Blackbrick Chinese
I loved this place so much on my first visit and couldn’t wait to come back.  For once I did not have to do any of the ordering which was completely amazing as it is always my role.  Because of that I have no idea really what any of these dishes are.  Perhaps I knew a month ago but now I haven’t a clue (well except for the beans which I insisted upon and which I could eat every single day).

Alinea Miami at the Faena Hotel
Perhaps it has taken me so long to complete this post because I haven’t been able to sort out what to even write.  I was prepared to be completely disappointed by this dinner as when Alinea popped up at EMP in NYC I was completely thrown by having Alinea food in a different space.  Until then I had not realized how much the physical space was a part of the experience.  Also looking at some pictures from the pop up a month prior in Madrid many of the dishes were ones I had already had. But I do often say that its best to have low expectations so that you can only be pleasantly surprised.  Then of course there is the Faena hotel which is completely over-the-top in every way.  And I must digress for a second to note that the service is truly fantastic.  Before beginning dinner I visited the hotel ladies room which had a multitude of stalls and every garbage can was empty and all toilet paper folded into perfect points.  Alinea standards and suddenly it somehow all made sense.  I love how the dining room light fixture reflects in the majority of my photos as it perfectly sums up the experience and in a way was good preparation for Alinea 2.0.  I was completely surprised by how local parts of this menu felt as I simply didn’t think there was time to reinvent too much.  Of particular note, of the many versions of this menu’s beef dish that I have had, this was far and away my favorite.  I truly hope this wasn’t my last BTE or hot potato/cold potato, but if so they went out in style. Very much looking forward to the next chapter.

Hot Dog – welcome to Chicago

Osetra – plantain, papaya, rum
 ​Guiso De Maiz – chorizo, tomato, pumpkin seed

Snapper – bouillabaisse, miro june 2, 1973

Moqueca – tiger’s milk, coconut, citrus vapor
 Crab – cucumber, vanilla, green curry
Pig Ear – tamarind, watermelon, szechuan
Siam Sunray – lemongrass, chili, soda
 ​
 ​ ​Hot Potato – cold potato, black truffle, butter
 ​Duck – ginger, yogurt, gold
Rose – on roses
 ​Beef – chimichurri, lettuce cores, red onion

Black Truffle – explosion, parmesan, cabbage
 Bacon – butterscotch, apple, thyme
 Balloon – helium, green apple
   Chocolate – banana, fernet branca, dulce de leche (Photo truly not representative of how this looked when plated but we got to talking and parts started to melt before I was able to take a picture)