After teasing all those who’ve been anxiously awaiting the announcement of the next theme at Next, Grant Achatz officially revealed that the always-changing restaurant will take on “Chicago steakhouse” in January. He tells Food & Wine that the restaurant is going “really traditional,” saying, “We want to transport people back in time and show them what it was really like to eat in the early 1950s, when a steak house was almost more of a club, with individual wine cellars and cigars.” As such, expect all the big proper nouns of retro dining, like Rockefeller and Thermidor — with sous vide lobster, naturally — plus takes on iceberg wedges, baked Alaska, and other mid-century menu staples. Those who got antsy during the restaurant’s vegan phase will be happy to know that the kitchen will even get the old-fashioned press going to extract juice from bones for Bordelaise. “We don’t want to make it too dusty,” says the chef, “but we want to hearken back to that period of over-the-top indulgence.” Set an alert now for when tickets go on sale after Thanksgiving. [F&W;, Related]
