Oh Va De Vi I did not want to write this review. I want to start off by saying that I usually love this place. I've been coming here for the last year or so and even celebrated my birthday here back in May. Unfortunately my last visit on Saturday night was just not good. I will say on the positive side that the wine list is amazing and the service was very attentive. Our water glasses were filled constantly and dirty plates were always being cleared. This review is mainly in regards to the food. I am a fan of Va De Vi on Facebook and was dying to try the grilled peaches (a recent summer addition to their menu). I was sadly disappointed when it came out. It looked nooothing like the picture. The ricotta cheese on top of the peaches was an odd texture and looked nothing like ricotta (it was shredded, not crumbled). The cherry gastrique (excuse my spelling) was overly sweet and the peaches themselves were unevenly grilled (soft in some spots, hard on the outsides). We also ordered the heirloom tomato salad. This was okay. The tomatoes were the highlight. I thought the homemade mozzarella cheese had a slimy texture though. I've had better at home. After having tried two items that I wasn't thrilled with, I immediately went to the go-to item for me on their menu, the black cod. This is fabulous...usually. The tastes and flavors were right up to par and were good. However, I did notice that the portion size was considerably smaller then the last three times I had it. It's the most expensive thing on the menu. I know that they are "small plates" and I am not a big eater anyway, but this portion size was ridiculous for $16. Very, very disappointing. My girlfriend and I don't get to go out much and we both left feeling less then satisfied (and still hungry). Like I said in the beginning, I usually love this place and will most likely be back but I don't think it will be for the food. Very heart breaking Va De Vi :(
Review Source:Food---you might be tempted by the numerous small plates on the menu but, to avoid disappointment, stick with the cheese platter, order some bread, and have a nice glass of wine.
Service---good.
Overall---main reason to visit: during good weather, it's very pleasant to sit out back under the tree and enjoy some wine and cheese.
It begins with the staff....Vito, Whitney, Fallon..everyone is knowledgeable & friendly, which adds to the experience you will enjoy as you sip wine flights and delicious and creative small plates. Â Bob the manager regularly walks through to ensure that everyone is smiling and having a great time. Â Happens to be my favorite place in town for a reason! Â Cheers!
Review Source:Been awhile since our last visit & really looked forward to the Mac n Cheese. However, we were told that the menu changed & now bacon has been added, ugh! The sliders were tasty and as usual, the ahi was excellent. Best to make a reservation as this place gets plenty crowded. Overall, a great dining experience and we will be back.
Review Source:Last night was my first time at Va de Vi and let me start by saying it was the bomb!!!!
Va de vi is a small restaurant nestled behind Tiffany's. It has a very nice seating outside and in the back . Last night it was really pretty because the trees were lit up and it was just really breath taking.
On with the review...
We ordered :
The mushroom dish: AMMMAAAZZEEballs!!!! Absolutely worth it!!!
Lumpia: It was good but no were near "lumpia". Like I said it was really good with a lot of flavor!
Truffle Mac and cheese: By far the BEST Mac an cheese I've ever indulged!So so good!
Lechon: This was a take on roasted pig that's really popular in the islands. It was so good!! The sweet yet savory sauce and the rice under is really amazing!!
A lot of people complained about the small portions but I think 4 plates-50 bucks filled us up. Service was great! Our server, a curly headed man with glasses was extremely nice!
Overall we had a great experience and it was a great way to end my birthday! We will back!
UPDATE: We went back for our 5 years anniversary/ Nye .
We ordered :
Pommes frites- YUMM! If you are a attic lover this is the BOMB!
Roasted mushrooms- Just as good as the first time we had it mmmm
Pork belly and Swiss chard ravioli - SOOO GOOD!!! Omg it was so tasty my bf ordered another order.
Chicken tinga tacos- these were spicy but really tasty.
Yellowtail ceviche- these were so yummy. Cilantro and all mmm!
Absolutely love Va De Vi and there wonderful flavors!! We already made reservations for Valentine's Day!! Great customer service like always and we left very happy !
Went here for lunch with my boyfriend- we each had a soup shot and then shared the burrata cheese, ahi and the slider trio.
Food was good but not great.
