Vie Restaurant - Paul Virant - Western Springs, IL

[ulterior epicure]

Ronnie, nice report and excellent pictures.

I can't get over how *perfect* that artichoke heart quarter looks on the Country Cottage Farm Chicken dish.

[ronnie_suburban]

We met some friends at Vie for dinner a couple weekends back and things were humming along quite amazingly. Because of the Slow Food event held on Sunday 2/10, the Vie people had missed their customary day off and we were there on the 13th consecutive day on which the restaurant had been open. In spite of that -- or perhaps, because of it -- this may have been the finest meal I've ever had there . . .

Amuse of pork belly and pickled cherries . . . there's nothing quite like an unanticipated slab of crispy, sticky pork belly. This amuse was delicious and I loved the sweet/sour house-pickled Rainier cherries that accompanied it.

Berkshire pork cheek ''ossobucco" with risotto milanese, gremolata and parmigiano reggiano . . . a fun and tasty take on the traditional version. This was tender and delicious.

Yukon gold potato gnocchi with wild mushrooms, fines herbes and parmigiano reggiano . . . fantastic flavors and great textures. The gnocchi were light, with a pleasant density to them.

Creamy, farm-fresh eggs with perigord black truffles, butter, whipped cream and wood-grilled bread . . . this was so simple, yet amazingly satisfying. As a breakfast dish, this would make eggs benedict seem downright pedestrian by comparison.

Not pictured: Roasted winter roots with picked herbs, house-made ranch dressing and farm-fresh deviled egg . . . another inspired dish, which really showcased the 'winter' skills of Vie's kitchen. If Vie were in California, this dish might not even exist. Instead, the "off season" inspired something truly delicious and original.

Cream of house-made sauerkraut soup with house-made boudin blanc, organic creme fraiche and rustic croutons . . . this may have been my favorite dish of the entire meal. The components fit together so well, with the slight tartness of the boudin blanc accenting the creamy sauerkraut perfectly.

Red wine-braised short ribs with horseradish dumplings, roasted beets and winter radishes, pickled beets and braising jus . . . perfectly braised and immensely flavorful short ribs were terrific, as were the dense, slightly chewy horseradish-laden dumplings. The beets, both pickled and roasted, were a great accent.

Domestic lamb combination: roasted rack with house-made lamb sausage, served here with the sides that were listed with the short ribs . . . sensational rack (thank you, doctor ), which was perfectly cooked and a beautiful puck of flavor-packed, grilled sausage. A fantastic combination.

Marinated, wood-grilled fluke with Wisconsin fingerling potatoes, herb aioli, pickled garlic, shaved radishes and fried, house-made pickles . . . I'm not sure which part of this dish I liked the most . . . the rich, wood-grilled fluke, the tender, delicate potatoes, the intense aioli or the decadant fried pickles. What a great dish!

Gunthorp Farm chicken 2 ways: breaded, fried breast and crispy chicken-sausage pierogis with beer-braised cabbage, pickled red onion and jus de poulet . . . this was also just amazing. As much as I loved the short ribs, I ended up commandeering this plate because it was simply glorious. The breast was crispy and juicy, the pierogi were just awesome; their filling was aggressively seasoned and moist, and their exteriors were browned to perfection.

House-made pot pie of Burgundy escargot and chestnuts . . . this was another treat sent out to the table by the kitchen and what a treat it was. The buttery pastry matched up extremely well with the escargot and the chestnuts provided a tasty, textural contrast. I loved the fresh herbs, too, which elevated the dish even further.

Side dish of new potatoes and spicy, pickled green beans . . . this was another side that was sent out by the kitchen. The tender, roasted potatoes -- cooked in duck fat -- were accented just wonderfully by the slightly spicy pickled green beans. I loved this one.

Prairie Fruits Farm chevre with slivered almonds, house-made jam and toast . . . yet another treat from the kitchen, this cheese course bridged the gap beautifully between the savory and sweet courses. The rich, pungent cheese seemed to have a hint of smokiness to it, which was great. I also loved the house-made jam, which was aromatic and perfectly balanced between sweet and tart.

Intermezzo of Rosé sorbet . . . tasty, refreshing bridge between the cheese and the sweets.

