Foods from NEXT Restaurant
Comments
2015 Oct 17
The Blind Sharing Lunch Menu was quite something. For $25 per person (minimum 2), you are promised 5 savoury dishes and 2 desserts for sharing.
Here's what we had:
1. Toasty olive oil baguette - 4 pieces, gorgeously soaked with olive oil. We spread the labneh and fresh basil leaves onto this and it was wonderful!
2. Crispy kale salad with pickled okra, pressed Triple Sec watermelon, feta, etc - Amazing! Quite rich, lots of oil, but perfect for really hungry people like we were.
3. Tom Kha Gai - richer and more complex than I've had at Thai restaurants, but less spicy. There was a lovely nugget of crunchy pork or something at the bottom that made it extra special.
4. Roasted mushrooms on toast - this was served between the two mugs of soup. Together, they were two dishes served on the same dish. ;-)
5. General Blackie's chicken - much better than I remembered it from the NAC and NEXT buffets. This was a massive plate of crunchy and addictive chicken. At this point we knew for sure that we couldn't touch dessert if we ate it all, so we asked to have the remainder packaged up. It's certainly one of the better GT's Chicken incarnations in the area.
Our dessert board featured not two but three desserts! The one at the rear of the pic, to the left of my monkey, is the crispy-sticky toffee pudding. This was a deep fried wet cake drizzled with a slurpworthy and memorable peanut sauce. The crème brûlée was good and the chocolate mousse and marshmallow whip parfait topped with sweet peanuts was addictive. After such a feast, the latter was sugar overload. It had a name like The Filthy Stacker which seemed a little off-putting, but if you enjoy your sugar you will love this one!
Overall, it was a ton of food. I eat well and I absolutely love rich foods. But by the time the fried chicken showed up I was already loaded with oil-soaked baguette, shiny kale, and creamy coconut soup. Personally, I like to think food like this serves to keep my skin soft in the winter but if you prefer lighter fare you may want to opt for the non-blind lunch special instead (2 dishes for $18).
This being a birthday celebration, we pretty much doubled the bill with a bottle of good wine (2013 Grenache-Carignan, Verdera, Negre, Spain). I just realized I could have brought my own bottle and paid a very reasonable $5 corking fee (Thur-Fri only), but since this particular wine isn't readily available I think I can justify the extra amount to my shareholders (i.e. wifey).
Seriously, with this blind sharing menu and the option of a $5 corking fee, this is an unmatched deal for gourmands!
Service was friendly but very casual. When the server moved the first board and a hunk of olive oil baguette tumbled off onto the table, he retrieved it with his hand and returned it to its original location. It's an entirely understandable panic reaction but well trained staff would replace it outright or at least offer to do so. (I didn't mind eating it because I know this kind of incident happens in restaurant kitchens and warming counters all the time anyway.) We poured our own wine and water throughout the meal and used the same plates and cutlery for each course. The service is fine but don't expect premium pampering. In any case, for this price I'm not complaining one bit.
Here's what we had:
1. Toasty olive oil baguette - 4 pieces, gorgeously soaked with olive oil. We spread the labneh and fresh basil leaves onto this and it was wonderful!
2. Crispy kale salad with pickled okra, pressed Triple Sec watermelon, feta, etc - Amazing! Quite rich, lots of oil, but perfect for really hungry people like we were.
3. Tom Kha Gai - richer and more complex than I've had at Thai restaurants, but less spicy. There was a lovely nugget of crunchy pork or something at the bottom that made it extra special.
4. Roasted mushrooms on toast - this was served between the two mugs of soup. Together, they were two dishes served on the same dish. ;-)
5. General Blackie's chicken - much better than I remembered it from the NAC and NEXT buffets. This was a massive plate of crunchy and addictive chicken. At this point we knew for sure that we couldn't touch dessert if we ate it all, so we asked to have the remainder packaged up. It's certainly one of the better GT's Chicken incarnations in the area.
