It’s hard to imagine a restaurant better suited to Valentine’s Day than The White Linen.
Located in a former bank building, the space seats only 24 guests, giving it a cozy, romantic atmosphere. Add in the attentive staff, complimentary champagne, and special holiday menu featuring caviar, steak and chocolate, and the evening becomes a dream fulfilled.
Of course, for owner Chef Adam VanDonge and his wife, the romance has to wait. He says, “I told her when we got into this that we will never celebrate on Valentine’s Day. She understands ours is on February 15th .”
VanDonge is thrilled with how well people supported his restaurant since opening in 2017, considering there wasn’t much in the downtown area at the time. The one glitch in the success story was the Covid-19 pandemic. When restaurants were closed to in-person dining,
VanDonge felt the quality of his food would suffer being served take-out style. He turned to an old favorite—sandwiches.
“I previously owned a sandwich shop in Holton,” he remembers. “That first Monday, we opened at 11 a.m. and I was sold out by noon. That’s why I’m grateful to Topeka for supporting small businesses. Sandwiches saved us.”
Now the dining room has reopened with Covid precautions in place. VanDonge switched from an a la carte to a tasting menu because the pandemic made it difficult for him to source certain ingredients. He notes customers love being able to try everything on the menu for the evening. He also changes the menu every month to keep it fresh and interesting.
He says, “We want this to be a culinary experience. Something fun and memorable. It’s not only about the food. It’s about the whole entire experience. We try to make everyone’s night the best night because you never know when someone has little kids and they only get out once every six months. I stress that it’s important to make that night perfect.”
Seared Jumbo Scallops with Aparagus and Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto and Chipotle Aioli
Chef Adam VanDonge shared a favorite recipe for readers to try at home. He likes to top this dish with shaved black truffles.
Serves 4
For the chipotle aioli:
1 can chipotles in adobo sauce
2 cups good mayonnaise
For risotto:
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cups water to start, with more added as necessary
Salt and white pepper, to taste
4 whole sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and minced
1/4- to 1/2-pound asparagus, diced
4 tablespoons heavy cream
16 large scallops
Canola oil
To make the chipotle aioli:
In food processor, mix both mayo and can of chipotles, including the sauce. Pulse until chipotles are blended up. Set aside, (or refrigerate to use later.)
To make the risotto: In a large pot, heat the butter until it begins to brown. Add the rice and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the two cups of water, as well as a pinch of salt and pepper. As the rice absorbs the water while it cooks, add more, one cup at a time, until the rice is al dente.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sauté the diced asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes. Add this to the finished risotto along with the cream. Season to taste. Cook all ingredients together until cream is incorporated with risotto.
Pour some canola oil into a large sauté pan on high heat. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Once the oil begins to smoke, carefully add the scallops to the pan one at a time, making sure they are not touching. Sear for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side, giving the scallops a golden crust.
To plate, spoon some of the risotto onto a dinner plate. Place 4 scallops onto the rice, and then spoon some of the aioli over the top. Add shaved black truffles on top, if desired.
The White Linen
112 SW 6th Street
Reservations recommended
785-350-2500
www.thewhitelinen.com
Open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Brunch is served on the first weekend of every month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.