Cozy space, beautiful decor, and a welcoming sunset.
Michael's was able to accomodate us last minute and provided a lovely seat overlooking the beautiful summer mountains. We began with warm bread- a tasty baguette with both butter and olive oil. Followed by the appetizer of a simple salad- delicious sherry vinagrette dressing and the crab mango tar tar. Dinner proved even more impressive. I ordered the pan roasted chicken, which was succulent, moist, crips, and super tasty on a bed of pan roasted root veggies and a light cream sauce. We passed on desert due to full bellies but will be sure to return next time in Stowe!
Spectacular - fifth year coming back (time-share!), and unquestionably the best of all the local restaurants. (The only serious competition for serious foodies is Hen if Woods, but Michaels has far friendly waitstaff, far less pretentiousness, a children's menu and, most importantly, better food!). Â Last night had an incredible lamb stew with winter vegetables and my wife had an equally fantastic chicken dish with a red wine and blue cheese risotto (and our eight year old said the chicken fingers are better than those she gets at the Four Seasons in the City!). Â The wine list is first rate, the desserts sublime -- already looking forward to coming back next year!.....Okay, back for 6th year, and better than ever!!! Â The calamari appetizer was devine, and then my wife and I ordered the lobster and sirloin which they split for a phenomenal surf and turf. Â My nine old's tastes have matured beyond chicken fingers and she ordered the sirloin on the Kids menu which comes with pasta and a sundae for dessert - loved every bite! Â Must add that the waitress was just great! Â -- already looking forward to coming back next year!
Review Source:First time at Michael's the other day for date night and it was great. Atmosphere, dining room and our waitress were all great. Appetizer, salad and entree were all terrific. The bill was pretty damn expensive, but I would go back for special occasions. This is one of those restaurants that has it all: great service, great vibe and great food. Everything sounded good on the menu which is not the case very often...
Review Source:We did Valentines night here and it was really great food, good service and the atmosphere was just right (except for a crying baby that was not the problem of the staff or venue, but rude customers).
I had a pan roasted chicken with smoked cheddar potatoes and rabe , delicious! My
husband had a smoked pork loin with polenta that was terrific.
The dessert was special a white tres leche type cake with a bit of meringue on top. Great meal!
Fabulous experience, from start to finish every detail was attended to carefully.  The waiting area is inviting, with a fireplace and high  backed chairs arranged in small groups.  The decor is warm and romantic, with candles artfully hanging on the walls and tables refreshingly not on top of one another.  The way the dining area wraps around makes for a cozy atmosphere.
Our waitress was friendly and very informed on the menu choices and wines.  We went with the Gold menu and wine pairing, which was fantastic.  The amuse bouche with prosecco was delicious- I wanted more!  Pumpkin soup was spiced perfectly,and  the pork loin a very generous serving.  The desserts were amazing- especially the cheese plate.  4 different cheeses, blue, brie, manchego and tete du moine accompanied by fig bread, jam, assorted fruits and a glass of Port.  I was amazed that the waitress who heard about us missing our anniversary because of business travel brought out my chocolate fondue with a marzipan plaque reading 'Happy Anniversary."
Went to Michael's on the Hill this Sunday night after a weekend in Stowe with my fiancee. Â We went to Michael a year before on our anniversary and couldn't wait to get back. Â The food, service, and atmosphere were once again nothing beyond perfect. Â After seriously contemplating the menu we were able to decide on what we wanted. Â
My fiancee got the platinum tasting menu with the wine pairing (we LOVE our wine!). Â We started off the night with him getting gouda fritters and me with a mushroom soup. Â While I did not have a wine pairing I asked the waitress for her opinion on what would be best with my appetizers. Â She had the perfect suggestion. Â After the first appetizer we both had the calamari salad to split which the kitchen was nice enough to put on two plates for us without us doing it ourselves. Â Dinner was the next course...me with the best vension (and first) while my fiancee had the beef tenderlion. Â We could barely talk with how great the food was. Â And ohh the waitress gave us both two more awesome pairings (she changed my fiancee's so that he had a different wine then me cause she thought that the wine with the tenderlion would better compliment the vension...boy was she right!). Â Dessert we rounded out with a fondue that had cognac mixed with the chocolate (HEAVEN!!).
