Alinea. - by Rug Burn Junky
Scots Taffer on 18/11/2010 at 00:38
Brisbane's answer to this place, modest answer though it is, is (
http://www.thebuffaloclub.com.au/) The Buffalo Club where my wife and I enjoyed our anniversary dinner this year. I'll be returning for my birthday in just over a week. :D
Still holding out for Alinea some day...
Bluegrime on 18/11/2010 at 01:37
Has anyone tried the new McRib?
Mr.Duck on 18/11/2010 at 01:48
Last fancy shmancy place to eat I went out was a few years ago in Mexico City. To a neat french-cuisine restaurant called Le Cirque. Quite tasty, noticeably expensive and stuffy clothing etiquette (they had to lend me a jacket due to the HUR HUR NO JACKET NO SERVICE rule...).
Still, food was 5 ways awesome. I had some pork something crust with wild berries and other niceness....om nom nom :)
Y'know, there should be an official thread about fancy restaurants. Or heck, any type of restaurants TTLGers have gone to and enjoyed :):):)
Nicker on 18/11/2010 at 02:20
Quote Posted by MrDuck
Y'know, there should be an official thread about fancy restaurants. Or heck, any type of restaurants TTLGers have gone to and enjoyed :):):)
Maybe a TTLinea adjunct to the recipe thread, where we can offer up our own one bite marvels? Except that it would probably devolve into a bitch slapping session using culinary metaphors. Not that this would be a bad thing, per se...
Rug Burn Junky on 18/11/2010 at 05:32
Quote Posted by Kolya
Talking about tired RBJ
You don't get to feign annoyance YOU started this shit fest, just to fuck up my thread. Are you even remotely aware of your utter, abject hypocrisy? What did you hope to accomplish, other than having an excuse for cutting and pasting your usual attempt at nagging me (which isn't even appropriate this time).
I mean, if only there were some way you could have avoided having a conversation with me in the first place? Oh, wait a second there IS a way:
JUST STOP INTERACTING WITH ME.
I won't miss your scintillating personality. Trust me on that one. And everybody else will appreciate you not acting like a douchenozzle. And you won't have to listen to me tell you you're an asshole.
You see, everybody wins. Now, resist the urge, and just stfu.
Muzman on 18/11/2010 at 09:17
It (the Alinea experience, that is) does sound like some surreal, highly metaphorical scene from some French art film from about 1970, representing the end of time or the afterlife (or is it actually hell? we may never know).
If you played such a film for some greasy truckers from Kentucky and it secretly resonated with them, they probably would feel the need to kill something, or at least pound lot of Bud and watch UFC all night.
SubJeff on 18/11/2010 at 10:03
What Muz said! Lol.
I for one would welcome such a surreal experience. I have to say, as much as I despise much of the over-indulgence that is rampant amongst the stupidly wealthy (and a lot of pretentious not so wealthy wannabies), when shit like this is done right I cannot understand how you can not admire it.
I think even those truckers would enjoy the experience if they could a. get over being self-conscious in a place like that and b. relax and enjoy it for what it is instead of extrapolating the existence of this type of restaurant with the unfairness of the world.
The same could be said about many of the posters itt.
And where are the equivalent places in the UK plz people? Hmmm? WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU UK?
Gryzemuis on 18/11/2010 at 13:14
Quote Posted by Subjective Effect
And where are the equivalent places in the UK plz people? Hmmm? WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU UK?
Huh ?
Never heard of (
http://www.thefatduck.co.uk/) The Fat Duck ?
The Fat Duck and El Bulli (in Spain) have been fighting over the top spot for the last 10 years. Those 2 restaurants have started this whole new approach to cooking.
Just google any list of top restaurants, and you'll (
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article6136150.ece) always find El Bulli and The Fat Duck at the top.
RBJ, grats for having such a nice meal. I didn't know this type of restaurant even existed in the US. I've been out to restaurants in the Bay Area quite often. And people with money taking me to "fancy places". But it was always pretty mediocre imho. I guess the US is a big country. I just noticed that that list of The Times had 13 US restaurants in its top 100.
If you want to eat at El Bulli, good luck. I doubt you'll get in. Everybody wants to eat there. I've heard the story on (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Bulli#Restaurant) how to do reservations at El Bulli. Basically you can do reservations only 1 day per year. Then they decide who to invite out of the huge amount of people interested. My sister ate at El Bulli a few years ago. She probably got her invitation because of her table-partner, who works for a Dutch newspaper. Unfortunately it looks like El Bulli might be closing next summer.
I've eaten at a few restaurants with Michelin stars myself. It's a rather nice experience. I don't like fancy stuff (I'm an old punk kinda guy). But a nice dinner can be a true pleasure. I've eaten once at Francois Geurds' first restaurant. Geurds is a relatively young chef, who has worked a couple of years in The Fat Duck and other high-end restaurants in The Netherlands, Belgium and even in New York. He's doing a little molecular gastronomy. Two years ago, he opened (
http://www.restaurantivy.nl) a new restaurant, called Ivy. He got his first star in his first year there. I still haven't eaten there yet. Your post has reminded me, and encouraged me to go visit Ivy asap. Before he raises his prices even more. :) Thanks.
Rug Burn Junky on 18/11/2010 at 13:19
UK has The Fat Duck, I'm sure you've heard of that. Run by Heston Blumenthal, vying with El Bulli as the top restaurant in the world for a few years now. One of my biggest regrets is that I couldn't score reservations there when I went to London in '07.
Last night I went to momofuku ko, which incorporates some of the same techniques, though in a far more casual setting. The signature dish, though, blows away almost anything else I've ever eaten.
It's a jelly made from riesling wine, with sweet lychee nuts and pine nut brittle. Over the top they take frozen foie gras, and grate it into a fine sawdust. The foie gras just melts in your mouth because it's so light, and mixes with the really sweet components underneath for an intense flavor that's indescribable. It was like candy, but not savory and not cloying.
edit: errr, what she said.
And obviously I'm partial to Alinea, not because it's "OHMIGOD FANCY" but because I was so psyched about Achatz in particular even before it opened, and got in there real early and championed it to everyone I could before it was publicly recognized in that upper echelon. Seeing that culminate in the best restaurants in the world lists, and the Michelin stars feels like vindication.
But I love hearing about anything similar - Scots has mentioned The Buffalo Club a few times, and every time he does I look at that menu and think I would love to try it out. Heck I even love the classics - Le Cirque is an institution (their flagship in NYC was in my old building, and HBO did a great documentary on the owner).
Gryzemuis on 18/11/2010 at 13:44
Quote Posted by Kolya
Oh yeah, sorry for derailing that bragging thread about eating out at a fancy restaurant ....
That got 3 stars, 4 years later. :thumb:
Clueless.
As usual.
Chefs have to work very hard to get a Michelin star. Very hard. And even harder to get 3 stars. It literally takes many years of sweat. But once they got their stars, and have their reputation set, they can take it a little easier. Upcoming restaurants can't afford to ask high prices. They can't afford to make small mistakes. But established names have some extra credits. And they have a guaranteed stream of customers for years to come.
So actually it's better to eat at a new and upcoming restaurant than at an established place. As long as you can predict which restaurants will be rewarded with 1 or more stars in the future. Because those are the restaurants that excel today. And even at "affordable" prices.
