More than three decades after becoming one of the first celebrity chefs to open a restaurant in Las Vegas, Emeril Lagasse is back with Meril, a casual spot inside the M Resort in Henderson. The new restaurant, housed in a naturally lit, sunny corner of the hotel,
serves Lagasse’s signature Creole-influenced dishes like gumbo and barbecue shrimp, along with globally-inspired dishes that pull from his culinary adventures around the world.
Lagasse first introduced himself to Las Vegas in December 1992 with the opening of Spago inside the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. In 1995, he opened the still-operating Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House at the MGM Grand, which helped usher in a wave of fine dining restaurants landing on the Strip
Meril, named after Lagasse’s daughter, opened its first location in 2016 near Lafayette Square in New Orleans. “It carries a piece of my heart,” Lagasse said at the July 14 opening. At the M, the 220-seat dining room is fully wrapped in dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the venue with natural light. Diners also have the option to sit outside on a wrap-around terrace overlooking the M Pool with distant views of the Strip. Meril is open for all-day dining, serving breakfast items like beignets, andouille sausage potato hash, and bananas foster French toast. Lunch and dinner feature Lagasse staples such as gumbo, barbecue shrimp, and blue crab linguine. “All of the dishes [at Meril] are inspired by my travels around the world,” Lagasse said at the restaurant’s opening. “There’s a little bit of everything on the menu. The dishes on there have a very special meaning to me.”
Michael Credico, M Resort’s vice president of food and beverage, describes Meril as being “rooted in New Orleans flair” with a menu built around shareable small plates, wood-fired items — think flatbreads like the Wise Guy featuring Italian sausage, piquillo peppers, and chiles — fresh seafood, and grilled rib-eye with dollops of chimichurri.
Signature snacks include boudin balls filled with pepper Jack and Creole mustard, deviled eggs topped with smoked trout roe, and a dessert-style pineapple upside-down cornbread that Credico says reflects Meril’s playfulness. “It takes a classic Southern staple, sweet skillet cornbread, and gives it a retro, savory-sweet twist inspired by pineapple upside-down cake,” Credico explains. “We bake caramelized pineapple directly into the bottom of the pan, so it flips out golden and fragrant.” After coming out of the pan, it gets topped with a smoky-sweet bacon marmalade and a touch of salt.
Other New Orleans classics include Lagasse’s legendary gumbo and his barbecue shrimp. The gumbo starts with a deep, dark roux cooked down slowly until it reaches a rich mahogany color, says Credico. Smoky Louisiana andouille sausage and Gulf shrimp join onions, bell peppers, and celery for a long simmer before it gets finished with green onions and served over rice. Contrary to the name, the barbecue shrimp get cooked in a skillet along with Worcestershire sauce, garlic, heavy cream, fresh rosemary, lemon juice, and cold butter. The shrimp get paired with bread or grit cakes to sop up the sauce.
Desserts at Meril include gooey rocky road bread pudding, which delivers campfire nostalgia with a bread pudding base topped with toasted marshmallows, crunchy pecans, and warm chocolate sauce. An eye-catching eight-inch-tall slice of banana cream pie arrives piled high with layers of sliced bananas and vanilla bean custard and topped with whipped cream; before being served, the slice gets drizzled with homemade caramel sauce and finished with delicate chocolate. “Every slice is huge, indulgent, and visually striking,” Credico says.
The opening of Meril comes just eight months after the M Resort unveiled a new hotel tower with 375 rooms; the arrival of Meril and Lagasse gives guests staying at the property another quality dining option. Credico hopes that the addition of a celebrity chef — a first for the M — will attract locals to the property seeking a welcoming atmosphere and a touch of New Orleans charm.
