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Culinary artistry in the United States is at its best at Alinea, in Chicago. I was transported to the Garden of Eden while dining there. The experience created by chef Grant Achatz, a Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park graduate and former sous chef at the French Laundry, was magical. Alinea's cuisine can be described as tasty, modern American or avant-garde. The flavors, textures and presentations are all new and exciting. Prior to my trip to Alinea, the closest avant-garde dining experience I'd ever had involved whipped cream and a mascarpone cherry (sprinkled with nutmeg) resting on the chest of a certain female companion.
As soon as I entered Alinea, I was lifted into what felt like another dimension. As I walked down the hallway, it seemed to be getting smaller while forcing me to move left. It's the same forced perspective used in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as the kids enter the chocolate room for the first time. At the end of the hallway, two steel doors slide open ("Beam me up, Scotty!") to reveal a floating staircase and a glass kitchen with at least two-dozen chefs assiduously preparing the two tasting menu offerings.
As I ascended the floating staircase, I took in the eye-catching décor. Simple, yet elegant, glass sculptures surrounded us.
Alinea offers a twelve course or twenty-three course tasting menu, as well as optional wine pairings. Be prepared to stay at least four hours for the twenty-three course offering. I've attached the twelve course menu with wine paring, so you can begin to get an idea of how amazing the culinary creations are.
All of the five senses will be stimulated during your tasting experience. For example, the duck with mango and yogurt resting on a pillow of juniper air is something unique and exciting. As I bit into the duck, the pillow began to deflate, releasing the juniper scent. This looked amazing, tasted sensational and smelled wonderful.
Presentation means a lot in the culinary world and Alinea's is top notch. Clearly, custom bowls and other contraptions were conceived to create the perfect pedestal for each tasty morsel. From the suspended bacon with a butterscotch bow, to the three-flavored short ribs resting on a long heated stone (Guinness, peanut and fried broccoli, in case you're wondering), everything was thought out very carefully and executed to a level of fun sophistication.
Each dish was paired up with an amazing wine-- some of the best I've ever had. Our sommelier informed us that the last wine we sampled, the Abboazia di Novacella Moscato Rosa Praedositos. Adge 2004 was almost impossible to get because he bought all of the remaining stock. It was delicious, wet and sweet. Fantastic!
Overall, this eatery is very impressive. It's expensive, but worth it if you're celebrating a special occasion or are in the mood for a magical meal. At the end of the evening you are presented with your menu, wine paring and the date of your meal, as a souvenir of your culinary adventure. Make reservations and look decent when going to one of the best restaurants in the United States for a dead sexy time.
XXXX - Dead Sexy
XXX - Sexy
XX - Not Sexy
X - Frigid
$$$$ - Expensive
$$$ - Pretty Expensive
$$ - Not too bad
$ - Cheap
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