Watermelon drink was overly sweet and unenjoyable.
Service was good and prompt - good ambiance, especially sitting outside in the little alleyway
Pricy but nice if you're feeling like a snack and paying a hefty price for it.
I'd honestly rather just go to Nordstroms Cafe next time.
JUMPED THE SHARK. After having the random opportunity to sample "small plates" and cocktails around town for an afternoon, we agreed this was the worst in two key categories-taste and value.
1. $10 cocktails are okay, but at the same time within a 3 minute walk Sasa, Lark Creek, and 1515 are holding happy hours with $5-6 quality cocktails-1/2 what VAdeVI is charging. In July, all Lark Creek wine 1/2 bottles, carafes, and bottles are 1/2 price. Same time, 1/2 price, better selection!
2. The food was weak. I have a food service background and the sliders were small, tough, and fishy(yes, the force you to have one tuna salad slider). Arrgh. At the same time, Sasa and 1515 are serving creative, tasty, well-prepared happy hour food for less than half of what we paid here. Don't miss the mini riblets at Sasa.
3. We're all willing to pay for what we get-squash blossoms were flavorless(what cheese was in there?), somehow oily, and expensive.
You are paying for the ambience, not the dining quality. We'll never go back. Time and money are too precious.
My wife and I didn't even get in the door before being treated very poorly. The hostess couldn't have been more rude to us when asking for a table for two along with our son in a stroller. She obviously didn't want our business since there were several tables outside available but she wasn't willing to sit us there with the stroller. While they were busy with reservations an older couple was sat right after we weren't offered to sit at a 4-top open table. While this restaurant has great wine flights usually, we won't be back.
Review Source:MAJOR dissapointment. Â mediocre wine list, and everything else was so hit or miss that i was shocked at what we actually were served. Â
small plates are all they have here. which is fine. ordered "fried squash blossoms" which looked like fried tamales in a spiced mayonnaise sauce stuffed with cream cheese but they were ok i guess. Â halibut almost tasted pickled- WAY too salty had to send it back. Â pommes frittes weren't even all that special. Â a small plate of ribs was a good value at $13. Â
i'm 30 and from sacramento. Â and even i was very underwhelmed by this food; the clientele looked like a carbon copy of real housewives of orange county had come for an evening of wine and appetizers. Â i have been to paris, italy, the east coast and eaten in everywhere from michelin 2 star restaurants to quaint brasseries that would blow this place out of the water both in quality AND in price. although dinner for 2 of us was like $77 which wasn't anything obscene. Â There may be a neiman marcus across the street but perhaps good taste can be found somewhere else i'm sorry. tasted like room service at the st. regis.
Va de Vi is overrated, but still nice. Â I like the small plates idea, and they do a very good job bringing them out, and the wine flights were a very good value (I had the Savignon Blancs, one from Loire Valley, one from Sonoma, and the best from New Zealand). Â But . . .
A restaurant should have good food, and the food here is decidedly mediocre. Â The black cod that they pay Diablo Magazine to tout was just OK, a bit fishy with an unexciting sauce. Â Short ribs were gamy, with a gummy polenta; chicken tacos so spicy you could not taste any of the ingredients, also a gummy mass; lumpia doughy and glutenous, and again the shrimp and avocado were lost in it; and the best thing about the profiteroles was the ice cream, which you can get anywhere. Â However, the ahi tartar was very good, very fresh with a nice wasabi and chili oil, and a roe of some sort on top.
Also we were given a table next to the kitchen door -- lots of clanging and waiters bumping into my chair -- even though we had Open Table reservations for 5 p.m. and the rest of the restaurant was pretty much empty.
So the name is fitting: it is all about the wine, so foodies beware.
The food was decent. Nothing to rave about. I expected more when I went in maybe that's why. The service is however I'm giving it a 2 star. I think Denny's has better service. It was our anniversary dinner so that's why I booked that place to make it feel
Special. But I think I would have been better off elsewhere. I didn't expect this level of service there.
