Vutera

Does anyone know what happened to this place? I know they downgrading to being open for weekends only, but just tried calling and the number is disconnected. Loved this place, sad if it’s gone.

This place is great for a date as it is very intimate and hidden. The ambiance and the location give it a cool secrecy feel. The food was good… not great. I definitely recommend the cauliflower gratin. It was smothered in yummy cheese and almost looked like a mac n’ cheese. I got the gnocchi which was ehh. The bf got the lamb which he fully devoured and thought was pretty good. I know the brussel sprouts were mentioned as being mucho delicious by fellow Unilocalers and it was even recommended by the staff but I thought it was just average. The pear tart was delicious and a good way to end the meal.
The staff was definitely attentive and came by a few times to check up on us and ask how to food was.

My first visit to Vutera was on a typical Friday night. I had no idea the space was located below Rose Music. So when I realized that the two were connected I was a little apprehensive. I was expected something cheap and poorly done. An afterthought to the music venue upstairs
Lo and behold one of the warmest atmosphere’s greeted us when we arrived. Vutera is a softly lit space, decorated with a rustic, almost Renaissance banquet hall vibe. Don’t read that the wrong way. There are no wagon wheels on the walls or other chicanery. Owners Carlo and Gina have gone out of their way to create an intimate, sophisticated space, that feels at once like a small Italian town dining room and a restaurant so exclusive you have to know someone to find it. Of course you don’t, hell, it’s on Unilocal.
The food is a sort of pan Mediterranean gourmet idea. The entrees range from gnocchi to steak, all well prepared and elegantly presented. My girlfriend and I immediately fell in love on that first visit and immediately decided it would be the perfect place for my birthday dinner. I asked Carlo, the owner, right then and there and it turned out that they had just started hosting private parties during the week. What’s that Charlie Sheen says? Oh yes … winning!
Over the course of a couple of weeks I sweated out the details of said birthday party with the lovely Gina. We went through menu, number of guests, wine and optimal times for such an occassion. She was more than helpful, she was essential. It is wonderful thing to work with someone who is at once an expert and is deft enough to make it seem effortless.
We settled on a deal that worked for me. My guests arrived and were greeted by the smiling waitstaff. They attended our every need while we drank, laughed and generally made merry. No wine glass went empty. The appetizers were excellent. I had the mackerel escabeche and the bavette steak, both were exciting and a little surprising.
The ricotta appetizer really blew me away. My hat is off to the head chef. Simple, careful and a little different.
Each of my guests made it a point to rave to me about what a fantastic night it was. What a magnificent place it was and how good the food was.
Go here for a romantic dinner. If you’re having a birthday dinner, put yourself in their hands.
Viva Vutera!

My boyfriend was a little hesitant to come here because of the word that they were closing. BUT don’t let this sway you! The food was delicious. The atmosphere was great. Super cute little basement oasis.
We called at the last minute to get a reservation on a friday night and got right in. It was on the early side so I’m sure that helped our situation. But it still is nice when a restaurant actually accepts reservations.
We started with the brussel sprouts, which were to die for. The perfect amount of spice and salt. They were cooked just like I like them a little but crunchy and a little bit soft.
The potato leek soup was also very good. I’m not usually a beet fan but it added a nice little element to it.
I had the poussin for my main course. It came with spaetzle which always gets me. I love it. The green beans with it were also delicious and the chicken was cooked perfectly. My only reservation about the whole thing was that halfway through my meal I felt like I was overwhelmed by all the salt. I’m on the fence about this because I love a good salted meal, but it did make me stop halfway. It was still delicious.
My boyfriend had the lamb which I tasted and it was cooked perfectly and equally as delicious.
They are remaining open on Friday and Saturday nights for now. So get in while you can!

