Dr John Z.

A good friend took me here for dinner tonight and it is definitely one of my new favourite restaurants. This is well-known chef Michael Blackie's brain child who also served us tonight. We went with the blind menu of 8 different shared courses of which every one was excellent. Please see the accompanying photos. They also have both family roast dinners and multi course Sunday brunch which we will be back for. Great ambiance. Highly recommended.

Tiffany W.

We tried the blind tasting menu which was pretty tasty and great value. It is mostly a fully blind menu though you can tell the server if there is anything you don't like and preferences you may have. Service was a bit slow but friendly. We got: - compressed watermelon, spinach, feta salad - kapow cauliflower - orecchiette with Italian sausage (off menu) - tempura fried cheese curds - spiced roasted corn + coconut soup - ginger snap crusted crispy beef short rib - confit duck leg - P.M.C (peanut butter & milk chocolate mousse with caramelized bananas and marshmallow fluff) - deep fried cheesecake pops - dirty bottom cocktail and cherry bourbon sour cocktail Considering all the different food we got, most of the dishes were excellent. Prepared fresh with good ingredients and technique. Our favourites were the compressed watermelon salad, kapow cauliflower and the duck confit. On to dishes with room for improvement. The corn soup was extremely salty but had a good underlying spice balance. I think the fried cheese curds would benefit from a sharper spicy/sour sauce rather than sweet dominated one. The beef short rib was a very interesting pairing with the ginger snap crust which sometimes overpowered the savoury elements so I recommend adding the extra mustard and reduction that they serve on the side. The marshmallow fluff on the PMC was too sweet for us and didn't have any banana flavour. Lastly, the outside of both our cocktail glasses were super sticky, likely spilled over on its way to our table but just felt a bit unhygienic. Overall, more good dishes than not and would visit again to try different dishes.

Ashley G.

I absolutely love NeXt, and would frequent more often if it were closer to home. Having said that, the hubby works close by the restaurant and we've been holding onto a gift card that we've had for the past couple of years, and finally got around to using it up. The great thing about their gift cards is they never expire! So awesome! We decided to order a little bit of everything for dinner and enjoy it at home. For mains we got the Toasted warm E.V olive oil drenched bread, Tempura fried St. Albert cheese curds, and the hubby got the blackies crispy chicken. I didn't try his chicken, but he gave it 5 thumbs up. I LOVED the toasted warm drenched bread. It was super flavorful and really enjoyed the pickled tomatillo that it came with. The tempura cheese curds were amazing and came with a side of maple sriracha dipping sauce. It was soooooo good. Unfortunately they were all stuck together by the time we got it home, but the flavor was still unreal. We also got all the desserts on the menu. The Ginger vanilla creme brulee, Spiced ancho Chile milk molten drink and the apple tartine, which was my favorite. Although I was not a fan of the black truffle ice cream it came with. I am not a truffle fan one bit, but the caramel sauce it came with was un real. So good. It was a very nice evening enjoying this meal at home. The hubby noted that the owner, blackie was present during his visit and even answered the phone when he called to try and figure out the online ordering system. I love that the owner is very hands on with the business and makes his presence known. The food was delish, innovative and I cannot recommend this restaurant enough.

Julie L.

My friend and I went to Next. We shared the rib eye tartar and I had the Blackie's crispy chicken. The tartar was delicious, but the crispy chicken was average. There was a bit too much sauce for me and I felt there needs to be some vegetables or side dish to break up the taste. To be honest, the sauce on the chicken taste like something I can make at home. However, the service was great and the staff was friendly. It was an experience as it's well known in Stitsville but I would probably would try other places before going back.

Satya A.

Food was really great here. Very nice place for a date. The waiteess was helping and was really great. Only thing I didn't enjoy was there was a lot of sweetness in the dishes even in the rice and chicken. Will definitely go again

Anita C.

Came here the day they reopened after being closed because of COVID-19 restrictions. In terms of safety precautions, I felt very safe coming here. The tables were all well spaced out and they limit a max of 4 guests per table. They have contact tracing, plenty of hand sanitizers around, and take your temperature upon arrival. The staff were all great and friendly. The chef made appearances for what I can guess were for those who ordered the Chef's tasting menu. This was our first visit. Needless to say, we were very impressed and want to come back. The food was delicious! The portion sizes were larger than what I was expecting, which was not a bad thing. So for the price, totally worth it! I like their restaurant concept that all foods are meant to be shared. My husband and I shared 3 dishes. Maybe choose wisely for what guests you bring with you during COVID-19. I'm not sure if this would be a great place for vegetarians. I didn't see much on the menu but I wasn't looking too much into it. Next adventure would be to try their Sunday Brunch!

Janis K.

Ordered this prepared meal for my girlfriend's birthday and it exceeded my expectations for a takeout meal. We especially enjoyed the ribeye tartar and duck leg confit. The desserts were fantastic as well. Nine dishes for two people! Each stood on its own and I highly recommend for anyone looking for a special meal at home.

Samantha M.

