Review of The Radio Bean and ¡Duino! (Duende)

Radio Bean on the Web

What's the deal?: Mention Vermont to any east coaster and certain topics are sure to come up: Ben & Jerry's, Phish, communes, and great skiing. Locals know different. Just off the beaten path in the Queen city on North Winooski Ave is the venerable Radio Bean, a hipster institution well known for their heady cocktail menu, damn fine coffee, and great live music. At a certain point though, even the most bohemian of locals is going to have to eat, and now they need to go no further than right next door. Lee Anderson, the community driven, Radio Bean owner has now expanded into the the former tortilla restaurant next door. ¡Duino! (Duende) is a hotspot of international street food at prices even a poet can afford. (I.E. very, very reasonable.)

Field Notes: Relying as much as they can on local ingredients ¡Duino! (Duende) manages to put a new spin on old favorites. Their "Frietjes" are bomb, even boasting homemade ketchup with a hint of banana, the perfect balance between delicious saltiness and exotic sweetness. Another strong menu offering is the "Kofta Slider" a locally farmed lamb burger mixed with couscous, spices and dried fruit that is served on middle eastern manakeesh, with fried onions, labnhi and arugula. In a similar vein is the "Seperatist Slider." Touching on the unique character and rebellious leanings of Vermont, this slider is a far cry from the Kofta. Grilled beef with red onion maple marmalade ketchup, arugula, and homemade dill pickles makes for a savory indulgence. On my last visit I opted for the "Shin Ramyun." The powerfully spicy Korean soup with delicious traditional noodles. The slightly crisp vegetables give the spicy broth a great balance and the kimchi is some of the best I've had from the states.
The cocktail menu is innovative without being pretentious, and they have a fairly wide selection of beers on tap. My favorite is the "Hot Tottie." ¡Duino! and the Radio Bean took the golden girls favorite of whisky, honey, and lemon a step further with a twist of ginger. It's a cold and flu killer, and the perfect drink to get you through the cold Vermont nights. The real star of the cocktail menu though is the "Five Dollar Shake." An ingenious blend of stout and espresso with a swirl of maple syrup that perches on the stout's foam head. It's a grown up, caffeinated pint of heaven.

The second best thing about ¡Duino!, next to the food, is the ambiance. The decor, which is mostly scavenged and hand built, calls to mind a combination of beatnik paradise and mexican brothel, which may or may not be the same thing. Making an effort to be sustainable and local friendly is something that seems to be at the top of the list at ¡Duino! (Duende), and that helps make it the heart of Burlington's thriving music and art community.


Menu Highlights:
"Evil Jungle Princess Ceviche"
A selection of fresh fish imported by Wood Mountain Fish Company marinated in citrus juices with avocado, thai basil, lemongrass & mangoes served with crispy things $10

"Old World Burro"
Avocado, queso blanco, black beans, sour cream, & salsa bandera in a flour tortilla $7

"Flourless Chocolate Cake"
A rich dark chocolate cake with a strawberry rhubarb zinfandel sauce topped with fresh whipped cream $5

Special Events:
Live music every night of the week
Monday: No guitar open mic
Tuesday: Honky Tonk night! A raucous celebration with a serious dose of down home fun. Frequent contributors are Gordon Stone, from the Gordon Stone Band and Mike Gordon from Phish.
Friday and Saturday: Local and touring acts, check the Radio Bean's website for specifics