Vie

Roasted chicken sausage

A few years ago we went to Vie in Western Springs for restaurant week and had not been back since so we wanted to try it again.  For restaurant week they offered a 4 course menu with 2 choices per course so we were able to try everything.  They also had a small a la carte menu as a supplement.

1st course
- roasted chicken sausage, sweet corn pudding, chow chow, chicken jus
- mushroom and sunchocke tart, milk jam, pecan vinaigrette, shaved kohlrabi

Mushroom and sunchoke tart

2nd course
- shaved carrot salad, pickled cherry bomb pepper and cara car orange vinaigrette, yogurt, radish, toasted sunflower seeds
- creamy tomato soup, smoked tomatillo puree, cheddar crouton

3rd course
- pan-seared rushing waters trout, roasted fingerling potatoes, slow-cooked kale, house-made salami vinaigrette

Shaved carrot salad

- wood-grilled pork loin, creamy polenta, grilled fennel, arugula, shaved parmesan, pickled ramp pork jus

Wood-grilled pork loin

4th course
- meyer lemon panna cotta, blueberry jam, chomomile
- valrhona chocolate turtle, three sisters pecan butter, salted caramel

Pan seared trout

It's hard to critique each item individually.  Everything was really good on its own but being able to try it all was amazing.  Each of us had our favorites but it was nice to enjoy it all. For us the great thing about Vie is that it is so close to where we live.  To be able to get this caliber of restaurant without driving into the city is wonderful. Since we are so close we probably need to try their other offerings outside of the restaurant week fare.

Final thoughts on Vie:
Food - seasonal award winning menu (James Beard winner)
Service - stellar
Atmosphere - more established with a spa like setting.  It seems very peaceful inside and intimate.

Lemon panna cotta

Chocolate turtle