Alinea

I have no real ability to write about food, so I wasn't going to say anything about it but Ezra wants to know how I liked my dinner at Alinea the other day. Long story short, it was really good. It was the best I'd ever had by a substantial margin. Not only did it taste great, but the inventiveness level was off the charts -- the food is very abstract in a way that makes the flavors all the more mind-blowing. Also, apparently it's possible to combine chocolate and duck to good effect.

Sara and I went because Restaurant magazine told us it was the 21st best restaurant in the world and I've never been to any of the other contenders on their top fifty list so I'm in no position to judge it relative to the relevant competition. At the moment, though, I'm full of regret that I'm not nearly rich enough to go off and tour the even higher-rated options.

Comments

Just as important as how good it was, for us among 'the other half,' is how much it costs. Any details in that direction?

Posted by dry_fish | July 2, 2008 9:35 AM

At the moment, though, I'm full of regret that I'm not nearly rich enough to go off and tour the even higher-rated options.

I coulda sworn I heard here that you are a trust fund scumbag.

Posted by tinisoli | July 2, 2008 9:38 AM

If you're interested, there was a pretty good article in the New Yorker about the head chef of Alinea, Grant Achatz, who's suffering from tongue cancer (and has temporarily lost his sense of taste): http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/05/12/080512fa_fact_max

Posted by Josh M | July 2, 2008 9:46 AM

"I coulda sworn I heard here that you are a trust fund scumbag."

Lotsa trust-fund scumbags like Matthew live on a budget while a parent remains alive.

The biggest impact Yglesias' trust-fund scumbaggery has on him, (other than his priviledged upbringing, of course), is that he never has to worry about penury brought about by career or healthcare crises.

That's why he's been so scumily cavalier in advocating for Democrats abandoning our universal healthcare and social justice agendas. He knows such things don't concern him. And he's too much of a scumbag to worry about things which don't affect him.

What does concern Yglesias is finding a way to spend more money at top shelf restaurants. His motto: let cancer patients eat molecular gastronomy.

Posted by Petey | July 2, 2008 9:49 AM

Eh, Petey, it's better than letting Iranian kids eat cluster bombs. Foreign policy is kind of an important issue, and it can rack up a much higher body count than the worst domestic policy errors.

Posted by Neil the Ethical Werewolf | July 2, 2008 10:03 AM

Folks are assuming a piece of evidence not yet admitted: that Matthew paid for dinner. I mean, he's supposed to be some kind of feminist, right? Maybe his GF paid.

Posted by Al | July 2, 2008 10:22 AM

The interesting thing about the construction "trust fund scumbag" is that it implies that the supposed trust fund is the source of Matt's scumbaggery. The actual existence of a trust fund for Matt is unknown, making the allegations of scumbaggery spurious.

Petey, however, is a leaky sack of douchewater. Regardless of any financial advantages or debt he may or may not possess now or in the future, he will remain a leaky sack of douchewater.

Posted by Philly | July 2, 2008 10:30 AM

I live about a mile and a half west of Alinea.

Petey's missing out on some good food.

Posted by Peter K. | July 2, 2008 10:38 AM

God, I hated it. I guess I'm not a true foodie.

If you're in Chicago and have that kind of money (and time) to spend, go to Spiaggia for the tasting menu.

Posted by Jim | July 2, 2008 10:39 AM

the best meal I've had in the U.S. was at Alinea. did the full Tour (24 courses, 18 paired wines)....just nuts.

gosh, I wish it was in NY (our closest equivalents are WD-50 and Tailor).

overall, NY blows other American cities out of the water when it comes to food (with the exceptions of Mexican and some Asian cuisines)....but on avant-garde/molecular...we're a bit behind Chicago (which also has Moto).

Posted by Nathan | July 2, 2008 10:43 AM

University of Chicago Medical Center issued a press release about Grant Achatz's treatment - along with links to news stories -
http://www.uchospitals.edu/specialties/cancer/patient-stories/grant-achatz.html

Right now, Achatz is in remission. I need to get back to Alinea soon. I have only eaten there once. It is small and reservations are hard to come by. Well worth it. As is Chicago's other entry on the top-50 list, Harry Trotter's.

