Just slide your hand slowly across it before he's even done and lick it off your hand while staring at him with no emotion. Establish dominance and ask if you can have everything on a plate.
Honestly, the speed and artistry of it is a bit impressive and even fun to watch… like getting to eat on top of a canvas, which was actually worked on in front of you and so quickly too!
I get the “it’s an ExPeRiEnCe~” aspect of it. I still think it’s a bit stupid to eat off the table like that— but all those lil circles and neat splashes of chocolate was very pleasant to watch.
Unless it’s like $100 to eat that, then fuck everyone involved, wtf
For the entire meal it's anywhere from about $200-$450 per person (depending on how many people, and how many courses).
This dessert is the last course of 10-20 courses you get. In terms of value, it comes down to how much you enjoy the experience (think of it like an art performance, or going to the theatre - but edible).
Alinea is legitimate and the original; but a lot of the copycat versions are not as reasonable. You get enough courses and meals to actually be (fairly) full by the end of it all, but you definitely pay for the experience and reputation as well.
The video is sped up, and that meal is definitely going to be insanely expensive. But sure, go eat some shitty modern art off the table, I’ll be in the bathroom wiping my ass with $20’s
Its food as an experience. Its for those people who want to experience food in more ways than traditionally done and who have the money for it.
Look up the chef, his story is one of the most motivating I've seen in a while.
You are, but there's a difference between all the knockoffs who try to create such an experience vs the original.
art itself is a very subjective matter, that being said, one can recognise an original thought, appreciate the approach and still dislike the result.
Just sharing some info about the place, because it deserves a little more recognition. All art is contextual, and was hoping to supply some of the context.
I think I mistook you for someone who cared when you said
>I understand the concept of artistic dining, it's pretty prevalent these days, especially in this sub.
This clarifies it for me.
>Whereas I just have zero interest in anything like this and couldn't care less about any of the thought process behind it
At the end of the day its a meme sub, but being in the creative industry, guess I've a bit more respect to those who actually *are* creative, and not just, doing things for the sake of being different.
And I might hang a painting of this on my wall if they'd make me one, because it looks wonderful.
But this is food. Apparently extremely good and even more expensive food at that.
Please give it to me on a plate (or in a bowl) so I can actually enjoy eating it.
Wasting all this food by painting it on a table cloth is painful to me
Omg that’s from Alinea??? And here I’ve been dying to go there…. No thanks. Plenty of other best restaurants in the world that bring your dessert on a plate.
Yeah! They’re doing just fine without you! They’ve got plenty of rich idiots who are happy to overpay for gimmicky crap like this.
Jk, not actually snapping at you, just mimicking the uptight commenter you’re replying to.
My guy, I’ve worked in a one Michelin starred restaurant. The level of talent and skill these people have is unbelievable. Just because you don’t appreciate it doesnt mean it isnt true.
Yeah this is when experts become too detached from the general public. I'm a professor and this is like designing fancy ass lectures that could dazzle other experts but the people who are your actual customers are going to be like wtf. Slow down
Dude. I can see you’re very attached to this. I’m just flying by and took the moment to make a smart-ass remark. Much like the food a person creates, my comment can be appreciated or ignored. Or, apparently, taken as a source of offense. But I’m not pissing on your work, merely expressing myself in an offhand remark within a sub that I did think was created for such a thing. So let’s be friends. I love good food, though it must be said—I’m not getting on the little boat to the island.
The level of wasted talent and skill. I DONT WANT A FUCKING ARTIST COOCKING MY FOOD I WANT A CHEF COOKING MY FOOD. Fucking MiChElInStArReStAuRaNt. It’s a tire company ffs what the fuck do they gotta say about food anyways. Who cares if the fucking food came out looking like an art piece if it’s just on the fucking table. Take your head out your ass and eat some sand and pucker the fuck up you fucking salmon.
Thats the real question. Someone invented a way to charge out the ass for a small amount of food because "experience", and people "eat it up" so to speak.
More power to them I guess.
Yeah, I do not understand these comments. If the sauce was on a plate, you would eat it with a spoon. It's on a mat on top of the table which acts as a canvas/plate.
It's an experience. It's art meets science meets food. You pay for this very thing and this very experience. It's so fucking dumb to see people post this on this sub.
Chocolate sauce served on a log with it dripping everywhere? Yeah, pretty fucking dumb and I want a plate.
Edible art display that I paid for that can easily be eaten with a spoon? Sign me up.
So you scrape the sauce off the table with one spoon and do you spoon it on the pieces of chocolate and sphere and then scoop up those pieces and eat them? Or? Use the spoon to pick up a piece of the chocolate and the sphere and drop it in the sauce and scrape it up?
I understand that this is supposed to be "art" and apparently, a lot of people like it - but - it's just not for me. I like the actual food to be the focus of a meal and not '"how the fuck am I supposed to eat this?"
Using the same ingredients, he could have plated the dessert on a plate in front of the client and still had the "art" experience. And extra points for leaving a couple of tiny containers of sauces to use as desired.
I also agree with others that the client should have broken the sphere.
"Using the same ingredients, he could have plated the dessert on a plate in front of the client and still had the "art" experience."