Whomever is responding to email inquiries to their <a href="mailto:info@vadevi.com">info@vadevi.com</a> mailbox regarding venue buy out needs a refresher on their customer service skills. Came across very rude towards me: someone who frequents their restaurant often, who just got engaged and was considering hosting their reception at their venue.. Sold me out of that decision. I suppose they would have been a pain to work with anyway. How sad.
Review Source:Had a wonderful date night here. Loved how you can get wine flights to try wines from all over. I had the "There is no place like Rhone". We also got a few small plates. The best was the blondie. It comes out in a cast iron skillet. Its enough for 2-4 people to share! Tables are small so it helps keep some intimacy in this hopping place.
Review Source:Late lunch with a friend. Â We shared the roasted asparagus with Prosciutto & feta w/romesco sauce, ahi tartare with lemon zest, sesame oil and wasabi tobiko (beautiful presentation) and the scallops with lime puree and pancetta. Â Everything was well prepared and present. We ordered one scoop of the sorbet to share but received the gelato with the sorbet. Â We indulged and both were excellent. Â Sipped the icewine with dessert. Â Sat outside on a very lovely day. Â the servers were pleasant & knowledgeable but the service was a bit disjointed.
Review Source:Since writing my initial review, I've gone back to Va de Vi dozens of times. I absolutely love it there! It's perfect for dates or for dinner with my parents. This is the type of restaurant where the menu is constantly changing, with a few constants like Truffle Mac-n-Cheese. Keep in mind that the portions are small and that you're meant to order at least 3 (not including dessert!). I like this idea because if something doesn't float your boat, there's always more options and more courses to get through! On a weekend, it would be best to make a reservation since it does tend to get crowded. My favorite place to sit is at the chefs table! It's bar seating right up in the kitchen. They don't let you reserve it, but always ask to see if there's room!
Review Source:Wow! Â I never felt so ripped off. I understand tapas but Italian food for expensive tapas. Â I ordered a salad and hamburger with a beer. Â $10 for three leaves and two strawberries. Â Second the hamburger was $10 for a mini slider. Â What a rip off!!! Â The place is nice decor but you feel f*#ked when you leave.
Review Source:I came here expecting a nice meal since it was packed on a Friday night. Â The portions here is ridiculously small. Â The main entree of Black Cod was served on a tiny little bread plate. Â To make it worse the black cod is half of a tail portion which tasted very fishy. Â It was plated with "fake dyed neon greeen" seaweed on top which imported an extremely salty and unpleasant tasted. Â It was the worse fish dish I have ever had. Â For $16 it was a complete joke. Â
I had to go back to the hotel and order room service so I won't go hungry. Â
The lady and her daughter seated next to me complained that their wine tasted exactly the same even though they ordered different wines. Â The funny thing is it does look identical in color, and they brought them the same "different" wines twice!
This place gives bistro or restaurant a bad name.
OK, I use to love this restaurant. Â My husband and I have been frequenting this establishment for years. Â We dined here last weekend and it just seems that the menu is tired. Â I was hoping for a few new plates different from our last visit. Â While the food was tasty and the service exceptional....I just expected something different.
Review Source:Went here on a Saturday evening with my hubby and a very food-educated friend.
Needless to say we let him order, and we had the waitress pair the wines with the food.
The food was REALLY good. Â Smaller plates that we shared among us. Â The asparagus spears were incredible, the others, while tasty, didn't leave an impression for me to write about.
The wine pairings, however, were supurb! Â The waitress did a phenomenal job of pairing reasonably priced glasses of wine as requested, and even stumped our Foodie friend with some blends he had not heard of! Â Very cool.
We would absolutely come here again. It's a bit of a splurge, but for an occasional night out it's A-OK.
Pricey? Â A bit. But tasty? A bit more.
More on the 3.5 ish side.
I would have given this place four stars if it wasn't for me trying their dessert sampler. I really couldn't decide if I wanted the profiteroles (filled with pastry cream), the chocolate souffle with chantilly (AKA french whipped cream with vanilla), the roasted apple brandy bread pudding or the chocolate hazelnut tart. So I did what others would do. I had them all.
Yes you can have your cake and eat it too here at Va de Vi with their dessert tasting for two dessert menu item! I was psyched that I'd get to try their four most "popular dessert" items but my excitement fell into disappointment when I tasted all four desserts. They were sub par and I am not saying that because I am some kind of pastry, dessert elitist but because they seriously were really not that great.
