| New
England Culinary Institute Commons,
Burlington, VT |
P273 |
| |
| A Top Pick in the
Area |
| |
You would expect them to pay
attention to the food at a restaurant run
by the New England Culinary Institute,
and they do. They also pay
attention to other details, which makes
for a very pleasant overall dining
experience.
This bistro-style restaurant is located
on northern end of Church Street -- a
street which has been closed off and is a
pedestrian walkway. The only
negative with the location is that
parking can be a problem. If you're
a city type and don't mind pulling into a
parking ramp and paying for your car to
wait for you, then you can find parking
nearby.
After several visits (more than 6, less
than a dozen), over the past two years, I
still enjoy going back. We always
ask for a table in the "wine
room" at the back of the first
floor. The ceiling is lower, the
back wall is lined with wine bottles, and
it's a quieter, more intimite atmosphere
than other parts of the restaurant.
When you walk in the door, you are in
their cafe area. The glass cases
where take-out items are displayed
(fantastic pasta salads, delicious savory
turnovers, and beautifully elegant
pastries), shoppers can get coffee or tea
and enjoy a brief bite while sitting at
little cafe tables.
Diners parade past the brick oven where
NECI's innovative pizzas are baked, and
the bank of rotisseries, where the
free-range chicken is turning. The
main thing I don't like about sitting in
this part of the restaurant is that
they've used those awful, cost-saving,
mini-fluorescent lights... and even a
wonder piping hot bowl of carrot-ginger
soup looks cold under those lights.
(and I'm sure if the soup doesn't look
good, I don't either.)
The upstairs boasts a high ceiling, floor
to ceiling windows overlooking the Church
Street mall, an antique bar, and windows
into the pastry kitchen where students
work in the evening to create what will
be on the menu the following day.
It is a lively space, and can get loud
when the restaurant is full.
As you would expect, the menu changes
with the season. Whatever the season, a
basket of breads will arrive at your
table shortly after being seated.
The white country style loaf with black
sesame seeds is my favorite. As far
as entrees go, the pork loin with apple
brandy is tender, juicy, and a perfect
fall meal. The free-range
rotissserie chicken, served over their
special cheddar mashed potatoes (they're
so good, you might just want to order
them as a side order and share so
everyone at the table can enjoy a bite)
stays on the menu, and it should. The
seafood stew is beautifully seasoned for
a rich, but still delicate flavor.
It may be difficult, but try to save room
for dessert. The homey desserts,
for example rice pudding or creme carmel,
are given a light touch, and somehow are
always just a bit better than what Mom
used to make. Their fancy desserts
may include a spun sugar dome over a
pecan-rum mousse cake, a chocolate opera
cake that's way better than an hour of
Pavorotti, and during the summer there's
always something made with fresh berries.
The students attending the N.E. Culinary
Institute cook your meal, and students
serve it to you as well. There have
been a couple of times when our server
displayed those first-day-on-the-job
jitters, but we have never received bad
service. A professional dining room
manager oversees the service aspect, (and
he has confidence to spare) and overall,
the students do a very fine job.
Food:
A
Service:
A-
Atmosphere: A-
|
| New England Culinary
Institute Commons (they
pronounce it "neck-ee"
commons...) |
Overall grade: A |
| 25 Church Street,
Burlington, VT |
| Phone: (802)
862-NECI |
| Date
of visit: 1/2001 |
Rcvd: 1/12/2001 |
| Submitted
by: JMJ, Plattsburgh, NY |
C11 |
R288 |
|
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