Viva les restaurants!
The same folks who brought us Wyomissing’s highly successful ViVÁ restaurant and its extensive catering business have pulled off a major coup together with Executive Chef Russell Svoboda, who settled here nearly a year ago. Turns out the chef loves two things: comfort foods and freshness. The result? A full-on focus ensuring local sources for ingredients and not one, but two, restaurants to choose from. Wow.
First, there’s an all-new feel and a bright name for the spacious Wyomissing location. Fields Kitchen and Bar by ViVÁ features American cuisine with enticing field-to-table veggies, cheeses and natural meats, all purchased within a 100-mile radius. Beverages include cocktails, fine wines and top-notch craft beers like New Belgium Fat Tire, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale and Rogue Chocolate Stout.
Second, they’ve turned the stately Castle Pub, located at the Reading Country Club, into a lively restaurant with British and Irish fare and an impressive Whiskey Bar.
Reassuringly, both menus do retain some of the favorite dishes that Berks Countians have come to adore, including the ever-delish Sweet Potato-Encrusted Salmon with its sun-dried cranberries, walnuts and amaretto sauce. According to ViVÁ Restaurant Group’s Jeff Hettinger, leaving out the most popular dishes would mean having a riot on his hands. Nonetheless, he says with a big smile, “we’ve now created two totally different dining experiences.”
It’s true. There are stunning new starters and salads, sandwiches, sides, main entrees and fancy desserts to please discerning palates. And — for summer days — open-air seating. At Fields Kitchen, in fact, there’s now an outside lounge patio with romantic fire pit tables and umbrellas.
Baked Brie, Seared Ahi Tuna Wontons
First, let’s do starters at Fields Kitchen. For a full-flavored volcano, order a lovely round of Baked Brie, housed in a gorgeous brown sugar crust akin to apple pie, with a fresh strawberry compote for dipping the buttery, nutty, warm-cheese-coated crostini. It’s enough for two to three people, at least.
The charred Crispy Brussels Sprouts are crazy wonderful — addictively so — and unlike anything you ever had at home, probably because they’re embraced by Chef’s homemade truffle vinaigrette and a bit of applewood bacon. So, so good.
The Seared Ahi Tuna Wonton dish is amazingly colorful and pretty to look at…but you won’t be able to keep your hands off it. Fresh and sassy-tasting with a sriracha aioli, the tuna’s edges seared to perfection, it’s a great jumpstart to the next course.
An elegant Lobster-Sherry Bisque is creamy, light-pink thanks to a tomato touch, and lobster-loaded, so you really taste full bites of that glorious meat. And if you scoop down to the bottom of the cup or bowl, you’ll discover the crunch of sweet corn. All in all, multitextured with a very smooth finish.
Gourmet Americana
A stunning crispy Bacon-Wrapped Angus Meatloaf sits atop Garlic-Parmesan Whipped Potatoes, combining comfort and culinary excellence as a main entree for lunch or dinner. Perkily adorning the top layer are succulent whole carrots (not the teeny ones, nor huge — but young, just-picked carrots), providing vitamins and fiber in the tastiest way.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Cheddar Biscuits, Bouillabaisse, Santa Fe Chicken Tostada, and — of course — the masterful Hickory-Grilled Filet Mignon are also stellar choices as entrees. Portions are generous.
Tops in the sandwich category is that sizeable Classic Kobe Burger, as tender as beef can get, inside an eggy brioche bun. For an adventure, the Chicken Avocado BLT offers truly complex textures and tastes: smoky, grilled, salty, woodsy, crispy, soft and herby pleasure in every single bite.
Bangers and Mac, Fish ‘n Chips,Deviled Eggs
Castle Pub delivers authentic British and Irish pub comfort foods. Naturally, the beer list lines up with the UK theme, and the new Whiskey Bar has flights to knock your socks off. Fine wines include such lovelies as Graham’s Six Grapes Port. Not something you see on an average menu.
Nine starters include Fried Pickles (whole dill spears) and Welsh Rarebit. And Chef Russell lets creative spirit roam freely with his weekly inspired, savory Deviled Eggs. Folks who love deviled eggs will find this very cool, different.
The Fish and Chips (aka French fries) does justice to fat pieces of ale-battered white cod, nicely fried — traditionally prepared pub-style, presented on paper, as they should be.
Bangers and Mash (potatoes) is a well-known British standard. But Chef Russell ups the ante with his Bangers and Mac. These crisply browned, juicy Cumberland sausages are paired with the ultimate comfort food — mac and cheese, a mouthwatering mix of cavatappi (corkscrew pasta), Cheddar-beer sauce, caramelized onion, bacon and baked breadcrumbs.
For dessert, pay ultimate homage with Sticky Toffee Pudding, or share four Dessert Shooters with everyone at both Fields and Castle Pub. Spoons for all!
Fields Kitchen + Bar by ViVÁ
901 Hill Avenue and N. Park Road, Wyomissing
610.685.5299. fieldskitchen.com
Castle Pub by ViVÁ
5311 Perkiomen Avenue, Reading
610.779.1000. vivacastlepub.com
Bring ViVÁ to your Event!
For catering information, contact ViVA Catering at 610.685.3900, ext. 400 or vivacatering.com.
