Hen of the Wood. Great name, even greater cuisine! I have not so thoroughly enjoyed dinner out in a long time! The service, the atmosphere, and the food, oh my the food! We went on a Monday night and there was a wait so be sure to make reservations or do what we did and sit at the kitchen counter (which ended up being the best seat in the house).
Menu of the day
Definitely order the grilled octopus, zucchini fritters, and tomato-mozzarella salad. All were delicious starters made better by watching Becca painstakin
gly prepare each plate.The octopus was incredibly tender, no small feat for any who have tried octopus before. It came nestled atop a sunchoke puree accompanied by radishes and cilantro.
The zucchini fritters harkened me back to my Nanny’s farm where she would make fresh corn fritters for breakfast. They were light and fluffy, served with creme fraiche and local honey. The outsides were crispy and the insides soft enough to melt in the mouth. 
The tomato salad provided a much needed freshener with the housemade mozzarella and vinegar. This course definitely perked our palates for dinner!
Next we went to the rabbit with rhubarb jus and chicken with roasted chanterelles. Both were tender, beautiful, and deftly seasoned. 
The chicken was my favorite. It was stuffed with a chicken sausage and topped with a pan jus. The currants scattered on the plate were that sweet tart note that emboldens flavors of savory entrees and the celery root puree was silken. The chanterelles were earthy and tender. it was some of the best prepared chicken I have ever had the pleasure of eating.
My only disappointment of the evening was dessert. We had a selection of bite-sized desserts, the milk cake with raspberry sorbet, a complimentary variety of sorbets, and a cheese tasting.
The only one I truly enjoyed was the cheese. The cheeses were Vermont-sourced and served with a tart currant jam that finished our fabulous dinner perfectly. We will definitely be back on our next visit to Vermont!
