R.I.P.

[Alice Levitt]

In discussing what we would like to see appear on the VT scene, FormerChef and mailgirl regretted the passages of Valencia and Sahara, respectively. I agree with both of those and will gladly add Finkerman's in Montpelier and La Carreta in South Burlington to the list. Which deceased restaurants do you miss most?

[Morganna]

Ariel's Riverside is gone now, too. *sigh*  Honestly, and I might get shot for this. I miss Taco Bell. Sometimes I just WANT a Taco Bell taco.

[Moxie]

While I love Flatbread, sometimes I really just want to go to Carbur's. There was something about the variety of food, never knowing when someone would order the Queen City Special and set off a parade of staff banging on instruments, the Beers around the World, and Susie's Sassy Sauce, that's just never been matched by another restaurant downtown.

[Alice Levitt]

My boyfriend still gets a little emotional when he talks about the Chiquita Tostada at Carbur's. At the Queen City Ghostwalk, the lady claims that they weren't able to keep help because of a destructive ghost in the kitchen... Not sure I believe it, but a great story to add to the Carbur's mythos.

[mstonervt]

I'll miss Smokejacks a lot. I have a list of personal favorites on my bio on our corporate site and for a long time, if you Googled Smokejacks, that listing emerged in the first 10 hits. I enjoyed the range of the menu, the quality of the food, the terrific wine lists with many good & unusual choices. But most of all, I think, I liked the dessert menu. I'm lactose intolerant and need to stay away from chocolate at night, esp if I've been drinking red wine, and I loved the fact that dessert at Smokejacks involved many choices, many of them light on the dairy and not containing chocolate.

[Undead Molly]

The location was terrible and the cuisine wasn't haute, but I still miss the Old Heidelburg on Shelburne Road. I don't know of another restaurant around where you can get plain old traditional German food with no fusion or contemporary flourishes. The staff was always really nice, too.

[mailgirl]

I miss New Ethic and Freddy's Hum Baby!  I miss them because they were vegetarian, although I think Freddy's added tuna fish at one point.  I can't say that I thought the food was great at either of them but I am sad that Burlington does not have a full fledged vegetarian place.  New Ethic had some nice things but I don't think they hit the nail on the head to appeal to enough non-veggies to keep them in business.  There are some good veggie choices at places but it is not the same.  If I win the Power Ball I will open a great veggie place!

[Mara]

I had totally forgotten about Freddy's Hum Baby! That place was amazing! They had a veggie Big Mac and it was delicious! Or maybe it was a veggie Whopper.

I worked at Carbur's for years so it's fun to hear people reminisce about it. There was a ghost in that restaurant, someone hung themselves in the basement and it was SO scary down there!!!

[tonyo]

Her are my additions:

Sirloin Saloon (nostalgic place that in it's day as a great place for a steak and a bottle of red wine)

The "old" Mexicali: since moving, they suck

Christophe's:  the place had class and great food, a combination that is rarely found

Dog Team Tavern:  Spinning relish wheel, sticky buns, and the concept of ordering before being sat.  A true classic not likely to be seen again

NECI on Church Street: one of the few consistent spots on Church Street

Taste:  A nice option near the waterfront

[mailgirl]

Boo hoo!  As I read some of the responses to this I am getting sad!  Carbur's : Vegetarian Chef Salad with Ranch Dressing on the side. Yes, Tonyo!  the old Mexecali and NECI for the OATMEAL COOKIES!!!

[Suzanne Podhaizer]

Although it was inconsistent in later years, I miss Smokejacks for many reasons: There I was introduced to homemade sodas, Humboldt Fog cheese and seasonal cuisine. It's also where I had my first dinner date with my husband.

I also miss NECI Commons, in particular the St. Honoré pastries and other goodies from the to-go bakery case, and the New England clam chowder. It's likely that I got more food from NC during its heyday than from any other place in Burlington.

Third, I miss Opaline. Everything I had there was wonderful.

Those are the three main restaurants I visited in the midst of my culinary awakening. Although there are other, now-defunct places that I enjoyed, I can't think of any others I long to have back.   

[siliconghost]

What about Pepper's? Opaline was great too.

I miss my late father's restaurant... Chaz. Where Old Heidelberg used to be, back in the early 90's when it still had a Best Western nextdoor.

I also miss the Big Boy.. and Hunan (where L'Amante is now)

[mailgirl]

Filomena's!
TCBY!  really!

[siliconghost]

Her are my additions:

Sirloin Saloon (nostalgic place that in it's day as a great place for a steak and a bottle of red wine)

The "old" Mexicali: since moving, they suck

Christophe's:  the place had class and great food, a combination that is rarely found

Dog Team Tavern:  Spinning relish wheel, sticky buns, and the concept of ordering before being sat.  A true classic not likely to be seen again

NECI on Church Street: one of the few consistent spots on Church Street

Taste:  A nice option near the waterfront

So right about Cristophe's. I used to serve there.

Also.. Dog Team Tavern had a great formula, but the late Chris Hesslink was not an effective owner.. as I worked for him for two years and am still owed money. P.S.: Secret ingredient to the sticky buns- leftover mashed potatoes.

And mexicali does suck now that they moved, unwarranted price increases and shitty waitstaff. But the durango burrito is still great, and the rellenos still suck.

[Emiriss]

Smokejacks.... La Carreta.... and my great-grandmother's salt pork beans (OK, it wasn't a local restaurant, but I still miss the food.)