Alinea - The Tour, Bite by Bite - 3.21.2010

It had to be done. I was leaving Chicago in a week, and a visit to Alinea was imperative. I had gotten enough guts to make a reservation for one, but luck came through and a friend of mine, who is even more culinarily-inclined, Erika, also wanted to go.

We signed up for the Tour, the 24-course spread, and the polite woman who took my reservation warned me it would be a five-hour procession.

I got there a few minutes early. The restaurant looks like luxury condo from the outside, and was most likely the intent of the architect. Once inside, the eery hallway leads to a motion-sensitive door that pops opens to reveal three smiling hosts waiting to greet you. I was taken to the upstairs dining room and seated in the corner. The dining room is incredibly sparse and contemporary, and the only thing that greets you on the table is a small napkin with the Alinea emblazoned on it. Alinea is the name of the paragraph symbol, and the restaurant is aptly named to be a "start of a new thought."

I was greeted politely by Colleen, a tall brunette with a kind but strict look to her. Out of her first options, I requested tap water. Shortly thereafter, she sent over a young man who placed two thick glasses in the place settings, and then she walked over with a vase full of water with a strong purpose. I then knew she would run a tight ship in the room. My friend walked in shortly afterward. We went back and forth for a bit about whether or not we should do the wine pairing, since we had both been at my bar crawl the night before. Then the sommelier came over and assured us he would pour lightly, and we both said okay because we just needed some prodding. (It also could be because Will was adorable as well.) He served us our first glasses, and then the performance began.

Steelhead Roe - (sushi candy) The potent taste of the roe was mixed with light tropical flavors, and a fantastic, crackable clear shell that broke into little pieces. It reminded me of the Chinese botang rice candies I used to devour when I was a kid. The powerful fish mixed well with the sweetness, and left an oddly pleasant vinegar aftertaste. Then, you polished off the taste with the delicious Champagne cocktail of L. Aubry Brut w/ Lillet, St. Germain and Hollerblutensirup, and the bubbles removed additional sea taste. The cocktail was also incredibly delicious and could start putting any patron at ease when starting a 24 course journey.



Yuba (streetfood) + Chao Tom (lollipop treat)They served courses 2 and 3 together, a large stick made of fried tofu skin, wrapped in blackened sesame seeds, shrimp and togarashi. It was like a fantastic treat that I would be able to get walking on the streets of Seoul. The stick had a great bite and texture and went well with the wrapped seafood around the wand. As refined as it was, it brought back happy memories of me munching my way home from volleyball practices.

The Chao Tom, was an ingenious bit of sugar cane, treated with flavor with shrimp and mint garnished on top. The instructions were to take in the sugar cane in one bite, let the flavors intermix on the tounge, then bite into the sugar cane to let it release even more flavor, but don't swallow. I loved taking the extra time and biting through the unique texture of the sugar cane. The texture had a grainy chewiness, and again, I was taken back to my childhood. It was like getting to the tootsie roll or bubblegum in the middle of a lollipop.

All of these actions were invoking such great memories, and I was starting to feel a bit giddy.

Distiallation - (Star Trek shot)
This was where I was reminded that I was a grown-up again. The distillation was a basic shot of a combo very strong thai flavors, vaporized to leave it colorless and only the strongest combinations of the taste. We swigged the drinks like shots, and I the liquid resonated on the tounge, the start of a few courses with the strong fish sauce taste found in thai flavors. It wasn't my favorite, but I liked the intent of the volatility of the drink, and it reminded me of a Star Trek drink. The intention isn't to nourish, but to provide the taste.

Pork Belly - (the world's best spring roll)
First of all, when our server took our pretty center pieces that I thought looked edible and held together by brown chopsticks, I smiled. This trick has been mentioned by many, and I loved that it's becoming a trademark Alinea move. By this time, we were getting well acquainted with our main server, Alex. As much as we tried to flirt and tease, he kept poised and profession through the whole process, making sure we would lead the conversation. I was feeling mentally pampered, not just pampered through the food.

The centerpiece was a clear sheet with flowers pressed into them, our server instructed us that they were actually spring roll wraps, and placed them onto serving trays in front of us. Then we were served coconut-pork belly as fillings. On the plastic trays in front of us there were beautifully plated dollops of fixings for our spring rolls. I enthusiastically dumped everything on the plate into my roll, and ecstatically took my first bite.

The texture of the spring roll wrap was perfect. It was chewy, light, and had a perfect weight to it. Combined with all of the tastes inside of the roll, it was a nice interactive plate. I would have to say this may have been my favorite dish of the night. It was perfection and I wish I could have eaten 12 of them.

