Thursday, October 13, 2016
Well, kind of. Although the full tasting room is still under construction, the cider guys began hosting a pop-up version dubbed the Loading Dock Lounge. On Fridays and Saturdays from 2 to 6 p.m., the bar is open for specialty drafts, flights and cans of Shacksbury Dry and Semi-Dry. Bowls of salty, herbed popcorn are available for snacking at the wide hardwood bar top.
Tags: Shacksbury Cider , cider , tasting room , Vergennes , apples , fall , drink up , drafts , drinking , Image , Web Only
In West Topsham, Limlaw Family Maple Farm opens its sunny post-and-beam sugarhouse for a Sunday breakfast series twice a year. In the spring, when the sap is flowing, and again in October, when Vermont's sugarbushes shift from green to splashy yellow, orange and red.
This year's fall breakfast series began last weekend and runs each Sunday through October 30. Priced at $13.99 ($6.50 for kids under 6), it's cheaper than your average hangover brunch — and it's busy, so make reservations.
Which returns us to the question: What defines a great breakfast buffet?
Tags: Maple Syrup , Breakfast , Buffets , Topsham , Sugarhouse , Slideshow , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Note: Looking for the 2017 Food Truck Finder? Check it out here.
Curtain Call: ArtsRiot Truck Stop
In Chittenden County, food truck season really begins and ends with ArtsRiot's Friday night Truck Stops.Since convening its first mobile meet-up on Pine Street in 2013, ArtsRiot has expanded the series to Montpelier and Winooski. This summer, the Onion City has hosted trucks including Dolce VT, Taco Gordo, Southern Smoke and MaMa Dogs Catering on Saturdays since mid-July. But — just as October summons leaves to the ground — this week marks the end of this tasty summertime squeeze. Catch 2016's final truck-rally kicks at ArtsRiot in Burlington this Friday, October 14, and in Winooski, the following night.
Tags: food trucks , Burlington , dining , Vermont , summer , Montpelier , Image , Web Only
Monday, October 10, 2016
Blank Page opened at Bread and Butter Farm last fall, but, beginning this week, the café has extended its limited hours to serve Proia’s coveted butter coffee and gluten-free pastries Monday through Saturday.
Tags: Bread and Butter Farm , Blank Page Cafe , Paleo , gluten-free , grain-free , farm , coffee , butter coffee , breakfast , cafe , Shelburne , Image , Web Only
Sunday, October 9, 2016
I arrived on a Friday morning to find the place packed. Nevertheless, the friendly staffers seemed relaxed as they diced a mountain of tomatoes into salsa-sized bits, cooked omelettes and cheerfully delivered plates piled with hearty portions of food.
For Dining on a Dime, the rule is to find meals — not merely treats or snacks — that cost less than $12. At FC, nothing on the menu costs more than that. The fish tacos and smoked salmon Benedict, each ringing up at $10.95, are the priciest things on offer.
And so, with 40 items from which to choose, I went with the restaurant's eponymous sandwich: the Firebird. It arrived quickly — a mass of spiced, shredded beef mixed with poblano chile and onion, piled on a darkened grinder roll and topped with gooey melted cheese. (The best part, aside from the affordability, was the presence of those crispy, crunchy bits of broiled cheese around the very edges of the sandwich.)
Slathered with the smoky chipotle sauce that sits on all the tables, this sandwich was a flavorful, nearly overwhelming meal. After eating all I could, I still brought two-thirds of it home with me.
Dining on a Dime is a weekly series featuring well-made, filling bites (something substantial enough to qualify as a small meal or better) for $12 or less. Know of a tasty dish we should feature? Drop us a line: food@sevendaysvt.com.
Tags: Firebird , Café , Essex , Sandwich , Breakfast , Lunch , Cheap , Firebird Café , Image , Web Only
Saturday, October 8, 2016
The studio, founded and owned by Teresa Davis, offers kids' art camps, as well as teen and adult classes in a variety of media, including millinery, fused glass, watercolor and photography. Originally, the on-site kitchen was used only to feed the artists and perhaps their parents. In early September, the café opened to the public, presenting a selection of snack plates, soup, salad and a build-your-own breakfast sandwich. Brunch, with dishes named after the masters, began on September 25.
Tags: art , brunch , café , South Burlington , lunch , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
As orchardists press cider and prep their fields for the coming cold, we wander through the trees, picking fruit. Once home, we transform our pickings into pies or preserves. Any way you slice it, harvest is a busy time.
So how about a seasonal cocktail? Here's one to celebrate the apple, making use of the fruit in three ways — with Malvados apple brandy from Mad River Distillers and ice cider and fresh cider from Champlain Orchards.
Apples x Apples x Apples
Makes two cocktails
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces apple brandy
- 2 ounces ice cider
- Juice of one lemon
- A few leaves each of sage, lavender, thyme
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Fresh apple cider, to top
- Muddle the brandy, lemon and herbs in a pint glass or cocktail shaker. Strain the mixture into another glass or shaker; add ice cider and maple syrup and stir well.
- Fill two Collins or rocks glasses with ice to the top; pour mixture over the ice and top off with fresh apple cider. Jostle with a spoon or cocktail stirrer to mix. Garnish with fresh herbs.
Tags: Cocktails , recipes , brandy , Malvados , cider , apples , Image , Web Only
Tags: Bennington , South Street Cafe and Bakery , Lil' Britain , Bakkerij Krijnen , lunch , dinner , pastries , bakery , restaurant , Image , Web Only
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Tags: cocktail , seafood , Burlington , restaurant , bar , Bleu , Image , Web Only
Friday, September 30, 2016
Many locals relied on the spot for weeknight takeout — a few dishes could easily feed a whole family for less than $30, which can be a stretch even when you're making dinner at home, depending on what's cooking.
Rumors swirled that new owners were coming in. Would they change the menu? Would they adjust prices?
Short answers: No, no, and no.
Pham and Gurung still own the place — Pham continues to cook as often as he ever did, particularly since closing his Winooski restaurant last summer. The menu? Same: mostly Vietnamese, with Nepali accents. Portions? Still larger than life. Prices? Reliably dirt cheap — few plates top $9.
Last week, I stopped by to check in, just to make sure. The sign out front has been changed to Pho Taó but, on the door, white letters still read "Dharshan Namaste Asian Deli." Inside, the Asian market is empty (Pham says he plans to reopen), but the restaurant is unchanged.
I ordered a "small" (read, very large, especially at $6.75) bowl of Vietnamese Hot & Spicy noodles with pork. I sipped a Coke and listened to Pham slap-dashing on the grill in the kitchen.
At first glance, this dish looks plain — unimpressive, even. Thin, undressed rice noodles cling together. Pale cuts of pork are scattered with just cilantro and pepper. To the side of the bowl, a small cup of broth.
But don't be fooled: That broth is flavor country, and the noodles and meat are really just delivery vehicles. The pungent, fish-saucey liquid is riddled with scallions and chiles, and is strong enough that it's wise to dip stuff into it, rather than pour it over. Tossed into the noodles, shreds of lettuce add crunch and sliced onions provide punch, for a meal that most resembles cold noodle salad — just perfect for the few warm days we have left.
Dining on a Dime is a weekly series featuring well-made, filling bites (something substantial enough to qualify as a small meal or better) for $12 or less. Know of a tasty dish we should feature? Drop us a line: food@sevendaysvt.com.
Tags: Vietnamese food , noodles , Burlington , Restaurants , Pho Thaó Vietnamese Restaurant , Image , Web Only