In vin 9o veritas

BY JEFFREY BERMAN AND HON. CHARLES JOHNSON

Anew, unique dining experience has come to south Lake County with the opening of Vin 90 Kitchen + Bar at the Arboretum Golf Course in Buffalo Grove. Billing themselves as an American Gastropub with an Asian flair, Vin 90 has now opened in newly-renovated space in the William H. Brimm Clubhouse, in partnership with WJ Golf, a cutting-edge indoor golf simulator facility that occupies the former banquet space.

Your humble editors had the opportunity to patronize Vin 90 on the occasion of its grand opening on July 21, as well as several other times over the last few weeks. The unique menu is extremely exciting, combining a diverse array of traditional American and golf-friendly options along with Asian-fusion dishes and excellent sushi. Full disclosure: both of your humble editors were on the Buffalo Grove Village Board at the time of the construction of the club-

house, and have a soft spot in their collective heart for the space. (Ask Judge Johnson about the former water feature that was in the lobby area, or perhaps ask Mr. Berman how happy he might be now that it is gone.) On the night Jeffrey Berman of the grand of the law firm of Anderson + Wanca has extensive opening, we enjoyed an ala carte selection from experience in the ample sashimi commercial choices, along litigation, class actions and insurance coverage litigation with individual sushi rolls, and half-price botin state and tles of Alexander federal courts across the country. Valley Merlot that He is Co-Editor of the Docket and currently serves as the Secretary of the LCBA Board of Trustees. were specially priced for the event. Our guests

Hon. Charles D. Johnson has been an Associate Judge for the 19th Judicial Circuit since 2005. He was an assistant Lake County State’s Attorney from 1990 to 1994, and a local prosecutor from 1994 to 2005. He is currently assigned to the Criminal Division.

ordered Chicken Alfredo and Pork Kat Su, and all agreed that the food was wonderful. On several other occasions, we have partaken in the Chicken Wings, Bulgogi Nachos, Chicken Kat Su, Tempura Udon (a huge bowl of vegetable beef soup with noodles), Galbi (Korean BBQ style short ribs), Sirloin steak, Golden Shrimp, and plain old burgers; all of the appetizers and meals were exceptional. The fiesta maki roll was particularly good, as was the fire dragon roll. The restaurant also offers a golfer’s menu, with bratwurst, burgers and tacos, among other traditional golf course fare. The bar is fully stocked, including a large selection of wine and beer. We can also attest that they make a very fine Old Fashioned.

One of the greatest aspects of Vin 90 is its ambience. The dining space has been significantly enlarged and improved from the prior configuration. One notable enhancement is the addition of a six-panel folding glass wall that opens onto the expanded patio area overlooking the course. The patio area features tables for dining, along with fire pits and comfortable couches for relaxation. The view from the patio is spectacular, whether looking inside at the cloud-shaped lighting fixtures, or outside along the 9th fairway. One could easily spend a great

One especially unique deal of time luxuriating (and consuming food and aspect of Vin 90 is drink) in this place. The staff at Vin 90 also is excellent. Owners their use of robots, Won Cho and Jason Jung are omnipresent, bringing specially produced by positive energy, shaking hands and amiably attendLG Corporation for the ing to guests’ needs. Chef Yoon Jae Kim also makes owners, as high tech regular appearances outside of the kitchen, welcoming patrons, soliciting “runners” that bring food feedback and graciously accepting the prolific from the kitchen to the compliments that come his way. Elizabeth and Mitch bar area. are the managers; they are veritable energizer bunnies, constantly monitoring the operation, making sure everything is running smoothly, and doing so with constant smiles. One especially unique aspect of Vin 90 is their use of robots, specially produced by LG Corporation

for the owners, as high tech “runners” that bring food from the kitchen to the bar area. They’re a little bit freaky when you first see them, but the addition of their high-tech utility to the overall presentation is tremendous.

Adjoining the wonderful restaurant facilities is the high-tech, indoor virtual golf center. Replacing the former banquet room, this is a golfers’ wonderland, complete with eight state of the art golf simulators designed to re-create ball flight to within 99% accuracy and deliver insights on your game. The simulators’ complex camera system, impact sensors, and advanced software provide world-class accuracy and a truly fun experience for novice and advanced players alike. All of this is delivered in a fully automated experience that even changes the turf to reflect different lies (the location of the ball, not the score) and tees the ball up for each shot. In addition to hourly simulator rental, WJ offers lessons and high-end training from local pros and instructors. The space is rentable for group parties and events, and service from the bar is provided to the golf space.

Vin 90 is an exceptional addition to the local dining scene, and your humble editors invite you all to join us there any time.