One Dish: Relishing the Crab Cake at Pauline’s Café in South Burlington

As if his comment had been scripted for me, a patron at Pauline’s Café on a latest Thursday night time paused on his means out to inform chef-owner David Hoene, “I at all times get the crab cake after I come right here, however tonight it was the perfect of all.”

My husband and I had simply completed our meal on the nearly 50-year-old South Burlington restaurant. We had ordered a refrain line of Pauline’s classics to find out which might earn “One Dish” acclaim, together with the crab cake appetizer ($15), French onion soup ($10), pork schnitzel ($24) and bananas Foster ($12).

This month, the Seven Days meals group is revisiting enduring native eating places — our “eternally faves” — one dish at a time. As we dine on Brie-and-bacon-topped rooster, eggs Benedict, and crab muffins, we’re sharing what retains these neighborhood staples ticking, whether or not for 15 years or 60-plus.

One Dish: Savoring the Brie-and-Bacon Rooster Breast at Vergennes’ Black Sheep Bistro

One Dish: Savoring the Brie-and-Bacon Rooster Breast at Vergennes’ Black Sheep Bistro

By Jordan Barry

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One Dish

At Pauline’s, the delicately puffed crab cake with its luxurious pesto beurre blanc sauce beat out the crisp-coated, lemony schnitzel, which the crab cake-loving patron and his companion had additionally chosen. (Be forewarned when you sit close to me at a restaurant: I’m eavesdropping in your order.)

It turned out that the crab cake additionally bested the schnitzel in its longevity on the restaurant — by many years. That jived with my reminiscences of long-ago meals at Pauline’s, which regularly concluded with bananas Foster set aflame tableside.

The crab cake predated Hoene’s 2001 arrival on the already well-established spot, which was then owned by native restaurateur Robert Fuller. He bought it to Hoene six years later. Fuller instructed me by textual content that he purchased the enterprise in 1982 from Pauline Hershenson, who opened her eponymous eatery in 1976 or 1977.

Hoene appreciates the numerous longtime Pauline’s prospects, he mentioned, however he is working together with his group to herald new patrons, too. That includes consistently reevaluating the menu in order that it really works for diners, for the underside line and for workers, who might weary of cooking the identical dishes or determine they don’t seem to be snug with lighting desserts on hearth. Tastes change, too, which could imply buying and selling out what Hoene referred to as a “historic” dish such because the creamy, tacky Shelburne Farms rooster for the favored gluten-free rooster schnitzel ($24).

However the crab cake is sacrosanct.

Fuller recalled that the supply of the crab-forward, bread crumb-light recipe was a Pauline’s prepare dinner initially from Maine. Hoene has tweaked the recipe through the years in order that the muffins soufflé a bit of extra, however they’re nonetheless similar to the originals, together with their wealthy sauce made with cream, butter and pesto (housemade in the summertime), balanced with white wine, white wine vinegar and a bit of orange juice.

“We tried completely different sauces, however the prospects saved asking for the beurre blanc,” Hoene mentioned.

The crab cake is presently on the menu solely in a singleton model with a aspect of seasonal greens, an unexpectedly compelling braise of humble cabbage and carrots once we dined. Regulars know they will order a pair as an entrée, which can value a bit of greater than double the appetizer.

I might fortunately eat two, however the appetizer dimension plus the recent popover bread basket and one of many bar’s new-school cocktails leaves room for my favourite Pauline’s dessert, even with out the fiery tableside drama.

“One Dish” is a collection that samples a single menu merchandise — new, traditional or fleeting — at a Vermont restaurant or different meals venue. Know of an ideal plate we must always function? Drop us a line: [email protected].