The Local Flavor

Author: Jack Lysohir

"Very apropos" hall of fame reviewer Daniel L.J. Phillips

One of the great things about George Lucas's first critically acclaimed film, "American Graffiti" is that a teacher mentions that he dropped out of Middlebury College. The other great thing about "American Graffiti" is that the burger joint Mel's Drive-In is the epicenter of social life for the Dewey High School students. If I had my way, the social life of Middlebury College, increasingly heading off campus, might just be centered around our own Middlebury A&W carhop. Middlebury A&W is located on Route 7 North, about 5 minutes away from campus (Driving, obviously). The owners--local Middlebury residents, one of whom is a granddaughter of the A&W's first owner--boast that "We do not emulate a retro style; we are maintaining one." All food is cooked to order and delivered directly to your car by pleasant waitresses on roller-skates. There is usually a bit of a wait at first, but once your order is placed the service is pretty speedy.

The A&W menu encompasses all the great staples of the American diet. I recommend all the classics. The hot dogs are great but better with chili or cheese, and best with both. The chili is not particularly strong or zesty, but serving solely as a condiment, it is a perfect addition to dogs or fries. The Hamburgers are delicious; they are good sized and not over cooked. The burgers don't rival Al's Burgers in South Burlington, but they're definitely in the running for best burger in Middlebury. Make sure to order any toppings you might desire for the burger, such as fried onions, lettuce, sauces, etc. When ordering any of the main dishes, definitely opt for the basket of fries to accompany. Although the fries can sometimes lack the perfect crisp, they are hand-cut and usually cooked to near perfection. For $.60 you can exchange fries for onion rings, which are a viable option, but I would recommend the fries, as the onion rings are merely standard and were probably frozen at some point.

For those who seek a healthy alternative to the perennial fried food favorites, A&W delivers. There are Veggie-Burgers, Falafels, and Black Bean Burgers (all available with a basket of fries or onion rings). This reviewer did not venture to try these dishes, but the falafels are rumored to be very tasty. In fact, A&W has created a "secret falafel sauce" which has apparently made waves in Middlebury. For beverages, the milkshakes are mouth-watering, with tasty ice cream and milk from our own Monument Farms Dairy. But for drinks, the Original A&W Root Beer Float is without a doubt the best choice. The frosty drink comes out in a glass mug and the Root Beer is unreal; A&W has a vintage 1960s soda fountain that mixes the Root Beer, which the owners claim runs on "good faith and magic." If you're just looking for desert, A&W is also has a wide variety of ice cream flavors and offers hot fudge sundaes and banana splits

A&W is a Middlebury institution. It is indeed the last carhop stand in all of Vermont and eating at A&W should be a graduation requirement for all Middlebury students. The food is just what it should be, in fact, it's probably even a little better, and for $10 you get a great, full meal. The service is wonderful and eating at A&W is, if nothing else, fun. So take a ride off-campus, turn your engine on, and take a trip back in time (and don't forget to tip!).