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*****
On my final night back in western Massachusetts prior to returning to Virginia for the new semester, my mother, step-father, and I dined at Chez Albert, Amherst's lone restaurant serving French cuisine. I had long heard that the food was solid, but that the restaurant was overpriced and served small portions. This may well have been true in the past, but it was not my experience; now, they serve generous portions for reasonable prices, and the food is both well presented and delicious.
Sunday through Wednesday, the restaurant offers a three course prix fixe menu, priced at $35.00, which includes a choice of three appetizers (Butternut Squash, Simple Salad, or Pate de Foie), three entrees (Chicken Fricassee, Monkfish Cheeks, or Pumpkin Gnocchi), and two desserts (Creme Brulee or Chocolate Mousse). The servings, as I said, are quite large; I had the Pate de Foie, the Monkfish Cheeks, and the Creme Brulee, and I barely finished my dessert--though, I did have a large chunk of my step-father's pork and a tremendous amount of bread.
We ate on a Tuesday night, and I believe the restaurant had not planned on having a full house; only one bartender and the owner were serving, and I suspect the kitchen was short staffed as well, so everything took a little longer than it should have to come out. That said, bread was never far from hand, and the wait did not seem overly tedious. We were initially given a basket of bread (which was a thick, crusty variety, and quite good) along with a white bean spread that was tasty, though we did have difficulty identifying it; honestly, I thought it was something involving butter, or possibly rendered fat of some variety.
When my appetizer finally came, it was a large rectangle of pate, which had a rich, meaty flavor, and a consistency that allowed it to be spread but was not so soft as the foie gras I had in France. It was served with a very good mustard that reminded me of some of the good stone ground mustards I had in France, as well as a thoroughly delicious dried cherry chutney that was just the right level of sweetness and tartness each. There were also a couple of cornichon, which is traditional, but in this case added little. The bread, again, was a good vehicle for the pate and its accompaniment. This was among the better pates I have had, and the cherry was just absolutely perfect with it.
Following up the foie was my entree of Monkfish Cheeks with Lobster au Jus. The cheeks, lightly batter and fried, were very good, though one piece was just very slightly undercooked; that was easily overlooked due to the quality of the remaining pieces, which were each substantial. Cheeks are known to be the most tender part of many fish and animals, and the monkfish is no exception; these particular cheeks were no exception. Served with very good mashed potatoes, as well as a truly decadent lobster sauce (along with a small piece of lobster itself), this was a fine main dish, and the one minor flaw was easily overlooked. My step-father's confit pork was also spectacular, moist and succulent, though my mother's gnocchi, which had a texture as if they had been flash fried, were only okay.
The creme brulee for dessert was very good, with a thick, hard crust of nearly burnt sugar topping a light, creamy custard that was as good as any I have had before. I do truly love creme brulee, it is among my favorite desserts when made properly, especially since it tends not to be overly sweet; kudos to the restaurant for doing this so well.
All in all, a fine restaurant, and a fine meal. It does appear to be vegetarian friendly (I suppose you would have to be to exist in Amherst), and the prices are distinctly reasonable, especially considering the enormous portions you get. Both my step-dad and my mom had leftovers.
Showing posts with label Western Massachusetts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Western Massachusetts. Show all posts
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Guest Chef Dinner, The Gill Tavern (Gill, MA)
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*****
The Gill Tavern is a very good restaurant in its own right, a solid mix of modern upscale and simple pub-like fare. Founded by the owner of The People's Pint, a Greenfield brewpub that has good food, great beer, and (at least the last time I went there, which has now been a few years) absolutely horrific service that prevented me from enjoying the good food and beer, The Gill Tavern has been successful since the beginning, and since it really is unique in Franklin County, I suspect they will continue to be for a long time.
This review, however, is not about the restaurant's ordinary operations, but rather about a Guest Chef event they now hold yearly. Julian Proujansky, an old schoolmate of mine, and Heather Bortnem, have come to The Gill Tavern for the last three years to display their talents. Both are highly successful in New York City: Julian is the Chef de Cuisine at Omar's La Ranita, which has received significant acclaim, and formerly worked at the famed Eleven Madison Park, recipient of three Michelin stars; Heather is head baker at Commerce Restaurant, famous in its own right, and a truly impressive title for someone so young.
This year's dinner was an interesting look into the current state of haute cuisine, with a combination of primarily simple ingredients and sophisticated concepts, it was all in all a very successful meal. Five courses were served, consisting of canapes, a salad, an appetizer, entree, and finally dessert. My only complaint had nothing to do with the food, which was that we were seated family style, and since I am not a huge fan of strangers, that was less than entirely comfortable for me.
The canapes were spectacular, four small bites that offered different textures, flavors and visuals: chick pea "fritters;" roast carrots with za'atar; black rice crisps with English peas; and deviled quail egg. The fritters were small logs of mashed chickpeas lightly fried and topped with a mild sauce; it tasted like a mild falafel, which works for me since I absolutely love falafel. My only criticism was that the exterior was not very crisp, so there was not a ton of textural contrast, but that is kind of nitpicky. The black rice crisps with English peas were my favorite, with a chip-like vessel of the rice holding the peas and a sauce. I wish I had been taking notes, because I would love to describe the flavors that this presented, but honestly there was so much going on in that one bite that I am struggling to really remember individual aspects. Suffice it to say I would eat an entire meal of just that preparation. Nearly as successful were the deviled quail eggs, topped with truffle; not featured on the menu that was e-mailed out to those with reservations, this was a great little surprise, an absurdly good, fancy version of one of my favorite party snacks from childhood. Quail eggs are super flavorful to begin with, and adding in the truffle flavor really did bring it to a whole new level; if only quail eggs were not so tiny! Lastly, the roast carrots were good, with a slight Middle Eastern flare to them from the za'atar. This was a fine couple of bites, maybe a little different from how I have seen carrots prepared before in a restaurant, and quite tasty, but there was nothing insanely creative about it.
The salad was my least favorite dish of the night, though I think that was simply because of my own personal tastes and not anything to do with the quality. There was, quite simply, just too much sweet involved for me; the candied pistachios were delicious, as were the pomegranate balls (made with pomegranate juice and agar agar; cool preparation that threw us all for a bit of a loop), and even the crisps of goat cheese, but all had a sweetness to them, as did the dressing, which added up to just a lot of sweetness. For people who are not as bothered by that, it was probably great, but for me, I could have done with more tang and salt and less sweet.
The appetizer course was probably my favorite, a rabbit torchon with pickled ramps, fava beans, and what we decided must be shaved asparagus. The torchon was deceptively brilliant, with huge rabbit flavor (not too gamy, but you knew you were eating rabbit), perfectly acidic and crisp ramps that were picked and pickled by Julian's mother up in Leyden, and a nice crunch from the asparagus, though they did not add a ton of flavor. There were also rye crackers, which I did not love, though with the combination of everything on one, they were pretty tasty. I wish ramps could be farmed properly, because they are incredibly delicious, and these were perfectly pickled.
The entree course was almost a deconstructed ravioli, with "stained glass pasta" topping braised lamb, almonds, chickpeas and a soft cheese that tasted like a whipped Boursin to me (my step-dad disagreed and we never did remember to ask what it actually was) in a sauce that was primarily jus with a little red wine. The pasta was delicate, delicious, and beautiful, the lamb essentially pulled, the chickpeas actually tasty (despite my love of falafel, I hate whole chickpeas), and the cheese beyond delicious. The only failure in this to me was the addition of the almonds, which seemed a little superfluous, and were not necessary for texture since the chickpeas were still rather crisp. Again, I'm being nitpicky, because they were not a negative for me, simply unnecessary in my opinion. The lamb was truly delicious, and reminded me again how much I wish mutton were popular in the USA, since I love that flavor and, as long as it is cooked long enough to eliminate the toughness, it is simply a stronger lamb.
Dessert was perfect for me, a strawberry (not blackberry like the pre-sent menu; that would have been sad if I had remembered, since I love blackberries more than almost anything else) mousse on a shortbread like crust. I was worried about how sweet it was going to be, but it was just perfect, mildly sweet, full of strawberry flavor. It was delicate looking, but had good body to the mousse; not quite the ethereal lightness that I think most people associate with a proper mousse, but that is good in my opinion, as I like the food I am eating to have some texture.
I was worried that by going to this dinner I would end up surrounded by old elementary school classmates, and I was only half wrong, but the food was so good that even if I had been 100% right it would have been worth it. The food was original, delicious, at least partially locally sourced (always a positive), and it was nice to see someone from my past doing so very well, and clearly having fun. I hope to have the chance to go again next year, and I am so glad I finally made it to one of these.
*****
The Gill Tavern is a very good restaurant in its own right, a solid mix of modern upscale and simple pub-like fare. Founded by the owner of The People's Pint, a Greenfield brewpub that has good food, great beer, and (at least the last time I went there, which has now been a few years) absolutely horrific service that prevented me from enjoying the good food and beer, The Gill Tavern has been successful since the beginning, and since it really is unique in Franklin County, I suspect they will continue to be for a long time.
