Vinegar Hill House — Restaurant in New York

An inwardly inviting restaurant whose staff took me back to the feel of a commune in the seventies. Arriving a little before opening time, we waited at the bar while the staff arrived (the chef toting her adorable baby son). Notably the other, and I can't say why, the other staff members, hostess et al, were rather distant and unfriendly. Although we were the first in with a reservation we were initially directed to probably the smallest table put together for six and immediately adjacent to the end of the bar. Anticipating a bar crowd and cramped quarters we asked to be shown another table and sat at what was probably the best table in the house, a tiny alcove across from the open kitchen (the table with the picture of a naked lady). Our waiter was extremely knowledgable of the food ingredients and the wine list and was very accommodating. The service, despite the crowd, was not rushed and throughout the evening, different servers brought our dishes. Within the hour what was initially a quiet oasis on a appealingly near vacant street scape, became a focus of all the activity of the new Brooklyn. The bar was 2-3 deep and people were waiting for tables. The menu had an appropriate mix of offerings (although light on those from the sea). Do order the $9 corn bread (our party of six had two), a delightful accompaniment to the average price wine by the glass ($10), all of which were quite good. We sampled different appetizers and all were very good including the pumpkin soup and the liver mouse. The boston lettuce appetizer while fresh from the garden taste and appearance was scantily clad with a few sliced of picked apples and croutons. The "signature" pork dish ordered by several did not disappoint from the reviews, and was delicious. The one fish course, the Artic Char, while very tasty and moist, arrived as the least artfully inspired plating of the evening. The steak was quite good as well. Desserts, were all tasty but overpriced by several dollars (($12) and the french pressed coffee despite two attempts was just warm at best. So then the six of us enjoyed an appetizer each, one glass of one per person, two corn breads, six main dishes, one extra vegetable for the table,3 desserts and six coffee. With the 20% gratuity added in by the house the bill was $165/couple. Overall, an "interesting" evening with above average food, unique menu offerings. If not for the generally unfriendly staffing, and the pricing that was $30 more per couple than I might have expectedwe would...

Listen up, gorgeous souls! Your girl just had the most DIVINE dining experience at Vinegar Hill House in Brooklyn's charming Vinegar Hill neighborhood, and I am LIVING for every single bite! This hidden gem is tucked away in the most enchanting little corner of Brooklyn, and baby, it is worth every step in these heels!

First off, can we talk about this INTERIOR?! chef's kiss It's giving rustic chic meets Brooklyn bohemian realness, and I am absolutely OBSESSED! The exposed brick, those pendant lights, and that cozy farmhouse vibe had me feeling like I was dining in the most fabulous countryside cottage. The ambiance is so warm and inviting - perfect for a romantic date or catching up with your chosen family!

Now let's get to the FOOD, because honey, this kitchen is serving LOOKS and FLAVOR! We started with their legendary Seeded Sourdough Focaccia and I literally gasped when it arrived - thick, pillowy perfection with the most gorgeous golden crust. Then came the Spaghetti with asparagus, ramps, savoy spinach, pistachio, and sheep's milk feta, and darling, we DEVOURED it so fast I didn't even get a photo! The combination of fresh spring vegetables with that creamy feta was pure poetry on a plate!

The Cast Iron Chicken with shallots and sherry vinegar jus was absolute PERFECTION - juicy, tender, and cooked to the gods! Served in that gorgeous cast iron skillet with fresh herbs, it was giving main character energy on a plate. And can we discuss the Wood Fired Asparagus with hollandaise and country ham? STUNNING presentation and the flavors were mwah magnifique!

But the real star of the show? Those Marble Potatoes with raclette and cornichons swimming in herbs and what I can only assume was liquid gold! They were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and that melted raclette had me ready to propose marriage to this dish!

Yes, it's a little off the beaten path in this adorable neighborhood, but trust me when I say this place is worth the journey! The service was attentive without being intrusive, and every single dish that graced our table was a work of art. Vinegar Hill House, you have my WHOLE heart!

If you're looking for a place that serves both Instagram-worthy dishes AND soul-satisfying flavors, run don't walk to this magical little spot. Your taste buds will thank you, and your feed will be SERVING content!

XOXO, A very well-fed and...

I came here for dinner tonight with a couple of friends hoping to enjoy a “farm-to-table” type experience. Upon our arrival, we were asked to wait 10 minutes to be seated at a table that had already been open, set, AND reserved for us. Once we were finally seated, our waitress poured us a half-empty glass of water and proceeded to tell us which items on the menu were no longer available this evening, which just so happened to be all of the ones my friends and I were interested in trying. The waitress took off and didn’t return for another 30 minutes to take our order from the remaining half of the menu. Of course, by the time she had arrived, yet another one of my selections was no longer available. I wonder why...

Alas, I was left to order the “cheeseboard,” Field Greens Salad, and cornbread for the table to share, and the Market Fish as an entree. The food was brought to the table another 30 minutes later, exactly at the point when all of us were starving. The “cheeseboard” was nothing to write home about and the cornbread was halfway decent—a bit too bitter for my taste. However, three bites into the field greens salad was when I realized that the main ingredient (the ham) was nowhere to be found. I brought this to the waitress’ attention who then called the manager over and apologized to us for the waitress’ inability to communicate that they had yet again run out of another item on the menu. At this point, I was left to wonder—how does one have enough salad, but not enough ham? Hmmm?

Our entrees arrived 15-20 minutes after our appetizers. At last, we’ve made good time! I took a few bites of my fish which came with a calamari ragout and my mouth was parched from how salty it was. It tasted as though the fish was captured in the Dead Sea and then broiled in the tears of a chef who had just failed out of culinary school.

Finally, the bill came and the manager was courteous enough not to include the half-assed salad we had ordered as our starter. Overall, this may have been one of the worst dining experiences of the hundreds I’ve had in New York. I came for “farm to table” and instead, I got a bull in...