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daniels
Member since Feb 1, 2008
Latest Review
Recent Comments
Re: “El Gato Cantina (Burlington)”
Hoping for good Mexican in BTV? Keep looking
For all of the great restaurants in Burlington, our area falls short in the Mexican category. Our party of 4 was hoping that finally, there would be a good Mexican restaurant. This is not that place. The space is nice, although there is no outdoor dining available as of 8/9. Our servers were hopelessly confused and inexperienced. Simple questions like "Do you have sangria?" or "Do the tamales contain pork?" proved challenging for the servers, even though they've been open for a few weeks. The servers were unfamiliar with the menu too, so we resorted to pointing at dishes on the menu. The food is disappointing. I ordered a chili relleno and a burrito. My wife had burritos, and a friend had fish tacos. Each dish had its own problem so I can't say that there is one single issue that was wrong with every dish. The chili relleno was overcooked, the fish taco was bland, and the burrito had been assembled so all the liquid-like cheese had run out the sides upon serving. Perhaps things will improve in time...but best to avoid for now.
Food: 2
Ambiance: 3
Service: 2
Posted by
daniels
on 08/10/2011 at 10:39 AM
Re: “Leunig's Bistro & Café”
Always Good
This is the most dependably good restaurant in Burlington. The nice space, perfect location and attentive waitstaff help round out the experience. We had the Moroccan Tempeh, the Beef Bourguignon, a burger, salads and dessert. Everything was great, although the Moroccan tempeh dish was a standout even if you're not a vegetarian.
Food: 5
Ambiance: 5
Service: 5
Posted by
daniels
on 04/12/2010 at 2:22 PM
Re: “The Green Room”
Love this place
Our group of 5 ate here on Saturday night. Our waiter was very patient and knowledgable. Our meals were served quickly, as we had to catch a show nearby at 7 PM. The wine selection was ample and affordable. All of our meals were good. I had the fantastic winter salad and great chorizo/rice dish. My dad had the restaurant's piece de resistance, the Canadian Duck entree which is the most expensive item at $30. This meal was the weakest plate of the evening as it gets lost, in opinion. There are too many layers to this dish, and some of the flavor gets lost in the gravy. Other than this minor issue, we were as delighted with our meals here as we always are.
Food: 4
Ambiance: 4
Service: 5
Posted by
daniels
on 03/16/2010 at 11:05 AM
Re: “The Green Room”
Best Upscale Restaurant in Burlington
Our group of 5 enjoyed a fantastic meal. The space is elegant, and the staff knowledgable. I tried the duck (most expensive dish on the menu at $30) and it was great. I enjoyed the excellent blend of unusual mushrooms, quail eggs, and the great quality duck itself. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meal, and we're never disappointed here.
Food: 5
Ambiance: 4
Service: 4
Posted by
daniels
on 02/12/2010 at 9:10 AM
Re: “Ice House Restaurant & Bar”
Not the best in town
I associate this restaurant with summertime, when tourists flood the waterfront and spot this attractive spot nearby. In August, it's full every night. But on a cold January evening, there were only a handful of tables taken. Even with coupons in most local newspapers at this time of year, it's still not a great value. The food isn't particularly good, but it's not awful. My wife's seafood stew was OK (tomato sauce was flavorful, but the seafood was bland and the mussels were undercooked). My trout was bland but not awful, but didn't really provide a memorable meal. This is a good place if your idea of good food is the Olive Garden, but you want somewhere a bit fancier for an evening. The food is middle of road, making it a good place for a large group like a business dinner. Everybody can find something they can be comfortable with.
Food: 3
Ambiance: 4
Service: 3
Posted by
daniels
on 01/28/2010 at 9:10 AM
Re: “¡Duino! (Duende)”
A work in Progress
Based on the excellent reviews here, we checked out this restaurant on a Tuesday evening. The host was very friendly, and got us a nice table towards the rear. The decor is really pretty with the exposed brick and candlelight. The menu is really fun and eclectic. My wife and I were happy to try some very imaginative soups and kabobs, and we're thankful for a place that seems to be pretty daring with their menu. Prices are very reasonable.
The bad part was related to the cold. First, the restaurant was cold (I would guess the room temperature was in the mid-50s) on a night when the outside temperature was about 20 degrees. Patrons, ourselves included, gathered multiple candles to keep warm. We kept our hats and mittens on, but it's tough to eat with mittens. It's just not relaxing to eat in coats. I know heat is expensive, but it's necessary to keep patrons happy. The second issue related to temperature was due to raw chicken in our kabobs. We sent the chicken back to the kitchen, and they refunded the money but it's important to cook food. The table next to us sent back there meals too as it was cold by the time it arrived.
I wish this place lots of luck. With a few minor changes, it could be great.
Food: 3
Ambiance: 3
Service: 3
Posted by
daniels
on 12/28/2009 at 11:46 AM
Re: “”
Shockingly Good Food
Daily Planet had been my favorite B-town restaurant for several years, but it went downhill for a time. I've now tried it twice in two months, and both times the food has been superb. This time, I had arctic char and squash soup. Both were exquisite. The char was cooked perfectly with sublime flavor and toppings. The soup was very packed with flavor, although it was a bit thick. I think the word has gotten out about the great food here, because there wasn't a free table on a Tuesday night!
Food: 5
Ambiance: 5
Service: 4
Posted by
daniels
on 12/16/2009 at 9:23 AM
Re: “El Gato Cantina (Burlington)”
Improving with time
We tried El Gato during their first month open last year, and were disappointed. We tried it again May 2012 and feel the food and service improved greatly. We were there during Restaurant Week, and they had some good special dishes (red snapper) which impressed. The snapper had perfect spice levels, cooked perfectly and the black beans were a nice compliment. The amateur waitstaff from opening month seems to have learned what's on their menu now, although they did forget one appetizer during the meal. The cake tres leches was a great dessert- flavorful and moist. Food: 4 Ambiance: 4 Service: 3