Vermont!

[Triana]

I know of two fabulous restaurants in Vermont: A Single Pebble and American Flatbread (both have websites, easily found with a yahoo search). A Single Pebble is heaven on earth. You order several dishes that come in sizes: small, medium and large. Plus soup, tea and dessert. They bring each to your table as they become ready in the kitchen so each is at perfection. I have had 3 meals there and each was better than the last. And you must, MUST get dried fried green beans. Absolute complement to any meal there. The oysters, the mock-eel, the red Thai curry soup. All just to die for.

American Flatbread is pizza cooked in a wood burning clay-domed oven. They put unsual things on the flatbread before they cook it and it's just divine. I wish they sold them down here in Texas!

The other heavenly thing is the farmer's market in Montpelier. Farm raised chicken and bacon. Twenty varieties of tomatoes! Delicious!

There must be more Vermonters out there. It is the home to NECI after all. Where else in Vermont should I try on my next trip? Where are your favorite places to shop for food? Are fried oreos really good?

[Nockerl]

American Flatbread is pizza cooked in a wood burning clay-domed oven.  They put unsual things on the flatbread before they cook it and it's just divine.  I wish they sold them down here in Texas!

American Flatbread sells a frozen version of their pizza. And as a matter of fact it is one of the best, if not the best, darn frozen pizzas out there. Although they aren't quite as wonderful as the ones right out of that beautiful oven, they are good.

Go to this link and you'll be able to see if they are available in your area. American Flatbread Frozen Pizza

You should also try e-mailing flatbread to see, if you are interested, about having them ship you a case if there are no stores in your area that have them.

[Triana]

Yep! Everyone should look for them in the store. While getting them from the restaurant is best, the frozen versions are pretty darned fine. We had two the last time I was in Vermont since we were snowed in and didn't want to get out and drive there. I still wish they sold them in Texas. I am going to poke the people of Central Market!!

[Fat Guy]

The best restaurant in Vermont is, of course, Al's French Frys in Burlington.

[grillboy]

Fat Guy...if you want to go in that direction....one of my favorite vermont restaurants is the Eaton Sugar House in Royalton VT. I was in Vermont for the week of the 4th of july . My cousin owns a pick your own farm (trawberries, blueberries, raspberries, vegetables and flowers) .

We always go to Eaton's.

Their website is: http://www.vtmaple.com/

Also there is a restaurant in Barre that just opened called The Farmers Diner. It's focus is on using as much vermont produced foods as possible. The principal owns a meat processing plant and some of the investors are VT food producers (diary etc...) Had a preview meal there. It was very good.

[Fat Guy]

I was just checking the Burlington Free Press site to see if that paper is doing any worthwhile restaurant reviews. There doesn't seem to be much of an archive there -- though perhaps I've not searched hard enough -- but today's review, by someone named Melissa Pasanen, is surprisingly compelling. I like that it's a combination of lifestyle reporting and restaurant reviewing, and if the portrayal of the restaurant's cuisine is accurate it seems to be the right mix.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/wkend/d...ining/1000h.htm

[Steve Klc]

I'm afraid I'm not much on Vermont--lack of experience--but can vouch for the frozen flatbreads since my local Fresh Fields/Whole Foods Markets have carried them for years--and I enjoy them tremendously.

Also, I was one of the first diners at the Flatbread Company restaurant which opened in North Conway, NH--a different, but related, venture--and can say without hesitation it immediately became the best restaurant in town. It's based on several of the precepts and recipes from American Flatbread. Simple concept, excellent execution and taste. Yes, the decor and mythology is a bit hokey/kitschy but the food was fantastic.

Link to the restaurant site, with oven pictures and kitsch, here:

http://www.flatbread.net/Page_1x.html

Next weekend my wife and I are doing a wedding cake in NH--and I can't wait to eat there again. Perhaps more than once.

And Shaw--good catch--that was a nice, unpretentious piece of food writing.

[kfo]

The thrill of seeing my little state -- with an exclamation point, no less -- up top on the egullet forums list was enough for me to chuck my treasured anonymous lurker status in exchange for the opportunity to pontificate about the glories of American Flatbread and the miseries of Burlington restaurants for an audience of, well, tens. I've already given away my core point: While there are a lot of great food things going on in Northern Vermont, restaurants aren't generally among them. The best meal in Burlington is the one that a friend cooks for you; restaurants, generally, are disapointing.

