Happy Va De Vi to Trishy

A few years ago Trish and I visited the ragingly successful Va De Vi in the WC. The excellent food and sturdy if cursory wine flight program was brought to a screeching halt when we asked for bread. "We only serve bread with the small plates that come with bread". Telling a Irish girl that at dinner is like telling Isabel no to bisquits, or Angel no to wine...not wise. Suffice to stay the evening ended with a emergency run to BK!
Well after like 83 years straight on Bauers Top 100 list, she asked to try it again for her birthday. A packed Friday night in a tight, bustling space. It is surprising how manageable the noise is in the long narrow dining room, but not surprising is the diversity of the crowd....old (us), young (them). Trish wouldn't let me taste her Lakeside Lemonade so no comment. I broke down and had a 209 Martini.
The moment of truth came when Trish ordered bread with our Ahi Tartare...success! Because I'm so generous, I let Trishy order all the small plates...

• Ahi tartare with sesame rice crackers = Very good, but when the fish is right, how can you screw this up?
• Wonderful Beef Carpaccio with potato chips as the sedan
• The Duck Confit was a whole leg served with steamed buns. The meat was cooked perfectly, but we all yearn for the crackling crisp skin which they didn't deliver
• Rock Shrimp Avocado Lumpia, very nice but lacking soft bite or heft or just something
• The Pork Belly has the crisp layer that the Duck lacked, and I thought was the star of the meal with  chili soy glaze that complimented the tender pork without over powering it.

Va De Vi is proud of their wine program with a specialty in flights. They offer 8 whites and 8 reds, a good variety, but nothing that really drew me in. I embarked on the Napa Cab flight ($25) was '07 Rubicon Estate, '06 Neal and '07 Whitehall Lane and Trishy had the Master Blender ($22.50) with '06 Penche, '09 Swift The Prisoner and 07 Atamisque "Assemblage" (it was dead in the glass).

The service was attentive, timely and friendly..well played. All in all a very satisfying evening, but I just struggle with the value equation in the small plate format. It was a very enjoyable meal with almost plenty of food for $200 for 2 drinks, 5 plates and 6 - 3oz glasses of wine Is it me...am I cheap?