We have a family tradition of going out for a very nice meal around holiday time and we generally try to choose a restaurant where my son's never been. This year, having not been there myself in over a year , we chose Alinea. An extremely busy year and a repeatedly bad back had almost kept me from eating at Alinea in 2009 but I'm so pleased that they ultimately didn't.

I'm a friend of the house and a huge fan. I consider Alinea to be the ultimate trump card of Chicago fine dining. In my admittedly limited experience, there is no finer restaurant in Chicago. As many times as I've been, though, I've always chosen The Tour over The Tasting. This time, with the little man in tow, we decided that The Tour, which is relatively long these days, would not be the best option -- especially on a school night. Instead, we opted for The Tasting Menu, to which the kitchen added a few courses. As usual, the meal was stunning, delightful, phenomenal and utterly fantastic. Even after 4.5 years, Alinea seems to routinely break new ground; combining originality, creativity, innovation, whimsy and culinary precision with delectable food. Our meal was even better than we thought it would be and clearly our expectations were very high . . .


Osetra | traditional garnishes



Oyster Leaf | mingonette glaze



Chao Tom | sugar cane, shrimp, mint



Pork Belly | iceberg, cucumber, Thai distillation



Matsutake | pine, otoro, mango



Old-fashioned goblet



Old-fashioned silverware
Both this and the goblet were part of the following course . . .



Trout | monseigneur



Goose | stuffing, prune, juniper aroma



White Truffle | risotto, parmesan, brown butter
An additional course, for which a supplementary charge was added.



Bison | red cabbage, eggplant, rosemary frangrance



Black Truffle | explosion, romaine, parmesan



Duck | chestnut, mace, orange



Venison | fireplace log, pumpernickel, juniper



Array of desserts | Thai Banana, Bacon, Peanut Butter, Transparency, Lemon Soda, Foie Gras, Pound Cake
These were served only to the under-21 contingent.



Dessert-induced bliss



Cocktails, anyone?
These were served only to the over-21 contingent.



front to back: Passion Fruit, Lime, Cucumber, Cherry, Kumquat, Cedra and Eggnog



Sazerac, Alinea-style



White Truffle | pear, allspice, white wine



Hay | burnt sugar, coffee, huckleberry



The "mat"
We were very excited when the table was cleared and the mat was rolled out.



Chef Achatz



Chef de Cuisine, Dave Beran



Laying out the components



Dark Chocolate Mousse frozen in liquid nitrogen



Chef Beran breaks the mousse apart



Chef Achatz applies the menthol



Chocolate | coconut, menthol, hyssop
The finished dessert



Bubble Gum | long pepper, hibiscus, creme fraiche



The family -- dig those gold buttons!

Course after course, the individual dishes that comprised this meal were phenomenal but together, the progression went to another level. The thought, care, skill and super-premium ingredients all combined into something so much greater than just a meal. This really was a case of imagination-to-imagination communication and it's hard to put into words the emotional effect that sharing this meal had on my family.

I was so proud of my son, who'd never been to Alinea before. He'd eaten Nobuo's omakase at Sea Saw in Phoenix, had 20+ courses at Binkley's in Phoenix and had the Grand Tasting menu at moto but Alinea was the one place we weren't entirely sure he was ready for. He ate everything, leaving only parts of 2 courses, which was far better than I thought he'd do. After the meal, he said "dad, that wasn't nearly as 'out there' as I thought it would be." And I think he hit the nail on the head. Alinea isn't really 'out there' because at the end of the day, it's firmly grounded in culinary tradition and delicious food. Form never outpaces function at Alinea. Unlike at so many other high-end restaurants, they ride together at Alinea. There are no gimmicks for gimmicks' sake here. At Alinea, it's all about the food, which never fails to be amazing, inspiring, utterly delicious and meaningfully memorable.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote: At Alinea, it's all about the food, which never fails to be amazing, inspiring, utterly delicious and meaningfully memorable.

