Oakes and Evelyn, Montpelier, VT

On my recent trip to Vermont we explored some new restaurants in central Vermont. We were spurred on by a couple of things. One was that a favorite place had no reservations and another was closed for the week. Less wonderful is that some places were shuttered permanently. It is true that no one person can keep a place open, and the intermittent visitor, such as myself, is even less helpful, but it is yet another reminder of what the pandemic has cost all of us beyond the loss of life.

The New England Culinary Institute has also shuttered it's doors in Montpelier, but two of it's graduates opened this restaurant and that is a good thing. There is a lot of seafood on the menu, and if you eat octopus, the small plate of that is highly recommended. The other real highlight was the gnocchi. Do not make the mistake we did of getting the small order. These light, pillowy version of a classic were someof the best I have had, and inspired us to try again to make them at home. So so good.