Michelin Chicago 2014

via

Results are out. N denotes new to list and asterics indicate an increase in the number of stars awarded. The list has increased from a total of 19 to 25 restaurants. And the Bib Gourmand list. "Budget dining" as Michelin looks at it. They define as two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less. Up 69 from 64 last year.

 

 Linked up a few of my favorite  personal experiences so that you can add some restaurants to your to-do list!
 

Three Stars:
Alinea

Two Stars:
Grace (N)
Graham Elliot
L2O
Sixteen*

One Star:
Acadia
Blackbird-post to come!
Boka
El Ideas (N)
Elizabeth (N)
Everest
Goosefoot
Longman & Eagle
Mexique
Moto
NAHA
North Pond (N)
Schwa
Senza (N)
Sepia
Spiaggia
Takashi
The Lobby (N)
Topolobampo
Tru

Bib Gourmand
Ada St.
Antique Taco
*Arami
*ATK
Au Cheval
*Autre Monde
Avec
Balena
Belly Shack
*bellyQ
Browntrout
Ceres' Table
Chilam Balam
*County
Cumin
Deca
DeCOLORES
*Fat Rice
*Found
Frontera Grill
*Gather
Gemini Bistro
Gilt Bar
Girl & The Goat
Green Zebra
GT Fish & Oyster
Han 202
*Homestyle Taste
*Hopleaf
Jaipur
Jam
Jin Thai
*Juno
Kabul House
Kai Zan
*Kama Indian Bistro
*Kurah
Lao Hunan
Lao Sze Chuan
*Libertad
*Lula Café
*Mana Food Bar
Marion Street Cheese Market
Maude's Liquor Bar
*Mercat a la Planxa
Mixteco Grill
*Mott St.
*Nabuki
Nana
Nightwood
Opart Thai House
Owen & Engine
Paramount Room
The Publican
Pump Room
The Purple Pig
Q BBQ
Riccardo Trattoria
Sen
Slurping Turtle
Smak-Tak
Smoque BBQ
Sol de Mexico
Spacca Napoli
*Sushi Dokku
*TAC Quick
Urban Belly
Wood
Yolo 
 
XOXO, in love with Chicago 

Grant-ed!

Alinea.

Year after year Alinea continues to earn the world's top restaurant industry honors. Restaurant wizard Grant Achatz has breezed his way to the top of tons of lists including being the only restaurant in Chicago with 3 Michelin Stars, #7 on last years' San Pellegrino top 50 Restaurants in the World and even Bon Appetit named it one of the 20 most important restaurants in America. And James Beard awards. Lots of those. Best Chef: Great Lakes, Outstanding Chef, his cookbook won for Cooking from a Professional Point of View and Outstanding Service awards. I mean really the list going on and on. And onnnnnn.

As for our experience, I wanted to do something special for Sean for his 30th birthday in January (#superlatepost) so I started planning a few months in advance as a meal like this requires. January tickets, yep I said tickets, went for sale the first week of November, so I anxiously set a reminder in my phone, logged onto their ticketing website and purchased two tickets for the first week of January. Cost of the ticket includes the service charge, so if you decide to not add the wine tasting or a glass of wine during dinner, then you are all in at the time you book your tickets. Alinea also has a facebook page where they sell last minute tickets, so that's also an option if booking in advance is not a possibility for some folks. And if throwing down a ton of cash, last minute is your style, then lucky you!

I think I will let the photos speak for themselves here, but to sum it up Alinea, the experience, is the adult version of Disney World. The restaurant is undetectable from the street and as you walk in to the door of a house, that pretty much looks like a regular brownstone residence, you would have no idea what you were getting into. Because we went right after the holidays the hallway was piled up with multiple Christmas trees. I was confused as I stepped over them thinking I literally walked into an apartment that was occupied by lazy 20 somethings. Silly me. As soon as we walked in we were greeted with hot chocolate, while exposed to the kitchen, which was wide open for us to gawk at. We walked upstairs to our seats when all the fun began. The presentation for each dish was so unique and even breath taking at times using ice, fire, foam, straws, balloons. Good ol' Molecular gastronomy.

If you look at the menu below you'll see LAMB...........????????..........!!!!!!!!!!! Mind you we were given the menus after the meal, so we had no idea what to expect. So this special dish was lamb served with 86 different ingredients. I mean my mind was blown. BLOWN.

It was a simply amazing experience that I hope every food lover can enjoy some day. So come visit Chicago!

 

XOXO, IN LOVE WITH CHICAGO