Overall, the night was amazing, despite the loud New Jersey people directly next to us (not Michael's fault!). Â It was totally suprising when we asked if the chef could come out so we could thank him for two awesome years in a row just to find out that Michael was out on a chef cruise and that our awesome meal with the work of the Su Chef. Â Needless to say we were allowed to step inside the kitchen doors and personally thank the cooking team. Â Nice of them to allow us to do this, because the kitchen staff never gets enough thanks.
Can't wait to make it back next year as this has become our anniversary spot in November!
My husband and I attended Michael's on the Hill for dinner on the 2nd night of our honeymoon in Stowe, VT. When we made the reservation the woman asked if we were celebrating a special occasion. I said yes, figuring they would just give us a good table, but they went above and beyond! When we arrived, not only did we have a cozy little table lit with candles by the window, but our hostess also brought us a glass of prosecco to make a toast before we ordered. It was a lovely touch and we greatly appreciated it!
Though it may sound strange, I often judge the quality of service by how many times my water glass is refilled. A server came by 3 times to do his before our order was even taken! Andrew ordered a Harpoon pumpkin ale and his meal was pasture-raised beef tenderloin with gratin potatoes, roasted rainbow carrots, and browned spice butter. I ordered herb butter poached lobster with roasted garlic polenta, lemon truffle vinaigrette, and a bed of baby spinach. I asked our server to make a wine selection for me that would pair well with my meal and she recommended the Laetitia Estate Chardonnay from the Arroyo Grand Valley in California. This wine had a smooth finish with oak notes and was absolutely fabulous with my meal. Andrew and I had our eyes closed 1/2 the time we were eating because we were trying to savor every bite! For dessert we decided on an apple blueberry crisp served with ouse made cinnamon ice cream. The dessert came on a little black slate with the crisp being served in a miniature cast iron skillet. The small dish of ice cream was topped with a thinly sliced apple chip and a little note written on a fondant-covered cookie that said "Congratulations!" Now folks, I prefer a chocolate dessert to a fruit dessert any day if the week but this crisp and ice cream combination was heavenly! The bill was pricy but oh so worth every cent! The service was impeccable and the food was phenomenal! We even got a little cheesy and asked our server to take our picture by the fireplace. What a special way to end our 2nd night in Stowe! I highly recommend Michael's for a special date night splurge. You won't be disappointed!
Went here on a quiet Monday evening . The waitress was nice but very curt , did not make us feel warm and welcome the way the guy who showed us our seats did ,
I ordered the chef s tasting menu but she did not specify that it also comes with paired wines ...I ended up ordering a bottle of wine and then she told me...oh well, the wine was great so.no harm done .....
I was impressed with my roasted mushroom soup for appetiser but not as much with Chicken Navratil
Dessert was nice , a cake with lots of whipped cream
The decor was very inviting , perfect for a special evening .
They also were playing nice romantic music so perfect for a couple .
I Â can see myself coming back
I had a poor experience at Michaels. We went for my wife's B-Day on a night when the chef was out. A waiter spilled a whole glass of wine on me... Completely soaked. He was extremely apologetic. Â Asked wether I wanted a free drink or dessert... Â I was more worried about cleaning up at that moment though.
During the meal, my chair kept getting bumped by wait staff... Â No apologies. Â
They didn't insist on anything complementary for spilling the wine. I didn't complain because I wanted the experience to be about my wife's B-day. This was not because of unkind wait staff... They meant well, but their training did not match a restaurant  that charges those prices.  The food was good if not great but given the price point, I expected better.
I won't return. The Chef should focus on training his staff.
Perfect, perfect, perfect. Â We went to Michael's for our anniversary and were seated at a window table overlooking the hills at sunset. Â The setting is pleasant and the restaurant is nicely decorated and clean. Our waitress was great and very helpful.
We had martinis that were just right, along with the  the charcuterie tray that was scrumptious. It had various sausages, pâté, truffle toasts and pickled vegetables that were so nice and crisp. We ordered the fillet and the pork loin and we were both very pleased with our meals.
We ended our evening sharing the profiterole and chocolate ice cream desert. Â It came with a marzipan sheet that said Happy Anniversary! A great ending to a 40th anniversary dinner.