This review, however, is not about the restaurant's ordinary operations, but rather about a Guest Chef event they now hold yearly. Julian Proujansky, an old schoolmate of mine, and Heather Bortnem, have come to The Gill Tavern for the last three years to display their talents. Both are highly successful in New York City: Julian is the Chef de Cuisine at Omar's La Ranita, which has received significant acclaim, and formerly worked at the famed Eleven Madison Park, recipient of three Michelin stars; Heather is head baker at Commerce Restaurant, famous in its own right, and a truly impressive title for someone so young.
This year's dinner was an interesting look into the current state of haute cuisine, with a combination of primarily simple ingredients and sophisticated concepts, it was all in all a very successful meal. Five courses were served, consisting of canapes, a salad, an appetizer, entree, and finally dessert. My only complaint had nothing to do with the food, which was that we were seated family style, and since I am not a huge fan of strangers, that was less than entirely comfortable for me.
The canapes were spectacular, four small bites that offered different textures, flavors and visuals: chick pea "fritters;" roast carrots with za'atar; black rice crisps with English peas; and deviled quail egg. The fritters were small logs of mashed chickpeas lightly fried and topped with a mild sauce; it tasted like a mild falafel, which works for me since I absolutely love falafel. My only criticism was that the exterior was not very crisp, so there was not a ton of textural contrast, but that is kind of nitpicky. The black rice crisps with English peas were my favorite, with a chip-like vessel of the rice holding the peas and a sauce. I wish I had been taking notes, because I would love to describe the flavors that this presented, but honestly there was so much going on in that one bite that I am struggling to really remember individual aspects. Suffice it to say I would eat an entire meal of just that preparation. Nearly as successful were the deviled quail eggs, topped with truffle; not featured on the menu that was e-mailed out to those with reservations, this was a great little surprise, an absurdly good, fancy version of one of my favorite party snacks from childhood. Quail eggs are super flavorful to begin with, and adding in the truffle flavor really did bring it to a whole new level; if only quail eggs were not so tiny! Lastly, the roast carrots were good, with a slight Middle Eastern flare to them from the za'atar. This was a fine couple of bites, maybe a little different from how I have seen carrots prepared before in a restaurant, and quite tasty, but there was nothing insanely creative about it.
The salad was my least favorite dish of the night, though I think that was simply because of my own personal tastes and not anything to do with the quality. There was, quite simply, just too much sweet involved for me; the candied pistachios were delicious, as were the pomegranate balls (made with pomegranate juice and agar agar; cool preparation that threw us all for a bit of a loop), and even the crisps of goat cheese, but all had a sweetness to them, as did the dressing, which added up to just a lot of sweetness. For people who are not as bothered by that, it was probably great, but for me, I could have done with more tang and salt and less sweet.
The appetizer course was probably my favorite, a rabbit torchon with pickled ramps, fava beans, and what we decided must be shaved asparagus. The torchon was deceptively brilliant, with huge rabbit flavor (not too gamy, but you knew you were eating rabbit), perfectly acidic and crisp ramps that were picked and pickled by Julian's mother up in Leyden, and a nice crunch from the asparagus, though they did not add a ton of flavor. There were also rye crackers, which I did not love, though with the combination of everything on one, they were pretty tasty. I wish ramps could be farmed properly, because they are incredibly delicious, and these were perfectly pickled.
The entree course was almost a deconstructed ravioli, with "stained glass pasta" topping braised lamb, almonds, chickpeas and a soft cheese that tasted like a whipped Boursin to me (my step-dad disagreed and we never did remember to ask what it actually was) in a sauce that was primarily jus with a little red wine. The pasta was delicate, delicious, and beautiful, the lamb essentially pulled, the chickpeas actually tasty (despite my love of falafel, I hate whole chickpeas), and the cheese beyond delicious. The only failure in this to me was the addition of the almonds, which seemed a little superfluous, and were not necessary for texture since the chickpeas were still rather crisp. Again, I'm being nitpicky, because they were not a negative for me, simply unnecessary in my opinion. The lamb was truly delicious, and reminded me again how much I wish mutton were popular in the USA, since I love that flavor and, as long as it is cooked long enough to eliminate the toughness, it is simply a stronger lamb.
Dessert was perfect for me, a strawberry (not blackberry like the pre-sent menu; that would have been sad if I had remembered, since I love blackberries more than almost anything else) mousse on a shortbread like crust. I was worried about how sweet it was going to be, but it was just perfect, mildly sweet, full of strawberry flavor. It was delicate looking, but had good body to the mousse; not quite the ethereal lightness that I think most people associate with a proper mousse, but that is good in my opinion, as I like the food I am eating to have some texture.
I was worried that by going to this dinner I would end up surrounded by old elementary school classmates, and I was only half wrong, but the food was so good that even if I had been 100% right it would have been worth it. The food was original, delicious, at least partially locally sourced (always a positive), and it was nice to see someone from my past doing so very well, and clearly having fun. I hope to have the chance to go again next year, and I am so glad I finally made it to one of these.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Kali B's Wings and Things (Turners Falls, Montague, MA)
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*****
In this area, all things wing related are judged against The Hangar Pub and Grill and their food arm, Wings Over, the rapidly growing franchise that originated in Amherst serving my fellow UMass alums. Famed for their boneless wings and dozens of sauces, it was a staple for us as college students and has remained so since graduating several years ago (albeit with some loss of quality of late, in my opinion). As such, anytime someone mentions that they had wings, the inevitable question is, "how did they compare to the Hangar?"
So, when Kali B's Wings and Things opened a restaurant in the former home of Ristorante DiPaolo in downtown Turners Falls, of course, everyone asked just that question. And incredibly, the resounding response was "they're better." That is high praise, and of course, it made me want to try the restaurant immediately; naturally, life got in the way of that, but I finally had the opportunity to try it the other day, dropping in for some wings and beer with my friend Jay.
The first thing I will say is, please, do not be put off by its location. Turners Falls is, to say the least, a broken village, but it will never get better without places like Kali B's; plus, with its private parking lot, you do not have to leave your car parked on the street or walk a ways down Avenue A to get to it (though I forgot about the lot, and did just that). Once you get near the restaurant, all you smell is the delicious odor of fried food. Inside, it is a nice set up, with a few seats at the bar, some small high tops (no more than two people can comfortably sit and eat at them, I would say), and a few booths in the main room, then several more tables and two large, comfortable looking semi-circular booths for larger parties. It is all very well lit, with some televisions in the main room that were tuned to the Red Sox post-game show, and while it does not have a dive-bar feel, it also is absolutely not going to be confused with being hoity-toity; I would say it is a perfect place for a family to have food or to go later in the evening for a drink and a snack, and everything in between. Clearly the owner/s did their hiring with the same basic criteria as the owner of The Hangar; young, pretty, and friendly, while also being competent...good mix for a sports bar type place.
Now, the important part; the food! Boneless wings are ordered by weight essentially, so Jay and I grabbed the "Over 1 lb" size, at a very reasonable $12 (same price as The Hangar; noticing a pattern here?), with their "hot" buffalo and honey mustard sauces, along with a large side of fried pickles. The wings were spectacular, giant white meat chunks of well cooked meat with a crispy breading that tasted delicious. While the buffalo sauce doused the three wings it was on, the honey mustard was less evenly coated, so there were parts of the chicken pieces that were not covered; I actually do not mind this, especially with a slightly sweet sauce like honey mustard, but it may not be everyone's favorite method. The sauces themselves were very good, with the buffalo sauce just a little spicy (neither Jay or I could figure out what their mild must be like, since this seemed very mild to both of us), but really flavorful, much better than most similar sauces that are all heat. This seemed very traditional, primarily just butter and a hot sauce like Frank's Red Hot, and it was delicious, among my favorite I've ever had. The honey mustard was fine, though it is a flavor that I think is a little played out, probably because I ate so much of it as an undergrad.
The fried pickles were huge, both the portion and the individual pieces, with thick slices of dill pickle coated in rather a large amount of batter. I really liked them, but I immediately regretted ordering the large, and we left nearly half of them uneaten as we were both stuffed and Jay didn't love them. The batter was relatively crunchy, they stayed very hot as the heat was trapped by the fried coating, and the pickles were sharp and crisp inside. I think a small order between two or three people would be fine, but the large was enough for at least four to six people.
So, it comes back to the question everyone must ask in this area: "how do the wings compare to The Hangar's?" Quite frankly, they do not. They are different, and not in a negative or a positive way; they are just different. I think to just grab a beer and some wings, I prefer Kali B's, but it will never replace The Hangar as the place where we gather to welcome back our friends when they return from Afghanistan, bid them farewell as they depart to start a new life (or just a summer) elsewhere, or congratulate them on a new job. It is just plain different. But, it is also highly recommended, and I hope it is just one of many new successful businesses in downtown Turners Falls.
