Next Next is Up

A couple of down-sized menus (French Bistro and Tapas) and a wine based 15+ course, 10 wine menu (Terroir)

lower base prices for the first two seasons and lots of up charges for supplements available. sound like they heard the complaints about pricing and are giving you the option to spend $300 plus per person if you want too

I loved Next when I went to the Childhood menu (though not the service) but have not been back since given pricing and lack of food to match. Not so sure about the choice of Bistro and Tapas as menus even at the lower pricing - there are too many options in Chicago in both genres to really intrigue.

Any thoughts here on their Terroir menu?

The description:
September - December
Next: Terroir
This wine focused menu pairs wines from the Northern Hemisphere’s greatest viticultural traditions with classic dishes from the same Terroirs. Burgundy, Alsace, Bordeaux, Chianti, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, California, Washington State… the juxtaposition of New World and Old World wines with dishes from the precise area where the grapes are grown and vinified allows for an incredible, delicious, and educational progression around the world of food and wine pairings.
Approximately 15 courses complimenting 10+ vintage wines and a few surprises.
$295-355 per person, inclusive of all wine and food.
Please note: non-alcoholic, non-wine pairings are not available for this menu.

Next can be a challenge. I didn’t think much of their Chicago Steakhouse menu this year, but I thought that their Modern Chinese was terrific. I am going to Trio on Friday, and I expect the menu to be first rate (although wine is always a challenge there). The all in for Trio (food, wine, tax, tip) is in the neighborhood of $950 for 2 on a Friday, so I’m happy that they are dialing back on the tariff

[wow.gif] [wow.gif] [wow.gif]

At that kind of cost, I can see why they are providing more options and scaling back the base cost. The first two 2015 menus really bring the cost down to a very different category. Probably smart to try to attract customers that wanted to go in the first few years but were priced out. Smart to expand the customer base, probably right at the time that there may be some waning of the previously high demand.

While I’ve had excellent experiences there (though mixed), at least in my opinion it has never quite been spectacular enough that I could justify $900-1000 for the evening for us. In fact, I’m not sure any US restaurant hits the $1000 mark for 2 for me (without blockbuster wines included) - needs to be something like Troisgros or a spectacular white truffle dinner somewhere in France or Italy.

I will say that the Trio menu was the best that I’ve had at Next - really, really good and the most consistently pleasing to my taste. I don’t recall the menu price but I thought it was give or take under $250 (granted it was a weekday) - is the wine pairing really that expensive or is it the upcharge for Friday night?

I think the wine pairing is $140 or so pp and and dinner is $265 - $400 pp right there

Inclusive or exclusive of tax/tip?

It’s not inclusive of tax, but I believe it is of service charge. Just looked back at me invoice and the total is $883.12, so only $440 pp.

Ah, at least psychologically better since it doesn’t break the $900 mark… [whistle.gif]

I would be curious to find out what the wine pairings are if you are willing to post them.

I’ll try to remember. I don’t take notes at dinner. Based on prior menus, I’m pretty sure that I’d rather bring my own

Sooo, how’d you get out of the Hawks’ game?

Having Katharine and her male friend take Yale. Kind of pissed, in that I’d like to see the Habs

Next Trio tickets are being sold via social media for under face value. A 2 top went for $100 this past weekend as the seller got very desperate. I think that says volumes.

That being said the Bistro and Tapas menus look good. I would be interested in those. Terroir is a bit more of a crapshoot. Next’s wine program sucks. Maybe this will give them a chance to figure it out and shine.

George

Initially, I read this as ‘Jeannine and her male friend’. newhere

[wow.gif]

I think I’m dropping my subscription for next year. Costs are still pretty high after you add bev + tax + tip, but a more fundamental issue for me is they do not accommodate dietary restrictions. I get that it is impossible in some circumstances to modify prep and service, but my wife is a vegetarian and it stresses me out when they bring multiple courses that she can’t eat. You would think that in a bistro or tapas menu, it wouldn’t be that hard to have vegetarian options, but then you have to have vegan, gluten-free, wiccan, etc., I guess.

Oh, and their wine program sucks

Got some very inexpensive (relative to face value) tickets for Saturday night. Going to smuggle a couple of bottle of Burgs in my pants [wow.gif] and have a go at the Trio menu. I hear the food is excellent.

George

Where do you get the tickets?

There is a group on FB called Next Restaurant Season Tickets. That is where I got mine. You can also find them on Next’s FB page.

George

We went lat night and overall the food was excellent. Probably the best that’s been served there but that shouldn’t be a suprise.

Bingo. [cheers.gif] [cheers.gif]

My experience, too. I was an early season ticket holder…fought to get in line very early to get the tickets then found each dining experience somewhat disappointing. I’ve never found the service that good there, and the somewhat annoying attempt at informality bordered on the amateurish. The only meal I had there that was stupendous and worth the price was the El Bulli menu. After telling me on the phone, subsequently via email confirmation and at the host stand (confirming the phone request) they could accommodate my partner’s request for no seafood, when we got into the dining room they were aghast at such a request and basically said “no way.”

Bye Next :slight_smile:

Too many other good venues in town. If I want bistro, I’ll go to Ducasse’s Benoit in NYC. If I want tapas I’ll go to Mercat in Chicago and ask Cory Morris, the chef, to show his stuff.