This was my second time going to NeXT for their brunch board, and it did not disappoint. This is a pretty spacious restaurant and I'm sure it must make a really good event space. They have ample free, on-site, parking (always a bonus, especially since it is out in Stittsville a bit of a trek from downtown). The interior has a unique design, not fully in your face modern, but definitely fresh and open. I wouldn't mind seeing the place jazzed up a bit to match the *oomph* of the food. Once you make your way through the main entrance, the restaurant is split into two areas- a corner/high top area near the main entrance and by the bar, and a main dining hall. On my first visit, I was sat in the main hall, and this time we had a window by the main entrance. Spoiler alert: the food tastes just as good no matter where you're sitting! While I enjoyed my experience, I feel like I should note that on this particular visit we felt that service could have been a bit... better. Granted, it was busy, and a Sunday, but we did feel slightly put off by our server who was clearly not impressed when my friend asked some questions about one of the dishes due to her allergies. I don't want to dwell, but wanted to note it as it was the main reason I didn't give 5 stars. Customer service is key, no matter how great the food is and it was a somewhat off-putting. Moving along, back to the good stuff! The best way to describe the brunch board is to say that it is as a massive sample board of deliciousness. Their boards are made for two people and each person pays $34- including tea or coffee and your choice of one of five fresh juices along with 18 different cold, hot, and sweet dishes to devour. I don't take brunch lightly so when I say this was a very satisfying dining experience, believe me. We left feeling fully satisfied, but not overwhelmingly full, and the variety of flavours checked off every craving on our list. So, for the moment of truth... the food! Hot: Ka-pow humboldt squid, Chorizo spice tempura fried cauliflower, Piggy's in a comforter (with poached egg and hollandaise on top) Duck confit poutine, Banana pancakes, St-Albert tempura cheese curds (with sriracha maple lick), Double crisp sesame snap chicken, 48 hour braised beef brisket, Bacon, and Lamb keftedes Cold: Chocolate croissant, Caramel sticky cinnamon roll, Ginger infused watermelon compression, Crispy aromatic green papaya, and House brewed fennel nappa slaw, Dessert: Crushed espresso meringue + banana eton mess, Fried graham cracker crusted cheese cake pops, and Butterscotch blow torched brûlée. If you aren't currently drooling and scrambling to make a reservation for this Sunday, I don't know what you're waiting for. Treat yourself (and a friend, because you really do need two people to eat this.)

Adie N.

This is one of the best restaurants in Ottawa. They also serve a very big serving, which we had to learn the hard way. We dined in for brunch and dinner. Brunch is plated (1 big board for 2) if you're coming in with an odd number group size, for example us, we were 3, we were served 2 brunch boards which was a LOOOOOT! For dinner, we thought we under ordered but then, we still didn't get to finish it. So order little then add once the order arrives. Just that serving time is a bit too long.

Jennifer P.

Update 2018-10-21: Came back almost 5 years later and the menu has changed, but the food is still excellent. Portions are still small and prices are still high (one dish had 2 only scallops and it was $18). The 3 of us ordered 7 dishes ranging in price from $10-$18 each and I was still starving afterwards! Great place if you have a small appetite or a thick wallet. Original review: My father-in-law took my husband and I to NEXT recently. The decor is modern and sleek, the service was excellent, and the food good. Although I found that items were rather overpriced. We shared 5 items and then we each had a dessert. The Smoked Haddock and Corn Chowder ($12) was loved by my male dining companions, but not so much by me. I found it incredibly salty. It did have big chunks of fish, potatoes and corn though. The broth was rich and creamy. They served it to us in 3 cups (the server told us they sometimes serve their sharing soups in a kettle, so you can pour it out yourself, although I imagine that this would only work with soups without large pieces, unless the spout on the kettle is unusually large). The Prawn Pot Stickers (you get 6 for $12) were good, but honestly didn't taste any better than the ones you would get at any good Chinese Dim Sum place for half the price (a third of the price if you know where to go!) For the price, I was expecting them to be bursting with prawns. T'was not the case. The Seed to Sausage Charcuterie Board ($16) was interesting. There were 3 different types of sausages. I'm not a huge fan of sausage due to the high salt and fat content, but any sausage lover would surely love these. They were very flavourful. The Board came with a delicious eggplant jam, some pickled onions, jalapenos, a grainy mustard and some baguette crisps. You do not get a lot of anything in terms of quantity, but the presentation is nice and the quality was good. The Braised Molasses and Honey Beef Short Rib ($23) was delicious, but difficult to share because it was rather small. You get 1 rib and it sits atop of pile of mashed potatoes (there is apparently duck fat in the mashed potatoes - I only tried about a quarter teaspoon of it, so I couldn't really tell.) The rib was fall-off-the-bone tender, and was so tasty. The pistachio nuts added a nice texture to the dish. We also had the house cut fries (which was listed as a "Mini Share" which I thought was cute) ($6). The fries were thin shoestring fries, fried to perfection and tasted fabulous on their own. They also tasted fabulous dipped in the truffle mayo. There was a line of very finely milled sea salt on the side, which was delicious sprinkled on the fries, but because the salt was so finely milled, it's easy to inhale some of the powder and my husband and I both went into coughing fits as soon as we ate the salt. My father-in-law made a special request for his usual dessert (vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and maraschino cherries). They gladly accommodated his request, except they didn't have chocolate sauce, but he accepted their substitution of caramel peanut butter sauce. He enjoyed his dessert. My husband had the Crème Brûlée ($8). And he loved it. I had a small taste - it was very rich and creamy. I had the Tempura "crispy-sticky toffee" Pudding ($8). It is probably one of the most delicious desserts I have ever had. My jaw totally dropped when the server brought it to the table because it is huge. It is served on a board. The board is covered with marshmallow cream/fluff. Three good sized pieces of crispy sticky toffee are spaced out on the board on top of the marshmallow fluff (my husband described the pieces as mini deep-fried sticky and sweet french toast pieces). Salted caramel sauce is drizzled all over. And there is a side of vanilla ice cream. It was decadent. It was amazing. If you love sweets and are not a diabetic, you should leave room for dessert and order this. You will not be disappointed. It's worth the extra hours at the gym to make up for it, trust me. Our server was very sweet and friendly. She filled our waters and wine glasses regularly and checked up on us at appropriate intervals. Overall it was a great evening. The food is good, but I found the sharing plates overpriced for what you get. However, I suppose you are paying for the ambiance/environment and the service, and the fact that if you live in Stittsville you don't have to drive downtown for this type of restaurant.