Tom’s Loft Tavern, Home of the best Wings in Vermont…maybe the world.

In the past few years I have driven by Tom’s Loft Tavern on my way to Okemo, but it wasn’t until this last winter that I mustered up the courage to go inside and give this somewhat dilapidated looking establishment a try. And let me tell you, I could not be more disappointed about the time I wasted avoiding this spot. A large sign on the outside of the barn-like building states “Home of Lousy Food, Warm Beer and Grumpy Owner.” I can’t say that I’ve met the owner, but the beer is cold and plentiful, and the wings are hands down the best wings I’ve ever had in my life.

Upon entry your eyes scan the walls that are filled with memorabilia of local Vermont brews (they serve 17 different Vermont beers) and the wood interior gives off a warm and rustic, no frills, ski-bum vibe. The space is tight and the bar takes up a fair portion of the room, but this all provides an enjoyable experience after a frigid day on the mountain. The ambiance in the loft is low key, making it a perfect place to wind down after a long day of skiing, and the bar is often crowded with both parents and singles as well as ski-patrollers and instructors looking for a venue far from that of the child-filled noisy main lodge.

This past week I decided to share this jewel with two friends and 30 wings later, it was clear they had thoroughly enjoyed the experience. For $7.95 you can order ten HUGE wings smothered in the sauce of your choice. If you’re a follower of our blog, then you’ll know that both of us are pretty good eaters, however, I’m proud if I can make it through 7 of these bad boys. This time we went with three different flavors: Buffalo, Teriyaki and BBQ. It is an understatement to say that these wings are “finger-lickin’ good”. The meat strips right off of the bone with each bite, and the moderately fried exterior adds a perfect crunch. Each large-sized wing is smothered in the sauce of your choosing, creating the best combination of substance and flavor. Sometimes I look at the menu just to see if I could be tempted to try one of the other bar-foods, but each time I can’t seem to pull myself away from my wing obsession. My favorite variation is probably their Jamaican-Jerk that gives the wings a spicy and smoky flavor. But if you really want a good combination, ask the waitress to combine the teriyaki and buffalo sauces and find yourself in wing bliss…and maybe later, cardiac arrest.

While I have never tried other items on the Loft’s menu, the nachos, which are made on a pizza tray, are huge and the burgers are supposedly the best in Ludlow. With a an illustrious beer list and bar menu, the Loft wins my vote (and the Boston Globe’s vote) for top ten après ski bars in New England. The Loft is located on Okemo Access Road, right at the base of the mountain between the upper two parking lot, so it’s the perfect place to stop on your way back to Midd. Practice self-restraint and give the wings some time to cool, otherwise you’ll risk burning the tips of your fingers (won’t say this happened to us though…).

Teriyaki Wings

Buffalo Wings

BBQ Wings

Costello’s Market, Believe it or not, but Italy has finally come to Middlebury, VT!

Aside from our rookie of the year freshman midfielder, Julie Favorito (aka G-Baby), there are very few authentic Italians in Vermont, let alone Middlebury. So you can imagine my surprise when I first came upon Costello’s Market, located in the Marble Works in the heart of downtown Middlebury. Somehow this Italian sandwich shop, or slice of heaven, is still unknown to the majority of Middlebury students, so if there is one thing I hope this J-term project accomplishes, it is to spread the Costello’s name because no one deserves to miss out on food this good.

Growing up just 5 miles from Arthur Avenue, I have been spoiled, indulging in arguably some of the best Italian food outside of Italy. In my first two years at Middlebury, the thing I loved the most about going home on breaks was being able to indulge in fresh mozz, sopressata and eggplant rollatini. I never would have dreamed that just half a mile from Hadley, my freshman year dorm, there could be one of the best Italian delis, this Jersey Shore-watching, proud former guidette, Italian-American has ever come across. (Despite the fact that we never clarify who the pronoun of the sentences is, this time, it should be known that the “I” to whom we refer is the one and only Lauryn Torch. Surprising, I know.)

