Magical Dining Adventure at Alinea in Chicago

'Just be here at eight-fifteen', said the female voice on the other end. And so we were. The entrance is unmarked for Alinea located in the charming Chicago neighborhood of Lincoln Park-Old Town, and we nearly walked right on by it, focusing more on bearing our weight against the wicked wind.




As we moved towards the door a young lady with an iPad stepped out to greet us. She confirmed our seating and directed us to enter and enjoy this seriously magical place. We stepped into a dimly lit hallway, the floor lined with squishy moss. Our eyes were wide investigating the plethora of hanging flowers set in narrow glass vases. They beckoned us to 'follow the yellow brick road'. Alinea would be no place like another.




Hidden within the center carpels of select blossoms were small cones of cotton candy. The airy candy was zesty, fruity and sweet. There was even a hint of cilantro for me. Maybe it was mango? My senses were on high alert. It felt like we'd walked through the forest of Oz or had traipsed through the story's vast poppy fields.


The spell was broken when a sliding door revealed the buzzing, bright kitchen. Alinea's troops were hard at work, moving in cadence about unique kitchen tools - a helium tank, a dry ice bin and slender glass test tubes. Their focus was obvious. Oh we oh, ohhhhh oh - we were in for something special.



Each creative delivery made us more and more excited for what would come next. Dining at Alinea is interactive and engaging; there's inventive thought given to every single detail.




And this hyper attention to detail is conveyed beautifully in Christian Seel's video showcasing the trail-blazing restaurant. The Alinea dining experience is extreme, surprising and drives impatient anticipation like a child. Are we there yet? Are we there? Are we?




In one of my favorite courses, Chef Grant Achatz and his team paid homage to the Classical Elements: Earth, Air, Water, Fire, which were developed by Empedocles and expanded by Aristotle. Playing with various types of fresh seafood, the single course was delivered in canon, each just as spectacular as its lead.




See the sushi floating in a clear glass cylinder filled with water, ice and fresh flowers in Seel's dramatic clip (:35).




We poached small bits of fish filet in boiling water (:39) and crunched on a crayfish head that had been deep fried and placed on the edge of a similar glass cylinder (:50).




My enthusiasm increased greatly while experiencing food in this thoughtful 'natural way'. It reminded me of Michael Pollin's book Cooked. The Achatz Army really impressed me when we seared a large scallop on a piping hot stone (1:04). It sizzled and smoked. And I thought fondue and raclette were fun!
In the Alinea video and at the top of the photo below, you can see slender white dishes featuring an assortment of rich duck prepared in five different ways - one seared, another more like paté.




The ultimate treat in this 'Infinity' course was the ability to combine the well-prepared duck options in any creative fashion. A gorgeous glass tray offered more than fifty dollops of this and that - a pistachio cream, blackberry sauce, a green olive slice, and some powdery white stuff (I didn't expect it to crumble the way it did. It was lighter than chalk and minty.)




There was traditional ground mustard, a gelatin like canned Thanksgiving cranberries, a fruit rind, a flower, current chutney, a green sauce that looked like wasabi and tasted like tea, and white cream.
We were told to take a piece of duck and match it with 2-3 of anything on the glass. At first we were strategic in our selections, almost afraid to create a poor combination. But that wasn't possible. With each bite our senses worked intensely to tell us what we'd concocted. The course was exciting and mysterious. I thoroughly enjoyed the seduction of the unknown, leaving our taste buds to search and unleash familiar flavors from our memory bank.




And just when we thought invention could be taken no further, and that our excitement with the Alinea show had reached its pinnacle, we were each given a floating, edible balloon (1:09).




The balloon was made of taffy, filled with helium and attached to a long metal needle. The string was taffy too. If I'd thought of the similarity then, we could have used the helium to make silly Wizard of Oz voices. Instead we announced our own names with high pitched flare - wah wah wah.




Alinea is one of The World's 50 Best Restaurants listed by San Peligrino and Acqua Panna. It has been reviewed by numerous magazines and industry experts. Tickets, similar to a play or sporting event, must be purchased in advance. It's a wholly enlightening experience and worthwhile surrendering to the adventure that we will not soon forget. I had no preconception and was so pleased to be surprised by the culinary magic.








