Yep.
Thanks to a bit of luck, we got the hottest ticket in Chicago, the elBulli menu at Next. Submitted for your consideration, a photo essay of the meal. My advice - if you have tickets or if you are planning on trying to get tickets, STOP READING NOW. DON'T READ ANYTHING ABOUT THE MEAL! Go in blind, let it be a surprise. Seriously.
Alright? If you're not going, if the notion of spending that much money on a dinner or if the hassle of getting in don't seem worth it to you but you still like looking at food, check it out....
The year listed is when the dish originally debuted at elBulli.
The name of the dish is from the menu we were given.
The commentary for each dish is proof I can never been a food writer.
(As of 2/16, this post is a work in progress)
2004 nitro caipirinha with tarragon concentrate
(sorta like a margarita ice)
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2000 hot/cold trout roe tempura
(fascinating - breaded/fried roe - who knew?)
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2003 iberico sandwich
(perfect in its simplicity)
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1991 coca of avocado pear, anchovies, and green onion
(sigh, one of the best things, great ingredients)
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2005 spherical olives
(strange - liquid olives encased in skin used to cover pills...or something)
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2001 golden egg
(no idea)
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1998 chicken liquid croquettes
(crazy, explosion of chicken)
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2007 black sesame spongecake and miso
(slightly chocolatey, very unique)
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1997 smoke foam
(a conversation course, interesting, a glass of foam that tasted like a campfire)
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2003 carrot air with coconut milk
(self explanatory - crazy)
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1997 cuttlefish and coconut ravioli with soy, ginger, and mint
(the cuttlefish is the pasta on this one, plate licking good)
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1992 savory tomato ice with oregano and almost milk pudding
(tomato ice...fascinating, powerful)
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2001 hot crab aspic with mini corn cous-cous
(aspic made with agar agar so it was served warm)
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2000 cauliflower cous-cous with solid aromatic herb sauce
(baffling)
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1988 suquet of prawns
(delicious)
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1998 potato tortilla by marc singla
(wacky)
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1989 trumpet carpaccio
(yep)
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1987 red mullet gaudi
(art on a plate - scoff if you must)
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2007 nasturtium with eel, bone marrow and cucumber
(perhaps the greatest thing I've ever eaten)
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2000 civet of rabbit with hot apple jelly
(a worthy follow up to bone marrow)
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2009 gorgonzola balloon
(a balloon made of gorgonzola....)
broken
and consumed as much as it could
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1999 foie gras caramel custard
(flan made with liver...I like liver, I don't like flan, I don't like this)
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1996 spice plate
(raw spice served on a lime pudding, I think)
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the key to the spices
(the spices were not in order, we were supposed to arrange them, but we were never told the answers...boo!)
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2009 mint pond (plate)
(A bowl with a thin layer of ice)
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2009 mind pond (prepared)
(with the mint, sugar, and something else all broken up....a palate cleanser basically)
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1997 chocolate in textures
(ridiculous)
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2010 chocolate donuts
(more ridiculous)
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1993 creme flute and 1989 puff pastry web
(tasty)
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2004 the farewell
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2004 passionfruit marshmallow
(the hidden dessert - delicious)
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There you have it.
Is it worth the cost? Yes.
Is it worth the hassle? Yes.
Did I think it would be? Hell no.
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