Upon arrival at Costello’s, you are greeted with walls lined with fine Italian wines, pictures of Tuscan and Sicilian vacations (but not in a tacky way) and loads of gourmet cookbooks. Without fail, the owner’s wife welcomes each and every customer in a kindhearted manner; however, I can honestly say the first time I walked in to the market, I barely even heard the greeting because I was too enthralled by what lay behind the glass display case: stuffed mushrooms and clams, the biggest scallops in Vermont, calamari, fresh mozzarella, olives, roasted red peppers, numerous varieties of freshly made salads, tortes, and a lasagna that made my mouth water. Yes, if there was ever such a thing as “food porn”, I believe this would be it. The funny thing is that I have never gotten any of the above items at Costello’s because I have consistently been won over by the menu’s vast array of subs and sandwiches. These subs and sandwiches come in two sizes, big and bigger, more commonly known as regular and large. I usually exercise what little self-control I have and go for the smaller “regular” option, and I tend to be incredibly full, regardless.

Typically, I try to order something different every time and today I went with The Soprano. The standard Soprano is served with Prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, lettuce and tomato on a sub served cold. However, I’m a firm believer that every sandwich is made better with chicken cutlet, melted cheese and heated up. For $8.95 (the regular portion) I was given enough of a sandwich to eat some of it right now and to have phenomenal leftovers for later in the night. All of the ingredients were impeccably fresh, which made this sandwich one of the best 9 dollars I’ve ever spent.

I’m not quite sure when it happened, but sometime in the past few months, I entered into a deeply passionate love affair with eggplant. If I could, I would eat eggplant for every meal and every snack of the day, but unfortunately, the eggplant served in Proctor isn’t quite the eggplant that occupies my dreams. Well, our trip to Costello’s offered me the ideal opportunity to indulge in my new obsession. I ordered the Eggplant Parmesan dinner option, which gave me an exorbitant amount of eggplant that sat atop of about half a pound of angel hair pasta, all for $8.95. Proud to say that as the recent recipient of the “Good Eater Award”, I ate the vast majority of it. The eggplant parm was unbelievably flavorful and fresh, but what made the dish was the homemade sauce. For me, the mark of a really good Italian restaurant is the quality of its “gravy” (shout out to Favs), and Costello’s has some of the best. The sauce is hearty and filled with herbs, and despite the fact I wouldn’t have traded in the eggplant for anything, I could have, and would have, eaten the gravy alone with a spoon. For $8.95, this dinner option is unbeatable, both in its price, its quantity, and most importantly, its quality. This dish wins the approval of this “Good Eater” and I recommend it to all of the “Good Eaters” out there.

If you are a loyal follower of our blog (thanks to our 11 followers!) you have probably noticed that we order seafood at every acceptable opportunity. Despite going to school in Vermont, Costello’s fried calamari is no exception. Lightly breaded and served with sides of homemade marinara and tartar sauce, their calamari is certainly a treat at $11 dollars an order. They call it “pint size”, but along with all of Costello’s offerings, this calamari is a bang for its buck. The calamari are sizable and come with a thick coat of breading, fried to perfection and doused with enough oil that you have to eat the dish with a napkin. To all of you conscientious eaters out there, indulge for one meal and order Costello’s calamari. I grew up with perhaps some of the worst eating habits known to man, and when my mom began to protest my excessive intake of Weber’s chicken tenders, Ore-Ida zesty French fries, and the Burger King #8 meal with a side of Hersey’s Sundae Pie, I turned to fried calamari as the sign that I too could be a “classy” eater. Jokes on you, mom. Well, I soon fell in love with this dish and for about 10 years, I ordered the fried calamari at every opportunity possible. Some have been wonderful (Starry Night) and some have been just plain disgusting (I won’t divulge this restaurant’s name), but after testing so many dishes, I would like it to be known that Costello’s Market offers hands down my favorite take on this “classy” dish. Indulge, as I so often do, and order it. You will not be disappointed.

Costello’s Market is located to the right of the Farmer’s Diner in Middlebury’s very own Marble Works District. It is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and on Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and is exclusively a take-out venue (tip: sneak your food into Proctor and watch as the people around you salivate). As former athletes, we highly recommend utilizing Costello’s catering option for post-game tailgates. Nothing is more satisfying than beating Amherst after being down 3-0 with 15 minutes to go (heyy Scarlett) and then feasting on the best that Italy has to offer. But for all of the non-athletes, Costello’s is an unbeatable option for a large quantity, low cost, high quality meal and will be one of the things that I miss most about my time at Middlebury.

