Alinea

[Quality Start Machine]

I'm easily the cheapest mother fucker on this messageboard

Big talk from a Gentile non-Bohunk.

[BBM]

So, what did you have?

We had exactly what they serve.  There isn't any choosing, except for the wine pairings.

The menu does change from time to time, and trying to understand the courses at Alinea from its descriptions would be like truly understanding Moby Dick soley from being told "its a book about a whale".

Sounds like they take a page from Thomas Keller's playbook - pricey fixed menu, occasionally changes, worth selling your children into bondage for the chance to partake. There's a place in Toronto that does the same - Ruby Watch Co, except they change their menu nightly.

In Yountville, (Napa) we call it The French Laundry.

The guy who runs Alinea trained at French Laundry.

Worshipped would probably also be an accurate term. He also put some time at El Bulli with the Adrias, which probably had nearly as much influence on him.

Have any Desipiots managed to get into Next for one of their concepts?

No but I walked by a bunch of times.  Also frequently seen the CDC and his head sous at the bar I hangout at.

[Internet Apex]

As promised.

1. With the Otoro, the reserve was the Lackner-Tinnacher 'Steinbach' Grauburgunder, Südsteiermark 2008. Vi out this was a bit better than the Pinot Gris.
2. With the Burn Morels, Château La Conseillante, Pomerol 2006
3. With the Lamb, Ben Glaetzer Anaperenna, Barossa Valley 2009.  I believe this was the course in which everyone got to partake.  A lovely red, but didn't quite have the barnyard flair that the regular pairing had.  I preferred it to the regular, however.
4. With the Pear, d'Oliveira Boal Madeira 1977.  This was a wonderful Madeira, strong yet sweet and tasty, with fruity hints.
5. With the Blueberry, Nittnaus Eiswein, Burgenland 2008.

The rest were the same as the regular pairings.  Again, probably not worth the extra $100, although the Madeira was quite a bit better IMHO.

Yum!