A Single Pebble, believe it or not, authentic chinese food in Burlington, VT

            A year ago to the date, I found myself on the streets of Beijing, China, bargaining aggressively with the local food vendors for the best deals on my daily jiaozi (dumplings).  At times, the interactions would get pretty aggressive as I tried to sheer one or two more yuan (Chinese currency) off of the already insignificantly small price.  Yes, in American standards, I was probably the biggest jerk in the room, but in China, dealings like this were commonplace.  Life is a battle there and both buyers and sellers put their lives on the line for each an every yuan in their pocket. 

            After four months in China, where my daily diet consisted of dumplings, triple fried eggplant, oil drenched stir fry noodles, and a distinct lacking of what health-conscious American society would ever deem acceptable, I was ready for a much needed cleanse.  As this blog has clearly proven, I am by no means a health nut and I love my fair share of food, but when I arrived in Newark, I could not have been more ecstatic for the possibility of ending a meal without the feeling of a soy sauce flavored brick in my stomach.  Since that day, I can count the number of times I have had Chinese food in the past year on one hand, so when Lauryn and I were looking for the next restaurant to feature prominently on our (self designated) award-winning blog, I figured it would be the perfect time to revisit the food of my homeland.

            Fridays this semester have typically become a lost day.  It is the day following a wonderful dance filled night at the senior club we call the bar, and any hopes of productivity are immediately thrown aside.  On days like these, there are few things less appetizing than a big heaping meal of Chinese food, but after asking nearly everyone we knew for restaurant suggestions, we found ourselves being pointed time and time again to Burlington’s A Single Pebble.  It was heralded by a few of our friends as not only Burlington’s best Chinese restaurant, but, cuisine aside, also as one of Burlington’s overall best.  After a threatening of Magic Wok or A Single Pebble, Torch finally caved and, throwing Amy Schleuter into the car, we headed on up to Burlington’s 133 Bank Street.

            A Single Pebble is not a flashy restaurant.  In fact, the exterior caught me by surprise as it looks just like a normal Burlington residence.  However, the interior has all of the commonalities of a classy Chinese joint, with scattered tables topped with red table cloths and a red Lazy Susan, which added a much appreciated touch of authenticity to the dining experience.

            At 5:30, A Single Pebble was sparsely populated, which proved beneficial to our grumbling stomachs, but ultimately would be our downfall (more on that later).  The hostess was notably very friendly and incredibly accommodating to our many questions.  Turns out, the original chef was an American man who traveled many times to China, collecting local recipes and a passion for the fare, and decided to start up one of Burlington’s best establishments.

            After a brief overview of the menu by our hostess, we decided to order five dishes.  The meal began with the highly recommended Dry Fried Green Beans, which are fire flavored green beans wok tossed with flecks of pork, black bean, preserved vegetable, and garlic.  Yes, after too many dishes of triple fried vegetables, I was 100% skeptical with the word choice of “fried”, but this dish turned out to be our best decision.  The beans were wok fried, aka sautéed, and were one of the best renditions I’ve ever had of not only Chinese green beans, but green beans in general.  Not too oily, not too spicy, but extremely fresh and flavorful.  My kind of dish.

            Next we were brought a dish of Chicken Dumplings with Spicy Sesame Sauce, which were steamed chicken filled dumplings served with a ginger vinegar sauce.  The dumplings were both light and flavorful, but it was truly the sauce that made the dish.  We even found ourselves dipping the meat buns, which came next, into the sesame sauce.  Two for two.

            Unfortunately, the above mentioned meat buns were the lowest point of our meal, but this was all relative as they were still pretty good. The baozi (meat buns) in China came cheaper than dirt, with the skin of a dumpling and the biggest hunk of meat (you designated the type, hypothetically…) inside.  When comparing the food available to me in America and the food in China, I don’t find myself nostalgic for much of the Chinese fare, that is, except for the baozi.  So when the menu offered “meat buns”, my mind immediately began to spin and my mouth began to salivate.  Unfortunately, these weren’t the baozi of Beijing and instead came with a thick breading filled with a small lump of pork accompanied with hoisen and peanut sauce. The breading was a little too hearty and the meat was too unsubstantial.

