Going to Alinea was a wish come true and a bucket ...

Going to Alinea was a wish come true and a bucket list item to check off. My wife and I had seen the story of Alinea on Netflix, purchased the book as a gift for her and had seen most of the YouTube videos from others who have dined there. Going here was a birthday gift for my wife. From the moment we got there to the moment we left, the service staff was on point, utterly and completely friendly, accommodating and extremely professional. These people were highly organized and knowledgeable about the food and our sommelier was charming with every pour of wine and spirits. All that said, my experience at Alinea left me wanting more. The creativity, pageantry and artistic measure used in producing our meal was unforgettable especially with the lengths they took accommodating my food allergy. However, the food was not memorable. It is that simple. It was delicious but not mind blowing nor earth shattering. All that technique, preparation and skill only to produce a meal that was 'good'. I believe that the hype and showmanship that revolves around an evening at Alinea is partly to blame and it did not help that they tried to upsell us on an additional course just after we were seated. All this said, my wife and I still had an amazing evening but I can attribute that to the staff at Alinea and how they exceeded our dining experience. The food took a secondary position to all that. It was just 'good'.