Alinea

I have no real ability to write about food, so I wasn't going to say anything about it but Ezra wants to know how I liked my dinner at Alinea the other day. Long story short, it was really good. It was the best I'd ever had by a substantial margin. Not only did it taste great, but the inventiveness level was off the charts -- the food is very abstract in a way that makes the flavors all the more mind-blowing. Also, apparently it's possible to combine chocolate and duck to good effect.

Sara and I went because Restaurant magazine told us it was the 21st best restaurant in the world and I've never been to any of the other contenders on their top fifty list so I'm in no position to judge it relative to the relevant competition. At the moment, though, I'm full of regret that I'm not nearly rich enough to go off and tour the even higher-rated options.