Vic's - Comfort food in style...

Vic's is the "somewhat" new restaurant from the team that brought you favorites Five Points and CookShop.  Vic's has taken over the spot on 31 Great Jones street where the beloved Five Points used to hold fort - especially on Sundays for brunch!  The restaurant has been redesigned with a focus I believe more on lunch and dinner...not just Sunday brunch.  Five Points was pretty legendary for many years as being one of the hottest brunch spots in the city. Waits border-lined on epic, and it was ALWAYS crowded.  However, I think they struggled mightily to recreate the brunch business at night.  For a while they tried introducing themed nights - sunday supper, lobster nights, etc., but it just never caught on, and I think in New York, two days a week of stellar business won't cut it.

Introducing Vic's.  Given I was pretty heart broken when Five Points closed, I was a bit skeptical at first.  But boy, in a day and age where I'm actually finding it pretty hard to find new restaurants that stand up to the old tried and tested ones, Vic's will definitely go on my "go-to" list.  The vibe is somewhat of a family restaurant, but in a New York way.  I went on a recent Saturday evening, and the restaurant, while certainly doing it's fair share of "first date" dinners, also had a large contingency of "sophisticated" Manhattan/Brooklyn families -  large tables with generations of a single family. Perhaps because there is something for everyone on the menu. The food is well done - interesting pizza and pasta dishes (I am very partial to the Little Purse - delicious hot piping ricotta bursts into your mouth, slightly cut by the acid from the lemon).  Main courses - the pork and the oxtail were hearty and shareable.  Perhaps the right order is a pizza/pasta + a main course to share with a partner.  Of course you can't miss some of the appetizers...notably the Sweet Crispy Onions - pretty much every table had these. Think lightly fried onion rings dusted in tomato powder with a bit of bite.  Paired with a parmesan dip - it was like the best of onion rings + nachos combined.  Yum.

All in all - the ambiance was relaxed, not snooty or uptight...not too fashiony, nor too cavalier.  Was just right for any night of the week.  I haven't tried brunch yet, but am definitely looking forward to it. 

Highly recommend!

Vic's

31 Great Jones

212-253-5700