I give them a 5 out of 5 in appearance but a 1.5 in taste.
I wanted to get the explorateur cheese platter but they ran out so I settled with the crater lake blue cheese plater which offered tastes of aged and raw cheeses.
For a pasta dish I tried the herb and ricotta gnudi which has roasted mushrooms, arugula lemon and truffle butter. All ingredients I la la la love. They were all delish but a little on the heavy/rich side. Great for folks who like it super rich and savory.
I also tried the Korean inspired fried chicken which was super tasty. The chicken was well cooked and was not dry. The batter was crunchy and flaky and the sauce added a nice kick.
My hands down favorite dish was the Asian inspired brussel sprouts. Ever since tasting brussel sprouts for the first time in late high school/early college, they became one of my favorite if not THE my favorite vegetable. Crunchy, bite sized, slightly bitter and full of layers-I cannot understand the common distaste people have for them! Va de Vi's brussel sprouts did not disappoint. They were unique, savory, eye-rolling-worthy deliciousness.
Other than their tapas and small plates, I saw many people order their wine. I myself didn't order any wine so I cannot say that I had a full Va de Vi experience.
On a different note, I loved the traditional but contemporary Restoration-Hardware esque interior and the side entrance. Walking thru the hallway/alleyway was reminiscent of when I was in Lyon, France walking down a narrow street where outdoor dining tables and chairs lined sidewalks.
Dined here for the first time on Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend. No reservation, no wait. Very pleased. We chose to sit outside on the patio. Cool evening, heat lamps. Nice. Wine: The Justin Syrah was excellent. 2010 I believe.
We started with stuffed zuccini blossoms and they were just ok, not fabulous. The fllling was delicious but they were super small and too heavy in batter.
Pomme Frites were excellent paired with the wine while we perused the menu.
Grilled Asparagus with Romesco Sauce and crispy Proscuitto was very good.
Beet Salad was excellent and very refreshing dotted with mild blue cheese. The portion was exceptional.
Risotto was the star, Summer Squash, Grana Padano, simple yet perfectly cooked.
We really wanted the Chocolate Souffle and would have ordered after dinner drinks to go with it but the souffle is not a true souffle, more like a light cake,
Overall very good, I am a fan. I will be back for more. The atmosphere was very nice and I suggest the back patio.
The server and bus person were excellent.
Bravo Va de Vi.
We tried Va de Vi again recently for an early dinner to avoid the crowds and the long wait times. The food was good overall, with some dishes (the ones they are more known for) being much better than the rest.
Service was friendly and efficient this time, if aloof, and the bartender mixed up some nice cocktails. So why still 3 stars? I've had better "chef quality" food for less money elsewhere, but it's nice that we have a fine dining restaurant out here in the badlands of the inland East Bay
Went back to my favorite spot after nearly a year (sad, I know). This time around, while I still love this place and all, I wasn't as blown away by a couple of the dishes as usual. I ordered: Â
Pommes frites: Delicious as always. Can't stop eating them. Portion size is perfect. Just the right amount of garlic and parsley tossed in.
Chicken tinga tacos: You get two p/order. I was expecting them to be tiny tacos, but they were a good size with quite a bit of meat. I had to eat some of it before I tried to pick it up. The avocado salsa they put on it is very flavorful. Something (flavor-wise) was missing from this though, and I can't quite pinpoint it.
Grilled yellowtail ceviche: Eh. While I liked the tropical salad mixed in there, the fish itself didn't have enough lime juice/seasoning in it. I'm a ceviche snob, so this dish isn't one I'd order again.
Rock shrimp avocado lumpia: Always a favorite. The seaweed salad they serve the lumpia over is refreshing.
The service was, as always, friendly and prompt. We never had to wait to get our next dish. It seemed like perfect timing when we would finish our dish and the next one would already be on our table. Our water glasses were always filled. I hope the flavors and quality of the food doesn't diminish though - I've never had a dish that I wasn't so crazy about and in this case, it happened with 2 out of 4. I was really happy to see that they've kept some of my favorites on the menu, while they've introduced many new items as well. Will be back for more. :)
Went here again for lunch yesterday (the first time in 2 years), and I have to say, they still got it!
