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In our quest to sample as much as Burlington offers as possible, A Single Pebble seemed like the perfect stop for our Asian-cuisine cravings.
The restaurant was nearly empty when we arrived around 6 on a Thursday evening (though it was teeming with hungry patrons by the time we left more than hour later), and we were whisked away to a charmingly decorated room with delightfully low lighting that was our private dining nook for a good portion of our meal.
Our waiter was quick, attentive and personable (though his whiteness matched ours, which is something I'm not used to in Asian restaurants -- not that it affected our experience in the least). He brought out a dish of mixed nuts (the wasabi ones were irresistible!) as he ticked off the day's specials and took our drink orders.
One of my biggest problems when ordering in courses is that there's too much of a lapse between dishes. This was not a problem at Single Pebble: We hadn't even finished our appetizers (lettuce wraps tops with fried oysters, which were delicious) when the first dish arrived (the day's lamb special, which was also quite tasty but more to my husband's liking -- though I was tickled by the inclusion of water chestnuts in the dish). Being able to mix dishes makes me happy, and the combination of the locally brewed beer and the gunpowder tea only added to all the flavors we had going on.
Since the meals are served family style, my husband and I each ordered a main dish that we could share. The Ants Climbing a Tree jumped out at me when we were first perusing the menu online, and the chef's willingness to make it as I wanted (I ordered it "as spicy as you can make it") made it exactly what I'd been jonesing for.
The true testament to a food's quality is how good it is as cold leftovers the next day, of course, and our food was just as yummy straight from the fridge as it was when it was first set before us.
While this is advertised as a Chinese restaurant, they really serve more of an Asian fusion cuisine. At least this is based on my experience traveling to Asia and dining in Chinese restaurants in cities with high population of Chinese like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Vancouver.
The restaurant atmosphere is warm. Some tables are equipped with a lazy susan, giving the restaurant an Asian touch. Wait service is not very good- most servers are not very attentive nor are they personable.
The dining service is unique as food is made to order and immediately served. This means that your food order will not come in order so appetizers may come after your large or main dishes. Apparently this is very traditional Chinese.
The Imperial Spring Rolls were not well-seasoned. I would recommend the mock eel. As some of the reviewers have already mentioned, the chef certainly did wonders to this mushroom dish. I didn't even know they were mushrooms! The meat buns were good but it could have been better if the bun itself was less doughy.
As for the Chef's Selection dishes, they could either be bland or on the salty side. The Five Flavor Chicken and the Red Oil Chicken could use some more flavoring while the Tangerine Peel Chicken could use less salt and more tangerine peels. I would recommend the Emperor Beef, a marinated beef dish served with mushrooms and baby bok choy.
If the intent is to make this a Chinese or Chinese-inspired restaurant, several things have to change. They could start with improving the wait service, making it more hospitable and attentive. Paying attention to basic Chinese traditions are also essential. Serving tea is a symbol of hospitality, even in restaurants. This is why more authentic Chinese restaurants do not charge for tea, which is not the case at this restaurant.
In summary, the food and wait service are satisfactory. The prices of the dishes are not justified with the overall quality of food and service that you get.
Decent food. I expected better to be honest, because there was a 45 minutes wait for a table and it was packed. I've also been told this was THE place to eat in the area. Again, decent food, nothing special, nothing memorable. The meal started with roasted and regular peanuts which was a nice start. I had the pork bun to start, not very good. Same style you would get anywhere, not good quality meat. For my main dish I had, if I remember correctly, "Ants on a log", which was ground pork over translucent thin noodles with mushrooms. I did not enjoy the lecture of the mushroom. The pasta and port was good, not that much flavor, perhaps I should have ordered something different. Still enjoyable. The meal also came with rice, which was strange for a pasta dish. The prices are way to high for this place, each meal is about $5 more than it should be. My eating companion has a saiten dish with sauce for about $19, which is insane. Over all I would recommend this, because the food was not bad, and there are plenty of interesting things on the menu I would go back and try again.
