Rudy of Ripe Tomato restaurant returns for one more meal at Five Restaurant

Who remembers Rudy Liebl and the Ripe Tomato?

The chef and owner from the restaurant in Fig Garden Village that closed in 2014 is coming out of retirement for one special meal at Five Restaurant.

The Ripe Tomato was a popular fine dining restaurant that spent 37 years in the spot that is now a Pieology Pizzeria.

The meal at Five, 1110 E. Champlain Drive, is at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 27, and features some classic favorites from the Ripe Tomato. The cost for the six-course meal is $150 per person. Reserve a seat by calling 559-434-5553.

A portion of the money will be donated to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

The menu starts with a glass of Champagne. Wine will be paired with each main entree.

Several appetizers include a portobello mushroom topped with thyme and cheese, andouille sausage or sautéed rock shrimp with a black peppercorn Brie cheese sauce. Corn chowder topped with jack cheese, prawns and jalapeño and a salad with Ripe Tomato’s dressing come next.

Entrees are a Chilean sea bass dusted with porcini and served on a bed of asparagus puree with petite English peas and shiitake mushrooms. There is also a rack of lamb stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, wrapped in applewood bacon and served scalloped potatoes and carrots served on a bed of honey merlot sauce.

Dessert is a walnut Chantilly pie with French cherry brandy flavored Chantilly topping and Papagni muscat canelli wine.

This story was originally published April 17, 2017 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Rudy of Ripe Tomato restaurant returns for one more meal at Five Restaurant."