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Tru Delight in Chicago

Stepping inside the unobtrusive vestibule of Tru—in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago between the lake and Michigan Avenue, north of the river—felt more unassuming and quiet than we had expected. From the entrance we eagerly peered into the connecting room of simple white walls enhanced by art with pops of color that lured us further in to explore. It appeared to be like an art museum's latest contemporary exhibit hall more than it did a four-star fine-dining restaurant. I was wholly intrigued.




The collection of art is impressive boasting a matte royal blue statue from French Nouveau Realism great Yves Klein (Venus Bleue, 1961, pigment on plaster). Klein patented International Klein Blue, this pigment mixed with a special agent that maintains the color's intensity across mediums—canvas, paper, wood, plaster, glass. He believed that monochrome 'represents the idea of absolute unity in perfect serenity' and that this vibrant blue hue, specifically, 'awakens spiritual energy'. Klein is often attributed to being a leader of performance art, for example, painting models in his signature color and having them roll their bodies on canvas to one monotone of music—boom, a new creative outlet was born.




Another piece, a mirror-box lined with red neon tube lights, creates an infinite look to the reflection, as if we could reach our arm through and down a never-ending hallway.



For a moment there was no one around us but the walls and the art.




It was serene, and humbling—and for the emotion it withdrew, demanded acknowledgement and respect. The time gave us an Inception second to respond to our surroundings and wishfully anticipate what might come next in our progressive French dining experience.




The main dining room is simple and elegant, with tall walls white as snow lined with floor length flowing curtains. As the room expanded over the course of our experience, the gorgeous, various shaped wine glasses created a frame around an Andy Warhol piece of Marilyn Monroe (Marilyn reversal series, 1979.1986, synthetic polymer paint and silkscreen on canvas).

The artistry seamlessly continues throughout the Chef's Collection of nine whimsical courses that delight and inspire. Executive chef Anthony Martin has led the kitchen solely at Tru since 2010, working as chef de cuisine previously and earning stripes at Las Vegas resorts Wynn and MGM. Young at thirty years old, he earned the honor of being named Chef of the Year 2010 by the Chicago Tribune.




Martin created 'caviar' with smoked sturgeon made into a mousse by mixing wine, spices and gelatin. When extracted into a syringe, the mousse easily releases into a cold oil bath turning it into tiny pellets that closely resemble luxurious fish eggs frequently shared with chilled vodka in Russia.

The caviar was light and tasty and combined well with the richness of the avocado spread it rested on in a tin jar. Further, the jar was perched on a pile of coarse sea salt. Unlike real caviar, the mousse pellets lacked the burst when we bite-in. You can watch Martin explain his creative process on YouTube. He initially made the video for a Dinner Party earlier in the year.







Elegantly put together in a large, clean white bowl, stacked atop two layers of plain white plates, the golden yellow of the squash soup brightened the table. The soup was creamed with small cubes of al dente squash drizzled with bright hints of alba white truffle. Beside the cup was a burgundy harvest garnish that foiled the leaf shaped Parmesan crackers resting on a stack of white linens. The terroir of the rich mushroom was emboldened with each sip of the Guiberteau Chenin Blanc with zesty citrus notes.




Foi gras was served beautifully seared, surrounded by a ring of round droplets so that from a distance the dish looks almost planetary in a white abyss. Every bite was buttery, flavorful and light.








In 2006 the City of Chicago banned foi gras, which is fattened duck liver enhanced by force feeding the animals. The inclusion of foi on menus has been a point of controversy in the culinary world for some time. Tru and Spiaggia mimicked the delicacy in two different ways shortly after the ban (which has since been lifted) impressing the Tribune's food critic Phil Vettel. Even though the dish was tasty, it will probably be my last time for foi.












The grand finale of Tru's culinary performance was a dessert of vanilla parfait, compressed pineapple and banana. The fruits rested on a square mirror clutched in a small white monkey's hands. The delivery was bold. It was fresh—and we shared a wonderful laugh about it. The finale gave us one final dig into a world of food just as unique as our exhibit-like surroundings.
Tru proved to be a wonderful culinary adventure. Each course was paired with wine from all over the world - California, Greece and France to name a few. It was exciting to try wines with varied terroir that boldened every dish. All together the experience was stretching; it expanded my concept of dining, food, art and performance, surely a Warhol-approved evening.








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Chelsea's GastroMarket haven near High Line

Tradeshow food is terribly bad and superbly overpriced. No matter what city you're in – even Manhattan – there's little effort, it seems, in producing something more to serve than a stodgy stomach filler. Sadly the same can be said for the majority of airports.