The Soprano - Original

The Soprano with Chicken Cutlet

Fried Calamari

Eggplant Parm Sub

Starry Night Cafe, a guest review by James Thomas Clayton

The Starry Night Café is about 15 miles up Route 7 in Ferrisburgh. We went early on a cold Thursday night. Two waitresses and what looked like a chef were toying with a baby and talking with a man at the bar. We walked through to the main dining room, a circular room that seats maybe fifty. Tonight there was only a party of the elderly and Caroline, Thomas, and me. The walls are hung with local art.

Restless hands soon discovered that the underside of the table was pleasantly tactile – it was carpeted. Caroline had the scoop: “It softens the noise bouncing off the hardwood floors.” So that is why we heard, on satellite radio, only the voices of various soul singers, and not their accompanying bands: the voices of soul singers eludes the shag carpeting that lines the bottom of tables. This may or may not be the sonic principle behind Infant Sorrow’s “Furry Walls.” 

Our waitress brought us soft white bread and rosemary olive oil. We forget her name. The bread and oil was nice. Still, Thomas was unconvinced. “One day I am going to invent a sauce that makes bread delicious,” he said as we ate. So I guess he did not really like the rosemary olive oil? Caroline and I did. Still, if one day you find yourself dipping bread into some truly delicious sauce, think back to this man’s ambition.

The service turned out to be good – not too quick, not keeping us waiting either. Soon the appetizers arrived. Thomas had the Lobster Phyllo, which quickly emerged as the table favorite. Phyllo I guess means puff pastry filled with stuff – in this case, with creamy lobster. This obviously is very good – a tastily alternative take on the lobster roll. I ate a salad with fried oysters, local VT feta cheese, grapefruit, avocado, and a ginger balsamic vinaigrette. Caroline had the other salad on the menu, greens, goat cheese, toasted almonds, and mango. For the sake of locavores in the blogosphere, we asked: are these mangoes local? They were not local.

Our waitress was very nice about it all. She asked what I was scribbling in my notebook. Going into the meal, I had this idea that I would stay undercover so as to not get the preferential treatment that surely is given to reviewers from widely-read food blogs. I did not want to say that I was drafting metaphors about under-table carpeting, so I said, “wine.”

“Oh, did you have any questions about our wine list?”

“Oh, no. Well, ah, maybe, yes… what’s this one?” After she explained in poetic detail we had no choice but to partake. Caroline tried the Wine of the Month, a blended red called Domaine de Triennes; I had the Malbec. Thomas - underage, but a gifted sommelier and undaunted by the restrictions of the law - was eager to weigh in on the two glasses. “I like the aftertaste of the first one, but I like the in-my-mouth taste of the second,” he said.

When my pork special arrived I was surprised by both the size of the portion and the neatness of its presentation. These are qualities that do not often co-exist on a plate. For a plate of pork shank, it was colorful. The cabbage was beet-red, carrots and broccoli bright and healthy-looking on top of the white horseradish mashed potatoes. The shank itself was flavorful and falling off the bone.

Thomas’s oatmeal fried Misty Knoll chicken breast was topped with a little bit of pulled pork and a smoky BBQ sauce. This is a combination that I hope will come into wide use. Two great things, one on top of the other. Furthermore, the inclusion of oatmeal – even just the use of the word “oatmeal” on the menu – alleviates some of the fried-food guilt, for those of us in touch with that particular kind of regret.

Caroline’s salmon was cooked just right, flaking into slices at the slightest nudging. It was served on a bed of lentil, red pepper and wilted greens and topped with lemon hummus. This was a very light dish, full of stand-alone flavors. “Lentils look like deer poop,” Caroline actually said.

