Emeril Lagasse Brings His New Orleans Restaurant Meril to Henderson

Emeril Lagasse has brought his New Orleans‑inspired concept Meril to the M Resort in Henderson, marking a return to Las Vegas more than three decades after he first became one of the city’s pioneer celebrity chefs. The casual eatery occupies a sun‑lit space inside the hotel and offers Lagasse’s signature Creole dishes—gumbo and barbecue shrimp—alongside globally influenced plates drawn from his culinary travels. Lagasse debuted in Las Vegas in December 1992 with the opening of Spago at the Forum Shops inside Caesars Palace. He followed that in 1995 with the launch of Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House at the MGM Grand, a venue still operating today that helped spur a wave of fine‑dining establishments on the Strip. Meril, named for Lagasse’s daughter, opened its original location in 2016 near Lafayette Square in New Orleans. At the July 14 opening he remarked, “It carries a portion of my heart.” The Henderson venue features a 220‑seat dining room enclosed by dramatic floor‑to‑ceiling windows that fill the space with natural light. Guests may also choose the wrap‑around terrace overlooking the M Pool, which affords distant views of the Strip. Meril operates for all‑day service, serving breakfast items such as beignets, andouille sausage potato hash and bananas foster French toast. Lunch and dinner menus highlight Lagasse staples including gumbo, barbecue shrimp and blue crab linguine. He added, “All of the dishes [at Meril] are inspired by my travels around the world. There’s a small spot of everything on the menu. The dishes on there have a very particular meaning to me.” Michael Credico, the M Resort’s vice president of food and beverage, characterizes Meril as “rooted in New Orleans flair” with a menu centered on shareable small plates, wood‑fired offerings—such as the Wise Guy flatbread topped with Italian sausage, piquillo peppers and chiles—fresh seafood and grilled rib‑eye finished with chimichurri. Signature snacks listed by Credico include boudin balls stuffed with pepper jack and Creole mustard, deviled eggs crowned with smoked trout roe, and a pineapple upside‑down cornbread dessert he describes as playful. He explained, “It takes a classical Southern staple, sweet skillet cornbread, and gives it a retro, savory‑sweet twist inspired by pineapple upside‑down cake. We cook caramelized pineapple straight into the bottom of the pan, so it flips out golden and fragrant.” After baking, the cornbread receives a smoky‑sweet bacon marmalade and a touch of salt. Other New Orleans classics on the menu are Lagasse’s legendary gumbo and his barbecue shrimp. Credico notes that the gumbo begins with a deep, dark roux simmered slowly until it reaches a rich mahogany hue; smoked Louisiana andouille sausage and Gulf shrimp are then combined with onions, bell peppers and celery for a lengthy simmer before finishing with green onions and serving over rice. Despite its name, the barbecue shrimp are prepared in a skillet with Worcestershire sauce, garlic, heavy cream, fresh rosemary, citrus juice and cold butter, and are accompanied by bread or grit cakes to absorb the sauce. Dessert options feature a gooey Rocky Road bread pudding—bread pudding base topped with toasted marshmallows, crunchy pecans and warm chocolate sauce—and an eight‑inch‑tall banana cream pastry layered with sliced bananas, vanilla bean custard and whipped cream, then drizzled with homemade caramel and finished with delicate chocolate. Credico asserted, “Every portion is huge, indulgent, and visually striking.” The launch of Meril follows the M Resort’s introduction of a new hotel tower with 375 rooms just eight months earlier. Credico hopes that adding a celebrity chef—a first for the property—will attract locals seeking a welcoming atmosphere and a hint of New Orleans charm.