Therefore we were fortunate for a full hour and a half break for lunch within the conference program at an event held in New York City's Javits Center. After days of rain and cloud covered skies, the city was finally glistening in the summer sun and its people were eager to catch some warming rays and fresh air. We were stuck inside four walls. No windows.




Outside, nearby, good is what we needed to perk up for the afternoon discussions. The expo hall is located just north of Chelsea; walking south from Javits along the Hudson after work the night before, I noticed the sign at Jezalin's GastroMarket offering a 'patio in back'. If it was sunny eventually, the place had potential to be an obscure gem. Mental note.




And wow, indeed it is precious — very. Tall trees lined with green leaves backed by the bright sun cast dancing shadows on the large wooden deck out the back of the building on Tenth. The sun poked happily through the open spaces between the brown branches. A breeze dusted our skin with warmth. This patio immediately welcomes you to relax in the midst of the grind.




GastroMarket's menu is full of sandwiches loaded with a combination of a few of the right things. If we weren't already hungry, our stomachs were growling after a few reviews: The Spaniard, Turkey Petit and Tartufata Melt. The vegetarian options are plenty and sound as incredible as any layering including meat.




This is The Texan sandwich. A whole grain hard roll is stuffed with slow roasted beef brisket and topped with sour pickles and onions. It comes with homemade barbecue sauce, and I also asked for the creamy horseradish sauce to try. The brisket was tender, the pickles crunchy, the bbq sauce sweet and the horseradish had just the right zip.




GastroMarket offers a number of homemade salads as a side item. Since I love beets and enjoy finding new recipes for the root veg, I tried the mix. It was a bit creamy and had some chopped walnuts to add a crunch. The salad was good, but I'd probably try something else next time.




Each table is laden with a GastroMarket pub bottle holding fresh flowers adding to the natural charm outside. Inside the wooden bar and stone walls give an Old World feel.








Entrances to New York City's High Line can be found both North and South of the restaurant, which also makes it a great place to grab a sandwich to take to the park and enjoy. The High Line is a public park built on the defunct elevated Manhattan train line first built in the 1930s.




The owner of the place got started with Jezalin's gifts located inside the Limelight Shops also located nearby in a gorgeous, historical Episcopal church built in the late 1800s. The gift shop specializes in putting together exquisite, unique, quality and exclusive presents for those only interested in luxury.












The Limelight is probably most famously known for housing one of the hottest NYC nightclubs in the 1980s and nineties where debauchery and wild fun occurred nightly.




Needless to say GastroMarket suited our needs completely, and after filling our bellies with well-prepared food while taking-in the enchanting patio atmosphere, we marched back to Javits satisfied. For anyone attending an event at the center, I highly recommend taking the extra steps to this gastronomical spot. You won't be disappointed.
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Adventure in Southern Fare

My plan as I adventured across the northern hills of The US South was to hit up a couple of restaurants that have been featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I figured it would be a solid basis to tour Southern Fare. In the end Atlanta's Silver Skillet was the only one that was within my routes of travel. Still I experienced a range of dining atmospheres from ultra casual BBQ joints to a James Beard Award winning chef and restaurant in downtown Oxford, Mississippi.




Silver Skillet's famous for its Country Ham. On the show they explain that the meat is hand cut and soaked, bone-in, overnight in a combination of soy sauce, brown sugar, paprika, and the secret ingredient Coca-Cola; Atlanta is the hometown of this globally famous soft drink brand.




My server warned that the meat is salty. No problem, that's what the water is for. Red Eye Gravy is served aside the meat, which is a mixture of the excess marinade juices and hot, fresh coffee. From a selection of sides I chose macaroni & cheese and fried okra.




The ham was salty indeed much like a cured prosciutto, but not too much so. It was moist and tender inside and seared nicely on the outside. The flavor was certainly unique with the Asian soy sauce complementing the sweet of the cola well like the look of a rough leather jacket layered over a feminine floral dress. And to be honest, the gravy didn't taste much different with the addition of the coffee. Simply, it gave each bite a bit more juice to envelop my tongue.




There's nothing pretentious about the place. At 1:30 on Thursday it was nearly full and you seat yourself. I picked the spot near the window to take-in the afternoon sun over lunch. Each table is stocked with every supply we might need to enhance the meal, including extra napkins, a vinegar pepper sauce that I put on the okra and hot sauce - yea man. There's free WiFi too. Major bonus points for this.




