Alinea × Seline (Santa Monica, CA)
Alinea | Seline
3110 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
424-744-8811
www.selinerestaurant.com / www.alinearestaurant.com
Wed 03/12/2025, 08:00p-11:10p
I often refer to my first meal at Grant Achatz's Alinea as the most important I've ever had. Given its impact, when it was announced that the restaurant would be holding a collaborative dinner with Seline as part of its 20th anniversary celebration (Alinea opened in May 2005), I knew immediately that I had to attend. But why Seline of all places? Well, Chef/Owner Dave Beran started working at Alinea in June 2006, eventually rising to the position of CdC before leaving in 2011 to launch Next, where he headed the kitchen until decamping for LA in 2016. Thus, Beran forms a significant part of the Alinea group's legacy, and this event was apparently the first time that he and Achatz had been in the kitchen together in nearly nine years.
My corner table afforded me a commanding view of the entire dining room.
Here we see the copy of the collaborative menu I received at the end of the experience, comprising 17 courses of both Alinea's "greatest hits" and Seline dishes inspired by Beran's time spent at Alinea. As for pricing, it was a hefty $495 per person to start, with a $400 deposit required. A wine pairing was available at $295pp, and a non-alcoholic one at $195pp. You also had the option of ordering off the wine list or paying $100 for corkage, as I did. Click for a larger version.
1: chicago hot dog
Amuse bouche duties were handled by a thoroughly reimagined version of the Windy City's most iconic food item: the Chicago-style hot dog. What we had here was the distilled essence of a frankfurter transformed into a gel, crowned with a cuboid of tomato, baby sport pepper, French's mustard, onion(?) seasoned with celery salt and poppy seed, and a dot of "neon green" relish. I was wowed by how accurately the bite recreated the taste sensations of the traditional dish, with each component presenting itself in a very distinct, focused manner, but with it all coalescing perfectly.
2: torpedo & eucalyptus
Up next was a modified version of the "roasted leek & eucalyptus" I'd had during my visit to Seline back in February. The biggest change-up was the use of torpedo onion in place of leek, which gave the dish a somewhat sweeter profile. The accompanying sauce also seemed a touch tarter, while the sugariness of the banana was still crucial, and really served as the foundation for the dish in my eyes.
To pair with dinner, I BYOB'd a bottle of the 2005 François Raveneau Chablis Premier Cru Butteaux that I'd picked up from Thatcher's in Brentwood right before I arrived (I specifically wanted something from '05, in celebration of Alinea's 20th birthday). Initial whiffs brought ultra juicy, zippy lemon with a grassy backing, and there was just a palpable depth to the bouquet's fruitier elements. The wine was silky on the palate, its boatloads of yellow fruit combining with nuances of straw, herb, saline, and prickly spices--very nicely put-together. Twenty minutes in, the nose became noticeably tarter, but more intriguing were the nutty notes appearing in the background; taste-wise though, the Burgundy remained unchanged. Further time saw the disappearance of almonds and the reemergence of succulent citrus fruits, while on the tongue, this got smoother, more buttery, but with a very apparent grapefruit-like bittersweetness on the back end. Right before dessert, the wine showed spicier, more savory scents alongside flavors of bruised yellow fruit and hints of astringency and mint on the close. Lastly, my final glass demonstrated aromas that went in an earthier, almost vegetal direction, while again, that mature yellow fruit melded with an almost bouquet garni-esque character. A commendable effort from Mssrs. Raveneau that's aging quite gracefully.
3: spring herbs, sweetbreads, buttermilk
Upon taking my first bite of this, I immediately thought to myself that this might be a contender for the best sweetbread dish I've ever had. I was smitten by the offal's supple, almost creamy consistency and subtle, sophisticated, yet somewhat gamey flavors, while the fritter's fried exterior was also spot-on. However, what took this to the next level was the lingering bitterness from all that greenery, which served as the consummate counterpoint to the richness of the sweetbread. At the same time, that creamy, tangy buttermilk emulsion really brought it all together. Curiously, Beran later remarked that this was meant to evoke the sensation of a McNugget with tartar sauce and salad, which is actually what came to mind while I was enjoying the course.
