This place was delicious and the service was great. Unfortunately, the noise level as really really high. Â Seems like there were a lot of large groups with boozy breakfast drinks. I went with a friend to catch up over coffee and french toast and it as hard to hear each other across the table.
I've been there for dinner and it seemed a little more subdued.
I have been here with my husband more than I can count. Â It was one of our first outings in DC when we moved here 3 years ago. Â We had a lovely romantic dinner the first time we ever went, the prices are on the higher side, but the food was good. Â We have been several other times for happy hour with friends inside and outside. Â We have been to Sunday Night Flamenco twice, which is always enjoyable (and not to mention all Spanish wines are half off during Flamenco). Â The happy hour prices are great and food portions are very fair. Â Some of the food does not blow my mind, but it never disappoints. Â The last group of friends we brought with us included 4 vegetarians and they were quite disappointed with the food options for them. Â There were not many vegetarian choices on the happy hour menu, and although there were more on the regular menu, they were not willing to pay the overly high price for those items. Â My husband and I personally enjoy the small plate happy hour prices. Â And the best thing of all is that they have happy hour EVERY DAY! Â We are a fan of most places that offer happy hours every day, so for this they get extra points (too bad I cannot give another half star). Â $5 glass of wine and Peroni....yeah, that sounds fair to me. Â
We have not been for brunch yet, but we will surely be back to check that out at some point. Â
If you have a chance to sit either out front or out back, I suggest doing so on a nice day. Â You will enjoy it. Â The outside bar in the back of the building is always busy, but we have never had an issue grabbing a drink when we needed one and everyone has always been pleasant.
The staff are extremely attentive. I went with a group on a Sunday for brunch to celebrate a birthday. I Â had made and brought a cake with me for the birthday group for the end of the meal and as soon as I walked through the front gate with the cake, the staff asked how they could help. A server instantly took the cake to the kitchen to keep it cool and promised to bring it out when we were ready.
The meal itself was average. My chard omelet was flavorful with bits of cheese, but the majority of the omelet lacked cheese, meaning, the majority of the omelet lacked flavor. The breakfast potatoes were tasty, but mushy from chard sauce oozing from my omelet. Best part of the meal, unlimited mimosas.
After our meal, the staff instantly cleared the table and brought out the cake, topped with two candles. They proceeded to encourage the restaurant to join in singing "happy birthday" and whisked the cake away to be cut into slices for everyone at the table. Afterwards, they cleaned and returned the cake plate. Great service, which made the birthday girl feel special.
Really enjoyed their brunch which, for me, consisted of scrambled eggs, bacon, and about a gallon's worth of mimosas. The service is good (even when you're obviously getting a bit tipsy), and the bocce court is dope (whenever the back patio hasn't been turned into a stone oven by the DC sun). Will definitely be returning to this delightful little place.
Review Source:I should've listened to the other yelpers....worst mussels. AND they were recommended by my server (who, besides that recommendation) was lovely. Ugh, they were the worst. And I think you get around 10 mussels (in other places, you'd get a pot-full of them, boiling in broth -- oh, these mussels were just plopped in some marinara sauce....ON A PLATE).
This was always on my list of places to go, but I won't be returning.
Cute spot with a great atmosphere! I went with a large group of friends for Saturday brunch. Can't beat the $15 unlimited mimosas, and the Duck Confit Benedict was delicious! Our waiter, John Paul, was great and came by every 5 minutes or so to top off our drinks. No one's glass got below the halfway mark! Definitely a place to check out.
Review Source:This is a legitimate DC brunch spot, as far as I am concerned.
What else could you want?
- outdoor seating (better make a reservation)
- unlimited mimosas for $15
- really yummy flavorful food
- great relaxing vibe
- well-located near the metro
I really like the unique menu and the super friendly staff. My server (who was also my bartender because I sat  at the bar) recommended a few items that all sounded amazing. I ended up with the pork-shoulder omelet which was just as tasty as it sounds. My home fries were remarkably delicious, with sauteed onions!
Service was great. Food was good. And the drinks were flowing.