The okra wasn't prepared exactly as I expected. In North Carolina's furniture country I had it 'fried', but really sautéed in butter, and it was phenomenal. Without the pepper sauce they were merely crunchy tidbits. In a blind test I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between the vegetable and Rocky Mountain Oysters.




Now the macaroni & cheese was perfect. It had just the right amount of cream and cheese and could take Kraft's Velveeta any day in a contest. As I do, I lathered it in hot sauce.








Home cooked food in a super comfortable setting is what this Atlanta hot spot is all about. If you forgot your reading glasses, there's even a basket full to borrow from, although I think the locals know precisely what they're ordering when the come in. No menu needed. The website Flavortown USA serves as a great guide for finding restaurants visited on Fieri's show when you're moving about the country, hungry and ready to be tantalized by local fare.




Fried Green Tomatoes are often considered a Southern delicacy. Each family and restaurant has its own recipe that's been cherished and touted over the years. At the Moonlight Bistro in Mentone, Alabama near Ft. Payne, the dish can be served as an appetizer to share or as a sandwich with mayonnaise, lettuce and bacon.








The breading remained crunchy wrapped around the hot and juicy fruit. And while the bun was soggy by the time I was finished, the sandwich was very good overall, and the side of broccoli seasoned just right. In fact the dish was recently listed on '100 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die'.








The cafe is housed in a small log cabin with a gorgeous fireplace and welcoming front patio. The atmosphere is severely charming.




In flying through the rolling, colorful hills of northern Alabama - more beautiful than I had expected - I needed a spot for a break and replenishment, and frankly, while Subway would have been easiest, I hadn't come all this way for something so ubiquitous.




Then I spotted Smith's in a flash cruising at 80mph down the curvy country highway. Its parking lot was full of cars - always a good sign. After passing it by, I quickly found a place to turn around and went to check it out.




No frills here. Much like other BBQ spots the paper towel sat on a roll at the end of the table lined with condiments.




Unfortunately Smith's didn't have brisket on the menu, which is always my favorite choice, so I tried the chicken and broccoli casserole that was the Friday lunch special. With a side of corn and collared greens, the meal was delivered piping hot and suited my needs.




To my amazement while visiting a friend at Ole Miss, I was told that the best late night food is found at the local gas stations. You've got to be kidding me! But he wasn't. Oof. Ramen noodles is as 'basic' as I'll get and that's because the taste is nostalgic for me and it doesn't involve mystery meat.




Well, nonetheless, when in Oxford...at the corner station just around from the square, we ordered all sorts of fried things - chicken, pizza sticks, burritos. The worker filled a white paper lunch bag with the greasy bits that I have to admit smelled delightful.




The chicken was very, very good. Crispy and flavorful on the outside, juicy on the inside. It didn't take long for us to whoolf the pieces down. The burrito and pizza sticks were nothing more than gas station prepared hot pockets, but they did the trick. And they were certainly more appealing than the two for $1 'roller' dogs at Milwaukee stations.








On the wholly opposite end of the food spectrum, we checked out the scene at Oxford's most fancy and famed restaurant City Grocery that sits right in the town center surrounded by quaint shops and various pieces of local history. Open for twenty years, City Grocery has been featured in the likes of Food & Wine, Bon Appetít and Wine Spectator. In 2009 chef John Currence was awarded the James Beard Award for Best Chef South and 'The Big Bad Chef', originally from New Orleans continues to innovate using new ingredients every six weeks.




The menu was still on late summer. We started with the seasonal heirloom tomato salad tossed in fresh herbs and balsamic syrup, dressed easy with cracked telicherry peppercorns and grey celtic sea salt.




The seared scallops 'Minestroni' proved to be a wise choice. The seafood was served atop a succotash of sweet corn, butterbeans, tomato and bacon in lobster broth with chili oil. Cooked until just barely opaque in the center, the scallops meshed well with the al dente vegetables.
The wine list changes weekly offering a varied selection of great options, however the pricing is premium for basics like Stag's Leap. We chose the Joel Gott 815 Cabernet Sauvignon. It was light yet full flavored with a deep blackberry taste, and nice value.




Dixieland had plenty to offer my taste buds. From casual to internationally renowned, the barbecue and biscuits, the deep fried chicken and creative seafood found below the Mason Dixie welcomed this red blooded Yankee with open arms. Maybe The South will rise again fiercely armed with culinary perfection, local hospitality and comforting recipes.
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