By the time this weekend rolls around, visitors to Paul Hamilton's Vin de Set / Moulin / PW Pizza / Grand Petite Market gourmet compound will be able ogle what looks like modern art stuffed with growing plants (examples at left) in the rooftop patio area. These funky sculptures are, in truth, aeroponic "vertical" gardenening devices, and Hamilton has long-term plans to line the roof of the building with a commercial version of same.
"These are aeroponic tower gardens that take up limited space," Hamilton explained. "They're designed to grow things in urban areas, where you don't have a lot of room. At the center of each tower there's a pump that pumps liquid saturated with nutrients up and sprays it over the root systems every 15 minutes. The plants supposedly then grow at a 25 percent greater rate, what with the exposure to oxygen and the liquids, even though they only use 10 percent of the water you'd use in a traditional garden. They were actually invented by a guy who worked at one of the futuristic pavilions at EPCOT Center in Disney World."
If the gardening towers (which will also be on display in the vestibule at Hamilton's nearby 1111 Mississippi) work out well, said Hamilton, "we could grow a significant portion of our vegetables for the restaurant -- tomatoes, lettuces, herbs, swiss chard, kale... but it's more expensive, so I want to experiment with it and see what the yields are." If the tower gardens are a huge success, he said, he envisions "a whole series of them watered with a single larger tank, and possibly even a year-round greenhouse."
Vin de Set already uses herbs grown from pots on restaurant's roof, some of which wind up on fish dishes at the Thursday Fish Market, an innovation that has garnered raves. Vin de Set Executive Chef Ivy Magruder, in partnership with Bob's Seafood, offers a weekly selection of fresh fish, prawns, oysters, etc. at a station near the entrance to the restaurant. Diners can select their ultra-fresh fish right off a bed of ice, and then watch it being grilled on the spot. (Check Vin de Set's Facebook page for a list of each week's fresh-catch specials.)
Speaking of freshness, Hamilton is jazzed about the rooftop aeroponic garden for the same reason.
"To be able to say you're growing food right there at the restaurant, and diners are eating it the same day you picked it, is very cool," he said.