We started with potato leek soup with candied bacon and scallion oil. For $3 it's a steal and the perfect starter for your meal.
Then then shared the trio of sliders:  1. BBQ chicken thigh  butter lettuce, pickles.
2. Crispy pork belly pickled onions, spicy aioli. 3. Tuna burger  bacon, pineapple, teriyaki sauce.  All were delicious and would make a great meal for a single person dining alone.
We also shared the fried baby artichokes with sundried tomato aioli and crispy capers. We are going to try and make this at home! It was so yummy, light and packed with flavor.
And to end on a sweet note we shared the dessert for 2 (miniature versions of: soufflé, chocolate hazelnut tart, pastry cream profiterole and roasted apple brandy bread pudding). It is the best way to enjoy a bunch of unique sweets. Personally I could have done without the hazelnut tart, but everything else was to die for. Order ahead because it takes 15 mins to prepare!
Great first experience. Came with bf on a Friday, it wasn't too busy at 7:30 and we were immediately seated w/o reservations. The weather was gorgeous and the sun was still out so we opted to sit outside, right next to the wall fountain. It was a really nice setting.
Ordered 3 small plates to share and it was just enough for 2 people. I love tapas style food since you can try a little of everything. The cocktail and wine menus were great, lots of variety. Opted for a cocktail, the aperol spritz, very refreshing and not too sweet. I think the wine flight was a great value, not too expensive .
Rock shrimp and avocado lumpia was my fave. It was super flavorful. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and who doesn't like avocados? The texture of the filling with the crispy wrap was so good. I also love that it was paired with seaweed salad. Really great flavors and balance.
Yelpers seemed to love the lechon pork belly so we ordered that as well. It was very yummy, also lots of good flavor. I thought that the sauce was just a bit too sweet for my taste, but overall it was a good rich dish.
BBQ chicken thighs. Well cooked, super tender meat. The sauce was really rich and had some interesting smokey flavors. It came with corn and fingerling potatoes. Probably would skip this though.
Our waitress was decent, not the most friendly but she got the job done. She had an incident with a man who was walking his dog down the little alleyway. Some random person (not even a customer) complained about the dog being near the tables and she jumped at the chance to go yell at the poor man. Thought she was a bit rude and could have handled the situation better.
Solid 4 stars.
I decided to check out Walnut creek for the first time and I fell in love.
Va de vi was a bistro was the first restaurant that popped in our "field of vision" as we drove and as it was a gorgeous day out we thought we'd dine here for lunch (on a weekday)
I wasn't drinking but they had great wine list and great flight options.
All their food are served "tapas" style - small and sharable. Â I'd say each dish we had was sharable for a tasting between 3-4 people. Â (except for the soup which is served in a shot glass)
We were hungry so we ordered.... A LOT (here's what we ordered for... the two of us)
- Potato Leek soup - yummy
- Salad with pears & deep fried cheese (it was a soft cheese but not sure what) - yummy
- Fried baby artichokes with sundried tomatoes & capers & aioi - yummy
- Truffled mac & cheese - yummy (I found slices of black truffles..!)
- Lechon - super popular and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - yummy
- Ceviche - It was good but not out of this world
- Trio of sliders- the pork was pretty much the same as the lechon dish we got. Â Chicken burger was slightly spicy and good. Â Tuna burger was meh. Â The buns were good and the presentation was good but I'd pass on this dish if I came back next time
It's not cheap (I mean for the portions you get they are pricy) but the food is good and the atmosphere is good.
Recommended!
Well I think the drinks should be served in shot glass to match the mini salt and pepper shakers as well as the food.
Went here for lunch, for future reference don't unless you get a 1-2 hour lunch.
Now I never, ever, ever mind paying more for good food, but everything was just OK. Portions were extremely small nothing stood out flavor wise. I thought our original order got mixed up when the appetizers came out, but oh, it was our meals. No extras like bread or anything to snack on. We tried the steak, tuna, and braised pork on their lunch menu. After our nice samples we thought we would get the burger with fries.