            As I mentioned before, the emptiness of the restaurant really affected our meals in two different ways.  For one, our appetizers came out in rapid fire succession and our hunger was immediately satiated.  Unfortunately, we learned that we have no self-control or concept of pacing, and by the arrival of our main dishes, we were pretty uncomfortably full.  Welcome to my dining experiences of China…

            For main dishes, we ordered the House Special Chow Fun, which was fresh wide rice noodle with chicken, shrimp, roast pork tossed in a light brown sauce, and the Tangerine Peel Chicken, which came as crispy chunks of chicken with chilis, tangerine peel, & garlic sauce framed with broccoli crowns.  I’ve grown up loving Chow Fun, so much that even now, eight years after I left home, my family members from New York’s Chinatown still bring me heapings of it.  To me, Chow Fun is the more substantial, more flavorful, and more satisfying rendition of the thinner noodles of Lo Mein.  The wideness and thickness of the noodles makes each one more meat-like (I know that sounds gross, but really, its awesome) and makes it hands down one of my favorite Chinese dishes available.  A Single Pebble did not disappoint.  The plate came with such a huge heaping of meat and seafood, all of which was remarkably fresh and unbelievably tasty, that we questioned whether or not we had ordered a noodle dish.  The noodles, hidden beneath the mass of meat, completely lived up to my expectations and dreams.  They were cooked perfectly and the “light brown sauce” (what does that even mean?) was not too oily, always a difficulty that restaurants seem to face.  As for the chicken, I can only describe the dish as a classier version of Panda Garden’s General Tso’s Chicken.  By classier, I do not mean more healthy, because each chunk of chicken was coated with the standard fried layer.

            If you find yourself with a few spare hours and a craving for Chinese food A Single Pebble is certainly worth the trip. Located just off Church Street, you can walk off the “Chinese-food baby” that will surely be present following your meal. 

 The Outside of the Restaurant

Dry Fried Green Beans

Chicken Dumplings with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Meat Buns

House Special Chow Fun

Tangerine Peel Chicken

The Middlebury Chili Contest: an eating marathon of grand proportions. Pace yourself.

It was a classic March afternoon in Vermont, winter jackets still essential, prompting students to curse the never ending winter. But something was different about this Saturday, March 11^th.  It was only 12 pm, and my teammates and I had already finished a game of pick up soccer, unusual for us because Saturday mornings are not always a productive time.  Our inspiration this particular day came in the form of the 3^rd annual Middlebury Chili Festival, which gave us the jump start we needed to get the day going early.

            After a disappointing rumor was spread that the Chili Fest was to be held the same weekend as Winter Carnival, I was more than anxious for the actual day to arrive.  In only its third year, this food celebration drew over fifty local restaurants and businesses that showed up hoping to take home the title of best chili. The categories included game, vegetarian, pork, and chicken with a few sprinkling of seafood and other unique varieties.

            Ravenous as usual, we called the match and headed downtown where the streets were filled with Middlebury students and community members.  In a slightly ambitious manner, spoons in hand, Kirsten Lundquist, Amy Schlueter and I vowed to try every chili available…I mean we had to get our money’s worth (entrance is $3 dollars). Needless to say, we may have set our goals too high, and by the fourth vendor it was evident that our strategy required modification. We began to share samples, getting our own only if the taster proved too little. While we all had our own favorites, there were some chilis that were undeniably magnificent. 3 Squares of Vergennes (see earlier review) offered a unique Chili Verde option that in Amy Schlueter’s opinion was top-notch. The defending champion, Costello’s Market of Middlebury, had easily the longest line at the competition, offering their Chocolate Red Wine Chili, which boasted a unique combination of sweet and rich flavoring. My personal favorite was Tourterelle. Like many of the servers at the competition, the Tourterelle representative was making bold claims that this chili would undeniably be the crowd favorite. Intrigued, I took a full serving … and then another. I can easily say that if Tourterelle offered this on their menu I would frequently make the 6-mile trip up Route 7.

            Two hours and an intake of chili that made me cringe later, we slowly made our way back to the Modular Home. We were greeted by sweatpants with elastic waistbands, a marathon of “Say Yes to the Dress”, a couch and an endless supply of apple cider. Some would argue that this Saturday doesn’t sound productive at all, but until you experience the Middlebury Chili Festival in all its glory, I don’t expect you to understand.

            The Chili Fest is an annual event that takes place during the town’s Winter Carnival.  As Main Street shuts down and all of the town businesses and community members flood the main drag, any MiddKid that misses this epic event regret it.  Next year, take the five minute walk into town and spend some of the best three dollars of fill-you-to-the-brim chili you’ll ever experience.  But whatever you do, don’t forget your jacket.

Mary’s Restaurant at the Inn at Baldwin Creek, a home away from home

The town of Bristol is predominately known for its hallmark, the Bobcat Café, a casual and delicious pub-like establishment that draws many MiddKids to the quiet town.  What most people don’t know is that ten more minutes down the road, through the town of Bristol and bordering on the edge of middle-of-nowhere Vermont is another equally charming restaurant at the Inn at Baldwin Creek.  Mary’s Restaurant, the quaint bed and breakfast’s main attraction, is the perfect combination of wholesome Vermont, mom and pop bed and breakfast, and comforting home cooked food.  I first heard about Mary’s from my fellow blogger and promptly begged my parents to take me during their next visit up north.  