What's wonderful and immediate about food in Vermont mostly relates to bread and cheese. (Well, OK, also agricultural practices like grass-fed, "natural" beef, lamb, etc.) And that, bread and cheese that is, takes me to American Flatbread. Go, definitely. I'm told a new outpost (more related to the original than the splinters in New Hampshire and, I believe, Portland, Maine) has opened in Middlebury; I have no idea if it matches the standard of the Waitsfield original. The Waitsfield AmF is wonderful... beautiful spot, smoky crackly crisp pies, inventive specials using wonderful local chicken, sausage and other vegetables. Plus stepping inside is a 60's folk art explosion--the owner's mad paens to organic food and childhood wisdom and god knows what are painted everywhere in cramped script.

Since I've bagged on Burlington resaturants, and I owe people another piece of genuine news, I should point out that "A Single Pebble," the Barre-based strip mall Chinese restaurant praised above, has opened a branch in Burlington, in a space formerly occupied by truly horrid faux Vietnamese place. I know that no one visits Burlington to eat Chinese food; nonetheless, it's one of the better places in town. More in the New England/American mold is Smokejack's, located at the base of Church Street. The menu is timid and the cooking is sometimes inconsistant, but the owner is smart and has assembled a fine Zinfandel-heavy wine list and a superb cheese list. Sitting outside sampling obscure farm cheeses while the city hums around you is wonderful.

Where else? Penny Cluse is a San Francisco-inflected breakfast cafe. You know it, you've been there: Hipsters, excessively large omlets, a menu gag or two, crowds, strong cooking. I love it personally, but there's nothing unique there. They have lately begun serving dinner. It's fine, but breakfast is better.

Burlington restaurants that you may hear about or see in guidebooks that I would avoid include Leunigs, Trattoria Delia, NECI commons. All are mediocre; I've also had frustrating problems with service at each of them. Outside of town, I'd treat the Starry Night Cafe with some skepticism. I've eaten well there, but the chef left and the food has apparently declined. Pretty room and spot, though.

There's some hope around town that restaurants are getting better. A local artsy design impresario type has opened an elegant, visually striking seafood restaurant near the waterfront called 'o.' (Burlington is part of that Berkeley/Boston/bobo-hipster axis where restaurant names have to be typographical symbols, addresses, or evocative words ripped completely out of their context in the style of those poetry refrigerator magnets.) I haven't been there, but a discerning friend said he ordered a perfectly lovely, perfectly cooked piece of fish that was almost eerily devoid of flavor. The plate was gorgeous, ringed with carrot emulsion and other geegaws, but the taste wasn't there. He suspected salt. Perhaps more promising is the Waiting Room. It, too, perhaps suffers from an excessive devotion to trend, but I know several people who say they have had wonderful meals there. The menu, one of those deals with foie gras everywhere that reads like a shopping list or food thesarus, struck me as being "interesting" in the same way that "interesting" restaurants are everywhere, e.g. not very. But that may be cranky. Then again, you jaded city-types with your cosseted palates may opt for the simpler pleasures of Smokejack's. Or Al's French Frys.

I've nattered on at embarassing length, but before I slink off, I want to suggest that Vermont visitors check out the restaurant at the Inn at Shelburne Farms. It's in a spectacularly beautiful location, especially in early summer when the lilacs are out, and the food is often lovely. I particularly enjoy breakfast and weekend brunch, which is much more affordable than the steep dinner prices and, I think, shows off the restaurant's strengths to better effect.

kfo

PS: Despite being the state's largest population center, Burlington has only 40,000 residents. That's small. The local paper therefore feels like it can't afford to offend anyone with its restaurant reviews -- so, instead it commissions "Dining Profiles" like the one linked above. While the deliberate absence of real evaluative langauge makes this approach limited at best, there's maybe a lesson there for real reviewers. The discipline of reporting on the restaurant, the chef and where all the food coming from--rather than just describing and judging a few meals--can make for a more informed and informative approach. I find that I respond more to restaurant reviews with context and atmosphere; but then again, I'm not trying to sort out the hundreds of options in a huge city.

[Steve Klc]

kfo--keep posting like that and, well, your audience will surely grow. welcome. so, it's your sense that there are very good products and raw ingredients up there--just not enough reasons to draw more professional culinary talent? or more an audience lacking in either awareness or appreciation to support such talent in the kitchen? or other factors?