Now the description said nothing about onions in the meat on the burger, so what a nice surprise with the first bite. Bleh, the one thing that was going to be really good, wasn't. The fires were tasty and the soda was prepared perfectly.
The ambiance is nice there and seems like it would be nice for drinks, but you can get drinks anywhere.
Service was so-so, after our waiter was out and about I had to ask one of the busers 2 times to have someone get our check, so after 20 minutes we finally got it and wanted to get our change while other orders were being taken. Also, whats with the book they give the bill in, seems like your trying to be classy, but not? iono
Menu was all over the place from French, Peruvian, Filipino, and American. Not sure if there is a focus there. I can either think It was a off day or everyone is drinking alcohol before they get their food, cos like all food, it tastes better when your drunk.
I have enjoyed every visit that I have had at Va de Vi.
This time we ordered potato leek soup, Mac and cheese, black cod, hen of woods and braised pork shoulder.
The potato leek soup was thick and lovely with the oil sitting on the top. Truffled Mac and cheese with truffle was delicious. Roasted Alaskan black cod was fresh, but the croquette rocked the dish - dense, rich and crunchy on the outside. Yucatan braised pork shoulder was tender but bland. The hen of woods mushroom was so delicate and flavorful simultaneously.
Va de Vi is a great place for date night or a ladies' night out. It's walking distance from everything in downtown Walnut Creek. The service is fast and friendly. The atmosphere is beautiful!
Had a pleasant little visit here.
I certainly waited to long to visit this place. Va de Vi has been on lists of places to go for years now, so I gladly partook the opportunity to check them out while getting my car serviced at Toyota.
I have always been intrigued by the quaint, Napa style, brick castle/cottage like exterior of the restaurant, Â which alone, is seductively enticing enough to draw me in.
The interior is just to match, absolutely mesmerizing, as well as the outside seating area. I arrived early and was able to choose a nice little table by the window. I was then approached and handed the menu by my server.
I of course had scanned the menu prior to coming in and yet of course, still had to ask my questions : )  Most of the items they had presented on there in store menu were the same they had presented on line ( the menu changes frequently)  I decided to order several different small plates. One of the  roasted alaskan black cod,  described as- with a  soy glaze, wasabi butter, orange oil,  potato cake, ocean salad.The Truffled mac and cheese described as-white cheddar mornay sauce, black truffles, parsley, bread crumbs ( I'm a cheese girl) and finally the Warm Brussel Sprouts with arugula, grapefruit, balsamic vinaigrette. They did not have the bacon vinaigrette like I saw online : (
Alaskan Cod arrived first and quite quickly, looking hands down fantastic and turned out to be just that, absolutely out of this world amazing! Good God!!! Just about cooked to perfection but man, with all those ingredients of the soy glaze and wasabi butter just meshing together with the crisp buttery potato cake, sent me to foodie heaven!! I also thought the freshly sliced ginger adorned on top was a nice touch.
Then the Truffle Mac arrived. It was much larger in portion than imagined though, presentation was appealing. I was actually disappointed with this one. I truthfully  found it to lack in flavor and to be overall, pretty bland. I do think it was cooked well and creamy, just not very satisfying.
The Brussel Sprouts then arrived looking fresh and delightful. I was not too crazy about it upon my first trying and found it to be ok , but the more I ate it, the more I found all  the variety of ingredients to really complement each other equaling a simple, yet satisfying dish. Still not sure I would order it again though, bur perhaps with the bacon vinaigrette : )
I came here initially to of course dine in at, as well as to have a glass of wine, however, being it was early afternoon, my wine craving had not quite struck yet, but I figured, I can't say I have fully experienced Va De Vi, with out finishing off my meal with a nice little glass of Vino.I went ahead and ordered a half glass of one of there red blends which was nice and a great end to my meal.
Overall, Â I absolutely LOVE the ambiance of this quaint, classy little joint and rate that 5 stars alone. Service was certainly top notch and though I was not completely sold on every dish, I am certainly curious to dine here for dinner some evening. Oh, and If you have not been and you do decide do go, GET THE ALASKAN BLACK COD!!
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