Food & Wine reports on Alinea

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"Open your mouth and press the pump at least five times," he instructs you. Feeling like a bit of a boob, you do. Flavors bob into your consciousness—shrimp...horseradish...tomatoes—and crystallize. Shrimp cocktail. But better.

Better? Different, maybe, but actually eating a well prepared shrimp cocktail is better in my book.

"Open your mouth and press the pump at least five times," he instructs you. Feeling like a bit of a boob, you do. Flavors bob into your consciousness—shrimp...horseradish...tomatoes—and crystallize. Shrimp cocktail. But better.

stevez wrote:Better? Different, maybe, but actually eating a well prepared shrimp cocktail is better in my book.

Steve,

I'm surprised Achatz is serving Virtual Shrimp Cocktail, which was one of the courses at Trio when Ellen and I were there with MAG and TPA about a month before he left. I would think he would start completely fresh at Alinea.

Frankly I found the Virtual Shrimp Cocktail gimmicky in the extreme and, out of 24 small courses, it may have been my least favorite. I realize one dish does not a restaurant make, but knowing this somehow makes me less enthusiastic about Alinea. I lean toward less science lab, rather than more.

Enjoy,
Gary

I read that section of the article differently... as a list of examples of Achatz's dishes rather than what he'll have on the menu at Alinea.

I believe Achatz has said in earlier interviews that he will not have any courses from his days at Trio on the menu at Alinea, at least to start. His goal is to have a completely new menu for opening day.

From the forum "The Alinea Project" at egullet, written by ronnie_suburban:

The menus for opening night—containing as many as 50 never-before-served dishes--must be conceived, designed, tested and perfected. The Alinea team does not want to fly without a net on opening night.

Admittedly that does not rule out old courses being served on opening night or after opening night, but I really doubt Achatz would do that.

And that's not to say you won't see atomizers or vaporizers as part of the dishes.. or even a virtual shrimp cocktail.. but I'd be very surprised if it kept the same form.

-ed

gleam wrote:I read that section of the article differently... as a list of examples of Achatz's dishes rather than what he'll have on the menu at Alinea..

Ed,

I reread the article and agree. Maybe time for me to take remedial reading comprehension, yet again.

Enjoy,
Gary

Mrs. JiLS and I will be there opening night (early next month) and I'll report back at that time. Never having been to Trio, I'm sure I wouldn't mind if he threw in a few golden oldies; in any event, we expect to be impressed -- whether for good or ill, I cannot predict.