5123 Main St., Waitsfield, 496-6003, canteencreemee.com
Ice cream might not be your first thought after a frosty day on the mountain, but Waitsfield’s go-to creemee spot has more than just desserts. “I do ice cream all winter because it’s in my name, so I feel a certain obligation,” Canteen Creemee Company owner Charlie Menard said with a laugh. After a break in November, Canteen Creemee will reopen for winter the first week of December. Menard said he typically sees plenty of mountain-goers from nearby Mad River Glen and Sugarbush Resort, but winter is also a time for catching up with folks from the Mad River Valley. “We’re so busy during the summer, it’s nice to see locals come back and make them dinner,” he said. Those dinners feature items such as griddled burgers, fish and chips, and Grilled Kim-Cheese (with kimchi, of course). It’s the fried chicken, though, that can’t be missed. Get it in sandwich form as the Original Cluckster, or in a box — from two pieces to 32 — served with cornbread pudding, slaw and pickles. The walk-up window is for takeout only, so don’t forget your mittens. They’re perfect for holding creemees, after all.
FILE: JEB WALLA CE-BRODEUR
Canteen Creemee Company
Fried chicken box from Canteen Creemee Company
Mojo Café
4026 Main St., Manchester, 417-5049, thecrookedramvt.com
106 Main St., Ludlow, 228-6656, mojocafevt.com
Though it opened in early 2017 as a tiny bottle shop, the Crooked Ram has evolved into an eating and drinking destination. It carries interesting Vermont beers and ciders and one of the most dialed-in selections of natural and local wines in the state. Things have been busy during the pandemic, thanks to an influx of city folks who came to quarantine in the area, co-owner Peter Campbell said. So busy, in fact, that the Ram is expanding. The crew built out a full kitchen in the summer, added dinner service, and plans to increase outdoor seating with a beer garden. The dinner menu, which changes from week to week, features chef Nevin Taylor’s seasonal dishes. These include warm focaccia with fennel pollen, chile flakes and olive oil; beet romesco flatbread; salad with pecorino and lemon vinaigrette; beef tartare tucked under thin slices of kohlrabi; and littleneck clams in a garlic-lemon broth good enough to drink. Tables are by reservation, but service is low-key and ordering takes place at the counter. Not sure what to order from the extensive beverage lists? The staff will pour you a taste and share why they’re excited about what’s in the glass. Whether you nerd out on natural wine or load up on local beer, maybe plan to take the second chair at Stratton or Bromley the next morning.
Catfish gumbo and alligator tacos aren’t typical farm-to-table fare in Vermont — alligator farms are hard to come by. But that hasn’t stopped Mojo Café from carving out a “Ver-Mex-Orleans” niche in the growing Okemo-area dining scene. On Mojo’s menu — inspired by owners Jodi and John Seward’s travels and love of Cajun food — loaded burritos and punishingly hot Nashville chicken po’boys vie for attention, while unexpected spice mixes jazz up Vermont-grown vegetables and meats. Adventurous ordering is encouraged. “I don’t want to serve food you can make at home, because what’s the point of doing that?” John asked. The Sewards opened Mojo in 2014. John is the chef, and Jodi runs the front of house, keeping hungry skiers and snowboarders in line as they pour into the playful counter-service spot — currently open for takeout only. Grab a gumbo special or the slathered Enchurrito to-go. If you’re ordering in person, add a can of craft beer, a margarita or a Hurricane to get the bon temps rolling. Tacos at Mojo Café
Hot cocktails go hand in hand with standing by a campfire. LEE KINSEY
FILE: TOM MCNEILL
The Crooked Ram
Lee Kinsey with cocktails at Blackbird Bistro in 2019
SEVEN DAYS STAYTRIPPER DECEMBER 2020
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