Vie Restaurant - Paul Virant - Western Springs, IL

[ducphat30]

This past monday my wife and I celebrated our anniversary at Vie Restaurant in Western Springs, just south of the train station. I felt that it was time to start this topic, as of yet this Chicago magazine top ten must tries, had yet to be mentioned.

I will add that my review and discussion of the restaurant should be taken with a grain of salt because I consider the chef, Paul Virant, and his family very close to my own. He and I have worked together in the past and talk on a regular basis.

You walk into Vie and the first thing that you do is check in at the host stand. It is right inside the entrance, but you'll notice the woodburning fireplace inside the lounge which has bar space for 10 and a lounge area. Monday they were using it for dining room seating.

The dining room, twists and turns through the restaurant, is done in shades of white, gray and black. The tables are well spaced, and the banquettes are extremely comfortable and wide. Some banquettes can be so narrow, they are almost uncomfortable. It is a very modern/chic look which is tempered by beautiful chandeliers and black and white photography of the area around Western Springs. I know that my description does not do it justice, but believe me it is a very well thought out space.

I did not take notes during the meal, and my wife is not the most adventurous of eaters, but I will try and go into detail about the different aspects of the meal as best I can. The middle courses are in no peticular order, as I could not remember how they came out.

Amuse-Gently poached fluke on beluga lentils, light mustard vinaigrette: IMO fluke can come out extremely dry if not handled perfectly. They poached the fluke over very low heat until it was just cooked through, over the lentils with a whole grain mustard vinaigrette that was not overpowering, very light and creamy. Nice start to the evening.

Fried Quail, housemade gardiniera relish, creamy blue cheese: This is a fun little riff on buffalo wings. The quail was still medium in the middle and crispy on the outside with a housemade gardiniera (don't think fontano's relish) but a very petite cut of vegetables for it, plus the creamy blue cheese dressing (using Mindoro Blue). Nice little app, and who doesn't like fried chicken?

Ale and Cheese soup: Flavors of Wisconsin beer cheese soup hightened to fine dining status. It had the flavors of Sierra Nevada Pale ale and a young white cheddar cheese, nicely emulsified and yet still a light soup. It wasn't thick, nor was it grainy (both can be problems when making this soup). With a little herb oil, for garnish, it was a very good soup.

Gnocchi with braised rabbit legs: Outstanding gnocchi (featured in the Tribune) with shredded braised rabbit, and the flavors of tarragon and chervil. These are very well made gnocchi, soft and creamy but still holding their shape. Whatever the chef does with these, they are always good.

mixed lettuce salad, crispy goat cheese: I got a 1/2 bite of this, my wife was not to into sharing. It was a tasty salad, with a nice balance in the walnut vinaigrette, warm goat cheese and candied walnuts.

Braised veal cheeks and roots: Chef Virant is talking about taking these off the menu come the New year, which is a total bummer. These were outstanding. A lot of time and effort had been put into cleaning and properly braising the veal cheeks, they were tender, juicy and succulent all at the same time. Two of them came on a bed of small diced root vegetables and a reduction of the braising liquid. I asked for more bread to sop up the juices.

Wood Grilled Ribeye: Nice piece of meat, perfectly grilled with pommes frites, haricot vert and colmannaisse (colman's mustard flavored mayonaisse). A simple dish, really done well. This was my wife's entree and she was so kind as to bestow upon me a perfect bite ( a la When Harry met Sally) with a little bit of the meat some frites and colmannaise. It was very tasty.

Wood Grilled Venison Loin: Very good piece of meat, grilled perfectly, rare-medium rare, served on a bed of glazed salsify with black trumpet mushrooms and juniper reduction. This was one of the best venison dishes I have had in a long time.

Desserts: We ordered three, although we were at the point where we should have ordered one.

Peanut butter mousse: It was a rich dish with the flavors of peanut butter. This is a dish that they advertise for 2 normally. If you like peanut butter, you'll like this dish. It has some milk chocolate mousse, and is enrobed in dark chocolate mousse.

Warm Venezuelan Chocolate Cake: A warm chocolate cake with a rich, moist center and served with mint ice cream.

Gooey Buttercake: Gooey buttercake, think a warm coconut macaroon, that is served with housemade coconut sorbet and vanilla bean roasted pineapple. This was our favorite. It was one of those desserts that your still thinking about the next day. Really good. Perfectly matched with a beautiful sauternes.

