Alinea
Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park1723 N Halsted St
(between Concord Pl & Willow St)
Chicago, IL 60614 (312) 867-0110
126 Reviews for Alinea
Since arriving in this wonderful city 2 months ago...I have not been able to get you off my mind. The pairing course we had was amazing. The service was attentive and the food (I don't even want to call it that), nay the creations from Alinea were unbelievable.
Thank you!
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Alinea is amazing, and Alinea knows it. I. Loved. Every. Second. My experience at Alinea reminds me of going to an amusement park with my best friends: I smiled and was delighted for all of the three hours I was inside this womb of culinary wonder.
I went to Alinea in mid-March '08 with an old friend. Remembering this occasion fondly, I think about the food and the drink all the time because I have never eaten food created with such precision and focused so hotly on taste and experience. We each had the tasting menu with the wine pairing. It was exquisite. The nutmeg pillow was so wonderful, I'm dreaming about it still. The Amarone was a sip of joy.
The waitstaff and sommelier were wonderful, as one might expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by their professionalism which was delightfully lacking in pretension.
You need to eat here. I don't care what anyone says: Alinea is worth every silly penny.
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Almost three months after we came here to celebrate our anniversary, I still think Alinea was our most unique food experience ever...even if I can't remember the majority of the dishes. We ambitiously made a reservation for what we thought was 20 courses and when it turned out to be 25, we thought, okay, we can do that. Big mistake. By 18 or so, I felt like I was about to burst and I was really glad I wasn't wearing a tight dress. We had to ask if they could just skip a few for us, and they were nice enough to let us choose from the remaining courses. Note to self: even tiny plates can add up!
What impressed us most about Alinea was the service. We went through maybe 21 or 22 courses and with each arrival, our table was cleaned, new utensils arrived on a cushion or tiny platter, and we were told a story about each of our wine pairings. Our servers and sommeliers really knew what they were talking about and no one made us feel like we shouldn't be there (which has happened before seeing as we look fairly young). I have never been so spoiled at a restaurant. We also discovered a delicious muscat that we regret not buying then because we haven't been able to find it since.
The quality of the food was impressive and each course was so meticulously plated that for the first few courses we were both gingerly stabbing at our plate, trying not to ruin anything. That night was also the second time in my life where my food came with instructions! For example, one of our courses required sliding a slab of meat off a pin and dropping it into a bowl of sauce before mixing it up and eating it. There was also one where you had to drop a ball into a tiny glass and let the liquid react before drinking it. And there was one mini treasure hunt for the pork inside a tall bowl full of pine needles (that one smelled really good and tasted even better). Of course, the nutmeg pillow had to be my favorite looking as it was pretty cool to watch your plate slowly drop to the table as the pillow deflated.
If you like experimental dishes, you'll love Alinea. We're both glad we were able to experience pins and cushions and foam galore, but in terms of taste, some of the flavor combinations just didn't work for us.
With its 125 reviews already, I'm not sure I can add much of anything, but I knew I had to save my 200th review for a special place, so here it goes...
I took my boyfriend here last night as a surprise gift for his birthday and a celebration of his landing a new job. I think the surprise was well received :)
Although I'm hesitant to put it this way, I will anyway: Alinea might be compared to a really mind blowing one night stand on some exotic vacation. Ok I've never had a one night stand, let alone anywhere exotic. But here's what I mean- its a marathon of indulgence, its an experience like you've never had before - one that will might make you feel like no other restaurants will be able to excite you in the same way. And yet there's a good chance you won't feel the need to experience it again. Ok maybe that analogy is a complete stretch.
I was afraid that the high expectations set by the 125 other reviews here left room only for at least some disappointment. But it truly was worth every penny and every second of that 4 and a half hours (for the 24 courses)- its an experience that I'll never forget. Every part of it was crafted to perfection- including the name!
The service is impeccable. There is no hint of snootiness here. The sommelier made excellent suggestions (even on the low end of the price spectrum). I had my doubts, but you really will not feel the 4-5 hours go by- Alinea keeps you entertained with each dish that comes out to you, not one on a plain old dinner plate.
