gourmet babble: Alinea

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Alinea

Food:	39	Ambience:	39	Purity:		Cost:	$$$$$	SHAVE:	Close

Cuisine:	Post-modern	Executive chef:	Grant Achatz	Dining date:	2005-09-16

Region:	Chicago	City:	Chicago, IL		Lincoln Park

After my first dinner at Alinea, I wrote the following in my dining notes: "I just got back from the longest meal I think I've ever eaten."

Alinea is another hot new Chicago restaurant offering immersion in post-modern cuisine. There's a (no longer) recent review that actually highlights a lot of the cuisine that I sampled that night — and sampling it was, as we went for the "tour," which that night was a 26-course tasting menu that lasted five hours. It was worth the hype and every penny, however; it's simply a phenomenal place. Many courses were "really good" or better; the consistency was unexpectedly high throughout the entire meal. Perhaps my favorite course was squab in mushroom soup with foie gras foam, the extra details of which I could not recall at this moment I wrote the review up (it was simply too difficult to keep in my head; unlike moto, there are no printed menus from which to pull notes, and I didn't keep a notebook with me through dinner). I've been a fan of Grant Achatz's since his tour at Trio in Evanston; as seems to be the pattern (set perhaps by Rick Tramonto and Gale Gand when they went off to start Tru), a fair number of the highly-skilled waitstaff there were from the old days of Trio. Service was precise and elaborate; the room was modern and gorgeous — the entryway is simply amazing in and of itself! Although the food did not peak at the levels that moto peaked at, I felt it was more consistent (though not due to a lack of experimentation and risk) and still ended up placing Alinea as one of the five best restaurants in Chicago today. (If you're looking for the other four in my highly-subjective, highly-opinionated, ephemeral list: Moto, the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carleton, Charlie Trotter's, and Les Nomades.)

Yes, $175 is a hefty price for a tasting menu — but what a tasting menu! It's also perfectly in line with the other new stellar greats in the US, such as per se in New York, and is in fact perhaps "a deal" when compared to Alain Ducasse's restaurant at the Essex House or many of the stunning French restaurants or Michelin three star restaurants out there.

The bottom line? If you are a lover of exciting, dynamic, and post-modern cuisine (and live in the Chicagoland area) — make a reservation (which you'll need to do well in advance) and go.

The next spring, on April 5 (my little personal historical marker of terrestrial position with respect to the sun), we went back. That time was notable in two extra ways: first, I did the wine flight along with the tour; second, I got a copy of the menu to take home as a keepsake (a little thing I like to do sometimes — call me sentimental, I guess). So I figured I'd just share the menu and review it as best as I could remember (bearing in mind that I was already up past my bedtime and was barely staying awake even as I type this), before too much time passed and I lost the thread of it entirely. I was far too tired that night to attempt such a herculean feat. Even with memory fading, it took all the free time I had over the course of two four days.

HOT POTATO, cold potato, black truffle, parmesan paired with Pascal Doquet Premier Cru Brut Rosé, Vertus: A one-bite course with a thick slab of black truffle on the top. Anything with a thick slab of black truffle on the top is a portent of a heavenly meal. This was a fantastic melange of textures, tastes, and temperatures on the palate all at once. Heaven in a bite! The accompanying champagne was full but still light enough to start a meal cleanly (I'm not usually a fan of rosés, but this one did make the grade nicely.
PINE NUT, radish, balsamic, olive oil: Each item was in some gelée, purée, or other alternative form. Another one-biter, this was heavenly, and if I recall correctly, was served as a spoon balanced in a ring-dish that had no bottom.
SALSIFY, parsley, smoked salmon, steelhead roe paired with Wieninger Nussberg "Alte Reben", Vienna 2001: The wine was light and nice, different and refreshing. The dish… this was an amazing amazing experience. Another one-biter. Every flavor was in perfect balance (this is saying something for me, as I usually fervently object to parsley).
LOBSTER, coconut, hearts of palm, yuzu paired with Jean Chartron Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Clos de la Pucelles" 2002: A fine little salad, with some excellent poached lobster and hearts of palm, plus a few other surprise delectables, all under a long, rectangular sheet of coconut so thin that it was translucent. I am a big fan of Montrachets; this one was a very good one indeed.
MUSSEL, chamomile, cucumber: A nicely balanced course; the chamomile was not overpowering, the mussel not fishy, and the cucumber strong enough to hold its own.
SKATE, caper, lemon, and brown butter powders paired with François Villard Condrieu "Terrasses du Palat", N. Rhône 2003: The wine was an excellent pairing for this dish, though I'm not sure how fond I was of it solo. But I can hardly remember, because of how perfect this skate was! I am not a fin fish kind of eater, historically, but this was done absolutely to perfection — a long, thin ribbon of wavy skate, with powders for each of the typical condiments alongside. Yes, this is a hallmark of any post-modern restaurant What distinguishes moto is their condiments; what distinguished Alinea was the perfection of the skate.
PEAR, celery leaf & branch, curry: This was served like a truffle on a little stand, taken as a shooter like an oyster. It was… am I using words like perfection too much? Well, it was really stellar. Let's say it that way. Wonderful consistency, absolutely stunningly balanced flavors (and I don't like pears most often, although I simply adore all things curry and celery both)… Grant really has a beautiful touch with the subtle combinations.
LAMB, akudjura, niçoise olive, eucalyptus veil paired with Bodega Mustiguillo "Finca Terrarazo", El Terrerazo, Spain 2001: A very small amount of some beautifully done lamb, with heady aromas and exotic tastes that did not overpower but subtly and artfully complimented the flavorful lamb. The wine was heavier and more potent, forward, and yet, again, complemented things simply magnificently.
BISON, braised pistachios, sweet spices paired with Bodegas Weinert Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2000: The wine was heavy, almost too pungent for me. Not my favorite, though interesting. But I have to admit, it went well with the bison. It also made me feel a little off almost immediately, so I backed off from it. The dish… there were three different preparations of pistachio on the plate; in a sauce, braised, and ground fine.
SWEET POTATO, bourbon, cinnamon fragrance: This was a nice little dish that came at a time when I was reacting not so well to the Mendoza. In short, I don't remember any details. (*wince* sorry)
VERJUS, lemon thyme, beet paired with Dashe Late Harvest Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley 2005: The late harvest zin was fuller than I expected (I'm not very experienced with zinfandels). This was a cute little one-bite course that was pleasing but gone all too soon; not earth-shattering, but elegant in its simplicity. It was served on a counterbalanced long skinny steel rod they call "the antenna"; the method of consumption was to lean forward, enclose it in one's mouth, and then pull it off the thin rod by moving your head back. As the waiter quipped, "don't sneeze."
SPRUCE, pomelo pith, young walnut: This was a heady aromatic one-biter that really encompassed its flavors very well.
YOGURT, juniper, mango: Of all the dishes, this was the only one I didn't like and didn't finish. It was presented in a highball glass, with a pool of mango at the bottom, juniper emulsion mixed around it, with tentacles that looked like the Flying Spaghetti Monster coming out of it made of freeze dried yogurt. The trick was to mash it all together in the bottom with the spoon and eat it. The tastes didn't mesh, and there was a very weird oily taste in there that didn't seem quite right. It was actually quite unappetizing.
YUBA, prawn, miso, orange: Another dish laid out on a long rectangular plate with "stations" of various items that can be mixed experimentally to find heavenly taste combinations. Wonderful stuff. The prawn was delicious, and the reduced miso (not a gel, but denser than a foam) was fantastic.
ASPARAGUS, egg yolk drops paired with Albert Mann Pinot Auxerrois, Alsace 2004: This was wonderful! There was a light broth that the egg and asparagus was in that was just heavenly. The only comparison I have for the eggs, in size, appearance and texture, is to a weird confection known as Dippin' Dots. However, these eggs were not flash-frozen; they were in fact all apparently hand prepared. I had burned out on eggs 20 years ago but this was delicious, wonderful, and I would gladly have this far more often. The Alsatian wine was heavier than some, given the combination with the pinot blanc grapes, but unlike the other malbec I had that evening, this was quite enjoyable indeed, and (you knew it was coming) went wonderfully with the egg and broth!
PORK, grapefruit, cornbread, ohio honeycomb paired with N. Joly Savennieères "Clos de la Coulée de Serrant", Loire 2003: Wonderfuly tasty, but I remember almost nothing about the preparation itself. I do remember thinking "this doesn't taste like pork." The wine was also nice, but equally unmemorable (which is not to say that it isn't a stellar wine, but given the amount of alcohol I had already consumed and how many other stellar courses I had already ingested, this simply didn't stand out in any way I can remember a week later).
KOBE BEEF, honeydew, cucumber, lime rocks paired with Josef Umathum Zweigelt, Burgenland, 2003: Now, technically, I remember him saying that this was an American Kobe, which should made it Wagyu, no? (Much like "sparkling wine" vs. "champagne".) However, Alinea is pretty serious about their ingredients. Perhaps I'll email them and follow up about this. Regardless: it was wonderful. It came on a small plate with a thin cucumber sheet covering everything (superthin, translucent); the lime rocks were interspersed underneath the slices of beef, honeydew and other delicate accompaniments. (The lime rocks were dried lime preparations in lieu of salt; the tanginess of the lime made salt unnecessary for this dish… in fact, the lime rocks were almost too strong to be used! Still, I made the noble effort to do so, and was well rewarded.) The Zweigelt is not a wine I would drink in quantity but it had a nice offset to the richness of the waygu beef and the pungency of the lime rocks.
FOIE GRAS, hibiscus, licorice, blueberry soda: One shot of foie gras and morsels, followed by a quick upending of the small container to get the blueberry soda, which gave an interesting finish to the dish (since it still had traces of the oils from the foie gras and essences of hibiscus in it). Surprisingly (or perhaps not), the Zweigelt actually provided a nice finish for this as well.
DUCK, apple, onion, pillow of mace air paired with Clos Vougeot Grand Cru "Musigni", Gros Frère & Soeur 2001: The pillow of scented air is a hallmark of Alinea's. A fine paper mesh pillow, open at the bottom and filled with a spice mist, is placed under the course. The pillow slowly deflates over the time of the course, with wisps of white "smoke" coming out the bottom and curling around the pllow (which is just finely powdered mace). This causes an olfactory loading of mace that adds to the spicing of the dish overall. The interaction on one's palate is just amazing. The duck itself was good, very nicely done; it was the presentation that made it all truly special. The wine was good but, again, I was not seeing anything screamingly unique about it at that point. (Overload of brilliance?)
PINEAPPLE, tamarind, thai basil, chinese sausage: This came on a bow-like steel device with three wires; two curved ones on which it sits, and a straight one between those two ends holding tension and, attached like a clothesline, the dish. This is what they called their "adult fruit rollup": it was a pouch of pineapple leather, containing the tamarind, basil, and sausage, a tiny bit of each. You pulled the pouch off the steel wire, and ate the whole thing at once — again, no silverware. A fun dish, and tasty, although I think the pineapple overpowered the basil and the sausage. Then again, I like chinese sausage, and I love pineapple and thai basil. So there was really no "losing" for me with this dish.
SABLÉ, jasmine, toffee, plantain paired with Ochs Blaufränkisch Eiswein, Weiden-am-See, Austria 2004: The first of the desserts. Nice, but nothing amazing that I recall. The Eiswein was nice, although I wouldn't want to drink too much of it; fortunately, that was a really small pour.
ARGAN OIL, white chocolate, sumac: I remember this tasting really nice, much lighter than I expected, full of interesting palate interactions, but I have absolutely no memory of the presentation.
CHOCOLATE, kola nut, chufa, date paired with Elio Perrone "Bigaro" Brachetto/Moscato, Piemonte 2005: This was a singly long pliable ribbon of chocolate mousse (it held internal tension like a spring, and in fact had been wound up on the plate interestingly), with little powders and sauces of kola, chufa, date, and chocolate garnishing. It was very nice, though not any sort of breakthrough dish. The wine was interesting in that with the addition of the brachetto, it had a much darker color (not at all your standard Moscato d'Asti) and fuller flavor without too much heaviness. It was really nice, and I finished the whole thing barely in time for the next course.
COFFEE, mint, buckwheat, passionfruit paired with Toro Albala "Don PX" 1971 Gran Reserva, Montilla-Moriles: Interesting; a good mix of flavors that almost hit the mark but just didn't quite make it. The coffee was in a freeze-dried log surrounding a watery mint crème, surrounded by frozen buckwheat and buckwheat gelato (which was nice) and the passionfruit reduction and powders. The Don PX was very interesting, however; exceptionally sweet, almost like a tawny port, but without any of the acidity or heaviness; eminently drinkable. Again, I had already drank quite a bit, but I gleefully finished this one off.
PEANUT, five other flavors: Five steel rods docked in a very small steel base, each of which could be pulled out and the morsel (roughly each the size of single bean) consumed straight off into one's mouth. I'm not a huge peanut fan, so I recognized that this was a good course, but not really to my taste, and nothing truly "special". But that was okay; I was already saturated with amazing food.