Great brunch indeed.
#213
This is a good spot to meet up with friends and coworkers. But, as a date venue, I can't recommend it if you have above-average expectations. Admittedly, I'm just frustrated that a date that I was hoping would go well (didn't), and Vinoteca is just the hepless pinata that's going to be beaten to submission in this review.
Wine- 3.5/5
Above-average selection. I enjoyed my pinot noir. Our waitress sorta went carte blanche on choosing wines and had difficulty conveying the nuances between different wines or recommending one based on my preferences.
Happy hour specials apply ONLY if you're seated at the bar. Â
Food- 2/5
Fried Potatoes-- I expected massive potato wedges topped with tons of duck sausage and cheese. Instead the potatoes are french fries and the duck sausage and mozarella is sort of scantily placed around the fries. Basically, they're dressed-up duck fat fries.
Fried Mussels-- I wouldn't recommend these. Over-cooked, small-sized, not fresh, and just drenched in oil.
Overall, I can't really recommend Vinoteca as a spot where you can get a solid bite to eat. Menu is rather limited in selection.
Service- 3/5
It's really difficult to carry on a deep conversation with your date when three different people approach you throughout dinner (and at multiple times) asking you how everything is. Suddenly, the flow of your conversation is interrupted, you have to divert your attention from just when your date was about to explain how she managed to avoid from falling off a mountain. It's akin to pausing a movie in the middle of an epic Morgan Freeman monologue,
Besides, what is the point of asking "How are you doing?"
We're doing fine. I'm not collapsed, I'm not bleeding, no one's vomiting, and no one is screaming. If everything looks normal and fine-- please don't keep asking. Please stop repeatedly and abruptly inserting yourself if it appears that we are deep in conversation. If I need something, I will let you know. But, now that you've interrupted our conversation, everything is NOT fine.
Smoking-
Vinoteca chooses not to ban smoking within 25 feet of the restaurant. Thus, if you're seated in the outdoor patio, just have to deal with others' cigarettes.
The hostess greeted us with a huff of ennui. We stared at her expectantly for a few moments before I thought this may be a self-seating restaurant. "Do we seat ourselves?" "Psh, no!" she sneered. Can I help you?" I was taken aback by her attitude. I asked her if she could seat us and seemingly unwillingly, she led us to our table.
The food was good, though, and the price reasonable.
I call this one "Saturday brunch by Horace"
Sat at the bar with 2 of my (gregarious) buddies, who of course, started chatting with the group next to us. I told the bartender (Horace) that I had a bit of an upset stomach, so I didn't think I was gonna drink. He recommended a drink called Amaro, an Italian herbal liqueur commonly drunk as an after-dinner digestif. I was pleasantly surprised, and I think it made my stomach feel better! Heads up -- it's got a bitter-sweet flavor, and is slightly syrupy.
Otherwise, I had a glass of OJ, the granola, and the smoked salmon w/ aoili on flatbread. Everything tasted excellent, and Horace was a great server, too. It helped that my 2 friends were buddy-buddy with him. He definitely made sure to take care of us.
I definitely recommend this place for brunch!
I checked out this place during Restaurant Week as it was the nearest participating restaurant to the bar where my former roommate is holding her farewell party. I made the dinner reservation for 6pm, and got seated promptly in the main dining area upon arrival. As I was the only patron in the area that time -- most of the people were either at the bar or the patio -- it wasn't very loud at all. The servers were attentive and the dishes were served in a timely manner. I was feeling fancy, so I ordered their special menu with the wine pairings. The amuse bouche (I forgot half of what's in it, but it's some kind of creamy dressing containing shiitake mushrooms, duck, and other stuff) is quite creamy, and a bit sweet for me. I like the first course, which is some fried cheese and pear salad. The main course of bison ribs in some wine based sauce, served with mashed potatoes is definitely tasty and cooked towards medium rare. I haven't had bison before, so I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a bit chewy and best served on the rare end -- the cartilage was still red. At least, it was soft and cooked enough that I can slice the meat easily with a knife. I do like the sauce although I think it is a little sweet for me. I was happiest when they served the dessert (maybe because I was a little bit tipsy from the wine?) -- I absolutely love anything with chocolate in it! Overall, the food is okay, nothing extraordinary. The servings were a little small but for a three course meal, this would fill you up okay. On the other hand, the wines were excellent, and they complement the so-so food quite well. The wine for the second course was pretty strong for me, which is probably why I was a bit tipsy afterward.