We did drink a 1/2 bottle of Veuve Cliquot Orange label to start, a bottle of a light, yet full-bodied bordeaux and finished with an incredible 1/2 bottle of an Oreganian (sp) Pinot Noir. I apologize I cannot remember what they were.

The wine list is about 85 bottles strong and it is an eclectic, affordable bunch of wines, that are well thought out in my opinion. You can find something for anyone in just about any price range. They do have reserve selections, as well.

I really think that this restaurant has that something special that makes restaurants great.

I want to reiterate to take my review/observations with a grain of salt, but it is definitely a place to check out.

[gmi3804]

This past monday my wife and I celebrated our anniversary at Vie Restaurant in Western Springs, just south of the train station.  I felt that it was time to start this topic, as of yet this Chicago magazine top ten must tries, had yet to be mentioned. 

Great report! I've heard great things about this place. Between this place and Courtrights, it looks like I'm gonna be puttin' a lot of miles on my car!

[ronnie_suburban]

Vie gets mentioned with great frequency -- especially given its distance from downtown Chicago. Thanks, ducphat, for taking the time to provide us with some details.

=R=

[artisanbaker]

we ate there last night.

The space is nice in charming Western Springs, within walking distance for the Burlington line.

The tables were too close together.

The white atmosphere was a bit sterile, but the Ansel Adams style framed photos helped a little. There's one table near the bar that may be preferable; it's beside the fireplace.

I got the housemade pate which was good although I've had better. Take note if you're reading Vie team: Labelle's catering in La Grange makes the best pate I've had this side of Brest. At $10/ea I think I could have been served more than 2 tiny pieces of beer bread. I only used a quarter of the pate before I started using table bread. Nice micro greens and fruit confit to give some balance.

My wife got some bbq'd bacon with picked garlic that was good although not memorable.

We were served some housemade bread which was suprisingly good although they can improve (by using mine for example; j/k)

We ordered a 2002 Bernard Griffin Merlot which was an outstanding value for $30/bottle. Outstanding.

My wife got ribeye with wild mushrooms and mayo whatever. It was served with fresh fries. I tasted it and it was good although my wife insists on well done meat (family tradition) so I couldn't truly enjoy it.

I got beef short ribs which were meltingly tender and perfectly done. To contrast the other flavors, there were small radishes that were a very welcome suprise. It was a great winter dish, and to give you an idea about the nature of this dish I think that I could have easily enjoyed a good white wine with it, in spite of the red meat.

We had the chocolate cake for dessert, but it was not molten. That was fine with me since I am over the molten thing, and most importantly it was not too sweet. Mint ice cream on top with chards of chocolate in the ice cream. It was perfectly expedited, because the cake was warm and the ice cream was not melting at all. Bravo. I ordered the port option, although it was nowhere near as memorable as the port I last had at moto.

We ordered capuccinos at the end, and they were perfect. I used to be a barista and I was impressed by the execution of these drinks.

The service was good and very responsive. The music was jazz. And the tables were too close together. (i know i repeated this)

This may sound strange and perhaps it is because my background in pastry, but the one detail that stood out was the coco macaroon that we were served as mignardises at the end. It was for me, a perfect coco mac. I want the recipe!

It was good and I would return, although there are too many other restuarants that I want to check out. A lot of people are over the seasonal philosophy, favoring the experimental. But in the end it is taste that reigns.

3.5/5

[ronnie_suburban]

Rob,

Thanks very much for the write-up. It's especially timely in light of Dennis Ray Wheaton's article, "Suburban Passage," in the February issue of Chicago Magazine.

In the article, DRW lists 3 suburban restaurants as examples of the fact that ". . . suburban dining has come of age": Prairie Grass Cafe (Northbrook), Trio Atelier (Evanston) and Vie (Western Springs), which he considers to be the best of the 3 of them. It sounds like your experience didn't quite match up with his. Unfortunately, I haven't yet dined at Vie, so I cannot compare nor contrast it with the other 2.

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with being pastry determinist.

=R=

[ronnie_suburban]

I just learned that Vie is offering what sounds like a wonderful program on Monday through Wednesday nights: 3-course prix fixe menu for $30 and 50% off on all bottles of wine.

