118558 Sun Oct 09 15:12:28 -0700 2005 9 7 Chicago Area 0 647114 My Boyfriend and I are flying through Chicago on our way back to NYC from a wedding in DesMoines and decided to stay over for one night and one dinner. We are both former cooks and have eaten in many of the best restaurants everywhere. We love good food and new experiences so Alinea seemed perfect. But they are booked (we are on the waiting list...if you have any tips on how we might sqeeze in, please let me know). There is room at Blackbird, Avenue, and Spring. $$ is not an issue. Any other recs? We will be there on a Satuurday night at the end of the month. Sunday AM, we are planning to head to Maxwell Street. We are serious hounds and hate pretention. (i.e. no CT). All advice will be much appreciated. Sun Oct 09 15:12:28 -0700 2005 0 Tamtomato 1 647117 Haven't been to Alinea (though Trio under Achatz twice) but I would happily substitute Avenues, maybe a little less deconstructionist-conceptual than Alinea but a superb restaurant right now. Blackbird is also a top-drawer restaurant but not as elaborate in its intentions, just very accomplished. You would be happy with either one, I'm sure. Link: http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2983 Sun Oct 09 20:04:44 -0700 2005 647114 0 Lupercalia 1 647119 What's with the cheap shot at Charlie Trotter? Sun Oct 09 22:16:59 -0700 2005 647114 0 peg 1 647130 May I throw Moto in to your Mix? Link: http://www.motorestaurant.com/cuisine.php Mon Oct 10 12:09:43 -0700 2005 647114 0 YourPalWill 1 647131 Blackbird and Spring are good choices, but are much more casual than Avenues or Alinea. Avenues is quite formal (although the food has some whimsical touches) and it still feels like a hotel dining room (albeit a really good one). If you want something edgier, you may want to try Moto. Seems to be a love/hate kind of place--at any rate, they certianly aren't afraid to take chances! Other than Alinea, my personal current fave $100+/person place is Matsumoto, a Kaiseki-only restaurant. Mon Oct 10 12:13:49 -0700 2005 647114 0 Pugman 2 647137 Pugman- Our restaurant sensibility seems to be exactly the same. The problem is my boyfriend. He used to be a cook. Trained in France and it would be an abomination to him if the food didn't taste good. That's our fear with Moto. How does it taste?? I am more of a food geek than him. Love the creativity. He's open to it, but if I am making him fly to Chicago for a meal, he wants it to taste good. I also suggested Matsmoto to him (mostly due to youur recommendation on CH), but we figured that we could probably ket great kaiseki in NYC where we live. Or at Morimoto in Philly where we are heading in couple of weeks. No question, what we really want is Alinea. My instinct is to call Alinea every day so that we get the first cancellation!!!! I used to be a food writer, and suspect I know some of his suppliers. Maybe that will help. So...the questions: How does the food at Moto taste? And how creative is the food at Avenues? Much much thanks for all opinions!!!! Mon Oct 10 14:28:33 -0700 2005 647131 0 Tamtomato 3 647151 "How creative is the food at Avenues?" Did you follow the link I put up for Avenues? Photos and descriptions dish by dish, the only way to improve on that answer is to eat there, I would think. I'm a little puzzled by this idea that people are opening high end famous restaurants to showcase food that doesn't taste good. Homaro Cantu's cooking chops are right up there with the other guys. Your palate and brain would both be tickled, and if what you really want is Alinea, well, in some ways Moto is more Alinea than Alinea is. However, it may not pass muster on the pretension front you mentioned earlier... though I'm not sure Alinea necessarily would, either. Link: http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2704 Mon Oct 10 21:07:47 -0700 2005 647137 0 Lupercalia 4 647158 Can't speak for Moto, but Alinea is really not pretentious at all. The servers were extremely gracious and fun, and all had unique personalities. Sorry to make another positive note for Alinea! Keep calling and I hope you find an opening! Tue Oct 11 09:49:01 -0700 2005 647151 0 Greg 4 647190 As a participant in the fabled 7+ hour dinner at Moto linked to above, and also having dined at Alinea, let me assure you neither one will disappoint. Alinea is just a bit more skewed toward the traditional fine dining experience, and Moto a tad more toward the non-traditional. I also think Alinea would be better for a couple, Moto for a group. But regardless of their differences and some talk about Moto being more circuses than bread, let's keep in mind that Moto created, with no advance warning, a creative and tasty dish using pre-cooked racoon meat that got press in Time Magazine (the racoon roadkill) AND the waiters who had just spent 7 hours serving us also helped one of our diners change a flat tire at 1:30 a.m. So in my book, Moto is definitely a "real" restaurant and not some sort of carnival, and their commitment shows at all levels. Tue Oct 11 21:16:07 -0700 2005 647151 0 JimInLoganSquare 1 647186 Definitely go for Avenues -- as close as you get to Alinea in terms of food quality and innovation. Moto is excellent. I just ate at WD-50 in NY this weekend and in comparison, I much prefer Moto. Moto was more creative and although many of the dishes sounded strange and intended more for sight than taste, everything was excellent (not Alinea or Avenues excellent, but still excellent). After those choices, Spring and Blackbird are outstanding. I'd also throw Green Zebra into the mix. And although I find that Tru does not vary their menu as often as I'd like, I still think that it's one of the top restaurants in the city and one of the best dining rooms. Tue Oct 11 19:11:22 -0700 2005 647114 0 BR