Octopus (a green tea with kick)
When our servers brought these out, he asked us to hold out our hands and he placed two smooth mugs into the palm of our hands, with a fork teetering on the edge. I can still remember the smooth feel of the clay bowl in the palm of my hand with a calming warmth. We were instructed to take a bite off the fork, and follow-up with the sip of the soup. The bite of the octopus was just a quick burst, that didn't even take much effort to chew. Then I took a sip of the green, soup made of garbonzo, mint foam and dill. The flavor was enormous. The more I drank, the more overwhelmed I got. The flavor was definitely Asian, but not green tea, just looked like it. It had the strong taste of the Thai fish sauce flavors. Erika loved it, but I couldn't finish it.

Lobster (Nesting Doll)
This large presentation blew me away. By now we got the feeling that anything could be possible within these dishes. At the top of this dish there was a lobster parfait on top with a poppy seed foam, pistachio ice cream and a few jellies of the seafood variety. I understood why the last soup taste was so strong because it was to prepare my tongue for this next round of very strong flavors. The salt taste throughout the dish was extremely strong, which was surprising since I expected the ice cream to be sweet. The sweetest part was the poppy seed foam that played lightly on top of the dish. It wasn't my favorite, but I really enjoyed it.

I have to admit I was very thankful for the wine at this point, the Melville 'Verna's' Estate Viognier, (Santa Barbara County 2008). The sweet smelling white actually had dry after taste, but was still very smooth and did away with my usual distaste for dry wines. I was dousing my tongue with it after the salt explosion.

Then the top was removed to find a seafood salad of sorts, placed like a nigiri tray with a mix of vegetables on top. Also, a person also came by and poured a thick chai soup over the the assortment to go through the top pieces. This was my favorite part of the three-tiered course.

The last bit, the server returned with a strainer, and poured out the remnants of the chai soup into a glass. Similar to the green soup, it had a very strong, potent salt taste that was full of the fish sauce flavor. I sipped the warm finale to the course, but again, was very happy for my wine.

Squab - (hearty soup)
This was one of the filling treats of the day, and seemed like something British gentry would have eaten during a wuthering heights type of day on the moors. It was rich, with a chamomile foam, and filled with rich meats like duck with slices of filling greens. It was absolutely delicious, and after I ate all of the stewed pieces, I wanted a piece of bread or something to finish off the rest of the soup on the bottom. I mean just because you're in a classy place doesn't mean I still don't crave my carbs.

Black Truffle - (explosive ravioli)
I thought nothing could top the hearty Squab dish that I took down in gulps, but then they brought over what they called the Black Truffle Explosion. They instructed us to take it in one bite, seal our lips together and let the flavor settle in our mouths. I did as I was instructed, and it was quite the explosion. We asked Alex, our server, how they were able to fill the ravioli shell with the warm gooey liquid to be released on the first bite. He said they actually turned the black truffle into a gel, then wrap it in the ravioli shell, and then cook it so it transforms from a gel to a liquid. The extra care is completely worth it.

Burrata, Bacon and Kumquat (mid-meal snacks)
These three bites were morsels of goodness, all with a very sweet kick to them. The first was a honey, creamy and cheesy bit with a hardened shell. In one bite, you could crack through the brittle exterior and have a delightful pastry treat. Next was the bacon, wrapped in sweet jam and a sliver of apple. I wished I had a cracker to spread it on it was so good. The last was a gelatinous concoction of kumquat, but it had retained its shape and was infused with some very strong alcohol. The last bite we took like a shot, and it burned like Bacardi on your 21st birthday.

Foie Gras (pear cheesecake)
This dish was another trick of expectation vs. taste, especially due to the name of the dish. I expected salt, not sweet when I took a bite, and was presently surprised by it. The candied pear on top of the dish was easily cracked into pieces and mixed into the creamy remains of the foie gras confetti that gave a wonderful crispy texture to it. It was a play on a cheesecake with a crackly graham cracker crust. Also, as I took a bite of this sweetness, I fondly remember then taking a sip of my Reinhold Haart 'Piesporter Goldtropchen' Reisling, and advanced further into candyland. It was a fantastic pairing, and the wine just prolonged the wonderful taste of the dish.


Sturgeon, (a soup to chew)
Alinea unnerved me again with this sturgeon dish. Of course it was beautifully plated, but I also expected the sturgeon to have the usual texture of a seafood, with some gaminess. However, I easily sliced off the end of the sturgeon with my spoon, and gathered up some cream beneath it. In my first bite, my senses were totally confused. The creamy texture of the bite was more like a heavy soup than a bite. I simply needed to run it over my tongue and swallow, and it even felt like warm liquid as it passed through. I couldn't stop talking about my disbelief. I'm sure Erika got an earful, as well as our servers.

At this point we were getting very well acquainted with our dining crew. We would constantly pester Will, Alex and Collen with the stories of their lives. They were great sports about our meandering questions, and the wine really helped loosen our tongues. At the time of the Shad Roe we had been there for about three hours, and I felt like we had been there for minutes. The dining room was wonderfully calm, and my giddiness simply climbed with each whimsical meal.