*****
In this area, all things wing related are judged against The Hangar Pub and Grill and their food arm, Wings Over, the rapidly growing franchise that originated in Amherst serving my fellow UMass alums. Famed for their boneless wings and dozens of sauces, it was a staple for us as college students and has remained so since graduating several years ago (albeit with some loss of quality of late, in my opinion). As such, anytime someone mentions that they had wings, the inevitable question is, "how did they compare to the Hangar?"
So, when Kali B's Wings and Things opened a restaurant in the former home of Ristorante DiPaolo in downtown Turners Falls, of course, everyone asked just that question. And incredibly, the resounding response was "they're better." That is high praise, and of course, it made me want to try the restaurant immediately; naturally, life got in the way of that, but I finally had the opportunity to try it the other day, dropping in for some wings and beer with my friend Jay.
The first thing I will say is, please, do not be put off by its location. Turners Falls is, to say the least, a broken village, but it will never get better without places like Kali B's; plus, with its private parking lot, you do not have to leave your car parked on the street or walk a ways down Avenue A to get to it (though I forgot about the lot, and did just that). Once you get near the restaurant, all you smell is the delicious odor of fried food. Inside, it is a nice set up, with a few seats at the bar, some small high tops (no more than two people can comfortably sit and eat at them, I would say), and a few booths in the main room, then several more tables and two large, comfortable looking semi-circular booths for larger parties. It is all very well lit, with some televisions in the main room that were tuned to the Red Sox post-game show, and while it does not have a dive-bar feel, it also is absolutely not going to be confused with being hoity-toity; I would say it is a perfect place for a family to have food or to go later in the evening for a drink and a snack, and everything in between. Clearly the owner/s did their hiring with the same basic criteria as the owner of The Hangar; young, pretty, and friendly, while also being competent...good mix for a sports bar type place.
Now, the important part; the food! Boneless wings are ordered by weight essentially, so Jay and I grabbed the "Over 1 lb" size, at a very reasonable $12 (same price as The Hangar; noticing a pattern here?), with their "hot" buffalo and honey mustard sauces, along with a large side of fried pickles. The wings were spectacular, giant white meat chunks of well cooked meat with a crispy breading that tasted delicious. While the buffalo sauce doused the three wings it was on, the honey mustard was less evenly coated, so there were parts of the chicken pieces that were not covered; I actually do not mind this, especially with a slightly sweet sauce like honey mustard, but it may not be everyone's favorite method. The sauces themselves were very good, with the buffalo sauce just a little spicy (neither Jay or I could figure out what their mild must be like, since this seemed very mild to both of us), but really flavorful, much better than most similar sauces that are all heat. This seemed very traditional, primarily just butter and a hot sauce like Frank's Red Hot, and it was delicious, among my favorite I've ever had. The honey mustard was fine, though it is a flavor that I think is a little played out, probably because I ate so much of it as an undergrad.
The fried pickles were huge, both the portion and the individual pieces, with thick slices of dill pickle coated in rather a large amount of batter. I really liked them, but I immediately regretted ordering the large, and we left nearly half of them uneaten as we were both stuffed and Jay didn't love them. The batter was relatively crunchy, they stayed very hot as the heat was trapped by the fried coating, and the pickles were sharp and crisp inside. I think a small order between two or three people would be fine, but the large was enough for at least four to six people.
So, it comes back to the question everyone must ask in this area: "how do the wings compare to The Hangar's?" Quite frankly, they do not. They are different, and not in a negative or a positive way; they are just different. I think to just grab a beer and some wings, I prefer Kali B's, but it will never replace The Hangar as the place where we gather to welcome back our friends when they return from Afghanistan, bid them farewell as they depart to start a new life (or just a summer) elsewhere, or congratulate them on a new job. It is just plain different. But, it is also highly recommended, and I hope it is just one of many new successful businesses in downtown Turners Falls.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
La Fiorentina (Northampton, MA)
I have discussed a few of the cafes in Northampton before, including recent posts on The Roost and The Foundry, but nothing comes close to the quality of La Fiorentina. With three locations now (the others are in Springfield and the newly opened East Longmeadow shop), La Fiorentina presents perfect coffee, delicious pastries, ice cream and other sweets. Most items are, of course, Italian, though they have other pastries, including my personal favorite croissant. While I cannot speak to the authenticity of their coffees and sweets, having never been to Italy, I suspect that much of what they offer is true to its heritage, as they seem to have an attention to detail and quality that makes me think that anything less than doing things exactly right would not be acceptable.
I have been going to La Fiorentina since I was a little kid, getting hot chocolate, made with real steamed milk, which is really just so much better than the stuff you get elsewhere, and of course, the greatest treat of all, real marzipan. Made with almond paste and a lot of sugar, it is slightly sticky, very sweet, and just all in all delicious; as a kid it was my favorite, and today it is a treat that I cannot resist every time I find myself on Armory St. The marzipan is hand painted and absolutely beautiful, with bright, vibrant colors, shaped and colored to resemble various fruits and objects. I got a couple of the "banana" treats today, which were so perfectly painted that they looked just like miniature versions of the real thing. I am sorry to say that my new phone's camera, while pretty good, did not properly capture the colors, because these little treats really are a work of art. If you have never had marzipan and live or work in the Northampton area, you really need to stop in and try some; if you have tried it and like it, La Fiorentina's will take that to another level.
Beyond the marzipan, they have great fruit tarts, croissant, cheesecake that is to die for, and a lot of really good Italian desserts, including the classic cannoli. All of their cakes that I have tried are tremendous, and I look forward to trying more, despite my general aversion to very sweet desserts, because they just do such an incredibly good job with all of their food.
The coffee is, as I said, spectacular; it being a rather warm day today (47 degrees is warm in December), I went for an iced latte, and as I took my first long sip of it, all I could think was "if everyone tried this, no one would drink flavored coffee." The espresso is amazing, rich and flavorful, perfectly roasted, and the milk mixes perfectly with just the right ratio to the coffee. Their regular coffee is great as well; when I had a few trainings last year in Northampton, their hot coffee was the perfect thing to warm me, and as I struggled to stay awake through 24 hours of boring-ness over three days it kept me awake. After drinking La Fiorentina coffee I cannot drink Dunkin Donuts' swill for at least a week.
All in all, I cannot recommend La Fiorentina highly enough, and they are truly my favorite cafe in not just Northampton, but anywhere. If anyone has a place they think could challenge it, please let me know, but it is a long shot that I will find somewhere that I love more. FYI, though, their hours suck, not opening until 9am Sunday through Friday, and 8am on Saturday. I want coffee at 6am, dammit!
******
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 |
| "Banana" Marzipan; the cell phone camera does not do the beauty of it justice |
Beyond the marzipan, they have great fruit tarts, croissant, cheesecake that is to die for, and a lot of really good Italian desserts, including the classic cannoli. All of their cakes that I have tried are tremendous, and I look forward to trying more, despite my general aversion to very sweet desserts, because they just do such an incredibly good job with all of their food.
The coffee is, as I said, spectacular; it being a rather warm day today (47 degrees is warm in December), I went for an iced latte, and as I took my first long sip of it, all I could think was "if everyone tried this, no one would drink flavored coffee." The espresso is amazing, rich and flavorful, perfectly roasted, and the milk mixes perfectly with just the right ratio to the coffee. Their regular coffee is great as well; when I had a few trainings last year in Northampton, their hot coffee was the perfect thing to warm me, and as I struggled to stay awake through 24 hours of boring-ness over three days it kept me awake. After drinking La Fiorentina coffee I cannot drink Dunkin Donuts' swill for at least a week.
All in all, I cannot recommend La Fiorentina highly enough, and they are truly my favorite cafe in not just Northampton, but anywhere. If anyone has a place they think could challenge it, please let me know, but it is a long shot that I will find somewhere that I love more. FYI, though, their hours suck, not opening until 9am Sunday through Friday, and 8am on Saturday. I want coffee at 6am, dammit!
******
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Tuesday, November 26, 2013
The Roost (Northampton, MA)
The Roost is one of many cafes in Northampton, MA, fighting for supremacy in a market that should be able to support them all. Similar to last week's review, this is a place that I had seen a few times but never thought to drop in, as I did not really appreciate what it was and what it offered. My friend Sean and I were going out to grab a beer, but wanted somewhere different than our normal haunts, so he suggested The Roost.
Offering breakfast foods like waffles, egg sandwiches, and bagels, along with soups, sandwiches and salads, they have a rather interesting menu. Their soups and quiches change daily, but the rest of the menu stays essentially the same. They serve several beers in the bottle and have about half a dozen taps, all but one of which were stocked with local or semi-local beers, and prices are extremely reasonable. They had Brewmaster Jack's IPA for $12 pitchers, so we grabbed one of those to go along with a cup of soup each and the Mixed Board.
