Perennial Virant: Brunch With a Unique BLT

Green City Market in Lincoln Park

Last weekend, my mom made it up to Chicago to visit. This city is arguably one of the greatest food cities in America, so when I have a visitor, dining out is a main priority.


Our food journey began at Green City Market, which is always a treat. The food is incredibly fresh and the people are genuine, which is sometimes hard to find in a big city. Unfortunately, I was not going to be home for long, so we had to limit our farmers' market purchases to carrots, some yellow beefsteak tomatoes, delicious mushroom cheese, and pasta sauce.

Across the street is Perennial Virant, an eatery on the first floor of the Lincoln Hotel. The outdoor seating area was adorable, and from what we could see, the food looked fresh and delicious--a clear connection to the market across the street. They preserve vegetables and fruits at the peak of freshness and take pride in their support for local farmers.

The Interior of this restaurant is gorgeous!

It was a hot day, so we sat inside as opposed to the outdoor area. The interior was beautiful, simplistic, and modern. Before I get into detail about the food, I must say that our service was excellent. A young Macedonian waiter with an adorable accent took great care of us and had such a bubbly personality. A waiter that goes above the norm and truly engages and enhances a dining experience is often rare, and he did an excellent job.

Now, for the food. Usually when I dine out with somebody, I do not like to order the same entree as the other person as I like to try different menu items. However, mom and I were on the same wavelength that day, and this sandwich sounded too good to pass up, especially having just come from the farmers' market.

Among a beautiful brunch menu which included various confections and eggs, we chose the Perennial BLT. Of course, this BLT is anything but ordinary--basil mayo, heirloom tomatoes, and the star--bacon jam. Yes, bacon jam.

The bread was lightly toasted and obviously incredibly fresh. One major sandwich faux pas it too much bread, in my opinion, and this BLT was perfectly balanced. The tomato was sweet and juicy, just what you would expect from farm fresh ingredients.

The basil mayo and bacon jam, however, truly made the dish. The mayo was tangy and sweet, and the basil added a freshness that complemented the tomato, reminiscent of the classic flavors of a caprese salad. The bacon jam (sounds strange) definitely stole the show, though. Both sweet and smoky, it was spread over the bread in a thin, even layer. Not too much, not too little. It made the sandwich light, refreshing, and elevated compared to the classic BLT.

For a side we ordered fresh berries. In the August heat with the homemade vanilla bean whipped cream, they were clearly incredible.

I don't know how to make bacon jam, but this lunch makes me consider it. This is definitely a recipe I want to try to replicate in the future. A twist on an old favorite, Perennial Virant succeeded in making the BLT refreshing and unique.