Restaurant in Danville: Inventive Food and A Throwback Flair
| 12.04.17P
ros: Comfortable; Plenty of Parking; Kid Friendly; Hardy, Inventive Menu Items; Full Bar; Fun Décor and Atmosphere
Downfalls: Limited Seating;
Mountain Rating: 7.3/10
Recently, we tried Good Fella’s Restaurant in Danville. I was delighted by the pub, with its Hollywood mob movie memorabilia, wood tones, and easy TV viewing for games. I was more thrilled when I saw the menu…
A Comfortable Pub In Danville
First off, the menu was fun! Themed titles adorned the list of culinary delights: The Bonnie and Clyde Burger, the Patricia, the California. Many of the menu items were throwbacks to 1950s classics (things I often see on old diner menus) but with a modern twist. Take the Californian: a chilled, house-made chicken salad sandwich with lettuce and tomato – enhanced by a ring of pineapple and salted peanuts, served on a Kaiser bun.
There are also a number of entrees that are more refined such as pastas, seafood, a daily butcher’s choice, and a few vegetarian options.
The atmosphere of the pub was relaxed, comfortable, and familiar – a place where locals come, watch the game, eat dinner with their kids, and enjoy themselves. This unpretentious feeling carried over to the staff. Our waitress was friendly, knew the menu well, and her personality was on display. This was refreshing, as many restaurants have servers that are more reserved, almost uncomfortable when interacting with customers. This more open and fun attitude was present in other staff members from what we saw.
Classic rock provided background music, but at a volume that was easy to talk over. A few families were seated with their children, while a few guys at the bar watched and talked sports.
The Food at Good Fella’s Restaurant
We decided to start our meal with the Local Plate; an assortment of Vermont items including cheese from Cabot creamery, cream cheese topped with a local jam, Italian style meats, a boiled egg, dillie beans, olives, crackers and bread. As a fan of cheese and Charcuterie plates, this was right up my alley.
We also tried two of their wing options; Wings – 6 of the Cajun dry rub and 6 of the Dactyl. The Cajun dry rub wings were my husband’s favorite – sporting plenty of heat, flavor, and a good crunch. The dactyl wings were more mild. Covered in a house made sauce, these were a more sweet and spicy option – a little too spicy for my palate, but I was able to take a few bites and felt they had good flavor. For comparison, these are more like a bourbon bbq sauce with a medium heat.
For dinner my husband ordered the Bonnie and Clyde Burger, and I tried the Lemon Garlic Pasta with shrimp.
The Bonnie and Clyde is an 8 oz. covered in melted cheddar cheese, bacon, a house salsa, guacamole, lettuce and crushed tortilla chips for 
crunch. It looked like a taco on a bun, and my husband loved it. I thought the idea was very inventive, and all of the ingredients combined well to make a tasty meal. The salsa and guacamole were also delicious on their own.
My pasta dish was delicious. The sauce was made of lemon, white wine, and butter with capers, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan to add flavor. The shrimp were well cooked and individually seasoned to add a more complex layer to the dish. Breadcrumbs, sprinkled over the top, added a little crunch to offset the pasta. The meal came with a side salad and was served with garlic bread.
I was impressed with the size of the salad that came with the meal, and the quality of the produce. This wasn’t just a plate of Icerberg or cheap Romaine Lettuce with a few veggies thrown in – this was a proper dinner salad with fresh veggies.
We mostly stuck to beer and wine, but as they do have a full bar, my husband sampled their martini’s and had no complaints. The next time we are in we will have to try a few more cocktails.
Overall, we were very happy with the food, service, and experience at this restaurant in Danville, Vt. The prices were reasonably, and everything we tried was delicious. We were told that they have events in another area of the building, including parties, paint-and-sips, and sometimes music.
It is on my to-do list to get back down there to check out one of these events – and more of their menu!
For Hours and Contact Information
Check Out Good Fella’s Restaurant on NEK Eats