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Since one of my wives relocated to Dumbo not so long ago, she has stopped eating out in Williamsburg altogether and has found a new restaurant to frequent daily. And due to my social outbursts and overall assholedom (that's a word) she has been reluctant to invite me down to visit her newfound dining oasis, Vinegar Hill House. The other week I visited for my very first time, and though I wasn't blown away, I wasn't thrown out either, a testament to what first impressions really amount to.
Vinegar Hill House, despite its intimacy, is surprisingly large with a downstairs and backyard that opens in the warmer months. It also has a surprisingly neighborhood-joint feel, despite it's reputation for good eats. What is not surprising is the casual dining atmosphere, though this could have been induced by my other wife's ultra-regular status, as it offers up culinary treats that are an anathema to my preferences without formality. Think Friend of a Farmer meets Diner.
At this point I could write two reviews, as the regular status of my other wife greatly affected the experience we had. As a challenge, I will try to do just that: one from the perspective of a regular who is granted perks for patiently returning time and time again, and one from the perspective of a first time eater.
Review #1:
The one thing I love about this restaurant, more than any other, is the vast selection on the menu. Firstly, every first course is completely different. The buttermilk dressing and bitter green salad is a perfect contrast to the market salad with vinegar dressing , there's grilled octopus, there's cheese, and all of this is differs from day to day depending upon the availability and season, guaranteeing freshness and quality. The entrees are delectable, again offering an array of selections the hilight being the porkchop. The cuisine is gourmet but not pretentious, using time tested techniques to create flavors commiserate with such a perfect setting.
When we entered, the manager instantly recognized my friend, and allowed us to sit even though our party was not complete; giving us a table right in the thick of the dining room. Drink orders were quickly taken and we seemed to lose our sense of time eating and drinking and conversing. By the time we were through, the restaurant was packed, though we didn't feel rushed whatsoever, enjoying the comfort atmosphere with full bellies and good company. The meal was resplendent with quality products fine-tuned for a perfect night out. And the bill was more than agreeable....
Review #2
We arrived at Vinegar Hill House and had a twenty minute wait to get a table. As the dining room is smack in the middle of the bar, there was nothing to do but to stand around like a dope waiting for something to open up. Eventually, we were seated and the waiter took our drink order. The place was pretty busy, so it took a while for him to get us our wine/beer, though I don't know why, as I saw him chatting with the manager for half the time.
We each had a different salad, all of them done quite well though the bitter green salad with buttermilk dressing was without a doubt the winner. My wife had the fish, my other wife had the octopus, and I had the chicken with a potato on the side. The potato had cod in it, sort of a spin on bacalao, which would have been nice to know ahead of time. This would have been less egregious if he hadn't first delivered brussel sprouts, which none of us ordered, but the manager astutely included free of charge. The bummer was that the sprouts were far superior to my fish-potato.
The food was delicious, but once again convoluded by an inattentive and spacey waiter. Each of us had something different, and each of us was quite pleased, though we all had to wait for our fourth order to be delivered--the steak with bone marrow. I still can't seem to wrap my head around restaurants who put so much time an attention into a product, and then have some brain donor execute. It's a good thing I was with my wives, as they seem to temper my outspokenness with their patience and understanding. All in all I can say that once again Brooklyn has opened a restaurant with far superior food than service, with more attention put on decor than lay out, and more concern with style and feeling than efficiency...
As you can tell from either review, I had a fine time, and it's hard to say whether the waiter was out of it because I was with a super-regular, or if that's what you get when you come to Vinegar Hill House. Take it as you will, but I must concede that it is definitely worth a try. And something tells me the more you try it the more you will acquire the taste.