Multi course dinner for $ 17? Why yes please.
A couple of months ago, I came across a deal on Unilocal I couldn’t pass up. It was a $ 17 prix-​fixe dinner at Vutera from 5−7PM. We hurried our way to the restaurant keeping fingers crossed we won’t miss it. We arrived just before 7. Holler! The options were not limited at all because we were able to choose from the entire menu. I opted for the mackarel escabeche starter. The fish had crispy skin and moist inside. The sauce was sweet and tangy with some peppers and onions. My friend had crostini with fresh ricotta which was very light and good. Our entrees were roasted chicken and rack of lamb. For dessert I had an apple tart. All in all the meal was good for the price. But what stood out most for me was the loud band playing upstairs. This explains why Vutera is rated with 3 stars even with such an awesome priced meal. The space is lovely. The service prompt and friendly. However, having a bar right upstairs that hosts live music destroys the date place ambiance that Vutera has. Sigh.
This place would make a gorgeous dinner party option. Love the rustic feel. Just make sure there’s no one scheduled to play upstairs ;)

So after all these great reviews, I decided to check out Vutera for myself last weekend. Have really wanted to try it for a while now.
Got there, went downstairs, and into the main dining room. Busy, but not packed. Stood there for a bit, made eye contact with a few people working there who bustled past, but nobody, and I mean NOBODY, made even one motion towards me. There I was, standing like a fool, for about five minutes, trying to get someone’s attention. I work in the industry, and I understand that sometimes things get harried and one has to wait, but this was pretty ridiculous. Completely ignored.
Apparently they didn’t want me to eat there. Well. Mission accomplished. Went down the street and ate at Bozu, which is always a great experience. Why eat somewhere that doesn’t want your business?

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. Don’t think about it. JUST GO.
Fantastic food
Lovely atmosphere
By the far the best restaurant in Williamsburg for any occasion.
ENJOY!

First off, let me start off by saying I am a Manhattanite and don’t venture to Brooklyn often. My friend asked me to meet her there and let me just say I will be back again!
Small discreet restaurant in the basement of a bar. Totally affordable restaurant.
Things to try:
1) Butternut squash gnocchi
2) AMAZING BRUSSEL SPROUTS!!!
3) Any wine off the affordable wine list.

LOVE LOVE OMG this restaurant is at the top of my list. Will come again again and the bar above wow just a breath taking restaurant.

Definitely go, but not for the food.
The space is super cute. Basement of a bar with all wood interior. It felt kinda like that scene in Inglorious Bastards when they go into the basement bar to meet the movie star. Except there were no nazis and lots of old school race car pictures.
They did a great job decorating and looking after the little things. Nice plates, great service. A great romantic date setting, however the food is bland to mediocre (this makes it a good 3^rd or 4^th date when you want to be romantic but arent sure of the food preference.)
Went on a Thurs night and it was pretty empty. There are larger tables, so its a great place for a group or birthday dinner.
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Pulled pork sandwich is the cheapest and largest portion on the menu. I didnt try it, but it looked good and filling at $ 11.
Had the steak for $ 19. It came as three slices of steak, cooked medium rare with medium delicious potatoes and a sauce that resembled the salsa at taco chulo across the street.
The cauliflower gratin was the best. Cheesy creamy clauliflower version of mac and cheese.
All in all, pretty bland but oh so romantic!

I can’t understand why this place was so disconcertingly empty when I had dinner there. Everything about it should point toward Williamsburg success, from the intimate, romantic atmosphere in a semi-​secret location, to the moderate price point, to the quality of the food itself (which is quite high).
We shared a bottle of decently-​priced wine (our fourth choice. The restaurant was out of our top three picks — one complaint I had about the place), and a few seasonally-​tuned dishes, all of which were rich but very good. This is a great date spot: it’s quiet and intimate.
My only other complaint was that the waiter was either quite stoned or had recently suffered some kind of head trauma. We split a soup and he brought only one spoon, delicately placing it between the two of us in the center of the table, like Isaac ready for sacrifice by Abraham.
«Is there maybe another spoon in the kitchen?» I joked.
After a beat the waiter replied, «You’d like another size?» and reached for the spoon.
«No, we’d just like another spoon. A second spoon,» I clarified.
That was the first of several moments of waiterly confusion. At another point he called my date «Darling.» A little weird. Small potatoes! This place is great. Try it in lieu of any of the comparable nearby Williamsburg hot spots (Rye, Walter Foods).

