In the middle of 4 nights in here. Had some good grub, some great grub and need some advice for Friday night.
Prohibition Pig (Waterbury VT) – Comfy brewery looks like a bar, feels like a restaurant. I had a fine bbq pork sandwich. Eileen’s salad was apparently excellent. Huge, bowl, she did not finish it. We split very good duck fat fries. Wine list short and meh, it’s a brewery. I had a glass of 2020 Souleil Languedoc white, a blend of Picfoul, Ferret, Ugli and Muskrat. Surprisingly good and fresh. Eileen’s glass of 2021 Venta la Vega Adaras Aldea was thin and mediocre. I recommend this restaurant for the food.
Hen of the Wood (Waterbury) – across the street and in a different universe. This is a great restaurant. Eileen started with roasted brussels sprouts with bacon cooked with maple syrup. A thousand times better than it sounds. My mushroom toast with bacon was perfectly simple and simply perfect. Her tortollini with mushrooms and celeriac was wonderful; my farfelle was stuffed with polenta and cheddar, topped with bolognese, even better.
The wines btg were OK, no better. 2021 Michel Gassier Cotes du Rhone was correct. 2020 Anne Amie sparkling Pinot Gris was just OK. A Vietti Barbera was rustic ‘r us, as usual.
But I repeat: This is a great restaurant.
We stayed at the Old Stagecoach Inn, highly recommended. The breakfast included is of Michelin star quality.
We’re dining tomorrow at Michael’s on the Hill. I’ve eaten here many times before, always excellent. It’s probably been 10 years, but I’m confident.
Friday night: We’re staying in Stowe.
Where should we eat???
I’m glad that you enjoyed both ProPig and HOTW. ProPig is better for cocktails and beers and HOTW is special as you note. I’m not that familiar with Stowe, but if you get to Burlington, I’m a huge fan of Paradiso Hifi.
Dan,
Michael’s is under new ownership but the word on the street is that it’s still good. I have not been there in a while. If you have some time try Blackback Pub in Waterbury for lunch or dinner. It’s right across the street from Pro Pig. Great local beer selection, decent food.
I know we’re Wine Berserkers, not Beer Berserkers, but…
Doc Ponds is from the Hen of the Wood folks, delicious, and has a great beer list. Also, Stowe is an hour from Hill Farmstead Brewery which is unquestionably one of the top breweries in the United States, if not the world. And it’s very close to Jasper Hill Creamery which makes some redonculous cheese.
i generally eat at doc ponds after skiing in stowe. Not an inventive menu or anything that will blow your mind but very good food. Alchemist and Stowe cider worth a stop as well for non wine drinks
Michael’s on the Hill was very good, but maybe not as good as I remembered. The crispy calamari was almost like a salad, excellent. The skillet chicken was two pieces of breast, just a little dried out with very good potatos, onion and broccolini. The blood orange sorbet palate cleanser was outstanding. The wine list is interesting, good and reasonably priced. I’d never heard of Chateau Vitallis (sounds like a hair product?), but a '21 Macon-Fuisse was excellent. A 2017 Joseph Swan RRV Pinot ‘Cuvee de Trois’ wasn’t great, but went well with everything.
Last night we went to the bierstube at the ClapTrapp Family Lodge (where we stayed for 3 nights). Good burgers from local beef. Glasses of keg Chilean Sauvignon Blanc and a Cotes du Rhone went well. Caution: The Nero d’Avola on tap is pretty weak. A bottle of 2011 Kismet ‘Papa’s All Blacks’ from the Trapp cellar was very good, nicely aged and reasonably priced.
A word on the lodge: Spacious rooms, gorgeous views, excellent service, room pricing not crazy for the quality and reputation, but the restaurant pricing is at or past the upper limit. However the Kaffehaus on the property has excellent food at very reasonable pricing.
This is a great place to visit off-season. Hen of the Wood is a great restaurant by any standard, anyplace in the world. IMO if Michelin was to get here, at least *, maybe **.
hen of the woods is a must every time we’re in the area…we’ve been going there for a decade. oddly enough, i prefer the burlington location to the original lately.
i have issues with vermont because i want more restaurants like hen of the wood. most of the other places ive been to have been brew pubs…ive never seen more fried chicken sandwiches in my life.
where else should i go to within 30-45 of burlington?