Some suggestions. First, if I did it over again, I might lay off the wine. There is so much going on with the food - I understand that they have wine pairings to bring out the flavors (we didn't end up doing that but ordered by the half/full bottle instead), but I didn't think it was necessary in the end. On top of that, be aware that much of the food is very rich, and if you're not used to eating the kinds of things on the menu, your stomach might be unhappy with you (I can't fault Alinea for this, but I'm still fighting off a bit of nausea). So if you're a novice like me, its probably better to stick with 12 courses, at least for your first time. (I just figured it was now or never for trying a 24 course meal!)
I'm not going to say I loved every dish or would crave anything in particular again- most of it was too intense for more than the little servings provided. But some of the highlights to me: the Yuba, Hot Potato, Fava Beans (a bit overwhelming), Chicken Skin (I think- now the dishes are getting mixed up in my head!), and Ice Fish. I'll have to go back and look at the commemorative menu because the online menu looks different than what we had. (I sort of feel like we should have earned a disploma too!)
If you have the means, this is something you really must do in Chicago- there are probably not too many things in this city that can boast being one of the best in the world!
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Saturday the 15th finally rolled around and my long anticipated night at Alinea was just hours away. I'd have to go back to December 24th 1984 to recall the last time I felt so anxious. With a nice lunch at Irazu I was primed and ready to go. I even planned which "jacket" I was going to wear for the occasion. Jeff, John, and I were about to embark on a five plus hour twenty four course culinary adventure. We were ready.
We arrived at Alinea for our 6:30 reservation and were escorted up the glass staircase to our table on the second level. The room we were sat in housed two four tops and a six top. We were a bit nervous that we'd overpower the small room with loud obnoxious vulgarity. Shortly after sitting we realized that they sat us in the loud obnoxious vulgar section. Perfect!
Each of us went with the twenty four course "Tour" menu with wine pairings. Alinea offers both a twelve and twenty four course menu. (Alinea is so well designed and deliberate that I am actually spelling out 12 and 24 because I think it looks better!) Below you will find a list of each dish we had followed by a few brief descriptions of those dishes that really stood out. In the interest of time I decided to not list the wine pairings, but they were all superb.
STEELHEAD ROE coconut, lime, vanilla fragrance
Yum!
YUBA shrimp, miso, togarashi
Deep fried soy milk? Grant Achatz has definitely proven that anything deep fried is bound to be good.
CRAB passion fruit, avocado, heart of palm
This dish was served as a one biter on a white porcelain spoon. The description delivered by our server listed what seemed to be more than ten ingredients. I asked "How can you fit all that shit on that little spoon?" Sure enough all the components were abundantly clear on the pallet from just that one itsy bitsy bite. Delicious!
SALSIFY caper, dill, smoked salmon
Is it just me or is everybody using Salsify these days? Up until a few weeks ago I had no clue what it was and no I can't get away from it.
BEANS many garnishes, pillow of nutmeg air
We all selected this dish as the best of the evening. It was a navy bean puree with a piece of crisp pancetta on top of that and on top of that a Guinness beer foam. It was St. Patrick's Day after all! Surrounding the puree was eight or so single bite accompaniments intended to be consumed with the puree. Brilliant!
DUCK butternut squash, banana, Thai flavors
LAMB mushroom, red wine, diverse embellishments
HOT POTATO cold potato, black truffle, butter
PORK BELLY smoked paprika, polenta, pickled vegetables
CHICKEN SKIN truffle, corn, thyme
MANGO soy, foie gras
CARAMEL CORN "liquefied".
Yep, tastes exactly like liquid caramel corn!
CRANBERRY frozen and chewy, bitter orange, chervil
One of the most simple and interesting dishes of the evening!
WAGYU BEEF black truffle, potato, Blis Elixir
They dangle this piece of beef in front of you and don't let it eat it! It just sits there taunting you and finally they serve it atop a hot potato.
ICE FISH shellfish, horseradish, parsley
APPLE CIDER walnut milk, cinnamon, vegetable ash
SWEETBREAD cauliflower, burnt bread, toasted hay
BLACK TRUFFLE explosion, romaine, parmesan
A signature dish that should never ever be taken off of the menu. Easily my second favorite dish of the evening. Rich and delicious! Hands down the best pierogi I have ever had!