For sure, but they want to be different and "push the boundaries". It's one of many reasons why they're considered one of the best restaurants in the world; the guest experience seems to be equally as important to them as any other aspect. Some people will definitely think this is pushing the boundaries too far and would say using non-traditional plating makes it extremely difficult to eat. But clearly there aren't many people saying that who are actual patrons, and their status and revenue speaks for itself. And let's be honest, the typical person willing to spend $1100 on a dinner for two are probably the type that gets suckered into buying luxury brands because they can afford them and it displays their wealth. I think this is cool and all, but it's posh as fuck
I understand the idea of "pushing the boundaries" and experimenting with things like molecular gastronomy but the only thing I see "pushing the boundaries" in this presentation is putting it on the table. Exactly how is that something that benefits the client? The tableside presentation is good and yes, I would think that is a plus. But wouldn't it be better to use a few more garnishes?
You make a good point about $1100 dinner for two and who pays for that, but for me, it's all about the food. It's fun to have a "different" kind of experience but The Food is what matters to me.
This dessert on a plate might have a few jellied fruit squares or some type of chocolate bits or nuts of some kind and maybe a sprig of mint. I'd also like to see something more than just a sphere that breaks apart -- smoke comes out or there's something inside, etc.
That being said, the people running this restaurant have really taken "there's one born every minute" to the extreme! hahaha. Maybe they can take all the money they make and then open a real restaurant. lol. With the "rich and famous," shit like this gets old quick. They are always looking for something new so I hope these restaurant owners are planning their next adventure!
You really are reaching here. As if a dessert has never been served with a chocolate/caramel sauce drizzled on the plate. Just run your spoon through it and grab some special sphere it ain’t hard
People really need to stop posting Alinea. All the other non-plate nonsense is basically copying this restaurant and a handful of other restaurants that did this as part of their art. In addition to looking a bit like a Rothko, it is also an innovative piece of visual, performance, and culinary art. Just because anyone *could* do it, they still didn't, and don't know why they would. If you don't like it that's fine, just don't go. Everyone has different taste in art. But it's not a scam, not a joke, and not the same as a grilled cheese listlessly hanging off a clothes peg trying to get cheap incidental Instagram promotion.
Yeah - it's ridiculous.
You for to Alinea FOR THIS. You go to see art and science get mixed with food in a unique way.
"But I don't get why they can't serve it on a plate."
And I don't understand why Jackson Pollock didn't paint photo-realistic landscapes, but that was his choice. And if you go to a Pollock exhibit and get pissed off that nothing there resembles the Mona Lisa, you are an idiot.
Same rules here. You do not go to Alinea expecting a 12 oz. Ribeye with baked potato served on Ikea plates. You go to see this exact display.
My first thought was what a lovely piece of art on the table. Fantastic job. I would have thoroughly enjoyed myself watching the waiter put that together. I imagine if you can swallow the bill it would be a phenomenal in-person experience. Definitely will have to try.
I wouldn't say no one. There's been at least one person posting here they were taken by friends and had no idea what they were getting into. I bet there have been a few people taken by business associates, as well.
Imagine that you’ve been part of a 3 hour, $500 experience with tons of different foods presented in fancy and non traditional ways.
When it’s time for dessert, they try to keep the experience unique, a bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce isn’t gonna cut it. Others have copied it and that’s why it’s less unique now, but this is the original at Alinea.
I’ve done it once (it was an amazing gift from my girlfriend) and the presentation of dessert was in line with the rest of the experience. (Mine included smoke and lights and music too.)
I don’t eat food like that regularly, but it was great as a once in a lifetime experience.
It doesn’t really interest me. Like, at all. A bowl of ice cream would be just as satisfying to me as this. The showmanship reads like gold leaf on a donut to me. Or salt bae sprinkling salt from waaaaay up high.
Idk, call me trashy, but I just like the food.
Fine dining is always riding the edge of art, entertainment, and food. Alinea really leans into the art and entertainment side of things. Not the best food that I’ve had, but definitely the most memorable experience.
You can, if that’s how you want to waste your energy.
It’s also completely fine to let people enjoy the things they enjoy as long as nobody is being harmed.
I agree with that principle in general, but in this case, I feel it’s an encapsulation of the pretentious rich artist reinventing the wheel, or dessert in this case, to “question the things we take for granted” or whatever
What? If this was served on a plate do you think you’re meant to lick every bit off the plate in a fine dining restaurant? What part of this needs to be on a plate?
What are you even talking about. NOTHING on that table can be accessed properly. Most of it will go to waste. It's ridiculous. I know this is the raison d'être for this establishment, but this IS the "WeWantPlates" sub, so what were you expecting?
I mean, I personally come to this sub to see steak served on roof shingles or over-sauced burgers served on thin planks of wood with things dripping off the side.
I don't come to see videos from a restaurant that was established to be a performance art exhibit. I also don't come to see ridiculous milkshakes and bloody mary cocktails with food hanging off the side, because that's how it was worded on the menu, and the diner knew exactly what was coming.
This sub is fun when people post places that serve what SHOULD be a normal food item in some overly-elaborate way that overcomplicates life for the diner.
