cookies and code

I’m happy to report that Brevard county finally has a gastropub that is worth patronizing. Vintage 56 is the most tasteful and affordable dining experience that my wife and I have had in the last year. Let’s do the walk-through.

When you come upon Vintage 56′s location, you may find yourself taken back a bit. The restaurant is tucked away in a shopping plaza which looks like it hasn’t seen much traffic in the last few years. In fact, if you’re a little faint of heart, you may turn back wondering how what you’ve heard is such a great place found it’s way there. Please trust me when I say, forge ahead, you don’t have to go into the clothing outlet and wig store; you’re just there for the restaurant. Once you make your way in, you’ll soon forget about the outside and appreciate the open floor plan and simple decor. The restaurant contains tables and half-booths (?) and open seating for its guests. We went on a Monday night and there were only a few couples dining which contributed to a nice and quiet ambiance.

I was excited to see that Vintage 56 stays fairly true to the gastropub style with its simple, seasonal menu and beer selection. I was even more ecstatic to see one of my favorite beers, Dogfish Head Pumpkin Ale ($5), on draft; they also had 2 for 1 martinis all evening, each ranging from $8 – $10 a piece. We each started with a cup of soup. I ordered a cup of the Portuguese Sausage and Kale ($3) and my wife ordered a cup of the Lobster Bisque ($4). The Portuguese Sausage soup was the perfect magnitude of spicy, made with chicken broth, kale, and diced carrot, celery, potato, and Andouille sausage; it reminded of the portions of a Zuppa Toscana that I enjoy with even more flavor. The Lobster Bisque has some small chunks of lobster in the broth and is served with a side of sherry crème fraîche which is must add to achieve the full flavor of the soup.

For our meals we went the sandwich route ordering the BLT ($8) and the Vintage Chicken Sandwich ($9). Part of what makes Vintage 56 so great is the way they can take menu items, like these simple sandwiches, and not break from your expectations, but still pleasantly surprise your palate. Both sandwiches are served on fresh baked Ciabatta bread with your choice of homemade sea-salt and cracked pepper potato chips or sweet potato fries (both of which taste great). The BLT is served with a light slathering of mayonnaise, melted whole-milk mozzarella, baby greens, yellow tomatoes, and an ample amount of crispy bacon. The Vintage Chicken Sandwich is made up of a reasonably portioned, grilled chicken breast, baby greens, brie cheese, and a pear and sun-dried cherry chutney. Although we didn’t try them, the menu also offers a selection of flat bread pizzas, burgers, tapas (cold and hot), and entrees. This evening there was also a paella for two on special, but I’m unsure of the price.

By the end of the meal, we were both stuffed, but when I heard a slice of homemade pumpkin pie ($6) was on the menu, I didn’t hesitate to order it. The texture of the pie wasn’t as smooth as I had hoped, but the flavor was amazing and definitely tasted as if the pumpkin was blended fresh. I also ordered a coffee ($2) which had a pretty typical flavor but was a nice complement to the pie.

On top of the great food, the table service was friendly and timely. We were able to sit and talk with the waiter and bartender who were very friendly and attentive. According to our waiter, by the second time he’d eaten at the restaurant he knew he wanted to work there. Being open for ~3 months thus far, it looks like he’s gotten in on the ground floor of what promises to be a great establishment. Also serving lunch, there are plenty of opportunities to stop in and see what I’m raving about. I can’t wait to see what the menu will hold as time goes on.

Vintage 56 is going into our permanent “dinner out” rotation and I’m already eager to visit again. I will go even as far as to say that Vintage 56 is the best restaurant in Rockledge at which I’ve eaten for all of my time in Brevard. Due yourself a favor and make time to stop in for a great meal and a great gastropub experience.

Vintage 56 is located at 200 Barton Boulevard, Rockledge, FL 32955.

So tonight for dinner, we tried to new place on US-1 in Rockledge called Ashley’s. The restaurant has been around for a long while and has a descent vibe; it was cozy. There was an indoor and outdoor bar, it looked like they had a few domestic beers on tap, and a couple dining areas with tables and booths. Our waitress was nice but the service was nothing spectacular. They have a big ass flat-screen in the indoor bar that is beautiful. Anyway, you can’t eat a flat screen, so onto the food.

The menu was the classic American cuisine (steak, seafood, sandwiches, salads, etc.) with a couple of specials that were variations on the menu spiced up. I ordered the stuffed mushrooms (crab meat and mozzarella ~ $5) and the open-face Reuben sandwich with steak fries (~$8). My wife got the french onion soup (~$2) and the fried chicken salad (~$7). The portions were larger than I was expecting. The soup and salad had homemade croûtons and the chicken on the salad looked like a pan-fried breaded cutlet. The mushrooms were alright, but I had higher expectations for the stuffing. My sandwich however, was surprisingly good. It was a Reuben made with grilled corned beef, rather than pastrami, some type of cheese, and sourkraut that wasn’t too overpowering. I don’t think I’d order it again, but it looked good when it came out and I didn’t find myself saying “I’m done”.

Overall, Ashley’s struck me as your run of the mill bar/restaurant with descent food for OK prices. We may go back, but I’m pretty indifferent about whether we do or not. Looks like a lot of locals like it. It’s also supposed to be haunted (story provided on back of menu) so that was a good read while we were waiting for our food.

Ashley’s is located at 1609 US Highway 1, Rockledge, FL 32955.