At Our House Bistro in Winooski, the menu features 27 different kinds of macaroni and cheese, including Sugar Shack Mac with maple bacon, fried onion and maple bourbon; Polynesian Mac topped with coconut shrimp; and Peanut Butter & Jelly (Thai-Style) Mac. In addition to the noodles, Matthew Pearsall and Maggie Barch — who also own Spice of Life Catering — serve up other “twisted comfort food,” as they bill it, including fried pickles, a variety of tacos and gooey chocolate desserts.
Now, the couple is gearing up to debut a second Our House, in Plattsburgh, N.Y. They chose the city after considering Hanover, N.H., and Boston, Mass. Pearsall and Barch hope to open by the end of April and expect that the Lake City will be a great place to do business. “[The city of Plattsburgh] is looking to revitalize the whole downtown,” Pearsall explained. “There’s gonna be a lot of growth here.”
In Plattsburgh, the menu will feature the same tried-and-true offerings, plus food and drink specials that reflect the local flavor. “We’re not going to reinvent the wheel,” he said.
Pearsall believes that the success of Our House was a result of listening to what community members wanted and giving it to them. And they’ve found a winning recipe: “We didn’t have mac and cheese on our menu when we opened, and now we have 30,” he noted. “It’s all about what’s going to keep the bills paid and the doors open.”
If the pair have their way, New York State will be just the beginning of their expansion. As they get older, they hope to take on fewer catering gigs and continue to replicate their popular concept. Why does it work? “It’s playful, not dumbed down or pompous,” said Pearsall. “People spend money where they’re comfortable.”
The original print version of this article was headlined “Our House Redux”
Related Stories
This article appears in The Media Issue 2017.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
Good luck finding a place to park.
The important question is When?
Just glad to have another good dining option when I’m across the lake on business.
For those concerned about parking problems, there is a huge city parking lot just diagonal to thier new location in Plattburgh. Also I might add FREE parking. I’ve been employed at a downtown eatery for 15 years now (almost right next door to thier new location) and parking has never been an issue for our establishment and growth. We in the industry in the downtown district welcome the new venture of Matt and Maggie.