MONTPELIER
Hugo's And Grill

Hugo's And Grill

Main Street, Montpelier, 05602, United States Of America, MONTPELIER

Full • Grill • Seafood • American


"Walking in the door I expected a little more flare. Slightly bland and a little pretentious for the overall Montpelier crowd. To be fair it was a Monday evening, also the location of this establishment is one that is very dear to me. NECI ran its restaurant out of here while I was attending for my Bachelor 's and I have spent hundreds of hours working and learning in this space from some absolutely incredible talent. I felt bored sitting in the dining room, it lacks stimulation. Maybe a pop of color with some fresh flowers or some ornate utensils and tableware to add some warmth? The restaurant was clean. Our table however was not and we had to have them wipe it while we were already seated. A little awkward. The waitstaff was not unfriendly but also not attentive. They get a C on that report card. Yup she was there; but rarely and we had what we needed but just barely. We also had to request that the music being played on the speakers be turned down so that we could talk amongst ourselves. Way to loud. Let 's talk about the food. I had the salmon and my wife had the pad Thai. The salmon was roughly 5oz and did seem to be center cut. I specifically asked that mine be cooked to medium. It came out over cooked. It was good but not what I ordered. The risotto that came with the fish was undercooked. The flavor of the fish was good. I 'm not sure about the honey comb garnish;the food was hot and honey comb is naturally Made of wax so the heat from the food took away the slight crunch that honeycomb can add to a cheese plate or slightly chilled application. In concept I understand why that garnish choice was made. The execution needs to be more developed.All of the food needed additional seasoning. It was not enough food for me but I 'm large and hungry all the time. I had a sandwich after my walk home.The Pad Thai was good. It needed more sauce; I liked that they use marinated chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. The noodles were cooked well and overall it was tasty. Between the two the pad Thai was the winner. But it 's not the best pad Thai I have had in Montpelier and is by far the most expensive. Overall this place is currently just ok, and with having some heavy contenders just around the way at a lower price point this place will need to reevaluate their operations to be a front runner sitting in the shadows of 3 penny taproom. It has potential, I could see the vibe changing with live music which I know they have at times. It also may take some trial and error for them to find their rhythm in Montpelier, it 's always been a tricky town. Best of luck"