802.862.2777
VerMexican « p.44 tenuous, the wings nonetheless fed a craving for bite-size, bone-in chicken. And the dip, a buttermilky sauce made with feta from Bennington’s Maplebrook Farm, was a worthy accompaniment to crisp sticks of carrot and jicama — a hydrating, south-of-the-border vegetable and fine stand-in for celery. Mi Casa’s tacos are a bit pricey and add up when ordered à la carte; better to go for a taco plate ($13.95). This delivers three tacos, rice, beans (whole black ones, savory with cumin and vegetable stock) and salsa. My tacos were inexplicably wrapped in soggy flour folds that did the fillings a disservice (next time I’ll ask for corn tortillas). Still, the fillings were all quite tasty.
112 Lake Street • Burlington www.sansaivt.com
From bite to bite, distinguishing one ingredient From another took a good deal oF eFFort, but
it was a merry melding, and it worked.
1/7/13 2:08 PM
SEVENDAYSVt.com
12v-SanSai010913.indd 1
07.09.14-07.16.14
7/7/14
Summer Deals!
SEVEN DAYS
12V-LostNation070914.indd 1
1 large, 1-topping pizza, 12 wings and a 2 liter Coke product
$19.99
2 large, 1-topping pizzas & 2-liter Coke product
$24.99
Plus tax. Pick-up or delivery only. Expires 7/31/14. limit: 1 offer per customer per day.
46 FOOD
phOtOs: matthew thOrsen
Reservations Recommended
food
973 Roosevelt Highway Colchester • 655-5550 www.threebrotherspizzavt.com
In the duck confit taco, the meat was tender, topped with tangy, cider-braised cabbage reminiscent of kimchi and just a bit of sweet beet purée, which lent a lovely pink color and earthy depth to the ensemble. Like the other tacos on the menu, the duck mélange paired similar flavors and textures. From bite to bite, distinguishing one ingredient from another took a good deal of effort, but it was a merry melding, and it worked. The carnitas tacos, stuffed with barely sweet, perfectly stringy pulled pork, salsa verde and tangy pickled onion, were especially good. The carne asada taco was stacked with grilled chuck steak — not the skirt steak described on the menu — with caramelized onions and a squirt of creamed avocado. While this fold packed the most distinct flavors, it was the least interesting of the lot. Still, diners who crave beef should get it in a taco and forsake the steak ($23), which was tough and riddled with gristle. The mostly unadorned hunk of beef shoulder was served with a sad side of wilted greens; the zingy tomatillo chimichurri atop the beef was the best thing about the dish. That and the yucca fries, which were cracking crisp outside and delightfully soft within — 3:52 PMa fine starch to accompany any meat. Those fries also appeared alongside a chorizo burger ($11.95). Despite the spicy moniker, the porky patty was milder than expected, but it had enough kick to give the burger — oozing and quivering with meaty juice — a smoky, sausage-like saltiness that bordered on brilliant. The burger came topped with cheese, avocado, mayo and a runny fried egg. If it sounds like a mouthful, it was, but a damn good one, and light enough for lunch. I limited myself to eating half and saved the rest for later, which left room for a few more of those fantastic yucca fries dipped in the chile de árbol mayo. Mi Casa covers vegetarian ground, as well. A sauce-soaked vegetable enchilada ($12.95) came packed with cubes of fresh, grilled summer vegetables — which, during my visit, included squash, chayote, caramelized onions and roasted poblanos — along with creamy goat cheese. It was a hearty, satisfying dish with a hint of citrus, but it was also a reminder of what Mi Casa is and isn’t. The dish, like the restaurant, lacked a certain cha cha cha, but for Yankee Mexican, ’ta bien, wey. m
Chorizo burger
Contact: hannah@sevendaysvt.com
INFo mi Casa Kitchen & Bar, 128 main street, stowe, 253-5333. micasastowe.com
Vegetable enchilada