Off the Rails restaurant gets on track with wood-fired food in St. Albans
ST. ALBANS – A prominent restaurant space in Franklin County’s commercial hub is receiving new life from a veteran of the Chittenden County dining scene.
What is the place?
Shawn Careau opened Off the Rails at One Federal on Oct. 27 at, not surprisingly, 1 Federal St. in St. Albans, at the corner with Lake Street. The building previously housed a restaurant called One Federal, and the name of Careau’s new business pays tribute both to that eatery and to the railroad history of the community known as Rail City.
Off the Rails makes what Careau calls “wood-fired European fusion.” People think that means pizza, he said, but Careau uses the restaurant’s two ovens – a gas/wood-burning oven and a smaller wood-only oven – not just for flatbreads but also to roast chicken, steak, fish and lamb.
“St. Albans has nothing like it,” according to Careau. “Nobody around is pulling hot embers and searing a steak on it.”
The menu at Off the Rails includes small plates such as Scotch eggs, shishito peppers and porcini poutine; a selection of burgers and skewered dishes; wood-fired breads that include Italian influences but also Greek (spanakopita) and Middle Eastern (baba ganoush); and wood-fired proteins such as trout, crispy pork belly, half-chicken, lamb shank and flat-iron and ribeye steaks. The main courses don’t come with side dishes, so Off the Rails encourages diners to mix and match from options including risotto, focaccia and braised collard greens.
The restaurant seats 119 in rooms that create a larger or more-intimate vibe. The site comes with a courtyard that in nice weather can accommodate up to 150 people.
“Really, my restaurant doubles (in size) in spring and summer,” said Careau, who has already booked wedding receptions and class reunions for that outdoor spot next year. He plans to coordinate with another St. Albans business, 14th Star Brewing Co., to book music in the courtyard, and also to brew beers specifically for Off the Rails.
What’s the story behind it?
Careau has worked at a variety of restaurants in Chittenden County. He spent two years running the former Duino Duende restaurant and also oversaw the vegan menu at the Light Club Lamp Shop, both part of the Radio Bean complex in Burlington. Careau said the art on the walls at Off the Rails reflects the artsy vibe that rubbed off on him from his time at those bohemian businesses, a sense he also applies to what he calls “visual art on a plate” for the meals he creates.
He has also worked at Hinesburgh Public House and Waterworks Food + Drink in Winooski. Most recently, Careau helped run Smokey’s Low N’ Slow in South Burlington, a barbecue place that closed in November 2021, and the Vermont Tap House in Williston, a restaurant that has been dormant since August.
Careau bought a house in St. Albans just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. He had been inspired by the smokers used at Smokey’s and Vermont Tap House to bring that flavor to St. Albans, which he said was lacking such cuisine. Careau had been hearing from many local residents that they wanted to see a restaurant move into the One Federal space, and he worked with the city of St. Albans to get low-interest loans so he could do just that.
Business has been strong so far, according to Careau. “The first month we matched Tap House numbers,” he said, noting that Off the Rails brought in $170,000 in its debut month.
“We’re in the honeymoon stage,” Careau said, acknowledging that the upcoming months of January and February tend to be slower for restaurants. “Everyone wants to try us.”
Hours and location
Off the Rails at One Federal, 1 Federal St., St. Albans. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Monday and Thursday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday. (802) 528-5937, www.offtherailsatonefederal.com
Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com. Follow Brent on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BrentHallenbeck.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Off the Rails restaurant opens with wood-fired food in St. Albans
