Last night’s meal at NEXT Restaurant feels like it was a dream.

We weren’t seated until 10 p.m., and we didn’t finish our last course until 1 a.m., so technically the meal coincided with the time of the night that I’m typically dozing off.

Like any good story, the meal had a clear beginning, middle and end. Corresponding with the theme of The Hunt, we began “outside” (rustic dishes that you had to “forage” yourself or, say, eat off of polished elk horns), then moved “inside” (candelit courses served on fine china that push the limits on excess, including my favorite course of the evening: sturgeon topped with beurre blanc and caviar). At this point, we were all too full to move, but proceeded back “outside” with a few more savory courses (paper-thin slices of bison that we cooked on a hot rock) and then wrapped it all up with some sweet notes, including the Marrow Brûlée pictured here (yes, that table runner is a deer pelt) and a bourbon maple syrup served on ice, reminiscent of Canadian sugar shacks.

Fortunately there were some familiar faces on my journey with me, but the rest of the cast of characters floated in and out of the narrative, as a team of servers rotated in and out to execute the whole meal with only a few, very tiny hiccups along the way. Quite a feat.

Though the menu focused heavily on meat and wild game, I know I consumed some non-Paleo ingredients over the course of the evening. But instead of stressing out over them, I allowed myself to revel in the indulgence, knowing that this meal was an experience I’ll remember for a lifetime. In doing so, I believe I embraced the spirit of The Hunt, described in the evening’s eloquent preamble as “a celebration of the animal and its locale,” of “using what surrounds you - flora and fauna - to the fullest extent in order to nourish.” 

Insalata Eoliana at Spacca Napoli, Chicago

Fingerling potatoes, fresh tomatoes, tuna, arugula, cucumber, onion, capers and caper berries, dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar.