Eliko S.
Yelp
After reading reviews for Vulture & a fabulous article about it in San Diego Magazine, I was really excited to try out this new-ish Vegan spot in University Heights. I had a vision in mind when I arrived, but wan't sure if it was the kind of "special occasion" place that many reviewers said it was, or if it is the sort of place one could go at any time notwithstanding the higher price point.
Parking is annoying in the area as I circled around for about ten minutes before finding a non-metered spot on an adjacent street. Then I walked over to Dreamboat & into the kitschy 50s diner-esque entrance/mini restaurant. A member of the waitstaff in Dreamboat welcomed me in, & I walked through the velvet curtain underneath the neon "Vulture" signage and was transported to a moody, highly-stylized dining room. I felt like I was walking into the setting of an Agatha Christie Novel set on a train or perhaps a moody Gothic romance novel. Either way, quite a bit of thought was put into the design of this place. From the ornate flowered wallpaper on the ceiling, to the oversized repeating Greco-Roman busts set into niches, to the plush booths, it seems like no expense was spared on the decor. Is it to my taste? Not necessarily, but do I appreciate the effort. Sure thing!
Oh, I also did really love that the bathrooms are located in the back of the restaurant hidden behind red French doors. They have a vintage vibe & I appreciated the faucet handles, unique brass light switches, & the fact that the purse hook was set low on the wall instead of high on the door in the larger stall.
So, after I walked through the curtain, I stood there next to the bar for a moment, looking for a host. I did not see anyone. Finally, I asked a nearby member of the waitstaff if there was a host. She motioned to the tiny stand past the bar, & said that someone would be there momentarily. Just then, a party of four came in through the curtain & made a beeline to the host stand, cutting me off. Rude! I stood behind them & then a member of the waitstaff, who apparently was also doubling as the host, greeted & seated them, placing menus on the table & then filled their glasses. I stood by the little stand for another minute or two, & then the host remembered me & asked one of her co-workers to attend to me.
I gave them the name on the reservation & she sat me in the third booth on the left wall. She did not drop off menus for me or fill up the water glasses. I sat there for a few moments, & then the original host who was also assigned to serve my table came by with menus and inquired about water. She also mentioned that there were two minutes left to put any orders in for happy hour. I quickly texted my friend, who was parking, to see if she wanted a drink so I could place the drink orders before the time was up so to speak. She opted for a glass of Pinot Noir & I opted for a mini martini called the Poet's Dream and I also put in for an order of Parker House Rolls (tasty!!), also on the happy hour menu. My friend arrived, we perused the menu & decided that we would share:
Crab cakes - pretty good facsimile of CCs using hearts of palm, the tartar sauce was tangy and had a little bite to it. They were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
The drinks arrived after we received the Parker House Rolls and the Crab cakes... perhaps the bartender was in the weeds a bit, but the Poet's Dream was so good. I enjoyed the strong flavors and honestly the small size was perfect as an accompaniment to my meal on a "school night."
Lion's Mane Steak - I don't eat steak now, and I haven't eaten it since I was 17 years old. However, this tasted like a meaty mushroom (which it is) and while I love mushrooms, this was not it for me. I'd prefer that it was just served as a mushroom dish, instead of it trying to masquerade as a steak.
Pasta Vodka - small portion, unique pasta shape resembling campanelle but looking more like elbows with ridges & ruffles. Anyway, it was fine. I love pasta so there's that... the sauce was tasty & had a little kick to it.
Potato Pave - My favorite dish of the night. Seriously, these are tasty, fried, brick-like slabs of pure potato goodness. I mean give me a crispy, layered potato dish w/ a slightly spicy aioli and I'm a happy camper. Two thumbs up.
To end, we ordered Baked Alaska - fun, fiery presentation. The meringue is apparently made from aquafaba. It was tasty and a good sized portion that could be shared by 2-4 people for sure.
Service honestly was okay. When my friend had been seated for a minute, the server came by, looked at me and said, "oh, you got here" & I silently sat there while my friend said, "No, it was me who just arrived." Sheesh. Well, this set the tone for the night - somewhat awkward & somewhat delicious. I'm glad for Vegans that this upscale and interesting resto is here & I hope that the rumors are not true about a possible closing due to the building being sold.