What to Eat

Preview of What to Eat at Perennial Virant

Photo: courtesy of Perennial Virant

Lost amid all the chaos of Aviary’s opening last weekend, was the release of Perennial Virant’s first working menu. As you may remember, Paul Virant took over the prime Lincoln Park space after Ryan Poli left for Tavernita. Eater reported on the renovations last week, and noted that the latest project for the Boka Restaurant Group was shooting to open in mid-May. While there have been a few hints about the menu, we’ve never be entirely sure what Virant had in store. We already knew about his love for local ingredients thanks to his work at Vie, his acclaimed restaurant in Western Springs. But we weren’t sure how expensive this new concept would be, or what kind of feel the restaurant would have. Luckily, a copy of the working menu was released last week on Perennial Virant’s new blog.

The menu is shockingly straightforward, with a “Seasonal Prix Fixe Menu” on the left side and a “Plates to Share” section on the right. That’s it. Much like the Boka Group’s other new opening, GT Fish & Oyster, the prices are also surprsingly low. The prix fixe is only $35 for three courses, while most of the shared plates are under $20.

As Time Out has already mentioned, Virant also took the local angle to heart. Pork shoulder comes from Slagel Family Farm, and chicken from Gunthorp Farm. Still, it’s kind of impressive that there is no tuna or salmon on this menu. Instead, the fish options are smelt, walleye pike, and whitefish. There are still a few weeks before opening, so this menu could definitely change. Still, it looks like a promising start.

Perennial Virant Working Menu [PDF]

Perennial Virant, 1800 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL

Preview of What to Eat at Perennial Virant