[Eighth in a series.] Moto is a restaurant in Chicago that serves science food (or maybe even science fiction food). I heard about it on the radio, and had wanted to go for about a year and a half. We ordered the ten-course menu, and it was incredible:
GREEK salad
GREEK salad, again
CARIBBEAN escolar
BBQ PORK & baked beans
PASTA & quail
PRIME with potato
FRUIT & bubbles
TRUFFLE & white chocolate
PERSIMMON & cream
S'MORES
Moto: Course Seven: |
March 2, 2009 |
The
first dessert to come out was described as "Fruit and Bubbles." When it
arrived at our table, all that could be seen was a crinkly sculpture of
what looked to be thick white tissue paper, with a brown powder dusted on
top. The waiter informed us that it was crispy rice paper with apple spice
powder on top. Underneath the spiced sculpture was a square white bowl,
the vessel for our dessert. In the bottom of the bowl was what looked like
ordinary pieces of fruit - a few grapes with thinly sliced apple and pear.
As the waiter explained that the fruit was carbonated- like soda. I looked
at the remainder of the contents of the bowl. In one corner, there was a
puddle of something white, while in the opposite corner was a mound of light-brownish
powder. The waiter went on to tell us that in one corner was a white chocolate
and cheese sauce, and opposite it was a powdered walnut praline.
To start, I speared a bubbly grape with my fork and popped it into my mouth. I was amazed at the bubbles; it was like solidified grape soda. The next thing I tried was a piece of apple dipped in the white chocolate cheese sauce. The apple itself was not as bubbly as the grape, but it had a pleasing effervescence. The white chocolate cheese sauce was delicious; although it was the texture of Elmer’s glue, it had a lovely lightly sweet vanilla flavor that blended impeccably with the mild Brie-like cheese flavor.
The praline powder was very nutty and sweet, and combined nicely with both the apple spice and the white chocolate cheese. My favorite combination was either the grape with the white chocolate cheese, or the pear with praline, rice paper, and apple spice.
So far, the first dessert was a hit, but stay tuned for the eighth course - Truffle & white chocolate.
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