Dot's

Location: Wilmington, Vermont

Date: June 24, 2014

Food Ordered: A bowl of chili and a slice of blueberry pie a la mode

The Beck concert, which provided me with an excuse to have lunch at Dot's.

I understand the Sterns' need to tinker with their Roadfood list from edition to edition. Still, I was disappointed to see that the new edition omits Dot's, a charming diner located at the center of Wilmington, a quaint Vermont village that looks like a movie set of a New England town. I spent three summers in Middlebury, Vermont, working on a Masters in literature. But Middlebury is a long way from Southern Vermont, and during my first two summers, I just couldn't find a way to justify driving almost two and a half hours (one way) to find a diner. But on the night before the first day of classes in my third summer at Middlebury, I had reason to be in North Adams, Mass for a concert (Beck, at Mass MOCA, a modern art museum housed in what used to be a factory complex). Since I had some time to kill until the show, and since I wasn't sure when I'd find myself at loose ends in this part of the state again, I decided to drive to Wilmington for a late lunch.

On the map, North Adams and Wilmington look like they're pretty close together but no two locations in Vermont and Western Mass are as close as they look, and it ended up taking me about forty-five minutes to reach my destination. The road was lined with "Moose Crossing" signs and I spent the entire drive sneaking expectant glances at the woods. This was a familiar habit of mine in Vermont: I spent each of my three summers on high Moose Alert, but alas, was to be denied time and time again. My waitress at Dot's told me that a stretch of Route 9, the state highway that runs through the center of Wilmington, had recently been closed when a trucker struck a moose - so maybe I should be thankful that one never graced me with its presence.

As it turned out, moose-related accidents were the least of Wilmington's recent concerns. In August of 2011, it was completely devastated by Hurricane Irene, as were many towns in the area. The story of its resurrection, which required the financial and moral support of the entire town, drew the attention of the New York Times. (The framed article, which tells this improbable story, is on the wall - it's hard to miss when you come in.) Dot's 2.0 looks sturdy and modern - it's still under the same management, and it still serves more or less the same menu. Still, I have to imagine that the hurricane deprived it of some of its character - even though I suppose it's a miracle the diner exists at all. From what I understand, it was once that classic small town New England diner where locals don't have to ask for their cup of coffee and slice of pie, and say things like, "Nice day, if it don't rain." Maybe this still happens during the morning shift at Dot's, but it was hard to tell at 4:00 in the afternoon when I paid my visit. Despite the vintage neon sign outside, the dining space looked clean and modern, and was just about empty. I sat at the bar and enjoyed talking to my chatty waitress, who recommended I try the chili. Surely Vermont isn't known for its chili, but the Sterns had also given it their approval. I gave it a shot and was glad I did: aside from being the perfect vessel for a big hunk of Vermont cheddar, it was thick and meaty, although only mildly spicy. And even though I usually manage to resist indulging in pie, I was glad to have a slice of gooey blueberry pie a la mode.

(Note: I've been using stars to rate these restaurants, but since I've enjoyed just about every Roadfood spot I've ever been to, that might not be the best system. I think instead I'll just go with a simple yay or nay - or, maybe "do it" or "skip it." It's important to point out too that "skip it" doesn't necessarily mean I don't like the the restaurant. It may just mean I don't think has the requisite character or culinary notability to be properly termed Roadfood. For example, Woodberry Kitchen - for my money, the best restaurant in Baltimore - would earn a "skip it," simply because it just doesn't meet the criteria.)

Unlike pictures in previous posts, I actually took this one as official documentation of my visit.

That being said...

Verdict: SKIP IT. Let me qualify this verdict by saying that the food (or what I had of it) was great, as was the service. And even the new space itself, while slightly sterile inside, is notable for its classic sign and its main dining room, which juts out over the rapidly running Deerfield River. I will not hesitate to stop here again next time I am in Wilmington with some time to kill. Yet, while I'm disappointed by the deletion of Dot's from the offical list, I can understand it. There is nothing served here that can't be found at a good restaurant anywhere else in the country.