Nosh Vermont

Jack’s Mountain View A&W: Retro Drive-In Goodness

The A&W in Middlebury, Vermont is unlike the majority of A&W’s across the country. Most A&W’s are franchises of Yum! Brands, the same people who own Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Long John Silver’s, but the Middlebury A&W is independently owned, and, per the menu, is actually called “Jack’s Mountain View A&W.”

You won’t find the same items on the menu on the corporate website as you do on the menu at the Middlebury A&W either, but you will find delicious food, and friendly service at the window of your vehicle.

That’s one of the charms of this A&W. They don’t have a dining room; they have car service, complete with the tray attached to your window and everything. Park your car, and soon one of the friendly employees will skate on over to give you a menu. The menu is classic A&W, with a few add ons. There are numerous burger options, including the renown Papa Burger (with A&W Papa Sauce!) and veggie or black bean burgers. Hot dogs are also a tasty staple. They have the standard hot dogs, as well as a “Big Cheese Dog”, coneys, and corn dogs, as well as quarter pound hot dogs including Michigans, a Chicago dog (with lettuce, tomato, and banana peppers), a Santa Cruz dog (salsa, lettuce, tomato, and onions). Dinner baskets include chicken wings, breaded shrimp, and fried clams. There are a variety of chicken sandwiches (and tenders), a fish sandwich, and even a BBQ pulled pork sandwich. Sandwiches and dogs are available on their own, or as baskets served with coleslaw and fries (onion rings for only .50 more!). Ice cream and milkshakes are available, as well as A&W draft root beer, alone or as a float. Pretty much all your retro drive-in fast food joint bases are covered at A&W. But is it any good?

Yes. Mr. Schefer and Yva stopped in for a snack while on a drive one afternoon. They ordered root beer floats, a large onion ring to share, and Yva had to have a corn dog. Our server was very pleasant, and we were in awe at her ability to skate around on roller blades with a tray full of food, and not spill it. That’s a talent that certainly sets the employees of this A&W apart. She was nice and helpful in explaining to us what to do and what not to do when it came to the tray attached to our car window (do keep the window slightly up, don’t put the window down and certainly don’t try to put an empty mug on the tray while rolling down the window as one past customer had, resulting in a sad pile of glass in the parking lot). Our root beer floats were served in frosty glass, and contained the perfect amount of hard ice cream covered with a cool and yummy layer of A&W root beer. They are kind enough to provide both a spoon and a straw to accommodate the various styles of consuming a root beer float. Mr. Schefer likes to scoop his out with the spoon, while Yva likes to stir the ice cream up a bit with the straw so it melts into the root beer and can then be sucked through the straw, a creamy mouthful of bliss. A&W got their ice cream to root beer ratios dead on right. The onion rings were lightly breaded with a sprinkle of salt. They weren’t greasy and the onion passed the test of not complete coming out of the breading on the first bite. They were delicious and the onion taste came through beautifully, without being overwhelmed by the breading. Yva’s corn dog was enormous. The batter was flavorful, and neither too greasy or too heavy. The hot dog inside was enormous, juicy, and not a cheap little hot dog as many a corn dog contains. It was beefy tasting and very satisfying, right down to the crunchy little bits on the stick at the base of the corn dog.

(Onion rings and root beer float)

Okay, so maybe it was more than a snack, but the atmosphere and menu commanded more than just a float or onion rings, and we were glad we went a little further than we originally intended. Would we return? Absolutely. Next time, there will be no fooling ourselves with the “snack” lie and we just admit that we’re there to eat, because with a menu like that and the small sample of it we got to try, there’s every reason in the world to go back multiple times.

One little trick about this place; if you are coming from the north on route 7 you will feel like you have gone through all of Middlebury and missed it. You haven’t. A&W is just south of town, so if you’ve gone through town and haven’t seen it yet, don’t despair. It will be on the left side and you’ll see the orange roof first, then the sign with Papa Bear. Take the left at the bear. You won’t regret it.

Oh, be sure to tip your skater.

Two medium root beer floats, large onion ring, corn dog $12.26 They accept cash and personal checks, but no credit cards. Jack’s Mountain View A&W, Route 7, Middlebury, Vermont (802) 388-2876.