TRANSPARENCY of raspberry, rose petal, yogurt
BACON butterscotch, apple, thyme
PERSIMMON carrot, red curry, spice strip
LICORICE CAKE muscovado, sugar, orange, hyssop
CHOCOLATE egg, pomelo, smoke
SWEET POTATO bourbon, tempura, cinnamon incense
COFFEE five ways
The space is stunning. It looks like it was pulled from the pages of a really strong issue of Metropolitan Home. To tell you the truth, I was in love with the restaurant before taking a single bite. Alinea....you had me at hello.... You had me at hello.... A majority of the plates and apparatuses that were used for serving food were custom designed for Alinea. The food, the wine, the interior design, the service, and even the china all worked to create a truly harmonious dining experience. It was culinary theatre at its very best.
The staff was welled dressed, mostly well behaved (a good thing), and very knowledgeable. Everybody is clad in Zegna so it's hard to look bad! I couldn't keep count of the number of servers who we interacted with, but despite the turnover the service remained consistently perfect. The thing that stuck out the most was how approachable our sommelier was. I enjoy wine and like to have an open dialogue with my sommeliers. I find more often than not the sommeliers try to prove their worth to you by spewing out obscure facts and using bad accents. Our guy was just like one of the guys. Well, one of the guys who knows a whole lot about wine.
3 "Tour" Menus with Wine Pairings
$1300
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I agree with all the other posters, this is a unique place and a definite must do. The food is imaginative and well executed. On top of that I loved that the service was so welcoming and repeatedly we were encouraged, "Welcome to Alinea. Have fun!" They pull off the fun and excitement of such interesting food very well.
My only complaint is that toward the end of our meal we were asked, "Will you be having coffee or tea?" We both answered coffee and thought nothing of it. When the bill came, there was a $15 addition for coffee. Now I'm not a stingy, penny-pincher, and on a $600 bill $15 is a drop in the bucket, but it has left me with a feeling that Alinea is a little sneaky.
Maybe it's nit-picky but it just sort of bummed me out. Luckily, the meal was so good that my memories are still fond. Still a definite must go!
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It seems almost excessive to write yet another rave review, but how could I not? This was a perfect evening, with the most incredible menu I have even seen. We spent four and a half hours in heaven. The service was perfect, the wine pairing impeccable. I wouldn't want to go too frequently, it's too special (and, yes, it's expensive, but SO worth it!)
If you go, get the Tour. There are too many great things to miss if you don't.
Well, I am not going to go into all the details, or give my entire menu, since it was a couple years ago, but all I will say is perfection!
I went the first week of may 2006, which was Alinea's 1year anniversary week...they only offered the 28course Tour which showcased the best of the previous year...Everything was perfect, the "high end" wine pairing was flawless, the 50$ glass of champagne before dinner was excellent...everything...though I mostly remember through the pictures that I took, the one course (probably by far the simplest), is what I always talk about...
Made on the custom designed anti-griddle, it was frozen mango puree topped with bonito flakes and 30yr balsamic....MMMM....Droole...
anyways 2 people 28 courses each, 5:30pm-11:30pm, tour of the kitchen chat with grant, plus generous tip...$1800
AND WORTH EVERY DAMN PENNY!!!!!
see some photos that I will be posting
In keeping w/ my "do everything at least once" mentality, my friends and I took on Le Grand Tour, the 20+ "courses" with the wine pairing. This was some time ago, but I still get a little teary-eyed when I reminisce about the deliciousness.
This is a dining experience. If you are not going to appreciate the fact that this is intended to be a sensory exploration of gourmet food, science, architecture, and wine expertise then you might be better off at a local bistro where you can predict each outcome.
Every taste on the menu is designed to be presented in a unique way, to bring out flavors or pairings of flavors in ways you'd never have imagined. As I recall, they actually partner with a ceramics artist and others who create plates/dishes or other devices (yep, devices) to suit the particular dish you are being served. I want to say each little bite is a work of art, is that too over the top? Each item was a sensory experience whether due to scent (using hot bricks to bring out the full scent of fresh rosemary sprigs with a particular dish, for example - -amazing and heady), for your eyes (a sculpture or sorts, with the tastes resting at the top), for your mouth (the consistencies of each food are so varied and unpredictable).