I just returned from my annual pilgrimage to Stowe and once again, I had the pleasure of dining and celebrating my birthday at Michael's.
There is a lot to like about this restaurant. Rustic yet charming decor, well spaced tables so you don't feel put upon by other diners and a romantic feel that is perfect for that special night out. The service is good but not outstanding. Yes, it was a busy evening but there were times I felt ignored. Nothing major but it could have been better.
I decided to go with the Gold tasting menu which gives you a prix fixe of an appetizer, meal and dessert (alcohol not included). I chose the mixed green salad and asked for a different dressing which was substituted after an initial mixup. Michael's is part of the Vermont Food Network and Slow Food movement so everything is locally grown and you can really taste the difference. For my entree, I went with the Maple crusted Pork Tenderloin with Guyere Bread Pudding. Simply outstanding. The sauce was a killer. I should have asked for more to use in dipping the bread that came with the meal. Everything was prepared perfectly although part of my tenderloin was a bit dry.
For dessert, I went with the chocolate profiterole with chocolate hazelnut ice cream. The ice cream was great; the shell not so much. Still, it was a great choice.
One small annoyance. When I ordered wine, my glass came less than a quarter full. And it was a glass you would use for pinot or merlot meaning it was a larger glass (I chose pinot - excellent). I didn't want to pay for another glass and get the same result so I asked my server for another quarter glass more. She seemed less than thrilled and actually got a smaller glass that was filled and poured it into my glass. Not the way to go in an upscale restaurant.
If you are looking for a romantic night out or just an excuse to have a great meal prepared with care and with fresh ingredients, this is the place to go. I will most definitely return on my next visit to Stowe.
The food is spectacular. Locally sourced ingredients (lobster from Nantucket, butter from Cabot, etc), the dishes are innovative yet approachable. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and nice. It's a tiny restaurant that looks/feels like a home. Great place to go for a celebratory dinner with a date or small group.
Review Source:We were at Michaels on the Hill for Valentine's dinner and it was fabulous!
The wild mushroom tartine is heaven on a plate!!
My wife had the white winter vegetable soup and that was outstanding as well.
For entrees, I has the arctic char which had the skin seared crunchy but the flesh still super moist - a trick VERY hard to accomplish. My wife had the lobster knuckles and instead of the garlic mashed, she requested the gnocchi which they happily substituted and it was great as well.
For dessert, the chocolate bread pudding is outstanding, as was the apple tart.
Though we didn't partake of their tasting menus, of which they had three the evening we visited, they seem to be a good value.
We recommend Michael's on the Hill highly and can't wait to return ourselves!
We ate here on 1/15/12, and really had a wonderful experience.
We had the wild mushroom tartine, the duck confit, arctic char and maple glazed pork loin - each were very good. The mushroom tartine was absolutely outstanding - it was served on a bed of perfectly soft-in-the-middle and crispy/flaky on the outside bread, the mushrooms themselves were so flavorful and the truffle honey drizzled across the top was the perfect accompanyment. None of the other dishes quite lived up to that opening note, but each were very good. The char was really well cooked with a perfect crisp to the skin and was served on a bed of brussels sprouts and lentils with a whole grain mustard sauce which was quite good, though the lentils detracted from the dish somewhat. The pork loin was delicious - and the portion HUGE - the braised greens were a bit of a flat note next to the well-prepared pork and delicious cheddar sausage bread pudding. Overall, though, the food was very good.
Having read prior reviews, we knew service could sometimes be an issue. We didn't have too long to linger, and informed our server of it right away - and she was friendly, efficient and immensely helpful. Â
I absolutely intend to make a return trip the next time I'm in the Stowe area, and would enthusiastically recommend it to others in the area.
Went there for the first time with another couple last night. We sat in the barn room and had an great dining experience. Highlights were the winter vegetable bisque and wild mushroom's for appetizers. Tenderloin, Pork Loin, Char and Lobster dinners were all excellent - all good choices. Definitely a step above the other restaurants in Stowe and worth a special night out....
Review Source:While the food was great, I was incredibly disappointed with the service. We got minimal attention and saw other guests getting service while we waited. What a disappointment for a night we had been looking forward to for so long! Â I will be sending people to other restaurants in the area in the future.
