Alinea (頂級餐廳 Alinea)

This early evening, Adam, Ileana, David, and I went to this famous molecular gastronomy restaurant — Alinea in Chicago — to celebrate Ileana’s birthday. I was told that we were going to have the full tasting menu plus the matching wines, which consisted 26 course and 11 types of wine from around the world.

It was a suit-and-tie place, so I assumed that it would be stiff (and I had better behave). However, even though the decor was on the conservative and serious side (except the fun and optical-illusional Alice-in-Wonderland kind of entrance), the army of staff was actually very friendly and knowledgeable. During our 5+ hour meal, there must have been about 10 or more waiters and waitresses come to our table! And this was just one of their three rooms!

Because there was no door between the room and the kitchen, I was able to peek at it and was surprised at the number of chefs working there. Our room hostess informed us that there were 30 people working in the kitchen! Wow! Except when the staff explained to us about our courses and how to eat them (yes, one did need that piece of vital information here), the dining room was fairly quiet. What was more, there was no background music at all. We could easily hear one another’s words in the restaurant, which was rather unusual these days.

Here is our 26 course menu with 11 matching wines (plus 1 bonus course and the Champagne that Adam ordered):

This was how one reads the personalized menu (Yes, personalized! Ileana had a Kosher meal, so her menu was different from ours even though her courses looked just like ours!):

1. The size of each circle represented the size of the course.
2. The more savory it was, the more it was printed towards the left.

Shall we start our tour now?

	Wine: Krug ‘Grande Cuvee’ Brut Champagne Course 1 (the front): Lemon grass – oyster, sesame, yuzu Course 2 (the back right): Steelhead Roe – coconut, lime, vanilla fragrance Course 3 (the back left): Yuba – shrimp, miso, togarashi
	Wine: Eric Texier Condrieu ‘janroce’, N. Rhone 2006 Course 4: Fava Beans – lavender, banana, pecorino
	Wine: Eric Texier Condrieu ‘janroce’, N. Rhone 2006 Course 5: King Crab – sudachi, avocado, bay branch
	Adam was demonstrating how to eat this King Crab course.
	Wine: Eric Texier Condrieu ‘janroce’, N. Rhone 2006 Course 6: Honeydew – Benton’s ham, pine, mastic
	Wine: Fonthill “Sea Air” Verdelho, McLaren Vale, S. Australia 2006 Course 7: Ice Fish – shellfish, horseradish, parsley
	Wine: Bisson “U Pastine” Bianchetta Genovese, Golfo del Tigullio, Liguria 2006 Course 8 (in the middle): Cobia – hazelnut, lemon, cedarwood Course 9 (on the right): Chicken Skin – truffle, corn, thyme Course 10 (on the left): Green Almond – sweet, hot, sour, salty
	Wine: Bisson “U Pastine” Bianchetta Genovese, Golfo del Tigullio, Liguria 2006 Course 8: Cobia – hazelnut, lemon, cedarwood
	Wine: Bisson “U Pastine” Bianchetta Genovese, Golfo del Tigullio, Liguria 2006 Course 10: Green Almond – sweet, hot, sour, salty
	Wine: Paolo Bea Montefalco Risva “pipparello”, Umbria 2003 Course 11: Short Rib – Guinnexs, peanut, fried broccoli
	Course 11 in detail.
	Wine: Wine: Paolo Bea Montefalco Risva “pipparello”, Umbria 2003 Course 12: Hot Potato – cold potato, black truffle, butter
	Wine: Cobos “Marchiori Vineyard” Maibec, Mendoza, Argentina 2005 Course 13: Lamb – potato, pistachio, sweet spice
	Course 13 in detail.
	Wine: Schlossbockelheimer Feisenberg Riesling Spatlese, Hermann Donnhoff, Nahe 2006 Course 14 (the front): Pork Belly – smoked paprika, polenta, pickled vegetables Course 15 (the right): Rhubarb – ginger, basil Course 16 (the left): Transparency – of raspberry, rose petal, yogurt
	Setting up Course 18 while getting ready for Course 17.
	Wine: Schlossbockelheimer Feisenberg Riesling Spatlese, Hermann Donnhoff, Nahe 2006 Bonus Course: Spring Garlic – parsley, lemon, chicken While watching Course 18’s beef and waiting for Course 17’s arrival, we got this bonus course.
	Wine: Lucien Crochet Sancerre Rose, Loire 2007 Course 17: Lobster – peas, ramps, mint vapor
	Wine: Domaine François Lamarche Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru “Malconsorts” 2003 Course 18: Wagyu Beef – black truffle, potato, Blis Elixir
	Wine: Domaine François Lamarche Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru “Malconsorts” 2003 Course 19: Black Truffle – explosion, romaine, parmesan
	Wine: Mino Calo “Quarantale” Salento Rosso, Puglia 1998 Course 20: Duck – chocolate, blueberry, hazelnut
	Course 20 in detail.
	Wine: Mino Calo “Quarantale” Salento Rosso, Puglia 1998 Course 21 (the right): Strawberry – violet, niçoise, olive Course 22 (the left): Bacon – butterscotch, apple, thyme Course 23 (the middle): Dry Shot – pineapple, rum, cilantro
	Wine: Didier Dagueneau “Les Jardins de Babylone”, Jurançon 2004 Course 24: Sorrel – honey, fennel, poppy seeds
	Wine: Rare Wine Co/Vinhos Barbeito “New York Maimsey” Sowcual Reserve Madeira Course 25: Chocolate – egg, grapefruit, smoke
	Course 25 in detail.
	The proper way to eat Course 25 was to smash everything into the dip of the dish.
	Wine: Rare Wine Co/Vinhos Barbeito “New York Maimsey” Sowcual Reserve Madeira Course 26: Dry Caramel – salt