=R=

I like to think the same about your posts - pics and comments/insight both. Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful post, Ronnie! I can't tell you how jealous I am that you had both the famed Black Truffle Explosion and the amazing cocktail flight that Toby just recently posted details about. Sounds like you had one hell of a holiday dinner

I'm willing to become your son's older sister if you want to adopt me....

Great post, great photos. Thanks for sharing.

Ronnie - I SO enjoy living vicariously through your posts and photos. Thanks for making my week! And I can't wait to dine at Alinea someday...it will take a lot of convincing for Mrs. Davooda to attend, but looks to be worth the effort.

Thanks again for the wonderful post!

Davooda

brilliant photos & recap as always Ronnie. thanks alot for sharing them.

Makes one want to visit Alinea immediately.
Ronnie-did the last course taste like bubblegum? I can't imagine that combo achieving bubblegum flavor.

Venison course looks awesome.. Place is freaking magical. Need to go back.

Thanks all, for the kind comments. There was so much artistry, thought and care conveyed throughout our meal that posting about it almost feels like plagiarism.

stewed coot wrote:Makes one want to visit Alinea immediately.
Ronnie-did the last course taste like bubblegum? I can't imagine that combo achieving bubblegum flavor.

It really did -- especially in the lingering aftertaste. The little hibiscus balls even had a fun, slighly chewy, gum-like texture.

BryanZ wrote:Venison course looks awesome.. Place is freaking magical. Need to go back.

Talk about a dish with a presence attack. When we visited the kitchen briefly after our meal, there were several of them being prepared and it was crazy to see all those smoldering split logs being readied for service. The dish was delicious, too. I loved the pumpernickel element, as well the earthy roasted cabbage that was also part of the dish.

Btw, I loved your post above, which had no small part in incenting me to make it back to Alinea.

=R=

Likewise. This is a nice, if expensive, positive feedback loop.

Excellent post, ronnie. We have made it a "tradition" of visiting Alinea at least once a year since it opened, but it looks like we will not make it for 2009 I'll have to settle for enjoying it vicariously through you.

You've definitely firmed up my resolve to visit once more before we leave Chicago next year!

BryanZ wrote:Likewise. This is a nice, if expensive, positive feedback loop.

LOL. I'm looking forward already to your (re)report.

Am I just a glutton or simply starved? I can never tell, especially during the holidays.

ronnie_suburban wrote:I consider Alinea to be the ultimate trump card of Chicago fine dining.

LMAO

Great post and pics, as always.

ronnie_suburban wrote:
Venison | fireplace log, pumpernickel, juniper

Got a close up shoot of this? What are some of the other components/how were they prepared? Any other thoughts?

ronnie_suburban wrote:
The family -- dig those gold buttons!

Course after course, the individual dishes that comprised this meal were phenomenal but together, the progression went to another level. The thought, care, skill and super-premium ingredients all combined into something so much greater than just a meal. This really was a case of imagination-to-imagination communication and it's hard to put into words the emotional effect that sharing this meal had on my family.

I was so proud of my son, who'd never been to Alinea before. He'd eaten Nobuo's omakase at Sea Saw in Phoenix, had 20+ courses at Binkley's in Phoenix and had the Grand Tasting menu at moto but Alinea was the one place we weren't entirely sure he was ready for. He ate everything, leaving only parts of 2 courses, which was far better than I thought he'd do. After the meal, he said "dad, that wasn't nearly as 'out there' as I thought it would be." And I think he hit the nail on the head. Alinea isn't really 'out there' because at the end of the day, it's firmly grounded in culinary tradition and delicious food. Form never outpaces function at Alinea. Unlike at so many other high-end restaurants, they ride together at Alinea. There are no gimmicks for gimmicks' sake here. At Alinea, it's all about the food, which never fails to be amazing, inspiring, utterly delicious and meaningfully memorable.

Seems like the next thing to do is travel to a foreign country where English is not the first language and go crazy. There is your 2010.

I went to Alinea on December 20 and also had an outstanding meal. The trout course in particular was out of this world. One note about the goose -- the photo was taken after the branches were moved. It comes to the plate buried, and the first thing to do is breathe in that great smell.

A few other notes: Last time we were there, there was a table next to us with some young people. The young males apparently did not want to let their dates know that their knowledge of wine was limited, so they ordered a bottle of a big red to start the meal (it looked like a Bordeaux but I did not look that closely). I'm sure it was not the best way to start, considering the progression of the food. Alinea has now taken steps to assist diners to prevent that from happening. Diners are no longer given a wine list, unless specifically requested. It seems a bit paternalistic, but it probably makes for a better overall meal. On that note, the wines continue to be outstanding and also unusual. I barely recognized any that were served. Also, for those who do not drink, they had a fascinating dandallion ginger ale which was served with one course. It almost paired better than the wine that I had.

Also, I noticed that there was no bread. Bread tends to be a challenge at places like this. Unless done exceptionally, it tends to be little more than a filler (although I've seen it done very well). I'm not sure that was the only reason (I might just becoming a fat guy who can eat a lot) but I felt less full -- in a good way as I hate feeling overwhelmed with food -- when I left.

yellow truffle wrote:Got a close up shoot of this? What are some of the other components/how were they prepared? Any other thoughts?

I'll check for additional images when I get back to my other computer. The main things I remember are the roasted cabbage and the thick pumpernickel 'sauce,' which I seem to remember from some very early dishes at Alinea.

yellow truffle wrote:Seems like the next thing to do is travel to a foreign country where English is not the first language and go crazy. There is your 2010.

Yes, it looks like a trip to Paris is coming up for us in October 2010, if all goes as planned.

DML wrote:One note about the goose -- the photo was taken after the branches were moved. It comes to the plate buried, and the first thing to do is breathe in that great smell.

This wasn't true in our case but I've had this service mode before at Alinea when it has been the case (I remember a lamb dish that was buried under leaves). Nonetheless, the juniper aroma was up front and unmistakable.

=R=

DML wrote:Also, I noticed that there was no bread. Bread tends to be a challenge at places like this. Unless done exceptionally, it tends to be little more than a filler (although I've seen it done very well). I'm not sure that was the only reason (I might just becoming a fat guy who can eat a lot) but I felt less full -- in a good way as I hate feeling overwhelmed with food -- when I left.

I've noticed that, over the years, Alinea has oscillated between offering bread and not offering it. I do enjoy their bread when it is served, particularly with the sheep (or goat? memory fails me) milk butter. I'm just curious... does anyone know why they seem to go back-and-forth on bread service...

ronnie_suburban wrote:Yes, it looks like a trip to Paris is coming up for us in October 2010, if all goes as planned.

We did the overseas eating trip this year in France and Spain, and thoroughly enjoyed it. In particular, extremely memorable meals at Mugaritz and Etxebarri in Basque country (I should report on it here, I know... I just can't bring myself to write it up ) Since our wallet is now on the thin side, I guess we'll have to stay stateside next year while you're enjoying yourself in Paris

We asked about the bread. Apparently, the guy who did their bread left. When he left, they decided to drop it altogether.
Interesting about the goose thing and strange that it would leave the kitchen looking differently for different tables.

DML wrote:We asked about the bread. Apparently, the guy who did their bread left. When he left, they decided to drop it altogether.
Interesting about the goose thing and strange that it would leave the kitchen looking differently for different tables.

Different nights, too. With the constant tweaks and refinements being implemented at Alinea, I'm guessing there was a reason that it varied between our services but of course, that's only a guess. In any event, the dish was delicious. As much as I enjoyed the goose itself, I absolutely loved the sage stuffing component.

=R=

I agree. No matter what it looked like, it tasted incredible.

I've only been to Alinea a handful of times over the years, including shortly after it opened. No bread on my visits. On my first trip, our server advised that bread wasn't part of the plan and the restaurant didn't want to be tied down to traditions for the sake of tradition. Smartass that I am, I asked how that position jibed with the extensive and relatively traditional wine program with limited or no non-wine beverage options. I didn't get a real answer, though I was told the kitchen was serious about developing course-appropriate alternative beverages. Thus the soda-pop mentioned above.

Given my lack of self-control, I'd surely appreciate a meal at Alinea best if they had neither wine nor bread. As it is, I still think it's the best restaurant in the country.

For what it is worth, I don't find their wine program traditional at all. I know a decent amount about wine. For our meal, I recognized one wine (the champagne to start, although they made it into a cocktail) and also one producer and one varietal (D'Arenberg Mourvedre). I've had D'Arenberg and I've had wines that have included Mourvedre, but I don't recall ever having that grape being primary. The rest of the wines were unrecognizable. That was one of the fun parts of the meal --- listening to the descriptions of the wines.

By the way -- I've got the menu which includes the wines as a .pdf but I have no idea how to attach it. If anybody knows, let me know and I will add it.

I should have been more blunt in my recounting. The server politely pooh-poohed the idea of baked yeast-leavened flour slurry as a last-millennium remnant, then didn't know why bottled yeast-fermented grape squeezin's were qualified to be part of the shock of the new.

I find it very strange that a server would outright dismiss the idea that bread would be involved in their cuisine. For awhile, there were several bread pairings throughout the meal (some rather elaborate: pear and parsnip scone, oolong pretzel bread, bacon donut).

I too found it strange. I'm sorry I missed the bread service when it existed -- though, like I said, I tend toward gluttony and I'm probably better off without it.

Went to Alinea when in town on 02/17/10 - pictures and videos of Achatz tableside prep in the blog, longwinded thoughts below:

When I first ate at Alinea on August the 1st 2009 I stated it was the best dining experience of my life (http://uhockey.blogspot.com/2009/08/ali ... go-il.html), trumping an extended tasting at The French Laundry that cost twice the price...I knew at some point I’d go back, but there were many other places to try on my ever growing list. After Alinea I visited Savoy and Robuchon, L2O, Daniel, Picholine, Ko, and did an extended tasting at Per Se before Benno left - all save Ko were excellent and worth their price - but none trumped Alinea. When the opportunity arose on an Ash Wednesday cancellation when I’d conveniently have a layover at O’Hare I called my friend Dave and asked if he’d be interested – he said “Oh Hell Yes,” an appropriate response.

Arriving moments before my 6:00pm reservation I checked in with the hostess and as my friend was stuck in traffic I was escorted to the table, upstairs this visit. A larger room than the downstairs but with tables equally spaced I chatted with one of my multiple servers about the artwork – provided in this case by a local artist and changing with the season, my previous visit, and dining in general. Watching a few neighbors receive their dishes from the shorter menu I saw some familiar items but also some new ones I’d soon be experiencing. When my friend arrived the Sommelier stopped by and discussed the wine pairings, however Dave opted for a bottle of California Red and I had a few small pours along with my water.

In order to not belabor the discussion I will note that the service during this visit to Alinea was every bit on par with my previous experience – ever present but never obvious, descriptive without talking down, water and wine filled as if by an invisible hand. While the waiter-to-diner interaction I loved on my first visit was obviously less important (and less focused upon) since I was not dining alone, I still felt as though our servers wanted to know us as diners and went out of their way to ask and answer questions. Finally, while Alinea has done away with bread service in order to focus on the food (unfortunate as their butter was sublime) the courses flowed seamlessly without the need of bread to refresh the palate and while I myself left comfortably full my friend noted even before the main dessert that he was getting stuffed.

Beginning the meal approximately 10 minutes after Dave’s arrival our first dish was excellent – it wowed me and gave Dave an idea of what was to come. Entitled Char Roe - Plantain, Ginger, Papaya the dish acted to pair the salty roe with tropical nuance – per our waiter Char comes from cold water and they wanted to give it an island vacation. Served inside a nutmeg “glass” we shattered the elegant presentation like a crème brulee to release the amalgam of roe and spices that I believe included cilantro and basil into a foam and gel with strong hints of papaya, plantain, ginger, and lime. A great degree of texture, a great balance of sweet and salty, creamy yet spicy and acidic – an intense and beautiful opening dish.

