Cuisine:

• American
• Regional

Bluebird Tavern Description:
Once a culinary desert, Burlington's Riverside Avenue is abuzz with the promise of an upscale, whole foods bistro. Dishes such as steak tartare are offered only when Vermont beef is available, while delicate, ricotta-based gnudi are a steady favorite and sized to share. Guests can sip Bordeaux by the glass or try original cocktails, like Garden Party, a summery blend of dry rosé and St. Germain elderflower liqueur. Grab a table on the Spanish balcony, where al fresco views of the Winooski River complement the kitchen's tapas-style menu. We snacked on heavily sugared bacon-candied almonds. But gourmands will find endless adventure, whether sampling tomato-soaked breads smothered in sungolds, or pâtés of salty chicken liver paired with shaved beets. Chef Aaron Josinsky changes the menu nightly, swinging from crispy pig's tail to asparagus salads and deep-fried harissa crab. Desserts demand a measure of risk, as the restaurant's farm-fresh focus isn't to all tastes (goat's milk ice cream anyone?). Still, java junkies will swoon over the rich, French press coffee, and there are digestifs in abundance. Service is attentive, if relaxed, and exudes savvy. Hungry locavores are in good hands.


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