jesteinf wrote:Why not just ask your server for more wine if you need it on a given course?

Also, why not just tell a server about the bathroom situation...I'm sure they'd appreciate the heads up and would tell someone who could fix it.

Then what? 12 more pages of reports about the number of clicks it takes to get on the email list or something? I'll take the bathroom rants.

Alright then. I have some additional info. I was hesitant to post about this but here goes...

Our group had some significant service glitches as well. I think my irritation over it has been building over the last week and, now that I'm reading about other folks' issues, it seems appropriate to mention ours.

1) I cut myself fairly badly on a fork that had a razor sharp pin-like piece protruding off the back. I didn't see it until I cut myself when gripping it. Thankfully one of my dining companions produced a bandaid in short order and that took care of the problem (for the moment). The server did come over to see what happened, I told them I was ok and that the bandaid was in place so no blood would be forthcoming and assured them that I wasn't the litigious type. That was the end of the inquiry. They never checked back to see if I was ok though I provided them with the weapon and they could clearly see that it was dangerous and likely did more than superficial damage. Inspecting it the next day (and a bit more sober), I see that it did. Five days later, it's still painful. I think it at least warranted a second check in towards the end of the meal. Not sure what else they could/should have done but seemed like possibly something.

2) Service: First half of the meal--exceptional. We had an early (6:15) seating and the restaurant was not yet crowded, servers were interactive, enthusiastic and engaged with us on everything from the wines to various questions that we had. We, too, had the experience of discussing some detail that was overheard by a server who stepped in and provided the answer. Very enjoyable.

Second half of the meal, full restaurant, noticing that the tables next to us who were seated some amount (at least 30-40 minutes) after us were nearly caught up to us. Staff engagement stopped dead. Never felt rushed--just a bit neglected. Then, about the time that we were served dessert (and we were not lingering over courses or otherwise delaying anything ourselves), my banquette-mate and I noticed that a gentleman in a suit had begun pacing back and forth from in front of the kitchen doors to just past our table. He even made a flourish of raising his watch to his face to look at it. I kid you not. I've never experienced anything like it. It was actually pretty funny. We had not received coffee service yet. Again, not because we had delayed it. It hadn't arrived. It finally did (although it seemed perfectly paced to us if not for the obvious concern about turning our table). We drank it. More pacing by Mr. Manager. More watch examining. We were then asked if we were ready to move to our table at Aviary. We obliged a bit awkwardly since we didn't want to believe that what had just happened, happened.

3) Major service issues at Aviary that I will save for another post in that thread. Maybe. Or not.

I felt that the food was quite good--some courses better than others--none notably memorable. To me, the reason there are 12 pages of chatter about the ticketing system is, unfortunately, because there just isn't that much else to get excited about here. At least not from this menu and service model. The hype of the ticketing system, the concept changes and the notoriety of being Achatz's second project are all more interesting fodder for discussion than the execution of the food and service. At least to me. And that's the only frame of reference I can offer.

Great post. The most seasoned diner of our group noticed a few aggressive house maneuvers as well, to turn tables or otherwise keep things on schedule, but I suppose that's neither here nor there. She sensed short-cuts to maximize profits and may have been right, but my experience was leisurely and fun regardless. The unmemorable food is another matter, and one I agree is a major problem ... but only with this menu, and for a limited time. Now, if two or three equally unremarkable menus go by, especially once initial kinks are worked out, that's cause for concern. Like I said, I had a good time and look forward to coming back, but in the end it should be the food that draws traffic, not hype or the thrill of simply snagging a ticket in the first place.

boudreaulicious wrote:Alright then. 1) I cut myself fairly badly on a fork that had a razor sharp pin-like piece protruding off the back. I didn't see it until I cut myself when gripping it. . . . Very enjoyable.

