Vinegar Hill House - Review - DUMBO - New York - The Infatuation
"As the last five years have passed, we at The Infatuation have become considerably more advanced - in experience, in technology, and I am inclined to say, in maturity, but let’s not get carried away. We’ve certainly eaten in Brooklyn a lot more, and Vinegar Hill House has become one of our all-time favorites, thanks to consistently excellent food and one of the best outdoor dining situations in the whole damn city. As a result, we're not here to tell you that things have changed here. We're here to tell you that things are still really, really good here. We love coming to Vinegar Hill House on a summer weekend evening, right as they open, and grabbing a table in the back yard. Sometimes we’ll even make a day of it, starting on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge and taking a walk that ends here. We love the vibe of the restaurant, we love the pasta, we love the wine list, and we looooove the pork chop. Food Rundown Chicken Liver Mousse Vinegar Hill House started doing the rustic-restaurant-chicken-liver-mousse thing way before it was a common sight on menus around town. Served with pickled onions and pistachios, you can’t go wrong. House Charcuterie A plate of meats, a bottle of wine, and some bug spray. That’s really all you need for ideal outside dining here. Seriously though, you might want to bring bug spray. Pasta There will always be a rotating menu of incredible pasta dishes on the menu at Vinegar Hill House, and our recommendation is that you order all of them. The servings are relatively small, and two or three for your table will be just right. Also, if you see risotto, order risotto. Red Wattle Country Chop This is the dish that most people know best from Vinegar Hill House, and for good reason. Cooked in their wood-burning oven, this thing is as juicy and tender as a piece of pork can get. It is also probably our most favorite pork chop ever. Cast Iron Chicken A very good bird, though you probably wouldn’t want to do both the chicken and the pork chop, and the pork chop is much better. Desserts Don’t expect to find your average salted caramel chocolate crumble or whatever. The desserts here are much more inventive, like Sesame Almond Cake, and Sunflower Panna Cotta. All should be taken advantage of." - Chris Stang
