Vutera

With all the secret, annoying, members-only nightspots opening recently, it’s a relief to find a place that’s hidden without being trendy or pretentious. Welcome to Vutera, the little spot in Williamsburg that opened beneath Rose Live Music. Owners Carlo and Gina Vutera managed to carve a romantic, candlelit space out of an unsuspecting basement beneath the bar, and the result is a very appealing mix of rustic decor and sophisticated food.

D. and I started with the chilled asparagus soup with herbed goat cheese ($7) and the Spanish mackerel escabeche ($10). Vutera’s escabeche was surprisingly breaded and lightly fried before being chilled and marinated – which actually added a slight edge of toasty flavor to the final product. Though the name of the restaurant says “Italian,” it was hard to pin a nationality on this dish. Escabeche may be Italian, but the inclusion of more exotic ingredients like cilantro and cara cara orange gave it a piquant French-Vietnamese spin.

The asparagus soup was divine – the straight-from-the-garden asparagus tempered with a subtle broth (chicken?) and tangy goat cheese, also dolloped in the middle. The crowning touch was the drizzle of excellent extra-virgin olive oil on top – good enough to pass muster on its own.

The roasted whole poussin ($17) – not a game hen but a very young chicken – came served on a bed of addictive spaetzle and mushrooms. (Why did it take so long for spaetzle to hit New York? we wondered. Made me want to look back on all those dark, spaetzle-less years and cry.) The poussin had the taste of roast chicken, intensified by its baby status, and perfumed with herbs.

Like the poussin, the bavette steak ($17) was perfectly seasoned. This unusual flap cut, more popular in France but now marketed by Niman Ranch, has an almost gamey flavor that’s very distinctive – don’t be surprised if you start craving it after you’ve tasted it once. It was also an interesting choice to serve steak with garlicky, peppery romesco sauce, usually seen at tapas restaurants. The hearty flavor of this steak could stand up to the pungent romesco. And of course, no market-driven spring meal is complete without ramps.

I was pleased to discover afterwards that there is a female chef at the helm – Molly Del Monte of Little Giant and Savoy, which also explains her skill and technique with vegetables. Obviously women are in the minority in New York kitchens, and Williamsburg could be an excellent place for Del Monte to gain a true following. Hugh Crickmore of Mas picked the wine, which was good but warm. Why? Comparisons to Il Buco are apt – except the cellar, which at Il Buco is a fabulous, cool refuge on hot summer nights, was very, very warm on a recent balmy night at Vutera. Guests walked out dazed, and I had to press my face against an exposed cold water pipe next to our table to keep from bursting into flame. Sadly, you can’t beat the heat by relocating to the upstairs outside garden, because that’s an entirely different story, menu, and chef. [Addendum: Per a note from the chef, Molly Del Monte, The garden will now be open in good weather, and they're serving Vutera's food!]

There’s no word on why there’s a spate of secret places opening now. It seems ridiculous given that places like the Waverly Inn and Milk & Honey have published their phone numbers and even Graydon Carter’s new Monkey Bar is accepting reservations from the hoi polloi. Let’s pray that the sexy but accessible Vutera can get the HVAC in gear. If so, it will make an excellent, affordable summer hideout for the rest of us.

Vutera
345 Grand Street, between Havemeyer Street and Marcy Avenue
Williamsburg
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718-599-0069