Then, about the time that we were served dessert (and we were not lingering over courses or otherwise delaying anything ourselves), my banquette-mate and I noticed that a gentleman in a suit had begun pacing back and forth from in front of the kitchen doors to just past our table. He even made a flourish of raising his watch to his face to look at it. I kid you not. I've never experienced anything like it. . . . More pacing by Mr. Manager. More watch examining. We were then asked if we were ready to move to our table at Aviary. We obliged a bit awkwardly since we didn't want to believe that what had just happened, happened.

I don't know. That all sounds very Paris 1906 to me. Sort of presages the avant-garde and dadaism. What was the gentleman's moustache like?

JeffB wrote:
I don't know. That all sounds very Paris 1906 to me. Sort of presages the avant-garde and dadaism. What was the gentleman's moustache like?

Hair style was definitely more 70's than aught's. No recall on a moustache.

Dinner at the kitchen table at Next Restaurant was one of the most refined and enjoyable meals in memory. The soft poached quail egg with anchovy was delicate and intense. The caviar course was outstanding for its decadent portion, and the tiny latkes were stable enough to hold a heaping pile of caviar and crème fraiche yet light enough to get out of the way. Sweetbread incorporated in the lamb tower took the entire experience to another level for me. And the duck was not only plentiful and cooked perfectly, but the interaction with the chef and tableside preparation left me with a meaningful sense that this was a special-occasion dinner. That sense was reinforced throughout the evening by the sterling serving pieces and top-level service. Not everything was exactly to my liking, but it didn't have to be - the overall execution on display, the sauces, and several delicious details at this restaurant left me with a very positive impression. I hope to be back.

Just as an FYI for the people who are still interested in getting a table at Next, this is from the Facebook page this morning:

OK. Today is the BIG day. 120+ tables for sale... we are up to full steam at Next... all of the reserved tables for Paris 1906 go on sale TODAY... sometime around 10 AM. At least 4 tables every night from now until June 30. Good luck... this will be the last ticketing sale (except same night) for a while....

Website is getting slammed. Actually timed out for me a couple times.

Feel bad for Nick. This is just going to usher in another round of people complaining.

edit: Although this is the end of the ticket drama so maybe it's a good thing

I was able to get a seating for 2 for late June. The website timed out on my home pc, but I was able to get in through my work laptop.

For those of us who can never get on, has anyone compiled a time/day/price matrix, so one can find out when the "off-peak" or bargain seating days and hours are?

And can anyone who has been to Next comment on the wheelchair accessibility of the room?

The entire restaurant is on one level. The bathrooms are downstairs. No idea if they have an elevator or not.

I also don't remember if there is a ramp that leads up to the restaurant since it is on a kind of elevated sidewalk. Hard to explain but it's making sense in my head.

Gotta say, the 5-star Time Out review offers some real cognitive dissonance, as the critic is at most only mildly enthusiastic about the food.

boudreaulicious wrote:3) Major service issues at Aviary that I will save for another post in that thread. Maybe. Or not.

Dish! I think we were there at the same time you were, but completely didn't see you (I think that's the design of the room, seems perfect for secret assignations).

Vitesse98 wrote:Gotta say, the 5-star Time Out review offers some real cognitive dissonance, as the critic is at most only mildly enthusiastic about the food.

I was trying to explain this to my wife and cognitive dissonance is exactly what I was looking for.

TCK wrote:

Vitesse98 wrote:Gotta say, the 5-star Time Out review offers some real cognitive dissonance, as the critic is at most only mildly enthusiastic about the food.

I was trying to explain this to my wife and cognitive dissonance is exactly what I was looking for.

Not how I read it at all...it seemed as if she wanted to absolutely gush about the food, but her guilt/shame at having been able to secure a spot and having received semi-VIP treatment resulted in a very conflicted piece of writing. She very clearly believes Next to be a great experience. She just doesn't want to rub her reader's face in it, since it's highly unlikely that they can do anything productive with that piece of information.

