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I can't remember ever having a meal at Alinea that came in at under 4 hours so the idea of being able to get the 'entire experience' in 2.5 hours is very exciting. Sometimes, the most challenging part of a tasting menu meal is how long a time commitment it requires.

Thanks, gastro gnome, for the news.

=R=

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I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

I suspect you got the larger "tour" menu each time, and not the smaller "tasting" menu, perhaps?

The last time I went there, we got the smaller "tasting" menu, which was officially 12 courses but was actually more like 14 or so. We never felt rushed. There were ample intervals between courses. And those intervals seemed to be identical, as though the entire experience were precisely scheduled and choreographed, but without any obvious indication that that was being done. The meal took exactly three hours, from initial seating to our departure.

And for what it's worth, we watched the additional courses served to some of the adjacent tables who ordered the "tour", and never felt as though our meal was anything less than an equally extraordinary and fulfilling experience.

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"we must all understand that we're not all going to agree on everything, so let's just accept it -- hell, let's cherish it -- and move on." - ronnie_suburban

I had a late reservation at Alinea last night. We didn't sit down until 9:30.

The 12 course dinner really stretched our bounds at that time of night. I'm actually glad that there wasn't more.

The stars of our dinner? Everything. But, the following really stood out:

English Pea with Iberico, Sherry and Honeydew

A wonderful salad of various heirloom tomatoes served with a variety of natural accompaniments around the plate. All served on a pillow of fresh cut grass aroma.

The pork belly/rice paper "taco"-for lack of a better term- simply made both of us swoon

The Hot Potato

The Black Truffle Explosion.

Wait, so they didn't make a permanent switch to one 18-course menu for all?

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yes yes yes

Technically, that's probably correct, ChezBrad.

Sunday night, one course had three different preparations of shrimp served in three different plates at one time. I thought of that as "one course" while others may have thought of it as three.

This was something they started to do even before moving to the 1 menu model. They were starting to "combine" courses, so even though 3 things might appear on your table at the same time (making it seem like a single course) the menu would actually classify it as 3 different courses.

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-Josh

An amuse bouche at breakfast is called a Bloody Mary - Scott Manlin

That renders the word course completely meaningless. Does Old Country Buffet serve a 75 course meal?

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

yeah, I gotta agree that that's ridiculous. is this common with other large tasting menus? nowhere else I've been has tried to pull that move.

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Ed Fisher
my chicago food photos

RIP LTH.

Arun's pulled it on me once. I ordered something like a 10 course tasting menu, which consisted of one appetizer followed by a second, then 8 dishes at once intended to be eaten family style. I was pissed off.

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

It is pretty silly, but I can't say that I've ever felt cheated when eating at Alinea.

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-Josh

An amuse bouche at breakfast is called a Bloody Mary - Scott Manlin

Note that the converse is also true - back in June I ate a meal there, and one of the courses was crab served at 3 different temperatures. It was served in a layered "bowl", and the server would remove a layer after you finished each preparation. It was really 3 courses, but only listed as 1 on the menu.

I agree 100%. When talking about Alinea, to get caught up in the actual "number" of courses entirely misses the point.

=R=

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I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

Fair enough. Though that does make one wonder why Alinea itself makes such a big deal about the number.

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

Well, Alinea isn't even advertising the menu as being X courses anymore, are they? So it's not really an issue.

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Ed Fisher
my chicago food photos

RIP LTH.

How many items were on offer your last visit?

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Depends what you mean by "item". For example, there was a tray with squishy rolls and pats of margarine. One item or two?

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...defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions." Screwtape in The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis

Fuckerberg on Food

It depends. How many pats of margarine were there?

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Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

No matter how many course they called it, I was blown away by it. It was my first time there.

No complaints here. Everything was paired nicely and the dinner flowed beautifully though I was yawning a bit by the time the second dessert was delivered.

Cocktails
(right to left)
Passion Fruit/Hurricane | Flor de Cana 4-year, Matusalem clasico, Sailor Jerry
Lemon/Girolamo Sour | Luxardo bitter, Luxardo amaro, grapefruit
Apple/Jack Rose | Laird's apple brandy, grenadine, thyme
Squash/Cynar Flip | Cynar, Carpano Antica, Flor de Cana 7-year
Kumquat/Sazerac | Rittenhouse rye, Peychaud's, demerara



Hurricane "cocktail"
I loved the tartness and the beautiful crunch of the seeds in the hurricane. These were all tasty but this was my favorite of the group.



Centerpieces
As usual, to be revealed later.



Golden Trout Roe | coconut, licorice, pineapple
This trout roe, farmed and produced by Steven Stallard (the maker of Blis maple syrups), is legendary and often featured at Alinea. They buy his entire production.
Pairing: Cocktail of Louis Roederer Brut with Malaga Moscatel and Lillet



Oyster Leaf | white wine, mignonette
I love this dish, which tastes like an oyster, even though there's no oyster in it.



