A First Look At Vintage Brewing Company
Vintage Brewing Company has at last opened their doors on Madison’s west side, housed in the building formerly occupied by JT Whitney’s.
Madison Dining Online stopped in within a week of the opening to take a first look at the place. As with all of our first looks, we always make sure to throw around a few caveats. We understand that the first few days of a restaurant’s opening is not always the best time to truly understand the longterm standards of the restaurant. Often times we take a first look at a new establishment and end up eating our words of praise. Other times, restaurants show steady improvement after their opening.
Having said that, here are our initial thoughts.
When you first walk in to through the front doors, there is a lounge-like area with comfortably couches and seating. It looks nice – it looks comfy. We still don’t really understand why it is there. It isn’t really a place you’d settle in with a drink. Perhaps Vintage is expecting crowds and waiting lists of people looking for tables.
The interior has been remodeled, with the alterations bringing a slightly different vibe than its previous life as JT Whitney’s. As the name implies, it is clear that the vintage look is a goal here. The goal is reached for the most part.
But on to the important first impressions – the food. We started with an order of the Guacamole, Salsa and Chips ($6.75). When the order was placed before us we were a bit taken aback at the scarcity of the chips, given the price of the appetizer. It became apparent that the guacamole was freshly made of high quality ingredients. The salsa was quite good as well. It appears that the price of the appetizer goes towards the quality of these items, and we don’t really mind paying more for quality. But really – even if the chips are homemade, would it really cost that much to add a few more to the plate so that you can actually enjoy the guacamole and the salsa? Or perhaps we were just shortchanged on the serving portion.
We also tried the Fish and Chips ($8.75). This beer-battered cod was fried in oil that was not hot enough, which allowed the oil to seep into the batter rather than make the batter as crispy as it should have been. We were somewhat forgiving of that execution error, as the fish itself was flavorful, flaky and moist. We liked it, and we assume they’ll work out the kinks. Much like the chips mentioned above, it was actually the sides and condiments that made this dish. The coleslaw was crisp, fresh and tasty, and the tartar sauce was some of the best we’ve tasted. Though the menu said the dish was served with malt vinegar, we needed to ask for it. Which is ok – just remember to do so. Nothing beats malt vinegar on fish and chips.
The item that stole the show was the Blue Heaven Burger ($7.75). Unlike many restaurants which will not serve you a burger the way you ask for it if you want it medium rare, Vintage asked how we wanted the burger done, and delivered it perfectly cooked to order. Served dramatically with a knife speared through the lettuce, tomatoes, onions and burger, we have to admit that we thought this was one of the most perfectly prepared burgers we’ve had in a long time.
Clearly hand formed before being grilled to crunchy perfection on the outside, this burger was meaty, juicy and bursting with flavor on the inside. It was the type of burger that your mourned when it was gone, almost immediately craving another one just for the taste and texture, no matter how full you might be.
We can’t wait to go back to see if the burger withstands the test of time.
We’ll go back soon to see how this restaurant has fared since the opening week. When we were there they were not yet serving their own brews, as they had not yet been granted the appropriate licensing needed to operate a brewpub (or so our server said). We look forward to trying that as well.
If you’ve tried Vintage Brewing company, let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below.
You are reading Vintage Brewing Company Read more from this series of articles.
- Vintage Brewing Company to go into former JT Whitney's location
- Vintage Brewing Company Update
- A First Look At Vintage Brewing Company
I have been to The Vintage on five different occasions since it opened up on the West side of town. I love the decor, it’s warm, properly lit and inviting. Not to mention – it’s CLEAN!! However, having said that, their bloody mary’s are some of the WORST in town which is hard to believe since their downtown location has won competitions in the past for their recipe (I have tried one each time I’ve been there). I have ordered the nachos 3x’s; only 1x was I satisfied, as there has been no consistency. The last time the cheese and meat were cold and unmelted. (Staff was decently willing to fix this oversight, even if not overly embarrassed or apologetic.) Their homemade hot sauces are very good, but you get an ounce for ONE DOLLAR!! Their sandwiches have been more consistent, and their sauces have all been very good. Over all, some kinks, but if they are careful to watch the food leaving the window, and prepare the food in a consistent manner, the overall impressions should be one that rivals many in this town. They have the makings of a very nice, and successful, neighborhood bar/restaurant.
Best Sheppard’s Pie I’ve ever had! Had it twice so far, once to go and it was still great.
We’ve been there twice. Ate at the bar. Good beer selections. Also, they know how to cook a burger. WE also had a bratburger that was excellent. I would recommend the place as among the better choices in Madison.
This town has lots of joints, but most aren’t worth darkening the door of. This one is