Ladder 1 Grill

The Ladder 1 Grill is located in a former fire station and there was both indoor and outdoor seating. Since it was a nice day, we chose to eat outside, where there is a nice seating area between the street and the building. Most of the tables had umbrellas which worked well to give a little shade.

Many of the items on the menu were given names to honor local firefighters, the “heros” appropriately honored at a restaurant housed inside the former fire station.

I ordered the Reuben sandwich, and after a 15-minute wait it arrived, looking delicious. In taking my first look at the sandwich, it was obvious that there was a huge wad of corned beef stuffed into the sandwich. The corned beef tasted great, and the rye bread also had a nice flavor—the bread was grilled to be nice and firm, and yet not crunchy. The caraway seeds in the rye gave it a little kick. They put one slice of Swiss cheese on the bottom piece of bread, but there wasn't a corresponding one against the top slice of bread.

The sandwich had a hint of sweetness to it. Overall the Reuben tasted quite juicy, but amazingly the juiciness stayed inside and it didn't really drip out of the sandwich, which so often happens with a Reuben. The sauerkraut and the dressing blended together very well—they made their presence known, and they added to the overall juiciness of the sandwich without causing distraction.

For my side item, I ordered the onion rings instead of the French fries, and was glad that I did. They were the best kind! Beer battered and crisp, they were served in a cute decorative fry basket.

Overall, the atmosphere of the restaurant and the taste of the sandwich makes this a must-stop if you are passing through Barre, Vermont, around meal time.