I almost feel sorry for all you Washington bound bloggers - not living in a great restaurant city. The latest list is -
http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/the-worlds-10-best-restaurant-cities-go-list-2008
1. Tokyo
2. Paris
3. New York City
4. London
5. Barcelona
6. Sydney
7. Madrid
8. Chicago
9. Stockholm
10. Vancouver, Canada

Posted by Martin | July 2, 2008 10:47 AM

I'll second the recommendation for Spiaggio and add Topolobampo to the list of fine Chicago restaurants. Both of them also have cafes on the side that cater portions of the menu at lower prices for non-trust-fund-scumbags like you and me.

Speaking of which, don't I distinctly remember a commenter named Petey who deemed Chicago to be a hopelessly poorly-dressed town that didn't live up to his high standards for class and style?

I wonder what that guy would think of Working-Class Hero Petey, scourge of the wealthy elite.

Posted by LaFollette Progressive | July 2, 2008 10:58 AM

The Alinea grand tasting menu (24 courses?) runs about $200, though it may have changed since the restaurants around here up their prices in January most years.

Moto is also extremely good, though it's never reviewed as well as Alinea or several other restaurants in town. Chicago's just an amazing cuisine city, and generally far cheaper than you'll find in the other major culinary towns.

Posted by Po-Mo Polymath | July 2, 2008 11:16 AM

Jim has no taste. Spiaggia isn't in the same league as Alinea.

Topolobampo is good but it's not the same type of haute cuisine. Alinea is really quite unique. Moto is good as well.

Posted by TH | July 2, 2008 11:25 AM

Jim has no taste. Spiaggia isn't in the same league as Alinea.

Topolobampo is good but it's not the same type of haute cuisine. Alinea is really quite unique. Moto is good as well.

Posted by TH | July 2, 2008 11:30 AM

It's Charlie Trotter's, not Harry Trotter's. Hogwarts on your brain, perhaps?

Posted by patagonia | July 2, 2008 11:32 AM

Also, apparently it's possible to combine chocolate and duck to good effect.

Dude, you've never had mole? Have you never been to a tapas place in your whole life? Or even a decent Spanish or Mexican restaurant? I know New York sucks for Mexican food, but it can't suck that bad.

Posted by James F. Elliott | July 2, 2008 11:38 AM

well, the classic mole poblano combines chocolate and usually turkey. mole poblano is available in NY. its all the other moles that are not ("mole" just means "sauce")...we have no Oaxacan food for example.

as for Spanish, lots of that. the excellent Tia Pol, for example, does a nice chocolate/chorizo combo.

Posted by Nathan | July 2, 2008 11:52 AM

"Speaking of which, don't I distinctly remember a commenter named Petey who deemed Chicago to be a hopelessly poorly-dressed town that didn't live up to his high standards for class and style?"

Quite true, that. Chicago is almost as bad as the District.

"I wonder what that guy would think of Working-Class Hero Petey, scourge of the wealthy elite."

To be/get rich is glorious.

But if one is pursuing a career in lefty politics, one is generally required to have a commitment to social justice as well. Without that, a career in investment banking, film producing, or Republican politics would make more sense for a child of privilege like Matthew.

Posted by Petey | July 2, 2008 1:18 PM

It's just amazing how bad DC is as a restaurant town. For a world capital and all. Overpriced mediocrity is the norm. There's Citronelle, and then ????

Posted by mq | July 2, 2008 5:05 PM

What, Matt, there was no Wendy's near the hotel?

Come out to the Bay Area - Berkeley's Chez Panisse is apparently on that list of the world's best restaurants. There's also one up in the Napa Valley that was number one a couple years.

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | July 2, 2008 5:26 PM

Ooohh, Lucky.
Alinea and Momofuku Ko are on my hopefully soon list. They are at least in the US. unlike El Bulli.
Well i can dream.

Also, that article on Achatz and his cancer was pretty, inspiring?

Posted by namhenderson | July 2, 2008 6:13 PM