Dish two was an Alinea signature and was seen by myself on the previous, Yuba - Shrimp, Miso, Togarashi. Like an old friend the pen-in-ink dish greeted my palate with a wonderful mélange of savory and sweet, spicy and aromatic, crisp yet texturally varied.

Dish three was a dish I’d heard about but didn’t understand until I experienced it. Entitled Chao Tom - Sugar Cane, Shrimp, Mint the dish was Alinea’s take on the traditional Vietnamese dish usually served as a skewer of shrimp. In this case the dish was indeed served on a skewer, but aside from that the presentation was entirely unique. Featuring a compressed piece of fresh sugar cane that had apparently been boiled in shrimp and ginger stock before being topped with garlic, mint, peanut, and shallot the diner was instructed to place the bite in his/her mouth and chew it up to extract all the flavor prior to spitting out the fibrous cane. Following the instructions I have to say I wasn’t entirely impressed by this dish in terms of texture but its taste was excellent and the concept certainly not something I’d seen prior.


Distillation - of Thai Flavors was the next dish and this time unlike prior it was served solo in a wine glass prior to the pork dish as a palate cleanser. Featuring prominent heat on smell the distillation had none on sipping – a total mind bender – and instead tasted like a salty fish sauce with hints of lime.

At this point in the meal our “centerpiece” of 2 flags came into play. Described on the menu as Pork Belly - Curry, Cucumber, Lime we were delivered a multi-tiered plate that we were instructed to subsequently disassemble and reconstruct into a hammock. Onto the hammock our flags, actually flowered rice paper, were then draped and topped with a heaping spoon of slow roasted pork belly. From here on out the dish is left to the decision of the diner as multiple accoutrements are provided with which to create a haute-spring roll. Including spicy, sweet, savory, and pungent ingredients I opted to simply use all and was greatly rewarded with a delectable admixture while my friend deferred on some of the spices and was equally impressed.

Following the international trend set by previous dishes our next experience was sever in the hand bowl and featured Octopus - Green Garbanzo, Mint, Dill. First taking the intensely flavorful and smoky octopus with hints of coriander and dill and subsequently chasing it with a soup of what I can only describe as hummus spiked with sour yogurt this dish provided a unique flavor profile that started briny and savory but finished creamy and tart.

With each dish previous impressive it was dish seven that provided the first showstopper of the evening…or should I perhaps say three showstoppers? Entitled Lobster - parfait, salad, soup this dish was surprise after surprise after surprise. Featuring the air of chai the first presentation was a parfait of chilled lobster consomme, grapefruit, mint flavored cream, candied ginger, and pistachio ice cream along with a crumbly mixture of what our server stated was pistachio and lobster cracker. Hot/cold, sharp/smooth, tart/refined – and it only got better.

With my friend assuming this course was done he stood up to use the restroom and our plates were oddly not cleared. Assuming this meant there was more to the dish I waited and sure enough on Dave’s return the top of the plate was removed to reveal the salad component – poached lobster and eggplant confit, parsnip, mint, cilantro most notably and topped with a savory vinaigrette.

Finishing our salad (and guessing where this dish was going) the plate was again taken apart yielding the hefty aroma of chai in a lower bowl. Taking this lower bowl and straining it into a cup our server finally presented us with the “soup” of the dish – an admixture of lobster broth, cream, clove, cinnamon, and undoubtedly other spices that tasted like a thick and creamy chai at first but left a gossamer finish resonating of lobster and cinnamon (uniquely similar to the lobster at Picholine, actually.)

Dish eight (or perhaps eleven if you counted all the lobster dishes as separate) was Duck - Chestnut, Mace, Brussels Sprouts and given the amount of duck I’d consumed in the previous week I was looking for something great…and per usual Alinea delivered. Featuring honey accented duck breast and foie gras served in a sweetened duck stock with hints of mace the duck alone was beautifully prepared and only improved by its accompaniments of fennel, crisp Brussels sprout leaves, and what our server described as “chestnut pillows” that tasted much precisely like chestnut but with the texture of whipped cream.
Dish nine was perhaps Chef Achatz’s most famous creating and it once again wowed me. While Dave merely stated “that was interesting” upon mastication of Black Truffle - Explosion, Romaine, Parmesan I still contend that the only problem with this dish is that I can’t easily make it at home…or order a whole plate of them.

