Simon Pearce

In October 2012, I visited the Simon Pearce Restaurant in Vermont with my husband, mother and grandmother.  My uncle had told us about it and mentioned good food and scenic views.  In October in New England, everywhere you look is a scenic view with the leaves changing, but at Simon Pearce, there's a waterfall just outside the restaurant, which is a lovely addition to the already beautiful surroundings.

Simon Pearce is a glass factory, and they sell exquisite bowls, wine glasses, etc.  This is a great place to find a wedding present for someone you love!  We put our name in at the restaurant and wandered downstairs to watch a glass blowing demonstration while we waited.  It was quite fascinating watching a piece of glass become a champagne flute.

When our table was ready, we were very pleased with the location.  It was right next to the windows where we had an excellent view of the waterfall outside.  I also loved the rustic decor mixed with the gorgeous hand blown glasses on the table.

It was a Sunday, so we ordered off of their Sunday Brunch menu.  I just looked up the current Sunday Brunch menu, and although our options were similar, I think they've changed slightly.  While we waited for our order, we snacked on the bread and butter that our waitress brought to the table.

We decided to treat ourselves to their locally made beverages.  I ordered sparkling apple cider, which came in a wine glass.  My husband ordered the Rugged Mountain Root Beer, which came in a bottle, and my mom ordered the Spindrift sparkling orange mango juice, which also came in a bottle.  I tasted all of the beverages, and I think the consensus was that they were good but not amazing.  Next time we'd order something else, but it was fun to try something different.

Mediterranean Lamb Burger

My husband ordered the Mediterranean Lamb Burger.  He's always a fan of lamb.  He thought it was juicy but a little gamey, although he's not against the gamey taste.  It came with a baby spinach and feta salad.  He put some of the feta on his sandwich, and loved it.

Shepherd's Pie

My mother and grandmother both ordered the Shepherd's Pie.  It was hearty and delicious.  My mom couldn't finish hers, so my husband helped her out.  It came with a green salad, which was a nice light complement to the rich entree.

Vermont Cheddar Soup

I ordered a bowl of Vermont Cheddar Soup and a Butter Lettuce Salad.  I honestly can't say enough about that soup.  It was white cheddar as only Vermont can make it, and I haven't stopped thinking about that delicious, creamy taste ever since.  I always forget how filling soup is, and this was no exception.  It was probably the best bowl of soup I've ever had.  The salad was delicious as well.  There's truly no better combo than soup and salad.

I honestly haven't stopped thinking about this soup.  I keep telling my husband we need to go back to Vermont just so we can eat at Simon Pearce.  Just yesterday, my husband came home with Vermont White Cheddar from Trader Joe's.  I guess that's a cheaper option than flying to Vermont, but I know I'm not going to be able to recreate that soup at home.  That said, it's really delicious on a grilled roast beef sandwich, which is how we ate it last night.  To recreate this sandwich, refer to my Rye Bread recipe.  At the end of that post, I describe how I make Pastrami & Swiss sandwiches on Rye.  Just substitute Roast Beef and White Cheddar for the Pastrami & Swiss.

Roast Beef and White Cheddar on Rye

If you haven't had white cheddar, you're really missing out, but make sure you get white cheddar that was made in Vermont.  As I mentioned above, you can find it in the cheese section at your local Trader Joe's.  Or, if you happen to be in Vermont, make sure you stop at Simon Pearce and enjoy a delicious meal while you drool over the beautiful blown glass.

Happy Eating!