Things in my shopping cart

I was doing a bit of shopping the other day and noticed my cart looked, well, kind of quirky. I had some things in it that are new or that maybe not everyone has tried, or people just might even find a little weird. I like to try new stuff, and even stuff that might evoke a bit of a “eew” response. These are good. and you encouraged to seek these things out and give them a try. Here are just a couple of things from my cart:

Metromint Water: I’m funny about water. I notice taste differences between brands (they DO taste different) and tend to like it at room temperature. I’m still picky about brand, but have found that I like Metromint, and I like it cold. I’ve tried the lemon and peppermint so far. The ingredients in all the Metromint varieties (peppermint, spearmint, orangemint, lemonmint, cherrymint, and chocolatemint) are mint and water, with the addition of the “essence” of the specific variety, i.e. lemon, orange, etc…. Metromint is very refreshing; it’s like pure mint in your mouth, with only a subtle bit of the additional flavor that is added. There is a discernable change in the level of coolness between varieties, and the bottles helpfully indicate the level of coolness. I’m very fond of the lemonmint; it really quenches my thirst and tastes spectacular.

Calbee Shrimp flavored Chips: Shrimp flavored? Heck, these things have shrimp in them. Don’t be put off by the idea of a snack food that contains shellfish. These things are yummy and better for you than potato chips or Cheetos. It’s a very basic Japanese snack food, containing only a few ingredients including shrimp, and it is baked rather than fried. The taste is rather mild and light, with a hint of saltiness, and the shrimp flavor kind of builds and sneaks up on you. It’s like filling your mouth with crunchy ocean decadence, and you’ll find yourself having a hard time putting the bag away. Try these!

Fizz Ed: Apple & Eve, the juice people who have been purveyors of many 100% fruit juice products have entered the realm of crossover drinks. You know how they have crossover SUV’s, the small SUV’s which are kind of like minivans but maybe like a car? Think of this as a crossover beverage. It has the fine attributes of juice (vitamins, flavor) but with the fizz of a soft drink. Fizz Ed drinks are mostly a blend of juice with the addition of sparkling water, but no unnecessary additions like high fructose corn syrup. Fizz Ed is packaged in cans that are similar to soft drink cans, but taller and skinnier, and comes in four flavors: red raspberry, orange mango, pomegranate cherry, and green apple. We tried the raspberry, orange mango, and pomegranate cherry. The raspberry and orange mango were really good; the flavor was light and refreshing. It was a perfect balance between the fruit flavor and sparkling water. I felt it was like being a kid and grown up at the same time; you have your adult carbonation but the kid in you is getting the juice, and they would make a great substitute for soft drink addicts like herself. The pomegranate cherry was not such a hit with us. It reminded me of cherry cough syrup and Tracey said it wasn’t pomegranate cherry flavor so much as “red” flavor. The orange mango and red raspberry are delicious however, and are definitely worth a try if you haven’t already.

Ground Buffalo/Bison: I have a boyfriend who does not eat beef, and sometimes one grows tired of turkey burgers. I find that ground bison is an excellent substitute for beef. It cooks just a little faster than beef, and the taste is maybe a bit sweeter, but it fits well into any situation that calls for ground beef. There are also bison steaks out on the market, and I’ve had excellent results with those. Besides making amazing burgers, I love using the bison for Shepherd’s Pie. Sure, it may not seem seasonal with the weather warming up, but it’s an amazing dish that should not be turned away from due to the season. Here is my recipe for Bison Shepherd’s Pie (with a speedy shortcut):

1 Box of Betty Crocker Instant Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes (with the milk and butter necessary to prepare it) Note: If you make your own mashed potatoes for this, use Yukon Golds; they add a very nice richness that other potatoes cannot. Also, only use half the amount of butter you normally would.
3 T vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped (it’s nice to use one that has some leaves and chop of the leaves and include them in this part of the recipe)
1 pound ground bison/buffalo
2 T flour
3/4 C vegetable broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/8 tsp of ground nutmeg
2 T butter, cut into small pieces
salt (always use kosher if possible, it tastes better)
pepper

The potatoes are a big shortcut that saves a lot of time and I think using the Yukon Gold instead of regular instant makes it really nice. Prepare the entire box (the box contains two packages, make them both) of mashed potatoes according to the directions on the box EXCEPT use only half the amount of butter they call for. It’s fine to prepare these in the microwave. Set the prepared potatoes aside.

Grease an 8X8 baking dish (preferably glass).

