If you haven't stumbled on Bon Vivant Savant, you're in for a treat.
Once a month they offer a Supper Speakeasy. You sign up for the theme (Bygone Era, Pescatarian, Miracle Fruit) then put your trust in the capable hands of owner Jo Self. Just pencil in "busy" for that night. You won't know anything else until you're ready.
The Speakeasy dinners are catered by top chefs from across the city, but they're never held in a restaurant. Forty eight hours before the event, you'll get an email letting you know the exact place and menu. In an era when you can order your delivery pizza toppings online and dieters measure ingredients by the gram, there's something incredibly seductive about abandoning all control.
The menus are always lavish. You can expect 4-6 courses, wine, and live entertainment. You might be eating in an abandoned warehouse, on a downtown rooftop, or a historic old building. There's a lot of trust involved in this kind of dining adventure, but anyone who's been can tell you owner Jo Self has earned it.
This month's theme is West African "Miracle Fruit." It's rare, expensive, and downright bizarre. The fruit alters your sense of taste, making sour foods taste sweet and sweet foods taste amazingly intense. Stephen Dennison (Z's Fusion restaurant) is preparing a before-and-after menu. Only he knows what's on it at this point.
If you want to find out for yourself, sign up at: Bon Vivant Savant. At $75, it's not a cheap evening out, but it is a truly unique opportunity here in Louisville.