4: hot potato – cold potato
I wasn't surprised to see this next course make an appearance, given that it's probably the most iconic bite to ever come out of Alinea. I last had this back in '09, and it's quite remarkable how the dish tasted pretty much exactly how I remember it, even after all these years. The marriage of warm potato with the musk of black truffle is something you can't go wrong with, and nearly as important was the salty Parmigiano and the restrained richness from the butter. However, the crux here really was that temperature contrast--courtesy of a chilled potato soup--which made for a joyous sensation in the mouth. A fun fact: according to Chef Beran, the dish now utilizes glass bowls in place of the wax versions that the staff used to have to make by hand.
5: caviar & coffee
This course was part of Seline's dessert sequence back in February, but showed up early tonight, which I suppose is a very Alinea-esque touch (given that restaurant's penchant for mid-meal desserts). In any case, I'm not sure if much has changed, but I do feel that the dish's coffee components presented themselves in a sweeter, roastier manner. Concurrently, the nutty crunch of toasted hazelnuts also seemed more assertive, while on the flip side, the salinity of the golden Ossetra appeared more restrained. A real showpiece for the interplay between salty and sweet.
6: charred char
This amber-hued dish was ostensibly inspired by Achatz's childhood in Michigan and his early years cooking in the region. This was arctic char, cured for five days using staves from barrels that previously held Michigan-sourced maple syrup, then sous vide'd and seared. The end result was a wonderful amalgam of sweetness, salinity, and lingering smoke, with a delicate, nearly crème brûlée-ish crust to boot. It actually made me think of a mash-up between smoked salmon and BBQ.
I was treated to an element of surprise when I was subsequently instructed to flip the serving vessel over, revealing char roe suspended in a tea gel made from the aforementioned barrel staves, with Thai-style carrot. What impressed me here was how well-conveyed the gel's wonderfully woodsy smoke was, and how that linked up with the course's sweeter, brinier ingredients.
7: celery root, venison, savory granola
The first time I had this dish, I called it "perhaps the most beguiling steak tartare I've had." Tonight's version, though, was even better, and that's probably because it wasn't steak anymore. The substitution of venison resulted in a flurry of deeper, more umami-driven flavors, with a less overt sweetness but still plenty of nuttiness and crunch, while once again, that celeriac veil was key for balance.
8: prawn, vanilla, fear factor
Well, this certainly came out of left field. An uncomfortably large tube was placed on the table, and I was instructed to stand up, break the paper seal on top, reach in, and pick up whatever was waiting for me in there. I was only supposed to grab the vanilla bean and its attached fritter, but apparently I went too deep and improperly removed the ramekin my food was sitting in. I was then told not to eat either the ramekin nor the bean. Instead, what I was supposed to consume was the tempura'd prawn, with its light, crunchy batter and almost fluffy interior. That wasn't a surprise, but what was a surprise was how well the vanilla's inimitable fragrance meshed with the inherent sweetness of the shrimp. It was actually right on the edge of being overpowering for me, but never crossed the line.
9: mustard green
Last time, I was blown away by this rather austere looking sprig of mustard green, which perfectly played its bitter sting against the tropical pungency of passion fruit and ginger. The dish appeared to be largely unchanged, but tonight I was treated to the bite's backstory, as apparently this was inspired by a passion fruit sorbet-mustard ice cream dish that Beran had to assemble during his time at Alinea.
10: curds and curds
Regular readers of this blog will know that I'm a big proponent of cauliflower, and I quickly came to the conclusion that what I had here was a nominee for the best cauliflower dish I've eaten. The conceit is that the typical "curd" of the vegetable (the edible top portion) was replaced by actual cheese curds, making for a simultaneous pun and trompe l'oeil. I was smitten by how easily the crisp-ish, mildly vegetal stem amalgamated with the creaminess of the cheese, with that combo further augmented by its nutty base and splatters of a garam masala-based curry "paint." It all came together beautifully, and cleverly.
11: apple pond
Visually, this reminded me of the "mussel, kombu, cucumber" course I had last month, but taste-wise, it was quite a different story. Given the lack of the bivalve and its concomitant savor and salinity, this ate more like a palate cleanser, with its bevy of bright, fruity, invigorating flavors amped up by this floral edge courtesy of a jasmine tea ice.