Vutera is a sweet little gem of a restaurant tucked away in the basement of the Rose Lounge. I was looking for a cozy romantic spot for a dinner with my beloved and Vutera delivered. The food was superb. The braised lamb shank was more than a generous portion but the polenta was the sleeper hit of that dish. Creamy and silky as it coated the inside of your mouth on its way down. The poussin, which is a very young chicken was less impressive when it came to sheer size but no less well prepared and satisfying. The spaetzle, which is a crispy German dumpling was a nice addition along with the baby brussel sprouts complimenting but not overpowering the savoriness of the bird.
Service was exceptional with the wait-​staff accommodating our every request and chatting with us while we waited for our food. Even the owner paid us a visit during dinner. These touches are the very reason that one goes to Brooklyn for dinner instead of a Manhattan restaurant. All of these human elements make you feel like part of a family instead of just a cog in wheel where the focus is just trying to turn over tables as quickly as possible. And there’s a certain charm to the dining room, the dinner-​ware, the direction of the menu, even the mess-​ups (which there were none of) that you don’t feel in a dime-​a-​dozen, polished Manhattan restaurant. My friends who come to New York City never want to venture outside of Manhattan but the real pulse of the city lies in the tucked away cellars of places like Vutera. Highly recommended.

Had dinner there last night with my husband. Superb! Food was delicious and service was perfect.
From the decoration to the service they get 5 stars! Is located in the basement of Rose Lounge, is a beautiful spot. The food was delicious and in my husband’s opinion better than Dressler. The prices are very reasonable. Even thought the plates are small we were pretty full at the end. Good selections of wines also. Cant wait to be go back!

I joined Unilocal just to write this recommendation. This was my BEST MEAL EVER in Williamsburg.
The room is adorable.
The staff is very sweet.
The food is worth the wait.
Please try it!!!

I’m going to do my best to give this place the proper Unilocal review that it deserves.
First let me say that I’m not sure why this place isn’t more popular — it’s tucked away and sufficiently hidden from the rest of the world with a speakeasy-​like atmosphere… this usually gets the foodies rolling in, but I guess it just hasn’t caught on yet. Or perhaps even the most «I bet you haven’t heard about this place…» elite still won’t slum it out to the south side of WIlliamsburg, precisely a half block from the roaring sound of passing BQE traffic?
The space is surprising, to say the least. Located in the basement of Rose Live Music, down a a dark hallway and stairwell, you would never think there was a restaurant of this caliber down there. When you walk inside, you go directly into the rustic dining room, with a mix of small square and long communal wood block tables. Dim lighting and low ceiling makes the atmosphere cozy, and at 9:30 on the night we were there, there were about 15 other diners along side of us.
The 4-​seater table was a bit small, but it works here. It’s the type of menu that will eventually have you sharing each others’ dishes, whether you intend to or not. The menu, divided into small-​dish and entrees, is not large, but superbly executed. Small, yet still diverse enough, you can probably order the entire thing for under $ 250. Each day also brings market special greens and fish, in addition to the standards.
We didn’t wait for the late-​arriving 4^th in our party to join us — fresh bread and homemade mix of olives were a great way to start. You could really taste the fresh herbs and juniper berries in the olive oil they were soaked in. The wine list, while not huge, had a good mix of mostly-​French selections in the $ 30s and $ 40s. We had a good sauv blac and cotes du rhone.
The starters were a mixed bag, all devoured until the plates were, literally, clean. A special Berkshire pork belly on a bed of lentil salad was melt-​in-​the-​mouth amazing. A simple baby beet salad with onions, walnuts and feta couldn’t have been better. The Spanish mackerel escabeche had an amazing mix of flavors, even for this traditional mackerel-​hater. The waitress-​recommended something-​gratin wasn’t anything to write home about, but if you put cheese, cream and breadcrumbs on a shoe, it’s still going to taste good.
The mains were equally as impressive. The roasted poussin with spaetzle and mushroom was some of the juiciest, most flavorful roast chicken I’ve had this year. Scallops were perfectly cooked and the steaks was pre-​sliced and flavorful (according to my friend). The market special snapper was «a bit fishy, but still good», according to another. I could have eaten a bushel of the mustard greens and pine nuts market special (do they seve mustard greens in bushels?)
The service was attentive, the waitress friendly. It wasn’t rushed, but not too leisurely either — just enough time for us to enjoy the meal and get out so we could have some cocktails afterward.
I wanted to say something like «these aren’t simple dishes», but, in retrospect, they really were, just executed with extreme care and detail — the chicken cooked to perfection, the unique blend of spices on the mackerel, the mix of flavors between the lentils and the sweet/​smokey pork belly. All done very well.
The serving plates are mismatched and unique and appeared to be chosen with care. When my friend inquired about where they were purchased, the waitress told us that the owner was a dedicated antique hunter who guarded his sources closely. Given the attention to detail with the food, this was no surprise.
One additional note: I have seen this place listed as a «tapas bar» many times, including here on Unilocal.This is not a tapas bar. With the exception of 5 or 6 small plates that I would simply consider appetizers, those who are looking for a traditional tapas format will not find what they are looking for.
All in all an excellent meal in a (very) surprising location. The front-​door ambiance of the BQE: zero stars. The food and overall experience: a well-​deserved four.

