On the Menu at Juniper Bar and Restaurant

The opening of Hotel Vermont (2013) gave Burlington its first boutique hotel and a hip new eatery to delight the palates of the Queen City. Juniper Bar and Restaurant greets visitors with a warm Vermont welcome, from their flannel-outfitted staff to the bar-side chalkboard filled with the names of Vermont farms providing the day's ingredients. Even the seasonal cocktail menu at Juniper is a salute to their farm partners-most all are crafted with Vermont spirits and adorned with a pickled local veggie, candied Vermont cranberry or the like.

The man behind the stove is Chef Doug Paine. We asked him, “What unique Vermont ingredient will you find on the Juniper menu?”

Fresh Vermont trout roe…

Chef Doug is making his own caviar by lightly salt curing freshly harvested brown trout roe from Mountain Foot Farm in Wheelock, Vermont. Chef Doug serves the delicacy with house-made crème fraiche from Monument Farms’ cream and roasted fingerling potatoes. Additional menu inspirations, like pan-fried fresh trout roe with onions, lots of fresh chopped herbs and smoked bacon with grilled toast slathered in Vermont Creamery Butter, spring up pending availability. Chef Doug explains, “the trout has seasonal limitations on availability, but what makes Vermont cuisine so great is that most people understand and embrace the seasonality of quality foods.”

Juniper at Hotel Vermont will host their first Farmers’ Dinner on February 1st featuring Maple Wind Farm, Pete’s Greens and Starbird Fish. This will be a family style meal with optional beverage pairings. Hotel Vermont will also offer a deal on rooms for dinner guests that evening. Find more information here and reserve your spot soon, this will be a popular event.