12: ocean and earth | cod, black truffle, seaweed, evergreen aroma
Shortly after this next course was set down, water was poured into the "vapor bowl," near-instantly releasing a refreshing, bracing bouquet of pine that sort of transported me to the woods. These aromas set the stage for a wonderfully multifaceted mushroom ragù, its woodsy savor juxtaposed with fatty, flaky seared black cod and further enhanced by a dollop of mushroom foam. What was most surprising, though, was that while eating this, I tasted flashes of the Stouffer's frozen beef Stroganoff of my childhood.
13: beef A1
A ruby-hued cut of Flannery beef showed off perhaps the most elegant dry-aged funk that I'd ever encountered, while the steak was on point texturally as well, coming out just tender enough, but with a gratifying bit of chew. The meat was certainly delicious alone, but I did enjoy the sharp, palate-coating piquancy of that "A1" sauce, while the fennel did a commendable job lightening things up.
14: black truffle explosion
Our final savory was another candidate for the most iconic Alinea dish (though it actually traces its origins to Achatz's time at Trio), one that Chef Beran, in his previous life, had to taste-test nearly every day. It was a single raviolo filled with truffle juice, crowned with marinated truffle, sautéed romaine, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Diners are advised to eat this with their mouths closed, which is some sage guidance, as the parcel burst instantly upon mastication, releasing waves of hot, truffle-infused broth, tempered just a smidge by the pasta itself, with the saltiness of the Parmesan making itself known on the finish. This one definitely took me back to that first meal at Alinea, nearly 20 years ago.
15: sorrel ice cream
And with that, it was time to move into dessert. First up was a delightfully citrusy, grassy liquid nitrogen sorrel ice cream. It was a joy texturally and also played well with the sweet-tartness of what I believe was rhubarb. There was also this umami element that I really appreciated, but which I couldn't quite put my finger on.
Beverage Director Matt Brodbine provided me with a complimentary pour of the Monte Santoccio Stella Recioto della Valpolicella, meant to pair with the "table dessert" below. I found this to be a potent wine, sweet but not overly so, with a dried, soured red fruit character backed by an underpinning of earth, saline, and bitterness.
16: chocolate – paints and glitter
At this point, a silicone tablecloth was draped over my table, and I immediately knew what was coming: Alinea's most infamous creation, plated on the table itself, in effect turning it into a canvas of sorts. Chef Achatz personally painted this himself, starting with what seemed like a disk of brownie-like chocolate custard and proceeding to swooshes of banana, vanilla, and cherry. Then came the placement of a trio of "trinkets" and a sprinkling of glitter, before ending with the smashing of what seemed like a freeze-dried vanilla mousse. The novelty of the dessert lies in its presentation, playfulness, textural diversity, and sheer audacity, as the flavor combinations themselves were quite classical, and actually recalled a banana split(!).
17: green apple balloon
Speaking of infamous Alinea desserts, this was another one of them. I was instructed to "kiss" the top of the balloon, inhale, and then wrap up everything and eat it like taffy. Things got a bit messy (I really should've removed my glasses), but the end result really did taste like the green apply candy that I liked so much as a kid.
My final beverage: a small pot of Emperor's Chamomile [$10], a sweet, fragrant, floral tea with a distinct tropical bent that made me think of pineapple.
Unsurprisingly, this was a showstopper of a dinner, one of the best of the year and one that I'll remember for a long time. The back-and-forth between the Alinea and the Seline courses wasn't as jarring as I'd feared, perhaps because of the considerable time that the two Chefs have spent with one another. In effect, there was a common thread to the cooking that was apparent at times during the meal. The evening reminded me of why my early experiences at Alinea were so special, while simultaneously showing me how Beran's cuisine has evolved since then--it was quite a journey.
Keep in mind that we're not done with the celebrations surrounding Alinea's 20th anniversary, far from it in fact. The restaurant is going on tour, kicking things off at Olmsted in Brooklyn (March 20th to April 13th) before heading down to the Faena hotel in Miami Beach (April 30th to May 25th). Then, the team will be back in Los Angeles, taking up residence at The Maybourne in Beverly Hills from July 23rd to August 20th, so you can bet that I'll be planning of securing reservations for that coming up.
