Vie
Western Springs, IL 60558
Phone: (708) 246-2082
Message from Vie
Urban fine dining in a warm, relaxed village setting steps from Metra
- Expert Chefs
- Contemporary American Cuisine
- Wine Specials
Paid advertisement by Vie.
Editorial Review for Vie – by Alice Van Housen
The Scene
A spiffy eatery in picture-perfect Western Springs, Vie draws a smart crowd of silver foxes, stylin' gal groups and daters. Bet those icy-cold aluminum chairs feel better in summer than winter. Service lags can slow your momentum.
The Food
Paul Virant's (Charlie Trotter's, Ambria, Blackbird) seasonal enticements are, at their best, a be-here-now explosion of flavor (e.g., an early spring cream of ramp soup with house-smoked trout and pickled ramps). Artisanal ingredients abound, and interesting preparations, too (the menu even bears a glossary). Perhaps a starter of browned, basted diver sea scallops with bitter-crunchy grilled fennel, orzo, and tangy meyer lemon vinaigrette? Or a comforting if untraditional entree of Gunthorp's farm chicken three ways (so-moist braised with grits, breaded and pan-fried with pungent garlic puree, or roasted and stuffed with preserved lemon and herbs)? Desserts like fluffy passionfruit cheesecake with tart mango sorbet hold up their end.
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User Reviews for Vie
09/05/2008 Posted by TheIllusionofProgress
I have visited restaurants all around the world, and one of my greatest passions is relishing in an amazing dining experience, or stumbling into an unassuming but brilliant restaurant. I neither stumbled upon Vie ( I read about Chef Virant in a very flattering review in the press), nor did I relish in anything brilliant at Vie. Instead, a found it very curious that anything our party tried could ever have come from the mind of a supposed "culinary master who brings magic to ordinary ingredients." Instead, I felt insulted that the prices were comparable to that of a fine restaurant, but the quality was not. I cannot say that anything out of the kitchen approached magical- the food lacked creativity and depth. Virant throws together ingredients that more or less don't conflict with each other... but great food is not just about combining flavors that don't clash...it's about making flavors dance together. The food at vie is more akin to the dynamics of a roadside bar with familiar regulars with oft-repeated stories, rather than the well-choreographed dance of a russian balet performance. Nothing surprises, nothing tantalizes, nothing engenders any awe in the diner. Virant relies excessively upon pickling, perhaps in an attempt to deflect focus on the lack of complexity and texture in his creations. The ambiance at Vie suggests a modern, adventurous evening of cuisine, but this expectation is proven spurious when one partakes in course after course of lackluster imagination and simplistic design. I reviewer below me mentioned Tallgrass, and I completely agree that an establishment like Tallgrass is far better than anything that Virant can muster up. However, in fairness, restaurants like Tallgrass are few and far between. In fact, I honestly believe Tallgrass is the only truly excellent restaurant in Chicago...even eclipsing the efforts of a Trotters, or Tru, or Alinea or Everest Room(and i have had great dishes at all of these places.
Pros: Great setting, good service
Cons: Food lacks depth and imagination
07/14/2008 Posted by LorettaNapoleoni
Ok, I've been going to Vie for about a year and a half, and i truly have had some memorable dishes. But lately, either i'm ordering the wrong stuff or something, but i just have not been that impressed with the food. Last time I went i had a salmon appetizer which was nothing special, and a panzanella which did nothing for me. In fact, everything our party ordered was just average. I'm not suggesting it was bad, it just all seemed boring and simple. We went to Tallgrass a month ago, and were blown away by the amazing flavors. Tallgrass, in my estimation, is way better than Vie, but maybe Vie is just approaching cuisine from a more traditional angle. Perhaps it's just a matter of opinion. I kind of felt like they are becoming more about an image, and are cutting corners on the cuisine lately.
Pros: Service, Nice Ambiance
Cons: Food not that impressive
