Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cutting-Edge Kitchens
131
Alinea
Molecular Gastronomy in Chicago #1
Chicago, Illinois
Why Chicago? Well, why not Chicago? This
great midwestern metropolis seems to
have become the capital of molecular
gastronomy these days—who would
have expected Carl Sandburg's “City of
the Big Shoulders” to go so mad over tiny
portions of foam, jelly, and smoke?
The leader of the pack is Grant Achatz,
who opened his dazzling restaurant Alinea
in May 2004 up in Lincoln Park. The acco-
lades haven't stopped since—he's become
a fixture on every magazine's best chef
list, and Alinea's been called the best res-
taurant in the country. With its top-ticket
tasting menu, the Grand Tour, priced at
$225 without wines, it has also been
ranked as the most expensive restaurant
in the country.
Before opening Alinea, Achatz—who
was previously the chef at Chicago's
acclaimed Trio—spent a year honing his
craft with culinary innovators like Ferran
Adrià (see ) and Thomas Keller (see ),
and their influence is clear in the wizardry
of his tiny, cunningly composed courses.
Achatz gives his menu items the simplest
possible one-word names—bean, crab,
oyster, guava, tomato, chocolate—but
what you get may not even have the same
color as that familiar food, let alone the
same shape or consistency. “Rhubarb” is a
series of tiny pink sculptures that are rhu-
barb in various forms—liquid, puff, cube,
roll, curl, gel. “Tomato” is a long tomato-
red squiggle topped with half a dozen dif-
ferent pinwheels and flowers and frills and
globules. Morsels of intensely flavored
food are delivered on white ceramic ped-
estals, or impaled on long metal pins, or
cradled on frosted glass, or nestled into a
scoop of black pottery, or perched on lav-
ender-scented pillows. The menu changes
constantly, but you're guaranteed to taste
something new here, whether it's ravioli
that gushes forth a liquid-truffle filling,
bites of tender bison tenderloin encased
in crispy potatoes and seasoned with cin-
namon, or suspended curls of dehydrated
bacon cloaked in butterscotch glaze and
apple shavings and sprigs of thyme. What
really makes this all work is Achatz's per-
fectionism, his attention to aroma and
texture as well as taste, which elevate it all
way beyond mere gimmick.
The dining room perfectly complements
the futuristic food—it's a sharply contem-
porary space in taupe and black, with lots
of space between tables, a few dramatic
pieces of contemporary art, and large
gauze-shaded windows. Service is crisply
polished and attentive; a hushed air of
awe and wonder pervades the place. Din-
ner's the only meal served, and it's only
served Wednesday through Sunday;
phone for reservations, as far ahead as
possible.
1723 N. Halsted St. ( & 312/867-0110;
www.alinea-restaurant.com).
( O'Hare International (25 miles/16km).
L $$ Homewood Suites, 40 E. Grand
St., Chicago ( & 800/CALL-HOME [800/
225-4663] or 312/644-2222; www.home
woodsuiteschicago.com). $$ Hotel Alle-
gro Chicago, 171 N. Randolph St., Chicago
( & 800/643-1500 or 312/236-0123; www.
allegrochicago.com).
 
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