Review Source:Michael's on the Hill was nice. For some reason, I ordered a crab cake. I was very pleased that it didn't come stuffed with red bell pepper. The venison was quite good. As you can tell from my order, I'm in that weird phase of my life where I feel compelled to eschew what I really want in favor of, say, my 3rd choice.
Either way, everything was cooked well and flavorfully except for dessert. I appreciated that the root vegetables accompanying the meat weren't over cooked. But the dessert: an early autumn stone fruit cake should have lots of stone fruits. Ours was a strange pound cake with about 3 millimeters of what I suppose was stone fruit paste. And the coffee was one of those hotel brands, but slightly burnt.
Obviously, the first two courses were good enough that I'm not really complaining.
The woman next to us wanted to be assured that she could have "any menu meat or fish served with just plain vegetables." Her husband was literally three times her size. It must be a bummer if your spouse doesn't share your defining interest.
My husband and I went to Michael's last night for VT Restaurant week. The menu is very well conceived and the wait staff are knowledgeable and courteous. Each dish was extremely well executed with a very well balanced flavor profile. All that said I still think it's a bit pricey, and if not for Restaurant Week we would have skipped the splurge.
Review Source:Maple and ramp. This unusual duo headlined a creative tasting menu for Vermont Restaurant Week at Michael's on the Hill. I have been wanting to try this restaurant for a while now, but the price tag was a strong deterrent. Luckily, $35 for a four course meal makes the cost of dinner much more manageable. Once we were seated in the indoor porch, the view atop the hill of the mountains and the rolling countryside was stunning from our table. It's one of the benefits of dining in a charming Vermont-style farmhouse from the 1800s.
The tasting menu was off to a good start with a rabbit and ramp terrine with maple mustard. I loved the strong meaty flavor of the terrine, which was reminiscent of duck and I thought the sweet maple mustard had a nice finish. The meal went downhill from there as the maple-smoked trout and maple glazed pork loin proved to be epic failures. The trout texture was mush, the beans were inconsistently cooked, and I found seven bones in the fish. Bones in fish is understandably normal, but fish from this caliber of restaurant should be deboned; or the waitress should have at least given guests forewarning of imminent prickly danger. The pork loin was even more painful to swallow. It was overcooked, dry, and unappetizing. The dry texture clearly overshadowed the maple glaze. The saving grace of the dish was the delicious potato-ramp roesti, which resembled a large potato pancake. A wonderful maple pudding with rhubarb compôte completed the save from a potentially disastrous dining experience. The familiar dark maple flavor had me digging around the small glass jar for more pudding, to no avail. Dinner ended with a nice cup of Green Mountain coffee.
The meal had its ups and downs tonight and everything averaged out. The regular menu has a couple of other tasting menus including one for $42 and another for $65. Otherwise, à la carte appetizer and entrée items can get expensive. Restaurant Week gave me good value for my meal, but a regular meal here would sting my wallet too much for a return visit.
Michael's On the Hill is a wonderful gem tucked away in the rural countryside. This is fine cuisine meets country geniality. The staff is warm and inviting. And the restaurant is a renovation of an old farmhouse. Look forward to small, comfortable rooms with 8 tables or less, soft lighting, and the feeling that you're an honored guest in a private residence.
The '09 Provenance S. Blanc paired beautifully with the rabbit and ramp terrine. It was my first time trying rabbit and I couldn't have been more pleased. The maple glazed trout with heirloom beans & pickled ramp creme fraiche was almost better than maple glazed pork loin entree that followed.
Looking back, however, if I didn't know any better, I would say that these other dishes were served just to whet my appetite for the most incredible dessert I've ever tried: Maple Pudding with Rhubarb Compote, Chantilly Creme and Maple Sugar. This is definitely on my list for my last meal.
Wonderful staff. Locally farmed ingredients. Impeccable execution. You will leave Michael's wanting to come back for more.