Tahitian vanilla creme brulee with cinnamon butter cookies, maple & orange granola and sweetened, whipped creme fraiche . . . what a glorious rendition! Not only was the dish executed masterfully, but the well-matched accompanying elements would have even been great on their own. I loved every aspect of this compelling dessert. Not long ago some friends and I were discussing our feeling that creme brulee is so often a perfunctory waste of space. In this instance, however, the dish was both distinctive and memorable.

Cornmeal doughnuts with organic buttermilk ice cream, lady finger Spring Valley Farm caramel-coated popcorn and caramel sauce . . . great flavors and textures here. The rich doughnuts were crispy and tender and the buttermilk ice cream provided a perfect cool and creamy sour note that foiled their richness very successfully.

Chef Gabriel Rucker's 'Au Bon Cannard' foie gras ice cream with profiteroles and caramel sauce . . . ok, this wasn't quite the 'Iron Chef' moment we thought it might be. After being advised by a few staffers that this dessert -- served at Vie during a recent guest stint by chef Rucker of Le Pigeon in Portland, OR -- should not be missed, we ordered it. In spite of our initial concerns, it was great. The ice cream tasted like cold, creamy, maple-y sweet butter. Joe Moore would have loved this one

Warm caramel gooey butter cake with almond-chocolate chip ice cream, almond lace cookie and almond toffee square . . . yet another innovative and satisfying incarnation of what has become my favorite Vie dessert. The gooey butter cake is always great but the caramel element, combined with the delicious ice cream, made this one of my favorite versions.

Illinois black walnut brittle . . . a crunchy, tasty last bite in which the funkiness of the black walnuts really came through. It was sweet too, but not to the point where the distinctive nuts were obscured. Very nice.

Vie continues to hit me on such an emotional and spiritual level, it's hard to analyze it. Each time I go there, I'm impressed by the way the dishes build in impact as the meal progresses. At so many other restaurants, after the short, intense burst of flavors provided by the starter courses, the entrees often fail to compel, and the momentum is lost. But at Vie, the exact opposite is true. Yes, the appetizers literally appetize -- hell, they dazzle -- but the inspired, imaginative and satisfying entrees just blow you away. There is no palate fatigue at Vie. Chef Virant and his crew may have the best senses of culinary build and pacing that I have experienced. The menu at Vie changes frequently and while that definitely benefits the diner, it's significant in that seems to be a natural extension of how this crew is constantly pushing themselves to build on what they have already accomplished. When you dine at Vie, you're tapping into the ongoing creative process of a uniquely-talented chef and a kitchen with a truly artistic sensibility. I'm sure customer satisfaction is important at Vie but I get the feeling that no one is harder to satisfy than chef Virant himself.

=R=

[Alex]

Well, Ms. Alex and I finally made it to Vie. True to Ronnie's word (of course), it was a fine experience. We opted for six small plates served in three "courses," plus dessert, rather than the traditional app +entrée.

We started with salads:

-mixed lettuces, local turnip slices (I guess they were out of the marinated and shaved fresh hearts of palm listed on the web site's menu), garlic and herb vinaigrette, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

-local beets, burrata, wood-grilled onions, Meyer lemon, lemon olive oil and aged balsamic

A great start. This was the smallest, sweetest, turnip I've had in a long time, and the kitchen didn't skimp on the Parmigiano. The vinaigrette was perfect -- finally, enough salt and not too much acid. The beets were wonderful, but Ms. Alex allowed me only a couple of tastes.

Primi:

-ricotta gnocchi, pan roasted oyster mushrooms, Werp Farms sorrel, sweet butter

-seared Au Bon Canard foie gras, warm English crumpet, local squash butter, Wisconsin black walnuts and walnut vinaigrette

The gnocchi were light as (insert your choice of simile here); the mushroom and butter added depth. We originally planned to order the eggs and truffles, but they were out, so we ordered the foie gras. This dish had the sweetest accompaniments I've ever had for foie gras, but it worked wonderfully. The walnuts were an inspired choice.

"Fish Course":

-pan-seared hand-harvested sea scallops, mussels, wood-grilled fennel, Marcona almonds, lemon, local honey

-olive oil-poached bluefin tuna, microgreens, something else (Yeah, I know, I should've written it down.)