The "I'm sorry, everybody, but I got to eat at Next" piece is an interesting departure, and perhaps a natural progression from the "Everybody look at me, I got to eat at El Bulli" piece that's finally being put to bed.

I can see that perspective, I guess. Weird review nonetheless, I think, because the "exclusivity" of Next is more illusory than that of, say, Alinea, which is truly prohibitively expensive and therefore out of reach of most readers even if they get a reservation. The whole thrust of the TOC review was just ... strange.

Reader review:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/ne ... id=3767953

"Apart from that and the silver, I'm pretty sure I was treated like everyone else."

Amusingly inaccurate, as they got the lamb and sorbet courses that most people don't get...

I'm taking solace in the fact that while I was one of the first to sign up ( I did so as soon as signing up became available) I will probably be one of the last to actually eat there through no fault of my own.

Whining rant over.

Not sure what you dudes are talking about re: the food at Next. Sure, it's not conceptually daring or anything, but that's not the point. The flavors were perfect: rich, deep, layered, delicious. The Chicken dish was blah, I'll totally agree to that, but everything else blew me away. Without question, I enjoyed my meal at Next more than my meal at Alinea. I really think the only competition this Next menu has is Schwa, which offers a comparably good meal at a comparable price.

Philosophical question: if the menu at Next is set, and one of the main entrees is a universal "meh" or "bleh," and many find the dessert underwhelming, and - coincidence? - the local print raves (Trib, Time Out, Reader) all got the great lamb dish that most of us did not/do not get, can you really justify a five-star rave?

Also, is it possible - and normally I wouldn't ask this - that the writers of said reviews got exceptional food/service because at Next, they know/knew they were coming? I'd like to think no, but again, it can't be a coincidence that all three of the aforementioned reviews/reviewers got the lamb dish. Did they get anything else the rest of us did not? Better wine? Bigger pours? Extra care?

Vitesse98 wrote:Philosophical question: if the menu at Next is set, and one of the main entrees is a universal "meh" or "bleh," and many find the dessert underwhelming, and - coincidence? - the local print raves (Trib, Time Out, Reader) all got the great lamb dish that most of us did not/do not get, can you really justify a five-star rave?

Also, is it possible - and normally I wouldn't ask this - that the writers of said reviews got exceptional food/service because at Next, they know/knew they were coming? I'd like to think no, but again, it can't be a coincidence that all three of the aforementioned reviews/reviewers got the lamb dish. Did they get anything else the rest of us did not? Better wine? Bigger pours? Extra care?

Not only did I not find the food "meh," I thought it was one of the most exciting meals of my life, even the chicken, which I appreciated as a restful course between two very intense courses. I did not find it "bleh" or "meh," and enjoyed it a great deal for what it was.

FWIW, I'm an utter nobody and received excellent and thoughtful service. YMMV, of course, but I really have a hard time concluding that since a few people posted on LTH that they had a less than transcendental dining experience at Next that the restaurant is receiving glowing reviews due to preferential treatment given to the reviewers. I saw others receiving extra courses on the night I dined there, and it was a luck of the draw type of thing, I certainly did not take it personally and was beyond pleased with the food and service I did receive. Just my two cents.

Vitesse98 wrote:Did they get anything else the rest of us did not? Better wine? Bigger pours? Extra care?

Itemized checks?

Totally agree with Ursiform.

My food experience was wonderful, even though I am a nobody and I got no extra dishes. The service was superb; as good as Alinea.

Also, I am going back next month! So I really don't have a ton of sympathy for all the whiners who can't get a table. Yeah, it's not easy and you have to act fast, but it's doable if you are paying attention. Christ, there is a walk-in table every night. Just show up at 6 and hope for the best. Can't get a table? Walk down the street to Publican.

