345 Grand Street
(718) 388-8451
www.liveatrose.com
By Mary Yeung
Photo by Bess Adler
Whenever someone asks me if I know of any hidden gems in Williamsburg, I always tell them about Vutera, the romantic little restaurant that’s hidden inside the very popular Rose Live Music Bar, where musician’s musicians congregate. The bar and the restaurant are a labor of love from owners Carlo and Gina Vutera, a brother and sister team who have managed to recreate a little slice of Italy here in Williamsburg.
Just down the street from Lodge, this cozy little underground eatery is designed like an old grotto, with dark wood, flickering candlelights, and timeworn wooden tables and chairs. At night, they serve Mediterranean fare: lamb shanks, roasted Poussin, risotto, and cauliflower gratin. This spring, they are extending their hours to include a weekend brunch.
Carlo has subtly changed the place. There are new tables in the front of the bar and a couple of tables on the sidewalk. Patrons can dine on the main floor, in the cellar, or in the charming little backyard. Vutera offers up a classic, mainly organic, brunch menu: French toast, eggs benedict, pulled pork sandwiches, omelets, and various sandwiches. Also on the menu are healthy choices like yogurt and granola, steel cut oats with fruit and honey, and their signature salad: baby spinach and endives, walnuts, caramelized pears and grilled brie, dressed with a warm honey vinaigrette.
It was a beautiful day, so my dining partner and I opted for the backyard, where there are grapevine trellises and climbing ivy. I’m told that the Italians don’t like things to be matchy-matchy, so the outdoor furniture is a mix of vintage wooden tables and mismatched, metal-backed chairs. I felt like I was visiting a friend’s backyard, perhaps in a small coastal town somewhere in southern Italy.
In the mood for something light and sweet, I went for the French toast with warm spiced apples, whipped Salvatore ricotta, and maple syrup, while my companion went for the eggs benedict. The French toast was made with buttery brioche bread that is crusty around the edges, and soft and light in the center. Add a little maple syrup and the toast just melts in your mouth. The eggs benedict came with two gently poached eggs on an English muffin, topped with slices of Canadian bacon and dressed with a velvety, but surprisingly light hollandaise sauce, served with roasted purple potatoes and a mixed green salad. For $9, it’s easily one of the best deals in town. If you go for the $12 prix fixe, you’ll also get a cocktail and a coffee. Or you can order à la carte, from a bowl of steel cut oats ($6), to smoked salmon eggs benedict ($10).
Sipping my coffee after the meal, I felt my blood pressure dropping; maybe it was the fluttering leaves on the stone walls, the sun-washed colored patio chairs, or that patch of clear blue sky high above. Now I understand that old Italian proverb, “A tavola non s’invecchi mai,” (You never grow old at the table).
