6/7/15

Jessica, Celeste and I had breakfast nearby at a place called Yolk which was supposed to be good but didn't impress me. The menu was certainly large, though (scrambled eggs and a cinnamon roll, for the record).
We did some shopping and walking, and grabbed burgers and shakes at a nearby chain called Epic Burger. The burgers were good but the surroundings were meh at best.
Dinner was the big event: Alinea. There is a lot to say about it and I don't think I can remember all 16 (!) courses. Even arriving is dramatic: no sign, someone is waiting outside to let you in; you walk into a dark deserted corridor where at the end a sliding door opens and lets you into the restaurant proper, where more people are there to lead you to your table. The rooms are plain and slightly dark (but not gloomy) and everyone is super-friendly and attentive. We had glasses of champagne to start, and then the dishes started rolling out.  I don't think I can describe them all, and I was loath to take pictures, but some highlights were a little composed plate with a well in the center with a clam soup, and little tasty things around the edges; a small charcoal fire served with hamachi and shishito peppers, that later turned out to be cooking parsnips and pork belly; fried monkfish jawbone served like fish and chips, rabbit 3 ways (I was scared of this course but ended up liking it). There was a skate wing with brown butter that you ate with your fingers, a crazy balloon made of apple that was helium filled (you popped it with your mouth and ate it, string and all), a tiny

These aren't even worth it, but I had to try!

potato and parmesan course that you ate in one shot like an oyster, and more. The culmination was Grant Achatz himself coming out to your table (after they put down a special mat), and creating this abstract art of dessert, with smears of mango, allspice, rum, meringue, little candies (flavored with kaffir lime, caramelized banana, and watermelon) and little chocolate wafers. It was beautiful and fun, not to mention surprising to see the chef himself right at your table!
The only quibbles were that seeing other tables nearby getting their course ruined the surprise a tiny bit, and it was over before we knew it. The service was amazing; when I looked cold I was offered a pashmina! The walked us right out to the waiting cab and everyone we saw thanked us and wished us a great evening. It is  a surprisingly fun, unstuffy experience. And the food is certainly a bit outlandish, but also interesting and flavorful. I would definitely come back
I wasn't ready to end the evening, so we went to the Terrace at the Trump (on the 26th floor). Amazing views of Chicago, expensive, so-so drinks, drunk businessmen. Also, super windy! But the views made it worthwhile. We didn't stay long, but I am glad we went.