Food show host Alton Brown will tell you that the mock eel at A Single Pebble in Burlington is one of the best things he’s ever eaten with a pair of chopsticks. The dish has gained some cult culinary status both in and beyond Vermont, and why not?

Serpentine strips of shiitake mushrooms are fried beyond recognition and shellacked with ginger-scallion soy sauce that’s both addictively salty and cloyingly sweet. It’s fat, sugar and salinity, and it’s good with a beer. Yet it’s not the best thing on the menu. And at $11 per plate, the dish is a bit steep.

I ordered the mock eel to see what all the fuss was about, but the deep-fried strands of shiitake were forgotten when the cha shao buns landed at the table.

At $8, the two softball-size steamed wheat buns are an ethereal contradiction in flavor and texture. The cushiony dough is delicate but substantial, its insides bloated with minced onions, pork and coarsely chopped mushrooms and plush with savory honey sauce. An acidic bite of raw scallions fringes the top, and two shallow dishes of dipping sauces — one salty-sweet peanut, the other a spiced, starchy hoisin — flank the plate for an added punch of flavor.

The buns come with a pair of tongs and a knife for slicing, but I couldn’t think of splitting. Instead, I went in a less demure direction and lifted a warm, steamed wheat bun in one hand, finishing my first cha shao bun in five hefty bites.

If there’s a bit more bulk in your wallet, you can also go for chef Chiuho Duval’s tasting menu, which changes daily. It features a parade of courses chosen on whim by the kitchen. But for a hearty meal on a budget, two cha shao buns certainly fit the bill. 

Dining on a Dime is a weekly series featuring well-made, filling bites (something substantial enough to qualify as a small meal or better) for $12 or less. Know of a tasty dish we should feature? Drop us a line: food@sevendaysvt.com. 

For a town of 902 people, Worcester has some big things going for it. Located on Route 12 between Montpelier and Morrisville, the burg is famous for its July 4 celebration — which features exceptional fireworks — and it boasts a robust community lunch. Worcester is home to Kettlesong Farm and Good Heart Farmstead (where I reside), among other agricultural operations. And, it's got a gas station that offers grocery items from India.

In addition, Worcester is where you'll find the Post Office Café, owned by Betsy Gladding and Leslie Sabo. There, you can mix and match all kinds of inexpensive meals to suit the mood of the day. 

For instance, you could have Vermont Artisan tea, a piece of potato and garlic-scape quiche, and a gooey maple bun. Or, you could get a sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich and a cappuccino. Or, if you're in a hurry, you can grab a container of soup (with housemade stock) and a salad such as fire-roasted gazpacho or sesame noodles from the cooler. Any of these combinations will run you less than $12. 

But my favorite meal on a "dime" is the sandwich, made on homemade baguette or a plain or seeded roll. For protein, eaters can choose hummus or local turkey, ham or cheddar. You can also mix-and-match to your heart's desire. I get mine with both meats and cheese, plus lettuce, onions, housemade pickles, Sriracha mayo, mustard and sprinkles of salt and pepper. It's hard to beat at $7.50. 

Dining on a Dime is a weekly series featuring well-made, filling bites (something substantial enough to qualify as a small meal or better) for $12 or less. Know of a tasty dish we should feature? Drop us a line: food@sevendaysvt.com. 

In the upper Connecticut River Valley, everyone goes to Whippi Dip. Located in Fairlee village, the longtime snack bar is favored by groups from nearby summer camps, where counselors use it as a bribe (Be good campers,  and maybe we'll go to Whippi Dip later). Locals use it for a quick, cheap lunch or dinner (almost everything is priced $3 to $10) or evening ice cream.

And, while the service varies from speedy to deathly slow, the food is fresh, thoughtfully crafted and, by snack-bar standards, relatively healthy.  Sure, there are the usual  burgers — made with local beef, turkey or black beans — fried seafood and ice cream. But Whippi Dip's menu also offers tacos ( pork, beef, fish or veggie), breakfast burritos, salads (Mexican, Asian or garden) and sandwiches stuffed with house-smoked brisket or pulled pork. 

Last night, I went for a puffy croissant from the specials board. It cradled crisp lettuce and cool cubed chicken breast tossed with red grapes (these added a sweet pop of moisture), sage and just enough mayo to marry the flavors but not make things heavy.

That rang in at $7.62 — including a $2 up-charge to swap crispy sweet-potato fries for chips. That felt like a decent deal since eating just half of it filled me up. But, since the evening was unbearably hot and sticky, I finished with a creamsicle float. That's a serious scoop of Kingdom Creamery vanilla ice cream doused in Maine Root mandarin orange soda, for $2.98. I left happy, cool and stuffed. 

And by morning, I already craved another ice-cream soda.

Dining on a Dime is a weekly series featuring well-made, filling bites (something substantial enough to qualify as a small meal or better) for $12 or less. Know of a tasty dish we should feature? Drop us a line: food@sevendaysvt.com.