Yuba | shrimp, miso, togarashi
One of my all-time favorites at Alinea. I love the crunch of the yuba in combination with the briney shrimp and heat from the togarashi.



Chao Tom | sugar cane, shrimp, mint
A taste of Southeast Asia in one bite. Shrimp-infused sugar cane is chewed to extract the flavor.



Halibut | parsnip, vanilla, lemon
This amazing all-white dish managed to combine a lot of seemingly discordant flavors, which harmonized amazingly on the palate. I couldn't believe that there was coffee in this dish, that it worked, and that it somehow managed to be white. Completely ingenious.
Pairing: Querciabella "Batar," Tuscany, 2007



Pheasant | green grape, walnut, burning leaves
A great combination of flavors, with the sweet grape foiling the rich pheasant very well. The smell of burning leaves evoked memories of autumn.




Rabbit | parfait, rillette, consomme
This dish was actually comprised of 3 entirely separate sub-dishes, served on 3 separate levels of the serviceware.
Pairing: Niepoort "Redoma Branco," Douro, 2008



A closer look at level 1, the parfait



Level 2, which was under level 1, the rillettes



Level 3, at the very bottom, the consomme
I didn't ask but I assume that this extremely clever and functional serving piece was designed by Martin Kastner.



White Truffles from Alba
I love when this box comes out!



White Truffle | risotto, parmesan, brown butter
Would you like some risotto with that truffle?
Pairing: Giovanni Manzone Barolo "Santo Stefano di Perno," Piemonte, 2001



Risotto, after the truffles had been shaved and the brown butter had been drizzled



Short Rib | olive, red wine, blackberry
This was a new (to me), interactive piece of serviceware that was a lot of fun. So far, the short rib is nowhere in sight. This top plate holds the garnishes.
Pairing: Quinta da Vicosa, Alentejo, Portugal, 2005



RAB lifts the garnish plate and awaits further instruction



Below the top plate are some metal pieces



The metal pieces combine to form a frame



Atop the frame, centerpiece #1, which is actually a sheet of pasta, is placed



Short rib is spooned into the pasta
Diners are told to garnish this as they like, fold the noodle up into a pouch and eat the short rib with their fingers.



Hot Potato | cold potato, black truffle, butter
An Alinea classic and one that I love every time it's served to me.



Squab | in four parts
First, we were presented with the whole-roasted squabs. They were then removed from the dining room.
Pairing: Chateau Palmer "Historical XIX Century Wine"



Savory Squab Breast Tartlet with pototo puree and forcemeat quennelles
This gloriously delectable dish, which I believe is from Escoffier and will be featured on the opening menu at Next -- which will be helmed by chef David Beran -- was served moments later.



Roasted Squab, parted out
After we polished off the tartlets, we were served the rest of the roasted squabs, which we were invited to eat, again, with our hands.



Roasted Squab and Beans
Served with the parted out roasted squab were these legs and split, herb-stuffed heads. Below these delicious morsels were some fantastic beans, which were studded with all sorts of squab bits.



Squab, defeated
We made quick work of the bones and the beans.



These were the serving pieces were we supposed to use for the bones. Oh well.



Black Truffle | explosion, romaine, parmesan
Perhaps the quintessential Alinea dish. A monumental culinary experience every time I have it.



Lamb | red cabbage, mastic, rosemary aroma
Here, centerpiece #2 goes into the supremely hot stone, which holds 3 separate lamb bites. The smoldering rosemary permeates the air as the lamb bites are enjoyed.
Pairing: Jean Royer "Hommage a Mon Pere," Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2001



Apple | horseradish, celery
I love the flavors in this dish and the way its composition and components control the way the flavors are perceived on the palate.



Pineapple | ham, freeze dried cherry
A new take on the transparency course, which used pineapple as its core ingredient instead of raspberry.



Bacon | butterscotch, apple, thyme
Another Alinea classic, which I always love.



Caramel Popcorn | liquified
This little sipper tasted exactly like caramel corn. Very cool!
Pairing: Jean-Luc Pasquet, Pineau des Charentes



Earl Grey | lemon, pine nut, caramelized white chocolate
This is the first time I can remember "the pillow" being used for a dessert course at Alinea. In this case, it was filled with Earl Grey tea vapor, which slowly leaked out under the weight of the plates atop it and sweetened the air around the table.
Pairing: De Bortoli "Noble Wine," New South Wales, Australia, 2006



A closer look at the Earl Grey dessert. The 'noodle' is the caramelized white chocolate and the crumbles are actually an Earl Grey cookie.



Bubble Gum | long pepper, hibiscus, creme fraiche
I always love the steamroller! This is such a fun and delicious combination of successive flavors and varying textures.