My first exposure to Michael's on the Hill was at a Bite Club event, but I've been back time and time again since then and it is always excellent. I'm usually a hard to please diner, but the cuisine is mostly spot-on. The maple creme brulee is my favorite, stiff caramelized maple sugar that gives way to creamy maple custard that's sweet without being cloying. The things I don't like as much could be chalked up to personal preference. The smoked gouda fritters, though not greasy, were a little too salty for my taste and could have used a lighter sauce (vidalia onion?) than the chili sauce with which they were served. The salmon salad tasted of lemon and vinegar which, while cut nicely with bacon, overpowered the salmon's taste. The chocolate truffle torte, while interesting, confused my tongue - I enjoyed it more when I ate the peanut and sugared orange peel in one bite and the chocolate and concord grape compote in the next. That said, the roast pumpkin gnocchi was a delight, blending sage and black truffle oil with a delicate roast pumpkin and a slight touch of garlic. The Maine crab cake melded sweet, salty, sour, and bitter effortlessly into what was in conversation described as "full spectrum flavor." The foie gras was served on honeyed brioche with pears and my tongue was in love. I wanted to keep the lamb navarin in my mouth forever. I could continue the praises, but I've devolved into expressions of ardor... I can completely understand why Chef Michael was voted the "Best Chef in Vermont" by the Vermont Hospitality Board.
Review Source:We were staying in Stowe and Michael's is a bit of a drive on a snowy night, but are we glad we did. Â The table we had was a cozy and on the porch decorated tastefully, but cleanly. Â We started with the baby greens with the sherry mustard vinaigrette - all extremely fresh and the dressing enhanced the flavors of the greens nicely.
For the main course we both went with the roasted organic duck breast & leg confit with red wine and blue cheese risotto and black currents for thirty five dollars. Â Â Never had duck better, rare breast, medium rare leg, the gorgonzola and red wine sauce complemented not only the duck, the risotto, but also the surprising and perfectly cooked rabe - which I love.
We had been skiing all day, so we stayed with the martini selections and to warm up we had a perfectly dry local "green mountain organic sunshine" vodka. Â An orange vodka that holds its own with any premium I have tasted, and finished off "desert" with an espresso martini that was just delish.
The only draw backs would be that the air of the place was the chef knows best. Â In this case I would say he was right. Â The wait staff is friendly, attentive, and helpful in making suggestions and also knowing the correct distance to keep. Â The dinner with drinks was in the 200 range for 2 so go there with your wallet, but if you do....it is well worth it. Â Best meal this year!
My bf and I loved this place. The decor was simple but intimate. The waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We got the gnocchi appetizer which melted in our mouths and the mushroom sauce was so rich and flavorful. Since we were sharing the gnocchi, they put it in two plates for us, a nice touch.
For entree, we ordered the duck confit and pork shank. Both were delicious and cooked to the right tenderness. It was a rich dinner, perfect after a long drive or a day on the slopes. Plus, the vermont butter alone was well worth it.
We splurged when we ate here on vacation and it was worth it. The menu changes every day, but I was thrilled to find that I could eat vegetarian (not a requirement, but my preference) and gluten-free. The waitress brought out a chef's taste of the day and realized I couldn't eat it because of the breading. She returned with something else that was gluten-free and delicious. I had a fabulous (!) salad with roasted pumpkin and toasted pumpkin-seed dressing (not sure if that's exactly right, but you get the point). And then a yummy squash with beet reduction, root veggies, and risotto. It wasn't a giant bowl of risotto, with the rest, but the focus was on the vegetables, which I appreciated.
My only complaint (and it is minor) was that the music was a little loud and contained vocals. I think vocal-less would have created a better atmosphere for conversation.
Truly exceptional, seasonal menu. Â Attentive service. Â Great sunset view from the wrap-around porch (enclosed). Â I will be back.
I had the Gnocchi with Swiss Chard and Sausage and the Venison Chop (rare). Â Both dishes were rich and complex with carefully chosen accompaniments. Â Portions are a bit large actually, so you will probably not need or want dessert.
For my 100th review (and also our 1-year wedding anniversary), I was really excited to visit Michael's before concluding our weekend getaway in Stowe. Â Perhaps our hopes were too high...