I think it would be especially tough for us northsiders to take advantage of this, but if I were in the neighborhood (or even somewhat closer) I'd definitely give this a whirl.

=R=

[artisanbaker]

Really nice article in the trib today.

[ronnie_suburban]

Here is the piece (by Phil Vettel) to which artisanbaker is referring:

Simple is good

When it comes to Virant's food, however, I've got very few complaints.

Virant's menu descriptions are straightforward, his flavor pairings uncomplicated. But the way he brings his ingredients together is magical.

Great ink for an up and coming local spot. Congrats to the entire team at Vie.

=R=

[ronnie_suburban]

In their May 2005 issue (not available on-line), Chicago Magazine names Vie one of the Top 20 New Restaurants of the Year and also names chef/owner Paul Virant as the Best New Chef.

Congrats to chef Virant and his crew!

=R=

[scordelia]

I have not been there yet, but sister-in-law and brother-in-law live in Western Springs and rave about Vie!

[ducphat30]

Chef Virant has been invited to cook at the James Beard House this month a week and a half after chef Poli

http://www.jamesbeard.org/events/2006/02/019.shtml

Menu looks good, they are lucky to have such a resource in NYC.

Edited February 16, 2006 by ducphat30 (log)

[ChefGEB]

Chef Virant is an awesome guy, and I can't wait to visit his restaurant. With regards to The Beard House, what could Chicago do to create something along the same lines for national Chefs to showcase their talents here?

[ulterior epicure]

With regards to The Beard House, what could Chicago do to create something along the same lines for national Chefs to showcase their talents here?

←

I've been thinking the same thing. After all, why should we let NY have all the fun?

Seriously, though, why couldn't we (I don't exactly who "we" are) have some kind of a "Chicago presents" type of event? Perhaps the Jean Banchett organization might be an appropriate/possible starting point?

Let's bring the forum to the Mid-West for once!! I think it would do a lot to not only spotlight Chicago as a national (if not world) presence in the restaurant industry, but also do wonders for the Mid-West palate.

U.E.

[Edited to add: Ron - perhaps this should be split off into another separate forum?]

Edited February 16, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

[Edited to add: Ron - perhaps this should be split off into another separate forum?]

←

I started a thread about this here:

Beard House-like entity in Chicago?, Could it happen?

=R=

[MJN]

Paul Virant, of Vie restaurant in Western Springs, is a new school chef focusing on old school ways. Lots of chefs talk about cooking in season, using local products, and cooking from the heart. Many of those chefs are just throwing out buzzwords. Chef Virant, on the other hand, is working hard to source midwestern ingredients, preserving and canning fruits and vegetables, curing meats, foraging for mushrooms, and digging fresh ramps. He believes in the purity of food, and celebrating the simple bounty of the earth. When we spoke during this interview, I asked him who he’d invite to a dinner party he was throwing. His response, Jimi Hendrix, legendary French Chef Fernand Point, and famed ecologist Rachel Carson. Yep, an ecologist. Paul Virant is the real deal.

You can find the podcast interview with Chef Paul Virant of Vie here:

Paul Virant Interview

[ulterior epicure]

and digging fresh ramps.

Ramps in the Midwest?

Thanks for the post - can't wait to hear the podcast!

u.e.

[ronnie_suburban]

I must first apologize to the good folks of Western Springs because I’m about to further expose their biggest secret, their hidden gem. Of course, Vie is no real secret and chef/owner Paul Virant gets as much ink as just about any chef in the city of Chicago. The fact that the former Blackbird chef and Paul Kahan protégé is turning out inspired, craftsman-like cuisine from a kitchen 20 miles west of downtown, says a lot about his abilities. Chefs, of course, live in the suburbs, so why shouldn’t there be great restaurants in the suburbs? The folks at Prairie Grass Café, Carlos, Le Francais wouldn’t argue that great food cannot be found outside Chicago’s city limits. The fact is, Vie's success and reputation are not examples of geographical culinary relativism. Vie would be sensation in any venue.

When our companion made our reservation, he mentioned to the person at the other end that we were coming in search of great food and that we were also doing our best to scout suburban foie gras preparations in advance of the City of Chicago’s upcoming ban. Of course, when you speak to a true professional, such conversations get converted into action. Our friend didn’t know at the time to whom he was speaking, but when our waiter arrived at our table with 4 foie gras appetizers -- which were not even offered on the menu -- it was instantly clear that the reservation conversation had been put to good use. It turns out that he had spoken with Vie's manager, the impeccably professional Gene Pellegrene.