Chocolate | apricot, honey, peanut
This is also known as "the mat," as a silicone mat is rolled out to cover the entire table in order to hold the course, which is composed at the table by chefs Achatz and Beran. It's a glorious, edible installation, that I'm guessing is never exactly the same twice. This was a supremely delicious incarnation, in which all the flavors and textures worked together seamlessly.
Pairing: Toro Albala "Don PX," Riserva Especial, Montilla-Moriles, Spain, 1966












After the composition is set, the centerpiece of the dessert, bricks of milk chocolate mousse -- which had been frozen solid in liquid nitrogen -- are delivered to the table



The chefs break up the bricks of mousse




As vapor rises, chef Beran continues to "plate" the dessert



The chefs work in synchronous motion to complete preparation of the dessert



Right down to the brulee-ing, the chefs work in harmonious unison



A look at the section of the dessert that was closest to me
Our table was so long, there was no way to photograph the entire installation without getting up. I really wish I'd shot a video of it. Maybe next time . . .

I must sound like a broken record because every time I go to Alinea I find it a better, tighter and more satisfying dining experience than the time before. This meal, which was quite possibly my favorite ever at Alinea, was no exception. This is a testament to chef Achatz, whose vision and will are so strong, that they have endured and actually grown stronger through all his personal battles, as well as almost 100% staff turn-over (FOH & BOH) since Alinea first opened. That Alinea has continued to hone itself and improve since it began, says a tremendous amount about this man who, I believe, is a visionary and a genius in the truest sense. As Michelin prepares to release its first ever Chicago dining guide next week, it's unquestionably clear to me that Alinea deserves 3 stars, their highest rating. If they don't receive 3 stars, it'll say a lot more about Michelin than it will about Alinea.

=R=

_________________
I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

ronnie, I'm breathless. Really. But most surprised by the parted-out squab (or maybe this dish is a dry run for Next: Antwerp, 1904).

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

Yes, we were told that this was going to be on Next's opening menu (now *hopefully* slated for February or March 2011, I am told). I loved it because it was such hearty, classic fare. And we all thought eating with our hands at Alinea was a great thing. But this series of squab dishes reminds me of an important aspect of what makes Alinea so special . . . as imaginative and innovative as their food can be, there's a clear mastery of fundamental cooking technique in their kitchen that doesn't seem quite as present at some other 'modern' restaurants. This squab was perfectly cooked. It was rich without being gamey or livery at all.

I'm all for chefs taking culinary risks and I really appreciate them when dining. I'm even ok with it when a chef misses the mark with a risk-taking dish. But what I find harder to forgive is when a dish fails because it wasn't made properly or with care. I think we've all had dishes that we felt had no business leaving the kitchens of their respective restaurants. These are doubly disappointing experiences because not only do the dishes fail but we diners also feel like we have been disrespected or taken advantage of in a way. In all my visits to Alinea (nearly 20), there has been a small handful of dishes I haven't cared for. But they were all made impeccably. This is why the squab and risotto (and whole lobe of roasted foie gras on a previous visit) were so special. Experiencing the skill of this kitchen when it's applied to dishes in which it's more easily recognizable (by comparison or what have you) is extremely exciting.

=R=

_________________
I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

It's funny you say that ronnie, because out of the two times I've been, the white truffle risotto is still what stands out most vividly for me.

Fantastic shots, Ronnie. Just fantastic. (Well, not so much that one of me with the puzzled look on my face. )

Well, fwiw, I actually did shoot a very narrow video of it:


What a meal.
--Rich

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I don't know what you think about dinner, but there must be a relation between the breakfast and the happiness. --Cemal Süreyya

Hi,

How many dessert servings were on the mat?

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

That was really great, Rich. It was very cool getting to see it all come together again and hear chefs Achatz and Beran describing what they were doing. Thanks, for taking and posting the video.

C2, it seemed like 20 servings because it was so expansive but in the end the 4 of us finished about 80% of everything that was laid out on the mat. The 2-top adjacent to us received a similar dessert, which was scaled down for them.

=R=

_________________
I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

Here's a fascinating vid of how Alinea took their show on the road to several cities; the choreographed dessert service shows up during the final 60 seconds or so. Kind of amazing that food requiring such gear and ingredients could be whipped up at several non-Alinea locations.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

How the Jackson Pollack dessert table looks when serving 50+. It was cool, though the word "Lestrygonians" sprang to mind.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

I immediately had to Google "Lestrygonians" as it is a word that has not entered my mind.

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-Mary

I was thinking more Chapter 8 of Ulysses. Pedantic, I know, but that is what popped in. I couldn't stay.

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“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

I know something about incredible food experiences, the ones that make you wander how someone could produce a flavor or texture amazing enough to almost immediately prompt you into telling your dinner guest about "how your mom used to make you're favorite dish when it snowed!!!!!!) ha its no joke here. Not experiencing this magicians (chef Grant) food is a travesty to say the least. Thomas Keller this......Trotter that......al of them are amazing as well........but Alinea allows you to tour the "wonderland" of cuisine, and who would think a food genius such as Grant would be the nicest guy you ever met.

I wouldn't tell Ferran to move over quite yet, as el bulli still holds the crown for me but Alinea deserves all of you at least learning more about, and its ability to possibly offer a dining experience to that will forever make for smiling food discussion.

Well done chef!!!!