Get Behind The Scenes At Moto

By Erika Kubick in Food on May 21, 2014 6:00PM

The curious culinary devices and lab inspired décor at Moto.

Amuse bouche: everything bagel crisp with cream cheese and cold-smoked rainbow trout.

Hamuri Sake pairing.

Green Almond: young almond crumble, green almond seed, heart of palm puree, red pepper reduction, finger lime, cucumber, cucumber seeds. Striped marlin, sorrel, and viola flowers.

Grow Room: bison, strip loin, crispy potatoes, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, fresh micro salad straight from Moto’s garden and snipped tableside.

A Great Pairing: Barley Wine by Pipeworks alongside Buffalo Wings: quail meat with Roaring 40’s blue cheese and hot sauce.

Bitter Root: beet reduction, coffee and brioche crumble, roasted candy strip beets, beet and coffee marshmallow, toasted brioche puree, and seared foie.

Chocolate Mousse: milk chocolate mousse, lemon crumble, lemon curd, lemon chips, and micro basil. Chef Farina makes a sorbet tableside before dolloping it onto the mousse.

The night ends with a tour of Moto’s kitchen and indoor farm, where micro greens go from seed to table in 7 days.

Michelin-starred Moto is celebrating their 10 year anniversary with the Chef’s “Lab” Dining Experience. The dining option includes one-on-one time with Executive Chef Richie Farina as he hand delivers each of the 8 courses to your table as well as a tour of Moto’s sprawling kitchen and the restaurant’s micro-green farm.

Moto is a restaurant concept by chef and molecular gastronomer Homaro Cantu, currently headed by Chef Richie Farina. Farina’s culinary philosophy involves taking proven flavor combinations and elevating them with something a little more interesting. In Bitter Root Farina takes foie gras and coffee and elevates the bitter elements of that combination with beets. The dish involves a coffee and brioche crumble and a beet reduction cradling roast candy stripe beet ends, toasted brioche puree and a beet and coffee marshmallow, all surrounding the seared foie.

The Chef’s “Lab” experience provides curious diners with a description straight from the horse’s mouth, giving justice to each of the mosaic of components that make up the dish. Moto Chef’s lab is $125, which is $50 less than their 12-course tasting menu. The beverage pairings for $55. The Chef’s “Lab” is available Tuesday - Thursdays, guests must book by calling 312-491-0058 or online.

Click through our slideshow for a visual sampling of what you may enjoy at Moto’s Chef Lab. The photos were taken at a media tasting.

Moto is located at 945 W Fulton Market.