801 replies to this topic

[nick.kokonas]

Since much of the staff has worked with Chef Achatz before or is currently working with him developing the menu, there will not be the normal "soft opening" type of activities. We are going to have a preview dinner for the investors, family, and the creative team (architect, designer etc). The next night we will simply open for business.

We have not set a firm date yet... indeed, it would be impossible to do so. Vagaries of city licensing make it impossible to declare a date of opening, even if we knew for certain that the construction would be finished. For example, the city grants you a conditional approval for a liquor license, then after you get your certificate of occupancy, they will send out the liquor task force somewhere between 7 and 30 days later. Indeed, it is a frustrating process.

Three menus will be offered at ALinea. A 6-7 course, a 12-15 course, and a 25+ course. These will vary seasonally and even weekly.

I know of one occasion where Chef G prepared a 40 course meal for a diners 40th birthday party. That was quite a feat and I do not know if he has the inclination to do so again.

I will say this: I am very excited about the design, the menus, and the space itself. It should live up to the expectations.

[cabrales]

The next night we will simply open for business.

Do you expect to be open both Saturday and Sunday nights? Will it be only dinner that will be served?

Do you plan for one service per evening per table?

Will there be a lounge/bar area separate from the main restaurant? Do you allow cigar-smoking in the lounge/bar after guests' meals?

Also, what is the hotel that is closest to Alinea? The hotel can be high-end or lower-end, so long as it is the closest to the restaurant. How close will the hotel you name be to Alinea?

Will there be a kitchen table like at Trio?

Will there be a garden and are some of chefg's herbs and other plants from the Trio garden relocated to the new venue?

[nick.kokonas]

We are currently planning on being open from Wed. through Sunday... Monday and Tues. closed. To my knowledge, there are no other very high-end restaurants open on Sunday in Chicago -- so that is our thinking there.

Dinner only.

I am not sure what the closest hotel is. Perhaps you could map it on citysearch or metromix... I do know that the 4 seasons, Ritz, Drake, Penninsula etc. are about a 5-10 minute cab ride away.

No kitchen table. When you see the kitchen you will understand why... it is sleek, large, and open...

Unfortunately, we do not have access on our property to a yard. The adjoining property does have a yard, and we will have a window from the kitchen to that yard... perhaps we will work something out. But for now, no herb garden.

[omnivorette]

Also, what is the hotel that is closest to Alinea?  The hotel can be high-end or lower-end, so long as it is the closest to the restaurant.    How close will the hotel you name be to Alinea? 

Cabby, I'm sure you could check the address of the restaurant and find some hotel information. AmEx can help in case you can't do it yourself.

[cabrales]

Nick -- I would hope to get reservations for both Saturday and Sunday of one of the first weekend that you are open (asuming that it is not certain times when I may be out of the country). I'll probably be dining as a table of three. I'll PM you my real name so you can be sure to let me reserve early.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I'm on a Macintosh running Netscape. I see a grey box kinda opening and then a blank white screen. There are two small grey lines -- one links to an e-mail account and the other something called 'little red robot' which opens to a black screen.

That's all I get...

[cabrales]

Here is what Amex told me about hotels closest to Alinea (all categories of comfort included) (ignore all the "A" references):

Lugo Hote - 1.0 miles away
2008 S Blue Island Ave
Chicago, IL 60608-2916
Phone: (312) 226-5818

Hilton Anaheim Hotel - 1.1 miles awayÂ
1214 S Federal St
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 235-1234Â Â Â

Ambassador West - 1.1 miles away Â
1300 N State Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 787-3700
Fax: (312) 640-2999Â

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Chicago-Downtown - 1.2 miles away
506 W Harrison St
Chicago, IL 60607
Cross Street: Canal Street
Phone: (312) 957-9100
Fax: (312) 957-0474Â

Michigan Plaza Motel - 1.4 miles away Â
2600 S State St
Chicago, IL 60616-2821
Phone: (312) 791-1110

New Jackson Hotel - 1.4 miles away
768 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60661-5407
Phone: (312) 372-8856

Best Western - 1.4 miles away
1100 S Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 922-2900
Fax: (312) 922-0134Â

B & B Dredging - 1.4 miles away
600 S Federal St
Chicago, IL 60605-1842
Phone: (312) 706-0650Â

Carter Hotel - 1.4 miles away
1 E Balbo Ave
Chicago, IL 60605-2179
Phone: (312) 461-9707Â

Essex Inn Hotel - 1.5 miles away
77 E 8TH St
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 939-2800Â

Preferred Hotels & Resorts - 1.5 miles away
311 S Wacker Dr Ste 1900
Chicago, IL 60606-6676
Phone: (312) 913-0400Â

Lasalle Club Hotel - 1.5 miles away
440 S LA Salle St Ste 40
Chicago, IL 60605-1028
Phone: (312) 663-8910Â

Marriott - Medical District @ UIC - 1.5 miles away
625 S Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: (312) 491-1234Â

Hyatt on Printers Row - 1.5 miles away
500 South Deerborn
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 968-1234Â

Essex Inn - 1.5 miles away
800 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 939-2800
Fax: (312) 922-1653

[guajolote]

Here is what Amex told me about hotels closest to Alinea (all categories of comfort included) (ignore all the "A" references):

Lugo Hote - 1.0 miles away
2008 S Blue Island Ave
Chicago, IL 60608-2916
Phone: (312) 226-5818

Hilton Anaheim Hotel - 1.1 miles away 
1214 S Federal St
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 235-1234   

Ambassador West - 1.1 miles away  
1300 N State Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 787-3700
Fax: (312) 640-2999 

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Chicago-Downtown - 1.2 miles away
506 W Harrison St
Chicago, IL 60607
Cross Street: Canal Street
Phone: (312) 957-9100
Fax: (312) 957-0474 

Michigan Plaza Motel - 1.4 miles away  
2600 S State St
Chicago, IL 60616-2821
Phone: (312) 791-1110

New Jackson Hotel - 1.4 miles away 
768 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60661-5407
Phone: (312) 372-8856

Best Western - 1.4 miles away
1100 S Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 922-2900
Fax: (312) 922-0134 

B & B Dredging  - 1.4 miles away
600 S Federal St
Chicago, IL 60605-1842
Phone: (312) 706-0650 

Carter Hotel  - 1.4 miles away 
1 E Balbo Ave
Chicago, IL 60605-2179
Phone: (312) 461-9707 

Essex Inn Hotel - 1.5 miles away
77 E 8TH St
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 939-2800 

Preferred Hotels & Resorts - 1.5 miles away 
311 S Wacker Dr Ste 1900
Chicago, IL 60606-6676
Phone: (312) 913-0400 

Lasalle Club Hotel - 1.5 miles away 
440 S LA Salle St Ste 40
Chicago, IL 60605-1028
Phone: (312) 663-8910 

Marriott - Medical District @ UIC - 1.5 miles away
625 S Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: (312) 491-1234 

Hyatt on Printers Row - 1.5 miles away
500 South Deerborn
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 968-1234 

Essex Inn - 1.5 miles away 
800 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 939-2800
Fax: (312) 922-1653

amex is wrong. or you entered the wrong address. the thought of you staying in a hotel on south blue island is very funny .

[cabrales]

It is time to e-mail Alinea (if you haven't already done so) if you want to get some of the earlier tables.

[Vital Information]

Here is what Amex told me about hotels closest to Alinea (all categories of comfort included) (ignore all the "A" references):

Lugo Hote - 1.0 miles away
2008 S Blue Island Ave
Chicago, IL 60608-2916
Phone: (312) 226-5818

Hilton Anaheim Hotel - 1.1 miles away 
1214 S Federal St
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 235-1234   

Ambassador West - 1.1 miles away  
1300 N State Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 787-3700
Fax: (312) 640-2999 

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Chicago-Downtown - 1.2 miles away
506 W Harrison St
Chicago, IL 60607
Cross Street: Canal Street
Phone: (312) 957-9100
Fax: (312) 957-0474 

Michigan Plaza Motel - 1.4 miles away  
2600 S State St
Chicago, IL 60616-2821
Phone: (312) 791-1110

New Jackson Hotel - 1.4 miles away 
768 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60661-5407
Phone: (312) 372-8856

Best Western - 1.4 miles away
1100 S Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 922-2900
Fax: (312) 922-0134 

B & B Dredging  - 1.4 miles away
600 S Federal St
Chicago, IL 60605-1842
Phone: (312) 706-0650 

Carter Hotel  - 1.4 miles away 
1 E Balbo Ave
Chicago, IL 60605-2179
Phone: (312) 461-9707 

Essex Inn Hotel - 1.5 miles away
77 E 8TH St
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 939-2800 

Preferred Hotels & Resorts - 1.5 miles away 
311 S Wacker Dr Ste 1900
Chicago, IL 60606-6676
Phone: (312) 913-0400 

Lasalle Club Hotel - 1.5 miles away 
440 S LA Salle St Ste 40
Chicago, IL 60605-1028
Phone: (312) 663-8910 

Marriott - Medical District @ UIC - 1.5 miles away
625 S Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: (312) 491-1234 

Hyatt on Printers Row - 1.5 miles away
500 South Deerborn
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 968-1234 

Essex Inn - 1.5 miles away 
800 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 939-2800
Fax: (312) 922-1653

amex is wrong. or you entered the wrong address. the thought of you staying in a hotel on south blue island is very funny .

Yea, that is a pretty funny list of places. The New Jackson Hotel is a SRO. Hyatt Printer's Row is closed. OK, I'll bite. What's the address of the place, and I'll give a hotel opinion.

Rob

[Caseophile]

What's the address of the place, and I'll give a hotel opinion.

1723 North Halstead. According to Mapquest, that's between West North Ave and West Willow Street.

[guajolote]

my friend got a reservation for 5/7.

the address is 17?? n halsted i think.

i wonder what's going on at eG with the alinea project. it hasn't been updated in ages.

[cabrales]

As I noted, it is time to go for the reservations, including calling Alinea's number indicated on eG and leaving a message so they can return your call.

[Vital Information]

What's the address of the place, and I'll give a hotel opinion.

1723 North Halstead. According to Mapquest, that's between West North Ave and West Willow Street.

Right by the Steppenwolf Theater. Maybe you'll see John Malkowitz at a neighborhing table!

There's really no hotels *right* by there. But, you are very close to an el stop at North/Clyborn. So, from a Michigan Ave hotel, you could be there in 5 or so minutes (from getting on the train). It's only one or two stops from where you get on the red line.

The only hotel that I can think of that is within walking distance (and probably a long walk) is the old Lincoln Hotel (where David Mamet once lived), now a Day's Inn. It's on the corner of Clark and Lincoln.

Hope that helps.

Rob

[Caseophile]

How about the Marriott on North Sedgwick between Willow and Eugenie? Or the Hyatt at McCormick Place?