I think the place is worth visiting again. The ambiance seems to be more suited for a group of friends trying out the wines. I'll definitely check out their wine flights on my next visit.
Very cute spot!
Went here for brunch yesterday and I'm definitely a fan. Â
I ordered the avocado and feta bagel, which was great. Full of flavor.
I also had the bottomless mimosas for $15....brunch with unlimited mimosas always makes the experience great.
The staff were extremely friendly and attentive.
My only complaint would be the noise level. Â For some reason it was extremely loud...it seems like everyone was yelling and I could hardly hear myself talk. There's plenty of seating outdoors though, so this issue can be avoided!
This place is great. Â We hung out in the back space, where they have a fun patio with a bocce space. Â Had some sangria here, which was delicious, and felt quite like a trip to Spain I went on with the same group of friends. Â I also tried a few appetizers they had on the menu. Â I had their rapini, which was a white bean and cheese dish. Â It was light and refreshing, and tasty. Â I also had the carrot dish that executed carrot in three ways, with slices of pear, a hard cheese and micro greens. Â Definitely an interesting dish, but I would buy it again if I saw it there. Â I would definitely recommend checking this place out.
Review Source:Great selection of wines. Even better when you try their selections available for a deal during their happy hours (offered even on the weekends). Â I had my first Pinot Gris here, so I definitely keep this place in mind when I want a laid back wine bar with good offerings. Â Outdoor seating in the front and bocce ball in the back outdoor patio too.
Review Source:I've drank and eaten around this place tons of times and never even noticed it. Glad I have now, but I wouldn't say that I would target this place.
It's got a very cool, fancy vibe inside. You definitely want to come dressed up (not a tie or anything, but certainly a button up. You'd stand out in a T-shirt).
What I really liked was the bar in the back. They've got a nice patio that would be awesome for some afternoon boozing.
I'm more of a beer guy than wine, so I can't really speak to their wine selection. Not too many beers (not shocking, not holding that against them) but they did have some good ones on the limited list. My first selection was gone, so I went with No. 2 which was a pumpkin ale. I thought it was weird to have it in the spring, but it was really really good. Good recommendation by the bartender.
Only problem with the bartender was that it took like 15 minutes to get their attention. It was pretty full on a Wednesday night (good thing), but not packed enough to warrant that long of a wait I thought.
Overall, I'd come back here for drinks if friends were there or I'm looking to class it up a bit. But not high on my list.
Kate at the bar was on point!
Such a cute spot to grab some wine or some dinner. There is a great patio outside, a small dining room inside and the bar area has seating.
We were in a little bit of a rush so we grabbed 3 spots at the bar. I went with a U Street Mule and it was refreshing and delicious. I wish I had time to sample more cocktails, they sounded amazing. I was glad a wine bar had cocktails too, score!
Started with the mushroom crostini and they were delicious. Huge fresh mushrooms with fresh ricotta cheese. Yum. Great starter.
Went with the pork for my main dish and it was cooked to perfection. It almost melted when it touched my tongue.
Overall such a relaxing spot, wish I had more time to spend there.
I've only been here for early evening drinks, so I can't say anything about brunch or the bocce ball setup out back.
That being said, my girl and I had a GREAT casual Thursday night on the patio out front. Our server was very nice, attentive, and knowledgeable. I asked which chardonnay was best, and the one he picked out was so delicious and so smooth.
