text: This was my first fine dining experience, and it lived up to my expectations. The d\u00e9cor is luxurious; the waiters were helpful and pleasant; and every morsel of food was packed with complex flavors. \n\nAs many reviewers have pointed out, don't be shy with the bread cart. You're paying good money for this meal, so go for it! I chose five breads, and each one was memorable. My favorite was the gruyere brioche, because it was delicate and flaky but had a pronounced cheese flavor.\n\nAs for the amuse bouche, it is crab mixture topped with caviar. This was my first bit of caviar, and I wasn't too thrilled with it, but I can't blame Joel for that because it's a matter of taste. If you know that you don't like caviar, I recommend that you ask for an alternate amuse bouche. My boyfriend is allergic to seafood, so he asked for an alternate when we were ordering. The waiter was very understanding and produced a cold beat soup. I know beet soup doesn't sound appetizing, but it was delicious. \n\nI order le sole for my main dish, and I was very pleased. The sauce was silky and savory. My boyfriend order some sort of red meat dish. He didn't seem to be crazy about the meat, but he really liked the accompanying vegetables, which says a lot because he doesn't eat a lot of vegetables.  \n\nMy desert, le chocolat, was divine. I adore ice cream, and the coffee ice cream was the best that I've ever eaten. The dish also had melted chocolate and fresh whipped cream, which made every bite different. \n\nJust like the bread cart, don't be shy with the desert cart. I chose five different desert morsels. I recommend the five spice chocolate and the strawberry cheesecake with liquor. The five spice chocolate tasted like the love child of a pumpkin pie and a chocolate truffle. The cheesecake was a wonderful surprise, because it appears to be a firm ball when you hold it, but it almost explodes in your mouth. You could say it was a flavor explosion. \n\nThis review was much longer than I intended, but I couldn't stop typing. That's how much I loved Joel.