MiddBite: 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.