Next, apps ... we got the pan con tomate at first. Yummy, but only 3 pieces so we decided (ok, I decided) we needed a bit more food to nosh on. BRING ON THE FINGERLING POTATOES!!! Holy tubers, Batman, these were to die for!!! Halved roasted fingerling potatoes with a roasted garlic yogurt sauce with figs and pine nuts that were (you guessed it) roasted. It was a flavor party in my mouth. This is one of those foods that I'm going to dream about until the next time I have it.
All in all, a very satisfying experience. Cheers, Vinoteca!!
Great brunch spot! Good service, great menu, delicious food and drink, nice outdoor seating area, AND all without the crazy wait that you experience with NYC brunching.
I went with the Duck Confit Benedict, the Bloody Mary with bacon and habanero-infused vodka, and of course a side of perfectly crisped bacon (I was on "vacation", ok?). This benedict is not your ordinary benedict! The duck was cooked well, and added a salty richness that Canadian bacon just doesn't provide! Another unique element to this benedict that I loved is that it is served over rustic bread, instead of an English muffin. The rustic bread served as the best vehicle to soak up all that runny yolk from the perfectly poached eggs on top of it.
On to the drink...this is definitely one of the top 3 Bloody Marys I have ever had! The tomato juice was thick with spices, not watery, and the bacon and habanero-infused vodka made all the difference here. It added the salty, extra spicy kick that I am always searching for in a bloody. Seriously, try this drink!
The server was also very attentive and was really good about refilling our water and coffee throughout the meal. Good brunch spot, definitely try if you're in the area!
This review is for the Sunday brunch and bottomless mimosas. Â I sat at the end of the bar next to the big container where they make and dispense the mimosas into carafts. Â This is probably the best Sunday mimosa brunch I've had. Â They were putting in a very generous amount of sparkling wine into their mimosas, pouring four bottles at a time for a longer period of time than they poured a single cotainer of OJ--I was impressed. Â The food and service were good too, so I'll definitely be back.
Review Source:This place was fantastic for brunch. We sat outside on the front patio, which was gorgeous and made for really interesting people watching. It was swamped and the first day of patio-appropriate weather, but it really wasn't a bid deal. My friend and I split the granola and greek yogurt dish as an app which was DELICIOUS. I also had the duck confit eggs benny, which is literally the food that my dreams are made of. My co-diners seemed to enjoy the braised bison eggs benny and the double cheeseburger as well. My bottomless mimosa was only empty once and quickly refilled.
I do have to dock this place a star because the bathroom situation is just so unsatisfactory. The line was about 8 people deep each time one of my party went! We ended up just going into Solly's to pee. Something's gotta give.
I went to Vinoteca with about eight friends for happy hour on a Thursday night - we managed to get the big window seat in the bar, which is a great little area for a group and has nice views of U St. It was January and really cold, so we had specifically chosen Vinotecca for its mulled wine. Unfortunately, and when we arrived at 6pm, they had just sold the last mug of mulled wine of the batch they'd made, and the bartender told us they weren't planning to make more. Luckily, they changed their mind (thanks to the awesome hostess, I think! And maybe because as each person of our group showed up there was an audible cry of disappointment when we explained there was no mulled wine). The mulled wine lived up to expectations, and I think our happy crowd went through a batch ourselves! Happy hour food was great, too, especially the bread with tomato and bread with mushrooms.
Review Source:Stumbled across this place because Tap and Parlour had a ridiculous wait for Sunday Brunch. This place did not disappoint. Only real sad note is that we noted a free table outside in the patio seating, however when we walked in to get a seat, the hostess said they would have no more seating for the day. When we brought up the empty table we saw, she gave it to us. Good thing we caught it...geeze.
Sips: $15 bottomless mimosas (we decided to pay by the glass since it's just $3...and by the generous glass size, im sure i wouldn't down 5 of them lol). Also had the bellini, which was yummmm! 1 mimosa + 1 bellini = a perfect buzz for 6 bucks.
Eats: Bagel w/ Lox...tasty and came with a delicious side salad. Applewood smoked bacon (kinda blown it was 5 dollars but it was good bacon.. couldn't complain too much). My friend had french toast with lavender honey & ricotta.. Delish.. i think i'll get that next time. Great quality food here.