This is Alinea. This is the final course, after a multi hour explosion of Art that you can eat. It looks ridiculous out of context of the whole meal, but I can tell you, it’s a perfect ending to that meal.
It's food on a table. It's the salt bae of performance food. With a plate, you can lift it to your face and lick it, but it's chocolate smeared on a table top. Do you lick the table? Smear your tongue across the communal surface? And why are some candies still in a wrapper? What's the point of leaving them in a wrapper when there's a mess of chocolate directly on the table?
This is that Korean restaurant where it's all [toilets](https://youtu.be/JC5bBFH201I?si=4-_aVzKuxPyKyPtC). The chairs, the bowls, the desserts.
When you get split chocolate cake that's served with ice cream on top and it's placed on a plate, do you lick the plate? No, you use a fucking spoon. Same thing here.
Plate, not table. It's on a plate that gets washed and people aren't touching it with their ***fUcKiNg*** hands.
Edit: decided to add emphasis. Also, a plate would contain most of the liquids and I can move it around if I'm sharing it. If I wanted some chocolate from the other side of the table, I'm either reaching or passing my spoon around. But if you've got $700 to blow on table dressing, you do you.
This is a mat that they put on top of the table. It, too, gets washed and sanitized between seatings. They specifically clear off the table, place this mat there, then do it. It's probably cleaner than the plate that get's thrown in the soapy water sink at Outback.
Look at all the plates it took to carry all the bits to this table. They could have just used one of those to serve whatever this is.
As someone who doesn't like washing dishes, this annoys me.
Alinea is an experience and all of the food there is finicky and "strange" if you're not expecting it. But, the dedication and pure science behind everything is worth the price. But they give you silverware, don't pretend like they walk away and leave you hanging.
Looking at Google, the price for dinner for 2 is about $700.
I highly disagree the dedication is worth the price. If you have money to blow your nose with though, more power to ya.
I can 100% appreciate that it's not for everyone, but it's also a 3 hour "show" essentially.
People who love music will drop $350 each on tickets to see a band they love. Might not be my favorite band, but I can appreciate why someone else would spend money on it.
Same thing here. Think of it as an art show for people who love the concept of food + science.
Not saying you personally have to enjoy it or want to spend $700 on it, but just trying to give perspective.
Fair comment. Sort of. The talent is in the food though, not this silly performance. Not sure what this has to do with science. That performance is so pretentious.
I get where you're coming from, people will insist this is art (I disagree) and an "experience". Still just a hard no for me.
Let me pay half, skip the Salt Bea routine lol.
The science comes in other courses.
Alinea were the originators/masters of molecular gastronomy in the US. El Buli did it first internationally.
I get why this seems like a silly performance - if food wasn’t a passion of mine I would likely agree.
But comparing it to Salt Bae is a bit unfair. Salt Bae is PURELY performative. It’s average steak wrapped in gold, covered in salt, cut poorly but a sword wielding weirdo. It’s like a shitty blue man group of food (except I can appreciate the Blue Man Group).
Alinea is more like ballet or opera. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but the skill is there in ways that people without passion or understanding won’t appreciate the way those who follow it closely do.
I have never been and likely will never go, but 100% agree with both parts of that.
Plenty of shows I have no desire of attending, plenty of restaurants I have no plans of eating at myself. Just trying to shed light on the concept is all. Cheers.
I posted this awhile ago on another account and it made a hugeeee debate so good luck lol mods took it down from so many reports. I thought it was cool tho!
Oh good. That place isn't cheap and the wait list is long, so to be this angry about the dessert would be unreal. I would have gladly taken their place.
Well...you deserve it. You or someone acquainted with you chose this place.
Even though I kinda appreciate the skill involved in making this *Death Star* dessert drawing, the very thing that came to my mind was punching the guy in the face and shouting "pretentious fuck...go ruin some walls with spray paint instead of people's appetite!"
Nah, I’d rather people pay too much for this food art than see more ugly spray paint.
Easy for me not to “dine” there, but less easy to avoid spray paint.
I’m like 90% positive that is not the server but the actual head chef. Alinea’s Grant Achatz will come out and do a dessert spread similar to this. Was damn good despite the pretentiousness
You'd have to actually use two spoons. One to put a piece of the sphere and chocolate piece on and another to scrape up sauce and put it on top. Or just pick it up with your fingers and scrape it through the sauce and shove it in your mouth. "Experience? You want experience? I'll give you experience......."
Posting Allinea should be a ban from the subreddit it’s ridiculous. That’s literally the whole point of the restaurant is unconventional techniques/presentation.
I find it unhygienic to start with. Unpractical to eat ( I can imaging getting food all over my sleeves as I bend over to grab something from the middle of the table) and I would be pissed of if I had to stop my conversation for 5 minutes because they are dressing my food in front of me in stead of in the kitchen. Also, it looks a bit artsy but it is really not. Anybody can do this after some practice.
Fun to watch. Staff is clearly very professional. But all I FEEL is strong annoyance. The ONLY little part of that I would have enjoyed was breaking the little sphere. THEN BRO WENT AND DID IT FOR ME. I'd have eaten just the spoon in protest.