Dish ten through twelve constituted the the “dessert” portion of the first half of our menu and began with Peanut Butter - Dried and Spicy. A delicate bite of dehydrated peanut butter and what I assume was either cayenne or curry (or both) the most interesting aspect of this dish was the fact that the mouth-feel and taste was that of peanut butter while the palate and nostril essence was that of the spice.

Following the peanut butter was Thai Banana - Beer, Mustard, Pecans. Apparently a unique style of chewy banana called Hua Moa this dish was a small slice topped with candied pecan, mustard icing, and a somewhat hops accented finish.

Having already had peanut butter and banana it was only natural to end this trio with bacon – in this case Grant’s now-famous bow presentation of Bacon - Butterscotch, Apple, Thyme. More savory than I remember it the delectable pork texture poked through the caramel apple flavor this time with great effect.

Bridging from sweet to savory to begin the second half of our tour was something that would’ve likely seemed more novel had I not been to David Chang’s Momofuku Ko in January – but regardless the effect at Alinea was not only on par, but superior. Foie Gras - Pear, White Wine, Allspice was described as “pushed and pressed” and featured a confetti of creamy foie gras terrine with hints of allspice served over a sauternes gel and topped with crispy wafer thin slices of spiced pear. More textural than the famous version at Ko due to the pears and more nuanced with the allspice – I was impressed, Dave was “oh, wow – that is amazing.”

For dish fourteen, Sturgeon - Potato, Leek, Smoke, it is hard to believe that something with so much going on could have such great flow – it worked much like a Dali painting or fine jazz. Utilizing a beautiful sous vide preparation of sturgeon studded across the plate and complimented with purees of leek, chive, and potato plus slices of radish and celery the dish was served linearly and bridged by a long sheet of crispy potato above and a fruit roll-up like gel that tasted of both apple and liquid smoke. Eaten piecemeal or putting it all together this dish was a work of art and a study in food.

Moving along towards heavier textures was the tempura preparation of the evening, in this case Goose - Stuffing, Prune, Juniper Aroma. Presented as what appeared to be a bowl of pine needles with the wonderful aroma of juniper we were instructed to grasp one branch and upon lifting we discovered a single bite tempura attached to the end of the “skewer.” Featuring prunes soaked in alcohol, stuffing with accents of fennel and onion, and a central portion of fatty goose breast all perfectly prepared this was yet another dish I’ll not soon forget – as much as I loved the sweet potato with cinnamon, this one was even better.

Dish sixteen, another classic - Hot Potato - Cold Potato, Black Truffle, Butter, albeit without the use of the magnetic wand to collect the pin on this occasion. Warmer than I remember last time the potage was still sublime and if possible the essence of truffle even more pronounced on this visit.

At dish seventeen our menus temporarily diverged because of my distaste for the texture of beef flesh (or so I thought.) Delivered to Dave was the classic Filet du Boeuf Goddard while I myself was delivered “Poussin - Winter Root Vegetables.” Classic recipes served with classic flatware and a French Bordeaux I was quite pleased with my dish of buttery chicken with crispy skin, potato croquettes and spheres, and caramelized onions alongside three different styles of black truffle. For Dave’s dish he was treated to a thick slice of sous vide Wagyu loin, sweetbreads, tongue, and mushrooms topped with a savory reduction. Insisting that I try the loin because it was “amazing and tastes nothing like ‘steak’ at all” I obliged and must admit it was divine – almost ham like in texture with a clean and grassy taste.