3110 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
424-744-8811
www.selinerestaurant.com / www.alinearestaurant.com
Wed 03/12/2025, 08:00p-11:10p
I often refer to my first meal at Grant Achatz's Alinea as the most important I've ever had. Given its impact, when it was announced that the restaurant would be holding a collaborative dinner with Seline as part of its 20th anniversary celebration (Alinea opened in May 2005), I knew immediately that I had to attend. But why Seline of all places? Well, Chef/Owner Dave Beran started working at Alinea in June 2006, eventually rising to the position of CdC before leaving in 2011 to launch Next, where he headed the kitchen until decamping for LA in 2016. Thus, Beran forms a significant part of the Alinea group's legacy, and this event was apparently the first time that he and Achatz had been in the kitchen together in nearly nine years.
My corner table afforded me a commanding view of the entire dining room.
Here we see the copy of the collaborative menu I received at the end of the experience, comprising 17 courses of both Alinea's "greatest hits" and Seline dishes inspired by Beran's time spent at Alinea. As for pricing, it was a hefty $495 per person to start, with a $400 deposit required. A wine pairing was available at $295pp, and a non-alcoholic one at $195pp. You also had the option of ordering off the wine list or paying $100 for corkage, as I did. Click for a larger version.
1: chicago hot dog
Amuse bouche duties were handled by a thoroughly reimagined version of the Windy City's most iconic food item: the Chicago-style hot dog. What we had here was the distilled essence of a frankfurter transformed into a gel, crowned with a cuboid of tomato, baby sport pepper, French's mustard, onion(?) seasoned with celery salt and poppy seed, and a dot of "neon green" relish. I was wowed by how accurately the bite recreated the taste sensations of the traditional dish, with each component presenting itself in a very distinct, focused manner, but with it all coalescing perfectly.
2: torpedo & eucalyptus
Up next was a modified version of the "roasted leek & eucalyptus" I'd had during my visit to Seline back in February. The biggest change-up was the use of torpedo onion in place of leek, which gave the dish a somewhat sweeter profile. The accompanying sauce also seemed a touch tarter, while the sugariness of the banana was still crucial, and really served as the foundation for the dish in my eyes.
To pair with dinner, I BYOB'd a bottle of the 2005 François Raveneau Chablis Premier Cru Butteaux that I'd picked up from Thatcher's in Brentwood right before I arrived (I specifically wanted something from '05, in celebration of Alinea's 20th birthday). Initial whiffs brought ultra juicy, zippy lemon with a grassy backing, and there was just a palpable depth to the bouquet's fruitier elements. The wine was silky on the palate, its boatloads of yellow fruit combining with nuances of straw, herb, saline, and prickly spices--very nicely put-together. Twenty minutes in, the nose became noticeably tarter, but more intriguing were the nutty notes appearing in the background; taste-wise though, the Burgundy remained unchanged. Further time saw the disappearance of almonds and the reemergence of succulent citrus fruits, while on the tongue, this got smoother, more buttery, but with a very apparent grapefruit-like bittersweetness on the back end. Right before dessert, the wine showed spicier, more savory scents alongside flavors of bruised yellow fruit and hints of astringency and mint on the close. Lastly, my final glass demonstrated aromas that went in an earthier, almost vegetal direction, while again, that mature yellow fruit melded with an almost bouquet garni-esque character. A commendable effort from Mssrs. Raveneau that's aging quite gracefully.
3: spring herbs, sweetbreads, buttermilk
Upon taking my first bite of this, I immediately thought to myself that this might be a contender for the best sweetbread dish I've ever had. I was smitten by the offal's supple, almost creamy consistency and subtle, sophisticated, yet somewhat gamey flavors, while the fritter's fried exterior was also spot-on. However, what took this to the next level was the lingering bitterness from all that greenery, which served as the consummate counterpoint to the richness of the sweetbread. At the same time, that creamy, tangy buttermilk emulsion really brought it all together. Curiously, Beran later remarked that this was meant to evoke the sensation of a McNugget with tartar sauce and salad, which is actually what came to mind while I was enjoying the course.
