While I was tempted to go for the oysters on the half shell, I had to remind myself that I was in the middle of the glorious Vermont mountains, not a seaside resort in Maine. If you want to stay on the light side however, aside from their fresh salads, they offer a delicious cucumber kimichi with pickled ginger, cilantro, scallion and sesame oil, the Twin Diver Scallops with fettuccini, fennel and chili and a Beef Tartar with Capers, Olives and Anchovies, Horseradish Aioli and Crostini.
If calories aren’t a concern, you’re not a vegetarian and are a serious foodie, then go for their seared New England filet mignon served with broccolini, celery root puree and a cabernet-demi glace sauce. Fish lovers will appreciate the grilled amberjack and sesame bok choy and sticky rice crusted seared tuna, which they prepare with carrot and coriander puree, marinated cucumbers, olive salsa and Harissa Aioli. We ended up going for a tasting style menu so we could try out the wide array of dishes they had to offer, starting with the Beef Tartare, which they served with an Austrian rose. I’m not a fan of rose in general and found myself quietly thinking that I wish they would have paired the tartare with anything other than Rose but Dan, the wine steward nailed it. The pairing couldn’t have been more perfect!
This was followed by a scrumptious rabbit sausage and a confit pork belly, served with bacon and dashi broth. The latter was unusually prepared given our remote Vermont location. Tossed over udon noodles, it was served with pickled mushrooms and a poached local quail egg (see below). While it was on the salty side (well spiced however), the White Rhone Blend from Paso Robles was once again a great choice for a wine pairing, enough to leave my head spinning and my mouth smiling ear-to-ear.
Before the red meat arrived, we were pleasantly surprised by the Burrata with Roasted Winter Squash served with Orange Blossom Honey and Mushroom Conserva.
Then, alas, the meats arrived, starting with their renowned five spice seared Holland Deer Farm Vermont venison loin, served with black pepper spaetzle, braised red cabbage and Huckleberry Demi Glace, followed by a pan roasted Tamarind Duck Breast, which they served with sun choke puree, roasted mushrooms, watercress and citrus salad and a orange tamarind sauce. They paired the venison with a Mourvedre Domaine du Gros Nore Bandol France (1998) and the duck was served with a 2010 Chateau L’Argentier Cinsault, Vielles Vignes Languedoc from France.
Other entrees for foodies taking notes, include a Pan Roasted Misty Knoll Chicken, Smoked Fingerling Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts and Bacon with Madeira Wine Jus, a Sweet Potato and Vermont Blue Cheese Ravioli with Thyme Roasted Parsnips and apples in a cider cream and the Pan Roasted Wild Striped Bass, with sesame bok choy and sticky rice over miso broth.
While we may have overdone it a bit given the numerous luscious choices and the fact that we were planning to hit Stratton Mountain’s ski slopes the next day, we somehow ended up tasting a couple of their desserts as well. Their Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Cake, served with lemon curd, macaroon and granita was so light and ‘airy’ enough, I somehow didn’t have as much guilt as I would have had we splurged on a dark chocolate souffle, except that…..we ordered one of those as well.
Below is the flourless chocolate torte, served with a mint ice cream and sea salt.
Names you should write down and seek out are the magicians behind our evening: David Crone, the Executive Chef and Daniel Pisarczyk, the Restaurant Manager and Wine Steward. Our waitress Amy was also top notch so if she’s still there when you pop by, ask for her.
You should also note the suburb service and care that innkeeper Kayja Matthews gives to Windham Hill Inn’s guests, whether that be for a full blown experience at the inn or only for dinner at the restaurant. Her background is of German descent and there is a wonderful German-infused influence in both the restaurant and the inn.
Below is a private dining room guests can reserve in advance, also in the main house.
Details:
Windham Hill Inn is located north of West Townshend Vermont on the road to Windham, approximately 1 1/2 miles from Vermont Route 30.
Note: I was hosted by the Windham Hill Inn but all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. I LOVED this place and can’t say enough positive things about my experience at the inn and dining at the restaurant …..and the service was out of this world.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
