I’m from Burlington, Vermont – born and bred but I’ve lived in Boston for more years than I lived in Vermont. I couldn’t get out of Burlington fast enough and never looked back but I have a softt spot for it. When I was in college I was embarrassed to tell people I was from Vermont because I thought I’d be considered a hick. Now, saying you’re from Vermont is a status symbol. Products with Made in Vermont labels have a certain cache ; you know them – Ben and Jerry’s, Cabot’s Cheese, Green Mountain Coffee, Lake Champlain Chocolates and then there’s the music that comes from Vermont like Phish and Grace Potter.
My birthday and my mother’s birthday fall one day apart. That’s always been a special thing. So, last Saturday we drove to Vermont for the weekend and to have our annual birthday dinner with my mother, who by the way turned 93 and lives a VERY independent life.
My brother and sister-in-law drove in from the other side of the state and met us at The Kitchen Table Bistro in Richmond. Richmond used to be a Sunday drive into the country, now it’s a suburb of Burlington. The restaurant is the former home of the son of the first governor of Vermont which he built for his son. Each room is a dining room and there’s a small bar with a few tables. There are also tables on the second floor and an outside patio. The restaurant is noted as a “from farm to table” restaurant. Everything is locally sourced including the meat. It’s a little expensive for the Burlington, Vermont area. If you’re charging $30 for a steak it had better be a good piece of meat; the consensus was not so much. Everyone mostly enjoyed dinner, We had a selection of very good Vermont cheeses to start, my salmon (not from Vermont) was delicious, my brother’s hamburger was good and my mom’s cod very good and that meat I mentioned, not so good. Then, they brought cake with a candle and the whole room joined in singing Happy Birthday. My mother then proceeded to blow out the candle in just one blow!! Would I recommend it – sure if you’re in the Burlington area but it was really nothing special.
What was special was the time spent with family.
See you at the bar….