The scallops were my favorite of the evening. I'm a fennel junkie anyway, and this combination of seafood, fennel and Marcona almonds is going on my got-to-make-this-at-home list. The tuna, on the other hand, was the weakest dish of the evening. I felt that the delicacy of the tuna was overwhelmed by the oil.

Desserts:

Ms. Alex had the warm caramel gooey butter cake with almond chocolate chip ice cream, almond lace cookie, and almond toffee square. Ronnie discussed this earlier. I had an ice cream trio -- buttermilk, chestnut, and almond chocolate chip. The tart-sweet buttermilk was a revelation.

We appeared to earn some wine cred by ordering a very pleasant Contrapunto Albariño, which worked well with everything, except perhaps the foie. Apparently not too many folks order that one.

Service was, as expected, prompt and professional.

It was a few small glitches short of a perfect evening. The house was slammed, with several big tables, so I realize some slack is in order and therefore I won't enumerate them here. Well, maybe one: the straight-metal-back chair was very uncomfortable, especially for a nearly three-hour meal.

[Tsulli1]

Did anyone get Chef Paul Virant's newsletter with the picture of Gordon Ramsay standing in Vie's Kitchen on March 2nd?

[ulterior epicure]

The following is an excerpt from my blog post about my recent visit to Vie. You can see photos from this meal on on my Flickr account.:

**********

You know the gnocchi are good when the woman sitting next to you turns to her husband and says to him, “These gnocchi are nothing like yours! These are actually very good!!”

And, all this time, she thought she hated gnocchi.

To kick off my birthday weekend in Chicago, I (finally) made it out to Western Springs to experience a full meal at the hands of Paul Virant. I was first smitten by Virant at a charity dinner I attended in Chicago in 2005. Among the many lauded chefs and dishes they each cooked, his amuse bouche - a sliver of smoked sturgeon topped with fennel, pickled asparagus, and a sprig of fresh dill – was a highlight. It was served with a perfectly-cooked round of fingerling potato sauced with caviar and cream.

Wall of Wine

Wine Pairings

Since then, I vowed to make it out to Vie.

It took me three years, but I’m happy to say that I finally made it on a happy occasion: four friends and I converged and reunited (hadn’t seen each other in quite a while) on the excuse of my thirtieth birthday.

The chef was kind enough to give us a sample of his repertoire with an eight-course tasting menu paired with seven wines. The progression went like this (you can see all of the photos from this dinner on my Flickr set):

Amuse Bouche: Brandade with local San Marzano tomato jam.

1st Course: Spanish Olive Oil-Poached Blackfin Tuna (house-made morcilla sausage, Miner's lettuce, pickled peppers and smoked paprika), paired with Gramona, Cava, Gran Cuvee, 2004 (Spain)

2nd Course: Ricotta Gnocchi (pan-roasted oyster mushrooms, werp farms sorrel, sweet butter), paired with Monchof, Robert Eymael, Estate Riesling, Mosel, 2006 (Germany)

3rd Course: Pan-Seared Lemon Sole (wilted stinging nettles, roasted baby artichokes, spring garlic, chervil sauce), paired with Catena, Chardonnay, Mendoza, 2006 (Argentina)

4th Course: Spring Green Salad (house-made pancetta vinaigrette, Concord grape mostarda, preserved grapes, pine nuts, shaved Magic Mountain cheese), paired with Mas de Gourgonnier, Rose, 2006 (Les Baux de Provence).

5th Course: Pan-Fried Quail (leeks, preserved Michigan cherries, thyme, Prairie Fruits Farm fresh chevre), paired with Rutz Cellars, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Cuvee, 2006 (California).

6th Course: New Zealand Venison Combination (seared leg and house-smoked strip loin, wild rice, preserved chestnuts and blueberries, brown butter, fried sunchokes), paired with Langmeil, Blacksmith Cabernet, Barossa Valley, 2005 (Australia).

7th Course: White wine sorbet.

8th Course: Bittersweet Chocolate Marquise (pistachio creme anglaise, candied pistachios, house preserved strawberries), paired with NV Niepoort. (Ruby Porto, Portugal)

Mignardises: Coconut pate de fruit.

