Grant Proposal

Wunderkind chef Grant Achatz brought his unconventional (and critically acclaimed) brand of cuisine to New York last night, where he unveiled Alinea, a cookbook named for his Chicago restaurant. During a demo at the Astor Center, he wowed the assembled foodies with creations designed as much to titillate the olfactory senses as the palate. The evening's pièce de résistance was a rabbit dumpling skewered on an oak twig. With dramatic flourish, the twig was briefly set aflame to infuse the rabbit with the autumn-evocative scent of charred leaves. If you're bold enough to try this sort of cooking at home, pick up a copy of Grant's tome, available now. Oh, and make sure to temporarily disconnect your smoke alarm.

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Caviar Guaranteed To Get You Tipsy

Daniel Boulud, one of the most famous members of New York's restaurant royalty, has never been one for serving up molecular gastronomy in his restaurants. Instead, the concept of cuisine created through chemistry has been the provenance of chefs like Ferran Adrià, of Spain's El Bulli, and Grant Achatz, of Chicago's Alinea. But last night, the hallowed walls of restaurant Daniel, on East 65th Street, shimmered with the gleam of "caviar beads" made from gellified Cointreau. Created by head bartender Xavier Herit, (above) the new cocktail—a strawberry margarita with a side of perfectly shaped pearls made from strawberry-infused Cointreau—took its place among Daniel's bar offerings. For $29. Steep for a margarita—even at Daniel—but what you're paying for here is the preparation, which is done right before your eyes. Syringes, strainers and all. Needless to say, it's a lot more involved than pouring a perfect Guinness. And a lot more colorful. INSIDER TIP: Ask nicely and bartender Herit may just show you the supersized silver briefcase containing all of the tools a would-be master mixologist needs to create Cointreau magic. INSIDE TIP #2: The caviar beads also go well with a glass of Piper Heisieck Champagne (pictured left).