- Michael Gebert
- Rene Deleon presses squab for Next: The Hunt in 2013
When we last spoke about the economics of Next, the most interesting and forward-thinking of Chicago restaurants from a business perspective, it had announced its latest season by significantly lowering its entry-level pricing. Last season, one of their premium menus (Trio) had started at $245 per person, making it one of the most expensive restaurants in Chicago (along with Grant Achatz’s other restaurant, Alinea). This year’s first menu, formerly called Next Paris Bistro, was promised at $70 to $80 per person, and came in somewhat higher, but still significantly lower than what came before, at $100 to $120 per person. I took the positive view of this. They would still make a heck of a nice menu at what is, after all, a pretty significant tab, even if it included plenty of opportunities to jack it up even further with luxury add-ons. But a couple of people who know the restaurant scene scoffed at me, saying that they expected that you’d have to go for a significant up charge in order to make the meal feel substantial enough—and not go out the door still kind of hungry.
- Via Facebook
- “Chalkboard” menu for Next Bistro
This is where it starts to look like a dinner for Mr. Creosote. There are both add-on items and available substitutions. If the lentil and bacon soup (which sounds perfectly lovely) doesn’t appeal as an hors d’oeuvre, you can increase your bill per person by anywhere from $17 (a pork head terrine) to $65 (a seafood platter, $130 for two). Few things are better than a classic onion tart—but maybe you’re tempted for your Premier Plat (which is not the Plat Principal, your main meat course) to instead be lobster vol-au-vent ($21) or blood sausage with shaved black truffle ($27). (Australian truffles, I’d guess, by the price and the season.)