Each item we ate that night was delicious and (ahem) might I say arousing?! I mean, literally, my senses were so completely aroused, it was so decadent. We ate from approx. 8pm to maybe 2am, fairly nonstop. At the end, I was full in a good way, but also loaded (the wine pairings - - perfect) and so content.
The staff were all cordial and our servers had great personality. As I recall, the four of us spent about $1200, so think of it as a little food vacation that you should experience, because you deserve to be a celebutante at least once in your life. I keep meaning to go back. I'll stop now, I'm whipping myself into a food frenzy. . . .
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Tour de Force
This is the ultimate dining experience. Alinea is the only FLAWLESS dining experience we have ever had. That was not luck because we had the same mind blowing experience twice here.
Walking in you know you are some where different and some where very special. Everything is meticulous and perfect.
Every dish speaks for itself. It is brought to your table with care, usually on a custom make plate, spoon, or wire. It is explained and usually a story about how the dish came to be. I also recommend wine pairings to accompany each dish.
Words can not do justice to this experience.
Pray for Grant because he is going through some tough time battling cancer.
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I finally got the chance to eat here on a Friday night during my first visit to Chi-Town. I've been wanting to eat here since I had satisfied my craving for the French Laundry a couple years ago. I was in town for a convention and totally had to make plans to come here.
Originally I had signed up for the 12-course Tasting menu but my buddy who was also a foodie and I changed our minds to the 24-course Tour menu as we were waiting for our table in the lobby area. We asked if this was possible and the great Chef Achatz told our server that it wouldn't be a problem.
Suffice it to say it was definitely a new and enlightening experience. I had never eaten at a progressive American/avant garde/molecular gastronomy restaurant before. This has definitely opened my eyes about what food is and can be.
Every course was a mixture to tease all the senses. The presentations were beautiful and playful. The servers were knowledgeable and clear with their instructions on how to go about eating every work of art.
The 24-courses came through pretty smoothly and quick, probably because we were on course to be the last ppl there that night. Our time there came at just under 4 hours so that was much appreciated. We also got Chef Achatz to sign our menus.
As we were waiting for one of the staff to flag down a cab outside, I noticed the curtain to the entrance of the first level dining room slightly closed. So I peeked into the dining room and surprisingly saw Chef Achatz sitting with his back towards me at one of the tables with his laptop. Culinary revolutionist, cancer conqueror, and computer savvy as well. What can he not do?
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Recommended for: a special event, super date.
Food 6, Service 6, Ambiance 6.
There are few things that you should absolutely do in life. Coming to Alinea should be one of them. An experience here transcends normal tasting, exploring and indulging all of the senses - sight, sound, taste, touch and smell.
Walking into this non-descriptive location, you walk down a hallway and then come to two doors that slide open (star-treky) and you are graciously greeted by the host. The restaurant is intimate with only a small number of tables to ensure the utmost level of a dining experience. Reservations are hard, so book well in advance.
There are two menues: the tasting (12 courses) and the tour (24 courses); and since this is a place for the senses, you'd sell yourself short if you didn't do the Tour... a 3 - 4 hour tour to say the least. Both menus can be paired with wine (2 types, normal, and uber)... you know Sean - he goes Uber - all the time! The difference you ask... price and the quality of wine; but again, if you are going to go all out, just do it! The wines and champagne, port were all masterfully paired by their Sommelier Scott.
Each of the 24 courses were expertly prepared and engaged all of you. From presentation, to the shape, textures, smells, I can't put into words our entire experience suffice to say, it will last with me for the rest of my life. They lit a rosemary trig to enhance the eating of grilled meat that was on stones; froze in liquid nitrogen (yes, just like your chem class) desserts, cotton candy from brown sugar on a skewer to be eaten with your mouth (no hands)....
Given we are both foodies, I ask as an extra special gift that we have the menu's signed by Grant, the executive chef and owner of Alinea, as well as tour of the kitchen... Our captain Jason accomodated and brought us a behind the scenes look into our meal - what a perfect way to end it.
With minimalistic but chic decor from the bathroom, to the tableware, to the outfits and interior everything was fantastic.
