[CHI] Alinea – Grant Achatz – Reviews & Discussion (Part 2)

[greensNbeans]

congrats to chef and his crew

[jesteinf]

I join ronnie in congratulating Chef Achatz and the rest of his crew!

u.e.

[edited to ask: What restaurant won the award last year?]

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Le Lan was last year's winner. Here's the entire article from last year.

Edited to add: Hopefully this is just the first "Best New Restaurant" award that Alinea will be winning this year

Edited April 10, 2006 by jesteinf (log)

[djsexyb]

just made my reservation for may 19th!!! god, i can't! it's my girlfriends and i two year anniversary. i cant wait!!

[JWest]

FoodNetwork Canada will be airing an episode covering Alinea, called "Art of Achatz". If anyone can get a chance to watch it and record it some how, let me know, thanks!

http://www.foodtv.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=93702

[BryanZ]

And I'm guessing this probably wont make it to FoodTV in the good ol' USA?

[JWest]

It's unfortunate that they don't air this actual tv show... maybe they will in the future.

[iheartoffal]

FoodNetwork Canada will be airing an episode covering Alinea, called "Art of Achatz". If anyone can get a chance to watch it and record it some how, let me know, thanks!

http://www.foodtv.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=93702

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Ah heck, why do the Canadians get all the good programs?!

That's it, I'm moving.

[babern38]

What brand of stemware do they have at Alinea? I've been looking to purchase some good stemware and really liked what they had. I'm thinking it was Riedel, but ALinea is not listed as a restaurant on Riedel's website I guess I'll have to go back and find out.

[nick.kokonas]

much of it is Spiegelau, with a few specialty glasses from other makers.

[pedro]

So, yes, in a way, it's Riedel.

[johnder]

I am finding myself in Chicago for 2 nights starting tonight and wanted to check out Alinea, since I am alone, I prefer to dine at the bar. Does Alinea offer full food service at the bar?

John

[jesteinf]

There is no bar.

For single dining at a bar, Avec is hard to beat.

[johnder]

Ah well that answers that question. Thanks!

There is no bar.

For single dining at a bar, Avec is hard to beat.

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[ulterior epicure]

For single dining at a bar, Avec is hard to beat.

Not that hard, in my book... try the bar at the Avenues.

u.e.

[jesteinf]

Yeah, I thought about that, but I've never eaten at the Chef's bar so I didn't want to comment. I'd love to hear people's impressions that have been there, though (in the appropriate thread, of course).

[Simon_S]

You could, of course, just sit at a table in Alinea, or is that simply not done in the US? There'll be plenty to keep you entertained, so you won't feel the loss of a dining partner too keenly I would imagine...

Si

[johnder]

Well that was an option, but I didn't plan it that far ahead. I called this morning and they were booked for tonight. Alas, maybe next time I am in Chicago I will have more advance notice.

John

You could, of course, just sit at a table in Alinea, or is that simply not done in the US? There'll be plenty to keep you entertained, so you won't feel the loss of a dining partner too keenly I would imagine...

Si

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[ronnie_suburban]

In case anyone missed it, there was a great piece about Martin Kastner, by Heather Kenny in the Chicago Reader's April 14 Restaurants issue.

The designs may look space-age, but Kastner isn't just going for the ooh factor.  He says the implements allow the chef to "control how food hits the palate."  Because the dish can only be eaten in a specific way, the flavor is maximized.  "You could never have this type of control with normal silverware," he says.

=R=

[Shalmanese]

T minus 12 hours until my alinea dinner. I'm sooo excited.

[BryanZ]

It's going to own.

[ulterior epicure]

Re: "Fried Yuba Stick"

Someone on my flickr account left a comment on my picture of the "Fried Yuba Stick."

the flickr member noted that: "The yuba stick was actually dehydrated, which surprised me also that it wasn't fried."

My reply: "hmmmmm - dehydrated - that makes sense, because it wasn't exactly oily or greasy. but, if this is true, i wonder what the "sheen" and "shine"; of the yuba stick can be attributed? perhaps washed with egg whites before dehydrating in the oven?

Can anyone help clear this mystery up?

Thanks.

u.e.

[edited for spelling and strange tech-language gobbaligook]

Edited April 21, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

Re: "Fried Yuba Stick"

Someone on my flickr account left a comment on my picture of the "Fried Yuba Stick."

the flickr member noted that: "The yuba stick was actually dehydrated, which surprised me also that it wasn't fried."

My reply: "hmmmmm - dehydrated -  that makes sense, because it wasn't exactly oily or greasy.  but, if this is true, i wonder what the "sheen" and "shine" of the yuba stick can be attributed?  perhaps washed with egg whites before dehyrdrating in the oven?

Can anyone help clear this mystery up?

Thanks.

u.e.

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I was under the possibly wrong impression that it was yuba skin which forms like a pudding skin when the yuba is cooked. That 'skin' is then removed from the top of the cooked yuba, rolled, dried and then fried. But again, that's just my vague rememberance of its description.

=R=

[BryanZ]

I'm pretty certain the yuba is fried. When I got to see the kitchen, I saw cooks fervently blotting the little sticks to remove any traces of grease.

[nick.kokonas]

ronnie's description is largely accurate.

[ulterior epicure]

ronnie's description is largely accurate.

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Thanks Nick.

u.e.