Story here.
Good for them! I’m loving that the Midwest is getting some recognition - there’s some great food out there, and these kinds of awards are going to help all the restaurants in Chicago. Very cool!
Woo hoo! Those were the two rumored to get 3, so I’m glad they got them. I have yet to go to either (well, I’ve photographed an event at L2O but not eaten there), but my brother’s been to Alinea two times so far, and his girlfriend is treating him for a third before Christmas. One of these days. As much as I love food, I find it so hard to drop the money on that kind of meal.
I would love to go to Alinea, but that’s one of those “investment” meals. I need to start up a little change jar-type savings for going to pricey restaurants. (The closest I’ve been to eating at the French Laundry, for instance, is blowing my meal per diem at Bouchon in Vegas when there on a business trip. And it was worth it.)
Props to Rick Bayless for his star for Topolobampo, semi-condolences on only getting a Bib Gourmand for Frontera Grill. I was also thrilled to see the superb Vie (with chef Paul Virant) get a star. He does wondrous things with food - not quite the “food alchemy” that Achatz pulls off, but more like using a whole cow’s worth of meat, offering delicious charcuterie, pickling, preserving, suggesting beer pairings. The plates have excellent composition, and enough food to even make my big-appetite husband content (not stuffed).
I’m a little bit surprised at Longman & Eagle. I went to that place for the first time a couple weeks ago and it was great, but I wasn’t expecting a Michelin star out of it (especially as Publican, a similar gastropub, only got a Bib Gourmand.)
Yeah, L&E was a surprise to me as well. I live near it, and it feels a little weird to know that one of my regular hang out spots has a Michelin star.
I don’t really have an interest in Alinea, but I’m intrigued to see what Next is all about when it gets off the ground.
Having recently dined at Tru, I guess I’m kind of surprised it rated only 1 star. It was one of the great dining experiences of my life (thus far), and think it might even have an edge (service-speaking) on Topolobampo. But that’s just one person’s opinion.
Not suprising for Alinea, but awesome all the same. Don’t think I’ll ever again have a more enjoyable evening than the first time I had dinner there.
Akina has lovely food, going by the gallery but I couldn’t eat there, not even on a dare. I detest uber fishy fish so anything they might slip something I find vile like sardines into is right out, and I am deathly allergic to mushrooms, and I have no idea what all they would be slipping mushrooms in any form [mushrooms are frequently put into lots of stuff you wouldn’t expect them as ‘natural flavor’] and I am also allergic to palm products, bivalves and mildly lactose intolerant. SO unless you want to have an ambulance waiting, and are prepared for possible projectile vomiting and other end issues, Ill got for something less edgy. mmmm, 8 oz of wagyu with a baked potato on the side, and a large spinach salad will do just fine.