Original Skiff: Fabulous Seafood, Unexpected Locale
Let's be honest…restaurants inside hotels don't always inspire confidence.
We’re very fortunate that our area has several that genuinely buck that trend. Juniper, the Windjammer and Junction and the Lazy Goat Tavern at The Essex have all earned great reputations on their own merits.
Original Skiff Fish & Oysters at Hotel Champlain is one of the best of the bunch. And we're still surprised to run into people who haven't found their way there yet. You simply have to figure out that it’s…in the hotel.
For years, if you wanted fresh seafood in our area, you were mainly limited to a single option, found at the Shanty...with its beloved, 200-year old building, storied history and classic, "elevated clam shack" vibe on the water, it's hard to beat on a summer afternoon. But the gap for a modern, creative seafood restaurant was mostly unfilled for quite some time.
Conceived by Eric Warnstedt, the Vermont restaurateur behind Hen of the Wood, Doc Ponds, Prohibition Pig and Gallus, Original Skiff opened the summer before last and has become one of our favorite spots in the city. All seafood arrives fresh daily from Boston fishmonger Wood Mountain Fish, and it shows.
They have a beautiful raw bar, and we almost always start with something originating there. The daily crudo alone is usually worth the trip…our visit this week featured scallops with uni roe, miso spinach puree, and coconut lime ponzu. For the traditionalists, there's a rotating selection of clams and oysters (including oyster shooters with horseradish vodka) along with an on-trend selection of tinned fish.
The small plates are where things get dangerous. No matter what, we never miss the deviled eggs with crab and caviar…they are to die for. And the creamy crab dip is another one that’s always worth a share.
The “Classics” section of the menu leans almost entirely seafood…fried oysters, peel and eat shrimp, steamed clams and mussels, a lobster roll, and a full clambake with Andouille sausage, corn and potatoes (although they do throw a Skiff Burger on there for good measure).
The large plates follow suit, with options like a fish fry, sole meunière, and lobster agnolotti…but they also include options for the non-seafood eaters in the group, including a smoked jerk chicken, bone-in pork chop and grilled sirloin.
Honestly, when we go, we rarely make it to the large plates…we're usually too busy working our way through the raw bar and small plates.
This time, though, a special swordfish with pesto cream sauce pulled Mike away from this usual strategy. No regrets. The fried oysters and a gigantic Farmer's Salad loaded with seasonal vegetables rounded out everything we seemed to need.
The cocktail program is as creative as you'd expect from a Warnstedt operation. Mike's Cuban Club (Zacapa No. 23, Flor de Caña, Falernum, tobacco bitters) is one of those drinks you order curiously and finish immediately. The wine list is well-matched to the menu, with plenty of interesting whites like Aligoté and Albariño that were practically made for a raw bar, along with a solid selection of local and regional beers (including their own Original Skiff Mexican-style lager)
When the weather turns (soon!), the outdoor patio with sweeping views of Lake Champlain and legendary Vermont sunsets is exactly where you’ll want to be.
Trust us on this one. We’ll see you at the raw bar.