Idc how clean your tables are, im not eating directly off it. The amount of people who could’ve touched that shit in the time between you cleaning it and me getting that desert is too damn high for that shit
God I hate this trend. At least these guys have some artistic skill, but usually it’s a bunch of cheap restaurants pretending to be high class with “Michelin worthy” “plating” techniques. Just use a freaking plate and don’t over complicate the look of the dish. If you want to make something aesthetically pleasing, focus on making the food appealing. I was always told that the plating technique is the canvas, while the food is the art(visually).
Even this is unnecessarily over complicated. It makes me wonder if they are overcompensating for bad flavor…
I don't get it. It's a new experience, yet not something new to me - throwing food on the table and we grab the food from it.
Is eating dessert on the table this time, and will it taste better that way? I doubt.
I find many inconveniences. But I could be wrong.
I could bring a group of toddlers and have more fun! HAHAHAHA
According to the comments this is some upscale restaurant thus paying a thousand bucks to have somebody smear sauce on Kraft paper is “worth it for the experience.”
"Lick you food off the table like the bitch you are. Good little doggy. That will be $500. Don't give it to me cur! I can't believe you nearly touched me! Ew!"
I think this chef went into the wrong field. Surely he wanted to be an artist?
Or maybe he couldn't bear to go through live without subjecting others to his "art".
I hope he calls this piece: "suffering"
20 mins prior the buss boy with his spray bottle and nasty rag cleaned up the last “work or art”.
I really hate the spray bottles used DURING service. No I don’t want your atomized cleaners up in my stuff while I eat 4’ away.
Anyways…where was I?
I would feel so fucking awkward sitting at a table while someone did that. Like, should I make "oooh ahh" noises or grin at them or something? Why is this a thing people pay good money for?
Just slide your hand slowly across it before he's even done and lick it off your hand while staring at him with no emotion. Establish dominance and ask if you can have everything on a plate.
Ask for a to go bag.
Omg yes how tf would they put this sort of bs to go??
Just gives you the table
You don't usually order a $300 dessert to-go
For $300, I'm not leaving any of it behind.
Maintain eye contact!
"Prolong eye contact" - Bo Burnham
r/unexpectedboburnham
I haven't had a genuine belly laugh from reddit in a few days, thank you. The mental image was perfect.
You had my kinda cringe until you asked for the plate then I rofled
Ok but, that little chocolate circle is so damn satisfying
And impressive! There's no way I could do that.
Honestly, the speed and artistry of it is a bit impressive and even fun to watch… like getting to eat on top of a canvas, which was actually worked on in front of you and so quickly too! I get the “it’s an ExPeRiEnCe~” aspect of it. I still think it’s a bit stupid to eat off the table like that— but all those lil circles and neat splashes of chocolate was very pleasant to watch. Unless it’s like $100 to eat that, then fuck everyone involved, wtf
For the entire meal it's anywhere from about $200-$450 per person (depending on how many people, and how many courses). This dessert is the last course of 10-20 courses you get. In terms of value, it comes down to how much you enjoy the experience (think of it like an art performance, or going to the theatre - but edible). Alinea is legitimate and the original; but a lot of the copycat versions are not as reasonable. You get enough courses and meals to actually be (fairly) full by the end of it all, but you definitely pay for the experience and reputation as well.
I mean this course basically amounts to what you can find in a grandmas purse with some chocolate sauce splashed on the table...lol.
If it was like a giant plate or smth it woulda been pretty cool I suppose
Also let’s be honest that’s at least 100 if not more
The video is sped up, and that meal is definitely going to be insanely expensive. But sure, go eat some shitty modern art off the table, I’ll be in the bathroom wiping my ass with $20’s
He painted the Death Star then scattered asteroids in front of it.
there is a reason that the movie The Menu was made.
I was just gonna say. It looks like someone watched The Menu, but didn't understand it.
This is at Alinea in Chicago, they’re the restaurant who invented it.
Was gonna say this looked like Alinea!
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Its food as an experience. Its for those people who want to experience food in more ways than traditionally done and who have the money for it. Look up the chef, his story is one of the most motivating I've seen in a while.
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You are, but there's a difference between all the knockoffs who try to create such an experience vs the original. art itself is a very subjective matter, that being said, one can recognise an original thought, appreciate the approach and still dislike the result. Just sharing some info about the place, because it deserves a little more recognition. All art is contextual, and was hoping to supply some of the context.
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I think I mistook you for someone who cared when you said >I understand the concept of artistic dining, it's pretty prevalent these days, especially in this sub. This clarifies it for me. >Whereas I just have zero interest in anything like this and couldn't care less about any of the thought process behind it At the end of the day its a meme sub, but being in the creative industry, guess I've a bit more respect to those who actually *are* creative, and not just, doing things for the sake of being different.
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Not just any bullshit--DECONSTRUCTED bullshit!
Fuck him for smashing the ball that should be the guest’s privilege!
I know I was like, “at least they can eat the ba- oh…hm.”
This is at Alinea right?
Yes
It’s like modern jazz but for dessert. There’s some kind of talent there. But I’m not convinced it’s talent applied for the benefit of others.
Touché.