In short, was this the best meal I had ever had? Absolutely not. I have had meals of pure perfection at Charlie Trotter's and Daniel's. Was this in the next level down? Absolutely. It's a great experience, with some stellar, amazing, wonderful, exceptional food, and some incredibly good dishes. (And one stinker that second time.) Was it worth the $175 tour price? Absolutely, if you're into the finest kind of dining adventure. Was the wine flight worth it? Yes, but only on special occasions (but then, I don't drink much any more anyway). In this case: absolutely. A memorable meal, a nice evening, a gorgeous room and building. Oh, and as opposed to last time: this one only took four hours. Record time!

I could have written more, or found more links for the wines, or any number of things, but it had already taken a week, and I felt like if I take any more time, it might never get out. So: I'd love to hear specific questions or feedback; leave comments, and I'll respond in kind.

This is a hybrid of two reviews I originally posted on 16 September 2005 and 12 April 2006 to daily babble under the titles "five hours of culinary splendour" and "ex facto post: alinea".

Pros: Brilliant and bright, innovative, consistently excellent cuisine. Chef Achatz is unencumbered and probably at his finest to date. Elegant room with nigh-unto-impeccable service, like Charlie Trotter's in its heyday.

Cons: Expensive. Very, very, expensive.

Summary: Some of the best food in the world right now. If I had serious money, I'd eat here biweekly or weekly.

Posted by on December 25, 2006 4:19 PM | Permalink