If you haven’t heard about the audacious new restaurant by Grant Achatz, the chef/owner of Alinea, follow these directions: (1) Look up. (2) Remove the rock under which you’ve been living. But even if you have been following the story, this primer might help. Next (953 W. Fulton Market; nextrestaurant.com) will change its entire menu and cuisine a few times a year and sell nonrefundable tickets instead of taking reservations. The first menu—Paris 1906—is an homage to Auguste Escoffier, the turn-of-the-century chef credited with inventing the modern restaurant’s kitchen brigade system and making French haute cuisine widely accessible to cooks. After three months, David Beran, a 29-year-old Achatz acolyte and Next’s chef, will start from scratch with the second menu; they’re leaning toward something involving Thai street food. At presstime, details were still being tweaked, but the multicourse menu should average around $85 per person (excluding beverages, tax, and tip). Here, for a taste of the past according to Next, is Beran’s work-in-progress hors d’oeuvres selection.

Hors d'oueuvres at Next: Gougere

GOUGÈRE
Cheesy puff filled with Mornay sauce, which is a cheesy béchamel. One hundred more, please.
Hors d'oueuvres at Next: Salmon

SALMON
The little boat is by-the-book pâte brisée filled with smoked-salmon mousse, slicked with salmon aspic, and garnished with a radish leaf, a cone fashioned from a rolled radish slice, chervil, and lemon segment and zest.
Hors d'oueuvres at Next: Rabbit

RABBIT
Typically made with veal and pork, this boudin blanc is bunny, served on a toast point with strawberry jam (rhubarb to come in season) and mint.
Hors d'oueuvres at Next: Foie

FOIE
The showstopper: a perfectly circular piece of foie gras terrine inside a slice of eggy brioche. How do they do it? We promised not to tell.
Hors d'oueuvres at Next: Pig

PIG
Mini quenelle of rillettes—here, pork slowly cooked in fat and then made into an unctuous paste. Sides include pickled ramp, a bit of jelly-like meat jus, and chive.
Hors d'oueuvres at Next: Anchovy

ANCHOVY
Tiny fillet of anchovy draped over a poached quail egg, with cornichon, red onion, and lemon. Liquidy inside, so eat it in one bite.
Hors d'oueuvres at Next: Leek

LEEK
This time we really have no idea how they get the mushroom—chopped and cooked down with shallots, fines herbes, and cream—into the leek.