[Suzanne F]

My Vermont experience is all basically along Route 9 (Bennington to Brattleboro) with little offshoots up or down Rtes 100, 112, or 30 -- in other words, the very southern part of the state. I've found some surprisingly wonderful restaurant food there. What kills it for me, though, is absolutely horrendous service: teenage-seeming managers "supervising" teenage-seeming servers who couldn't open a bottle of wine even if it had a screw-top, much less answer questions about the menu or give proper service. Sigh.

But hope springs eternal; I'll be up there again starting this Saturday. See you all in about 2 1/2 weeks.

[researchgal]

Suzanne, If you find yourself in the Woodstock area, you might want to try the restaurant at Simon Pierce in Queechee--it's quite good, has a wonderful wine list and serves meals on beautiful pottery from their shop.

[Fat Guy]

KFO: It's great to find someone in Vermont who can speak with a voice of authority and experience about matters culinary in that region. I'm a UVM alumn and return to Burlington often, but I'm not able to keep up on the dining scene primarily because the friends I visit won't cooperate in allowing me to indulge my curiosity. So I've stayed current on all the junk food but I've fallen out of touch with the fine dining end of the spectrum, which from what you're saying isn't necessarily a bad thing for me. Anyway, I'll be back to post some more thoughts, I just wanted to say welcome and thanks and we hope to see a lot more of you.

[Triana]

I am so pleased this topic has been met with such response. I will continue my research of Vermont. I probably won't get to visit again until the spring, but I certainly will return.

You're right, they don't seem to have a lot of restaurants, but the few they have are splendid. I went to several of the NECI sponsored restaurants and was always satisifed with the dishes. I guess I am lucky, too, that the person I stay with is a trained chef so she can take extreme advantage of all the farm fresh goodies up there. Farm fresh meat and vegetables add a world of flavor and juices a grocery store can just never match. But keep the posts coming! I need to know of more places to try for my next trip!

[Tim D]

The best meal in Burlington is the one that a friend cooks for you; restaurants, generally, are disapointing.

You cannot be eating out in B-town often and make a statement like that. Here's a quick list of places to eat:

O - on the waterfront, seafood, wine, views.

The Restaurant - The chef there (Lenny) is a Burlington institution, this will be the best restaurant in Burlington by next spring (IMHO).

The Brazillian restaurant on Main street (I have forgotten it's name). Where else can you get chicken hearts on a skewer and good beer.

The Bangkok Bistro - Excellent thai food and a great bar.

The Waiting room - Upsacle urban style restaurant (the chef's from Boston) . Great jazz as well.

Just outside of Burlington (within a 45 minute drive):

Starry Night Cafe - in Ferrisburg, excellent food and great wine list

The Mist Grill - in Waterbury, could be the best restuarant in New England. Try it, you'll see.

The Black sheep (?) - in Vergennes, the chef from the original Starry Night has moved on and opened a great tiny restaurant in downtown Vergennnes. It's just him and one server. Excellent bistro food.

There are many more out there, including; Cafe Shelburne, Mary's in Bristol, Cannon's, Vietnam Restaurant in Essex, Wine Works winebar, China Express (best takeout Chinese north of Boston, handmade dumplings fer crissakes), The Iron Wolf, Opaline; that wouldn't qualify as great but are simply good places to eat (like Single Pebble, Trattoria Delia, and Smokejacks). Smokejack's was in Gourmet magazine's top 100 this year for it's Mac & Cheese. And I've been very happy with the food at Trattoria Delia the last few times I've been. Single Pebble is just too good to miss. The chef is a master of Chinese cooking (he worked with Barbara Tropp).

And there are definitely alot of bad places to eat in and around Burlington (ALL Mexican places, Loong chaat's, Sweetwaters, Parima, NECI) but the good far outweighs the bad.

The free press is the last place to look for food recomendations or reviews, here's a slightly better one:

http://www.sevendaysvt.com/

A bunch of us are working on a better Vermont food website, so keep your eyes peeled for it next year.

Until then just come to Vermont, and eat and eat and eat . . . that's what we do. This is like living in the last undiscovered foodie mecca on earth. Orb Weaver Cheese, Red Hen bread, LaPlatte River Angus, Misty Knoll poultry, Butterworks Farms, Bingham Brook Farms (and pizza), I mean, come on what city of 50,00 has an organic farmer's market with produce grown within the city limits? There are hundred's of small farmers and cheesemakers, and vinyards, and bakeries, and ice cream makers, and dairies (one of whom is even served at the French Laundry). This is truly a great place to be if you love to eat (and cook).

