words // lettie stratton | photos // ben sarle
Surfboards, palm trees, and tropical fish aren’t usually the first things that come to mind when you picture land-locked Vermont, but upon entering The Spot restaurant, I found myself transported into what could easily be a post-surf, beachside food-stop. It’s the kind of place you could walk into with your shoes leaving a trail of sand behind you and no one would say a thing. Hell, you might not even be wearing shoes in the first place.
In the 1950’s, 210 Shelburne Road served as a Phillips 66 gas station. In 2008 Russ Scully was given the opportunity to bring his passions for surfing and food to the site and reinvented the building as The Spot. Evidence of Scully’s Jersey shore surfing days hang all around the restaurant, as our Waitress, Laura, would later tell us “Many of the photos on the walls are of Russ and his friends surfing… They’re pretty extreme!”
The Spot has received its share of local press last year surrounding the addition of a wind turbine on its blue and white striped batwing roof, a move which city planners felt took away from the structure’s status as one of Burlington’s historic landmarks. The objections were really about the “fins” attached to the turbine, which are there to help the turbine reach its maximum potential for energy-production…and make it look a bit like a space-exploring droid.
Turbine drama aside, The Spot presents a carefree, laid back atmosphere conducive to family dining or a casual night out. Thread Editor, Ben Sarle and I were seated at a table next to a garage-style door that let in just the right amount of evening light. I spotted several California license plates, a painting of two red parrots, and various tribal masks as I sat down. The ample outdoor patio seating would certainly be more of a draw if it weren’t overlooking the very un-beach-like traffic on Route 7.
There’s a lot to look at in The Spot. Near the bamboo-paneled checkout counter, a large surfboard draped with Hawaiian leis displays a chalk listing of the day’s specials. Blue waves painted along the lower portion of the walls snake their way around the entirety of the restaurant. I looked past the Encyclopedia of Surfing on a table in front of me and saw a small boy peering through the glass of The Spot’s 150-gallon saltwater fish tank, gazing keenly at its finned blue and yellow residents. I wondered briefly if those same fish were on the menu, and then thought better of it.
After emerging from the kitchen to tell us that the chef would like to bring us three dishes as long as we liked seafood (we did) and didn’t mind being full (we didn’t), Restaurant Manager Jacob Smith told us that The Spot’s location makes it easily accessible for people who live and work in the area. “Our core customer base is Shelburne’s local population,” he said. “Route 7 is not usually a hub for food, but we get a lot of lunch traffic. A lot of people in suits!” Smith continued to explain that parking is a huge draw for The Spot’s customers as well. “It’s hard to get to a place like The Farmhouse and park on a busy night,” he said. “It’s all about convenience.”
While waiting for the food, I sat back and took in The Spot’s island-style décor. The interior is plastered floor to ceiling with surfing photos. Most of the once-bare surfaces are now covered with Dakine, Roxy, Gravis, and Quiksilver stickers, conjuring images of seaside gear shacks, wetsuit rentals, and sun-streaked hair. These furnishings, coupled with the ease and breeze of a no-stress environment, made me feel as though I were on a mini tropical vacation.
Before I could get too lost in the tropics though, the Cloudbreak Salad arrived, served with house balsamic vinaigrette atop a bed of fresh greens. The combination of grilled chicken, hard-boiled egg, bleu cheese crumbles, diced tomato, bacon, and fanned avocado slices made for the perfect appetizer on a 90+ degree day.
Had we not been sharing, I would have immediately had plate envy when our server, Laura, put the Front Loop dish down in front of Ben. The crab enchiladas were served with rice, refried beans, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream, and were especially good with a dab of The Spot’s homemade pineapple habanera hot sauce (once I got up the nerve to try it, that is).
Our final (and my favorite) dish was the Peahi—two fish tacos topped with mango salsa, lettuce, red cabbage and chipotle sauce. Ben and I agreed that they’re definitely the biggest fish tacos in town, and the mango salsa paired nicely with the more muted flavor of the fish.
The rest of The Spot’s cuisine is what you would expect—plenty more options (shrimp and snapper) for the seafood lover as well as choices for the more vegetable-inclined and those who enjoy the taste of a good landlubbing animal. The menu itself is printed over a quintessentially Hawaiian image, complete with bright pink hibiscus flowers and palm trees.
Many of the dishes are named after famous surf spots or tricks—did you know that “Cloudbreak” is the go-to location in Fiji? Or that the waves at “Peahi” can be so big, the location is also known as “Jaws”? You’d be well on your way to becoming a surf spot expert after doing a little research on the menu. There’s even the option to order online and do a drive-through pickup. Get your fish tacos to go, en route to your favorite wave-riding location!
Russ Scully’s interest in and dedication to water sports has successfully transformed this formerly forgettable gas-stop to a seriously memorable, true to its name “Spot”. Scully and his staff have created this engaging environment in which to enjoy a low-key, tasty meal.
After eagerly eating enough food to satisfy even the most famished of surfers, Ben and I had no room for dessert. As we left, I felt relaxed and even thought I might like to try surfing at some point in life. For now though, I think I’ll stick to one or two of The Spot’s delicious fish tacos and call it a night. Surf’s up!