As much a highlight as the succulent and rich foie gras and crepe dish was, the meal just kept getting better from there. Vie's menu, at least on the night we were there, seemed too good to be true. It was actually hard to decide what exactly to order because so many of the offerings were so tempting. Because of this -- and the fact that we didn't know the foie was coming -- we decided to order first courses, salads, entrees and desserts. At each turn, the food seemed to best the previous course.

For my appetizer, I ordered the Crispy Veal Sweetbreads with red beet jam, wood-grilled spring onions, arugula and a red wine vinaigrette. The sweetbreads were indeed crispy on the outisde -- perfectly so -- and delightfully tender on the interior. The accoutrements worked in perfect unison with them to create a truly memorable plate. I can't recall ever having a better order of sweetbreads. These trumped even the great ones -- served with pork belly -- I had at Custom House a few weeks back. To me, this dish said "Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts!"

Vie is focused more on leveraging seasonality than just about any restaurant at which I've eaten in a long time. I passed on a few excellent-sounding appetizers but was delighted to try bites of them when they were served to my companions. The Ricotta and Herb Gnocchi with morels and sugar snap peas were simply out of this world; tender perfectly dense and delivering a focused richness to the palate. My wife ordered the Gratin of Morels and Ramps and it was even more delicious. What a pleasure it was to experience such fleeting ingredients incorporated into such delectable and seemingly simple preparations.

My salad was a real treat: locally-grown, Nichols Farm Asparagus with fresh dill, thick shallot vinaigrette and parmesan crisp. This was a huge portion of tender spring asparagus in a sweet-tart-savory dressing that was just perfect with the generous accents of fresh dill. I loved this salad. And it was another seemingly simple preparation that clearly wasn't as simple as it looked. I've made hundreds of vinaigrettes in my time and not one of them was ever close to as good as this one.

I also got a chance to share the salad of Mixed Local Greens which was stunningly fresh and tasty. These greens had been treated with great care, the Strawberry Vinaigrette was another winner and the Pinot Noir and Spice Poached Strawberries which accompanied it were like delicious little gifts. I loved this salad as well as a 3rd salad on the menu, ordered by my wife. It consisted of crisp Organic Romaine, fresh hearts of palm, anchovy dressing and parmigiano reggiano served with a piping hot piece fried bread. Really, it was hard to determine which salad was my favorite. They were all sensational. Of course, while we ate the salads, we were bombarded with the pungent and unmistakably intoxicating aroma of truffle. This is because the 4th person in our group ordered the Cream of Henrys Farm Sunchoke Soup, which also featured truffle oil, and lemon. The soup was spectacular too. Wow! With the early courses, we enjoyed a great bottle of Chardonnay; a Littorai 2003 - Charles Heintz.

Entrees were compelling and completely over the top. Again, it was hard to decide exactly what to order. The choices -- trout, sturgeon, guinea hen, veal, lamb and hanger steak -- to name but a few, all sounded great. I decided on the wood-grilled Hanger Steak which turned out to be a fantastic choice. Needless to say, it was cooked perfectly to medium rare, sliced into medallions and served with harissa, grilled Wisconsin ramps, roasted garlic puree and fried spiced chick peas. Wow! It was such a cool dish and such an atypical preparation. I loved the chick peas and ramps and thought the sauce that formed on the plate -- harissa and beef juices -- was magnificent. Who needs potatoes and creamed spinach with their steak? This rendition of Hanger Steak actually tasted and felt completely Spring-like. It was a real eye opener for me. My wife ended up with Guinea Hen (pan roasted breast, braised leg and thigh) which was, also, startlingly delicious. It was served with some braised spring onions, sugar snap peas and organic baby carrots. All the components worked well together here but the hen was the star. It was so delectable. A few bites had me thinking that it was as good or better than duck leg confit. There is skillful cooking and there is mastery. This hen had been mastered. Unquestionably so.

With our entrees we had a tremendous bottle of Domaine Mongeard Mugneret "Les Petits Monts" Vosne romanée premier cru. I'm sorry I cannot remember the vintage. But this was a great wine, and at least for me and my Hanger Steak, a perfect fit as well.