Around this time we concluded we liked the appetizers better than the main courses, though, we thought, it was all pretty darn good. Just that the appetizers were really good. Dessert was, too. “Every time I see something like ‘Chocolate Indulgence on the menu, I get it,” Caroline said. She got it, and immediately started bragging about how good it was. “If you like it so much, why don’t you marry it?” said Thomas, and we high-fived across the table. It was a rich flourless cake topped with house-made orange sorbet – delicious sorbet, but I think I would have preferred simple vanilla ice cream. Vanilla ice cream did in fact come with Thomas’s apple pie, and that classic combination worked as it should. My carrot cake was soft and moist and topped with thick frosting. As Caroline feels about Indulgence, I feel about carrot cake. I always ask my mom to make it for my birthday. This was very good – I won’t compare it to mom’s, but I would get it again. Finishing my last bite I realized that I had been rubbing the bottom of the table with my palm to the point of rug-burn while forking from plate to mouth with the other. I was overcome with in-my-mouth taste. The wine was gone and Caroline’s face was now quite red. The elderly at the next table were coughing into the middle-distance. When we left the waitress - who at this point knew what was up with the notebook - handed us copies of the menu and wished us good night.

3 Squares Cafe, the quintessential Sunday morning brunch

Nestled one block north of Black Sheep Bistro is the small, cozy establishment of 3 Squares Café. As is the case with many of Vergennes’ mom and pop businesses, 3 Squares Café is easy to overlook, due to its unassuming exterior, but step inside and try out any of their offerings and I’ll guarantee you’ll be planning your next visit before you even finish your first dish.

At 11:30 am on a Sunday morning in the middle of J-term, you can bet that I am still lying in my bed, contemplating whether I can reach that bottle of Advil that lies just five feet away and if by some miracle I can make a glass of water appear right before my eyes. Often on these painfully “great” days by about 2pm you have mustered up the strength to drag yourself out of bed, trudge up to the dining hall and fill in the holes from the night before. After a night of fun and festivities, Sunday morning brunch is the promise of a large and sumptuous substitution for that missed grille binge the night before, or, in some of our cases, it's a time to settle that aching stomach and throbbing head with a few slices of toast and a nice hot cup o’ joe. But last Sunday we needed a little extra inspiration to overcome what felt like jackhammers going off inside of our heads. That motivation was none other than 3 Squares Café. We rang the gong and rallied six of our closest friends (some who would help share stories of the night (thank you Amy Schlueter) and others who were there for comic relief (Lindsay Kingston)) to join us at one of the best brunch establishments we know of in Addison County.

3 Squares epitomizes the ultimate homey café and the ideal place that you want to make your own. Not to ruin the mood provided by the excellent food, but 3 Squares would be an ideal spot to bring your laptop and just work for the day (if you have self-control and can avoid the constant temptation to eat). The small space is filled with mismatched wooden tables and chairs, which all come together to provide a casual, comforting, and personal environment. On each table are uniquely colored glass bottles of salt and pepper, which emphasize the country home ambiance. Ordering is done by counter service and in the place of a standard number, each customer or party is given an adorable figurine to distinguish their order. In our case, we were given a giant clothespin and a wooden apple. Adorable. This is but one example of 3 Squares’ successful efforts towards creating a comforting atmosphere for its customers.

Atmosphere aside, the food of 3 Squares is down right magical. There is a definite emphasis on local and fresh ingredients, which come across in each meal option. The menu is separated into three main categories: breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the children’s menu (the last of which has the classic options for the under-8 crowd). Breakfast, which is served from 8:00am to 3:00pm boasts some of the best offerings in Addison County and is perhaps our greatest draw to 3 Squares. This fine Sunday morning, some of our members chose the “Make Your Own Omelet Option”, which for $7.50 is served with home fries, toast, and a choice of three fillings. Katie Ruymann, savior of the world, selected goat cheese, caramelized onions, and roasted red peppers for her omelet. She commented that “the eggs were light and fluffy and the wide variety of ingredient combinations allowed for limitless flavor combinations, perfect for all palates.” I personally ordered my omelet with spinach, caramelized onions, and bacon. For me, while the freshness of the ingredients contributed immensely in making this omelet the best in the area, I also really enjoyed the home fries and toast. The home fries are served lightly sautéed, not deep-fried like at other places, and boast a rich array of flavors that hold the perfect amount of salt and crispiness. They are coupled with scallions, which add an interesting and zesty kick. There are standard toast options available, including sourdough, wheat, and rye, but we highly recommend ordering 3 Squares’ special maple nut bread, which, for me, is the crown jewel on the meal and is the reason why I return time and time again. But, honestly, any breakfast option you go for is going to be a winner. Kendrick Campbell (look for her on the dance floor, boys) another member of our party ordered the “huevos rancheros” and described it as “Mexico meeting Vermont”. Regardless of which dish you order, all are impeccably fresh, not greasy and overbearingly heavy like dishes at many other breakfast spots.