As for "did the reviewers get bigger pours?" The wine bottles were left on the table, which I treated as an "all you can drink" scenario, and got no indication that it wasn't when I poured myself as much as I wanted. Achatz/Kokonas & co. are all about service. Part of service is that I get it MY way. I didn't enjoy my experience at Alinea as much because it was too stuffy and I was too worried about acting correctly. What I learned to do at Next is take what I want. It makes me happy and that's what they want. Want more wine? Take it or ask. They aren't going to say no, and they aren't going to charge you.

I had great, great service at Next. Service was the best part of my meal. My point is, all things being equal, if everyone is getting the same thing, and you have no choice in the menu, and several reviews, including raves, all mention even a single major menu item being sub-par (whether or not you, or I, disagree; I'm talking the pro reviewers), then I don't see how they can justify the full-on rave. Praise it, sure, but save the perfect reviews for something the review defends as perfect rather than explicitly denotes as less than so.

As for the preferential treatment issue, isn't it suspicious that the Trib, Time Out and Reader critics (at least) all got the lamb? Is that really just the luck of the draw? Can't be, can it? I'm not calling into question their integrity as critics, I'm just suggesting that if - if - they were singled out to get a dish that most of us do not get, an ethical transgression (as such) that falls on the shoulders of the restaurant, there's no way to know what other variables may have been altered. I'll be curious to read if a) all these publications review each iteration of Next and b) if their experiences prove equally exceptional (in the literal sense).

But I've said it above and I'll say it again: I very much look forward to dining at Next again, with a different menu. I may have been less than impressed by the food, but the food is the one aspect guaranteed to change the next time around, which makes things equally appealing and exciting. And while I liked my Alinea experience more, I know the odds of me dining there again any time soon are much lower than the odds of me snagging a ticket to Next the next time around. And I've got my fingers crossed that I'll like the next menu at Next more. Especially if they itemize my bill.

I haven't eaten at Next yet, but aside from those at the Chef's table, is it really random who else gets extra courses?

Not that it matters too much, but just curious.

I think the only way I would have gotten better service is if they cut up my food and fed me, but that would have been too awkward to even enjoy the meal. I won't feel bad about pouring my own wine next time, either.

Regarding the walk in table every night, that was advertised, but is not happening. People have asked and have been told that it isn't happening. I can be proven wrong, but with the amount of people commenting everyday about how much they enjoyed their meal, no one has come to the Facebook page to say, "OMG I waited outside and got the walk in table right at 6!!!!". The only walk in tables have been people from Aviary.

So yeah, if you got tickets twice, you are lucky. You aren't doing anything different than anyone else. 120 tables gone in 43 seconds this past week meant everyone was paying the same amount of attention. The same night tickets are your best chance.

FWIW I didn't see anything extra going out to tables when we dined there. Based on comments I've read, I believe it to be entirely random.

Vitesse98 wrote:As for the preferential treatment issue, isn't it suspicious that the Trib, Time Out and Reader critics (at least) all got the lamb? Is that really just the luck of the draw? Can't be, can it?

My table of four (of nobodies) was served the lamb dish, gougeres w/ mornay sauce and sauternes sorbet in addition to all of the items on the non-chef's table menu. I don't know if only select tables were given these additions or if they were given to all tables, and I don't know if it's a result of them slightly modifying the regular menu over time.

FWIW, at Alinea they'll send random dishes to tables when they're getting close to finalizing a new dish in order to gauge customer reactions. I wouldn't be surprised if the lamb becomes a regular menu item by the time the Paris menu ends.

Also, I'm not sure what's so strange about disagreeing with "professional" reviews. People have different tastes. What resonates with some might not resonate with others. I can't think of a single restaurant that is universally loved.

In case you still were looking for a chance to eat at Next, here is another chance..

From their facebook page:

Next Restaurant
Big News: In honor the the National Restaurant Association show in Chicago this weekend... we are opening Next on Monday. All seats $ 100. Tables go on sale at 10 AM today....

A slight diversion from the usual going-ons in this thread:
Our local restaurant here in La Jolla, has a monthly family-style dinner event. This month's menu is shown here.
Coincidence, or...?