Grantz Achatz transforms traditional food and ingr...

Grantz Achatz transforms traditional food and ingredients into different states ("molecular gastronomy") to create a unique, story-driven menu in his pristine, upscale restaurant; guests experience the meal using all five senses throughout all courses in the prix fixe menu; the two-story dining room is modern, clean, and classy, and the service and staff are friendly yet (surprisingly?) unpresuming; Alinea is the top high-end restaurant in the country (rated top in the Western Hemisphere) and is my only Chicago restaurant with top rating across all three Zagat categories; a true "special occasion" restaurant to enjoy "once in a lifetime"

- Visited May 9, 2009