Gallus Handcrafted Pasta

There are some suggestions that - even though they are given in a passing fleeting moment, shifts the trajectory of my intentions. After dinner at Hen of the Woods - Burlington, I made a passing question to the host that had greeted and sat me when I first walked in: What is your favorite restaurant within the Heirloom Hospitality restaurant group?

She paused for a moment before saying: “Gallus. It’s located over it Waterbury.”

The following day, after a wonderful afternoon of snowboarding and beers, I arrived for my reservation at Gallus Handcrafted Pasta.

My table – overlooking the beautiful wood and contrasting tile elements and the open kitchen – was perfection.  My server – Mason –  was even more of a delight.

The menu at Gallus was deliciously to the point. I began with a  MEZCALETTI (Mezcal/Meletti) from their 50/50 menu section. The blend of mezcal and Italian Amaro Meletti was the perfect digestive.

But, the piece de resistance of the evening? The STUFFED PAPPARDELLE (Creamy Polenta, Beef & Pork Bolognese, Brown Butter, Parmesan).

This was a work of art.

After I ate half and contained the rest of it to go, I got into a conversation with Mason about his evening at the restaurant. As it’s only open for 4 hours from 5 – 9pm, I didn’t expect him to relay the experience he did. I didn’t expect the kind of story he shared: earlier, a man dining with a group had behaved outrageously while the group’s children ran unchecked through the dining room, disrupting staff as their parents ignored it. The man – who boasted about owning a restaurant in New Orleans and was vacationing in Stowe – seemed more interested in asserting status than showing respect, even attempting to walk into the kitchen.

Our conversation left me thinking about the widening socioeconomic divide in the area, where many homes are owned by people or corporations who don’t live there full time. Money doesn’t make someone better, but it can amplify who they already are – and too often I see people using it to separate themselves rather than strengthen community. Basic decency – parenting your children in public, respecting people at work, treating others as equals – really isn’t much to ask.

When Mason told me that he was happy that I was his last customer and that I was the best one of the evening, I was struck by how it really does not take that much to be someone that cares, a friendly face that changes someone else’s frown into a smile or experience a moment of human connection.

My dinner at Gallus became about more than exceptional food and thoughtful design. It was a reminder that behind every plate – from the purveyors to the chefs to the hands that serve it – there’s a human story deserving of dignity and respect.

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