Enjoy!

Tim

[Nick]

Try the "Station" in Windsor. South on Route five from White River Jct.

Here's the post I made a couple of months ago. The Station

[Joe Speidel]

Another great place to eat in Burlington, Vermont is Smokejacks restaurant. I must admit that I may not be the most impartial reviewer because my wife is the chef there! But, I think that they have the most interesting and creative dishes, an emphasis on local ingredients, and an excellent selection of wine and cheese.

Check out their website at http://www.smokejacks.com for more information.

[La Niña]

I could use some recommendations in the Bennington area. Also North Adams, MA, Williamstown, MA...

[Suzanne F]

I could use some recommendations in the Bennington area.  Also North Adams, MA, Williamstown, MA...

Is Wilmington too far for you? It's halfway between Bennington and Brattleboro, and there are some pretty good places there and up in Dover and West Dover.

[Kim WB]

We own a home in Ludlow, ( near Okemo and Killington) and other than a few mediocre tavern and brew pub places, its dismal dining. Of course, we only go during the school holidays with the crowds and skiiers, so everything is always packed and hectic...but I'd love a dining suggestion. Now that I think of it, I don't think I've ever done any "high end" dining in VT, just casual.

[La Niña]

We're based in Petersburg, NY, so Bennington/Troy/North Adams/Williamstown - that's about the radius limit.

[Rail Paul]

We own a home in Ludlow, ( near Okemo and Killington) and other than a few mediocre tavern and brew pub places, its dismal dining.

Kim WB -

Ludlow is a wonderful little town, you're fortunate to have a place there.

Dee and I stayed at The Governor's Inn on the south side of Ludlow several years back, when the Marbles operated the Inn. Expanded Victorian home, period furniture, crackling fireplaces in several rooms, delightful.

Haven't been there in years, but the Inn's dinner service was for guests only back in the early 1990s.

La Nina -

There's a well known organic co-op / bakery / restaurant on the square in Brattleboro. Long, graying pony tailed artists and fabric makers, biz types, etc chowing down on organic waffles and breads. Now, if I can only remember the name, must be a senior moment...

[Suzanne F]

Brattleboro Food Coop. That's where we do our shopping when we're up there in our time-share. Amazing wine selections!

Unfortunately for La Niña, that's all the way across the state from her (over 40 miles end-to-end), and Route 9 is almost always torn up somewhere along the way.

Edit-add: unless you mean "The Common Ground" restaurant, which has been on the verge of closing for the last few years. Communally-owned, very very veggy -- and not very good, I'm sorry to say.

Edited December 4, 2002 by Suzanne F (log)

[bushey]

Kim, is The Hatchery still open? I've had some great breakfasts there on sub-zero mornings over the years. I love Okemo -- it's the place I first learned to "really" ski -- but we haven't been back in several years. I've heard good things about Harry's just up the road.

Brattleboro is a pretty good distance from Bennington; it's more towards the center of the state and a straight shot up route 91 from Springfield and Northampton.

I've heard there are some good places to eat in Williamstown. And if you're in that area this coming weekend, there's a Holiday Stroll going on Saturday and Sunday. I assume the merchants of the main downtown area in Williamstown have special sales and events.

[Kim WB]

Thanks Paul, Ludlow is great..even for a non-skier like me! The Gov Inn is a beautiful place, really captures the area..I had heard they were changing hands, but I don't keep up with the news too closely. We have dear frinds who are up there every weekend just about, so I hear dribs and drabs through her. We only get up a few times a year, our kids go to different schools, so its tough getting time off for everyone. And I don't like being away from home on Christmas itself..so we're limited.

Bushey, the Hatchery is still there for those fortifying VT breakfasts. And Okemo is where my kids all learned to ski, its so family friendly. When they were younger, my husband would ski with them in the AM, and then meet me for lunch at the Lodge, to hand off the kids so he could do some serious skiing. (He's a Middlebury grad, loves his mountains). I'd have to be careful, cause those Otter Creek's are so good! Now of course, all the kids out ski him. So I can drink all the Otter Creek I want!

My college-aged daugther is spending a week in Jan up there with some friends. So if I will even have a home that's standing by the time we go later in Jan, I'll report back on any places we've tried!

[roryrabbitfield]

Wow, thanks for the great info. I'm headed to Burlington, VT and North Adams, MA this weekend. I can't wait to try some of the VT places mentioned in this thread. You guys rule.