...

Edited March 25, 2008 by ulterior epicure (log)

[gaf]

Vie is for Volume – Vie

There is a thin sounding board – a line in the decibel sand – between excitement and exasperation. Restaurants as organizations appeal to their market niche not just in cuisine and cost, but in clamor and clatter. And the politics of noise can be the undoing – or the doing – of sterling restaurants.

Last Saturday, frightened by the ongoing repairs on the Edens Expressway, feeling cut off from the Chicago dining hub, my wife and I headed west: to Western Springs and Vie, a restaurant that I had once visited on a calm – nearly empty – Tuesday night. Arriving Saturday night at 9:00 p.m. we were escorted into a jangling, buzzy dining space (Vie has a warren of small spaces, not well soundproofed). Despite polished service and Chef Paul Virant’s impressive and confident locavore, seasonal cuisine, what was most memorable about the first half of the meal was the roar of conversation: and this in a restaurant where the tables are not snugly packed and the diners are not screaming sweet nothings. While the core of a review should properly be what is on the plate, it was sound that was on the mind. If Vie hopes to compete with the Chicago luxe restaurants and not to be a glorious bar-and-grill, Chef Virant needs to call his decorator. He gets an earful from this diner.

Given that this review lacks a sound track, I turn to the Chef’s doing. At most restaurants the appetizers are the star: the meal goes downhill from the start. This is not true at Vie: our entrees stole the show. True, my wife ordered a salad (Local Lettuces, Marinated and Shaved Fresh Hearts of Palm, Garlic and Herb Vinaigrette, Parmigiano-Reggiano), and, true, she enjoyed it exceptionally. For me it was a nicely done play on a Caesar-type salad, impressive within the genre.

My appetizer was Wood-Grilled Gunthorp Farm Duck Breast, Cracklings, Arugula, Black Raspberry Aigre-Doux, and Tatsoi (a type of bok choi; Vie helpfully places a glossary on their menu). The combination was very nice indeed, although I found the duck undercooked (mostly a problem of texture). With duck cooked more to my liking, this would have been a superior dish, especially because of the remaining textures and the pungency of the flavors.

As a main course my carnivore partner selected Marinated and Wood-Grilled Painted Hills Strip Steak (provenance is vital at locavore haunts), Baked Wisconsin Cheddar Toast, Local Asparagus, and Creamed Spence Farm Ramps (no other farm will suffice!). As with my appetizer, the meaty center of the meal was enlivened by a set of pungent companions. The dish didn’t need Worcester to have zip and zing. The beef flavor and texture did not dominate but was nicely matched.

My entrée was splendid. Throughout this mid-May menu Chef Virant teased the diner with seasonal morels in various guises. And I finally gave in to morels, baked crepes, goats milk ricotta (I believe), green garlic vinaigrette, and local Bordeaux spinach. The dish was a triumph. The morels were perfectly tender (and well-cleaned) and the garlic and crepes matched them bite for bite. Chef Virant is as expert a vegetarian as is Chef Trotter (whose vegetarian menu often surpassed his open menu: even with foie gras!). This was the dish that I will treasure: Vie is for Virtuosity.

Desserts were both successful. Baba Au Rhum is difficult to destroy, but Vie’s version – Baba Au Whisky, Dooley’s Toffee Liqueur Ice Cream, Candied Walnuts, and Caramel Sauce – is very lush. Without the whisky, it might have been too sweet, but the alcohol keeps the sugar at bay. The warm Caramel Gooey Butter Cake, Almond Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Almond Lace Cookie, and Almond Toffee Square was also sweetly striking. Although I am not a fan of “gooey” as a gourmet adjective, this cake was gooey. The toffee square was more chewy than I prefer. It was more taffy than toffee, but well-made.

Vie consistently turns out impressive cuisine. While not aiming for a pastoral environment, Chef Virant has made Vie into a destination, not only when the Illinois Department of Transportation directs traffic his way.

Vie

4471 Lawn Avenue

Western Spring, IL

708-246-2082

www.vierestaurant.com

For photos, go to:

Vealcheeks

[Renka]

Having just visited the restaurant shortly before gaf, my impressions of Vie were positive. Below are the courses I had the pleasure of being served, detailed descriptions of my impressions of each can be found in the Vie set on my Flickr site.