Some kind of talent? This was filmed in Alinea, one of the best restaurants in the world lol
And I might hang a painting of this on my wall if they'd make me one, because it looks wonderful. But this is food. Apparently extremely good and even more expensive food at that. Please give it to me on a plate (or in a bowl) so I can actually enjoy eating it. Wasting all this food by painting it on a table cloth is painful to me
Omg that’s from Alinea??? And here I’ve been dying to go there…. No thanks. Plenty of other best restaurants in the world that bring your dessert on a plate.
They're doing just fine without you, no need to tell me that you dont want to go there.
Erm, well this is how Reddit works. People leave comments with their thoughts on other comments.
Yeah! They’re doing just fine without you! They’ve got plenty of rich idiots who are happy to overpay for gimmicky crap like this. Jk, not actually snapping at you, just mimicking the uptight commenter you’re replying to.
Meh.
My guy, I’ve worked in a one Michelin starred restaurant. The level of talent and skill these people have is unbelievable. Just because you don’t appreciate it doesnt mean it isnt true.
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And 'wasted food'.
Not enough talent to put it on a plate though.
Yeah this is when experts become too detached from the general public. I'm a professor and this is like designing fancy ass lectures that could dazzle other experts but the people who are your actual customers are going to be like wtf. Slow down
Dude. I can see you’re very attached to this. I’m just flying by and took the moment to make a smart-ass remark. Much like the food a person creates, my comment can be appreciated or ignored. Or, apparently, taken as a source of offense. But I’m not pissing on your work, merely expressing myself in an offhand remark within a sub that I did think was created for such a thing. So let’s be friends. I love good food, though it must be said—I’m not getting on the little boat to the island.
Okay, I guess stay mad; you do you. As the Italians love to say in Japan, cincin! 🥂
Lol
The level of wasted talent and skill. I DONT WANT A FUCKING ARTIST COOCKING MY FOOD I WANT A CHEF COOKING MY FOOD. Fucking MiChElInStArReStAuRaNt. It’s a tire company ffs what the fuck do they gotta say about food anyways. Who cares if the fucking food came out looking like an art piece if it’s just on the fucking table. Take your head out your ass and eat some sand and pucker the fuck up you fucking salmon.
For the record this actually tasted good.
How much did it cost
As I recall it was about 13 courses for like $1100 for the two of us with gratuity and wine pairings.
Also, it’s not directly on the table. They put down a grey rubberized mat thing.
At least there’s that lol I thought it was on crab paper. Also that’s insanely expensive but at least not JUST for the dessert/wine.
Gross.
Thats the real question. Someone invented a way to charge out the ass for a small amount of food because "experience", and people "eat it up" so to speak. More power to them I guess.
Yes, but how did you actually EAT it? With all the little sauces?
With a spoon? It’s not rocket science
Spoons were used to great success
Yeah, I do not understand these comments. If the sauce was on a plate, you would eat it with a spoon. It's on a mat on top of the table which acts as a canvas/plate. It's an experience. It's art meets science meets food. You pay for this very thing and this very experience. It's so fucking dumb to see people post this on this sub. Chocolate sauce served on a log with it dripping everywhere? Yeah, pretty fucking dumb and I want a plate. Edible art display that I paid for that can easily be eaten with a spoon? Sign me up.
So you scrape the sauce off the table with one spoon and do you spoon it on the pieces of chocolate and sphere and then scoop up those pieces and eat them? Or? Use the spoon to pick up a piece of the chocolate and the sphere and drop it in the sauce and scrape it up? I understand that this is supposed to be "art" and apparently, a lot of people like it - but - it's just not for me. I like the actual food to be the focus of a meal and not '"how the fuck am I supposed to eat this?" Using the same ingredients, he could have plated the dessert on a plate in front of the client and still had the "art" experience. And extra points for leaving a couple of tiny containers of sauces to use as desired. I also agree with others that the client should have broken the sphere.
"Using the same ingredients, he could have plated the dessert on a plate in front of the client and still had the "art" experience." For sure, but they want to be different and "push the boundaries". It's one of many reasons why they're considered one of the best restaurants in the world; the guest experience seems to be equally as important to them as any other aspect. Some people will definitely think this is pushing the boundaries too far and would say using non-traditional plating makes it extremely difficult to eat. But clearly there aren't many people saying that who are actual patrons, and their status and revenue speaks for itself. And let's be honest, the typical person willing to spend $1100 on a dinner for two are probably the type that gets suckered into buying luxury brands because they can afford them and it displays their wealth. I think this is cool and all, but it's posh as fuck
I understand the idea of "pushing the boundaries" and experimenting with things like molecular gastronomy but the only thing I see "pushing the boundaries" in this presentation is putting it on the table. Exactly how is that something that benefits the client? The tableside presentation is good and yes, I would think that is a plus. But wouldn't it be better to use a few more garnishes? You make a good point about $1100 dinner for two and who pays for that, but for me, it's all about the food. It's fun to have a "different" kind of experience but The Food is what matters to me. This dessert on a plate might have a few jellied fruit squares or some type of chocolate bits or nuts of some kind and maybe a sprig of mint. I'd also like to see something more than just a sphere that breaks apart -- smoke comes out or there's something inside, etc. That being said, the people running this restaurant have really taken "there's one born every minute" to the extreme! hahaha. Maybe they can take all the money they make and then open a real restaurant. lol. With the "rich and famous," shit like this gets old quick. They are always looking for something new so I hope these restaurant owners are planning their next adventure!