Sean had the New England Clam Chowder and I had the Butternut Squash and Yam Bisque. The chowder was gluten free, and the bisque was vegetarian, and there are several items on the menu that satisfy each of those requirements for those with limited diets or dietary restrictions. My bisque was tremendous, slightly sweet and definitely more distinctly recognizable as having butternut squash than yam, with a heat that was very subtle at first but built as time went on. It was very creamy, and the texture was just right. Dipping the bread and some of the cheese from the Mixed Board was the perfect way to eat both.
The Mixed Board itself was quite good as well, with a small, house-made baguette, ample piles of hummus and peanut noodles (served cold), a side salad, some berries, a few thick slices of cheddar cheese, and some olive oil based dressing that was probably 95% oil. The baguette was delicious, but there was not enough of it, so we bought a second one; they make them daily, and you can really tell, so kudos to them. Hummus is something I tend to enjoy, but not love, and this was no different, as it was very good but not something I would ever really crave. The peanut noodles, on the contrary, were definitely crave worthy, and I do not tend to be a huge fan of cold peanut noodles, but these had little chunks of actual peanut in the sauce and it did not taste like someone had just thinned out some mediocre peanut butter. The side salad and berries deserve no more mention other than to say they seemed relatively fresh, I guess. Cheddar cheese being among my favorite things on Earth, I was really happy to find it on the plate, but really disappointed to find only a small pile, since it was really good stuff. The dressing was good with the bread, but nothing exciting; they can do better there. Overall, this was very good and I was very impressed.
If you need a quick, tasty, fresh made bite to eat and a beer or coffee, The Roost is definitely a good option, and I would recommend it a bit more than I would The Foundry, and the prices are a bit better as well. FYI, the desserts look AMAZING.
******
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Offering breakfast foods like waffles, egg sandwiches, and bagels, along with soups, sandwiches and salads, they have a rather interesting menu. Their soups and quiches change daily, but the rest of the menu stays essentially the same. They serve several beers in the bottle and have about half a dozen taps, all but one of which were stocked with local or semi-local beers, and prices are extremely reasonable. They had Brewmaster Jack's IPA for $12 pitchers, so we grabbed one of those to go along with a cup of soup each and the Mixed Board.
Sean had the New England Clam Chowder and I had the Butternut Squash and Yam Bisque. The chowder was gluten free, and the bisque was vegetarian, and there are several items on the menu that satisfy each of those requirements for those with limited diets or dietary restrictions. My bisque was tremendous, slightly sweet and definitely more distinctly recognizable as having butternut squash than yam, with a heat that was very subtle at first but built as time went on. It was very creamy, and the texture was just right. Dipping the bread and some of the cheese from the Mixed Board was the perfect way to eat both.
The Mixed Board itself was quite good as well, with a small, house-made baguette, ample piles of hummus and peanut noodles (served cold), a side salad, some berries, a few thick slices of cheddar cheese, and some olive oil based dressing that was probably 95% oil. The baguette was delicious, but there was not enough of it, so we bought a second one; they make them daily, and you can really tell, so kudos to them. Hummus is something I tend to enjoy, but not love, and this was no different, as it was very good but not something I would ever really crave. The peanut noodles, on the contrary, were definitely crave worthy, and I do not tend to be a huge fan of cold peanut noodles, but these had little chunks of actual peanut in the sauce and it did not taste like someone had just thinned out some mediocre peanut butter. The side salad and berries deserve no more mention other than to say they seemed relatively fresh, I guess. Cheddar cheese being among my favorite things on Earth, I was really happy to find it on the plate, but really disappointed to find only a small pile, since it was really good stuff. The dressing was good with the bread, but nothing exciting; they can do better there. Overall, this was very good and I was very impressed.
If you need a quick, tasty, fresh made bite to eat and a beer or coffee, The Roost is definitely a good option, and I would recommend it a bit more than I would The Foundry, and the prices are a bit better as well. FYI, the desserts look AMAZING.
******
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Sunday, November 17, 2013
The Foundry (Northampton, MA)
Located across the street from my favorite Northampton spot, The Foundry is a sandwich/coffee shop, which also offers a few craft beers on tap, including a local brew or two. I had wandered by many a time since The Foundry opened, but never stopped in, thinking it more of a coffee bar than a place to have a meal or a drink, and figuring that if I were getting expensive coffee, I'd go to La Fiorentina, Western Massachusetts' best coffee and pastry shop. This past Tuesday, however, I found myself with a solid hour or two of down time while I waited for Town Fair Tire to put my new tires on my car, and, wanting to try something new that was not too heavy, I decided to stop in and have a sandwich and a beer. (**Shout out to Town Fair Tire; those guys rock. Great deals, good customer service, and nice people in general**)
I ordered one of their hot pressed sandwiches, The Anvil, which includes turkey, sun dried tomatoes, and pepperjack cheese. This was a very simple sandwich, but was quite tasty, with pretty decent turkey that did not taste like the processed crap you get at the supermarket, sun dried tomatoes that provided a great combination of sweet and savory, and a subtle spice from the cheese. It did not suffer from the standard issue I find with paninis, where the sandwich is pressed into an homogeneous blob with no character or ability to differentiate between textures and flavors. The sandwich was served with a small salad of micro-greens that was quite good, and a balsamic vinaigrette that was no better or worse than the ones I make when I'm in a rush or not motivated enough to make a good dressing.
The Foundry also has a few decent beers on their list, and I had a glass of Maine Beer Company's Mo, a great beer that deserves its own review. They also had something from The People's Pint, a fine local brewpub (though their service sucks horrifically at the restaurant), so it is good to see them supporting local breweries.
All in all, I will almost certainly go back, and I would say it is a good place to check out if you need a quick, light bite to eat.
******
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I ordered one of their hot pressed sandwiches, The Anvil, which includes turkey, sun dried tomatoes, and pepperjack cheese. This was a very simple sandwich, but was quite tasty, with pretty decent turkey that did not taste like the processed crap you get at the supermarket, sun dried tomatoes that provided a great combination of sweet and savory, and a subtle spice from the cheese. It did not suffer from the standard issue I find with paninis, where the sandwich is pressed into an homogeneous blob with no character or ability to differentiate between textures and flavors. The sandwich was served with a small salad of micro-greens that was quite good, and a balsamic vinaigrette that was no better or worse than the ones I make when I'm in a rush or not motivated enough to make a good dressing.
The Foundry also has a few decent beers on their list, and I had a glass of Maine Beer Company's Mo, a great beer that deserves its own review. They also had something from The People's Pint, a fine local brewpub (though their service sucks horrifically at the restaurant), so it is good to see them supporting local breweries.
All in all, I will almost certainly go back, and I would say it is a good place to check out if you need a quick, light bite to eat.
******
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Sunday, November 10, 2013
Tunnel Bar (Northampton, MA) and V-1 Vodka
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*****
Situated under the old Union Station, in--obviously--an old train tunnel, Northampton's Tunnel Bar is, on a quiet night, about the classiest place in the city, and on a Friday or Saturday, one of the most popular. Elegant and comfortable, with the bare walls of the tiled tunnel contrasted by the comfortable leather chairs situated around small wooden coffee tables, there is a bar about twenty feet long with some stools and space to stand. They have a few beers on tap at any given moment, but they really specialize in cocktails, and especially martinis. With a pretty decent selection of gins and vodkas, you can get just about any variety of martini, from my rather simple personal preference (V-One Vodka with extra olives) to any number of specialty and original drinks. Additionally, they have a wide selection of other spirits, including but not limited to Scotch (including the cheapest pour of Johnnie Walker Blue I've ever seen, at $23), bourbon, rum, and tequila. Prices are definitely not low, but considering the incredible potency of their cocktails, they are well worth the cost. If I am driving, I never have more than one martini at Tunnel Bar, and I make sure there's a little time and water before I get behind the wheel.
When Tunnel Bar is quiet, it is the perfect place for a drinking date, pre-meal cocktail, or after dinner nightcap, giving ample room to stretch out while still maintaining enough proximity to your accompaniment to have a real conversation without worrying about being overheard. On weekends, it gets too busy to have a quiet conversation, and you may well end up upstairs at a regular restaurant style table, as the tunnel itself cannot hold nearly so many people as want to crowd in. They will be crowded from about 8:00pm until close on Friday and Saturday, so plan accordingly.
***********
V-One Vodka is somewhat a product of Western Massachusetts, the brainchild of Hadley's own Paul Kozub. Produced in Poland, it is the winner of several awards in its short lifespan, and is my second favorite vodka, following only Cold River Vodka from Maine. Incredibly smooth, it makes a great martini, though like most grain vodkas it lacks the flavor of the potato based versions; it lies somewhere in between Cold River and Stolichnaya for me, and is actually unique in that is uses 100% spelt.
I cannot recommend either of these highly enough.
