Confronted with two huge braised lamb shanks, I momentarily wish I had spent the afternoon hiking instead of sitting at my desk, but my hungrier guests soon help polish it off. Nobody, however, wants to finish the pasty risotto. Occasionally, a piece of fish may not be as fresh as you'd like, the frisee arrives a little tired or a sauce is applied overexuberantly. But only a couple of dishes entirely miss the mark. For a small wine list, vermont's is more eclectic than expected, ranging from Veuve Clicquot and a sparkling methode Champenoise Grandin brut from the Loire to Chilean Sauvignon Blanc and Italian Pinot Grigio, and reds from Provence and Sicily, along with wines from California's Central Coast and Sonoma.
Desserts are in the comfort zone, too.
That irresistible rich vanilla custard beneath a blanket of caramel sauce is very much like the one served at Locanda Veneta. There's also a warm flourless chocolate cake for those who can't not order chocolate. And there's a good buttery tartlet filled with a puckery lemon curd. With its menu of American comfort food and all the allure of the familiar, vermont is plugged into the restaurant vernacular of the moment. It will be interesting to see how the cooking evolves as this promising restaurant builds an audience and its confidence.