I just ate here last night and LOVED it! We had an amazing cheese plate (the Sheep’s Milk cheese was awesome), olives and a ceviche of sorts. Not only was it tasty but eating outside in their garden made it even better. We wondered why they didn’t have any music playing; however, once the night club begins, you can hear the music coming in from Rose Live Music. For our entrees, I had the chicken which was the best seasoned chicken that I have ever had! The Pole Beans and the mushrooms were amazing! Paul had the Lamb Shank which tasted slightly gaming but was also very tasty! For dessert, Paul had the canoli and I had the mousse. The meal was satisfying and the wines were very tasty! This is definitely one of the best restaurant experiences that I have had in a awhile!
I do agree that they could work on a few things like getting a website, having signature cocktails, etc but they have only been open for 5 months. I will be back to see how their menu changes as it is seasonal.

Arrived here at 715 on a friday evening, we were a party of 8 and comprised about 80% of the diners.
I left at 850 as soon as my food arrived which at this point had to be wrapped to go.
This place needs to get their shit together in the kitchen, even being generous and saying perhaps we ordered at 745 the entrees didn’t arrive for an hour. The waitstaff were friendly and accomodating and the blame seemed to lie completely in the kitchen.
It was for the most part pretty tasty, but eating it with a plastic fork in the back of a cab wasn’t really what I intended for my evening.
Won’t be back to see presentation.
As for vegan options, I went with the 3 market sides, no protein but very fresh ingredients and tasty.

I came here for a special dinner, and we really enjoyed it. It is secluded, underground, cozy, romantic, and quiet. We arrived at 10 and although we had a reservation, it wasn’t necessary, because the place was empty, but in a good way. The décor was wonderful, beautiful wooden tables, all with different types of wooden chairs, fresh daffodils on all the tables, and candles everywhere. We had the mackerel and beet salad for appetizers, so so amazing! For dinner, we had the baby chick + gnocchi, both excellent. Its true the food was rich, but it was very well prepared. And for dessert, apple tart with ice cream :) It was a romantic dinner, and just a great place to wind down, and enjoy the people you are with. Very memorable for us, will go back :) 2 paws up!

Nice little wine bar– decent tapas menu, cozy ambiance, friendly staff, and good wine selection. The restaurant’s secretiveness might make you or your date feel like you’re in the know, which can be a bonus if your aim is to look cool.
The only cons are that I think the prices are a tad steep for what you get and for the fact that you’re essentially eating in a finished basement. Also, I’m a tall man and I find the low ceilings and total lack of windows a bit claustrophobic, but if it gets too stifling there’s always the more spacious Rose bar directly overhead.
Overall I’d say I had a favorable experience at Vutera.

There’s a couple other reviews of Vutera over at the Rose Live Music listing, but decided this restaurant-​under-​the-​club warranted it’s own listing.
Ate here for the first time last week and everything was top-​notch.
Don’t miss the Spanish Mackaerel Escabeche or the Parsnip Gnocchi.
Service was excellent and cheerful; the room was quiet and conducive to great conversation. (So was the wine.) Great place for a date or an old friend, kudos to everyone involved!