Bite Club

Burlington's Downtown Skinny Pancake To Double In Size

by Corin Hirsch Posted on May 15, 2013 at 3:29PM

It's been a few short months since the crew behind The Skinny Pancake opened a third location (as well as another Chubby Muffin) at Burlington Airport. So are owners Benjy and Jonathan Adler taking a breather?

Grazing: Sautéed Nettles With Butter and Garlic

by Corin Hirsch Posted on May 10, 2013 at 4:38PM

I live in a 1790s farmhouse that's been converted into condos, and my neighbors and I are surrounded by the verdant remnants of a working farm. Around this time of year, the disturbed patches in our fields and around the barn burst into a riot of weeds, with stinging nettles among the first to rear their deep-green leaves.For years, I cursed and spat as I accidentally brushed my legs against these invisibly prickly shrubs or absentmindedly tried to pull one out with my bare hands.

Haters of Large Quantities of Beer, Unite

by Tyler Machado Posted on May 10, 2013 at 2:23PM

A lot of people and organizations leave posts on the Seven Days Facebook wall, and most of them are crap that no one wants to read. But every now and then there's a weird little gem.

Vermont's Judiciary Committee Passes GMO Labeling Bill

by Corin Hirsch Posted on May 7, 2013 at 2:02PM

This morning, Vermont's House Judiciary Committee approved the GMO labeling bill, H.112, by a vote of 7-4. The bill will now pass to the House floor, but that vote faces a race against time, as this legislative session is due to wrap up by Friday."If we can get this through to the floor, Vermont will have taken the ball further than any other state so far," says Rural Vermont director Andrea Stander, adding that a handful of states are simultaneously considering other measures. She sounds hopeful.

Penny Cluse Owners to Open New Café Next Door; Mule Bar Opens Thursday

by Corin Hirsch Posted on May 7, 2013 at 1:51PM

This week brings happy news for lovers of the drink, both hot and cold. Penny Cluse Café co-owner Charles Reeves has announced that he and his wife, Holly Reeves, are purchasing the building next door, at 163 Cherry St., to build out a new 25-seat café devoted to "espresso, smoothies, beer and wine, with limited food service," writes Reeves.The new spot will be called Lucky Next Door and should be open by September, adds Reeves. Though plans are still taking shape, "It seems like word has started to spread," he says — which is why he let the cat out of the bag. It's the first expansion in Penny Cluse's 15-year history. Up the road a piece, Winooski's restaurant row will welcome Mule Bar, which opens at 38 Main St., this Thursday at 11 a.m.Co-owner Joey Nagy says he and his partners are keeping mum on exactly what beers will flow from the bar's 15 taps. “We want to surprise everyone,” he says.

Food TruckStop and New Gallery/Café Coming to Burlington's South End

by Corin Hirsch Posted on May 1, 2013 at 3:00PM

They've spread from Austin to LA to Montréal, and now food trucks have reached a critical mass in Burlington. In a few weeks, Pine Street will gain its own semipermanent mobile food lot: the South End Food TruckStop.Every Friday night beginning May 24, the parking lot behind Speeder & Earl's will morph into a bazaar of trucks and carts peddling barbecue, tacos, ice cream, fresh juices, beer and even maté.

Gorging at the Black River Produce Food Show

by Alice Levitt Posted on April 30, 2013 at 5:08PM

The restaurant business is a brutal one. Cripplingly long hours, injuries and physical and emotional stress are just some of the hardships restaurateurs and chefs endure, only to cater to the capricious whims of the dining public.But one bright spot to the biz, at least in Vermont, is a close-knit community of producers with great food.

Alice Eats: NECI on Main's Restaurant Week Déjeuner à la Française

by Alice Levitt Posted on April 30, 2013 at 12:41PM

118 Main Street, Montpelier, 223-3188Back home in Connecticut, my friends and I favored lunch at a now-shuttered French bistro called Le Figaro. Steak frites at 11:30 a.m? Hell, yeah.Now that my hometown celebrity chef Jean-Louis Gerin is at the helm of the New England Culinary Institute, a wonderful piece of home is here with me in Vermont.

Grazing: Fried Chicken Sandwich at Tip Top Café (or Hello, Restaurant Week)

by Corin Hirsch Posted on April 26, 2013 at 4:44PM

I turned around to look at the clock on the wall behind me — 11:45 a.m. I usually don't eat lunch until 2 or so, but today was different.It's the kickoff of Vermont Restaurant Week, something we've been waiting for and working toward all year.

...And One More Restaurant Makes 105!

by Alice Levitt Posted on April 26, 2013 at 1:48PM

In case you weren't already feeling spoiled for choices with 104 Vermont Restaurant Week participants, one more restaurant posted its menu last night! Mr. Crêpe, at 144 Church Street in Burlington, has joined the fold. The casual restaurant is offering both lunch and dinner deals, including the full menu of sweet and savory crêpes.