3 Squares is the perfect location for brunch, but the restaurant also boasts a pretty fine lunch and dinner menu. I, myself, have driven the 14 miles for the sole purpose of getting their Boyden Farm Hamburger to go. Let me tell you, this burger is gooood, perhaps one of the best I’ve had in my life. The meat is cooked to order and satisfied my request of medium-rare to a T. Now, when I order a burger, I don’t like to be timid and settle for just cheese and ketchup. I go for the whole nine yards, and fortunately, 3 Squares was ready for the challenge. Every ingredient on the menu is up for grabs when it comes to creating your very own perfect burger. I’ve personally created one so large that it took a fork and knife to eat it. After much contemplation, my creation included bacon, cheese, spinach, tomatoes, avocadoes, and caramelized onions on a focaccia , and man I was not disappointed. I challenge you to try it for yourself. I’m salivating right now at the thought of it. Anyone up for a 3 Squares run tomorrow?

Burgers aside, 3 Squares is also home to many other types of sandwiches and an extensive ingredient list that gives you the option of making really just about anything you could desire. And don’t forget to try their unique drink options, such as the “Ginger Cider”, which put an interesting mix on a classic drink, with fresh ginger diffusing into the cider base. These creative concoctions are perhaps the brilliance of the café that draws customers of all ages and palates in again and again.

When the meal is over, 3 Squares has the most delicious assortment of pastries, cookies, and fruit. Our personal favorites are the jars of cookies that line the counter. Go for the peanut butter cookie, but make sure you buy one and then leave immediately, because I’m pretty confident after finishing your first, before you know it you’ll be wrist deep in the bucket again.

3 Squares Café is located in downtown Vergennes on the corner of Main Street and South Maple Street. They are open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can call them at (802) 877-

2772 or find them online at http://www.3squarescafe.com/. Hurry on in and trust us when we say before you know it, you’re going to be a regular.

Two examples of "Make Your Own Omelette"