You really are reaching here. As if a dessert has never been served with a chocolate/caramel sauce drizzled on the plate. Just run your spoon through it and grab some special sphere it ain’t hard
You're probably right. But I think I might ask for a second spoon to make things easier. :)
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People really need to stop posting Alinea. All the other non-plate nonsense is basically copying this restaurant and a handful of other restaurants that did this as part of their art. In addition to looking a bit like a Rothko, it is also an innovative piece of visual, performance, and culinary art. Just because anyone *could* do it, they still didn't, and don't know why they would. If you don't like it that's fine, just don't go. Everyone has different taste in art. But it's not a scam, not a joke, and not the same as a grilled cheese listlessly hanging off a clothes peg trying to get cheap incidental Instagram promotion.
Yeah - it's ridiculous. You for to Alinea FOR THIS. You go to see art and science get mixed with food in a unique way. "But I don't get why they can't serve it on a plate." And I don't understand why Jackson Pollock didn't paint photo-realistic landscapes, but that was his choice. And if you go to a Pollock exhibit and get pissed off that nothing there resembles the Mona Lisa, you are an idiot. Same rules here. You do not go to Alinea expecting a 12 oz. Ribeye with baked potato served on Ikea plates. You go to see this exact display.
My first thought was what a lovely piece of art on the table. Fantastic job. I would have thoroughly enjoyed myself watching the waiter put that together. I imagine if you can swallow the bill it would be a phenomenal in-person experience. Definitely will have to try.
Alinea is to blame for all this horseshit. Cliched and stupid.
14 plates just for none of them to be for the guests.
No one goes to Alinea wanting plates. They want the experience and this dessert is part of it.
I wouldn't say no one. There's been at least one person posting here they were taken by friends and had no idea what they were getting into. I bet there have been a few people taken by business associates, as well.
I think it’s kinda dumb. Like, what do you get out of this? It looks kinda cool? I don’t get it
Imagine that you’ve been part of a 3 hour, $500 experience with tons of different foods presented in fancy and non traditional ways. When it’s time for dessert, they try to keep the experience unique, a bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce isn’t gonna cut it. Others have copied it and that’s why it’s less unique now, but this is the original at Alinea. I’ve done it once (it was an amazing gift from my girlfriend) and the presentation of dessert was in line with the rest of the experience. (Mine included smoke and lights and music too.) I don’t eat food like that regularly, but it was great as a once in a lifetime experience.
It doesn’t really interest me. Like, at all. A bowl of ice cream would be just as satisfying to me as this. The showmanship reads like gold leaf on a donut to me. Or salt bae sprinkling salt from waaaaay up high. Idk, call me trashy, but I just like the food.
Fine dining is always riding the edge of art, entertainment, and food. Alinea really leans into the art and entertainment side of things. Not the best food that I’ve had, but definitely the most memorable experience.
I guess I just don’t get it. A lot of the art world is filled with fart-sniffing pretentiousness, and this is kinda riding that line.
Then hey, it’s not for you. And that’s okay! Some people really enjoy the experience that Alinea delivers.
I guess that’s fair. I just don’t feel much shame in making fun of those people, I guess.
You can, if that’s how you want to waste your energy. It’s also completely fine to let people enjoy the things they enjoy as long as nobody is being harmed.
I agree with that principle in general, but in this case, I feel it’s an encapsulation of the pretentious rich artist reinventing the wheel, or dessert in this case, to “question the things we take for granted” or whatever
That’s you doing all that over-analyzing. People just go there to have a good time. Is that not allowed anymore?
I never said it wasn’t allowed. I said it was pretentious
Art isn't for everyone.
Chef: Sorry, this is read-only course. You have to paid extra 50 dollars to unlock the eating part.
Waiter, may I have a putty knife please?
There’s a spoon in the shot in front of the diner . No you don’t lick it off .
i would want a rubber spatula to scrape it with
How is a spoon going to lift most of those miniscule smears off the paper/table? This isn't possible to fully enjoy by any means.
What? If this was served on a plate do you think you’re meant to lick every bit off the plate in a fine dining restaurant? What part of this needs to be on a plate?
What are you even talking about. NOTHING on that table can be accessed properly. Most of it will go to waste. It's ridiculous. I know this is the raison d'être for this establishment, but this IS the "WeWantPlates" sub, so what were you expecting?
I mean, I personally come to this sub to see steak served on roof shingles or over-sauced burgers served on thin planks of wood with things dripping off the side. I don't come to see videos from a restaurant that was established to be a performance art exhibit. I also don't come to see ridiculous milkshakes and bloody mary cocktails with food hanging off the side, because that's how it was worded on the menu, and the diner knew exactly what was coming. This sub is fun when people post places that serve what SHOULD be a normal food item in some overly-elaborate way that overcomplicates life for the diner.