Atmosphere: We ate outside since it was such a gorgeous day. Nice space, though kinda crowded. The servers were attentive and kept all their patrons' mimosas BOTTOMLESS.
Pricey, but if it's nice out and you're feelin a brunch, i would suggest you try it!
I had to update my review to include brunch (my favorite meal) at Vinoteca (my favorite brunch). Â I've been there twice in the past few months, partially because they had this amazing promotion where in December they gave out these Mystery Cards that you could redeem (unopened) if you returned in January. Â SO SMART. Â And so worth it -- all of us won big, whether it was $50 gift certificates, bottles of wine, or wine classes. Â
Also, they have a nice center table for eight that we used both times -- the place gets pretty loud but being in a circle you can at least bond with the three or four people closest to you at the table. Â
And I can't forget the mimosas! Â $15 (up from $10, which did seem a little too good to be true) and served in wine glasses (#amazing). Â They take it seriously, waiters/waitresses walk around with water pitches filled with mimosas and I never even saw a 1/3 full glass, much less empty. Â
Food and service are always solid -- I've gotten almost all their omelettes and enjoyed every single one. Â When a table of eight all thinks they ordered something amazing, that's a pretty hefty testimonial. Â
And when I brunch every other weekend (#noshame) and this remains the favorite - that's sayin' somethin. Â They also have a sweet patio when it's warmer, with bocce!
I came here for brunch on President's day with a friend because 1. It was one of the restaurants serving brunch on the holiday and 2. It's been on my "DC to-do list" for a while now. Â I love that when I arrived at 11th and U street I didn't see it immediately. Â It's a tiny bit hidden, but when you do realize where it is, it looks like a great neighborhood find. Â Since it was a gorgeous day outside, the restaurant had a lovely light due to the large windows, and it wasn't too busy but that was probably because not everyone is as lucky as me to have off every government holiday :). Â I'm sure it's packed on a normal weekend for brunch.
Anyway, we started off with kir royales (obviously) and the red currant scones. Â I believe they served the scones with lemon butter. Â They were SO DELICIOUS, and I was beyond thrilled that my friend was already interested in having them to start as well. Â For her main she ordered the french toast with the walnut butter (by the way I love all the options you can have for the french toast) and I had the pan con tomate with sunny side up eggs. Â I was torn between that and the eggplant omelet, but was still happy with my choice. Â The pan con tomate was a fabulous spanish twist on an 'egg sandwich'. Â I ate the entire thing...and also had a bite of my friend's french toast because I have the biggest sweet tooth. Â Her choice was great as well, the french toast comes in thick slices which causes it not to get soggy (always a plus).
I can't wait to come back here for dinner and again for brunch. Â If I lived closer to the area, this would definitely be one of my go-to spots. Â YUM.
Having recently moved to DC, there are few places I've been more than once, but I made a point to make Vinoteca one of those places, both times for brunch.
Trip 1, Â lox and bagels since that's my go-to brunch order, and it was great. Trip 2, so impressed with my first visit, I tried eggs Benedict for the first time, despite a serious aversion to runny eggs. AHmazing, and a nice twist give the braised bison short rib included in the meal. Agree that portion sizes are a little on the small side, but not obnoxiously so.
Take note: Bottomless mimosas for $15 - Which was increased $5 in between my two visits after some guests allegedly enjoyed them a little too much. They're tasty without being wimpy, and not once do they let you see the bottom of that glass. The servers are really sweet as well, despite all the running around they tend to do. Love this place, can't wait to try it for dinner.
Bottomless Mimosas are now $15, but that don't phase me!! I'm still a loyal patron and the staff still delivers super friendly and consistent service. My boyfriend's now knows why brunch is more of an activity than a meal for me! He didn't know how smashed one could get off champagne alone!
Review Source:Live music and performing arts were amazing. Â Seating capacity could be a bit better as the place was packed. Food quality was amazing. Â Portion sizes on beverages are generous. Â Creativity or distinctiveness in the menu offering was refreshing.