Huevos Rancheros

Breakfast Burrito

Home fries, Maple Nut Toast, and a side of hungover

Ginger Apple Cider

Storm Cafe, Middlebury's Gourmet Dining Experience

I’m sure you are familiar with the U.S. Postal Service’s motto “neither rain nor sleet nor snow can stop the mailman”. Well that’s kind of how we feel about food. Last night in the midst of the biggest snowfall thus far in J-term, we braved the dangerous roads and blistering cold for a meal at Middlebury’s Storm Café, located in Frog Hollow, directly on Otter Creek, to celebrate our very own Kirsten Lundquist’s 22nd birthday. (Special thanks to the Lundquist family for treating us to class time well spent).
Storm Café is Middlebury’s gourmet meal. It is the perfect place to take that special someone on that special night, or for the rest of you, Storm is the go-to destination for a delicious meal within walking distance. Storm Café is an intimate dining experience, holding only 14 tables in wintertime; during warmer seasons the deck is open for riverside dining on Otter Creek, a great option on a perfect Middlebury spring day.
Because we arrived in what can only be described as a small army, we were fortunate enough to sample the majority of Storm’s diverse menu. To begin, Storm offers a variety of appetizers from soups and salads to seafood options. Last night, we sampled the Spicy Steamed Mussels, which can double as an entrée, so we recommend sharing it for an appetizer. The mussels were served in a garlic and cilantro broth, coupled with white wine, lime juice, chili paste, and julienned vegetables. The broth is so flavorful that I gladly would have eaten it as a soup. As mussels go, Storm Café’s are some of the best, which have earned this appetizer a regular position on this restaurant’s ever changing menu.
Another appetizer that was popular amongst our party was the Winter Salad, served as a mix of field greens with crumbled bacon, gorgonzola cheese, caramelized onions, Anjou pears and walnuts tossed in a sherry Dijon vinaigrette. As is a theme with many of Storm’s dishes, this salad is large and very filling. The addition of the bacon to this typically light salad gives this dish a rich composition that left little room in our stomach for our entrées. Although I love bacon almost as much as I love French fries (see our Black Sheep Bistro post), I personally would have preferred that this dish had been served bacon-free to preserve my appetite for my second course. Again, we highly recommend sharing this option.
The third appetizer option that our group sampled was the Vermont Fresh Spinach and Roasted Garlic Ravioli. The locally made ravioli was filled with spinach, roasted garlic, Romano cheese, shiitake and portabella mushrooms, and asparagus. Despite this overwhelming list of ingredients, the ravioli maintained a lightness that was balanced out well by the heaviness of the vodka tomato basil cream sauce. While this starter was no doubt yummy, it was not terribly inspiring. In its place, we recommend going with their Roasted Garlic and Potato Soup, which could very well be the best and heartiest soup found in Vermont.
After comfortably taking down Storm’s nicely portioned appetizers, it was time for the main course. Storm draws many customers due to its renowned Penne Carbonara. I tend to think of myself as an Italian food snob, as a result, during my first visit to Storm several years ago, I was shocked when half of the table ordered this dish. However, I can truthfully say that this take on Penne Carbonara is the best that I’ve ever tasted. The dish is served family style, meaning it’s quite sizable, and unless you are a committed eater, you will struggle to finish it. We ordered ours with shrimp, but this dish is also available with the options of chicken or scallops, all of which complement the dish perfectly. Even after my tenth or so time ordering this dish, I still confidently and adamantly endorse it as one of the best entrée options in all of Middlebury. Try it for yourself!
Another member of our party ordered the Fresh Atlantic Salmon, pan seared and served with a creamy asiago risotto with roasted red peppers, asparagus, and pancetta. This farm raised salmon is simply seared and not complicated with the addition of a sauce, yet it remains flavorful enough to stand on its own. The simplicity of this dish is paired perfectly with the asiago risotto, which might rival the carbonara as the best starch on the menu. Too bad it’s not offered as an entrée.
As 21 year olds, we indulged ourselves and ordered two bottles of wine for the table, both recommended by the house. The wines were great but I realized mid-way through my appetizer that I did not come to Storm for the wine. I drank only half a glass, not because the wine wasn't satisfying, but rather because I was so preoccupied with my food option. Another sign that for all of you overeaters out there, the portions at Storm will not disappoint.
Storm Café is not terribly expensive relative to their portion sizes, but dinner is still a slight splurge on a college student budget. Appetizer prices range from $4-5 for soup to $12 for the more substantial options, while entrée prices range from $16 to $24. For those that are hesitant to indulge on dinner, Storm Café’s lunch menu is very affordable (all options are under $10) and all are equally as delicious. The service is the best we’ve come across so far; the waitresses are genuine and the courses are timed perfectly. Overall, Storm Café is a guaranteed great meal, open seven days a week for lunch and dinner and there’s no beating its close proximity to the college.

Spicy Steamed Mussels

Winter Salad

Vermont Fresh Spinach & Roasted Garlic Ravioli

Stormy Creole Stew

Penne Carbonara with Shrimp

Pan Seared Fresh Atlantic Salmon

Black Sheep Bistro, Best in Show.

Vergennes may be Vermont’s smallest city, but don’t let this fact fool you. The town is located just 14 miles north on Route 7 and is home to Black Sheep Bistro, arguably one of the best restaurants in Addison County, if not all of Vermont.  Black Sheep Bistro, open exclusively for dinner, offers a rustic yet chic ambiance (perfect for date nights), exceptional fare, reasonable prices, and is hands down, one of our personal favorites.

If you’re craving lobster ravioli, Black Sheep Bistro is the place to go. Seafood may seem like a bold order given the landlocked location of Vermont, but at Black Sheep this appetizer has become a staple on their menu.  The dish is served with three ravioli and is accompanied with a tarragon beurre blanc sauce.  If you don’t understand what this means, don’t worry, I don’t either, but trust me when I say its faaabulous.  A must get.

