one of the reasons why i wanted to try to this brunch spot was it had an interesting name and its very own creation of bacon waffles! by now, you should already come to the understanding that i am sucker for bacon anything... so it was perfect when xy told me he had a groupon for kanela breakfast club and we set up a brunch on a beautiful sunday afternoon.  

and guess what? i found out recently from my last visit to my favorite hair stylist that her friend owns this place! what are the odds!? :)

xy was running a lil late and when he got there, he said he made a mistake and forgot to read the fine print on the coupon :: valid only on weekdays >.< nonetheless, since we were here might as well enjoy our brunch here! the place was bustling with people but thank goodness it was only a 10 minute wait. 

the decor of the place exuded a vintage vibe with dark brown being its main color scheme.. for some odd reason, when i look into the restaurant, i imagine myself drinking afternoon tea there with finger sandwiches... it was a narrow but long dining space and i would have appreciated a bit more space between the tables. 

we started out with some freshly squeezed orange juice ($4) - how do i know that? well, my first clue was the fresh orange squeezer machine at the counter up front so you know you are getting the real stuff. :)

savory :: duck confit hash | sunny side eggs + charred scallions + orange truffle vinaigrette, served with herb potatoes ($12)


yes, yes, i know i said i was here mainly for bacon waffles but i changed my mine and was swayed towards duck confit just to see how well they'd execute it. i could definitely taste the scallion and the hints of orange burst but i was missing the earthy truffle flavor. the duck confit was moist as it should be but it was lacking the gamey flavor you would expect. the runny yolk of the sunny side up egg added to the richness of the dish. altogether, the flavors of the dish complimented each other since duck and orange are paired classically.


it came with a generous portion of potatoes that had an herbaceous undertone and seasoned well as well as a side of toast to which you should eat with the fruit spread cos it was really good.


savory :: pork belly benedict | english muffins + poached eggs + brussel sprouts + dried cranberries + hollandaise ($11)


this was xy choice for brunch - he said he enjoyed it - definitely a whole lot better than his experience at bongo room. i had a small bite of the pork belly and it was delicious and as usual, i take poached eggs done right very seriously especially at brunch places and kanela breakfast club passes with flying colors! :)



i would say it was a rather enjoyable experience. the staff seems really friendly and while we were both taking turns taking pictures of the dishes, our server came by and asked us if our food was alright. there was one hitch along the way when i noticed my utensils was not clean (it actually had crude on it) but it was made up by the fact that our server swooped in rather quickly and asked if everything was alright (maybe disgust showed on my face as i was staring at the fork) and quickly replaced it with a clean one and an apology. well done! :)

kanela breakfast club offers a variety of breakfast/brunch choices which are either sweet or savory or both for everyone. don't forget to check out the specials on the chalk board before you order. while i liked my dish, it wasn't a favorite of brunch dishes i've had. instead...if i returned to kanela breakfast club,  i would probably give the bacon waffles a whirl :)

yes, i know it's been a while since i posted an entry about restaurants i've tried. between the korean trip entries as well as being busy with work and preparing for a rather huge transition in my life - it's gotten a bit hectic. there are still a few more entries that i have been postponing for months and sitting on my to do list but i begin to wonder if it's worth writing (but i probably will in due time)

now i am back with a restaurant entry and with one that is considered the best :)

sooo...i've made my way to alinea!

yesssssss...it has FINALLY happened!!

it was for a very special occasion ^^ and yes, it was a HUGE splurge so i don't think i'd do this again although i'd love to. just don't ask me how much we spent on the meal there ><

alinea has been my #1 restaurant to try for a few years now since it is pretty much ranked as one of the highest restaurants in the united states. there is a very inspiring story behind the genius who is the face of alinea, chef grant achatz. he is also the driving force behind the new restaurant concept that is next restaurant where i had the pleasure of experiencing his beautiful and delectable interpretation of paris 1906. two very successful restaurants (also my favorites) in my second home, chicago ^^



a few notable accolades alinea has received include ::

o1 | one of the rare michelin three star ranked restaurants in the world (106 in the world as of 2012 and 10 in the USA)
o2 | voted as the top 6th restaurant in the world by restaurant magazine 2011 - highest ranked by a US restaurant {way to go, chicago!}
o3 | named the world's best restaurant by elite traveller in 2012
o4 | recipient of the AAA five diamond award from 2007- 2011
o5 | five james beard foundation awards including 'Outstanding Chef' in 2008 and 'Outstanding Service Award' in 2011

