This week’s restaurant on the New Brunswick Restaurant Guide is Via Vita. Since the close of the West End Coffee House, Via Vita is the only true, non-corporate owned coffee house in New Brunswick. The cozy atmosphere, while inchoate, is warm and welcoming. The building, on the corner of Condict Street and Easton Ave, must have been a hacienda in another life. Although not an ideal situation for a French café, it works. The exposed brick everywhere, warm colors, and snug atmosphere make for an enjoyable experience.
The fare is simple, French café food at reasonable prices. I started with a classic French sandwich, the Croque Monsieur. If the French Army is a grilled cheese sandwich, a Croque Monsieur is the French Foreign Legion. Unlike the easily defeated white bread and yellow cheese, this sandwich was silky-Gruyere Swiss cheese, and thick, soft, panini bread. But it doesn’t stop there. In addition, there is a layer of copacolla ham, a sort of non-greasy, slightly spicy, alternative to bacon. Lastly, the sandwich is topped with a chopped hard-boiled egg. The sandwich is moist, filling, and savory; if it took the field of battle, it could be led by Napoleon.
Next we ordered a warm sandwich of roast beef, caramelized onions, garlic basil aioli, and crumbled gorgonzola cheese. The roast beef was a good foundation- but it was no match for the garlic basil aioli, a sort of garlic flavored, ancient Gaul version of mayonnaise. The caramelized onions were a perfect match to the crumbled, biting bleu of the gorgonzola cheese.
Lastly, our table sampled Printaniere. If egg salad is Curious George, this sandwich is King Kong. The base is egg salad, with copious amounts of ham, provolone, cucumber, celery and French mustard. This glorious mixture is served on the most divine of breads, a French baguette. (The French word for spring is printemps, and the sandwich is named this in homage to the veggies therein.)
The meal would not be complete without a proper French dessert. We ordered a crepe (wafer-thin pancake) with Nutella, a hazelnut flavored chocolate sauce, fresh bananas and walnuts. Oh la la; it was delicious. The coffee and tea were wonderful as well- served in large cups like soup bowls, cradling it with both hands on a chilly November day warms wonderfully.
The service was friendly and responsive, a true pleasure in which to dine. The same menu is used for breakfast, lunch and dinner, making Via Vita a bit pricey for breakfast, a good lunch spot, and an absolute steal at dinner time. French food is much better with wine, so bring a bottle. (Or a box if you fancy.) No need for reservations; drop in, get a seat near the window, and watch the passerby for an hour or four. Bon appetite!
LOCATION: 58 Easton Ave
PHONE: (732)-220-0122
PRICE: $10 to $15 per person
AMBIANCE: Informal