During this meal, we also sampled the baby arugula, pine nut & blue cheese salad with pear ginger dressing.  Katie Ruymann, class of 2011, co-captain of the women's soccer team, co-chair of Relay for Life and co-President of GlobeMed, comments “the pine nuts complimented the strong, earthy flavor of the arugula well, but it could have used some more blue cheese.”  In short, although the salad is undeniably of high quality, we would recommend ordering one of their more unique and daring appetizers.

I often hesitate to order duck at restaurants because, if not cooked properly, duck can be an oily and tasteless disaster. However, the duck at Black Sheep was prepared to perfection and served with a black current demi glace. While at first I was skeptical that the dish would be too sweet for my liking, the black currants flavored the duck perfectly and was well worth the gamble. The duck paired beautifully with the complimentary garlic-mashed potatoes that accompany every entree.

We also ordered the salmon, which was offered as “seared salmon with dijon & caper cream & pickled vegetable slaw”.  Let me tell you, nothing about pickled vegetable slaw sounds appealing, but you would be disappointed if you passed up this order.  The salmon is cooked to perfection and the cream sauce is out of this world.  Yum.  We don't often get the opportunity to eat salmon when we’re at college, or should I say, we don’t often eat salmon when we are at college, so this dish was quite a treat and lived up to all expectations.  Highly recommended.

While Black Sheep Bistro is home to a collection of phenomenal appetizers and entrees, the French fries steal the show. Along with the garlic-mashed potatoes, every entrée is accompanied by a serving of French fries and three specialty-dipping sauces.  For the less adventurous, there is the standard ketchup, but for those willing to indulge their taste buds and embrace the unhealthiness in all of its glory, there are also basil mayonnaise and garlic mayonnaise dipping sauces.  As our friend Kirsten Lundquist ‘11 quips, “My favorite is the garlic sauce. It adds such a decadence of flavor, unmatched by anything else in the meal.” There you have it.

Given its intimate size, the restaurant highly recommends that you make reservations a few days in advance. Black Sheep Bistro is open for dinner from 5:00 pm – 8:30 pm seven nights a week. This restaurant, while not overly expensive, is certainly a favorite place for students to “bring” their parents.  All appetizers are $7 and entrees are $19, making it a splurge on a college student’s budget. 

 Lobster Ravioli, Tarragon Beurre Blanc

Roasted Duck Breast, Black Currant Demi Glace

Grapevine Grille, a diamond in the rough.

Not enough people know about Grapevine Grille, a small establishment just ten minutes south of campus on Route 7, which is easy to miss due to its nondescript “Deli and Wine” sign. But once you step inside it is hard not to instantly feel at home. Nancy, the memorable owner of this establishment, creates what can only be described as unique combinations, that at first glance may seem unconventional but after one bite you realize that she is nothing short of a genius. Students swear by the food and several have even opened tabs here. It is perfect for lunch, especially after that rough Friday night (Grapevine is closed on Sundays). But don’t overlook the dinner options, whose very reasonable prices make the food taste even better.

The titles of the sandwiches are witty and endearing. Today we went for “California Dreamin” and “Here Comes the Sun”. The orange zest aioli on the “California Dreamin” added an element of summer to the sandwich that I have been craving during the brutally cold Vermont winter. In describing how she came up with this brilliant sandwich, Nancy explained how it all began with the name “California Dreamin”, a favorite word of hers that inspired her to compile every individual ingredient that reminded her of California; brie cheese (to go with Napa wines), sprouts, avocados, cucumbers and in our case, grilled chicken. At first, she worried that the ingredients, while delicious on their own, lacked an overall cohesion that would make this sandwich a failure. However, as many customers like ourselves have discovered, these disparate ingredients all combine to form one of the best sandwiches in town. The earthiness of the sprouts and the sweetness of the orange create a distinctive bond that balances out the sandwich, while the cucumbers add an element of crispness. Yum.

As for the “Here Comes the Sun”, every time I walk into Grapevine I always tell myself I’m going to try something new, but as my friends can attest, I very rarely do. “Here Comes the Sun” is how I envision Vermont in sandwich form. The local “Blue-Ledge Farm” goat cheese paninied with spinach, roasted red peppers and grilled chicken creates a mouthwatering meal that will make you want to come back for more.