Sean Approved: Absolutely Positively YES!!!
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This place never seizes to amaze. I've been here several times for different functions. I always leave with a lasting satisfaction and also an appreciation to savoring your food.
To all those who come here, book now.. I believe this place is booked for weeks. Also make sure you have all evening depending on which course tour you will take. The tasting tour is 12 courses and the menu tour is 24 courses. I would go for the 24 course tour. You're already spending 135 for the 12 course.. why not go 60 more for 24 courses. I've had both and I would definitely choose the 24 courses just because you are left with a more of a satisfying and full feeling.
Each course is going to be something you have never tasted before. The preparation, taste, smell, and the ingredients that compliment the course will leave you savoring each moment. Your tastebuds will be given a delightful gift each time you take in any of the delicious courses presented to you.
I can go on and on with the food, but it's more of the experience that really justifies the price.
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I think most of it has been said. The food is creative to the point of being a bit ridiculous. I ate so many things that came with instructions of what to do, that I had to laugh. But the compositions are thoughtful. The tastes are almost uniformly pleasant. The wine pairings are spot-on. The service is casual yet professional. And the atmosphere is tasteful and mature, without being stuffy. Come here for a special occasion, though I would not call it "romantic," as it's a bit too austere for that.
A cutting edge experience for lovers of food, art and romance. Doesn't matter if you decide to do the tasting (12 course) or the tour (24 course) menu, you will be blown away by the presentations. I have to say not all dishes, flavor components or pairings had worked perfectly for me, but at least I can appreciate the thoughts and creativity behind each dish. Expect the unexpected.
If Thomas Keller were to hatch an edible Faberge egg in Chicago he would christen it Alinea. Yet it would be encased in the most delicate membrane. Suspended in a shot glass. And upon swallowing, it would explode into the most delightful, surprising and refreshing sensations.
Like Mr. Keller's cuisine, there is play in the food at Alinea. The simply named Caramel Corn, a shot glass of liquefied popcorn with caramel foam, reminded me of the joy and delight of being presented with equally nostalgic Salmon cornettes with creme fraiche at The French Laundry -- salmon, creme fraiche & chives presented like mini ice cream cones; the beads in Alinea's White Truffle, Toasted Oat Milk, Pink Pepper and Pear texturally & playfully remniscent of Mr. Keller's Oysters & Pearls.
Each presentation at Alinea is unique and exercises all of your flavor senses:
*whisper-thin bacon finished with ribbons of butterscotch and apple and dots of thyme dangling effortlessly from a suspended wire atop arc;
*a plate of beans with many garnishes resting atop a pillow of scented nutmeg air, the air diffused while you are eating;
*one bite of pumpkin, brown sugar and tempura pierced atop a burning cinnamon stick, the scent of cinnamon inhaled while consuming;
*a pin of wagyu beef hidden beneath a cloak of aromatic cedar branches;
*persimmon presented in two puddles, with the tiniest greens and earthy texture evoking painstaking simplicity yet with the most refined and well thought flavor and texture combinations. But to be enjoyed by first placing a thin, clear cellophane-like aroma strip on your tongue and deliciously warming it in your mouth.
To name only 5 of 24 courses. Check out the pics: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I still marvel that Chef / Owner Grant Achatz is able to create such unique and avant garde food and ways of eating. No surprise either that he is doing this in Chicago, a living incubation of progress + art + architecture + function + whimsy to the scent of Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, the champagne top of the Carbide & Carbon building, the truly spectacular Tiffany stained-glass dome at the Chicago Cultural Center, the outdoor installations at Millenium Park, the ever-present Chicago bridges. And on and on.
Chicago is inspiring, even in below 20s snowy winter. After eating at Alinea, I couldn't help but smile at the commonplace cedar branches covering the potted plants lining Michigan Avenue. And wonder: whether Mr. Achatz would consider an inventive, unique snow inspired plate?
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Look I can't add more to what other reviewers have already offered up. This is a unique experience - while this does not go to the extent of Moto in terms of over-the-top scientific creativity, I give Alinea the edge on simple foodie excellence.
Given Chef Grant Achatz's health troubles, I'm not sure where Alinea will go in the future. Book now. This is a culinary experience that is unmatched. And go for the 24-course Tour menu.