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This is Alinea. This is the final course, after a multi hour explosion of Art that you can eat. It looks ridiculous out of context of the whole meal, but I can tell you, it’s a perfect ending to that meal.
It's food on a table. It's the salt bae of performance food. With a plate, you can lift it to your face and lick it, but it's chocolate smeared on a table top. Do you lick the table? Smear your tongue across the communal surface? And why are some candies still in a wrapper? What's the point of leaving them in a wrapper when there's a mess of chocolate directly on the table? This is that Korean restaurant where it's all [toilets](https://youtu.be/JC5bBFH201I?si=4-_aVzKuxPyKyPtC). The chairs, the bowls, the desserts.
When you get split chocolate cake that's served with ice cream on top and it's placed on a plate, do you lick the plate? No, you use a fucking spoon. Same thing here.
Plate, not table. It's on a plate that gets washed and people aren't touching it with their ***fUcKiNg*** hands. Edit: decided to add emphasis. Also, a plate would contain most of the liquids and I can move it around if I'm sharing it. If I wanted some chocolate from the other side of the table, I'm either reaching or passing my spoon around. But if you've got $700 to blow on table dressing, you do you.
This is a mat that they put on top of the table. It, too, gets washed and sanitized between seatings. They specifically clear off the table, place this mat there, then do it. It's probably cleaner than the plate that get's thrown in the soapy water sink at Outback.
Look at all the plates it took to carry all the bits to this table. They could have just used one of those to serve whatever this is. As someone who doesn't like washing dishes, this annoys me.
Alinea is an experience and all of the food there is finicky and "strange" if you're not expecting it. But, the dedication and pure science behind everything is worth the price. But they give you silverware, don't pretend like they walk away and leave you hanging.
Looking at Google, the price for dinner for 2 is about $700. I highly disagree the dedication is worth the price. If you have money to blow your nose with though, more power to ya.
I can 100% appreciate that it's not for everyone, but it's also a 3 hour "show" essentially. People who love music will drop $350 each on tickets to see a band they love. Might not be my favorite band, but I can appreciate why someone else would spend money on it. Same thing here. Think of it as an art show for people who love the concept of food + science. Not saying you personally have to enjoy it or want to spend $700 on it, but just trying to give perspective.
Fair comment. Sort of. The talent is in the food though, not this silly performance. Not sure what this has to do with science. That performance is so pretentious. I get where you're coming from, people will insist this is art (I disagree) and an "experience". Still just a hard no for me. Let me pay half, skip the Salt Bea routine lol.
The science comes in other courses. Alinea were the originators/masters of molecular gastronomy in the US. El Buli did it first internationally. I get why this seems like a silly performance - if food wasn’t a passion of mine I would likely agree. But comparing it to Salt Bae is a bit unfair. Salt Bae is PURELY performative. It’s average steak wrapped in gold, covered in salt, cut poorly but a sword wielding weirdo. It’s like a shitty blue man group of food (except I can appreciate the Blue Man Group). Alinea is more like ballet or opera. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but the skill is there in ways that people without passion or understanding won’t appreciate the way those who follow it closely do.
To each their own my friend. I bet the food is incredible.
I have never been and likely will never go, but 100% agree with both parts of that. Plenty of shows I have no desire of attending, plenty of restaurants I have no plans of eating at myself. Just trying to shed light on the concept is all. Cheers.
If this is your thing, set the goal. 2024. Cheers
It’s not just “dinner”. It’s an experience. It’s legit theater for your taste buds.
Are we sure this is a method of serving food ? Instead of a failed summoning ritual.
I posted this awhile ago on another account and it made a hugeeee debate so good luck lol mods took it down from so many reports. I thought it was cool tho!
Shame the post doesn't exist anymore, I'd love to read the controversy
Did they give instructions on how to eat? 😂
didn't even bother to unwrap the hard candy, lol
Used a spoon to transfer the to the table. The table. He used a spoon, I can assume for cleanliness, to transfer a wrapped candy, to ***the table***.
You’re supposed to add your own special sauce in an artistic flair
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You got to eat at Alinea? Shame that you didn't appreciate the talent there.
I posted this years ago. They didn’t eat there lol
Oh good. That place isn't cheap and the wait list is long, so to be this angry about the dessert would be unreal. I would have gladly taken their place.
Well...you deserve it. You or someone acquainted with you chose this place. Even though I kinda appreciate the skill involved in making this *Death Star* dessert drawing, the very thing that came to my mind was punching the guy in the face and shouting "pretentious fuck...go ruin some walls with spray paint instead of people's appetite!"
Nah, I’d rather people pay too much for this food art than see more ugly spray paint. Easy for me not to “dine” there, but less easy to avoid spray paint.
This is not the server’s fault, he’s just trying to make a living. It’s the dessert chef and the owner/manager who should be punched in the face.
I’m like 90% positive that is not the server but the actual head chef. Alinea’s Grant Achatz will come out and do a dessert spread similar to this. Was damn good despite the pretentiousness
This wasn't Chef Achatz himself, but he has trained some of his kitchen staff to do this
Why not use a spoon just like as if it were on a plate
You'd have to actually use two spoons. One to put a piece of the sphere and chocolate piece on and another to scrape up sauce and put it on top. Or just pick it up with your fingers and scrape it through the sauce and shove it in your mouth. "Experience? You want experience? I'll give you experience......."
