Dec. 01--Next (953 W. Fulton Market) just announced the three menus that will make up the restaurant's 2016 season; tickets for the dinners will go on sale starting Dec. 9.
The winter menu is dubbed "The Alps," and will focus on the food from the mountainous regions of Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Lichtenstein and Switzerland. Expect warm drinks. Do not expect fondue -- at least, not traditional fondue. Tickets will run from $95 to $125.
The summer menu will be a "Tour of South America," which, given the various cultures and myriad ethnic influences of this continent, makes this menu utterly unpredictable. One bonus is that Next's Patio, the outdoor, a la carte space created as part of the "Tapas" menu, will return for "Tour of South America." Tickets will be $85 to $115.
The fall menu will be called "The French Laundry" and focuses on the day, 20 years ago, when Grant Achatz went to work for the famed Thomas Keller. Keller himself approved this menu, and there should be plenty of stories behind the dishes. Tickets will be $255 to $285.
Season-ticket holders will be able to renew their tickets beginning at 10 a.m. Dec. 9; general-public tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Dec. 11 at next.tocktix.com.
Here's a little hint for first timers: Go on the site well in advance and create a profile, complete with credit-card information. It will expedite your ticket-buying when the time comes.
Phil Vettel is a Tribune critic.
pvettel@tribpub.com
Twitter @philvettel
