We were driving nearby and, remembering how we'd enjoyed this restaurant pre-pandemic, we called ahead to see if there might be an outside table available for us in the next 15 minutes. Given the green light, we arrived on the dot and were received warmly....Besides the pleasant and spacious indoor dining, this restaurant has a large deck with superb views of mountains all along Lake Memphremagog, which stretches more than 30 miles between Newport, VT and Magog, Quebec. Tables were well spaced to comply with social distancing requirements, and all the servers wore masks.
What could be better than enjoying fresh air and wonderful scenery with well-prepared, hearty food and respectable wine (or cold beer) on a great summer day?
We were up for comfort food, and lots of it so we wouldn't need dinner later on. We both had the Maple Burger, 6 oz. of tender locally-produced beef with bacon and cheese, the whole smothered in maple BBQ sauce from Gray Farm in nearby Derby, VT. Portions are large here. It was a lot to handle, pretty messy, and very satisfying. If you order a dish like this, ask for extra napkins -- you will need them -- or if planning in advance, you might bring a large cloth napkin with you.
Keeping the thin paper napkins from blowing away proved challenging on a breezy day, which is to say, on many days in a location like this one. Some larger, heavier gauge paper napkins would do better, so I might suggest that the people who run this place consider that little upgrade. Ditto some heavier gauge plastic glasses. The thin ones in which our wine was served tended to blow across the table as they began to empty and had to be "caught" and corralled several times to avoid spills.
Service was efficient and friendly, even with our server being very busy with the large number of diners on the deck. Everyone out there seemed to be having a jolly time, and we did too. Children are welcome here, so there were lots of families out enjoying themselves: a nice sight in these days.
If you're feeling full after a big meal here, you can take the short drive to Newport center and stroll along the waterfront there. The views up the lake all the way to Quebec are just breathtaking. Be sure to bring your camera.
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