Our dessert board featured not two but three desserts! The one at the rear of the pic, to the left of my monkey, is the crispy-sticky toffee pudding. This was a deep fried wet cake drizzled with a slurpworthy and memorable peanut sauce. The crème brûlée was good and the chocolate mousse and marshmallow whip parfait topped with sweet peanuts was addictive. After such a feast, the latter was sugar overload. It had a name like The Filthy Stacker which seemed a little off-putting, but if you enjoy your sugar you will love this one!
Overall, it was a ton of food. I eat well and I absolutely love rich foods. But by the time the fried chicken showed up I was already loaded with oil-soaked baguette, shiny kale, and creamy coconut soup. Personally, I like to think food like this serves to keep my skin soft in the winter but if you prefer lighter fare you may want to opt for the non-blind lunch special instead (2 dishes for $18).
This being a birthday celebration, we pretty much doubled the bill with a bottle of good wine (2013 Grenache-Carignan, Verdera, Negre, Spain). I just realized I could have brought my own bottle and paid a very reasonable $5 corking fee (Thur-Fri only), but since this particular wine isn't readily available I think I can justify the extra amount to my shareholders (i.e. wifey).
Seriously, with this blind sharing menu and the option of a $5 corking fee, this is an unmatched deal for gourmands!
Service was friendly but very casual. When the server moved the first board and a hunk of olive oil baguette tumbled off onto the table, he retrieved it with his hand and returned it to its original location. It's an entirely understandable panic reaction but well trained staff would replace it outright or at least offer to do so. (I didn't mind eating it because I know this kind of incident happens in restaurant kitchens and warming counters all the time anyway.) We poured our own wine and water throughout the meal and used the same plates and cutlery for each course. The service is fine but don't expect premium pampering. In any case, for this price I'm not complaining one bit.
2014 Jun 15
I have never been fan of Michael Blackie – not when he was at Brookstreet nor at the NAC. I didn’t feel all the self promotion was warranted, however all that changed when I ate at Next a few weeks ago.
My first clue that something was different was when we walked into the restaurant and there was Blackie (or "chef" at the servers refer to him) putting the finishing touches on plates at the plating station and delivering dishes to tables around the room – I was impressed.
Things got even better when we started tasting the food. The way they explain the menu is that everything is meant to be shared, although there are smaller versions and larger versions. We tried:
- Toasty olive oil baguette & labneh - set on a piece of wood, these approx. 2” thick pieces of baguette soaked in olive oil and toasted were delicious and the pickled okra, vinegar olives and roasted red peppers on the side were a nice touch, my only complaint is that the smear of labneh was a bit skimpy
- Crispy aromatic green papaya salad – for $10 this was a huge portion and very tasty – a mixture of cabbages, papaya, fried vermicelli tossed in a asian inspired vinaigrette
- Tom Kha Gai - this was the star of the evening, served in a tea pot with small mugs used as “soup bowls” this was wonderfully flavourful with chicken, mushrooms and a coconut/lime broth – I would have been happy to have had the whole portion to myself
- Braised molasses & honey beef short rib (this was one of the “large” dishes) - this was my least favorite dish but only because the others were so good. The beef was tender, fall of the bone, it came with mashed potatoes on the side
All of this ended up being way too much food for two people so unfortunately we did not have a chance to try any of the desserts. Next time I would stick to the “smaller” plates only.
The one thing I found odd was the layout and feel of the restaurant. The public restaurant (there are also several areas that can be booked for private events) is one big room which has a tiled floor and very high ceilings. Not exactly sure what made me uncomfortable, perhaps it’s that the room’s windows are very high so you can’t see out of them, maybe it was the feeling that the building had a previous life as a model home. I don’t know, but I will be back to try more of the dishes on the menu or maybe just repeat the great ones we already tried!
My first clue that something was different was when we walked into the restaurant and there was Blackie (or "chef" at the servers refer to him) putting the finishing touches on plates at the plating station and delivering dishes to tables around the room – I was impressed.
