Many culinary historians denounce the present Fixe Era of dining as coarse and boorish, preferring instead the simple refinement of the middle Prix-Fixe Era. Hearken back to a more delicate time with today’s Groupon: for $30, you get a three-course dinner from a prix-fixe menu at Spring (up to a $59 value).

Shawn McClain, executive chef and owner of Spring, Green Zebra, and Las Vegas’s newly opened Sage, is one of the country’s most accomplished culinary talents and a James Beard Award winner. McClain has wowed Windy City foodies for years with Spring’s menu of New American cuisine with Asian twists. He combines the simplicity of fresh fish, meat, and vegetables with light, tangy dressings and sake glazes. In celebration of its anniversary, Spring is exclusively offering Groupon customers a three-course prix-fixe menu of favorite dishes. Choose one item from each of the following course options:

First course

• Pacific tuna tartare with banana-miso sauce, poached shallots, and cashews; or
• Braised short-rib dumplings with pickled orange rind and a coriander reduction; or
• Farm-egg ravioli, with smoked potato, white truffle oil, and hazelnuts.

Second course

• Eggplant masala, with cilantro, yogurt, and grilled garlic scapes; or
• Australian barramundi, with potato gnocchi, cilantro pesto, and citrus; or
• Maine sea scallops, with roasted mushrooms, braised oxtail, and sweet soy.

Third course

• White-chocolate dome, with strawberries, rhubarb, and rosewater; or
• Lemongrass and kaffir-lime panna cotta, with passion-fruit gelee and crispy brioche doughnuts.

Enter a zone of Zen with Spring’s sparse but elegant interior, designed for top tranquility during your three-course feast. The restaurant took over the space of the former Luxor Bathhouse, and, like its predecessor, it offers a calm and relaxing experience. Clean lines and sharp angles mark the entire dining room, and soft, vertical glass fixtures light its earth-toned walls. The chartreuse, tan, and eggplant panels accent the bathhouse’s original white-glazed brick tiles in Spring’s Zen garden. The restaurant offers more than inventive, gourmet cuisine—the entire experience is a respite from the high-speed chaos of daily life and fleet-footed goblins. Reservations are recommended.

One Groupon is good for one three-course prix-fixe dinner per person.

Reviews

The New York Times loves Spring: > * At Spring, Mr. McClain is causing a stir with his take on fusion, but even he hasn’t lost sight of American sense and sensibility. – Regina Schrambling

Yelpers and Citysearchers give Spring four stars. Here’s why customers say Spring is one of the best restaurants in Chicago: > * Each and every experience has been a pure delight. The food is so fresh and prepared superbly…The staff is friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. – andrejone1, Citysearch > * This is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. The food is phenominal [sic], the atmosphere very nice, service superb… – Danny W., Yelp > * Best meal ever. Not to mention the impeccable service from EVERYONE. – Melanie V., Yelp

Check out Spring on Check, Please!: