Boston Restaurant Blog -- October, 2013

Another trip to Vermont took place a few days ago and as always, a number of restaurants were checked out. This time, one spot was looked at for the first time while another was returned to after many years, with the rest being repeats from previous trips. Below are brief reviews of the two "new" spots as well as a very quick mention of specific dishes from repeat places.

One of the restaurants that we went to on our recent Vermont trip was a friendly little breakfast spot in Jeffersonville called the Mix Cafe, and when I say friendly, I mean friendly; the staff here seemed like longtime pals within minutes of our entering the place (and it didn't hurt that we grabbed seats up at the counter rather than a table). We had fun, laid-back conversation with several of the workers there from start to finish, and enjoyed a terrific freshly-made meal along the way, with the flatbread with sausage, apple pieces, cheddar cheese, and a sunny-side up egg being just about perfect, the egg and cheese sandwich with bacon being just as good, and the home fries being seasoned nicely and with a good amount of caramelized onions mixed in. Personally, I'm a big fan of 158 Main which is a short walk away (and which we went to twice on the trip--excellent as always), but this spot gives that restaurant a run for its money in the breakfast department.

Toward the end of the trip, we stopped into a longtime Woodstock restaurant called Bentleys, which was apparently in danger of closing for good earlier this year, but reopened under new ownership. A quick look at the place didn't show many--if any--real changes, though it had been a long time since I had been there last, so there may have been changes that I hadn't noticed. What remains the same is that this dining and drinking establishment remains a bustling place favored by locals and tourists alike, with a bar area to the left and a large dining area to the right (there is also a small area between the bar and dining area that is set up for live bands). Our meal at Bentleys was fine, with the half-pound burger being cooked and seasoned perfectly, the chicken sandwich being basic but decent, and the double-fried fries being excellent, but service was an issue, as the person waiting our table was gone for long stretches and we had trouble tracking her down, especially when it was time for the bill.

The trip to Vermont also included some "repeats," including Eaton's Sugar House in Royalton, which is a combination restaurant/country store/maple sugar house that is a real local treasure; the Foxfire Inn in Stowe, which features terrific Italian food in a rustic space; Crop Bistro & Brewery in Stowe, which has some outstanding food and beer (their fried pickles, grilled cheese sandwich, and reuben were all top notch this time around); and the aforementioned 158 Main (the baked brie, turkey dinner, frutti di mare, and deep-fried French toast were all impressive). Another trip to Vermont (this one being a day trip) may be on the horizon, so expect another review or two on the way later this fall.

Related Blog Entries: Vermont restaurants

Posted by MH, Boston's Hidden Restaurants, on October 24, 2013.
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