Mary’s is remotely located, a solid thirty minute drive from the middle of campus.  As many of you already know, the drive to Bristol, particularly in the fall, is well worth the trip. The Inn at Baldwin Creek stands alone on a long mountain road, only appearing just when you think you’ve completely left civilization.  The main dining room of Mary’s exudes comfort. Upon entering, we were immediately greeted by the wife of the owner and chef, a delightful woman who made it clear to us that personal touches are what Mary’s strives for.  The first time I dined at Mary’s, I was seated in the main dining room that boasts tablecloths and dimly lit candles, but this time, perhaps because we look so much like grungy college kids, we were put in the back room which has a more casual feel.  

We chose to go to Mary’s specifically for the specials that were being offered that evening.  A few weeks ago, Lauryn had gotten word that the kitchen was revamping its menu and that they were offering a sneak preview deal for their spring dishes.  Never one to pass up the opportunity to eat good food at a discount, we hastily made reservations for this particular day.  Lauryn and I sampled two of the four different spring preview pairings offered.  Lauryn ordered “Hannah’s Combos”, a shrimp risotto and duck, while I ordered "Martha’s Picks", which came with chicken and the highly recommended arctic char.  For $22, we were given both of our entrée selections as well as freshly baked bread and a house salad.

For starters, the house salad was visually nothing incredible.  As a simple mixed green salads garnished with assorted standard vegetables, I was unenthusiastic about its prospects.  However, upon first bite, it became clear that Mary’s house salad dressing gave this salad a distinctive flavor that we both greatly appreciated.  We also loved the toasted almonds that complemented the dressing perfectly and gave the salad a more dynamic feel.  For what appeared to be just a simple house salad, Mary’s was able to impress these two foodies.

Lauryn and I both agreed that while some aspects of each of our main entrées were exceptional, there were other parts that were either mediocre or plainly unappetizing.  Lauryn loved her seafood risotto; the risotto was cooked wonderfully and the flavoring made this dish one of the best takes on risotto that I’ve had in a while.  However, she pushed her duck aside early on, stating that the flavor of the cherry glaze did not complement the dish.  One for two for Hannah’s Combos.  As for my main dish, I loved the arctic char.  The fish was cooked so that it retained its moistness, and the sauce that garnished it was worthy of bread dipping.  However, like Lauryn, I was only satisfied with half of my pairings, as I found the chicken to be pretty darn strange.  The chicken breast cut was a little chewy and the rub, while moderately pleasant upon first bite, left a weird spicy aftertaste. In my mind, the perfect pairing would be the artic char with the risotto, but the restaurant is pretty strict about retaining the pre-set groupings.  Trust me, we asked.

After we consumed our main entrées, we turned our attention to our three side dishes.  The only memorable side was the strangest carrot-butternut squash purée that was a failed attempt at the combination.  Not typically ones to leave food on our plate, both Lauryn and I found ourselves pushing this orange mush to the side. The other two options, a kale and a rice pilaf were unmemorable and didn't add much to the plate.
    As you have no doubt noticed, Lauryn and I were unusually critical of this restaurant’s fare, but after receiving so many comments on the universally positive nature of our reviews, we figured it was about time that we dished out some criticism.  Mary’s quaint and cozy atmosphere, as well as the beautiful drive there, makes this place worth a single visit.  I personally can’t say that it will become one of my staples as I have found more consistency at many of the other similarly priced, equally distanced restaurants. Our dinner concluded with a frank conversation with the hostess in which she asked for, and genuinely seemed to take into account, our honest opinions, which unfortunately wasn’t the 100% positive review that we’re accustomed to giving.  This was a positive conclusion to our meal as the conversation highlighted the restaurant’s dedication to maintaining an intimate connection between the kitchen and the diner.  

The food at Mary’s is average priced for a nicer establishment with appetizers ranging from $8 to $15 and entrees from $20 to $26, the exception being the $40 10-ounce beef tenderloin.  Mary’s also offers more casual bistro entrée options that are all under $15.  Overall, Mary’s is a fine restaurant that we would recommend to those craving the comfort of a homey bed and breakfast, but in my opinion, next time I’d probably just go the closer, equally priced Tourterelle.

 Crostini with a white bean dip

Complimentary bread and butter

House Salad

"Hannah’s Combos"

(roasted duck and seafood risotto)

"Martha's Picks"

(chicken and artic char)