Just got back from Chicago. L20, Tru, and Alinea. All I can say is that these were great places!
L2O: delicious, innovative food. Lots of seafood, but there is plenty of other non-seafood fare. It is truly delicious and inventive
Tru: Classic French-American style place. Fantastic ambiance, extremely comfortable, and very very good food.
Alinea: a once-in-a-lifetime place. I have eaten at a lot of restaurants in the world, including French Laundry, Le Benardin, and Michelin 3-stars, but I have never, ever had a meal like this. Alinea is the next level. I can see why it is one of the 10 best restaurants in the world, and I can see why it is considered the best restaurant in America. Not only is the food so incredibly creative, it is aesthetically artful and it is absolutely delicious. The flavors are so intense and so rich, it's like nothing I've had before. Just an absolute delightful dining experience!
If you want to see some video of my dining experience, you can see it here, starting at 3:25
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyFDjeEdRAI