VNTG.

For my old-school Agency fans. 🍷

Some restaurants chase trends, and others feel entirely comfortable in their own skin. VNTG (or VNTD as I still incorrectly refer to it in my head) falls firmly into the latter category. Tucked away in the forever-busy JW Marriott Marquis (a location I’ve visited countless times over the years for numerous different outlets, many now closed), the space manages to feel both polished and relaxed, with an atmosphere that encourages guests to settle in for the evening rather than rush. What’s amusing — to me, at least — is how drastically the outlet has been transformed. My last meeting here was in the dark/oppressive tea room (?) that used to occupy the area and was somehow both a) completely forgettable and b) an eyesore. The culinary team, led by executive chef Tom Allen (formerly of Dinner*), has clearly had the budget and go-ahead here to do their best with the square footage, and the investment has paid off in spades.

As the name suggests, VNTG places considerable emphasis on its win…