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*****
Situated under the old Union Station, in--obviously--an old train tunnel, Northampton's Tunnel Bar is, on a quiet night, about the classiest place in the city, and on a Friday or Saturday, one of the most popular. Elegant and comfortable, with the bare walls of the tiled tunnel contrasted by the comfortable leather chairs situated around small wooden coffee tables, there is a bar about twenty feet long with some stools and space to stand. They have a few beers on tap at any given moment, but they really specialize in cocktails, and especially martinis. With a pretty decent selection of gins and vodkas, you can get just about any variety of martini, from my rather simple personal preference (V-One Vodka with extra olives) to any number of specialty and original drinks. Additionally, they have a wide selection of other spirits, including but not limited to Scotch (including the cheapest pour of Johnnie Walker Blue I've ever seen, at $23), bourbon, rum, and tequila. Prices are definitely not low, but considering the incredible potency of their cocktails, they are well worth the cost. If I am driving, I never have more than one martini at Tunnel Bar, and I make sure there's a little time and water before I get behind the wheel.
When Tunnel Bar is quiet, it is the perfect place for a drinking date, pre-meal cocktail, or after dinner nightcap, giving ample room to stretch out while still maintaining enough proximity to your accompaniment to have a real conversation without worrying about being overheard. On weekends, it gets too busy to have a quiet conversation, and you may well end up upstairs at a regular restaurant style table, as the tunnel itself cannot hold nearly so many people as want to crowd in. They will be crowded from about 8:00pm until close on Friday and Saturday, so plan accordingly.
***********
V-One Vodka is somewhat a product of Western Massachusetts, the brainchild of Hadley's own Paul Kozub. Produced in Poland, it is the winner of several awards in its short lifespan, and is my second favorite vodka, following only Cold River Vodka from Maine. Incredibly smooth, it makes a great martini, though like most grain vodkas it lacks the flavor of the potato based versions; it lies somewhere in between Cold River and Stolichnaya for me, and is actually unique in that is uses 100% spelt.
I cannot recommend either of these highly enough.
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Monday, October 21, 2013
McLadden's Irish Publick House (Northampton, MA)
I first went to McLadden's Irish Publick House's Northampton location after a wedding at the nearby Hotel Northampton, already a bit tipsy from my part of a bottle of Buffalo Trace bourbon, and a shot of tequila was involved, so my opinion was not reliable that night. The second time I went was a much more memorable event, having a late dinner there with my cousin and her boyfriend a couple weeks back when they visited from New York City. My cousin's boyfriend is an up and coming beer fan, and I have enjoyed taking him to a few other local beer hotspots and trying some great beers with him over the last few years, so when my cousin said Rick wanted to go somewhere with good beer again, McLadden's came immediately to mind. With over 100 taps and nearly as many bottled varieties, not to mention a very solid list of Irish, Scotch, and American whisk(e)ys, I figured the food did not need to be that good to still be a good choice. Thankfully, the food held up well, and I suspect that this will be among my go-to options in Northampton in the near future.
McLadden's is a very small local chain, with just three locations (the others being in Hamden, MA and West Hartford, CT), Northampton being the newest. When they opened there was a decent amount of buzz about them, but I heard very mixed, at best, reviews about the food, and with The Dirty Truth a tenth of a mile away, I honestly did not see much need to go there. Following my post-wedding trip, which gave me a view of their thoroughly impressive array of taps, I figured it was worth a shot. They advertise having 105 taps, but not all of them are active at any given moment. When I went with my cousin and her boyfriend, they had 102 running, and because they change options so often they do not have a printed menu; rather, there is a display that rotates through the options, or you can use your smartphone to scan a UPC or to go to a website that provides a full list of the available beers on tap, bottle or can. You can select the beer and it will give you some information about the beer and brewery, as well as where it is available near you.
We arrived around 9pm and still had to wait about ten minutes or so to be seated at one of about ten booths; the place was packed, especially around the bar, but the wait was not a major issue as it allowed us to browse the beer list online and pick out what we each wanted. I went with Founders Brewing Company's Imperial Stout, a specialty beer available as a "winter warmer," while Rick had a Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits Sculpin IPA at my recommendation; I do not remember my cousin Hana's beer selection, but I believe it was a pretty solid choice. Mine was spectacular, similar to the Lagunitas Brewing Company Imperial Stout I had at the 2013 American Craft Beer Fest, but not quite as sour. It was sharp, heavy and deeply flavored, malty as can be, and very much an alcohol-heavy beer but without feeling like it was overpowering the hops and malt that make it such a tremendous beer. It is a 10.5% ABV beer, though, so they served a smaller (I believe 10oz) portion in a goblet, and that was just right to go with my food. The Sculpin was as good as ever, one of my top three IPAs, and really deserves its own review, which I will take care of in the near future.
The food did not quite live up to the beer, but that is by no means a negative; it is very difficult to match an insanely impressive beer list. We all went fairly simple, which the menu seems to do best, mixing some classically Irish dishes and some pretty standard American pub food. Hana had a Turkey Panini, which was delicious, with a small amount of spice, and a ton of flavor from both the bacon and the kale, which for once was not an unnecessary fad ingredient. Rick had the Shepherd's Pie, a childhood favorite of mine (though technically I always had Cottage Pie, I suppose, since it was made with beef), and he enjoyed it a great deal. I went with the Guinness Lamb Stew, served with two pieces of grilled bread, which is perfect for dipping in the gravy. The lamb was tender and delicious, the vegetables soft but not mushy, and the whole thing was just really delicious. My only complaint was that, unlike Hana's giant sandwich and Rick's generously sized dish, there did not seem to be a great deal of food in my bowl. Maybe that was because I had not eaten all day, but an order of truffle oil french fries at The Dirty Truth followed to ensure that I was full.
Prices were properly in line for the beer, nothing out of the ordinary, while the food was a little overpriced for such an establishment. That said, it was not so overpriced as to make me not go there again, I just may not pick it as my primary beer establishment. The service was fine, except that while we were waiting the waitress who said she would be back to get our beer orders never rematerialized, but since we were not waiting an insanely long time that is not much of a problem. All in all, I would highly recommend at least checking the place out, for the beer if nothing else, but the food is a good option as well.
******
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McLadden's is a very small local chain, with just three locations (the others being in Hamden, MA and West Hartford, CT), Northampton being the newest. When they opened there was a decent amount of buzz about them, but I heard very mixed, at best, reviews about the food, and with The Dirty Truth a tenth of a mile away, I honestly did not see much need to go there. Following my post-wedding trip, which gave me a view of their thoroughly impressive array of taps, I figured it was worth a shot. They advertise having 105 taps, but not all of them are active at any given moment. When I went with my cousin and her boyfriend, they had 102 running, and because they change options so often they do not have a printed menu; rather, there is a display that rotates through the options, or you can use your smartphone to scan a UPC or to go to a website that provides a full list of the available beers on tap, bottle or can. You can select the beer and it will give you some information about the beer and brewery, as well as where it is available near you.
We arrived around 9pm and still had to wait about ten minutes or so to be seated at one of about ten booths; the place was packed, especially around the bar, but the wait was not a major issue as it allowed us to browse the beer list online and pick out what we each wanted. I went with Founders Brewing Company's Imperial Stout, a specialty beer available as a "winter warmer," while Rick had a Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits Sculpin IPA at my recommendation; I do not remember my cousin Hana's beer selection, but I believe it was a pretty solid choice. Mine was spectacular, similar to the Lagunitas Brewing Company Imperial Stout I had at the 2013 American Craft Beer Fest, but not quite as sour. It was sharp, heavy and deeply flavored, malty as can be, and very much an alcohol-heavy beer but without feeling like it was overpowering the hops and malt that make it such a tremendous beer. It is a 10.5% ABV beer, though, so they served a smaller (I believe 10oz) portion in a goblet, and that was just right to go with my food. The Sculpin was as good as ever, one of my top three IPAs, and really deserves its own review, which I will take care of in the near future.
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| Guinness Lamb Stew, with Rick's and Hana's dishes in the background |
Prices were properly in line for the beer, nothing out of the ordinary, while the food was a little overpriced for such an establishment. That said, it was not so overpriced as to make me not go there again, I just may not pick it as my primary beer establishment. The service was fine, except that while we were waiting the waitress who said she would be back to get our beer orders never rematerialized, but since we were not waiting an insanely long time that is not much of a problem. All in all, I would highly recommend at least checking the place out, for the beer if nothing else, but the food is a good option as well.
******
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Sunday, October 20, 2013
The Brass Buckle Cafe (Greenfield, MA)
Located at the corner of Main and Chapman Sts. in Greenfield, The Brass Buckle Cafe is just one of many small cafes or coffee shops that have existed in this location over the last fifteen years; some have been good, some bad, but none has managed to last more than a few years. The Brass Buckle hopefully will not break that trend.
In the interest of full disclosure, apparently my step-dad and the owner of the cafe have a bit of a feud going on after an extremely negative post on Yelp or one of those sites, which the owner saw and ended up confronting my step-dad and screaming profanity at him, and then banished him from the cafe. I figured I should give it a shot however, and I was really hoping that my step-dad simply had a bad experience, and while mine was not nearly so negative as his, I was really not pleased.