Things got even better when we started tasting the food. The way they explain the menu is that everything is meant to be shared, although there are smaller versions and larger versions. We tried:
- Toasty olive oil baguette & labneh - set on a piece of wood, these approx. 2” thick pieces of baguette soaked in olive oil and toasted were delicious and the pickled okra, vinegar olives and roasted red peppers on the side were a nice touch, my only complaint is that the smear of labneh was a bit skimpy
- Crispy aromatic green papaya salad – for $10 this was a huge portion and very tasty – a mixture of cabbages, papaya, fried vermicelli tossed in a asian inspired vinaigrette
- Tom Kha Gai - this was the star of the evening, served in a tea pot with small mugs used as “soup bowls” this was wonderfully flavourful with chicken, mushrooms and a coconut/lime broth – I would have been happy to have had the whole portion to myself
- Braised molasses & honey beef short rib (this was one of the “large” dishes) - this was my least favorite dish but only because the others were so good. The beef was tender, fall of the bone, it came with mashed potatoes on the side
All of this ended up being way too much food for two people so unfortunately we did not have a chance to try any of the desserts. Next time I would stick to the “smaller” plates only.
The one thing I found odd was the layout and feel of the restaurant. The public restaurant (there are also several areas that can be booked for private events) is one big room which has a tiled floor and very high ceilings. Not exactly sure what made me uncomfortable, perhaps it’s that the room’s windows are very high so you can’t see out of them, maybe it was the feeling that the building had a previous life as a model home. I don’t know, but I will be back to try more of the dishes on the menu or maybe just repeat the great ones we already tried!
2013 Oct 28
My first time at the restaurant and I had no expectations but was hungry for a good meal as we hadn't eaten out in a while. My girlfriend was a fan of Michael Blackie, having eaten his food at the NAC and a private function in the past, so she suggested we check out Next.
We were not disappointed!
It was Sunday night, and by all accounts the place was winding down from a busy brunch and so we found that we were only one of four parties to dine that night. We found the atmosphere quite nice for a space so large, and chose a place next to the fire for our meal.
We ordered the Tom Ka Gai, Yellow Tail Sashimi Slate, and the Prawn Pot Stickers to start; all executed well. Presentation in this restaurant is a visual feast and reminded me of the saying "the eyes eat first."
We really enjoyed the family style dining and quickly devoured our starters just in time for our main and sides to come out: Fall off the bone Shank Lamb with Polenta and a rosemary reduction; creamy asparagus, beans and kale; and smashed potatoes. So good.
We finished off with a superb creme brule with fresh berries and cappuccino.
Service was excellent, despite only one wait staff for the evening. She handled the tables efficiently and without being obtrusive; brilliant.
We were pleasantly surprised by the bill, which came with a 20% discount because it was a Sens home game and since we booked our reservation online, we were entitled to the savings. Two people, three starters, a main and three sides, drinks and dessert: $136 with standard gratuity--you can't beat it.
We give Next 5 stars; quite the hidden gem in Stittsville for us west enders who don't always want to make the drive to the city for fine dining.
We were not disappointed!
It was Sunday night, and by all accounts the place was winding down from a busy brunch and so we found that we were only one of four parties to dine that night. We found the atmosphere quite nice for a space so large, and chose a place next to the fire for our meal.
We ordered the Tom Ka Gai, Yellow Tail Sashimi Slate, and the Prawn Pot Stickers to start; all executed well. Presentation in this restaurant is a visual feast and reminded me of the saying "the eyes eat first."
We really enjoyed the family style dining and quickly devoured our starters just in time for our main and sides to come out: Fall off the bone Shank Lamb with Polenta and a rosemary reduction; creamy asparagus, beans and kale; and smashed potatoes. So good.
We finished off with a superb creme brule with fresh berries and cappuccino.
Service was excellent, despite only one wait staff for the evening. She handled the tables efficiently and without being obtrusive; brilliant.
