Disappointing

I've been reluctant to write negative reviews on this blog. Each time I start an entry, I hear that little voice in my head saying, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." But finally a friend made the point that my positive reviews will be more meaningful if people know that I don't think all meals are great. So, here goes:

I'm not impressed with Vintage Tavern.

There, I've said it. I've admitted that I don't like the restaurant that most people consider to be the best in Suffolk. It's not that the food is bad; it's just that, for the price, the food should be better. The service, the presentation, and the ambience (dark wood, lush seating) are all great, but the food doesn't live up to the hype IMHO.

I wish I could say that I've only been there once and that since I didn't have a great experience, I'll give it another try sometime. But no, I've been there twice, and I don't want to pay that much again, just to find out that third time's not the charm. Perhaps I should, but why, when our favorite Italian place is right around the corner?

The most recent meal I've eaten there was back in March, the Saturday evening of Suffolk Restaurant Week. My parents were visiting from Savannah, and we wanted to take them out for a nice dinner.

What I Ate:

• Tasting of American Bacons – one regular, one spicy, & one maple syrup – these were actually pretty good, but then again, it's hard to mess up bacon
• Carolina Shrimp and Stone-Ground Grits – If shrimp & grits are on the menu, I order them, and these simply weren't the best I've ever tasted. The grits were too firm, like they'd been sitting under a heat lamp for too long, and there weren't very many shrimp (only 3-4 small ones). No spice, either.
• Crème Brûlèe – bland, not a good consistency; Topher's crème brulèe is much better!

In general, all the dishes were bland. They didn't need more salt; they just needed more flavor. The only really bad dish was my mom's Chesapeake Bay Flounder, which was overcooked to the point of being mushy. For a place that's gotten rave reviews from so many people, it was disappointing.