I went here last night with a friend and family. There were four of us. I went very hungry, and was ready for a good meal. We started out by ordering a couple of appetizers. We ordered a soup, the Sea of China, with shrimp, scallops, squid, and a white fish I can't remember. It wasn't bad, but like the white fish, not memorable. I also had the salad of napa cabbage which was in a vinegar dressing and was fairly ordinary, probably cost 50 cents to make, and was sold for 7.50 or something. We had doule garlice brocolli, which again, was nothing to write home about. That may have been the story of the meal, as the five flavor chicken left me with the same impression. The reason I would not giveit three stars is that none of the dishes surpassed this, and a couple were not up to par. The Bejing Street Noodles were overpoweringly flavored with soy and were a little salty. My mom served herself some, took one bite, and left the rest. I took a little bit to try, was very hungry for some starch, but decided to go home and have a bowl of cereal instead of having more noodles. We also had a seafood special with shrimp, scallops, and tilapia. The sauce on this dish was primarily white wine and garlic, lacking flavor and underseasoned. The meal was not great overall. Most of the dishes were edible but not much more. We also paid about 30 dollars a person with one person getting something to drink, and you could get a better bowl of noodles on the side ofthe street for 5 dollars in most places.
First place I ever ate in Burlington. Beyond delicious. You know that feeling when you're so full that you're actually in physical PAIN?? Well Single Pebble is so yummy that I clearly remember trying to sit up really really straight so my stomach had as much room as possible so I could KEEP EATING even though every bite was killing me. It just tasted so good I couldn't help it.
Anyway, yeah, it's that good. I could go for some right now.
First: The good! An utterly charming location and a well-dressed restaurant with a cozy, homey atmosphere
BUT.... I am one to give restaurants LOTS of breaks, and I'm trying to choose my words carefully, but.....
Single Pebble is the worst Asian restaurant I have ever been to...and in my top 5 of worst restaurants ever.
The service is atrocious, but I'm guessing that it's due to the many horrors that comprise the kitchen. I was with a party of five, and entrees were served before appetizers, one entree never arrived...and (my fave) the rice arrived after we paid the check and were leaving.
The food is just awful. The "mock eel" is an over-the-top salty deep-fried portabello mushroom. Essentially inedible.
The special was a dim sum platter comprised of steamed dumplings filled with something rancid (all at the table spit it out) and a fried rice cake that tasted literally like dirt and grass.
There was one edible dish...I can't really remember what it was...but all 5 of us snarfed it down and I can only remember it as "The one that didn't make me want to puke"...and that's the best thing I can say about this place.
Small portions (a blessing in this case) high prices (which probably makes folk think the food must be good) inedible food and horrendous service.
As a semi-frequent visitor to Burlington, I will obviously never darken Single Pebble's door again.
I'm surprised to see so many negative reviews of Single Pebble. No, it's not authentic, but come on, it's Burlington. I've eaten here a number of times, and have always had good service and good food.
A number of people have complained about the 'food coming out as it's ready', which is a style choice of the restaurant - yeah, if you want a traditional meal where everyone gets an appetizer, finishes, everyone gets a meal, finishes, and then everyone gets dessert, don't go here - you can get that anywhere else.
In my experience, it's always been warm, friendly, and enjoyable for all. Sure, there are less good dishes, and others that everyone fights over, but whatever - that's why I give it 4 stars instead of 5. And I agree with another reviewer that the steamed broccoli is a great sleeper dish!
We ate this past weekend with a large party. They charged us a set fee of $35/person for a family style dinner, so I was looking forward to a feast. The reviews on their site sound great...
But this place blows chunks! Everything was sub-par, some things awful. I'm talking airport food court awful.
The service was slow Their idea of family style is not to fill the table with dishes to be shared, but to send out dishes as shared courses so you eat them and then sit waiting, waiting for the next one to come. Uh, isn't that the opposite of family style?