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I don't think I can add to the glowing reviews of this dining experience. I would say that I enjoyed 80% of the 24+ courses. The presentation of all the courses was outstanding. The service was excellent. The staff was very friendly and quite down to earth which made the long dining experience not seem as if it was drawn out.
This is not an everyday restaurant and many people will struggle with the descriptions on the menu. My suggestions...save your money, get a reservation, don't look at the menu before you go, do the 12 course dinner before you consider doing the 24, do the wine pairings and have a great time.
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so I've been to Alinea...tried the 12 course tasting menu.
to call this place a restaurant, to call the experience there "FOOD" wouldnt do this place a justice. for good and worse.
they dont offer food at Alinea.
they offer a once-in-a-lifetime-experience.
an experience that will shock your five sense, and will constantly challenge you, as time goes by.
one can not simply go there and savor a specific flavor or texture.
every dish is a creation, pushing the limits of conventional ingredients to the stratosphere.
so, why doesnt it deserve 5 stars?
because its not a restaurant (imho).
its a circus.
and call me old fashion... but when i go to eat, i expect food.
yes, Chef Grant Achatz has taken ingredients into a whole new level, perhaps that level is more entertaining to the mind, and less to the taste buds.
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This is my new favorite restaurant. A complete sensory orgasm. Sona (Los Angeles), I'm sorry... you are now a distant second.
We chose to do the tasting menu, it's only 12 courses. And next time!, we'll do the Tour. 24 courses.
For the full description, you really should go to the website. I won't do it any justice. However, here are just a few things that blew my mind:
coconut/pineapple rocks
scallop crumbs
seafood custard
black truffle broth ravioli- yes liquid encased in pasta
navy bean puree on nutmeg steam filled pillow
apple cider encased in a cinnamon ball shooter
chocolate covered raw egg yolk
searing bison on hot rock on branch of juniper berry bush w/ crushed candy cane.
There I've just done some injustice. Absolutely, so much more. Go to their website. Better yet go there to experience sensory orgasms.
Service was IMMpeccable. They were nice, attentive not pretentious or snooty. My husband, who by now has already licked one of his plates, whispered, "I need a spoon for this". Viola! He can now scrape his plate even more than his fork is able to.
Oh, how I wish I could live on Oprah's budget.
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Part of the Holy Trinity of World Restaurant Perfection
Alinea
El Bulli
Fat Duck
'nuff said
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What an amazing experience.
It's hard to expect anything less than earth shaking from a restaurant that was dubbed with the "#1 ranking" from Gourmet Magazine's "Top 50 Restaurants." Not once but twice.
The venue is sophisticated yet humbly understated; a blank canvas for the artistic creations that will hit your table like a spray from Jackson Pollock's paintbrush.
Each dish is carefully constructed, using both rare and familiar ingredients, which all equally create a complex, gastronomic dance, on the palate.
In a nut shell: It's a culinary experience one should have at least once in their lifetime!
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We went here for my mothers birthday. It was hands down the best place I have ever been to. That is saying a lot since I have been to a lot of different restaurants..... and I love to eat. The plates were all amazing and the presentation was impeccable, as was the service. They also made some special plates due to allergies of my sister. The chef is actually from my hometown and I guess we were the first people (besides his family) from his town to visit the restaurant. I would love to go here again since I am sure the menu has changed since last time I visited. Great all around place and a must for any foodie that visits Chicago.
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Like most other reviewers, Alinea also blew me away. Every dish was beautifully thought out to amaze all senses. The experience including the wine pairings was worth every penny. If I could afford to I would come here for every special occasion.
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First timer at Alinea, my friend and I decided to take the plunge last week and it lived up to my expectations! We went with the tasting menu and since I'm not much of a wine afficionado (there's others besides Reds?) we had the Sommelier recommend the pairings. So happy we did, although next time we'll probably forgo that and just get a bottle.
Service was always helpful and not overbearing. I've already decided that when the tax returns come, I'm making a reservation for the Tour menu!
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Indescribably amazing!
The only thing I can add to what others have said about this place is that if I were Charlie Trotter, Rick Tramonto or any other chef at any other great restaurant, Alinea would keep me up at night!