To start, you walk in and the place is actually nicely set up, very clean looking and with enough room everywhere. It has a pretty standard cafe set up at the counter, with some cookies and other pastry types behind glass next to where you order, and a couple of giant blackboards behind the counter list what your options for drinks and food are. The "kitchen" is open and you can watch your food be made if you are so inclined. The prices are very reasonable, and their coffee menu is pretty good, including a few things that I do not often see, such as Vietnamese Iced Coffee. So far, so good.
From there things went down hill. I waited several minutes to order despite having just one person ahead of me in line, and while the young man who took my order was perfectly friendly (which goes a long way with me), I hope for his sake he is new because his lack of familiarity with the cafe's offerings was a serious problem. I ordered the chilaquiles, a classic Mexican breakfast dish which typically uses leftover corn tortillas which are fried in quarters and then baked with a sauce and topped with crema or queso fresco, and of course served with the requisite refried beans. This iteration of the dish lacked the beans, had some crema (they say queso blanco on their website, but I am really doubtful about that) drizzled on the top of a giant pile of fried tortilla. The red and green salsas they used were fine, nicely spicy, but nothing special. Adding radish, which may have been pickled, was a nice touch, but none of the other vegetables were particularly good, and the tortillas were inconsistent as far as texture, which had some appeal to me in that I like contrast of textures, but it was too inconsistent, with some pieces completely soggy and others completely brittle. The crema, or whatever it was, was actually the best part, but there wasn't enough to get on every bite, and while drowning the dish in it would not have been good either as far as presentation or to eat, adding a bit more would be a good idea.
Coffee being a big part of any cafe, and it being morning when I went, I had myself an iced coffee, served black, and it was...okay. I drank the whole thing, and it was fine, but it was not great, certainly not up to the level of Greenfield Coffee, much less Cambridge's Crema Cafe or Northampton's La Fiorentina or Haymarket Cafe. If the food was better, the coffee would be more than good enough, and if the coffee was better I could probably deal with the food that was not up to my standards. The service is an issue, but again, if it were not one of multiple problems I could get over it and return. Sadly, I do not believe that I will return.
******
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In the interest of full disclosure, apparently my step-dad and the owner of the cafe have a bit of a feud going on after an extremely negative post on Yelp or one of those sites, which the owner saw and ended up confronting my step-dad and screaming profanity at him, and then banished him from the cafe. I figured I should give it a shot however, and I was really hoping that my step-dad simply had a bad experience, and while mine was not nearly so negative as his, I was really not pleased.
To start, you walk in and the place is actually nicely set up, very clean looking and with enough room everywhere. It has a pretty standard cafe set up at the counter, with some cookies and other pastry types behind glass next to where you order, and a couple of giant blackboards behind the counter list what your options for drinks and food are. The "kitchen" is open and you can watch your food be made if you are so inclined. The prices are very reasonable, and their coffee menu is pretty good, including a few things that I do not often see, such as Vietnamese Iced Coffee. So far, so good.
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| Chilaquiles and an iced coffee |
Coffee being a big part of any cafe, and it being morning when I went, I had myself an iced coffee, served black, and it was...okay. I drank the whole thing, and it was fine, but it was not great, certainly not up to the level of Greenfield Coffee, much less Cambridge's Crema Cafe or Northampton's La Fiorentina or Haymarket Cafe. If the food was better, the coffee would be more than good enough, and if the coffee was better I could probably deal with the food that was not up to my standards. The service is an issue, but again, if it were not one of multiple problems I could get over it and return. Sadly, I do not believe that I will return.
******
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Wednesday, August 21, 2013
La Veracruzana (Northampton, MA and Amherst, MA)
With two locations in western Massachusetts, La Veracruzana serves up a mix of fairly standard American style Mexican food and some dishes more specific to the owners' native state of Veracruz, from which the restaurants derive their name. The primary and original location is on Main St. in Northampton, conveniently right next to my favorite spot in the city, The Dirty Truth, while the second is in downtown Amherst on South Pleasant St. As a kid, going to the Northampton location was a fun treat, and in college (and after) the Amherst location has provided me with a fix for occasional cravings for enchiladas, tamales, or chiles rellenos.
La Veracruzana is best known for its salsa bar, where over a half dozen homemade salsas are available to serve yourself. From mild to burning hot, tomatillo to borracha, the options are plentiful and delicious, enough to make anyone happy and accompany any dish they serve. Chips are available--a change from when the restaurant opened-- and are a great way to try the salsas, but they are expensive at $3 a serving, though they are fresh made; no Tostitos here.
The menu is written on large blackboards at both locations, and is rather varied; you can get anything from a quesadilla to pupusas, the delicious Salvadoran stuffed masa cakes. I love their mole, that most spectacular of sauces, slightly sweet with chocolate, slightly spicy, and just overall so delectable that it improves anything and everything it touches; served on their enchiladas con pollo (chicken) it
is absolute perfection. Tender, flavorful chicken wrapped in corn tortillas, topped with melted cheese and a sauce (mole, a slightly spicy red "enchilada sauce," or a tomatillo sauce), and served with refried beans and rice. The rice and beans are fine, though they do not stack up with the addictively spectacular varieties at Tacos Lupita in Lynn, MA. The beans are pretty standard, like you would get just about anywhere, but the rice is actually pretty good; I tend to mix them together with some salsa, and it tastes just fine.
Along with the enchiladas I had horchata, my favorite Central American drink, rice based and sweet without ever being cloying. They also serve really great lemonade, a variety of aguas frescas, and during the winter, Mexican hot chocolate. Their flan is supposedly good if you are in the mood for dessert, though I have not had it and I only know one person who has, though he enjoyed it.
All in all, La Veracruzana is an old favorite making solid if mostly unspectacular food; there are a few things on the menu that you may not recognize, and if your exposure to Mexican food is Taco Bell, you probably will be pretty shocked by what comes out. As far as Mexican/Central American restaurants in the area, it is about as good as you will get, except possibly Mi Tierra, a Salvadoran owned eatery in neighboring Hadley.
******
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La Veracruzana is best known for its salsa bar, where over a half dozen homemade salsas are available to serve yourself. From mild to burning hot, tomatillo to borracha, the options are plentiful and delicious, enough to make anyone happy and accompany any dish they serve. Chips are available--a change from when the restaurant opened-- and are a great way to try the salsas, but they are expensive at $3 a serving, though they are fresh made; no Tostitos here.
The menu is written on large blackboards at both locations, and is rather varied; you can get anything from a quesadilla to pupusas, the delicious Salvadoran stuffed masa cakes. I love their mole, that most spectacular of sauces, slightly sweet with chocolate, slightly spicy, and just overall so delectable that it improves anything and everything it touches; served on their enchiladas con pollo (chicken) it
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| Enchiladas con pollo y mole |
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| Horchata |
All in all, La Veracruzana is an old favorite making solid if mostly unspectacular food; there are a few things on the menu that you may not recognize, and if your exposure to Mexican food is Taco Bell, you probably will be pretty shocked by what comes out. As far as Mexican/Central American restaurants in the area, it is about as good as you will get, except possibly Mi Tierra, a Salvadoran owned eatery in neighboring Hadley.
******
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Monday, July 15, 2013
The Farm Table at Kringle Candle (Bernardston, MA)
Having grown up in Bernardston, a small town that until a few years ago was best known for being the last exit on Interstate 91 before Vermont (aka, not known at all), I was extremely excited when Kringle Candle Company came into being, adding a major business to a town that otherwise lacked for them, especially following the closure of the much beloved Aldo's Harley Davidson. Kringle, which is the brainchild of Yankee Candle Company founder Michael Kittredge, was opened almost as soon as the non-compete agreement Kittredge signed when he sold Yankee Candle expired. In building it, along with his son, Kittredge brought not just a factory, but a showroom and a fine dining restaurant, following a similar path to the Yankee Candle flagship store in South Deerfield, MA.
The Farm Table at Kringle Candle, colloquially "Farm Table" follows the theory espoused by its name, where ingredients are sourced locally and the food has very little diversion between the farm and your table. Like Chandler's Restaurant at Yankee Candle, Farm Table is a high end restaurant, and thus expensive; unlike Chandler's, Farm Table will allow you to get in and out without spending your entire paycheck if you order properly. Farm Table's menu includes a half dozen brick oven pizzas, all of which are somewhat reasonably priced ($12-16), and the entrees include several relatively affordable options. The appetizers are somewhat expensive, but a few of them can be ordered as a smaller, and thus cheaper, portion. Since I was going with my mother, who does not have nearly the appetite I do, I had both my own entree and a couple slices of her pizza.