While the food tends to take a longer time to cook, it is only because Nancy pays careful attention to each individual order. And although lunch prices may be a little high (averaging $7.95 + tax for a sandwich), the ingredients are incredibly fresh and the combinations of flavors cannot be found anywhere else, making the wait and a slightly lighter wallet completely worthwhile.

Aside from sandwiches, Grapevine has won several awards for their varieties of chili and consistently has great soup specials. A personal favorite of mine is the New England clam chowder, a combination of rich, creamy flavor and hearty substance, rivals some of the best I have ever had. The menu also features salads and daily specials, like a scallop wrap with goat cheese, bacon, and balsamic drizzle (if it's ever on the menu, don't hesitate for a moment. Get it. I still dream about it two years later…). And for those daring enough to take on the challenge of eating every sandwich on the menu, Nancy offers the prize of a free t-shirt (and the memory of 33 unregrettable sandwich eating experiences). But don’t be surprised if you, like me, fall in love with a sandwich early on and can’t bring yourself to change up the order. Sometimes, you just need to recognize and appreciate perfection.

My favorite part about Grapevine is shockingly not the incredible food but rather the owner. After finishing our lunch today Nancy came and sat with us for 30 minutes and we talked about everything from her vision as a chef to the latest feeds on Facebook. Her personality radiates throughout the deli as she treats customers like old friends, creating a loyal and growing consumer base. A warning to all Middkids: you’d be missing out on an unbeatable experience (plus the ability to join Grapevine’s cult following) if you don’t try this local space.

Here Comes the Sun Sandwich

California Dreamin' Sandwich

Embarking on a month of overeating...

Hi everyone and welcome to our blog! This is the first post of what we hope will be many that will compile to form a guide to Middlebury restaurants and beyond. We decided to create this blog because we are both extremely passionate about food, particularly eating it, and we want to share our passion with all of you! When we arrived as freshmen, we were fortunate enough to have the wisdom of the upperclassmen on our soccer team to guide us to the best sandwiches, soups, salads, steak, etc. around. In the past three years, as we grew better acclimated with Middlebury and the surrounding community, this informal knowledge base has grown. However, we both recognize that our time in college has seriously lacked an official source for reviews of local restaurants that everyone can access, and so here we are creating one ourselves.

Almost every student arrives at Middlebury completely unfamiliar with the local area. As freshmen, having been thrown into an unknown setting with new forms of pressure and stress, many seek comfort in food (hello, freshman 15…). Through this blog, we hope to help these lost souls find the best place for Chinese takeout, the most delicious pizza, the juiciest burger, or whatever else you might be craving, all at a college student’s budget. While we’re not by any means encouraging an unhealthy lifestyle, we find it a crime that those new to this campus cannot enjoy the best food that Vermont has to offer. As students become better acclimated to the campus and the hectic pace of college life, dining out can take on a different meaning. The craving for comfort food gets replaced with a need to break out of the everyday routine, to try something different than the fallback Proctor quesadilla, or to escape the confines of the campus even for an hour. We’d like to help every student, freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and even you old seniors, find the hidden gems of the Middlebury area because, as we have learned in our past several years, the food around Middlebury is, in a word, phenomenal.

For the most part, Middkids eat their meals in the two dining halls, with the huge exception of when parents come to visit. For foodies (lovers of great food, not to be confused with our superstar Canadian freshman soccer goalie) like us, these infrequent visits are to be cherished and taken advantage of. While we love our parents to death and enjoy every second of their visits, we’ve found that the time is much better spent (and much better appreciated) when it takes place over an outstanding, mouthwatering and college student budget exceeding meal. Throughout this month, we’re hoping to splurge a little on ourselves to bring you information on the best parent friendly establishments that Middlebury and the surrounding towns have to offer.

We’ve found that these two categories will cover the majority of the situations that Middkids face when choosing restaurants and we hope that through our reviews, the Middlebury student population will venture out of our campus boundaries and eat all that the town of Middlebury and the nearby communities have to offer. If you are currently in a love affair with food and want to know about the best dishes in town or are just looking for somewhere to grab a bite to eat, follow us as we embark on a month of delicious meals, full stomachs, and happy minds. Our first review will follow shortly!