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I'm not sure I share your degree of cynicism on the subject, but I support you choice of pop culture reference

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-Dom
www.skilletdoux.com

So your real objection is the hype and not some glorious passion for dining democracy.

There are a lot of bad restaurants out there that are packed to the gills every evening in this country. I don't understand why Next would be singled out for this criticism...because you have to pay first? As if, if the food were bad at some other popular place you might refuse to pay for the meal you just ate? I guess it's possible, but that seems like pretty thin ice to be standing on for singling out Next. As it stands, if the food consistently falls below the level that people feel is acceptable for the price(s), that will become common knowledge and smart diners will take their money to an establishment with a better value proposition. In any given cycle there may be a chance for buyer's remorse for first time diners, so perhaps there's a "Fool me once..." type argument to be made, but given the amount of commentary on each menu, I think it's fair to assume that someone with the resourcefulness to get tickets certainly should be able to form an opinion about whether or not they are likely to appreciate what is going to be coming out of the kitchen. And, if they come out on the wrong end of that analysis, it's not like there isn't a healthy secondary market ready to snatch up the tickets they no longer want...

I suppose. But once the verdict is in, is it harder to get tickets or easier? I imagine maybe harder by the end of the cycle, but maybe I'm wrong. There seemed to be more tickets available at the end of Thailand than there were for Paris, and surely Thailand was more controversial/divisive, but I could be mistaken.

Anyway, yeah, it's I guess the faux ideal/appeal of democracy that bugs me, since in practice what it really does is perpetuate the hype. And the reason I single out Next is because Next is literally unique. What other restaurant will get reviewed three times a year by all the usual suspects? ( And without the due diligence, I might add, of multiple visits, I presume.) Who, without exception, appear to get (at least) expanded menus, and thus far have, without fail, raved? (Not connecting the two, necessarily). What other restaurant is virtually guaranteed to be booked up for the season, as such, before anyone has had a single bite of their food, let alone had an idea of the menu? As long as the service remains strong, I think that's more than enough to carry Next over whatever culinary speed bumps it encounters; surely, the radical shift from menu to menu obscures any frame of reference when it comes to the actual food. Meanwhile. Next's business model keeps it in the spotlight, which primes/potentiates hype. Like I said, it's brilliant. Insidious, even.

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http://fishsticksandketchup.com/

While I'm sure there are people who book at Next solely because it's exclusive or trendy or some other reason not having to do with the food, I doubt that's why people keep returning (and they definitely are). The Next crew puts out creative, innovative, deeply personal and delicious food. Not every dish. Not every day. At this price point and with this type of format, I wouldn't expect that. I expect to walk away having had a unique and satisfying dining experience. Not every menu interests me. Thai didn't. Childhood does. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in being drawn in by what they're doing--flaws and all--and not just by the hype. I wasn't blown away by everything last time and, yet, I'm eager to check out this menu and see what's "next." I couldn't care less who else gets to go or how they were able to obtain a table. Who thinks of that when they're making a dinner reservation???

And, by the way, I didn't think the service was that great the first time I went so it definitely isn't going to carry me over any "culinary bumps"--but their ambition, imagination and execution will. I'm just wondering if I'll get to see Catterson pace back and forth in front of my table again this time...

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“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

Talking about Next is like talking about Apple. The similarities are striking.

I was starting to get this feeling as well. I share Vitesse98's feelings on the matter, but decided to keep my mouth shut lest someone step in to explain to me why secret 11:50pm on-sales are a good thing. I'm definitely getting a whiff of sacred cow.

I haven't the slightest idea why they did it (although speculation about it having to do with being a kid up late when you should be in bed, etc. was interesting)--if I had to guess, I'd say it was to make sure that the website didn't crash this time

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“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

By which you mean that Next is to Alinea, what NeXT was to Apple? Will Alinea buy Next, Beran will rise to power, and Alinea will reinvent itself based on the the principals of Next?

-Dan

Or maybe it means that, every few months, everyone speculates about what their new, redesigned product will be, then some info is leaked and the buzz reaches a fever pitch, and finally it goes on sale and everyone beats each other up to throw their money at it. Wait, which one was I talking about?

Or perhaps once the product is released and inevitably sells out, you learn a portion of the inventory was held back on purpose and slowly trickled out. Thus you are driven further into a frenzy and now stalk them everyday to see if more product is available, and jump if and when some become available.

(Not that I know some stores purposely hand out less tickets than there are inventory just to keep people wanting,such that they camp out at 6am at Old Orchard or anything like that...)

It was easier to get tickets to Thailand towards the end because they:
1. had one big on sale at the beginning but held back something like 1/4 of tables
2. started doing weekly sales for tables, only for the coming week
3. extended Thailand's season a week or two in October (the original on sale calendar stopped at September)
4. continued doing the daily Facebook tables

At some point in October, they put an entire week's worth of new tables online because they had decided to keep Thailand going one week longer. (That week had never even been on sale before.)

