Dining should be an experience. The food itself is a main component but the atmosphere adds an irreplaceable and exceptional element to the meal. Recently, I have noticed a correlation between industrial warehouses and phenomenal food. Ada Street and EL ideas are two restaurants that use the “abandoned warehouse scare technique” to pump adrenaline into diners before wowing them with remarkable culinary creations. Will and Susannah were surprising me with dinner for my birthday and so I had no idea where we were going. A bit funny since the restaurant was named EL ideas..
EL ideas is extraordinary because it goes where no restaurant has ever gone before. The food is amazing and the restaurant has a Michelin star, yes, but the restaurant conjures a dining experience unlike anything a diner has ever experienced. Chef Foss personally introduces himself to each table and establishes a relationship with each diner. Each member of the kitchen staff is friendly and interacts with each table, presenting the individual course themselves. Most of the diners in the restaurant were couples of two and celebrating special occasions while a few were simply “foodies” in town on business. Diners must Uber or drive here as the location itself is so remote that few cabs pass by and most get lost locating the establishment. EL ideas is also BYOB which is unique for a restaurant of such caliber. Diners must arrive on time as the entire dining room is served at one seating.
The meal consisted of 14 incredible courses. Each featured unique flavors of exotic meats and seafood. Many included ingredients I had never heard of before. Every course was introduced individually by a member of the preparation staff and was hand-decorated. My birthday meal was a dining experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. EL ideas did a flawless job of creating life-time memories with excellent cuisine and an exceptional atmosphere, truly deserving of its high recognition as one of the top restaurants in the United States.
A birthday is a special occasion and needs to be celebrated accordingly. Careful planning and preparation goes into creating the perfect day of food and festivities. When my friends Susannah and Will offered to plan the ideal surprise party, I admit I was a little hesitant. I tend to be a bit type A so I would prefer to be involved in all of the details. I knew, however, that the celebration would be in great hands.
They couldn't have picked a better place.
Mary
Roe: buttermilk, caper, kohlrabi, chamomile, pollen
First course is served without utensils- must be licked
Kitchen is open to walk through and observe
Ossetra: cauliflower ice cream, rose, pear, argan
Halibut: mofongo, salsa verde, black bean
Cobia collar: curry, coconut, fava, tamarind, banana
French fries & ice cream: potato, leek, vanilla
Soft shell crab: spring onion, bacon-rubbed rhubarb, strawberry
Snail: black garlic, maitake, consommé, sea bean
Foie gras: porcini, huckleberry, bergamot
Venison: barley, yogurt, enoki
Bellota: rapini, lardo, apricot, hot pepper
Antelope: ramp, asparagus, carrot, turnip
Spruce: mandarin, pine, kombucha
Zucchini: lemon balm, blossom, cinnamon, verbena
Mudpie: coffee, marshmallow, chocolate
Birthday Cake