Honestly, I'll put up with waiting for good, authentic food. The food at A Single Pebble is neither good nor authentic. It's inauthentic, tasteless, and way overpriced.
Here's the math: $35/head + 1 glass of wine each + tax & tip wound up costing me and my girlfriend $110.00.
$110.00 for bad Chinese food! And they didn't even give us a fortune cookie.
As a fan of Asian food and a frequenter of Chinatown, this place pissed me off to no end. Boring food. Boring interpretations and asinine staff.
Plus...horror of horrors: The morons CHARGE FOR TEA!
before i ate chinese in la or vegas i thought this place was amazing. now i am unimpressed. too expensive. tastes like they use a microwave. bland white versions of traditional chinese. must be a white chef.
go here to impress your gf with a expensive menu. waitresses are not really hot so it will make her feel better. dont drink the mixed drinks. 10 dollars for cheap liquor out of plastic containers.
the steamed chinese broccoli was the best. i dont see how they could mess that up. still 12 dollars for some broccoli.
save your money and go to flushing ny or montreal
This was my favorite restaurant in the entire world...until I moved to san Francisco. Then I tasted more authentic, fresher, cheaper, finer Chinese cuisine. It's 5 starts for Burlington and 3 stars for my life experience, so i will average it out to a generous 4 stars.
Ok, I guess the mock eel makes the 4th star a given. Love that Bogart innovation.
It's a bit too expensive... but it's fun when some independently wealthy chick is paying. (yes, this happened to me... we were treated by an heiress of a certain well-known whirlpool spa fortune).
It's definitely Asian Fusion cuisine. I don't recall seeing any Asian people working there. The mock-eel is really good. Everything was very salty though. The spinning table was fun. This is a good place for large groups NOT on a budget... or a good place to take mom and dad (who will obviously foot the bill) when they are in town for college parents' weekend...
In all my travels, this is IT for Chinese food. Yes, it is a little spendy ESPECIALLY for Burlington, but it is definately worth a try.
I remember the soup had this taste that I couldn't put my finger on... but was so good. And I couldn't understand what it was that was sooo good. So good.
I hope to someday be able to repeat my experience elsewhere, but I haven't yet. Maybe in China, or something, but I have a feeling that the food at A Single Pebble is pretty unique to them.
We went right as they were opening so the place was pretty dead, but the interior is great. Specials are awesome so be sure to listen to those. Very great food, but go with someone you don't mind sharing as that is kind of their thing. Will go back!!
This place was pretty good. I went on a date with a girlfriend here, and it was nice. A lot of good options for vegetarians, which was good stating we are both veggies. Big portions, though. The atmosphere is nice, the people are friendly, and its easy to walk into town. It was expensive, but I would only go here for a fine date or with a big party, or any other special occasion.
Good food, nice restaurant. A really great date location!
Having made a reservation, and thus, had a table awaiting us, I returned to A Single Pebble for a wonderful meal. Both meat and seafood eaters as well as our vegan dinner had delicious, clever, and enjoyable dishes.
FOR SERVICE
Or lack there of... my Burlingtonian friend and I ventured here with great expectations.…
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This is, by far, the best unauthentic asian restaurant I have been to. I used to travel to Vermont 2-3 times a year and I made a point to arrange my travel to accommodate a meal here. The menu is creative but has enough traditional underpinnings that you don't feel totally lost. The quality of the dishes is very high - strong natural flavors, right sized portions, and fresh ingredients. The service is typical Vermont - friendly and intelligent service from people that either weren't born with ego's or lost them by doing public service and yoga. If you want Chinatown tradition, this isn't it.
Try the mock eel, its to die for. Great experience. The food comes to you as it is ready which allows you to order more if need be. The service is excellent.
Be advised it's a little expensive, but worth it.
