BIG SKY RESTAURANT REVIEW: M By The Alinea Group
It's often said that men think about sex every seven seconds, though recent studies (of course someone studied it... this is what's at risk with NIH research cuts) show that the average is actually a mere 19 times throughout the waking hours. For me, that stat instead reflects thinking about skiing, and it is probably closer to the first figure (i.e. about 8000 times per day). There are a number of destinations on my winter bucket list, but Montana has been near the top for years. So imagine how ecstatic I was to learn, months after finally booking a trip to The Treasure State, that Chicago's legendary restaurant Alinea was hosting a pop-up in Big Sky this season.
If you're reading this site you've probably heard of Alinea (unless you're just supporting me, in which case, thanks!!), the molecular gastronomy mecca in Lincoln Park. In its heyday it was consistently ranked among the top 10 restaurants in the world, and held a three Michelin star designation for years, until recently losing one in the most recent guide, amongst whispers of chef Grant Achatz's declining health. Still a force to be reckoned with at two stars, the theatrics and unusual serving vessels are as essential as the food itself, which pretty much runs the gamut when it comes to cuisine types. While I was delighted during my one visit back in 2021, my dining companion did not feel the same way, and it's certainly not for everybody (especially at the eye-popping price point, which is probably even worse today).
Fortunately M, the temporary younger cousin, is a bit more approachable. Prominently located on a treacherously icy pedestrian corridor (be careful if you're wearing heels!) in the Big Sky Mountain Village just steps away from the new Explorer Gondola, the space has a distinctly western feel, with copper and rust tones throughout, a far cry from the rather austere white interior of the Windy City original. Pieces of modern art alternate with portraits and old photos of climbers, and bespoke lighting and furnishings lend a very warm and comfortable vibe. The entry centers on a gorgeous bar, where à la carte dining is available, while the main seating area is reserved for dégustation. Having just flown in from IAH that day and not wanting a marathon dinner on our first night, we opted for the former. There's a tight menu that allows one to choose from all of the tasting selections, as well as a few extra items.
A small canapé to start was the Aleutian King Crab Thigh with marsh hen mill indigo-heirloom popcorn jam and aroma (perhaps the most pretentious thing I've ever heard). This bite-size hunk of crustacean was wonderfully tender and sweet, though the sauce (I didn't really get "jam", nor much popcorn aroma) was a tad on the salty side, reminding me more of a béarnaise. I appreciated the way it was plated, atop a shard of orange exoskeleton, and you know your boy loves Alaska, so big ups for sourcing seafood from The Last Frontier.
Moving on to the small plates section of the menu, we have the Roasted Chestnut Sacchetti, a blistered "ribbon purse" pasta with caramelized leek and charred sweet onion broth. I wasn't familiar with this pasta shape (also known as a "money bag"), but it was stuffed with the allium and sealed into a little pouch. This dish was reminiscent of a French onion soup, and what looked like the toasted croutons were actually torched extensions of the noodle, which was quite creative and exhibited very impressive technique. However, the broth was extremely over-salted, not to the point of inedibility, but it was definitely tough to finish. This, combined with the salinity of the first course, had me slightly anxious about the rest of the meal. Fortunately, those concerns were unfounded.
Still technically a small plate, the Sourdough Bread was simple but excellently executed, with a raclette butter, meyer lemon, rosemary, and red currant. Crispy on top but soft and doughy in the center, the mini-loaf was baked spectacularly, and the cheesy butter and hints of acidity complemented it perfectly for a nice snack between the more substantial dishes.
For the entrée course, longtime readers will not be surprised to learn that I went with the 14 Day Aged Pekin Duck. I almost lost count of the number of "ways" the duck was prepared... I think four, but I could have possibly missed one. There was a semicircle of seared duck breast slices, a confit duck leg, a foie gras and braised red cabbage velouté, and sauce au sang (aka "blood sauce", where the carcass of the duck is pressed to extract its juices, which are then combined with cognac). Sort of an elevated play on a Peking duck (interestingly, the seemingly missing "g" in the name is not an error, as Pekin is actually the breed of duck, brought over from China to America in the 1800's), the succulent meat melted in your mouth, and the foie/sauce au sang was a clever stand-in for the classic hoisin sauce with its dark color and salty sweetness. This was a REALLY good dish, and, while pricey, was shockingly substantial for a Michelin-inspired place like this.
The highlight of the Alinea experience is the dessert, where a server literally paints a variety of ice creams and purees onto the table creating a unique (and delicious) work of art... so my expectations were high for the final course here. While not so artistic, the Embered Ponderosa Pine Log Ice Cream was nearly as tasty. Completely on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to presentation, this minimalist scoop sat atop small pieces of black walnut, hazelnut, and a Costa Rican coffee bean oil. But what it lacked in artistry, it made up for in flavor: to create this treat, a burning ponderosa pine log (the state tree of Montana) is thrown into the ice cream base, caramelizing like a marshmallow, and imparting earthy, foresty flavors. Honestly this felt like eating a Christmas tree, but in the best way possible, which was apropos considering the snow-covered mountain just outside the front door.
In addition to mostly fantastic food, the drinks slap as well. Just like the predictably attentive and knowledgeable servers (many of whom hail from the O.G. in Chicago), the bartenders really know what they are doing. In fact, the head mixologist was brought in from The Aviary, Alinea's sister bar in Chi-Town (which, by the way, is AMAZING, offering cocktail tasting menus with food pairings... honestly, if you had to pick one to visit, I'd choose this even over Alinea), where he is known as "The Captain". They've come up with all kinds of crazy concoctions, such as multiple spirits infused with black truffle (including Malört!!).
There is a crazy espresso martini with pomegranate foam, but I'd like to highlight the "Smoke", with reposado tequila, lapsang, and more of the aforementioned ponderosa. I'm kind of obsessed with smoke (except for cigarettes, those are bad bad bad), so this definitely had me excited based on the name alone. And it did not disappoint. The Chinese tea, already known for its exceptional smokiness, was accentuated by the tree wood, which was smoked tableside (or barside, I guess), adding layers of aromatic piney flavor. However, it was so well balanced with the agave spirit that it was stunningly drinkable for something that could have been overpowering and palate-obliterating in lesser hands. I already have plans to visit my new friend at The Aviary (or possibly The Office, its more casual offshoot downstairs) during a trip to the Midwest later this year.
While not every single dish was perfect, on the whole this was a very worthwhile experience, and I am very glad it just sort of fell into my lap timing-wise. I'm not adding it to my Beyond Houston recommendations, as this pop-up only has a few weeks remaining. But they are doing another one at The Bellagio in Las Vegas soon, and if you were truly moved by this and don't have plans to fly to Bozeman this month, you can always check out the mothership any time. After all, O'Hare will have a record number of flights this summer (for more, see my other blog, #adrianaviation)... just saying.
NEXT UP: Hugo Ortega does it again.