4: hot potato – cold potato
I wasn't surprised to see this next course make an appearance, given that it's probably the most iconic bite to ever come out of Alinea. I last had this back in '09, and it's quite remarkable how the dish tasted pretty much exactly how I remember it, even after all these years. The marriage of warm potato with the musk of black truffle is something you can't go wrong with, and nearly as important was the salty Parmigiano and the restrained richness from the butter. However, the crux here really was that temperature contrast--courtesy of a chilled potato soup--which made for a joyous sensation in the mouth. A fun fact: according to Chef Beran, the dish now utilizes glass bowls in place of the wax versions that the staff used to have to make by hand.
5: caviar & coffee
This course was part of Seline's dessert sequence back in February, but showed up early tonight, which I suppose is a very Alinea-esque touch (given that restaurant's penchant for mid-meal desserts). In any case, I'm not sure if much has changed, but I do feel that the dish's coffee components presented themselves in a sweeter, roastier manner. Concurrently, the nutty crunch of toasted hazelnuts also seemed more assertive, while on the flip side, the salinity of the golden Ossetra appeared more restrained. A real showpiece for the interplay between salty and sweet.
6: charred char
This amber-hued dish was ostensibly inspired by Achatz's childhood in Michigan and his early years cooking in the region. This was arctic char, cured for five days using staves from barrels that previously held Michigan-sourced maple syrup, then sous vide'd and seared. The end result was a wonderful amalgam of sweetness, salinity, and lingering smoke, with a delicate, nearly crème brûlée-ish crust to boot. It actually made me think of a mash-up between smoked salmon and BBQ.
I was treated to an element of surprise when I was subsequently instructed to flip the serving vessel over, revealing char roe suspended in a tea gel made from the aforementioned barrel staves, with Thai-style carrot. What impressed me here was how well-conveyed the gel's wonderfully woodsy smoke was, and how that linked up with the course's sweeter, brinier ingredients.
7: celery root, venison, savory granola
The first time I had this dish, I called it "perhaps the most beguiling steak tartare I've had." Tonight's version, though, was even better, and that's probably because it wasn't steak anymore. The substitution of venison resulted in a flurry of deeper, more umami-driven flavors, with a less overt sweetness but still plenty of nuttiness and crunch, while once again, that celeriac veil was key for balance.
8: prawn, vanilla, fear factor
Well, this certainly came out of left field. An uncomfortably large tube was placed on the table, and I was instructed to stand up, break the paper seal on top, reach in, and pick up whatever was waiting for me in there. I was only supposed to grab the vanilla bean and its attached fritter, but apparently I went too deep and improperly removed the ramekin my food was sitting in. I was then told not to eat either the ramekin nor the bean. Instead, what I was supposed to consume was the tempura'd prawn, with its light, crunchy batter and almost fluffy interior. That wasn't a surprise, but what was a surprise was how well the vanilla's inimitable fragrance meshed with the inherent sweetness of the shrimp. It was actually right on the edge of being overpowering for me, but never crossed the line.
9: mustard green
Last time, I was blown away by this rather austere looking sprig of mustard green, which perfectly played its bitter sting against the tropical pungency of passion fruit and ginger. The dish appeared to be largely unchanged, but tonight I was treated to the bite's backstory, as apparently this was inspired by a passion fruit sorbet-mustard ice cream dish that Beran had to assemble during his time at Alinea.
10: curds and curds
Regular readers of this blog will know that I'm a big proponent of cauliflower, and I quickly came to the conclusion that what I had here was a nominee for the best cauliflower dish I've eaten. The conceit is that the typical "curd" of the vegetable (the edible top portion) was replaced by actual cheese curds, making for a simultaneous pun and trompe l'oeil. I was smitten by how easily the crisp-ish, mildly vegetal stem amalgamated with the creaminess of the cheese, with that combo further augmented by its nutty base and splatters of a garam masala-based curry "paint." It all came together beautifully, and cleverly.
11: apple pond
Visually, this reminded me of the "mussel, kombu, cucumber" course I had last month, but taste-wise, it was quite a different story. Given the lack of the bivalve and its concomitant savor and salinity, this ate more like a palate cleanser, with its bevy of bright, fruity, invigorating flavors amped up by this floral edge courtesy of a jasmine tea ice.