I went with the Summer Pasta, which can also be ordered as a small or large portion (though at just a $3 difference, I question why anyone would order the small), and it was a little disappointing. It is a simple dish, just some penne pasta, nut free pesto, grilled chicken and confit cherry tomatoes with Pecorino Romano shaved on top, and some aspects of it worked exceptionally well, but it was completely undone by the chicken. Cut into bite sized and smaller pieces, the chicken was overcooked and dry, making it completely unappetizing and hard to eat. The pesto, which tasted quite good, was far too oily, leaving a greasy feel to the chicken and pasta at the bottom of the dish. The pasta itself was good, well cooked, though I strongly suspect it was not homemade. The best part of the dish was the tomato; as a huge fan of cherry tomatoes in general, and of almost anything confit, it was a really nice addition, as the sweetness set off the earthiness of the pesto and pasta, and almost made up for the failure of the chicken. Overall, I'd say this is a dish I would not order again, simply because of the chicken, but if they could rectify that issue it would be solid, and at $18, it is the cheapest entree on the menu, and not out of line with what you would pay at many other, less "fancy" places.
My mother's pizza, on the other hand, was very good, likely the best north of The Hungry Ghost in Northampton; in fact, I suspect that most people would prefer Farm Table's, as it is a little further from true Neapolitan. The crust is a little thicker than my ideal, but is very tasty, and the texture is just right for its thickness, crisp on the bottom and chewy on the inside. The Spanish Pizza that my mom got has house made chorizo, fresh garlic, egg, smoked local mozzarella, Manchego and fresh herbs over a roasted tomato sauce. I'll admit that I could not really taste the egg, even when I knew I was biting directly into it, as I felt it was overshadowed by the sauce and especially the chorizo, and I would never have guessed that the mozzarella was smoked, but it tasted delicious nonetheless. The chorizo is great, though not spicy as I expect with that sausage variety, but it does not suffer for that. Overall the pizza is very well done, and I would strongly suggest getting one of them, either as an appetizer to share, or as a meal. Be aware, however, that they are not large, around six to eight small pieces; I would have eaten the entire thing easily, and as it was we finished it despite the fact that I only had two pieces.
Farm Table's beer list is decent, with a good mix of local and national craft breweries represented at the taps and some very good bottle options. The growing number of gluten free eaters will be pleased to know that many of the items on the menu either come gluten free or can be made gluten free for a small up-charge, including the pizza. The spirits list is fine, and includes some higher end whisky, like the massively overpriced Johnny Walker Blue ($50, despite going for only about $200 wholesale, or less) and Macallan 25 Year ($75; this is an exceptionally rare scotch, and I have seen it as high as $125 a shot, but still, this is absurd, as it takes about a third of the bottle, at most, to recoup the cost), and some really good options on the more affordable end like BenRiach 16 ($10) and Talisker Distillers Edition ($19). Whistle Pig Rye ($10) is probably the most intriguing American whiskey option, but there are several good ones to choose from.
All in all, for the price you are paying, I think there are probably better options food-wise in the area, but the ambiance is nice, the location is beautiful, and the option to sit outside in nice weather is not to be under-appreciated. I will likely go again, as I would like to try some more things, but it is not somewhere that I will find myself drooling over.
******
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The Farm Table at Kringle Candle, colloquially "Farm Table" follows the theory espoused by its name, where ingredients are sourced locally and the food has very little diversion between the farm and your table. Like Chandler's Restaurant at Yankee Candle, Farm Table is a high end restaurant, and thus expensive; unlike Chandler's, Farm Table will allow you to get in and out without spending your entire paycheck if you order properly. Farm Table's menu includes a half dozen brick oven pizzas, all of which are somewhat reasonably priced ($12-16), and the entrees include several relatively affordable options. The appetizers are somewhat expensive, but a few of them can be ordered as a smaller, and thus cheaper, portion. Since I was going with my mother, who does not have nearly the appetite I do, I had both my own entree and a couple slices of her pizza.
I went with the Summer Pasta, which can also be ordered as a small or large portion (though at just a $3 difference, I question why anyone would order the small), and it was a little disappointing. It is a simple dish, just some penne pasta, nut free pesto, grilled chicken and confit cherry tomatoes with Pecorino Romano shaved on top, and some aspects of it worked exceptionally well, but it was completely undone by the chicken. Cut into bite sized and smaller pieces, the chicken was overcooked and dry, making it completely unappetizing and hard to eat. The pesto, which tasted quite good, was far too oily, leaving a greasy feel to the chicken and pasta at the bottom of the dish. The pasta itself was good, well cooked, though I strongly suspect it was not homemade. The best part of the dish was the tomato; as a huge fan of cherry tomatoes in general, and of almost anything confit, it was a really nice addition, as the sweetness set off the earthiness of the pesto and pasta, and almost made up for the failure of the chicken. Overall, I'd say this is a dish I would not order again, simply because of the chicken, but if they could rectify that issue it would be solid, and at $18, it is the cheapest entree on the menu, and not out of line with what you would pay at many other, less "fancy" places.
My mother's pizza, on the other hand, was very good, likely the best north of The Hungry Ghost in Northampton; in fact, I suspect that most people would prefer Farm Table's, as it is a little further from true Neapolitan. The crust is a little thicker than my ideal, but is very tasty, and the texture is just right for its thickness, crisp on the bottom and chewy on the inside. The Spanish Pizza that my mom got has house made chorizo, fresh garlic, egg, smoked local mozzarella, Manchego and fresh herbs over a roasted tomato sauce. I'll admit that I could not really taste the egg, even when I knew I was biting directly into it, as I felt it was overshadowed by the sauce and especially the chorizo, and I would never have guessed that the mozzarella was smoked, but it tasted delicious nonetheless. The chorizo is great, though not spicy as I expect with that sausage variety, but it does not suffer for that. Overall the pizza is very well done, and I would strongly suggest getting one of them, either as an appetizer to share, or as a meal. Be aware, however, that they are not large, around six to eight small pieces; I would have eaten the entire thing easily, and as it was we finished it despite the fact that I only had two pieces.
Farm Table's beer list is decent, with a good mix of local and national craft breweries represented at the taps and some very good bottle options. The growing number of gluten free eaters will be pleased to know that many of the items on the menu either come gluten free or can be made gluten free for a small up-charge, including the pizza. The spirits list is fine, and includes some higher end whisky, like the massively overpriced Johnny Walker Blue ($50, despite going for only about $200 wholesale, or less) and Macallan 25 Year ($75; this is an exceptionally rare scotch, and I have seen it as high as $125 a shot, but still, this is absurd, as it takes about a third of the bottle, at most, to recoup the cost), and some really good options on the more affordable end like BenRiach 16 ($10) and Talisker Distillers Edition ($19). Whistle Pig Rye ($10) is probably the most intriguing American whiskey option, but there are several good ones to choose from.
All in all, for the price you are paying, I think there are probably better options food-wise in the area, but the ambiance is nice, the location is beautiful, and the option to sit outside in nice weather is not to be under-appreciated. I will likely go again, as I would like to try some more things, but it is not somewhere that I will find myself drooling over.
******
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Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Viva Fresh Pasta Company (Northampton, MA)
It's not often that I get excited by Italian restaurants anymore, as they all tend to kind of run together; some pasta, some Marsala, some veal...it's all fine, but it's nothing special. But, every once in a while, you find a place that just does things a cut above, and Viva Fresh Pasta Company, a longtime staple of downtown Northampton, is one of those places.
As the name suggests, Viva (typically just known as Fresh Pasta Company; in fact, despite the giant sign over the door saying "VIVA" I did not actually know it was part of the restaurant's name until recently) focuses on providing fresh, house made pastas, while offering Italian and other European/Mediterranean inspired cuisine. The menu is limited, offering just a handful of appetizers, entrees and "tapas" plates, but they also have a "create your own" section, where you can pick from ten or so pastas (including stuffed), a dozen sauces, and several add ons such as vegetables and proteins. The entrees that include pasta also allow you to pick which type you want.
The restaurant itself is split between a small upstairs with approximately ten tables and a small bar, and a slightly larger downstairs, with probably twice as much room. It is simply decorated, well lit, but not glaringly bright by any means, and it is comfortable for anything from a dinner date to a business lunch or for grabbing a bite to eat with family or friends. The wait staff is friendly and attentive, and even though my date and I were the only people in the downstairs for the majority of our meal, it never seemed like we had been forgotten.
I had the Carbonara, a classic Italian preparation that involves crispy Pancetta (a personal favorite of mine), cream, sauteed onions, Parmesan cheese (not sure if they use real Parmigiano-Reggiano, but it would certainly not shock me if they do), pepper and, most importantly, a whole egg that is mixed into the pasta and sauce at the last second. I had this with linguine, which is not traditional, but I really enjoy a well made linguine and think that it works well with cheesier, clingy sauces like carbonara. It was perfectly prepared, with a creamy sauce that clung to the pasta beautifully, with a strong flavor of the cheese, and a texture that can only come from expertly mixing in the egg so that it does not really cook until it is incorporated, so it is more like a sauce Hollandaise than an actual cooked egg. The pancetta, of which there were small cubes about 1cm in size, was crispy on the exterior and delightfully chewy inside, with a saltiness and savoriness that just warmed my pork loving heart. It did not seem like a huge amount of food when it came out, but it was so incredibly rich that I could not even finish it, and ended up taking a small amount home, which served nicely as a late night snack later that evening. The girl I was having dinner with had the same result, as her Sweet Potato Ravioli was also rich enough that she ended up taking home about five of the dozen or so ravioli it came with.