Desserts, which are usually an afterthought for me, again had me scratching my head with delightful indecision. I opted for the Vie Split, a hand-crafted, house version of the classic Banana Split, featuring house-made ice creams (vanilla, chocolate and strawberry), sauteed bananas and caramelized peanuts. It was fantastic. But, even better was the Warm Gooey Butter Cake which was served with Lavender White Chocolate Ice Cream, Madeleines and White Chocolate Crunch. This was one of the best desserts I've ever had and certainly the best one I've eaten this year. The cake was warm, and gooey but with a perfectly light crunch on its exterior which was simply irresistable. I was totally full and could not stop myself from eating it. And again, I'm usually not even into sweets. With the desserts, the 4 of us shared a small bottle of light and refreshing Moscato d'Asti, which capped the evening pefectly.

The kicker (and a great thing) about Vie is that it really wasn't nearly as far away as I thought it would be. The drive from our house in the northern burbs to the restaurant's door took only about 30 minutes. In many instances, that's a lot less time than it takes to get downtown from here. I realize that going north to south is much easier in this town than going east to west. But still, even if it took you an hour both ways to go to and from Vie, it would be time well-invested. There are so many "hot" places in city that are nothing but PR and sameness. But Vie is a restaurant that, while clearly off the beaten path, deserves to be considered a destination restaurant. There are big-time chefs in our fair City who couldn't hold chef Virant's sautee pan. If you haven't been to Vie, you're really missing out. I personally cannot wait to return there.

=R=

Vie

4471 Lawn Avenue

Western Springs, IL 60558

708 246-2082

[ronnie_suburban]

I really should add that our waiter, Thierry, was a total pro. His service was impressively thorough but never overbearing. He patrolled the room like the seasoned veteran that he was -- never out of reach -- but never on top of us either. I can't remember once looking up and not seeing him somewhere near us. We never lacked anything, never waited for him to reappear, never didn't have what we needed or wanted in front of us. Professionalism like this, I believe, is becoming harder and harder to find in the restaurant world. I tip my cap to Thierry, who worked hard to keep us happy yet made it look absolutely effortless.

=R=

[molto e]

Ronnie S,

You have just made Vie my next must try restaurant in Chicago. BUT my suburban compass is faulty . Paul Kahan is one of my favorites and I was not aware that Chef Virant was a disciple until recently. Sounds like quite a meal Ronnie S and I am glad you did not complain at the Foie tasting that they sent you .

Molto E

[Alex]

The kicker (and a great thing) about Vie is that it really wasn't nearly as far away as I thought it would be.  The drive from our house in the northern burbs to the restaurant's door took only about 30 minutes.  In many instances, that's a lot less time than it takes to get downtown from here.  I realize that going north to south is much easier in this town than going east to west.  But still, even if it took you an hour both ways to go to and from Vie, it would be time well-invested.

=R=

Vie

4471 Lawn Avenue

Western Springs, IL 60558

708 246-2082

←

Also for us tourists, it's very near the Western Springs station on the Metra BNSF Line, only 30-35 min. from Union Station, about $7 round-trip ($5 Sat/Sun).

[jesteinf]

Great write-up Ron. Vie has definitely been on my radar for quite sometime, but you know us city-folk. Maybe I'll just have to drag myself out to the 'burbs. I'm sure there will be more schlepping in my future, especially once prohibition starts.

[ulterior epicure]

ronnie.

thanks for being the positive "bump" i was looking for!! i had the very fortunate, but limited, pleasure of dining on virant's creation at last year's tasteful pursuits dinner at one sixtyblue. virant's "mentor," kahan was also present, along with blackbird's pastry chef, tara lane.

glad to hear you had a great time. spectacular report - i hope to make it there soon!

u.e.

[gmi3804]

Ron, what a great write-up! It was like being there all over again. We definitely have to get out to Vie more often.

[ronnie_suburban]

. . . We definitely have to get out to Vie more often.

←

Happily, at least one of us kept this in mind and because of that we did return to Vie last week and enjoyed another phenomenal dinner.

The menu had changed almost entirely from our first visit back in June. That said, our experience mirrored the previous one in that it was again very hard to decide what to order because almost everything on the menu was tempting. That's what I call a 'first-class' problem and frankly, I don't have enough of those.

