Heard about a new restaurant that opened in the Champlain Islands that served both Thai (one of my favorites) AND American food, so my wife and I just had to try it. Although it was a long drive from our home in S. Burlington, this new place was getting rave reviews from friends, so we simply had to check it out. A long drive on a cold Friday night was the last thing I wanted to do but my wife coaxed me into it.
Victoria's Cafe opened recently in the small village of South Hero. It was quite easy to find and had plenty of parking. However, when we arrived around 6pm, the line to get in was out the door. Fortunately, we were able to get a table as the small cafe was filled with customers within minutes. We hoped the food was as good as we heard and this was a good sign being surrounded by a full house of hungry folks like us.
The servers were polite and charming as they hustled to accommodate everyone. When we were told that every meal was prepared individually to accommodate every customer's tastes, and that it might take awhile, that sounded vaguely familiar. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that this new cafe was chef owned by the the same Thai lady who managed the former VT Thai restaurant, several years ago, which was our favorite destination for Thai.
The food - Oh my God. After a few years missing her wonderful Thai dishes, this was like a homecoming! The pad see ew was as delightful and tasty as I remembered it and the tom yum shrimp was to die for. My wife's favorite maple duck was even available! To finish we had the fried ice cream which was as sinfully delicious as I remember it.
Although our meal kept us in our seats for about an hour, it was well worth waiting for. So nice to enjoy a "home cooked" meal as opposed to the typical assembly line fast food which most restaurants seem to be serving these days, as they fight to keep up with the chains. Despite a full house, everyone was served and even impatient patrons who waited were excited and rewarded when their food arrived.
After a quick discussion with the chef, we told her how happy we were to see her cooking again. Although she was very busy and other customers were anxious to speak to her, she was gracious with her time. We were also pleasantly surprised to find out she also cooks American dishes as well, as she had worked at other area restaurants during her long hiatus. She explained that after leasing in Milton, it took several years to find the right property to buy and own herself. Looks like she made the perfect choice!
The last thing we asked was "why Victoria's Cafe?" She explained it was named after her 2 year old daughter, Victoria, who would someday take over the cafe and perhaps keep the tradition alive. One thing I must say is that it will be tough filling the shoes of this talented, caring Thai cook!
Enjoy the drive to the islands and savor the food. We'll definitely be back. Many thanks to the chef and staff for making us feel at home. read more