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium low heat and add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes. Increase the heat to medium then add the ground bison/buffalo.

Now is a good time to start preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

Cook the bison/buffalo, stirring frequently for about five to ten minutes, breaking it up and mixing it into the vegetables. When the buffalo is no longer pink, stir in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cook and stir it for two to three minutes, then add the broth, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, and however much salt and pepper you want. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened which should be five minutes tops. Remove from heat and place the meat and veggie mixture into the 8X8 dish, spreading it out so it is relatively even and covers the entire bottom of the dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the meat and veggies, creating little peaks with the potatoes. Scatter the cut up butter evenly over the top of the potatoes. Put it in the oven and cook it for about 30-35 minutes (the top should be lightly browned). Let it rest for a few minutes before you eat it.

-Yva

Road Trip: Blue Mermaid Island Grill, Portsmouth, NH

Yva and Mr. Schefer were in Portsmouth, New Hampshire recently. It was dinnertime and we weere hungry. Looking out our hotel window we saw a restaurant which looked promising: Blue Mermaid Island Grill .




We looked it up on the internet and the menu sounded rather exciting. It was seafood with a Caribbean flair, involving fruits and spiciness. Not your typical New England seafood, but interesting nonetheless. Oh but there was one small issue that sent up a flag of warning: the restaurant was one of “Rachel Ray’s Pick(s).” The approval of Rachel Ray alone does not condemn a restaurant to hell and damnation, but it certainly inspires caution in Yva who is heavily influenced by Anthony Bourdain and has a deep dislike for the terms “sammy” and “EVOO” and similar cutsieness when it comes to food. Nonetheless, we decided to give it a try.

As soon as we entered, we were met by the most friendly and energetic man we have ever encountered. We have no idea who he was, but he was quite gregarious, helpful, and unendingly patient while we decided whether to eat upstairs in the dining room or downstairs in the lounge. We chose the lounge and were seated immediately. The lounge was a friendly and comfortable room: pumpkin orange walls, yellow accents, and a turquoise ceiling. There were fun little accents, like a retro-appearing light fixture and a fireplace bar which gave the restaurant a sense of fun.

We were seated by the window and could look out onto the deck. Our server, Julie, came over and chatted with us a few minutes about the menu and beverages. Mr. Schefer enjoys Guinness, but that was not on their menu. This was certainly not a fault by any means, as their beer menu was quite extensive. He chose a Miller Lite and Yva ordered a “Mermaid Madness” which consists of Silver rum, Malibu , o.j., pineapple, cranberry and a Meyer’s float. As a result of her conversations about beer with Mr. Schefer, when Julie returned she brought him a large sample of one of the other beers available on tap. This was not the last sample she brought, and we truly appreciated her assistance and the Blue Mermaid’s generosity in helping Mr. Schefer to explore other beers. Yva loved her Mermaid Madness; it was one of those fruity can’t-taste-the-alcohol drinks that kind of sneaks up on you after one…or three. Whew. We managed to select a starter, and ordered the calamari.

While we waited for the calamari, we were presented with tortilla chips and the Mermaid’s fire roasted salsa, which apparently has some fame. This fame is for good reason. It was not the typical red soupy salsa one usually consumes, but a darker, almost brown salsa, with a rich earthy tang, and a heat that slowly accumulated the more you ate. It was very good, and we took great joy in scooping copious amounts of it into our mouths while we waited for the calamari. When the calamari arrived we were first impressed by the size of the serving; it was a lot of calamari, more than we were accustomed to. That is not a complaint by any means. Accompanied by tomato ancho mayonnaise for dipping, we dug right into the hot pile of calamari, which were tender and tasted like the ocean. They were very fresh and well-prepared, and the mayonnaise was a very nice addition, enhancing the flavor of the calamari and accompanying the calamari’s crispness with a lovely creaminess.