Portion sizes could be improved with respect to food. Â Would recommend coming here for a snack rather than coming here hungry.
Thus value for the money could be enhanced with a larger portion size.
Thursday night happy hour is like a scene from Waiting to Exhale...but that the women are young, beautiful, professional and Caucasian. Not as diverse and international a crowd as Bar Pilar; but, if I were a guy, I'd come here for Happy Hour.
Happy Hour is excellent. Lots of delicious tapas to choose from, and the wines are really reasonable. I think I also have a crush on the bartender.
I love the outdoor seating during the warm months - great for small groups or dates.
I went to Vinoteca for Sunday brunch with friends. I had been wanting to try the restaurant for awhile, and was not disappointed, although we waited a good hour for a table in the very crowded bar area. The restaurant is fairly small (larger in the spring, summer and fall months from what I understand because they have a patio). Also, because it is small, and has a lot of hard surfaces, the restaurant is a bit on the loud side; it can be hard to have a conversation with your table mates.
There are bottomless mimosas available for $10, which were quite popular. We got a pitcher of Bellini, which at $18, is certainly more expensive, but has higher quality champagne in it. It was delicious.
I ordered the Pan con Tomate and medium sunny-side up eggs with chorizo, manchego and mixed greens. I thought it was delicious---actually one of the better "foodie" brunches I've had in the Washington, metro area. The dish reminded me a bit of a breakfast pizza. My other friends ordered the eggs Benedict (I had a bite and it was quite good---the braised bison short rib was incredibly tender) and the smoked eggplant omelet. My friend with the omelet said it wasn't overly smokey and didn't have too much of a kick, which I found surprising.
The service was excellent once we were seated, and the food came out quickly. I'd definitely visit again, particularly if don't have to wait as long to be seated.
I went to Vinoteca twice last month. First I went for brunch. The eggs Benedict with the braised short ribs was probably one of the best brunch entrees I've had. It's rich and flavorful, and I like that the recipe calls for French crusty bread instead of a boring old English muffin.
The next time I went to Vinoteca was for dinner, where I got to look over their extensive wine menu. Our server was great in providing recommendations and providing a couple of different wines for me to taste before I made a decision. Again, the food was great. I look forward to coming here for Happy Hour, as I believe they have five different wines for $5 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
So this girl walks into a bar....and is greeted by friends and an awesome/ cute bar tender named Dave who hooks it up with the specialty cocktail of the day (which just happens to taste like you're drinking pumpkin pie), it was the Pumpkin Martini.
I cannot tell a lie...I fell in love effective IMMEDIATELY with not only the drink, but the grilled squid, the other drinks my friends were having, and the entire feel of the place. Â There is nothing this set up doesn't provide. Â If you like good food, drinks and an intimate setting, then this is not to be missed while roaming the streets of DC.
I came here for Sunday brunch with a group of friends. Our party was extremely large, about 9 people, so we were lucky to find a space along the back patio. I highly recommend that you have reservations for brunch. Otherwise you will be out of luck or expect to wait for at least an hour.
The food here is quite yummy. I ordered the pancakes with ginger butter. It definitely is a must have! The pancakes were so fluffy and the ginger butter just melts in your mouth. I also ordered the salmon and eggs. It was good as well. Everyone at my table was very pleased theIr order and have no complaints.
*Note about the unlimited mimosas: For some odd reason they don't like to give large tables a pitcher of mimosa. This can be annoying especially when you have party drinks heavily and your waitress is hella busy.
Brunch.
Vinoteca showed me what brunch was. It was something I never understood...until I moved to DC. I heard the words "brunch" being thrown around in certain circles. Actually huge hordes of my friends were always meeting up for "brunch" and disappearing for hours, and as a breakfast food hater, I wondered how is it that people can take up five hours to consume eggs, coffee and a mimosa?
