By Michelle Edelbaum
Free Press Staff Writer
Holiday shopping can drain even the most dedicated bargain hunters. A satisfying lunch amidst store hopping and deal seeking can revive gift-givers for another round of browsing. So whether you're looking to sit down for a nice meal with your shopping companions or want to grab a bite and go, here are a few spots to grab lunch while you're hitting the stores.
Burlington: Stay and eat
With its soothing classical music, cozy lazy Susan-topped tables and delicious fare, lunch at A Single Pebble is a welcome respite from the bustle of holiday shopping.
Two years ago Single Pebble owner and executive chef Steve Bogart and co-owner and manager Christina Duval began offering weekday lunches at the popular classic Chinese restaurant, focusing on a traditional noodle shop menu.
"I've always wanted a noodle shop. There are so many good noodle recipes," said Bogart, whose establishment was recently named one of the Top 100 Chinese restaurants in the United States by Chinese Restaurant News.
Lunchtime service is quick, portions are generous and prices are $9 and under. Each time I visited, I had enough left over for a second meal.
A pot of complimentary hot tea brought to your table shortly after you are seated commences the meal. The lunch menu, comprised mostly of dishes only served at the midday meal, includes dumplings, small dishes, a wide selection of noodle dishes common in northern China, and rice plates, a staple in southern China. Items from the dinner menu are also available.
Lunch is the meal where Bogart, who cooks the afternoon meal Wednesday-Friday, tries out new creations as specials.
"It's a place I can cook as opposed to maintaining the menu," said Bogart, who uses more than 40 sauces and his deep knowledge of classic Chinese cuisine to re-create from memory delicious dishes he eats on travels to New York, China and beyond.
Bogart's inspired creations include the Yubu style rice plate, a choice of protein such as shrimp or tofu tossed with spicy black bean sauce and served with rice and a vegetable spring roll. Dou Hua, a silken tofu steamed in a spicy Sichuan sauce topped with peanuts, was inspired by Bogart's trip to China last year.
Other classic preparations include chow fun, a wide rice noodle served with savory roast pork or a protein of choice and a complex brown sauce, or the open faced Sho Mai dumpling. A recent special inspired by Bogart's travels is a clam, leek and pork dumpling with the right hint of salt and "Steve's Wild" Sichuan peppercorn sauce atop poached spinach.
Bogart's constant innovation and exploration of the cuisine keep him, and diners, interested.
"I've cooked classical American and Chinese," said Bogart, who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, "but it doesn't hold the interest of a style that hasn't changed in 3,000 years."
