Chicago for my birthday meant being able to book a dinner a very special dinner. It’s such an amazing eating city that I knew I wasn’t going to go wrong wherever I went for my big birthday dinner. There were a plethora of amazing choices for “my birthday meal”, and while Oriole and Smyth were calling to me, I couldn’t help but be curious to return to Alinea. My weekend in Chicago that was all Achatz 10 years ago was one of my favorite gastronomical experiences in my life. Outside of Mexico, I’ve never returned to an “experience meal” and definitely not to a Michelin 3*. But I felt Alinea with its whimsical approach to food and excellent customer service was exactly the meal I was looking for to celebrate me.
My visit 10 years ago was a peak and pivotal moment in my food loving journey. It was when I started to understand that all the hard work, creativity, and care put into a restaurant was meant for the customer’s enjoyment. That there was a step beyond all the details put into spaces and the creativity of dishes served and it wasn’t just for the diner to woo in all that the restaurant was, but that there were chefs out there putting all of their energy in an effort to astound and delight their guests.
Entering Alinea, I admit that I missed the mysterious entrance and dark hallway. The surprise as the door opened to a staff that already knew who I was. A feeling of “special”… A small pit arose in my stomach, worrying that 10 years later, the changes and evolution of the restaurant wouldn’t live up to my memories and new expectations. But we were sat in one of the upstairs dining spaces and graciously greeted by the service team with a birthday celebration glass of sparkling with a.warm welcome. This was the thoughtful attentiveness that I remembered from my previous visit, and I quickly relaxed knowing I was about to have another peak experience.
As in all of my experience meals, (and all my photos these days. in general), I don’t think the pictures do justice to the meal. But I am selfish when it comes to documentation. and I don’t want. to be burdened with carrying around a big camera. I will now only spend a certain amount of time trying to get each shot as I want to participate in the meal as it’s intended. Just know each dish and every moment of this meal was extraordinary.
Nacre = osetra caviar, lychee, mussels, vanilla = this incredible beaded bowl is placed in your hand with a mother of pearl spoon. The sensory experience of feeling the texture of the beads as you drag the spoon through the dish heightens expectations which culminate in the hit of salinity as the caviar hits your tongue. The flavours are drawn out with the mussel tapioca pudding with hints of lychee and vanilla to surprise and delight. This dish was perfection.
Hot Potato / Cold Potato = potato, black truffle, parmesan =the pin is carefully pulled and the warm potato drops into the cold soup. At first, the juxtaposition of temperatures delightfully shocks, but then the velvety richness of the butter + truffle-y cold potato vichyssoise surrounds the starchy hot potato ball and it becomes the ultimate one bite of comfort food. I’d had this bite on my previous visit to Alinea, and was happy to be served it again.
Plume = Atlantic sea bass, creamed mint, malt vinegar crisps & sour cream + onion dip = a plate that inspired a dish. The cedar wood smoked bass was delightful on its own and I almost finished the dish before realizing I was to pair it with the vinegar chips dragged through the onion dip which reminded me of the bright coloured plastic tubbed onion dips of my childhood. in the best way possible
Heads & Tails = Australian kombu cured tiger prawn “tail” sitting on top of a white miso and sake-based sauce. A prawn “head” stock was incorporated into a dough to make a bun that sat in a bisque made with the same stock with tomato and butter.
Squeaker = Wildflower honey glazed biscuits + blueberry compote & foie gras which were hidden in the brass duck that had been sitting on the table. I commented at the start of the meal how odd, out of place (and kind of ugly) the brass duck was but then my attention for the meal was quicly diverted from the brass duckling. Shame on me, as I should have known better. Every detail from the moment you walk through the door at Alinea is carefully thought out.
Served alongside was a quinoa crusted squab breast, dehydrated then confit’d radicchio endive (to mimic feathers), a ragu of squab leg meat, dried blueberry rillette, and an aigre-doux (a sweet sour sauce).
Explosion = raviolo filled with black truffle jus, topped with shaved truffle & parmesan eaten in a singular bite. It was all the surprise of a Chinese soup dumpling (XLB) but with the decadent delight of being 100% liquid truffle. This was also a repeat from my last visit, but again such a happy revisit.
Jacob’s Ladder = gilled wagyu short rib, rhubarb, spiced pomagranate sauce served with shaved jameed, a fermented dried yogurt from Jordan,
Bubblegum = Thai long peppercorn, hibiscus + creme fraiche = Eaten by bringing the tube to your mouth and sucking out the contents which tasted somewhat synthetically bubble gum-ish – in the best way possible. The addition of tapioca pearls added to the playfulness of this dish which was a great palate cleanser to the dessert courses ahead.
Branches = melted Whitney cheese + grilled apricot + fennel custard & cucumer+ pea tip gimlet = Birthday Special. Because it was my birthday I was invited into kitchen for a special course. I was ecstatic beyond belief with the visit and was so entranced by the precision, technique and care from the chefs that I had a hard time paying attention to the special cheese course and cocktail being prepared in front of me.
Balloon = helium, green apple, taffy = the ultimate whimsical course to end an incredible meal is the helium balloon. I’m now 2 for 2 in fails for sucking on the helium without getting the apple taffy all over my face, but the squeal / laugh that resulted more than made up for the pieces of sticky that I kept finding in my hair after the meal.
Paint = Flavors of banana split = the finale table dessert presentation was something I’d seen on my last visit, but no less spectacular and playful. Thankfully this time I wasn’t too full to indulge and I loved the being able to dredge my spoon across the table to scoop up different textures and flavors for each mouthful.
Birthday Sparkler = One last birthday sweet treat was a sparkling soda. Labeled on the back as containing vanilla cake, vanilla frosting and unicorn sprinkles, it gave me an extra jolt of sweetness to add to the perma-grin I already had from enjoying my Alinea experience.
While I live my live in fear of FOMO (fear of missing out), I didn’t think twice about choosing to return to Alinea versus the other restaurants in Chicago that were calling to me. It’s incredible that one of my peak’s from 10 years ago was able to resonate in all aspects of amazing this visit as well. Alinea, you captured my heart 10 years ago, and I realized this visit, I’m still in love with you.
Call Me a Food Lover... 