The Blue Mermaid’s entrees were all very tempting. They offer things for everyone, even if you don’t like food from the sea or meat. It was difficult to decide what we wanted, and that also created an excuse for a return trip. The Blue Mermaid has a wood fired oven, and one part of their menu allows you to pick a meat to be cooked in that oven, as well as a sauce for the meat and two sides from an array of choices (grilled banana, smashed sweet potatoes, sautéed green beans, corn bread, sweet potato fries, chipotle curry rice, green salad, chipotle pepper mash). Yva chose this option, going for sea scallops with a grilled mango vinaigrette accompanied by grilled bananas and cornbread. Jamie ordered from the lighter side of the menu, choosing a bowl of lobster and roasted corn chowder with a side of cornbread. We were still working on the calamari when Julie came by and told us our entrees were ready a little faster than anticipated, and did we want them then or to wait until we finished the calamari? The kitchen timing might have been off (or maybe we were just eating slower than w should have), but that’s a mark of excellent service, to let us know the situation and give us a choice instead of just putting the food under a heat lamp or forcing it upon us when we aren’t ready. Blue Mermaid and Julie get high marks for that.

After years of being served skimpy portions of scallops, it was a pleasant surprise to have two skewers containing nine large scallops. So the serving was generous, but how were the scallops? Magnificent. They were tender, had a fresh ocean taste, and there was a sweetness around the edges where the heat of the oven had caramelized them. The mango vinaigrette was a perfect accompaniment, with a full flavor that was sweet but not overwhelming. The grilled bananas was just that: half a banana that had been cut lengthwise and grilled. It was quite good. The banana was not mushy by any means, and also had a sprinkling of fresh diced fruit on top of it. Fruit and seafood? I could live on these things. The cornbread was light, and we could see it was made at least partly with a coarse grained cornmeal, with large flecks of yellow throughout, and lightly browned edges. Usually a restaurant will provide butter with the cornbread, but Blue Mermaid did not and it was not necessary. The cornbread was perfect. Yva ate every bit of her meal, save for a bit of cornbread which she took back to the hotel room.



When one imagines chowder, it’s usually a bit on the heavy side with a milk or cream base. The lobster and roasted corn chowder at Blue Mermaid is a bit on the lighter side. There was a bit of separation, with the creamy portion settled a bit on the bottom, but that was easily corrected by a bit of stirring. And we were glad we stirred because at the bottom of the bowl we encountered several large pieces of lobster. It was like discovering almost a complete tail and claw in the chowder; as with the scallops, there was no skimping on this dish either. The chowder itself tasted light, but still rich and creamy. The corn was not an overwhelming ingredient, but in perfect balance with the lobster. The corn had a slight nutty flavor to it, which worked wonderfully with the richness of the lobster. Mr. Schefer enjoyed his cornbread, and felt that with the chowder it made a perfect dinner entree.

We were quite full after eating all this wonderful food, which was unfortunate because Blue Mermaid has a very tempting dessert menu, including a coconut cake with lime curd filling and lime frosting. Yet another excuse for a return trip.

Would we return? Absolutely. In fact, we would go out on a limb and state that it would be worth the drive alone just to eat there. The food, service, and atmosphere were just incredible. The Blue Mermaid Island Grill will make your mouth, stomach, and heart happy.

Dinner for two (including two beers, three glasses of Mermaid Madness, and innumerable beer samples): $64.64
Blue Mermaid Island Grill
409 The Hill, Portsmouth, NH 03801, (603) 427-2583 
Hours:
Sun 10am-9pm (Brunch available on Sunday)
Mon - Thurs 11:30-9pm
Fri & Sat. 11:30-10pm
Bar: Available all day. Full bar, including beer, wine, and amazing mixed drinks.
Good for: Families, dates, just drinks.
Deck dining available.

Magnolia Bistro

So…I found some mold on the lettuce in my salad from Magnolia Bistro in Burlington today.  Anyone else encountered this or similar food spoilage?  Send us a note, thanks.

This week in Lean Cuisine….

I’ve had two Lean Cuisines this week, both for lunches.  On Monday, I tried something new: Tortilla Crusted Fish.  It was amazing.  The fish didn’t taste gross or microwavey, and the crust was actually crispy.  The rice and sauce it came with had a zippy Tex-Mex flavor and I felt happy and satisfied after eating it.

Today, not so much.

Today I had the Shrimp and Angel Hair Pasta.  Bland bland bland. The sauce was white and tasted, well, like white.  No, not white sauce, but like a blank white sheet of paper.  Even the red pepper strips that were involved just kind of sat there sadly, seated next to the sad little parsley that could barely muster any flavor beyond…well nothing.  The angel hair was a poor excuse for pasta, tasting like one imagines a shoestring might taste after several trips through a mud puddle.  I ate the four skimpy shrimp included out of pure mercy, tossed the rest and just ate some dried plums for lunch.

-Yva