We were pleasantly surprised by the bill, which came with a 20% discount because it was a Sens home game and since we booked our reservation online, we were entitled to the savings. Two people, three starters, a main and three sides, drinks and dessert: $136 with standard gratuity--you can't beat it.
We give Next 5 stars; quite the hidden gem in Stittsville for us west enders who don't always want to make the drive to the city for fine dining.
2013 Jul 27
Yesterday for lunch we went to Next, Chef Michael Blackie's restaurant in Stittsville. We had an amazing lunch there, everything was spot on. They currently have a lunch special where for $19 you can order any two items from either the hot or cold dishes. We elected to order our 4 dishes from the hot options. We started with Blackie's Chicken, delicious pieces of tempura fried chicken in a kecap manis-ginger sauce. Those of you who you have eaten at either Brookstreet or the NAC when he was in charge, will be familiar with this dish. This was followed by Nasi Goreng, an Indonesian fried rice served with shrimp kruput and beef coconut satay. We then moved on to Three Sterling Sliders, served with french fries and a grainy mustard mayo for sipping. Finally, we had what the menu described as Braised Molasses and Honey Beef Short Rib, served with duck fat mashed potatoes. It is important to note that these are not small plates - they are full servings. Not sure how we managed to eat it all (except for a few fries) but clean our plates we did. We thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful.
The service was excellent, the dining room is lovely and I can't say I remember the last time I ever saw the chef at the pass as we did today with chef Blackie working the pass and checking every plate as it went out. Excellent food, very good service and a lovely spot. We are already plotting a return trip and I encourage you to try it as well.
The service was excellent, the dining room is lovely and I can't say I remember the last time I ever saw the chef at the pass as we did today with chef Blackie working the pass and checking every plate as it went out. Excellent food, very good service and a lovely spot. We are already plotting a return trip and I encourage you to try it as well.
2013 May 12
The Mother's Day Brunch dessert table was the usual mixed bag of buffet dessert items, with one notable exception, based on what I sampled: the crème brûlée pictured here (in the square dish) was absolutely fantastic -- easily one of the nicest I've encountered. Velvety custard, rich with vanilla, and a gossamer caramel shell.
The bready croissant was probably the low point of the whole meal, but the fruit filled little muffin was quite wonderful. Cheese selection was mainstream, which is perfectly fine for a buffet at this price point.
And the kids sure enjoyed having free access to a dessert table!
The bready croissant was probably the low point of the whole meal, but the fruit filled little muffin was quite wonderful. Cheese selection was mainstream, which is perfectly fine for a buffet at this price point.
And the kids sure enjoyed having free access to a dessert table!
2013 May 12
We came here for the special Mother's Day Brunch buffet. The experience was excellent. Service was top-notch, friendly and attentive while unobtrusive. The staff were especially good with kids, which is a pretty smart thing to be in Stittsville's suburban setting. They asked the kids directly if they were enjoying the food, and I saw one server offer a fresh cloth napkin to a toddler who had dropped his on the floor. Very cool. Clearly someone here is doing a great job hiring and/or training the staff.
Buffets are never quite as good as full-service meals, but this was the best quality buffet we have experienced. There were fewer dishes than most brunch buffets, but each dish was tastier and more interesting than the norm. Quality over quantity, and that's all right by me!
There was no roast beef, ham, scalloped potatoes, or pasta salad. Instead, there was cold beef on baba ghanoush, perogies, lamb, duck confit polenta, mashed potatoes, and smoked salmon. The usual breakfasty items were well done: eggs benedict (smaller than usual poached eggs on a semicircle of toasted english muffin), pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage. The salad was simple greens with a single wonderful dressing. MB's trademark Asian-inspired dishes were also present: Tom Kha Gai, which was scrumptious with added straw mushrooms and cilantro, and his usual "General Blackie's Chicken." Both of these items are a little too sweet and devoid of spice for my taste, but I understand that a buffet has to appeal to the masses and the last thing they want is little kids screaming because the food is too spicy. :-)
The value was quite incredible: $27 per person with kids under 10 eating for free. Coffee and OJ included. My 9 year-olds don't eat much so this was refreshing, as we're accustomed to watching my daughter eat 3 tempura shrimp and not much else after paying $15 at AYCE sushi places.