I've noticed that my friends who are Chinese American don't really like to eat Chinese with me. We've eaten a lot of Japanese, Thai, Indian, Mexican and American food together, but I think out of an estimated 600 or so meals I've eaten with Chinese friends, I've had Chinese exactly three times. (Twice to get hot Chinese noodle soup with cartilage and knuckle; once at one of those big round-table banquet places). I think this has something to do with the inauthenticity of the Chinese restaurants that generally appeal to the American palette and with the amount of Chinese food my Chinese friends eat with their families. If there are other reasons, they're as secret to me as the source of the Chinese black magic that sends so many unfortunate souls to the hell of upside-down sinners. And I don't eff with that shit.
The upshot of all this is that I wouldn't know authentic Chinese food if it stabbed me in the eye with a chopstick. But I ate dinner at this place in Burlington called A Single Pebble and I really liked it. I don't know if it was authentic or not--there were no fish eyeballs on the menu, so probably not--but the food was exceedingly delicous, the restaurant was nice to sit in, and everything was reasonably priced. It wasn't stuffy or pretentious or awful. It's my new favorite restaurant in Burlington--not because it's authentic or inauthentic, but because it's so delicious I was nearly sent to the hell of being so stuffed I exploded.
The food at A Single Pebble is served family-style, which I like, because I can generally sample more things that way. And the tables are topped by lazy susans to facilitate sharing, which I like because I'm, well, really lazy. Highlights included the meat buns, which were similar to the steamed pork buns I know as "bows" (probably spelled wrong) but these were less sweet and served with hoisin and a spicy peanut sauce; extremely tangy mock eel (really shitake mushrooms but I wouldn't have known they weren't slithering fifteen minutes earlier if I didn't read it on the menu); and duck pancakes with scallion. We also had a Thai-inspired curry soup with both soft and crispy noodles in it--eff yeah! Crispy noodles are the most baller kind of noodles that ever existed and any soup with them in it is automatically improved. I ate until I was so full it hurt and then I had a few more bites and excused myself to take a walk around the block and then I came back and finished off the copper well noodles and mopped up the twice-cooked pork.
Anyway, I highly recommend this place and I really want to go back. There were a lot of things on the menu that sounded delicous but I didn't get to try them, so I have plenty of reasons to return. I'd even like to take my Chinese friends here to get their take on it. Food's so good, you'll think they pulled spices from the six-demon bag.
I went to A Single Pebble with my husband over the summer when we were in Burlington. It was reccomended by a coworker of his. The food was very good. Probubly one of the best chinese food places I went to ever. We didn't have reservations as we went on a tuesday night. We got a seat with no problem. We did have to wait a few extra minutes but it was alright to do so. The service was ok. Nothing great. But the food made up for it. Food served family style as others have mentioned so it was easy to share. We over ordered and left stuffed.
I think the reviews Single Pebble is getting are relatively unfair and fall under the "i only ate here once" category. I have been eating at this establishment since it was conceived many years ago when it was just a chinese place next to a bowling alley in Barre (Anyone else remember this?). It definitely had it's busy fad moment where i recall people saying "you need to make a three week or month advanced reservation". These days have passed and now only the burlington restaurant remains. Over the years I have noticed these things. It is definitely Chinese-American fusion mixed with some other asian culinary aspects. It is NOT "too expensive" and yes, the mock eel is delicious. I would not say it's on par with some of the restaurants I have eaten at in NYC but it is very, very good for a Vermont fusion restaurant. The service can really be subpar at times and that's where it loses 1 star for me. I once had an experience where a group of us asked if we could add two people (it might have even been one person but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt) and they said they couldn't... which really really pissed off my friend's dad, who never returned. This aspect of the business is hot and cold though... i have had excellent service many, many more times than bad service. The food, in total, has been excellent though and I could not love a dish more than the Buddha's Sesame Beef which I think could be the single greatest vegetarian dish ever.
Williston, VT
Category: Ethnic Food
Burlington, VT
Category: Restaurants
Burlington, VT
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Burlington, VT
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Burlington, VT
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