For the prices, the food was just ok. Â We both got the pumpkin soup, which while creamy and smooth, was rather flat and plain tasting. Â My husband was extremely disappointed with his skillet chicken, which was mostly brussel sprouts and one small dry piece of chicken with not a drop of sauce to accompany. Â The unseasoned chicken was a light beige, unappetizing color. Â He mainly ordered the dish for the smoked cheddar bread pudding that it came with, but was disappointed to only receive a cubic inch of it (and it wasn't even that good). Â I did like my lobster pot pie, however. Â The lobster pieces were tender, the thick broth savory, and the light buttery crust was delicious.
The service was fine. Â Our waiter kept our drinks filled and even fixed our table when he noticed it was wobbly, without us having to say anything. Â The restaurant was clean and had a simple decor, and the windows overlook the beautiful Green Mountains. Â
On to the experience. Â It was god awful, though not entirely the fault of the restaurant. Â The restaurant itself was near empty, but for some reason they seated us right next to a table with two couples. Â Two horribly loud, inappropriate, annoying couples. Â One of the guys was the worst of them all, swearing constantly, talking about spanking the other woman, and discussing to some graphic extent pornography. Â I wish I was exaggerating, but they just had no care for anyone else around them. Â Of course, by the time we couldn't take it anymore, we were halfway through our meal. Â Looking back, we probably should have asked for another seat, but we had no idea how insanely horrible those people would make our night. Â We couldn't even enjoy each other's company. Â All I could think about was "I can't wait to get out of here".
I truly wish I had more positive things to say about the meal. Â Despite the bad experience, which we've chalked up to bad luck, we tried to remain objective about the food. Â For the $100 we spent, the food itself should have been a lot better. Â
Though we'll be returning to Stowe, we won't be returning to Michael's.
I was part of R.W.'s group on 10/15, but felt there should be added or reinforced commentary. Â Not a cheapskate here, but I am still ruing over a dish where the price starts with a "4." Â It should knock your socks off and if you're serving hundreds of lobsters in broth, you should know how to get it right. Â Break open the pastry crust to find unevenly cooked veggies, unpleasant lobster and mediocre broth... ok, so make due with the other little treats on the plate..... wait, just a bowl of "fell short shellfish."
Was looking forward to this from Virginia and now it's what I remember anyway...
My review is a bit harsh, but it is driven by the prices. Â Michael's served three of us a $43 lobster pot pie in a cognac sauce -- in all three cases, the loster was rubbery and the vegetables were cut unevenly. Â We also got a crab rissole for $20 or so that looked and tasted like a frozen wonton (according to my food dictionary, a rissole is supposed to be a potato and crab cake - nothing like what Michael's served us). Â Â A pumpkin soup was sort of interesting, with a dark, almost brick-like flavor, but a couple of spoonfuls was enough. Â We really wanted to like the restaurant, but it simply wasn't as good as it thought it was.
Review Source:We made a reservation at Micheal's while we were staying in Waterbury.
Other than the fact we had to eat earlier than we would have chosen (the place us really popular so the best times are reserved a ways in advance) everything was pretty much perfect.
Our server was really nice and professional and looked after us really well.
The wine list isn't huge but some very good choices. The markups don't seem to be too bad either, some pretty good prices on many bottles.
The food is excellent. We both ate from the Platinum menu. Could not find any fault with the food.
All in all, a very nice evening. Highly recommended. We would certainly not hesitate to go back.
OMG, we hiked mt. hunger on a foggy drizzly day and what a great reward.  the pumpkin soup was outstanding.   they= wait staff was very gracious and accomodating of my friend and i,  the apple gallette (sp?)  i shared , but  i could have eaten 3.  great to sit a the bar and watch the dance in the kitchen.  definitley a place to return to.....
Review Source:This restaurant's food and service is superb. Â My most recent meal (Aug 2009) was simply incredible. The ingredients were local, fresh, and expertly prepared. Â My wife and I have been to Michaels four or five times and have never been disappointed. Â
We generally go for the prix fixe meals which provide a great representation of the menu. Â A recent meal included roasted corn soup and a pate assortment as apps; open faced lobster ravioli and an incredible chicken (yes, chicken dish); followed by a dessert of chocolate torte and a cheese plate. Â
The cocktails are well done and the wine list extensive. Â Worth a visit to Stowe/Waterbury VT just for the meal.
I love this restaurant! Â I wish I could kidnap the chef and make him open a restaurant in Dallas! Â It was beyond incredible!
