THIS RESTAURANT HAS CHANGED LOCATIONS Vie

THIS RESTAURANT HAS CHANGED LOCATIONS Vie Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant and décor: Chef-owner Paul Virant (formerly at Ambria, Blackbird and Everest before opening his own) has a gem of a restaurant in a town that had hardly known fine dining before, despite its affluent status. The winding floor plan and neutral dining room with black and white photography offer a low-key (and stylish) backdrop for innovative and artful but not over-the-top cuisine.

About the food: Virant comes up with some interesting and creative combinations; he's particularly touted for his innovative pickling, canning and aigre-doux techniques, which are seamlessly (and often surprisingly) incorporated into dishes that, at their root, are familiar. A great supporter of local and sustainable produce, Virant fashions fleeting delights on his ever-changing menu. Among first courses, you may encounter lamb chorizo with sour corn and black bean succotash and chow chow remoulade, or pan-roasted perch with delicata squash, pickled summer squashes and sauce maltaise. Entrées offer combinations highlighting a particular protein, as in the pork combination where guests choose two from preparations (andouille, ham, roasted belly, grilled loin, smoked shoulder), accompanied by pepper purée, confit potatoes, foraged hen of the woods mushrooms, greens and pickled garlic. Wood-grilled arctic char is paired with spaghetti squash, lentils, grilled onions and pickled tomato-pancetta vinaigrette. Diners can order à la carte or opt for one of the two chef’s tasting menus (five courses for $85, plus $55 for optional wine pairings, or eight courses for $125, plus $75 for optional wine pairings). Desserts display a sense of whimsy with lighthearted, humorous names like "I Can't Believe It's Not Buttercake!" for maple St. Louis gooey butter cake with toasted pecan buttercrust, milk chocolate crémeux, blueberry compote and whipped cream.

About the drinks: The wine list is flush with atypical selections, many of which have a story to tell. Cocktails aren't afraid to experiment with unexpected components like smoked fennel syrup and celery bitters. Virant has a formula that keeps diners coming back.