The regular weekend brunch offerings look fantastic, especially the mysterious BOARD. Great to have such an establishment in the far west end of town! They also offer lunch and dinner and take home foods. Check out their website for details.
Buffets are never quite as good as full-service meals, but this was the best quality buffet we have experienced. There were fewer dishes than most brunch buffets, but each dish was tastier and more interesting than the norm. Quality over quantity, and that's all right by me!
There was no roast beef, ham, scalloped potatoes, or pasta salad. Instead, there was cold beef on baba ghanoush, perogies, lamb, duck confit polenta, mashed potatoes, and smoked salmon. The usual breakfasty items were well done: eggs benedict (smaller than usual poached eggs on a semicircle of toasted english muffin), pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage. The salad was simple greens with a single wonderful dressing. MB's trademark Asian-inspired dishes were also present: Tom Kha Gai, which was scrumptious with added straw mushrooms and cilantro, and his usual "General Blackie's Chicken." Both of these items are a little too sweet and devoid of spice for my taste, but I understand that a buffet has to appeal to the masses and the last thing they want is little kids screaming because the food is too spicy. :-)
The value was quite incredible: $27 per person with kids under 10 eating for free. Coffee and OJ included. My 9 year-olds don't eat much so this was refreshing, as we're accustomed to watching my daughter eat 3 tempura shrimp and not much else after paying $15 at AYCE sushi places.
The regular weekend brunch offerings look fantastic, especially the mysterious BOARD. Great to have such an establishment in the far west end of town! They also offer lunch and dinner and take home foods. Check out their website for details.
2013 May 19
Went today at 11am for Brunch after reading Mark's review as well as several friend who were there last weekend. Big place .. it was my first time in the building and the place is massive. The eating areas were nicely put together and they have many other rooms for weddings etc.. but overall, very nicely done. After we looked at menu we saw several tables receiving "The Board" and could not believe how good it looked. After some great service with water and OJ, we ordered "The Board" and Tea. The good and bad ... I asked for the eggs without cheese since dairy and I do not mix well and they did. However it was loaded on toast with butter or whatever..wife did the "no fly zone" on that. As well as the mussels was in a cream sauce. Thats the Menu and I have learn to adapt. Wife loved the eggs and pancakes. The kimci, salads, Steak tar tar, Beef and sausage was amazing - the grill chicken was the best and the deserts were also amazing. At $37.00 each is pricy I thought but overall it was an amazing brunch - A real treat. Service was top notch, the owner/chef was walking around and enjoyed talking to the customers. What I really enjoyed was the talking in the kitchen. My back was to the kitchen and I continued to hear "Yes Chef" "More pancakes .." "Yes Chef" and so on. I believed there was 5 cooks doing the Brunch/Training. I laughed and was expecting Chef Gord Ramsey to explode after hearing so many "Yes Chef"
Overall ..a great experience. Great staff, great food and friendly service. I wish there were a few less "dairy (Cheese Butter)" options on the menu ..since I like dairy ..it don't like me options. How the hell did I survive travelling to Euorpe during my high tech days??? We will return for dinner in the near future.
Good job NEXT
Overall ..a great experience. Great staff, great food and friendly service. I wish there were a few less "dairy (Cheese Butter)" options on the menu ..since I like dairy ..it don't like me options. How the hell did I survive travelling to Euorpe during my high tech days??? We will return for dinner in the near future.
Good job NEXT
felinefan
This is a special dinner being held next week. I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere so I thought I would post the link here. Hope the link works. If it doesn't details on the dinner are posted on the NeXt website. It looks like an amazing dinner.