First of all, Michael's is a member of the Vermont Fresh Network, Slow Food and Local First Vermont...this locavore was IMPRESSED! Â I also like the 20% discount I received on my Thursday night dining venture for saying that I dine locally. Â Another big smile!
The menu has two sides, one for ordering ala carte and another with the tasting menu. Â I didn't know about the two sides of the menu, so we ended up ordering ala carte. Â I would have preferred to order from the tasting menu, but our waitress didn't point out this feature and I didn't notice until I asked for a copy of the menu to take home. Â Grrrr....
Our meal...I began with the Maine Crab Salad with Tomatillo Fennel Tart and Garden Cress. Â Divine. Â It was big for an appetizer, so I should have stopped there but I'd already ordered an entree. Â My entree was the Roasted Summer Squash, Whole Grains and La Luna Goat Cheese Gratin with Spinach and Squash Blossom Salad. Â J-E-S-U-S...it rocked! Â It was beyond rich, and since my appetizer had filled me up, most of the entree came home for the next day's lunch. Â It was lovely as a left over.
Sugar Bear began with a Roasted Corn Soup with Mint and Corn Shoots. Â It sounds like an odd dish, but the flavors melded beautifully and created an artful soup. Â His entree was the Open Ravioli of Maine Lobster with Roasted Mushrooms, Leeks, Sherry and Hazelnuts. Â I couldn't believe he ordered this dish because he does not enjoy lobster. Â He wanted to experiment since we were so close to Maine. Â I was pretty sure that this $43 entree would not be eaten. Â He loved it. Â There was a BUNCH of lobster in this dish, and the shellfish hater at EVERY last morsel of it while moaning with delight. Â I may have a convert!
I believe we actually had to pass on dessert because we were so full. Â We'll be back and try dessert then. Â Move to Dallas Michael!!
i really, really, REALLY wish that I wasn't sick when we ate here. Â I could only taste after I had blown my nose or sneezed all over the food. Â
What I CAN say about the restaurant is that the host was accommodating and gracious. Â We called late after bailing out on another reservation, showed up 35 minutes early for our 8 pm reservation, and she still seated us by 7:45. Â Nice.
The ambiance, the cleanliness of the place, the jazz pianist, the candle lighting all lent themselves to a fantastic dining experience.
As for the food (what I could taste of it!), we had the cheaper of the two tasting menus and it had a LOT of food. Â Including a morsel of cheesy goodness that the chef created especially for that night, a tasty appetizer, main course, and dessert with coffee or tea. Â
Vermont is huge on the Slow Food movement right now, and this place is no exception. Â We came back the next day on our way home to see the view from the place during the day and they were getting deliveries from the local bakery. Â There's a very extensive list of partner-farms from the area, and it makes you feel really good that 1) you're supporting the small farmer who is doing everything he can to live and farm sustainably and 2) the food is at its maximum possible freshness. It doesn't get better than that!
It was a well rounded experience for $65, and if I could, I would totally go ALL THE WAY BACK TO STOWE to eat here again.
The meal I had at Michael's ranks as one of THE BEST meals I've EVER had. Â Everything was bursting with flavor and creatively prepared with locally-sourced ingredients. Â As part of the Slow Food movement, each meal is made fresh to a small number of diners and can take awhile to prepare. Â We enjoyed our meal from the tasting menu for 3 hours (we ordered wine, Chef's choice, appetizer, entree, dessert, tea).
LOVED: the maple balsamic fresh greens, squash soup, vegetable gnocchi, fresh bread/butter, apple gallette, and chocolate torte with peanut ice cream.
The atmosphere was so inviting, homey, and cozy in the 1820s farm house. Â A special touch was the live pianist. Â The waitstaff were incredibly friendly and accommodating.
NOTE: splitting a bill can result in a 20% fee.
The wait staff were great. Relaxed yet professional. Had the crab cake for starter, and just for fun I blurted out "and the gnocchi" Holly poop the gnocchi was good.
The pork was cooked just right.
We were torn on the dessert because we wanted to taste the cheese cake ice cream but were is the mood for chocolate. So they brought the chocolate with a side of the ice cream. Dudes you rock. By the way the ice cream was OK.
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