By living in the western suburbs, specifically the LT area, we are the fortunate few who are blessed to be living in the epicenter of Chef Paul Virant’s ever expanding culinary empire with Vie located in Western Springs, and his newest—and best—culinary expenditure, Vistro, just a stone’s throw away at 112 S. Washington St., Hinsdale.

Vistro is a much more casual and modern dining experience than one would find at Vie—but don’t for a second think that there is any sacrifice of quality or integrity of the food found at Vistro.

Staying true to its philosophy of fresh, seasonal and local farm to table ingredients, Vistro employs a wonderful rotating menu in order to stay fresh and keep customers’ taste buds piqued.

The restaurant itself is a casual, yet modern atmosphere, a perfectly acceptable place to bring kids and large groups. With an elongated interior that gives a full view of the bistro, one can be sitting at the bar and gaze back into the wood fire kitchen where the food is prepared, increasing the excitement of the experience exponentially.

While the menu can at first seem overwhelming in options, don’t worry: slow down, take a breath, and just ask the helpful and experienced staff what they would order. They’ll be sure to deliver with an enormous amount of delicious food and fun facts about where the dishes originated.

The staff first directed us towards the appetizers: the West Loop Salumi was delectable. The salty and aged prosciutto-like meat contrasted wonderfully with the spicy arugula and sharp parmesan cheese, all placed on top of a toasted piece of bread to provide the ideal amount of texture to this stupendous appetizer.

The Beet salad was the perfect winter combination of root vegetables, with a bit of crunch thrown in with the pistachios. The subtle citrus on top created a must-get salad.

The fried chicken ($23) was artisanal: juicy and tender with a rich beef gravy on top, paired with light biscuits and bacon braised kale. It all came together to form an incredibly satisfying main course. While some fried chicken options may come to the table greasy and unappetizing, Vistro’s creation was the perfect amount of juicy and crunchy, and a reason in itself to make a return trip.

The cheaper, and smaller, entrée option of the mac ‘n cheese ($6) was steaming hot, straight from the wood-burning oven in the back of the restaurant, and was delicious, perfectly cheesy with a aftertaste of wood fire, due to the cooking method.

Though one will probably be stuffed to the brim after a meal at Vistro, don’t stop after your main course. The homemade soft serve ice cream is a must try, and paired with homemade chocolate sauce or caramel, it was the best vanilla ice cream I’ve ever experienced.

Bottom line: While Vistro may present some fairly pricey options—some of the entrees can reach $28—the variety of plates served creates a perfect small plate’s bistro to stop into after a long day, or the perfect family dinner atmosphere.