EVIT’s 5th Season restaurant offers 3-course, $40 prix-fixe menu Feb. 2

The Valley’s original “pop-up” restaurant – 5th Season – returns Feb. 2 in Mesa.

The East Valley Institute of Technology hosts 5th season on the first Thursday of the month when school is in session. Culinary students transform a banquet hall into a gourmet restaurant from 5 to 8 p.m.

The $40 prix-fixe menu allows diners to choose an appetizer, a main course and a dessert, and February’s menu, as usual, is drool-worthy:

Appetizers:

• Oysters on the half shell, Chambord horseradish mignonette
• Escargot pot pie, tarragon cream
• Avocado torchon, orange soy glaze, warm sesame “Rice Krispy”
• Steak & eggs, Painted Hills New York strip, poached egg, truffle Hollandaise
• Butternut squash bisque, cherry gastrique

Entrees:

• Alaskan salmon, wild mushroom ragout, vodka chervil buerre blanc
• Grilled maine lobster, toasted pecan risotto, sautéed spinach, lobster cream
• Coffee & cocoa crusted beef tenderloin, roasted shallot crouton, asparagus, Maker’s Mark gastrique
• Duck breast, apricot scented amaranth, blood orange demi glace
• Portobello Wellington, whipped potatoes, truffle cream reduction

Desserts:

• Salted caramel tartlet, vanilla pastry cream, caramel crème puffs, salted caramel glaze
• Cherries Jubilee, vanilla ice cream
• “Fig Newton,” foie gras ice cream
• Apple struedel, Austrian style, farmer’s cheese, cinnamon syrup

Seating is limited. To make a reservation, call 480-461-4139 or e-mail tguerrero@evit.com.