Restaurant La Vieille Douane

One way to thrive in the restaurant industry is to open a restaurant in a quaint small town, where competition is not a concern.

We had occasion to be in Stanstead while completing the process of acquiring our Global Entry status at the US Border station in Derby Line, VT. We walked across the international line after showing our passports and had lunch here, just steps from the Canadian border station. I wonder if it has a new name: Am Dejeuners & Diners. That's what our credit card receipt said and that was on the signs. My chicken salad sandwich was so generous I couldn't finish it. It was served with a pasta salad, obviously home made and a small brown bag of crispy potato chips. My lunch partner's roast beef sandwich was accompanied by a fresh cole slaw and the chips. Everything was freshly made and delicious. A great find while in a new area.

Great food and excellent service. Really recommend this restaurant. It's really pleasant and friendly.

Prior to catching the play at the bi-national Haskell Opera House located in Stanstead, Quebec and Derby Line, Vermont, we Americans strolled across the border for dinner. Restaurant La Vieille Douane is the first building in Canada past the customs checkpoint. "Angel Dans Le Coeur" ("Angel In The Heart") is the restaurant name per our receipt.We had a fine dinner! Service by Marilyn was very good. Food was good to excellent, with the broiled salmon being better than the fried fish and chips. Price was acceptable. Atmosphere was exceptional, thanks to the terrace out back overlooking the river.Yes, if again in Stanstead, we will return.

I dined at this restaurant once before the change in management, and while the food was decent, it did not live up to the charm of the building and location. During my second visit with friends from out of town, we experienced a complete lack of service from the waitstaff and owner. We asked to sit outside, chose a table, and then waited for fifteen minutes as the server ignored us and only tended to another table. Feeling completely disregarded, we left and opted to grab pizza from a nearby place where the service was friendly and efficient. The owner barely acknowledged us as we left, adding to the overall feeling of being unwelcome. I couldn't help but wonder if our treatment was based on our race or the fact that my friends had children with them. While I can understand being hesitant to serve children, we were outdoors and out of the way, with the restaurant nearly empty. It's disappointing that such a charming location is wasted on mediocre food and discriminatory service. I doubt that "angel in the heart of your kitchen" will remain in business for long.