I have learned over many years and many tasting menus to be suspicious of any meal that seems like “too much of a good thing.”
French
If Next has done anything well, it has been to demonstrate that there is an appetite for more of Charlie Trotter. Through this residency, the restaurant has also affirmed that effectively imitating this old master is anything but a foregone conclusion.
After more than five years and 1,000,000 words published, it is time for a change in format…
From the archives: An Exploration of Ethnic Identity and the Persistence of “Prairie” Cuisine
You cannot say you have eaten at Le Francais or Charlie Trotter’s in their prime, but you feel no fear in saying Smyth is the greatest restaurant Chicago has ever seen. And, by all accounts, the Shieldses are only getting started.
Sure, Galit has gotten plenty of positive press, Cabra’s Peruvian fare is fantastic, and Gaijin promises to shift the paradigm for Japanese food in the city, but Tzuco stands as Chicago’s hottest opening of the year…