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5 stars is not enough.
My husband and I have been going to Alinea every year for the 24-course tour since its opening. Charlie Trotter's, Tru, Arun's. . . all are good but no meals stand out in my mind as much as the ones I have had at Alinea.
Grant Achatz is a culinary genius who knows how to play with his food. Each dish is not only a piece of art, but also an incredible creation of flavor, texture, and most importantly, imagination. My words cannot describe the amount of thought that apparently goes into each creation. This was so much better than a night at the theater! We first found Grant during his early days at Trio and followed him like donkeys following a dangling carrot to Alinea.
Totally, totally, brilliant.
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Extraordinary creativity that blown away any expectation, this is avant-garde culinary art.
Food pics - http://www.vintnersgro...
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one word: excellent.
I bookmarked this restaurant for when I would return to Chicago....
I made reservations 3 weeks ahead and was lucky to secure a 6:15pm reservation. We were not celebrating any special occassions but just simply wanted to try this culinary experience and boy, were we impressed!
Thomas Keller and French Laundry has competition.... :) FL is an experience in its own way but Alinea, OMG, it would be hard to top this unbelievable, out-of-this-world dining experience. The food, the dishes, presentation, service is all impecable! The food was simply orgasmic to say the least.....bursting with flavor and the artistic talent that goes into the food preparation. I was just thinking out loud to myself that there must be all these chefs sitting in the kitchen decorating all these plates and creating each masterpiece!
We were priviledged to sit next to this couple who happens to be one of the investors of the restaurant and we overheard him telling the servers that he just returned from Venice, Italy the very same day and came right in to try the Fall menu before it went away. He added that nothing in Venice quite beat the Alinea experience! :)
So he told us that there are at least 25-26 chefs in the kitchen creating up a storm! 25???? That's a whole assembly line on the manufacturing floor of some company, I would think!
the 3.5 hour dining experience was simply unbeatable, it flew on by quickly without us realizing it....we were hoping it would never end. The food portion was decent sized and we were not stuffed over the top and neither did we leave hungry, it was a very satisfying, a nice, comfortable feeling!
The 12 course flight tasting menu was delightful, as Yelper Jeremy L pointed out; wagyu beef covered within a bowl of pine leaves and the "pumpkin pie" served skewed on a burnt oak branch, dish served on a fluffy pillow filled with nutmeg aroma, scallop served in a bowl on top of a dish filled with hot water and chamomile and lavender and the server was joking that we could have steamed our face for facial....it was such a nice pleasure to witness all these creativity in presentation and food decor! Unbelievable!
With 81 reviews and 5 star rating, you simply can't go wrong! Great for that special occassion or simply a "just because" meal. GO and make that reservation right now! It's soooooooo worth it! Every single morsel of it.
I'm not sure when we'll be back to Chi-town but I would dine in Alinea again in a heart beat! Remarkable!
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I'm a nerd. For a long time, I denied that.
I'm good at math.
I like to play computer games.
I'd rather watch Discovery Channel over the Playboy Channel (assuming my hijacked SPICE network is on the fritz).
Whatever the case, I've embraced my inner-nerd and celebrate it (with close friends only). For these reasons, I suppose that I would have a natural interest and affinity towards molecular gastronomy. Ground-breaking chefs such as Ferran Adria and Pierre Gagnaire push the limits of food and really make us reconsider everything we know about cuisine.
Well friends, after dining at Alinea, I believe Grant Achatz deserves to be listed with the heavy-hitters of molecular gastronomy.
Now let me remind you all that wifey and I are not toothless hillbillies who are easily fooled with smoke and mirrors. If something tastes bad, we'll say it tastes bad no matter how much you manipulate or dress it up. We've eaten at places that try to wow their customers with ridiculous foams, lavender perfumes, and lobster-scented bubble-baths... we weren't fooled. Molecular gastronomy is a powerful tool. But when it's done poorly, everything on your plate just seems pathetically silly.
Options at Alinea are simple, choose the tasting or the tour menu. If you want to do the tour menu, you'll have to commit when you make the reservation (typically 2 months in advance).
You'd better go with the tour, or you're an idiot.
Brief version:
22 courses, nearly 5 hours.
