Bite Club

Panamanian Food Comes to Burlington

by Alice Levitt Posted on December 20, 2012 at 5:22PM

Feast your eyes on this. It doesn't look like anything available anywhere in Burlington, that's because it won't be until next week.That's when Mayllet Paz of La Fondita Latina (formerly known as Peace & Love Catering) will have all the Latin ingredients she needs to begin cooking a varied menu of her native cuisine at Cool Runnings at 78 North Street in Burlington.Paz will cook dishes from her native Panama, as well as specialties from surrounding Latin American countries, seven days a week.

Alice Eats: Logan's of Vermont

by Alice Levitt Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:46AM

30 Main Street, Burlington, 489-5935Spoiler alert: Logan's of Vermont was one of our team's favorites in this week's taste test of Burlington soups. Since it opened last autumn, the spot has also become an office favorite for panini, salads and boxes full of tiny, mixed cookies.However, I still hadn't tried the eatery's bread and butter — gourmet take-home meals.

Latin-Influenced Food Returns to Stowe

by Corin Hirsch Posted on December 13, 2012 at 3:18PM

Stowe diners may still miss Santos Cocina Latina, but yucca, plantains and spice will reappear in town next week when Café Latina opens in the space where Thompson's Flour Shop used to be.The breakfast-and-lunch spot is the brainchild of Karen Nielsen, who lived in Costa Rica for close to 20 years before returning to the States to raise her teenage daughter. There, Nielsen worked as a tropical biologist before seguing into the culinary life — she ran three eateries in the Monteverde Cloud Forest area, a mountainous center she likens to a tropical version of the Green Mountains.Nielsen calls the fare she served there Nuevo Latino, or modernized Latin-American food, and it's resurrected on Café Latina's menu.

Alice Eats: Country Pantry Diner

by Alice Levitt Posted on December 11, 2012 at 11:32AM

951 Main Street, Fairfax, 849-0599When I first visited the Burlington area in 1996, the first place I ate was Alfredo's on Church Street. My second Vermont meal was lunch at the Country Pantry.Since then, I've always had a special place in my heart for the rural diner.

Grazing: Last Chance to Sip a Williston Beer at a Williston Pub

by Corin Hirsch Posted on December 6, 2012 at 4:23PM

Alert: It's the waning hours for McAllister Irish Red Ale. If you're near Williston and are curious about very local beer, you might want to track down a pint.Williston resident Marty Bonneau, a member of the Green Mountain Mashers home-brewing club, first brewed McAllister in his basement for one of the group's periodic contests, this one to turn out a red ale style.Bonneau's malty, balanced brew won.

Alice Eats: Sofia's Pizzeria

by Alice Levitt Posted on December 4, 2012 at 11:28AM

205 St. Paul St., Burlington, 865-2888With just the Adriatic Sea separating Italy and Bosnia, it's actually surprising that Omer Alicic is the first Bosnian to open a pizzeria in Vermont.Sofia's Pizzeria has only a few tables and a long counter for seating, but warm orange walls and a flatscreen TV showing the Cartoon Network made it a comforting, homey destination after a long day of work last night.The bread and, er, mozzarella of the the eatery is 99-cent slices of cheese pizza, but last night there were none. We settled for a pair of more ambitious pieces of pie that cost $1.79 and $2.29.

Grazing: Washing Down Cupcakes With Wine (at My Little Cupcake)

by Corin Hirsch Posted on November 30, 2012 at 4:52PM

As a dedicated wine drinker, I can be reluctant to admit that beer pairs stunningly well with food. Yet it can be the naked truth, and one encountered in the unlikeliest of places — such as at my little cupcake in Burlington.For the past few weeks, the bakers at my little cupcake have been hosting a Friday night fête called 3 Sweet Treats, offering guests the chance to pair three petite desserts with wines chosen by Brad Kelley of the Burlington Wine Shop — for a 10-spot.You can also drop in at the College Street bakery whenever it's open (till 8 p.m. during the week, 10 p.m. on weekends) to approximate the experience; on the counter is a standing beer and wine menu, including a "free mini cupcake or cake pop" with each drink.The alcohol menu is static — the choices include Prosecco, red wine, local beer and even ChocoVine — but the paired treats rotate based on what's been baked that day.

Seven Days