did i mention this was my very first three star michelin restaurant i've ever been to? i was uber excited for the day to come. :)

i made my reservation the earliest i could make it for march 31st - which was january 6th. we requested regular wine pairing for one person that adds an extra $150 to the already hefty price tag..(again, don't ask, kay?) there was another option of wine reserves for $250 per person. i skipped either of the pairings since it would be a waste cos i can't drink at all. ><

instead of doing a full blog entry as i usually would, inspired by an entry written by roam&home blog authors, i've decided on a more whimsical way by using the menu as a score card for each dish we had at alinea. this is supplemented by photos to tell the story of my elegant, delicious yet interesting 3 hour tasting adventure. ^^ so expect a photo spam and single phrases to describe each course :)

one aspect that added to the awesomeness of this dining experience which never crossed my mind until after the meal were the elements of mystery and surprise - since we were not given a menu, we didn't know what to expect as they serve each course at our table making it all the more special :)

hence, pictures first :: the score card second :)

{MENU}

course o1 | steelhead roe :: served with carrot, coconut, and yellow curry - an apt beginning with a lightness yet many layers of flavor ~ a foray of what were to come

course o2 | exploration of the sea :: oyster leaf, mussel, king crab, and razor clam resting on a bed of kelp atop piece of indonesian driftwood

{special presentation :: what i could only lovingly call as the "mobile dashi broth maker" in preparation for course o4 - i admit it brought out my inner nerd lol. i was quite intrigued and excited about it - i love that i could watch as the dashi broth was brewing at my table - too cool! ^.^}

course o3 | woolly pig :: fennel, orange, and squid - one bite, "hands free" 

course o4 | scallop ::  secret agent, code name ~ agedashi tofu;  served with dashi, japanese condiments and yuzu

course o5 |  ice :: beet juice, hibiscus tea and liqourice - expertly presented as table centerpiece since the start of the meal

course 14 | winter :: in new hampshire - the beginning of molecular gastronomy visibly at play ~ peppermint 'snow' with four fruit bites and clear, colorless distilled hot chocolate

this dessert course was a beautiful and creative closing to a near perfect meal. i really wanted a memorabilia to commemorate this unbelievable dining experience and we asked the server if we could somehow get a copy of the menu to which he responded that they usually hand the menu to the diners at the end of the meal ^^

as promised, my menu score card from my alinea dining experience ^^

note :: BEST viewed by clicking on the image to read my notes on each dish.

a couple of quick notes :: the size and random positioning of the bubbles on the menu actually are with purpose and reason. the size of bubbles signifies the size of the dishes (bite size or full tasting size) and the positioning corresponds to how sweet/savory they are..

as a cherry on top of my whole dining experience at alinea the staff asked if we wanted to visit to kitchen and watch the chefs at work. i am pretty sure my face immediately lit up at that suggestion (although surprised, at first) and agreed without any hesitation! i actually secretly hoped since the beginning of our meal that i'd be able to see the kitchen and when they offered, i was so ecstatic!

OMG - it was surreal - i was in alinea's kitchen, where all the yummy magic begins!

that totally made my night! pristine kitchen, all the chefs in clean, white chef's coat all working efficiently to make another diners' night heavenly.

we brought up a quick question with the staff if they were planning to add non alcoholic beverage pairing similar to what they offer at chef achatz's 'next restaurant', they mentioned that it has been a discussion in the past but decided that the menus and concepts of the two restaurants are different. from what i understand, with the number of courses at alinea and frequent changes to the menu, it is difficult to come up with beverages that pairs with the layers of flavors for each course and they want to highlight the main focus which is the food itself.

three hours later followed by a quick kitchen 'tour', hence endeth my alinea dining experience. alinea went beyond my expectations of what it means to be a michelin three star restaurant. chef achatz managed to engage nearly all of the senses through his attention to detail and his mastery of techniques in all aspects of an amazing dining experience, making this truly a one of a kind.

alinea has undoubtedly set the bar as one of the best dining experiences i've ever had (yet?) - deliciously subtle and intricate in exploring different textures and flavors in a fun and playful manner - a beautiful love story for all the senses :)

disclaimer this is written based on my personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others