Vince Anna’s – January 2017 (dt)
7.19 – 7.5, 7.3, 7.25, 7.25, 7.25, 7, 7, 7
Our second of three stay-close-to-home winter picks found us at
Vince Anna’s. An earlier visit in November 2010 found us
wondering why we had not visited in such a long time (for some of
us it had been thirty years). And it was good to get back with
five regulars, complemented by Den, Julie, & Kerry.
The cuisine has not changed—decidedly Italian-themed.
Comprising the menu are twenty appetizers, fifteen pasta dishes,
thirty Italian specialty dishes, twenty more seafood dishes, ten
other-meats dishes, ten more open-faced sandwiches, and, of
course, pizza, promising a comfort-evening.
A woven basket of thinly sliced Italian
bread, wrapped in a napkin, kept the nibblers happy. A ramekin of
herbed softened butter and another with olive oil added a
satisfying choice.
Waiter Tori filled our water glasses in
two trips and then deposited a full pitcher upon request.
An appetizer of antipasto for four kept
the table occupied—a nice blend of provolone and Italian meat
slices topped with dressed salad. The salad/soup course arrived
just as the antipasto disappeared.
Our drink order had started with the early
arrivers quaffing drafts at the bar. These were complemented at
our table by two carafes of Chianti, along with three sodas and
water all around. (The last time, we had ordered two bottles,
something we should do again.)
The house salad fits a molded, eight-inch
glass dish filled with mixed greens, a couple stubs of carrot,
several circles of onion, a few crescents of pepper, and a couple
of tomato slices – a sufficient and basic starter, with
dressings on the side. The alternate was chicken soup. All
agreed: satisfactory-good.
Our choices of entrées, perhaps exhibiting a fair range of the
menu, included:
All agreed our main courses were very good to excellent. Those
choosing a pasta dish selected from four pastas. Choice of a side
included French fries, baked potato, or broccoli.
The dessert menu started as a possibility but quickly gained
acceptance for five or six of us. Don and Deb shared the
chocolate lava cake with ice cream; Julie, with attempts to
share, enjoyed the turtle cheese cake; Chay and Deb split a
cannoli, with another one for Mark; and Den chose the cheesecake
with blueberries. All good to excellent.
Service from Tori was good – attentive, cheerful, eager to
please. Water was supplied, requests were completed quickly (or
as quickly as fresh bread can bake), and she later commented that
our table of eight was the biggest table she had served in her
brief time thus far as waiter. She had help from another of the
waitstaff when bringing out entrées, a customer-friendly
practice. And she knew where orders went, something that more
than a few waiters fail to note.
The pacing of the meal was just about right. We had started at
6:30 to allow ourselves two hours to closing time. And it fit
almost perfectly, with DP8 closing VA’s at 8:35.
Comments about ambiance can be read in the
November 2010 posting. Only this time, because of our recent
switch generally to Thursdays, we enjoyed a laid-back, less
hectic restaurant. Of note is the glittering disco globe in the
middle room center.
On the way out, Jimmy Eufemia, chef and
owner for decades, greeted, as he had done at the first meeting.
It was a solid, comfortable presentation, reminding us to return.
The final bill came to $94 per couple, including tax, tip and
drinks. This is close to our average range. Considering one large
appetizer, a medium liquor bill, and five desserts, I guess the
total should be expected. And this included the Thursday night
special—buy one entrée, get the second half price.
Well done, Vince Anna’s.
Being a close to home pick, we decided on no pre-session and thus
met directly at VA. The early arrivals had ordered a draft and
waited for the rest to arrive.
Topics at the table: Joyce’s absence due
to tending to Mom’s affairs (our sympathies, Joyce); guests,
welcome or somewhat welcome, at the Quinns; New Year resolutions;
CD health insurance costs (open period in January for a change);
a mild week in January; lack of skiing; Catskill doings; a job
offer in the Quinn household; Kerry’s retirement; doings of our
kids; stories of past minor indiscretions of others (not ours, of
course); WAIT, wait, did someone say Kerry Quinn is RETIRING!?
Well, we spent a while on that, trying not to scare him how
horrible retirement is while at the same time treading carefully
for the two who are still in the labor force, helping support our
social security (thanks, Deb & Julie); upcoming trips, the
grand one being the Notars; getting rid of estate material;
memories of Vince Anna’s from forty-some years ago; noticeable
from its absence was mention of the Inauguration today – thank
you everyone!; and there was more but has been forgotten by the
writer of this report.