Shad Roe (octopus ball)
In Japan, there is something called an octopus ball, which is a seafood concoction that is covered with panko and baked in a turn-over factory contraption. This beautiful, deep-fried ball of goodness reminded me of it, but was exponentially better. This was another dollop that we could eat in one bite, and I totally took advantage. The texture was less crunchy than I anticipated, but still good.






Filet de Boeuf (the English platter)
First the crew brought over beautifully engraved wine glasses, and Will poured us a red, I think. The food + wine high was getting to me at this point, and Erika and I were having more fun then ever. :-) Then out came an innocent looking plate filled with dollops of various meat concoctions. If I didn't know better, I would think the pleasant plate should have been served at an afternoon tea, not to two rambunctious 20-somethings who were probably making their servers nervous. Even our silverware had changed from the contemporary look to the engraved silver of past generations. My favorite bite was of the duck (of course.) Some of the other servings were too pate-like for my taste. As much as I like creamed meat on a cracker, served on a fork could push me a bit too far at times.

Hot Potato - (oyster hor d'oeuvres)
Of course it didn't literally come on a toothpick, but half of the dish reminded me of a bite-sized treat I could see circulating a room on a platter. However, that's not the end of it. At the bottom of the treat was a smooth soup that finished off the flavor of the toothpick bite. It was an incredibly clever way to meld in a carb and the soup together.







Venison - (the devil's dish)
When this came out, I thought the night had darkened for it too. The food was plated on a black log, and slathered with thick black garlic sauce. I know the smokey smell of the log was only amplified by it's dark appearance. On top of the sauce sat cubes of succulent venison, that I loved slathering with the creamy, black sauce surrounding it. I was sad when I polished off every bite, and thought this is how the devil must eat every night.


Lemon Soda
Unfortunately this came out so quickly, that I didn't even realize it was a course. It came in a plastic sugar packet that we popped open and poured into our mouths like pixie sticks. They had a great carbonation to them too. It was a total pop of energy, and perfect transition to the next course.

Bubble Gum (big chew)+ Transparency (shattered sugar glass)
I had heard the chef, Grant Achatz, speak about the raspberry transparency. (on the right)

"I have one dish called the translucent raspberry...," he said. "I thought of this dish one summer when one of our organic growers came into our kitchen with a boxful of ripe raspberries. As soon as she entered the restaurant I could smell them. At the same moment, one of our servers dropped a large box of wine glasses."

The thin sliver of raspberry glass hit the tongue and shattered in my mouth. It was great to taste what I had heard so much about, and be able to experience my own interpretation of the event.

The bubblegum came in a plastic tube, and we were instructed to suck all of the contents out of the test tube, like a straw and eat it all in one bite. We did as they instructed us. The bubblegum flavors were awesome, and it was made out of a tapioca product to give it a great chew.

Earl Grey (Willy Wonka's concoction)
We got a preview of this dish from the table next to us, and I was so excited to see this. The service team brought out two pillows. Then they quickly rushed over and placed two plates on top of the pillows. Then we watched them deflate from the weight. We were chatty and asked some questions, but our server very politely told us to quickly eat because the Earl Grey aroma being released from the pillows would be wasted on our small talk. I'm glad we complied, and we delved into a delightful dish with carmelized white chocolate, ridiculously pungent lemon treat and nuts. The server was right too, once the aroma had gone away, I missed the calming sensation of the aroma over the food. Regardless it was still enjoyable.

Chocolate (the finale)

This was by far, my favorite experience. One, the wine was aboslutely delicious because I adore sweet wines, especially this Dashe 'Late Harvest' Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley 2007. Two, it was a production. The servers laid out a plastic table cloth, which could only mean that it would be used to serve food. Then they came out with the artistic materials, plates full of white sauces, black crumbles and serving spoons.

It was as if we were about to start finger-painting and the art teacher was setting up our table to start the class.

Then Grant Achatz came out to plate our dessert, and that was reason three it was my favorite course. I fought back to urge to incessantly ask him question as he began to plate the dish. Instead, I just watched him work, and took pictures of the progression. There's nothing quite like watching an artist work, and I was so happy to witness it. Alinea really does know it's customers, and what they would like. They pander to us, why us would they have Grant come out to the table to plate that dish? It's a special treat that they know we would appreciate.

Of course it was delicious as well. A frozen chocolate mouse mixed with creamy white menthol and cookie menthol crumblers, what's not delicious about that?

It was an absolutely fantastic experience. I had thought that after one visit to Alinea I would simply be satisfied, and never want to go again. Instead, I'm incensed to go back, and know that I'll tuck away a small fortune every year to afford the pleasure.

It was more like a trip to a foreign country where food ruled, and so did I. I was more pampered than I have ever been before, and I felt incredibly refreshed. And I've been to a few spas in my time, and this service and hospitality was a big step above of that. The food even sat well, and I didn't feel over-stuffed.

I loved the entire experience, and I hope everyone who appreciates food will have the chance to go. I realize it's not an experience for everyone. I didn't even love all of the food, but I had a fantasatic time and I'm still glowing from it.

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