So: it’s been reviewed, re-reviewed, hyped, uber-hyped, and praised at the highest level by some, yet completely overlooked by the Michelin Man.  With all the hype surrounding Grant Achatz’s sequel restaurant, combined with the hoops one must go through just to get in the door, the net effect is that once a reservation ticket is secured, one  goes in with high expectations.  I rarely approach anything in life with the level of anticipation and excitement that the promotional wizardry of Next had generated for me.  However, the wizardry doesn’t stop there; the food is pure sorcery all on its own.  Even after all of the waiting, anticipating, Facebook stalking, emailing, and website refreshing -  Next does not disappoint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upon being greeted at the door by the lovely and gorgeous reception staff, we were immediately seated despite our early arrival.  We were quickly presented with apertifs accompanied by a neatly wrapped package.  I don’t recall many apertifs from my childhood, but I liked few things more than presents as a kid.  Inside the box was a golden-brown fluffy puff which we were carefully instructed to eat with just one bite.  Upon biting into it, the need for these instructions became apparent as a delicious liquid explosion of PB&J  erupted in my mouth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up was a rich and buttery “chicken-noodle“ soup in which there are no noodles; the chicken is the noodle.  Carrots, celery, and fennel accompany the noodle as the broth is poured over the beatufully presented elements right in front of you at the table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The surf course came in the form of  a beach scene as “drawn by a child.“  Complete with cucumber waves,vinegar sea foam,  breadcrumb beach,  lemon sun, a potato chip net containing the fresh catch of the day (walleye) and a balsamic drawing of a child holding a fishing pole.  When I asked how to eat this course, the waiter suggested that I try different combinations of elements for each bite. This turned out to be good advice which I adhered to for the remainder of the evening.  This is the point at which the food is somewhat placed into the diner’s hands.  How you choose to reconstruct the dish is up to you, and when you find the combination for you, it’s VERY rewarding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What childhood-themed menu would be complete without mac & cheese?  This mac, even moreso than the previous courses, evolves as it is eaten.  The “merry-go-round of garnishes“ as described on the menu provides a different experience with each bite.  Bread crumbs, a ham pate, lemon zest, and parmesean were all part of the merry-go-round.  I don’t recall any merry-go-round being this much fun before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps the most intriguing course of the evening emerged with the smell of a smoky camp fire.  Served atop at glass-shielded smoldering wooden log was vegetarian offering of mushrooms and “grasses“ of a Michigan forest.  The Autum Scene barely looks edible at first glance, but the flavors are every bit as colorful and vibrant as a camp fire itself. I can’t recall ever having anything like it before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The hamburger – perhaps my favorite – was the most acurate re-creation by deconstruction that I have ever experienced.  A char-grilled braised beef shortrib topped with cheese and accompanied by greens, ketchup, mustard, mayo and a “bun“.  Although almost nothing on this plate had anything to do with an actual fast food hamburger, it took me straight back to a happy meal.  Where was the toy???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of eating out of a box – the next course came, of course,  in a lunchbox; Rambo made an appearance at our table.  Down to the drink thermos and zip-lock baggies, this course was straight out of the grade school caffeteria.  The wagyu jerky was the best I have ever tasted; jerky is supposed to be tough and rubbery – possibly even downright leathery.  This was a moist, tender morsel of meaty goodness.  The only leather in the box was the apple-brandy “fruit roll-up“  which was better than the strawberry variety that I recall from my lunchbox.  I’ve never been much of a funyun eater, but the Next version made me feel like I’ve been missing out on something. The Nutella snack pack fell a little flat for me, but this was probably because I ate it after the truffled Oreo.  I love truffle and I love salt, and this cookie delivered all I could handle of both.  If you don’t love truffle, then this cookie might be a little much for you: not for the faint of heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first dessert course came in the form of a foie gras frosting-covered beater and fried sugar donuts.  That’s right: foie gras in the frosting.   Krispy Kreme should look into this.  We put the frosting all over the donuts and then licked the beaters.  “Foiesting and donuts“ was unique, complex, and absolutely decadent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final course of the evening (and the second which was served on fire) was the sweet potato pie.  The sweet potatoes are charred right in front of you on the table.  After voicing my concern for the degree to which the potatoes were being torched  before my eyes,  I was assured by the waiter that there would be plenty of sweetness and texture inside the wedges to offset the burnt-to-a-crisp exterior.  Although the sweet potatoes and homemade mini-marshmallows would have been delicious on their own, the bourbon ice cream, brown sugar, pecans and toffee sauce made for a rich and excessively indulgent way to top-off an unforgettable experience.

Few things in life which are presented with so much fanfare actually live-up to said fanfare. It is not rare to find amazing food in Chicago, but amazing food which evolves not only with each course, but with each bite, which is so much fun to eat makes for a truly rare experience which I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for creativity, unpredictability, and, above all, fun in a fine dining experience. The staff was great: from the dry, reserved humor of the waiter who brought us the hamburger and answered “It’s a bun“ when asked what the “bun“ was made of to the encyclopedia of knowledge which accompanied each wine pairing, the service seemed tailored to our interest level.  If we engaged and asked questions about the food or wine the staff was helpful and knowledgeable.  For the courses for which we needed little explanation and just wanted to get started with, they kept it brief and walked away.  Overall, I would describe the service as attentive without being overbearing or stuffy.  I found it to be a relatively laid-back atmosphere overall.  Also of note is that for each pairing, the bottle is left at your table during the courses to which it is paired.  This doesn’t hurt the fun factor either.  The table next to us took full advantage of this and spilled as much as they drank.  This provided more than ample entertainment between courses, as if smoking logs and flaming potatoes weren’t enough. I can’t wait for the next menu… the kitchen staff will spend their holdays in Spain training for elBulli which opens in January.  I’d better start trying to get tickets now.

~Diesel

Category: Restaurants

953 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60607
Neighborhoods: Fulton Market, Near West Side, West Loop

(312) 226-0858