Vie Launching Weeknight Tasting Menus with a Charitable Twist
If you're looking for a little midweek splurge, Western Springs' haute-local gastronomic temple Vie is launching weeknight tasting menus. At $70 a pop, the Monday-through-Thursday special began this week with a five-course stunner that runs the gamut from sunchoke soup with truffle butter to a very carnivore-friendly wood-grilled hamsteak with pork sausage, braised turnip sauerkraut, and smoked hock jus. Wine pairings run you an extra $30, but at six glasses overall, that's one of the most user-friendly cost-per-glass breakdowns around.
It gets even better, though: 10% of the revenue from each prix fixe dinner is earmarked to go to a different charity each month. February's charity is Common Threads, a culinary-appropriate group focused on using cooking to educate children about nutrition, physical well-being, and cultural diversity.
'Round the MP offices, our cold little hearts are warmed by tales of chefs giving back to the community. This goes double in these times of economic woe, when there's a case to be made for taking care of your own damn self. If we were wearing a hat, we'd tip it off to Paul Virant and his team.
This week's tasting menu after the jump!
AMUSE
* Housemade brandade fritter with wood-grilled fennel, pickled baby tomatoes and saffron butter
* NV AÑ Vino Espumoso de Calidad, Rueda, Spain
FIRST
* Cream of Werp Farms sunchoke soup with truffle butter
* 05 Jean Ginglinger, Cuvée George, Pinot Blanc, Alsace
SECOND
* House-smoked Mint Creek Farm lamb loin with fingerling potatoes, salt-cured olives, pickled green beans, radishes and hard-cooked egg
* 06 Prieuré de Montezargues, Rosé, Tavel, France
THIRD
* Wood-grilled Slagel Family Farm hamsteak with pork sausage, braised turnip sauerkraut and smoked hock jus
* 06 Brick House Select, Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge, Willamette Valley
FOURTH
* Sweet Grass Dairy "Green Hill" semi-ripened cow's milk cheese with housemade preserves and honey wheat
* 89 Lorentz, Tokay Pinot Gris, Grand Cru, Bergheim, Alsace
PREDESSERT
TO FINISH
* Wisconsin apple galette with Tahitian vanilla ice cream
* 04 August Hill Winery, Late Harvest Chardonel, Illinois
[Photo: Sausage at Vie/Dan Dry]