Dishes eighteen through twenty were a course of edible cocktails, a new concept Chef Achatz and team have been toying with and will apparently soon be implementing into a new restaurant. Served as a trio we started with Passion Fruit - Rum, Cranberry, Orange. Intended to represent a Hurricane cocktail I found this the most delicious of the three with a passionfruit shell containing an admixture of passionfruit seeds, rum, and cranberry orange juice that had a texture of tapioca.

Following the hurricane was Elixir Vegetal - Sugar Cube, Fennel, Lemon. Served on the silver tray and featuring a single sugar cube accented with Grande Elixer Vegetal plus sweet fenel bulb, and lemon I personally though this tasted of a Mojito without the mint – in general I didn’t taste any alcohol, however.

Having returned from New Orleans that day I found a degree of irony to the next dish - Kumquat - Rye, Peychaud's, Demerara in that it was intended to taste of a Sazerac (a drink I’ve never tasted but was omnipresent in NOLA. With heavy hints of anise and rye plus a sourness that tasted like lemon I have to say this was my least favorite of our 29 courses that evening and even Dave noted “wow, that is strong.”

In a meal that contained many wowing moments it was our final savory that provided the most oohs and aahs both for its presentation and its taste. Dubbed Venison - Fireplace Log, Pumpernickel, Licorice this seasonally inspired dish was described as the chef’s attempt to recreate the smell of a fireplace and actually served the dish on a charred log. Explaining to us that the organic feel of the dish was created with the concept that all black foods can logically be paired together we were left to explore. Featuring the hearty flavors of black trumpet mushrooms paired with sweet raisins in the sauce, bitter pumpernickel bread and black garlic in the “dirt,” butter braised vegetables to offset the crispy dried trumpets, and finally a sensual nearly raw sous-vide preparation of venison and a cranberry gelee this dish was truly an experience and the smell of the log led Dave to exclaim that he’d no longer accept foods not served in such a manner...though I’m pretty sure his wife will have something to say about that.

Transitioning to desserts was a quick palate cleanser - Lemon Soda - One Bite. Quite literally a dissolving packet this “dish” was the very essence of a lemonhead with a carbonated tingle not unlike a pop-rock without the pop.

Dish twenty three, four, five, and six were served together and featured three classics and one new taste. Beginning first with the Transparency – of Raspberry, Yogurt Dave was very pleased by the intense raspberry rock candy/fruit roll up hybrid while I noted a tad less of the flower essence from previous yet a more intent raspberry flavor.

Moving next to Bubble Gum - Long Pepper, Hibiscus, Creme Fraiche I’m not sure Dave liked this dish but I again was impressed by the manner in which the individual tastes peaked through as I inhaled the tube while the overarching flavor of bubble gum was indeed the essence that lingered on the palate afterwards.

Moving next to the novel item of the group (and my first experience with the antenna service piece) we experienced Quince - Hazelnut, Bacon, Thyme. With a texture like granola and a flavor not substantially different from the previous bow presentation earlier I have to say this dish did not move me, but I did like its inclusion – it will be interesting to see if this develops over time, perhaps into a course exploring manners of pairing bacon with fruit in unique presentations.

The final pre-dessert was Pound Cake - Strawberry, Lemon, Vanilla Bean and again it truly did bring forth memories of Junior’s strawberry cheesecake, though I actually quite liked it as the “mignardise” course during my first visit moreso than its current pre-dessert placement in the menu. Dave particularly liked this dish, as I recall.

Heading towards the larger desserts we were next served something I’ve never eaten – Hay. While some may state Hay is for horses, I’d be quite alright with Hay - Burnt Sugar, Coffee, Huckleberry any day of the week. Intended to bring forth memories of fall and winter this dish features a custard made by steeping hay in heavy cream and the overall flavor of the reduced pudding is quite grassy and nutty, not unlike a chestnut or hazelnut. Paired with a bitter coffee accented cookie and sweet huckleberries with additional visual appeal and texture added by a burnt sugar crystal perched on top the dish is finally served atop a pillow of mellow air that to me resembled the smell of dry leaves and flowers – sweet yet earthy much like the dish.

