Going Dutch

WHAT Chef Joncarl Lachman opens Dutch-inspired Vincent
WHEN Sept 10
WHERE 1475 W Balmoral Ave (773-334-7168)

On September 10, Joncarl Lachman, the chef-owner of HB Home Bistro, will open Vincent, an Amsterdam-style “dining hall,” as he calls it, in the former La Tache space. The restaurant, which has La Tache owner Lynn Malec as a partner, will serve as an outlet for Lachman’s infatuation with his Dutch heritage. How does a chef do that besides serving moules frites (Lachman will serve five varieties of the mussel-and-fries combo)? Glad you asked, because Lachman has come up with some creative ways:

Maatje Haring Sorry, did we say there’d be no fancy treatment for the genever? There will be one: Lachman created this admittedly nontraditional shot as a way to bring various aspects of Dutch culture into one quick, easy influx of alcohol. It starts with a piece of herring, continues with a shot of cold genever and ends with a bite of pickle.

Red lights As part of his attempt to give a meal at Vincent the “feel of a night out in Amsterdam,” Lachman is outfitting the lounge with red lights that will spill out into the street, just as they do in Amsterdam’s De Wallen district. Of course, the enticement here is food, not sex. But if your date takes a Maatje Haring or two, who knows?