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ALINEA (FALL 2013)

HIGHLIGHTS FROM ALINEA'S 13-COURSE MEAL ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2013

Pre-meal photo with the fam outside Alinea's unmarked and nondescript entrance. Time of entrance - 5:30pm.

The Alinea Menu. Very straightforward with simple descriptions, a far cry from the actual complexities of each dish. In fact, the bubbles almost provide more info than the actual text. The further right the bubble is, the more sweet the dish is.

The vegetarian version of the Alinea Menu. Pretty similar to the regular version with a few substitutions here and there. In the photos that follow, items from the regular menu will be labeled with (REG), and items from the vegetarian menu will

COURSE 1 (REG) TROUT ROE - matsusake, apple, mustard From bottom to top: apple consommé, followed by pureed matsutake mushrooms, and on top of that a mixture of steel trout roe, pickled dried plums and mustard seeds

COURSE 1 (VEG) CUCUMBER - matsusake, apple, mustard Cucumber replaces the steel trout roe

The second dish is presented very ominously. A smoky vapor consumes the table, which we later learn is due to the dry ice used in the base of the dish.

Bring out the glow sticks and let's get the rave started.

As the vapor clears, the dish finally presents itself...

COURSE 2 (REG) SCALLOP - citrus aroma, fourteen texture Served in a clay pot and presented on a scallop shell sitting on top of seaweed and dry ice (whose vapor engulfs the entire table, covering it in a fog-like manner). Inside the shell is a

COURSE 2 (VEG) SCALLOP - citrus aroma, fourteen texture Green papaya replaces the scallop.

COURSE 3 (REG) TOMATO - cana de cabra, cucumber, cantaloupe 4 items: cana de cabra (melted Spanish goat cheese) surrounded with an onion ring, melon foam (sprinkled with powdered ham), cucumber foam, pickled tomato

COURSE 3 (VEG) TOMATO - cana de cabra, cucumber, cantaloupe Melon foam is sprinkled with cubed melons instead of powdered ham.

And if you're wondering where the pickled tomatoes come from, wonder no longer. They are taken from the centerpiece that greeted us upon our initial arrival to our table.

COURSE 4 (REG) DUNGENESS CRAB - squash blossom, cardamom, saffron Dish consists of Dungeness crab, squash blossom custard, cauliflower puree, and cardamom saffron cotton candy.

COURSE 5 (REG) BINCHOTAN - Tokyo inspiration Dish served literally on fire. On one end, the flames emanating from the binchotan (a Japenese charcoal) lights up the table. On the other end, four items: shrimp head, ahi, pork belly, and wagyu be

Good thing no one wore any hairspray to dinner that night.

COURSE 5 (VEG) BINCHOTAN - Tokyo inspiration In place of the meat and seafood, the four items are rutabaga (a type of turnip), watermelon, daikon, and bok choi

So this is what our table looks like pre-fire...

And this is what it looks like post-fire...

COURSE 6 (REG) VEAL CHEEKS - lapsang souchon, pine, blackberry Served in a bowl on a bed of charred pine, items in this dish include: veal cheek, white sesame, forbidden rice, and possible a shrimp or wonton chip? I'm still a little unclear as

COURSE 6 (VEG) MAITAKE - lapsang souchon, pine, blackberry Maitake mushroom takes the place of the veal cheek.

COURSE 7 (REG & VEG) HOT POTATO - cold potato, black truffle, butter One of Alinea’s classic dishes. A thin pin holds a roasted Yukon potato over a cold truffle soup. To eat, you pull the pin out, the potato drops into the soup, and then you

You know those informercials that start off innocently and then hit you with that "BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE" tease? Yeah? Then let me introduce you to Course 8. A plate consisting of 5 types/parts of a duck is brought to the table. BUT WAIT T

ACT NOW AND WE'LL THROW IN 60+ GARNISHES TO GO WITH THAT DUCK

COURSE 8 (REG) DUCK - ……..?????............!!!!! !!!!!!!! (yes, that's exactly how it's written in the menu) The base plate contains five types/parts of a duck, including foie gras, breast, and confit. Along with that is a wide assortment

COURSE 8 (VEG) FENNEL - ……..?????............!!!!! !!!!!!!! Instead of the duck, the five items are: parsnip, salsify, fennel, turnip, and leek.

COURSE 9 (REG & REG) BLACK TRUFFLE - explosion, romaine, parmesan Another Alinea classic. Served on a plate with no bottom (the spoon takes on that role this time), you eat the entire ravioli at one time, as the moment you bite into it, a bur

COURSE 10 (REG & VEG) GINGER - five other flavors Presented as a palate cleanser, five flavors of ginger are arranged on top of five long bendable pins.

COURSE 11 (REG & VEG) BALLOON - helium, green apple Possibly the most unexpected food item I ever thought would enter my mouth. Green apple taffy is blown up with helium, and the result is a floating edible balloon. To eat, simply put your

Hold on tight, lest you want your food to fly away

Eating never looked so sexy.

COURSE 12 (REG & VEG) CORN - white chocolate, honey, mango Not sure how you follow a friggin' FOOD BALLOON, but let's try. This dessert dish consists of a variety of items: white chocolate noodles, mango, corn silk, and jelly pieces, all w

On to the last course (some assembly required). First, the entire table is draped with a clean rubber-like tablecloth. Uh oh, this might get messy...

Next, two chefs come out and actually start making the dessert right on the table! In the shell, they start with a base of crumbled tart crust. On top of that, they layer in cardamom butterscotch (frozen in nitrogen, mind you). Next...

COURSE 13 (REG & VEG) MILK CHOCOLATE - pâte sucrée, violet, hazelnut Prepared and eaten right on the table, the final dessert is a pretty much a work of art. The centerpiece is composed of tart crust, frozen butterscotch, and milk chocolat

Putting the final touches, but seriously, can we eat yet?!

...comes some hot chocolate.

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE. Every dessert can always use a few scoops of violet candied sprinkles.

If Jackson Pollock were a chef, this is probably what he'd serve for dinner.

A quick shot of the kitchen before leaving for the evening. Time of departure - 10:00pm (yup, the meal lasted a whopping 4 1/2 hours).

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