Next* (Chicago) (Massimo Tribute)

I recently was able to take my lovely lady out to Next where I currently work. I know this may sound biased, but this was one of the best Michelin meals I’ve had while in Chicago.

The ambiance in the restaurant was perfect, they were playing lively music which definitely upped my mood as my childhood dog passed that day. We were greeted with so many smiling faces and were sat super close to the kitchen.

Course 1 (Camouflage: Hare in the Woods)
While reserving my table for this excursion, this was the one thing on the menu I was honestly nervous about. I’m not a big liver fan, and neither is my lady. I was hoping that the powders would really stand out and carry this dish. I was extremely surprised to love this dish and put it at my top 4 for tonight. The mousse was perfect, nicely seasoned, and the powders on top(truffle, hazelnut, and Marsala gelée) made everything even better. The Publican bread was a perfect pairing and was so soft. Absolutely amazing course.

Course 2 (Three Bites in the Windy City)
I’d say this one gets a 2 out of 3 for the satisfaction of the bites. I found the Chicago-Style oyster to be a little flavorless and boring. The fish and chips however, was absolutely perfect. The tempura bottom resembled a crispy rice and the Kampachi was soft and buttery. The cappuccino was also one of my favorites tonight, sweet and savory with amazing tomato flavors. The tomato mixture inside the cappuccino was absolutely amazing.

Course 3 (green goddess unveiled)
This course was good, but not the best. I think the egg yolk shaving could have some more flavor(I don’t know what flavor but I wish it stood out more) but the undercarriage was super salty(in a good way) and crunchy. The asparagus and snow pea really gave it a nice firm feel.

Course 4(Sablefish en Papillote)
This would be one of my top 4 on the menu. I work with this dish a lot so I’m slightly biased but the sauce is absolutely perfect. The fish is buttery, smooth, and delectable. The dashi chip ontop is a great crunchy contrast to the rest of the soft dish. Love this plating as well.

Additional Course (crab and caviar pasta)
This dish is an add on at $50 and honestly, didn’t do much for me. I think I may have messed up by just sharing one, but the crab wasn’t very tasty and it was honestly just bland and salty. Not a big fan of this one.

Course 5 (tortelloni drowning in broth)
This was an interesting dish, maybe I’m just not a huge pasta fan. I loved the filling in this pasta(prosciutto, chicken and pine nuts) and the broth. It felt like I was a child again and my mom was cooking me dinner, even though she never made anything like this. This dish had a homey vibe to it and was good.

Course 6 (beautiful, psychedelic abstraction of beef, not flame grilled)
I really loved the plating of this dish. It’s not what it’s really supposed to look like, as my coworker put a bunch of black truffle on it (thank you king!!!) but I honestly liked the sauces more than the beef. The tenderloin didn’t have much flavor to it, even with a ring of spice rub around it. The sauces however, were amazing. My favorite was the salsa verde.

Course 7 (five ages of Wisconsin cheddar)
I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews of this dish but honestly, I really loved this one. Its flavors resembled a very fancy mac and cheese. This also gave me a flashback to childhood which felt really nice, especially since I’ve been away from home for so long.

Course 8(oops! I dropped the lemon tart)
I’m going to give this dish a 10/10 and say that it was my favorite of tonight. First off, I love the plating so much. The lemongrass gelato has amazing flavor and sweetness, but doesn’t overpower the other components. The limoncello really was a nice touch and I found myself scraping the plate for scraps of it. The tart was perfectly spiced and gave the dish a great crunch. The little bites on the side are meant to give the tart a different vibe for each new bite. I found this to be a fun activity.

Course 9 (Dolcetti)
I’ve heard lots of mixed things about the foie gras popsicles but I love them. I think they are buttery and sweet with a perfect Thai banana center. The shell on the outside is smooth and delicious. My favorite of the two was the little bites on the outside. A financier with strawberry. So simple yet so amazing. I loved this course but wasn’t one of my favorites.

Overall this menu was so delicious and I’ve had such a fun time making some of these menu items and components. I’m very excited for the next menu they do (Space) as I’ve been able to see some of the behind the scenes R&D and it looks so cool. I hope people don’t disregard this review just because I’m an employee.