One thing I like about the way Vie's menu is divided in to 3 sections -- Firsts, Soup and Salads, Entrees -- is that it invites you to try more dishes. And as a party of 4, that added up to nearly a dozen delicious tastes for us to experience.

But, before we could even get to our order, we were presented with a delicious amuse. It was a lightly-fried squash blossom filled with cheese and served over a sublime, pickled corn relish. I snarfed mine down without hesitation, making sure to get every taut, sweet kernel of corn into my mouth. The completely empty plates around me let me know that I was not alone in my love for this bite. Since the talking had completely stopped, I had to use visual clues

Amuse of Fried, Stuffed, Zucchini Blossom

After some deliberation and a bit of negotiation I decided on the Skycrest Farm Goat Camembert on wood-grilled bread with house-made Lardo, Black Mission Fig Airgre-Doux and Marcona Almonds. It was absolutely delectable. I can't remember ever having Lardo before but it was expectedly rich and mildly salty with a distinctive, melt-in-your-mouth quality. Its finish was clean, not greasy. The Camembert was creamy and slightly pungent. The wood-grilled hearth bread was a perfect foundation for the dish and the vanilla-infused figs and crunchy blanched almonds were sensational accompaniments. This was terrific, inventive, decandant and satisfying.

Camembert, Lardo and accoutrements

I also tasted the Panzanello, which in this case consisted of wood-grilled Octopus, house-cured Fennel Salami, grilled Fennel, summer Beans, rustic Croutons, Anise Hyssop and Lemon Vinaigrette. I was very tempted to order this myself, so I was thrilled that George ordered it and let me taste it. It was even better than expected. The components themselves all sounded wonderful but when combined, they synergized into something well beyond the sum of their parts. The complex combination of distinctive flavors and perfectly varied textures was truly delightful. What an inspired dish!

Panzanello with Octopus and Fennel Salami

The Caveny Farm Turkey Confit was also delicious and inventive. It was served with wilted Arugula, Sage and Lemon Butter, Preserved Meyer Lemons and Fried Sage Leaves. Here, the flavors combined to evoke an emotional response . . . it was reminiscent of Thanksgiving but much more refined. The tender shreds of Turkey were addictive and the Sage and Lemon accents really took it to another level. Wonderful.

Turkey Confit with Preserved Lemon and Fried Sage Leaves

I screwed up when ordering my salad, so I ended up with the same salad that my wife ordered -- the exquisite Beet Salad. This was not an actual problem because not only was it amazingly delicious, once I realized my error, I ordered the salad I "really" wanted and the 4 of us split it. But, before that, the Beet salad provided a transcendant experience. Of course, the beets were locally grown and the salad also included roasted Green Acres Carrots, wood-grilled Sweet Onions, Dill and Horseradish Vinaigrette and Prairie Fruits Farm's fresh Chevre. Talk about a dish being more than the sum of it parts -- this was a classic example of that dynamic. I loved this salad. The tender beets and earthy carrots worked amazingly well with the vinaigrette and the chevre unified those elements and took them beyond. The textures and flavors, while familiar on their own, accented and complimented each other wonderfully when combined.

Beet and Roasted Carrot Salad

The 'other' salad was the Kinnikinnick Farm Heirloom Tomato Salad with warm Mindoro Blue Cheese Cream, Pickled Sweet Onions, Spanish Olive Oil and an Herb Crostini. I was totally pleased that I asked for one of these to be brought out because it was damn near perfection on a plate. Each component was fantastic and together they were even better. Are you beginning to sense a theme here? The flavors were again distinctive and complimentary. The textures provided enjoyable contrasts and the salad looked beautiful. Of course, after we tore into it, it went from beautiful to invisible in very short order.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese Cream

George ordered the Chilled Local Watermelon 'Gazpacho' with Sweet Onion, Tomato, Lime, Cilantro, Peppers and Rock Shrimp. Our trusty server, David, spoke lovingly of this dish, saying that it represented a perfect balance between sweet and hot. He was 100% correct. The sweet and hot components sang beautifully together in this harmonious pairing. The flavors were bold, with no individual element stepping over any of the others.

