The Adventureman cometh: Doc Ponds opens in Stowe

The doctor will see you soon. Doc Ponds, the new venture of Hen of the Wood restaurateurs Eric Warnstedt and William McNeil, will open for business in Stowe within the week.

They set out to launch a casual beer bar, and have poured in months of hard work since acquiring the Mountain Road space in March — the former home of the Vermont Ale House and Red Basil Thai restaurant.

“It was really just supposed to be beer and albums,” Warnstedt said, “but as we ripped the place apart … we made the decision to put it back the way we wanted to.”

The deep purple exterior has been replaced with a very Vermonty barn-red, and black wrought railings wind up the north ramp to the main entrance. A large, friendly outline of a man in hiking boots and a pompom hat — that’s the Adventureman — keeps watch on the chimney, no doubt a welcoming sight to cold travelers and the après-ski crew once winter rolls around.

Doug Walker, a Winooski-based woodworker, did most of the interior work — and it shows in the copious use of geometric inlays and layers of buttery, matte panels of wood. A three-layer design lines the walls of the lounge and bar areas with inset LED lightning, echoed by the varied grains of the expansive wooden bar.

“We designed it, he built it,” Warnstedt said.

The lower-level lounge area retained a fireplace but lost the bookcases, and replaced the wood floor with radiant-heated charcoal-hued concrete.

Goldilocks wouldn’t have a hard time with the selection of tables and seating — family-style picnic tables, high-tops for two and four, black leather banquettes and couches and low tables, a dozen swivel bar stools, custom benches around the fireplace and wide bar-top railings on both the north and south porches provide ample choices for dining families or lounging singles.

Two turntables and a thousand-strong collection of vinyl will provide an endless variety of beats.

Gone are the dark hues and blood-red walls inside the building, replaced by light neutral tones, sage green and white, and a smattering of stainless steel. The overall effect is clean, mineral, natural.

The art of Doc Ponds plays a big role, too — a wall of graphic black-and-white designs, old-school snowboard blanks decorated by local artists, and the Adventureman himself. Much of the art is done by Lance Violette, who runs a Stowe-based creative agency and has designed graphics and campaigns for Burton, Forum, Shaun White, and the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum.

“He’s definitely been our partner in crime with this one,” Warnstedt said.

Art is available to take with you as well — Doc Ponds merchandise includes more than a dozen designs of tees and tank tops, some logos echoing punk rock and skate culture, and hats, drink coozies and more.

Justin Gould has been tapped as general manager, fresh from the Farmhouse Tap & Grill in Burlington; Waterbury Hen’s manager Denise Fitzgibbon will assist in Stowe.

Behind the bar, managed by Dave Meiss, 24 taps will flow with craft beers, with about 50 bottles and cans to choose from as well, including “every macro you could ever want,” Warnstedt said.

They’ve talked to friends about collaborative brews, but haven’t done anything yet, Warnstedt said. “Hopefully, with (Doc Ponds), it might push the energy that way.”

A dozen wines will be available by the glass, including a new California wine from Folk Machine bearing the Adventureman’s mug, and the bespoke Hen of the Wood cuvées from Oregon winery Anne Amie.

A cocktail program with a classic bent — think Aviations and Negronis — spearheaded by bartender Kate Wise will launch with eight initial offerings.

A slice of chalkboard-painted wall will bear at least three daily specials: oysters, charcuterie and sausage. The sleek, Ferrari-esque meat slicer known to Burlington Hen patrons will be present as well (“It’s so much fun!” Warnstedt said).

Justin Wright, who has been sous chef at both Hen of the Wood locations, will be chef de cuisine at Doc Ponds, turning out a menu to suit a wide range of appetites and budgets — small bites and snacks, ranging from $4 housemade pickle plates and fried shishito peppers to $11 fried oysters with tarragon aioli, and larger dishes such as brisket and burgers. The pricier end includes a $15 pub steak and a $19 pork chop served with heirloom beans and house-fermented sauerkraut.

Doc Ponds will source meat, veggies, fish and other ingredients locally when possible, with purveyors including LaPlatte River Angus Farm, Jericho Settlers Farm, Pete’s Greens and Wood Mountain Fish.

“We’re just taking updated bar food and doing it our way,” Warnstedt said.

There’s a sous vide machine and a big grill in the sparklingly renovated kitchen, as well as a milkshake spinner. Pastry chef Laura Schatz will churn out housemade ice creams, and diners can add adult kicks like nitro stout and bourbon to their frappes. Shiel Worcester, proprietor of the wheeled heaven that is the Jam Bakery pastry truck, will make daily pie specials.

The menu’s always changing in Stowe, with new restaurants popping up to fill voids — Bench sliding into the former Pie in the Sky space, Grazers firing up at the Butler House, Sauce settling in on the Mountain Road — and Warnstedt sees Doc Ponds as complementary to the area.

“This changing of the guard is a positive thing,” he said. “I feel like (Doc Ponds) is totally unique. It’s clean and fresh and stylie, but yet it’s priced for everyone.”

Doc Ponds will be open seven days a week — bar service starts at 2 p.m., food starts at 4 p.m., and the joint closes at midnight.