Me and my gf went to Bernadine's last night and sat at the raw bar. We wanted to try the Maryland oysters, but they were out, so we went for some from Prince Edward Island and Cape Cod instead. We decided that we were actually pretty hungry, so we proceeded to feast on four more courses. We both work in the restaurant industry and it was our day off, and we've been meaning to try this place, and I'm fresh off a raise and some Super Bowl square money so...

We shared:

Ranch dusted chicharonnes

A cajun meat pie

Cochon de lait au presse (pig cooked on a hardwood oven and pressed into a terrine-like texture. ) This was served with dirty farro (thanks, Trag!), swiss chard and more little pieces of chicaronnes. I'm still thinking about this dish. We had a side of grits too because why the hell not?

We finished off with this insanely good dessert. Sort of like a meat pie but filled with banana and strawberry, topped with ice cream, roasted persimmon and toasted marshmallow.

The meal was so good I didn't even try to pair wine or cocktails with any of it. Washed it all down with High Life because again, why the hell not?

One of the best meals I've had in a long time. Part of the appeal was that it just sort of happened. Like really good spontaneous sex that turns into something beautiful.

Sounds like a killer meal.

You'd love this place. I might even head there again for lunch today.

The cochon au lait sounds very similar to a dish that my former employer used to serve. Milk-fed baby pig would be slow-cooked, all the meat picked off the bone, mixed, and seasoned, and then pressed together into these little paves (pah-vays, like rectangles), with the skin of the animal laid back on top and made crispy. Was heaven on a plate.

Yep. That's pretty much it. I worked for the company that owns this restaurant for a long time and remember the executive chef talking up this dish for over a year while the restaurant was being built. So happy to see that the dish lived up to the hype. I'm in awe of chefs who know their way around a pig or a fish.

Alinea

I'd enjoy a full review of this one.

we were there a couple of years ago, and i remember thinking that i'm glad i went, but i don't think i'd spend the money to do it again. we got late-night burritos about 3 hours later.

the service and setting are top notch, of course. it's formal but relaxed, which is very chicago. the staff absolutely knows what they're doing and treat you like royalty, but are still warm, talkative, and down to earth. it never feels stuffy.

the menu is posted on a card with vague words or phrases for each course like smoke, bone, crumpled paper. we did the split wine pairing since it was a school night, sharing a glass each course, and it was plenty. best courses were probably the dehydrated scallop paper, rehydrated in a sweet corn broth, or the thai course, with shellfish in a coconut broth sitting atop a bed of lemongrass for some serious aromatics. dessert was called nostalgia, consisting of a chilled, bubble gum flavored dish and an edible helium balloon made from banana taffy.

it is more of an intellectual experience than a traditional meal experience, if that makes sense. i made sure to smell every dish before eating it, and the flavor pairings/confusion/delivery methods get you thinking. passion fruit with fish roe or macadamia nut gel, for instance.

i get what chris is saying; glad i went but no huge urge to return anytime soon. while the courses are mostly small, we were plenty full towards the end and certainly after, so i guess chris is just a fattie.

as a lover of food and flavors, trag, i think you would love it. the price point is painful, but it's absolutely a unique experience.

Thanks Spike. Yea, I'd be into that meal. I'm mostly done with tasting menus, because they're usually too filling and play more like a greatest hits comp rather than a smooth transition of flavors or illustration of boundary-pushing technique. But there are still a few -- Andreas's bar in DC, El Bulli's (or whatever predecessor he's working on), and Alinea all look like super unique experiences. Glad you guys had fun.

I hear ya regarding tasting menus; they're too much. I wish they'd condense them all down to, say, 6-8 courses instead of 10-12. #firstworldproblems

Pok Pok in portland..i probably ordered the wrong things because it was just average..the one in LA i found better

Caffe Mingo in portland..very good plate of pasta..highly recommended.

Nah, I was also very disappointed by Pok Pok in Portland, and we ordered a ton of things.

everything was too sweet for my tastes

Totally agree. Some of the meat didn't seem to be great quality either. Really good use of spices and seasonings though.

my scotch egg at the horse brass was a big letdown as well...it was like it was made the day before and just reheated..nice pub though..the other food was good

That's a bummer to hear.

Went to check out the newly opened Tatsu-Ya today for lunch. The raman was great, for sure, but what I was really impressed with was how they handled the wait. Menus handed to you and music playing as you wait outside in line (which moves quickly) and a hostess with a Square reader taking drink orders in line. Very efficient.

was it more than $15 a person?

also, how much money do you have in the bank?

Those are some pretty personal questions, Lenny. You should find out whether or not he liked that Deadpool 2 clip before you ask for his banking info.