Has anyone had experiences with a molecular gastronomy restaurant, like El Bulli or wd-50? Is it worth the hype, or just a fad? I’ve read reviews, and it looks like the liquid nitrogen and fancy chemicals are more for show than for anything else. Would it be worth booking for a special occasion (in Boston, Pittsburgh, or New York, fwiw)
We went to Alinea in Chicago. The whole experience was bizarre. The combinations were unbelievable, and freakish. Plus–with wine and tip–nearly $800! It was an experience, but one I don’t think I’d ever want again. We had reserved the full tour–which was, I think, a 24 course experience. After 4 hours and 18 courses, we threw in the towel. What is interesting is that a couple (older lady and young lady), who were in the same dining room, disappeared into the unisex restroom for a few minutes and returned to completely eat the whole 24 course tour. They were surprisingly animated after returning from the restroom–at the time, we were like, “ok–bulemia”. If you have unlimited funds, it might be fun for a lark. Otherwise, I’d skip it. It’s not something a foodie can’t live without. We did buy the book by Grant Achatz, though–it is signed, shows all the bizarro foods, and won the James Beard award this past year.