4/5 Eugenio Padilla (. 2 years ago on Google
Upon
hearing
that
Next
has
a
10
year
anniversary
menu,
highlighting
some
of
the
best
dishes
of
the
previous
10
years
including
Alinea,
my
wife
and
I
decided
to
check
it
out.
My
expectations
were
set
pretty
high,
and
though
there
were
stumbles,
Next
achieved
those
expectations.
When
we
arrived
to
Next,
we
were
greeted
by
a
friendly
host
that
checked
our
coats,
and
were
then
promptly
escorted
to
our
table.
The
space
was
equal
parts
modern
and
intimate,
providing
a
good
ambiance
for
a
large
group
of
friends
or
a
date
night.
Dinner
opened
with
a
bright
and
fresh
Atlantic
salmon
cornet
that
tasted
as
if
the
fish
was
pulled
out
of
the
water
just
a
few
hours
before.
The
second
dish
was
a
cauliflower
cous
cous,
explained
as
a
"choose
your
own
adventure"
type
of
dish,
and
though
most
of
the
flavors
worked,
there
was
a
particular
flavor
that
was
a
bit
too
intense
for
my
palette.
The
other
noteworthy
part
of
the
dish
was
the
olive
that
was
served
on
the
side,
as
it
was
particularly
great.
After
that
was
the
child-like
interpretation
of
fish
and
chips,
which
was
wonderful
in
taste
and
presentation;
it
was
executed
perfectly
to
what
it
was
attempting
to
achieve,
including
the
way
the
non-alcoholic
pairing
was
brought
to
the
table.
The
next
set
of
dishes
was
easily
the
highlight
of
the
meal
for
me.
Starting
with
the
sturgeon
and
caviar,
this
dish
was
perfectly
cooked
and
perfectly
balanced,
with
the
rich,
buttery
sturgeon
complementing
the
saltiness
of
the
caviar.
The
next
dish
was
an
add-on,
a
white
truffle
agnolotti,
with
an
abundance
of
flavor
and
a
bountiful
amount
of
white
truffle
served
on
top;
it
was
absolutely
decadent,
though,
steep
in
terms
of
pricing.
The
white
truffle
dish
was
followed
by
the
black
truffle
explosion,
which
was
an
excellent
duality
in
flavors.
The
black
truffle
further
accentuated
the
earthy
aspect
of
both
dishes,
and
set
us
up
for
the
main
proteins
of
the
evening.
Unfortunately,
the
ascension
and
momentum
the
meal
had
going
came
to
a
halt
at
this
point.
Immediately
following
the
triumphant
trio
of
dishes
was
a
squab
dish.
I
appreciate
the
unique
presentation
of
the
dish,
but
it
was
unappetizing
to
me,
and
this
translated
to
the
overall
taste.
The
naan
foie
gras
did
not
have
much
of
a
positive
impact
to
my
taste
buds
either.
It
was
the
low
point
of
dinner,
but,
the
redeeming
factor
was
the
cook
on
the
squab,
as
it
was
glistening
and
moist.
The
last
of
the
savory
dishes
was
the
Chicago
steak.
In
terms
of
presentation,
it
was
presented
as
it
would
be
at
a
steakhouse,
with
the
main
steak
having
a
variety
of
acommpaniments,
sauces,
and
coarse
salt
for
seasoning.
It
was
a
huge
amount
of
food
and
it
could
have
almost
been
an
entire
meal
in
itself,
no
complaints
from
me
as
we
got
to
take
some
home.
The
steak
itself
was
good,
tender
to
the
cut
and
bite,
however,
it
was
a
do-it-yourself
seasoning
as
by
itself,
there
was
little
seasoning,
but
the
steak
sauce
and
bearnaise
sauce
did
elevate
it.
The
side
salad
was
good,
the
baked
potato-esque
side
was
okay,
and
the
onions
had
too
much
of
an
alcoholic
taste
to
them
to
really
enjoy.
Overall,
a
good
dish,
but
with
faults.
Luckily,
the
desserts
remained,
and
both
were
fantastic.
Cheesecake
came
first,
and
it
is
hands
down
the
best
cheesecake
I've
ever
had.
It
was
a
velvety
heaven,
with
the
cheese
flavor
being
pronounced,
yet,
not
overbearing.
Extra
kudos
for
being
presented
by
itself
with
nothing
else,
as
it
is
a
confident
and
bold
statement
that
it
truly
backed
up.
The
last
dish
of
the
night,
in
contrast,
was
a
theatrical
conclusion,
with
the
plating
itself
being
part
of
the
magic;
a
true
joy
to
see
in
person.
It
is
a
dish
that
requires
being
eaten
with
all
of
the
flavors
mixed
together,
as
some
components
were
heavy-handed
when
eaten
alone
(such
as
the
marscapone
ice
cream).
Overall,
this
was
the
perfect
bow
to
end
the
night
with.
To
sum
the
dinner,
Next
was
a
great
dining
experience,
and
one
that
I
would
recommend.
It
had
peaks
and
valleys,
but
the
former
outweighed
the
latter,
providing
rare
glimpses
of
culinary
ingenuity
that
are
worth
the
trip!
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