Finishing the pre-dessert we were next brought the now-famous silicone sheet and my mind flashed back to my previous meal – a meal I stated would be once in a lifetime “unless Chef Achatz presents to my table to prepare a course again” in the future. Thankfully, both for myself and for Dave, while the dish I had on my previous experience was perhaps once in a lifetime the chance to watch the Chef work was not. Entitled “Chocolate - Coconut, Menthol, Hyssop” the video can be seen here and is most certainly worth 1,000 words or more http://www.youtube.com/user/uhockey1#p/ ... rYgagwhjAY. Like a peppermint patty only infinitely more nuanced the most impressive aspect of the dish was the strong contrast between the warm 68% Valrhona chocolate and the medicinal cool of the menthol while the coconut in its various forms balanced the two by enhancing the chocolate tones and mellowing the menthol. Additionally playing with hot and cold concepts – the hot liquid pudding and the liquid nitrogen mousse, chewy and crunchy – the coconut rocks and the menthol/chocolate crumbs, and finally adding a spicy component with the anise hyssop I was glad Dave was getting full so I could sneak a few extra spoonfuls of the mousse.

The final taste of our evening was a fitting end to a winter menu - Eggnog - Pedro Ximenez, Benedictine, Buffalo Trace. Similar to the Watermelon-Lime, Nasturtium dish from the summer menu in presentation the dish consisted of an eggnog shelled sphere filled with a spicy and vegetal cocktail with notes of cinnamon floating in a shot of sweet Pedro Ximenez. Taken as a single bite the sphere ruptured on mastication filling the mouth with a balance of sweet and cinnamon while the end effect was punchy with a hot bourbon finish.

Settling the tab and thanking our servers we finished coffee and espresso before making our way to the street, finding the car, and headed for the ‘burbs. Throughout the drive we discussed the food and experience, each of us loving both similar and different parts, but both thoroughly impressed and trying to decide when to make a return visit – yes, me, the guy who rarely dines at the same place twice even in his home town planning for a third trip…yes, it really is that good.

a blogger-friend's NYE experience at Alinea . . . . [single tear].

http://chance47.wordpress.com/2010/02/2 ... last-bite/

An excerpt:

"Lauren and I saved for months for this dinner. Forty dollars apiece every single week would be neatly tucked away into an envelope and stashed securely in Lauren’s apartment. Alinea is the kind of place where reservations must be made far in advance and all men must arrive in a suit jacket. This was every variety of “foreign” that I could imagine. At the beginning of our saving, I honestly told myself we would never actually get there. That misfortune would intervene and cause one or both of us to spend our saved money for some urgent family matter or an organ transplant; something of that ilk. But as New Year’s approached, it became very clear to me that I would be dining at not only one of Chicago’s most revered and unique restaurants, but, in all honesty, one of the world’s.

I suppose it’s odd to say that fear and panic crept into my mind. One might expect me to go on and on about how excited I was. How I was so full of anticipation I was literally bursting into a million pieces everyday. Truthfully I was scared.

What if when I go in, they know? They know I don’t belong. What if they take one look at me and say, 'Excuse me sir, but it’s painfully obvious you are from a small town in Indiana and this food would be beyond your comprehension.'”

That's a neat post. You should tell your blogger-friend to come on LTH and post about some of his other restaurant experiences! I definitely identified with that sense of panic that you get going into it, thinking, "Do I really want to spend that much on a single meal? In this economy, it's something I think more and more about lately.

I went to Alinea last year and can't say I regretted it for a second. The service was impeccable, the food was unbelievable, and never once did I feel really out-of-place (like I did at the now-defunct Ambria). I particularly love how "playful" they are with the food. It's truly an amusing and amazing experience. I was debating myself on what to do for my birthday this year, and I really think I need to bite the bullet and bring my husband here finally.

A post on TOC's website today by Grant Achatz regarding the role of cameras in the dining room...

http://www3.timeoutny.com/chicago/blog/ ... -of-rules/

Interesting...I love seeing the pics but have to agree about some of the concerns. Wonder what others' response will be...