- At least 4 courses involved liquid nitrogen.
- 2 courses involved warnings by our server of possible "explosion".
- 3 courses included custom-made utensils which could poke your eye out...
- 4 courses included live plants
Long version:
Wifey and I are fairly quick eaters. If food is set in front of us, we'll gleefully shove it in our gullets and chew later. The pace at Alinea was very good, with stuff coming out pretty quickly. Despite this, nearly five hours lapsed from beginning to end. I felt like we were in some time-warp because the dinner seemed to pass by so quickly. Another benefit of molecular gastronomy!!
The showmanship and creativity were truly breathtaking. Many courses were highlighted by unique bowls, plates, and utensils created especially for that particular dish. Other offerings were accented simply with embellishments by mother nature herself. A branch of oak leaves, a single hyacinth stalk, a fat gob of brook trout roe... mmmmm brook trout roe.
If you can set aside the snake-oil and smoke, the food is absolutely astounding. Because many courses consist of a single bite, swallow, or "explosion", the flavors have to be concentrated and "spot-on" or the entire course is a waste of time. In these single morsels, Chef Achatz's genius is revealed. That liquid nitrogen or burnt bread reduction isn't puffery, it's methodically and painstakingly utilized to make the food better.
Better food through science... Alinea would give Vulcans orgasms.
You'd better believe that our Chicago experience was highlighted by our dinner at Alinea. It beats deep-dish pizza by a country mile!
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We enjoyed a fine 12 course experience at Alinea. I'd say the wine pairings were quite wonderfully well done. We did have three courses where we were not at all wowed by the food and that really surprised me. I will recall my past experience at Moto and say that I did not have any course that I found to be lackluster. For the money, that should absolutely be the case.
Kudos to the staff who were watchful, never intrusive and completely informative on the food experiences and the wine pairings. We also appreciated the small details of our coats and car were already waiting for us by the time we reached the lobby to depart.
The atmosphere was austere as one might expect. Our table was so large that my date and I had difficulty communicating without shouting, which I found to be a bummer as it was a very quiet place.
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excellent, but I can't say that it knocked me off my feet. I had high expectations if this place, and while they were met, they were not exceeded. some of the dishes were not very pretty in my 12 course meal. for example, the chocolate dessert looked like pooh on a plate. But some of the dishes were incredible. Overall a very nice dining experience. I like how they kept topping off my wine during each course (some restaurants are pretty cheap when it comes to the wine pairings), but for the $90 extra you are paying, I guess it's should be expected. I also thought that $7 for a cup of coffee is just insane. Did they roast the coffee themselves?! Geez.
My husband took me here for Valentine's Day. I thought it was very upscale, but non-pretentious. Neither of us had been there before, so when we entered the hall and didn't see the door. I thought, what the hell did he get us into. Once the automatic doors opened, I knew we were in for a delight.
We did the 12 course tasting menu. We tried foods that we would have normally shied away from. The bison in particular, it was tender and very flavorful. It was funny because I was pregnant at the time and I kept going to the restroom to stretch my legs. When we got home and into bed, I went into labor. My husband seems to believe the bison had something to do with it. LOL!
It was a pricey, but well worth the dollar. The ambience was wonderful, the staff and the other patrons were friendly. I will definitely go back.
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You need to eat here at least once. It's certainly not cheap (two people doing the 24-course tour with wine pairing and tip is like $900), but absolutely worth it. As Chicagoans, we have a rare opportunity to benefit from Chef Achatz's leadersip in the world of "molecular gastronomy". Definitely don't miss out. I'm glad we didn't.
Although it will ruin some of the surprise, you can get a sense for how unique your night will be by checking out flickr photos of the food:
http://flickr.com/sear...
My wife and I and two friends flew in to Chicago this weekend specifically to eat here. After reading the reviews and hearing about Grant Alchatz's tongue cancer, we figured that we should make sure that we ate there soon. It didn't disappoint. We did the 12 course tasting menu with wine pairings and over the course of 4 hours had a fantastic meal. My favorites included the wagyu beef covered in pine leaves and the "pumpkin pie" served skewed on a burnt oak branch, but it was all just a delight. Service was pleasant, informative, always there when needed but in the background the rest of the time.