Chilled Watermelon Gazpacho

Entrees presented a problem in that so many of them were tempting. Choices included Skate, Halibut, Sturgeon, Chicken Ballotine, Brisket, Hanger Steak, a Veal combination (strip loin and sweetbreads) and Canneloni. Even the few proteins that we'd seen on the previous menu had different preparations this time around. Again from the 'first-class problem' department, I'd been having Sweetbreads fairly often and even though the Veal combination sounded great, I opted against having Sweetbreads again.

Instead, I ordered the Organic Brisket, which was braised and wood-grilled and served with some delectable (and gigantic) Peruvian Lima Beans, Sweet Corn, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Fried 'Drop' Biscuits and Pickled Market Beans. This plate was spectacular. At first glance Brisket doesn't seem like a very 'Vie' dish but this rendition was truly unique and had Chef Virant's touches throughout. I myself make a pretty mean brisket and I can assure you that mine is strictly 'amateur hour' compared to this one.

Braised and Wood-Grilled Brisket

My wife ordered the Herb-Roasted Skate Wing which was served with Pearl Pasta (with Green Acres Eggplant, Garlic, Chiles and Mint), Summer Beans, Preserved Lemon & Mint Gremolata. I'm not a huge mint fan but I still enjoyed my taste of this dish. The Skate was fresh, tender and perfectly cooked. It flaked nicely and was still plenty moist. The Pearl Pasta, which reminded me of Israeli cous cous, was terrific. The Summer Beans were tasty and tender but not overcooked. My wife loved this dish but was so full by the time it got to her (lightweight!), she couldn't finish it. In spite of this, our marriage is still secure.

Herb-Roasted Skate

Wines -- as chosen by our companion Greg, who has a gift for making fantastic pairings when a variety of dishes are ordered -- were delightful. With our first 2 courses we enjoyed a fantastic White Burgundy: a 2003 Montmain Chablis Premier Cru from Louis Michel et Fils. Later, with the entrees, we had 2001 Chateau de la Gardine Chateauneuf du Pape. I don't think I've ever had a wine chosen by Greg that I didn't really enjoy. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, his services are a bit hard to come by. But, we're lucky to know him -- and dine with him frequently. Thanks, buddy!

All 4 of us had been thinking about Vie's version of the Warm Gooey Butter Cake -- a standard in St. Louis, from where chef Virant hails -- since our last visit. It very well might be the best dessert I've had all year. So, 2 of us ordered it this time out and it was delightful once again. This time it was served with Trader's Point Frozen Yogurt and Cinnamon-Poached local Plums. This is a truly fantastic dessert and one that should not be missed. We also ordered the Warm Honey-Roasted Peaches with 'Grandma's' Pound Cake, Brown Butter Ice Cream and Honey Wafer. This was also terrific. I loved the tender peaches which paired perfectly with the buttery pound cake and delectable ice cream. The Chocolate Marquise with fresh, local Berries, candied Pistachios and Creme Anglaise was amazing too. I'm not always a chocolate fan but this was sensational. Due to nothing more than a combination of sheer temptation and overkill, we ordered a trio of the house-made frozen confections: Lemon Ice Cream, Sour Cherry Sorbet and Guava Sorbet. All 3 were bursting with flavor and amazingly refreshing. And, if all that were not enough, chef sent out some glasses of 2004 Moncalvina Moscato d' Asti. Whew!!

Honey-Roasted Peaches and 'Grandma's' Pound Cake with Brown Butter Ice Cream

Service, provided by the aforementioned David, was terrific. I was somewhat astounded to read in the latest Zagat Survey, some minor criticism of the staff at Vie. This is because the service at both of our experiences at Vie has been fantastic and it's hard to imagine it lacking in any way. And, in spite of those mildly negative comments, service at Vie still managed to score a 23 in that latest survey. That's certainly not a bad score but it's decidedly lower than I would rate it if I were forced to 'pick a number.'

Again the ride from Deerfield to Western Springs took less than 30 minutes. That's only about half the time that the live-traffic web site said it would have taken to travel from DF to downtown at that same hour. Still, if the trip were 3 times as long, it would still be well worth it. If you don't consider Vie a destination restaurant, you should. As much as people know about it and as much as there is general consensus about how excellent it is, it still seems to be somewhat of a 'secret' to many. For those who haven't yet dined at Vie, I have one question: What on earth are you waiting for?

=R=

[molto e]

Strong Words Ronnie S, can't wait to try it.

Molto E