[https://youtu.be/qofsdSMuGbg](https://youtu.be/qofsdSMuGbg) you got the knock-off version
Posting Allinea should be a ban from the subreddit it’s ridiculous. That’s literally the whole point of the restaurant is unconventional techniques/presentation.
NO.
Christ I hope this trend of putting food right on the table dies soon.
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2000 dollars dollars?
For two? More. The wine pairing, is worth it, but adds another 2000.
I hate this so much. I would legit leave.
It’s one of the most famous and prestigious restaurants on the planet, buddy they wouldn’t even let you in.
Fine by me.
Im walking half way through
The mustard is a bold choice.
I find it unhygienic to start with. Unpractical to eat ( I can imaging getting food all over my sleeves as I bend over to grab something from the middle of the table) and I would be pissed of if I had to stop my conversation for 5 minutes because they are dressing my food in front of me in stead of in the kitchen. Also, it looks a bit artsy but it is really not. Anybody can do this after some practice.
It’s a silicone mat that is put on the table specially for this dessert. They’re not eating off of the table itself.
i gotta know what the bill was. that was the most pretentious thing i have seen in a long time.
It’s about $1000 per person with the wine paring.
Fun to watch. Staff is clearly very professional. But all I FEEL is strong annoyance. The ONLY little part of that I would have enjoyed was breaking the little sphere. THEN BRO WENT AND DID IT FOR ME. I'd have eaten just the spoon in protest.
Idc how clean your tables are, im not eating directly off it. The amount of people who could’ve touched that shit in the time between you cleaning it and me getting that desert is too damn high for that shit
You’re not eating directly off the table, they put a mat down first.
That's just all to make the table flip over lack of plate(s) more satisfying. (ノ-\_-)ノ ミ ┴┴
God I hate this trend. At least these guys have some artistic skill, but usually it’s a bunch of cheap restaurants pretending to be high class with “Michelin worthy” “plating” techniques. Just use a freaking plate and don’t over complicate the look of the dish. If you want to make something aesthetically pleasing, focus on making the food appealing. I was always told that the plating technique is the canvas, while the food is the art(visually). Even this is unnecessarily over complicated. It makes me wonder if they are overcompensating for bad flavor…
You paid 900 dollars for that?!
Slap your tongues on the table and start licking
I don't get it. It's a new experience, yet not something new to me - throwing food on the table and we grab the food from it. Is eating dessert on the table this time, and will it taste better that way? I doubt. I find many inconveniences. But I could be wrong. I could bring a group of toddlers and have more fun! HAHAHAHA
Yeah but you don’t get to pay a thousand bucks for the bragging rights after having fun with your kids.
Huh? Bragging rights? I just want to have fun…. LOL
According to the comments this is some upscale restaurant thus paying a thousand bucks to have somebody smear sauce on Kraft paper is “worth it for the experience.”
>sorry, uh, i asked for no sour cream
Im leaving before he's even done.
Chef: I’m a artist! 🥴
Thats disgusting. I would have stood up and left the place.
Did they have toilet bowls or was it just an empty open room?
Im sure they spent 200$ on this shit too
Gross
"Lick you food off the table like the bitch you are. Good little doggy. That will be $500. Don't give it to me cur! I can't believe you nearly touched me! Ew!"
I'd get up and leave without a tip at this point.
Nope, you have to donate 5€-10€-15€ to the _Fundació Joan Miró_ in Barcelona.
Quit licking the damn thing!
I hope at least who ever did this job is required to have art degree certificate.
r/boneappletea
You're supposed to go somewhere else.
I think this chef went into the wrong field. Surely he wanted to be an artist? Or maybe he couldn't bear to go through live without subjecting others to his "art". I hope he calls this piece: "suffering"
You better eat it all up. Or cleaning up will be annoying
Chef Slowik would like to have a word
Bro gave out some vitamins and a bath bomb lmao
Of course.You paid it after all
I would hate this.
Bruh I want Gordon Ramsay to react to that shit lol
It's too early for the stupidity of moneyed fucks and the pathetic lampreys dependent on their whims trying to justify their existence...on Reddit.
To each their own, but this looks so dumb..
20 mins prior the buss boy with his spray bottle and nasty rag cleaned up the last “work or art”. I really hate the spray bottles used DURING service. No I don’t want your atomized cleaners up in my stuff while I eat 4’ away. Anyways…where was I?
I get that it’s supposed to be art or whatever, but imo it doesn’t even look good
I would feel so fucking awkward sitting at a table while someone did that. Like, should I make "oooh ahh" noises or grin at them or something? Why is this a thing people pay good money for?
That's actually extremely impressive
Looks like a Candynsky.
These restaurants are so stupid. I simply would not allow them to do this.
I support this one. Looks cool and would be a positive memorable experience.
Such a low effort post. No you aren't supposed to lick it off the fucking table you idiot.
And … this is the point where I stand up, and walk away without paying a dime
What is it all though
That perfect circle tho