A Recent Tasting at Vite Vinosteria

A few weeks ago we were invited to stop by Vite Vinosteria and taste some of the things on their menu (full disclosure: this meal was comped). We shared our evening of eating over Instagram and wanted to do a little recap of some of the things we ate and enjoyed. First, the photos (apologies for the quality—the light was not conducive to our cameras that night)!

Every meal should start with a great bottle of wine @vitevinosteria.

A photo posted by We Heart Astoria (@weheartastoria) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:28pm PST

Whipped cod fish with fried polenta @vitevinosteria A photo posted by We Heart Astoria (@weheartastoria) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:31pm PST

Buffalo mozzerella with grape tomatoes and basil #salty #cheesy #goodness @vitevinosteria

A photo posted by We Heart Astoria (@weheartastoria) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:37pm PST

Melanzane alla parmigiana aka eggplant parmigiana #vegetarian @vitevinosteria A photo posted by We Heart Astoria (@weheartastoria) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:41pm PST

Zucchini risotto topped with truffle shavings @vitevinosteria #vegetarian

A photo posted by We Heart Astoria (@weheartastoria) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:46pm PST

Sausage and truffles with homemade spaghetti @vitevinosteria #Italian #delicious A photo posted by We Heart Astoria (@weheartastoria) on Nov 11, 2014 at 4:57pm PST

Eggplant, pine nuts, and raisins #vegetarian @vitevinosteria

A photo posted by We Heart Astoria (@weheartastoria) on Nov 11, 2014 at 5:25pm PST

#desserts @vitevinosteria #cocoafork A photo posted by We Heart Astoria (@weheartastoria) on Nov 11, 2014 at 6:10pm PST

#desserts @vitevinosteria puff pastry with whipped cream and fruit. #fluffy

A photo posted by We Heart Astoria (@weheartastoria) on Nov 11, 2014 at 5:50pm PST

Overall, the pasta dishes were a real hit; they make their pastas in-house. Emily wanted to basically abscond with all of the homemade spaghetti with sausage and truffles, it was so good. This tasty dish, with al dente spaghetti surrounded with umami-rich sausage, tasted like Sunday dinner with the family. Shaved truffles were available for all pasta dishes and frankly, that was amazing. Truffles add such a wonderful flavor to a dish, and we were delighted that they left the truffle and shaver with us so we could put as much as we liked on the pasta. Truffles are magical (they also made the zucchini risotto special, too).

A few other highlights—the whipped cod fish had the most light and airy texture, making it very easy to eat. It was served over a piece of fried polenta, which was also light for fried starch. Also—burrata, which makes any dish feel special. It was a good size and very fresh, served with grape tomatoes and olives, with provided salt and acidity to balance the sweet, creamy burrata. Basically, I recommend ordering the burrata dish whenever you see it on the menu at any reputable place. It is such a treat.

Not pictured is a dish I loved, which was braised lamb over mashed potatoes. What a wonderful cold weather dish! Perfect for a day like this. The savoriness of the meat paired with the creamy potato was a great combination in both taste and texture and my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

As is appropros to the name, “vinosteria,” you’re bound to find a wine to suit your taste. We were offered a white wine, the Tasto di Seta (“taste of silk”) Malvasia from Castello di Luzzano. The wine was produced in the Emilia-Romagna region, home to some of the most amazing food and wine in Italy (can you say Parmigiano-Reggiano?). The guys picked it for us, and I was grateful that they did, since I probably would never have chosen something like this, mostly because it was unfamiliar. The few times I’ve been to Vite I’ve had wines suggested to me, and they’ve always been good, so I encourage you to ask for a recommendation there if you are interested in expanding your wine horizons.

We left full and happy, and not just because it was a free meal. Vite Vinosteria has put out consistently delicious food since they’ve opened, and judging from the full dining room, Astorians have really embraced them. With an expert knowledge of wine, years in the high-end hospitality industry, and a keen sense of what works on both the traditional and modern end of food, the folks behind Vite really add something special to the Astoria dining scene.

Vite Vinosteria, 31-05 34th St, Astoria, NY 11106, (718) 278-8483, vitevinosteria.com