Keeping that in mind, here is what I learned about this so called "brunch" :
1-It's a beautiful excuse to day drink in a socially acceptable place. Case in point, they supply bottomless mimosas. The best deal in this city at $10. It used to be bottomless bellinis, kir royales and mimosas but the menu is now limited to mimosas. It's completely fine with me. The service here is normally so attentive, you actually have to shoo away or discourage servers from refilling your glass. No joke, if you begin brunch at noon, you'll be pretty much incapacitated by 2pm.
2-Brunch is not as boring food wise as I thought it would be. It's not just limited to eggs, pancakes and french toast. I am actually such a big fan of the sandwiches they offer there for brunch. My favorites are the Egg Sandwich baguette with pulled pork, caramelized onions, palhais goat cheese, and two fried eggs and the Bagel #2 with fried egg, applewood smoked bacon, gruyere cheese, and grilled red onion. Both are served with salad. Sure I could stop by a bagel/sandwich shop and get similar dishes for cheaper, but they definitely don't taste the same.
3-Brunch is for nature lovers. Vinoteca has a small patio which is awesome for sitting outside on a beautiful summer day (seating outside is first come,first serve).
4-Brunch is a way to take a roll call of all your friends you partied with the night before, therefore brunch connects people and builds relationships. About a good 50% of them will show up in the clothes from the night before (high five).
And that my friends is brunch. Now I join the ranks of those who brunch, meaning I am drunk by 3pm on a Sunday afternoon and in bed by 8pm.
Our experience at Vinoteca went from being completely wowed to sadly disappointed. First of all, our waiter did a wonderful job at suggesting wines and provided such a wonderful service. We started with charcuterie: prosciutto di parma and duck prosciutto, accompanied with manchego cheese with figs and pecans. The meats were wonderul - served with a grainy mustard and parmesan crisps. We also had some small plates - a grilled calamari and seared scallop. Although the dishes were delicious, the portions were small. Considering the seared scallop small plate was $10, it only came with one scallop!
The disappointment took a larger downward spiral when our entrees came out. I ordered the duck breast and the Captain had the fish of the day - a grilled yellowfin tuna. We were impressed with our dishes thus far, that when we started to eat our entrees, we couldn't help but notice a decreased quality and poor execution. My duck breast was tough - not tender at all, and was soaking in a very salty sauce. The Captain's yellowfin was just flat out boring and bland.
We wrapped up the meal with seasonal sorbet - 3 types of sorbet in cantaloupe, lychee, and something else that I couldn't pinpoint by flavor. It was a pleasant and refreshing end to the meal.
Should we return, I would focus more so on charcuterie, cheese, and small plates and steer clear of the entrees. Had we not ordered them, I would have given Vinoteca 4 stars.
For the first half of my meal at Vinoteca I was super annoyed, the dining area is on the small side and therefore the tables are close together making it incredibly loud and annoying, especially when the table right next to you has an extreme obnoxious gentlemen who makes it his point to be the loudest voice in the room.
The second half was incredibly enjoyable as the dining room cleared out and you can finally enjoy your meal, your wine and the company of your date or dining companion.
The music was awesome to me, they have background music playing the entire night and it was all 90's rap/hip hop/ r and b, all the best hits from the 90's back to back to back.
My meal wasn't fantastic, I had the duck and it was okay but nothing fantastic at all. I learned that Vinoteca isn't about the food at all but more about the wine and alcohol.
As it is the summer of Riesling, we enjoyed the Riesling Flight, two out of the three were delicious, the third was a bit dry, the two I enjoyed were the Leitz and the Strub I can't recall the third portion of the flight that I didn't enjoy. Because we enjoyed the Leitz and Strub so much we had additional glasses without the third less sweet drink.
I also enjoyed a glass of the rum punch which was refreshing, a tad sweet but also surprisingly potent.
I wish I could have made it out back to the outdoor patio bar that looked to be crowded and full of people enjoying themselves but the dining area was more than enough for my date and me.
Service was fantastic, our waitress Scooter was also, very friendly with a great personality, she made excellent suggestions and had a pleasing presence to her.
Vinoteca is well worth a visit, I recommend getting their for a late dinner if you truly wish to enjoy yourself. I shall return soon to try out the outdoor patio.
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