No initial visit to a restaurant engenders the kind of nervous, soaring expectations an Alinea Group spot inspires. Whether it’s the forthcoming reboot of the mothership, the latest incarnation of Next, predinner drinks at the Aviary, or the hope of a rare postprandial descent into the Office, Grant Achatz, Nick Kokonas, and company have set such lofty standards for some of the most exclusive and elusive (actual) tickets in town that it’s difficult to maintain a steady heartbeat in anticipation of eating or drinking in any one of them.
Menu sections aren’t even given headings, discouraging the idea that any specific strategy needs to be followed. From servers there’s no “chef says,” no “my name is,” no acting the BFF, no menu expositions, anecdotes, or upselling. Just a simple and, in the end, justified 20 percent charge added to your bill in exchange for near perfect service. A utility pouch with knife, spoon, three forks, and chopsticks lands on the table, and what follows should dispel any lingering resentment for any wait.
Among high-ticket shareable items, seven ounces of A5-grade Japanese Wagyu beef slathered in sea urchin butter is among the most sensorily overwhelming things I’ve ever ingested, each bite tender beyond belief, a symphony of fat and salt nullifying all external stimuli. Served on a sizzling-hot stone slab, it gets better as time elapses and the butter browns, developing even more depth of flavor.
951 W. Fultonroister.tocktix.com