12: ocean and earth | cod, black truffle, seaweed, evergreen aroma
Shortly after this next course was set down, water was poured into the "vapor bowl," near-instantly releasing a refreshing, bracing bouquet of pine that sort of transported me to the woods. These aromas set the stage for a wonderfully multifaceted mushroom ragù, its woodsy savor juxtaposed with fatty, flaky seared black cod and further enhanced by a dollop of mushroom foam. What was most surprising, though, was that while eating this, I tasted flashes of the Stouffer's frozen beef Stroganoff of my childhood.
13: beef A1
A ruby-hued cut of Flannery beef showed off perhaps the most elegant dry-aged funk that I'd ever encountered, while the steak was on point texturally as well, coming out just tender enough, but with a gratifying bit of chew. The meat was certainly delicious alone, but I did enjoy the sharp, palate-coating piquancy of that "A1" sauce, while the fennel did a commendable job lightening things up.
14: black truffle explosion
Our final savory was another candidate for the most iconic Alinea dish (though it actually traces its origins to Achatz's time at Trio), one that Chef Beran, in his previous life, had to taste-test nearly every day. It was a single raviolo filled with truffle juice, crowned with marinated truffle, sautéed romaine, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Diners are advised to eat this with their mouths closed, which is some sage guidance, as the parcel burst instantly upon mastication, releasing waves of hot, truffle-infused broth, tempered just a smidge by the pasta itself, with the saltiness of the Parmesan making itself known on the finish. This one definitely took me back to that first meal at Alinea, nearly 20 years ago.
15: sorrel ice cream
And with that, it was time to move into dessert. First up was a delightfully citrusy, grassy liquid nitrogen sorrel ice cream. It was a joy texturally and also played well with the sweet-tartness of what I believe was rhubarb. There was also this umami element that I really appreciated, but which I couldn't quite put my finger on.
Beverage Director Matt Brodbine provided me with a complimentary pour of the Monte Santoccio Stella Recioto della Valpolicella, meant to pair with the "table dessert" below. I found this to be a potent wine, sweet but not overly so, with a dried, soured red fruit character backed by an underpinning of earth, saline, and bitterness.
16: chocolate – paints and glitter
At this point, a silicone tablecloth was draped over my table, and I immediately knew what was coming: Alinea's most infamous creation, plated on the table itself, in effect turning it into a canvas of sorts. Chef Achatz personally painted this himself, starting with what seemed like a disk of brownie-like chocolate custard and proceeding to swooshes of banana, vanilla, and cherry. Then came the placement of a trio of "trinkets" and a sprinkling of glitter, before ending with the smashing of what seemed like a freeze-dried vanilla mousse. The novelty of the dessert lies in its presentation, playfulness, textural diversity, and sheer audacity, as the flavor combinations themselves were quite classical, and actually recalled a banana split(!).
17: green apple balloon
Speaking of infamous Alinea desserts, this was another one of them. I was instructed to "kiss" the top of the balloon, inhale, and then wrap up everything and eat it like taffy. Things got a bit messy (I really should've removed my glasses), but the end result really did taste like the green apply candy that I liked so much as a kid.
My final beverage: a small pot of Emperor's Chamomile [$10], a sweet, fragrant, floral tea with a distinct tropical bent that made me think of pineapple.
Unsurprisingly, this was a showstopper of a dinner, one of the best of the year and one that I'll remember for a long time. The back-and-forth between the Alinea and the Seline courses wasn't as jarring as I'd feared, perhaps because of the considerable time that the two Chefs have spent with one another. In effect, there was a common thread to the cooking that was apparent at times during the meal. The evening reminded me of why my early experiences at Alinea were so special, while simultaneously showing me how Beran's cuisine has evolved since then--it was quite a journey.
Keep in mind that we're not done with the celebrations surrounding Alinea's 20th anniversary, far from it in fact. The restaurant is going on tour, kicking things off at Olmsted in Brooklyn (March 20th to April 13th) before heading down to the Faena hotel in Miami Beach (April 30th to May 25th). Then, the team will be back in Los Angeles, taking up residence at The Maybourne in Beverly Hills from July 23rd to August 20th, so you can bet that I'll be planning of securing reservations for that coming up.
posted by kevinEats at
8:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home