear nearby diners complain (this is not a new thing during any dining experience), but our dinner was solid, and our server was very nice. Service, however, was very slow, but Meril was busy, and we weren’t in a rush. I look forward to returning for a meal – at 5 p.m., 11 p.m. or perhaps breakfast at 6 a.m. (that’s never going to happen that early … LOL).
And dining on the expansive patio when the weather is cooperative. Thanks to my brother Charles for the photos from dinner. Lagasse also has Delmonico Steakhouse, a solid steakhouse, at The Venetian Las Vegas and Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House at MGM Grand Las Vegas (I haven’t dined at Fish House in many years), both on the Las Vegas Strip. Bam!
More: For information, reservations, event updates and menus, visit TheMResort.com/dining/meril.
