Our suburban special contributor Lisa Arnett has just posted an interview with Vie's Paul Virant. After Food and Wine magazine named him one of 2007's best new chefs, Virant joined the ranks of Chicago's culinary stalwarts Rick Bayless, Gale Gand and Rick Tramonto, Grant Achatz and Bruce Sherman among others.


But I've been getting a funny reaction from my pals when I tell them that I just dined at the Western Springs restaurant. The first question isn't, "Oh, my God! How was it?" It's usually something like, "Oh, my God! How long did it take to get there?"


Geez, people. It's Western Springs, not Western Australia. We left our Lakeview pad at 8 p.m. and arrived in time for our 8:30 p.m. reservation. In fact, Vie is probably ahead of the game--our table was actually ready on time, which is more than I can say for some city hotspots lately. Though I suppose we won't earn any green stars from Al Gore for driving there -- the restaurant is, after all, just steps from the Western Springs Metra stop. Now for the better question: Is this place really worth the drive? Our answer: You bet your Mini it is. Vie lives up to the hype. Find out why after the jump.

The service is relaxed. "Well, it's a little suburban," my big-city buddy euphemized later, but no one had any complaints. The room's stylish blend of lofty and comfy holds its own against any restaurant in the country. The wine list is small enough that it's not intimidating, and it offers a pretty nice price ($9-$15 by the glass) and palate range. In the end, the tab can get pricey, but not out of control.

Virant's reputation for locally sourced, seasonal and organic ingredients is well deserved. You'll know the pedigree of every artichoke on this menu and -- here's to your health -- even the cocktail menu goes organic.

But, this chef isn't just about serving up just some do-gooder philosophy; his food is pretty darn delicious. Here are some of our faves:

	A yummy appetizer of house-cured duck breast served with Virant's famed pickling. In this case, cherries and leeks. ($12).
	The presentation wasn't much, but the pork loin milanese -- topped with an olive tapenade -- was a tender and juicy, served with braised chickpeas and picked garlic. ($26)
	Our favorite dish of the night was dessert: deep-fried bananas with a cocoa-banana ice cream ($8)
	Steamed olive oil cake with dried blood orange wheels was another standout dessert.

Yes, sometimes it snows in April. (Hey, isn't that Prince song from 1986?) And, yes, we'd rather it didn't. But just in case the weather doesn't break this weekend, we've got a solid backup plan: Park it in front of the big screen at the 23rd Annual Chicago Latino Film Festival. The 12-day fest boats a lineup of more than 100 shorts and features from around the world. Full schedule: latinoculturalcenter.org/Filmfest.

We don't know what we like more about Smelt Fest 2007, the kitsch or the fish. Get in touch with your Midwestern sensibilities Saturday -- and mark the start of the smelt season -- with a bus trip to Port Washington, Wis., for the 57th Annual American Legion Smelt Fry. Celebrate the tasty little cold-water fish all day long with breakfast at Shaw's Crab House, drinks en route to Wisconsin, a stop for lunch and, of course, all-you-can-eat smelt.

Searching for a great new neighborhood spot for Thai and sushi? So was I, so I checked out just-opened Lakeview joint Ta Tong, which delivers all the usual perks (Nearly all entrees under $10, BYOB with no corkage fee) without the hiccups of a new restaurant. (Married owners Ta and Tong Sricharoen also helmed recently closed North Park spot TomYum, so they know their stuff.)

While there were a total of only five customers on a cold, rainy night, service was friendly and attentive, and everything we ordered was warm and delicious--particularly the silghtly-spiced Crab Rangoon appetizer ($3.95) and the finely presented Basil Duck Stir-Fry ($8.95). We'll definitely be back the next time we want to grab some quick Thai food before a show at Schubas.