Moto

This restaurant is unbelievably amazing. The food is outstanding and created in a fashion mixing technology with divine artistry. I didn’t know what to devote my senses to the most, my palate or my eyes at the amazing detail and creativity used to make the tastiest dishes. The place comes with a high price tag but for a special ocassion where you want to be thrilled to the core, this is the place to go.

From the moment you step in you know you’re in for something totally different. The service is almost military in execution. The minimalist decorations and small seating area let you know that you’re not there for a meal, you’re there for a dining EXPERIENCE. My party and I chose the 10 course tasting menu (we didn’t have enough time for the 20 course Grand Tour menu which typically lasts at least 4 hours) with the wine pairing. Everything from the edible menu in the beginning to the packaging material “vanilla cream pie” was playful and delicious.

Wine selection was superb and the pairing was spot on (albeit pricy). My standout dishes were the macaroni and cheese (with chicken fried quail), African black octopus, and “cheese plate” featuring carbonated apple slices.

Another plus: Chef Cantu actually came out and greeted every table (I think it was because there were a couple food critics there and I guess he figured what the hell since there were only 3 other tables at the time)

the food, service and experience is absolutely fabulous. i was skeptical at first but the chef appeals to all your senses and makes the entire meal a pleasurable Futurist-influenced adventure. Chef Cantu’s creativity can also be seen on Iron Chef America.

I was really disappointed with this -- especially with a restaurant with so much hype. The food wasn’t particularly appetizing and the wait staff was really condescending. It was certainly avant garde-- but I suggest Clio in Boston or the Modern in NYC if you want something that is both innovative and delicious.

Moto . . . leaves you speechless. The food is fabulous, and the presentation is stunning. First and foremost everything was absolutely delicious and flavorful which is why the innovativeness is able to shine. I had the ten coarse and was taken away by how everything looked, smelled, tasted, felt in your mouth; everything was special even the edible menu. Though it is expensive and may be considered timely by some, it is fine dinning and I feel it is greatly worth it. I wouldn’t go there every week, but I would like to go back. Moto is located in Chicago on 945 W. Fulton Market. I give Moto a five out of five.

Some people love it, some people hate it. I fall under the ambivalent category, because while the presentation was at times ingenious, some plates never had the ‘wow" factor. If I’m coughing up $250 for dinner, it better be one of the best meals of my life, coupled with an experience I will never forget. It failed the former, but certainly lived up to the latter.

As everyone else noted, the menu itself was presented as edible paper, with the 10 course selection neatly printed on it. The first course involved kajiki and sesame; blue marlin with sesame poured from a nitrous pot. It was pretty neat to spoon a bit of sesame into my mouth and exhale through my nose; smoke would filter out. The greek salad and gumbo were rather forgettable dishes. BBQ pork was surprisingly good. It was tender, with a cider-based marinade. The next course was a modern take on mac n’ cheese, but with quail, powdered parmesan, and pasta. By this time, I was too full to finish it – but it was okay. The desserts were probably the most welcome part of the evening. Each dish was presented in unique ways, and tasted very different from one another. My favorite involved the 2 and 3 dimensional truffle – there was a surprise with the truffle ball.

So the food itself involved lots of hits and misses, but the drink pairings were spot on. I had non-alcoholic beverages; I had to drive back. My favorite was the lemon drop. It involved lemonade encased in a gelatinous ball.

Service was thorough, attentive, and extremely professional. With each plate, the server spoke a little about it and answered any questions I had. I never had to get his attention; he just knew when to drop in and he was never intrusive. Overall, it’s an interesting experience, but one I would not repeat at MOTO. Why? Because I might as well buck up for other great molecular gastronomy destinations a la El Bulli, Fat Duck, and Alinea.