Although not advertised, my dining companion and I were treated to a wonderful tasting menu sent out to us by Chef Virant (I also got the wine pairings) and his more than competent kitchen.

Amuse: House smoked trout beignet, green garlic aioli

First: Fried Lake Erie smelts, smoked paprika vinaigrette, pickled green tomatoes, picked herbs, local greens

Wine: 04 Gramona, Cava, Gran Cuvée, Spain

Second: Seared monkfish, meyer lemon, capers, Spanish white tuna, arugula and marinated Wisconsin carrots

Wine: 06 Francis Blanchet, Cuvée Silice, Pouilly Fumé, Loire Valley, France

Third: Seared au bon canard foie gras, pistachio macaroon, Sicilian pistachios, pickled Michigan peaches, Michigan berry preserves

AND

Third: Marinated au bon canard duck breast, rhubarb, candied walnuts, watercress, cracklings

Wine: paired with a late harvest zinfandel (perhaps an 05 Seghesio, Old Vine Zinfandel, Sonoma County? - not sure)

Fourth: Cable's rabbit two ways: braised leg and seared loin, spaetzle, peas, sorrel, whole grain mustard braising jus

Wine: 04 Domaine de Montmeix, Meursault, Burgundy, France

Fifth: Slagel farm pork combination, braised flageolets, City farm tatsoi, preserved tomato vinaigrette, house made artichoke caponata

Wine: 06 Gypsy Dancer, Pinot Noir, Emily Ann, Chehalem Mt., Oregon

Sixth: Yuzu sorbet

Warm caramel gooey butter cake, almond chocolate chip ice cream, almond lace cookie, almond toffee square

Molten chocolate cake, Tahitian vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, cocoa nib tuile

Frangipane and dried door county cherry tart, Illinois chevre sabayon

This was an off menu dessert that was paired with an aged sherry.

Focusing on the season, artisanal foods, and local harvest, Chef Virant's Seasonal Contemporary American cuisine relies on a few, high-quality ingredients. Chef Virant’s use of house made preserved fruits and pickled vegetables reminds me of Toronto's Jamie Kennedy, but at a higher level – I was able to taste the bright and fresh flavours trapped in the produce, some of them still crisp and snappy, all of them delicious and pure. In the pickles, there was a wonderful balance of sweet and sour; the preserves, trapped summer sunshine. I was surprised to learn that this is attributed to using techniques from Christine Ferber, but in retrospect, I can see why my palate was wowed.

The tasting menu my dining companion and I had that evening was delightful, each course a successful pairing of excellent ingredients with simple presentations. No fuss, just very good and well prepared food. The dining room was non-fussy; the ambiance relaxed, modern and friendly. Our head server Thierry provided both my dining companion and I with a great experience. Not only did he engage in conversation with us, help guide our meal with our requests to the chef and the delightful wine pairings (which resulted in my being a little tipsy by the last course), but he also ensured that we had an enjoyable evening. At a couple points during our meal, Chef Virant did pay our table a visit to both greet and introduce certain plates (i.e. my non-chocolate dessert). We found him very kind and amiable, and confess to developing a little chef crush (can I say that aloud?). Vie is an apt place for old friends with a taste for good food to gather, and a room I would return to on any special occasion to dine if it were not for its distance from Toronto.

[Jean Blanchard]

After far too many months of missing Vie, my husband and I finally went again last night. We were treated to a complimentary glass of bubbly and many extras that were totally unexpected. Let me just say, get thee to Vie and try the Pheasant Panzanella. Spectacular! As was everything else right down to the final Rhubarb crepes for dessert. Nothing beats Vie for service, food and ambience.

[Jean Blanchard]

Had one of the worst weeks in my life and needed a little comfort food. Vie fit the bill for me and my daughter and son-in-law always want to dine there when in town. Paul Virant never disappoints. I had the squash beignets, halibut with snails and we shared several desserts. The great thing about Vie is that the menu changes so often that I look forward to dining each time as if it's a new restaurant that I can absolutely count on for quality, stellar food. Service is impeccable without being stuffy. What more can I ask?