Thursday, October 13, 2005

Hen of the Wood

I would provide a link, but their web site is not quite up yet.

Amazing!

We both started with slow roasted pork belly with a cider jus and pureed parsnips. Great combination of flavors.

We both had the smoked crispy duck with sweet potatoes, Vermont (!) cranberries, and toasted hazelnuts.

Instead of dessert, we had the cheese plate with some local cheese. I brought home a menu and I'll post more details later. I have Sophia on my lap.

They did not actually have hen of the wood mushroom (also known as maittake)---it has been too warm. There is a dish they serve (a starter) with hen of the wood and bacon.

All the menu choices sounded delicious. I could have happily left it to the chef to pick. It was all very local and seasonal.

It is a little sad to see Mist Grill go (they just closed and Hen of the Wood opened in its place) but at least another good restaurant is taking its place.

We had a 2001 Clos La Chance Zinfandel. It was a pretty good match, fruity but not at all cloying and with some vanilla and a great finish.

5 comments:

Triana said...

*Droooooooooool*

*happy Homer noises*


YUMMY!

Lone Star Ma said...

Recipe request awaits you at my blog, Veloute...

Veloute said...

Hi Eric~
I have actually been wanting to post the entire menu here because everything sounded so delicious.

I actually *almost* introduced myself, lol, but it is the first time we had left our youngest that long and so we decided not to linger (any more...).

I think you have a strong menu and I hope you are very successful! We would be regulars if not for the small folk. Maybe in 3 years or so...

We also really loved Smokejacks when we ate in Burlington more often...

Does your restaurant have a web site up ?

That's a shame most people seem to be afraid of the pork belly. It was just incredible.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! I hope we can eat at Hen of the Wood again very soon.

Anonymous said...

Yes, the menu looks good, I stopped by the other day and got a copy.
8 Starters from $5 to &12 = $9 Average
8 Entrees from $17 to $24 = $21 Average
12 Wines available by the glass @ $7 to $9 each.
4 Desserts (3@ $7, 1@ $6)
So dinner for two with one glass of wine each, two starters and two entrees is $75.
Two desserts adds $14, two coffees $4, so pre-tax is a total of $93. Add a $20 tip, and 9%(?) tax of $8 and you have $121.00 for dinner for two.
That said, I do plan to go and have dinner there but we won't be going on a regular
basis, just on special occasions.

I too miss the Mist Grill. Heard they got forced out by the landlord in a lease dispute... something about the MG having to pay to heat the entire building for the 6 plus years they were there despite occuying less than half of the building and the landlord never completing all of the heating installations required by the lease. I do know that when my wife and I were there in the winter the MG had electric heaters all over the place which must have cost them a fortune. Once when I stopped for lunch the pipes had frozen and the bathrooms were inoperable. Local rumors have the Mist Grill being only the most recent in a string of landlord tenant disputes at the Grist Mill. Evidently there was a dentist and frame shop that also bailed out because of issues there. I hope the new folks have better luck with the landlord providing heat and maintenance.
I wish them all the luck in the world as I'm sure they have put the hearts into the place.
GrnMtBoy

Veloute said...

That is too bad about the landlord dispute. Electric heaters all over the place--egads, that does sound pricey! I hope that doesn't happen this time.

Mist Grill had some awesome breakfast items and I adored their tea selection. I love cool places to eat breakfast. We could use some more of that around here, no? The buffet at NECI is nice, but kind of pricey for regular visits and it's only on Sunday, if memory serves me correctly (I know it was just on Sunday at one time, I don't know if they have included Saturday now, too).

I have to wonder who the landlord is...the same one who owns much of Montpelier? I wonder...

Anyway, I finally posted some of the menu items! I thought it was well worth what we paid, though we certainly couldn't go more than once a month (maybe twice if we were naughty). We tend to spend our discretionary income mostly on food, however--or did before kids, now it's food and kid stuff :D