I was just at this fabulous Chinese restaurant last night with some new friends, and it reminded me all over again how much I love the food here. If you are ever in Burlington, VT, you simply must eat here at least once. This is, quite simply, the best Asian food in Chittenden County and perhaps all of Vermont. In fact, A Single Pebble has been named Best Place to Have Dinner by readers of weekly newspaper Seven Days in both 2006 and 2007 and was named one of the Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the U.S. by Chinese Restaurant News in 2007.
Although the best way to experience A Single Pebble is with a group–because they encourage family-style dining, where everyone shares what they’ve ordered–I would not hesitate to eat here alone. There is dining at the bar, and from what I’ve heard, the bartender is very friendly and service there is good. (Service is good overall; waitstaff are fairly knowledgeable about what they are serving and are always friendly and helpful.) You could order an entree for yourself or 2-3 small plates could make a meal.
Located on Bank Street in Burlington, the restaurant looks very unassuming from the outside, located in what looks like a residential house. The draw here is the unbelievably fantastic food, including many vegetarian options. I have eaten here many times and have never had anything less than a stellar meal. I can certainly recommend the dumplings (any kind), the Ants Climbing a Tree (pork and cellophane noodles), the Chinese Broccoli, the Five Flavor Chicken, the Crispy Lemon Chicken, Poached Green Vegetable with Hong Kong Sauce, Shiny Noodle Shiitake Mushroom & Carrot, Dan Dan Noodles, and my new favorites, the Mock Eel (braised shiitake mushrooms in a ginger sauce, crispy and delicious), and the crab cakes (which come 3 to a plate with 2 different dipping sauces). They serve wine by the glass and make a scrumptious Mai Tai.
You probably will not spend less than $20 for dinner here; lunch is about half that, depending on how much you can eat. You can make reservations online at their website. Reservations are highly recommended (especially for dinner on the weekend), as this is one of Burlington’s most popular restaurants.