The weekly sales seem to have placated the "I can't get out of work/get a baby sitter/fly to Chicago on a few hours notice" crowd. Now you have the option of trying for the weekly sale or the same-day one.

The midnight on-sale of Childhood also seems to have quieted the "I only have Internet Explorer at work" and "Why did you do this during rush hour?" and "that's right when I have to get the kids from day care" and "I can't access the Internet during work hours" complainers. There was a lot of moaning about that during the Thailand on sale, especially because some people actually took the day off work to try to get tickets, then got mad at Nick when the on sale didn't actually occur, because the site crashed.

I'm betting you can trace every change to the Next sales process back to some vocal contingent during the Thailand on-sale who said the process "wasn't fair" to them and they'd never get in because it was sold out and daily tables wouldn't work for X, Y, Z reason.

New video introducing Childhood posted on Next FB page ... has me grinning like crazy:

Genius. I don't even like most of those childhood foods referenced but when I saw that beater with batter on it I almost wept. It's still something I do whenever I mix any sweet pie filling or cake in the mixer. Once the product is in the oven, I sit at the table with the beaters, bowl,and spatulas and lick them.

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Ava-"If you get down and out, just get in the kitchen and bake a cake."- Jean Strickland

Horto In Urbs- Falling in love with Urban Vegetable Gardening

The beaters got me too - so many moments remembered ... from standing on the step stool at my grandmothers while my mom made her seven egg chiffon cake to baking brownies with my son and then my daughter ... so many good moments tapped in that image

I felt like I was going to cry for almost the whole video. I think it was all of the opening of packages/being surprised, the music was also uh...emotionally provocative.

Emotionally manipulative, you mean. Do you cry during Visa commercials, too? (That's OK, my wife does).

As a parent of two small kids, though, I guess I don't feel so far removed from these culinary icons of childhood. Be awesome if this meal were served by kids, too, in all their glorious, messy chaos. Sneezing in the soup, licking the beaters, putting down too many pieces of silverware ...

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http://fishsticksandketchup.com/

Are you just planning on shooting down any remotely positive thoughts from others about Next from now on?

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-Josh

An amuse bouche at breakfast is called a Bloody Mary - Scott Manlin

Nah, I'm just joshing. Enjoy your childhood!

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http://fishsticksandketchup.com/

First Childhood menu review that I could find so far.

Obviously, there's only so much you can discern from a 3-minute promotional video but I have to say this has me even more excited about the new Childhood menu than I already was. Many of the dishes depicted in the video recall the late days at Trio and early days at Alinea, when whimsy was very much on the front burner. I think those types of dishes, when served in the early days at Alinea, did not cast the place in a serious enough light, which is probably why they were evolved away from a bit over the years. Alinea wanted to be taken seriously. But clever, whimsical dishes made accomplishing that goal tougher because their presence on the menu made it easier for the nay-sayers to dismiss the cuisine as cute but not necessarily serious.

Next should be a perfect stage for such dishes. Without diminishing the now mighty Alinea one bit, the chefs can be as playful as they want and take diners on a journey that probably resonates emotionally for them as much as any menu possibly could.

=R=

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I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

That review makes it sound awesome. I think I would dig this. Now to find tickets...

That video reminds me of how odd my tastes were as a child. Never cared for Kraft mac and cheese, Oreos, canned soups, and turned my nose up at pb&j, grilled cheese, as well as bologna sandwiches. I would hit that beater, though.

Yeah, that certainly wasn't my childhood but it sure as hell was someone else's. Many of the kids I grew up with ate the exact foods depicted in the video. In my house, not so much. Now, if friend bologna on white toast with yellow mustard were on the menu . . .

=R=

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I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider

Twitter: ronniesuburban

saw a tweet that people are coming in costumes from their childhood!
Really? superman shirts and GS sashes?

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my food shots

Question for those of you in the know: was the unannounced midnight sale for the whole shebang, or just for opening weekend? Can we expect a second sale for the rest of the season, or am I S.O.L.?

IIRC it was something like 90% of the whole season (don't quote me on the exact percentage)

For Thai, the initial sale was like 80-90% with the rest held back. I haven't been following the facebook comments so no idea what, if anything, was announced.

The video is definitely cool. My wife is more excited about this menu than I am but we missed midnight release so who knows if we'll get the chance to go. I guess it depends on how vigilant I am about checking facebook.

Buried in the Facebook comments:
"There are about 25% of seats still being held for same-week, same-night, etc. tix to give more people a chance."

They'll very likely continue doing weekly weekend sales for tables, selling a handful only for the coming week, as well as daily Facebook tables.

"Like" Next Restaurant's page on Facebook, then turn on SMS updates.