As I said before, it is hard to excite me with Italian food, but Viva Fresh Pasta Company does it, and while it had been a while since I had been there before this most recent trip, I suspect I will be going back soon. They are vegetarian friendly for you non-carnivorous types, though not remotely vegan friendly (that's okay with me, veganism is just wrong) and they are highly recommended regardless of your gustatory preferences.
******
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As the name suggests, Viva (typically just known as Fresh Pasta Company; in fact, despite the giant sign over the door saying "VIVA" I did not actually know it was part of the restaurant's name until recently) focuses on providing fresh, house made pastas, while offering Italian and other European/Mediterranean inspired cuisine. The menu is limited, offering just a handful of appetizers, entrees and "tapas" plates, but they also have a "create your own" section, where you can pick from ten or so pastas (including stuffed), a dozen sauces, and several add ons such as vegetables and proteins. The entrees that include pasta also allow you to pick which type you want.
The restaurant itself is split between a small upstairs with approximately ten tables and a small bar, and a slightly larger downstairs, with probably twice as much room. It is simply decorated, well lit, but not glaringly bright by any means, and it is comfortable for anything from a dinner date to a business lunch or for grabbing a bite to eat with family or friends. The wait staff is friendly and attentive, and even though my date and I were the only people in the downstairs for the majority of our meal, it never seemed like we had been forgotten.
I had the Carbonara, a classic Italian preparation that involves crispy Pancetta (a personal favorite of mine), cream, sauteed onions, Parmesan cheese (not sure if they use real Parmigiano-Reggiano, but it would certainly not shock me if they do), pepper and, most importantly, a whole egg that is mixed into the pasta and sauce at the last second. I had this with linguine, which is not traditional, but I really enjoy a well made linguine and think that it works well with cheesier, clingy sauces like carbonara. It was perfectly prepared, with a creamy sauce that clung to the pasta beautifully, with a strong flavor of the cheese, and a texture that can only come from expertly mixing in the egg so that it does not really cook until it is incorporated, so it is more like a sauce Hollandaise than an actual cooked egg. The pancetta, of which there were small cubes about 1cm in size, was crispy on the exterior and delightfully chewy inside, with a saltiness and savoriness that just warmed my pork loving heart. It did not seem like a huge amount of food when it came out, but it was so incredibly rich that I could not even finish it, and ended up taking a small amount home, which served nicely as a late night snack later that evening. The girl I was having dinner with had the same result, as her Sweet Potato Ravioli was also rich enough that she ended up taking home about five of the dozen or so ravioli it came with.
As I said before, it is hard to excite me with Italian food, but Viva Fresh Pasta Company does it, and while it had been a while since I had been there before this most recent trip, I suspect I will be going back soon. They are vegetarian friendly for you non-carnivorous types, though not remotely vegan friendly (that's okay with me, veganism is just wrong) and they are highly recommended regardless of your gustatory preferences.
******
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Monday, May 20, 2013
Gohyang (Hadley, MA)
Gohyang, located on Route 9 in Hadley, MA, is a small Korean restaurant and grocery serving some pretty decent food from a reasonably wide menu. The quality of the food does not quite match that of my personal favorite, Manna House, but the menu is much more varied, and they have beer! Not much beer, but still, it's there; that's an improvement over Manna House at this point. After planning on hitting Dirty Truth for some food and drinks the other night with my friend Sean, we had to detour back to his place in Hadley to feed his (ridiculously adorable and allergenic) kitten, and decided instead to just go to Gohyang instead of heading back to Northampton. It turned out to be a good decision.
We ordered a ton of food, with the theory that we'd have plenty of leftovers to take home for lunch the next day. This turned out to be wrong, as I left with enough for a very small lunch or a moderate snack the next day, and Sean was nice enough to not split the small remaining portion. We started out with a couple appetizers, the pa jeon (scallion pancake) and some dumplings, which I can't recall the name of. The scallion pancake was fantastic, crispy on the outside and soft and doughy on the inside; they do this better than most places I have been, to be sure, and they serve it with a mild soy based sauce that does not have a ton of flavor but doesn't take anything away either. The dumplings were fine, nothing special, and bordering on boring; they certainly do not match up to those of Manna House, but they are not the same variety. I think it was a pork based filling, and this was the part that was really bland, and required a sauce that was much more interesting than that which was served with it and the pancake.
For the main courses, we went with kalbi (galbi), bibim bap, and ojing oh bokum, the latter two being my favorite Korean dishes. The kalbi was great, fatty, succulent, and salty, and is a very well done dish. I love that they do not trim all the fat off the meat before cooking it, as you get a much richer beef flavor than if you cut it all off; after all, fat is flavor. The bibim bap, which had some grilled pieces of chicken, was good, nothing super special; the best part was the crispy rice that came from the bottom hot kettle like dish it was served in. Again, Manna House does a better job, but this was perfectly acceptable. The ojing oh bokum was disappointing, but still tasty; the squid was overcooked and rubbery, the sauce was weak and barely spicy, and the vegetables were limp and lifeless. It is not among their best offerings.
I know this makes it seem like we had a bad meal; we didn't! It was actually a really good, really tasty dinner, and we ate a ton. It is just that I tend to compare my meals to the best of the same variety, and this does not match up to the better Korean restaurants I have been to. I enjoy going to Gohyang, but it is simply not as good Manna House. They do do a couple things better, including the pa jeon, and they offer far more banchan (the small dishes that come with every meal) than Manna House, with much greater variety. This is, like most Korean joints, vegetarian friendly. They also offer the option of a more traditional seating, with short legged tables and pillows on which to sit. Among the beers offered are a few Berkshire Brewing Company 22oz bottles, along with some other, more mass produced options.
******
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We ordered a ton of food, with the theory that we'd have plenty of leftovers to take home for lunch the next day. This turned out to be wrong, as I left with enough for a very small lunch or a moderate snack the next day, and Sean was nice enough to not split the small remaining portion. We started out with a couple appetizers, the pa jeon (scallion pancake) and some dumplings, which I can't recall the name of. The scallion pancake was fantastic, crispy on the outside and soft and doughy on the inside; they do this better than most places I have been, to be sure, and they serve it with a mild soy based sauce that does not have a ton of flavor but doesn't take anything away either. The dumplings were fine, nothing special, and bordering on boring; they certainly do not match up to those of Manna House, but they are not the same variety. I think it was a pork based filling, and this was the part that was really bland, and required a sauce that was much more interesting than that which was served with it and the pancake.
For the main courses, we went with kalbi (galbi), bibim bap, and ojing oh bokum, the latter two being my favorite Korean dishes. The kalbi was great, fatty, succulent, and salty, and is a very well done dish. I love that they do not trim all the fat off the meat before cooking it, as you get a much richer beef flavor than if you cut it all off; after all, fat is flavor. The bibim bap, which had some grilled pieces of chicken, was good, nothing super special; the best part was the crispy rice that came from the bottom hot kettle like dish it was served in. Again, Manna House does a better job, but this was perfectly acceptable. The ojing oh bokum was disappointing, but still tasty; the squid was overcooked and rubbery, the sauce was weak and barely spicy, and the vegetables were limp and lifeless. It is not among their best offerings.
I know this makes it seem like we had a bad meal; we didn't! It was actually a really good, really tasty dinner, and we ate a ton. It is just that I tend to compare my meals to the best of the same variety, and this does not match up to the better Korean restaurants I have been to. I enjoy going to Gohyang, but it is simply not as good Manna House. They do do a couple things better, including the pa jeon, and they offer far more banchan (the small dishes that come with every meal) than Manna House, with much greater variety. This is, like most Korean joints, vegetarian friendly. They also offer the option of a more traditional seating, with short legged tables and pillows on which to sit. Among the beers offered are a few Berkshire Brewing Company 22oz bottles, along with some other, more mass produced options.
******
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Saturday, May 18, 2013
Night Kitchen (Montague Center, Montague, MA) and Berkshire Brewing Company River Ale
****This Restaurant Has Closed****
The Night Kitchen, currently the Town of Montague's only upscale restaurant following the closing of Turners Falls' Ristorante DiPaolo, was a mixed bag for me. I went with family to celebrate my step-grandmother's 80th birthday, and there were some great moments, and some things that really fell short for me. They do get extra credit for naming themselves after the Maurice Sendak book In the Night Kitchen; Sendak was one of my favorites as a child, and though I don't specifically recall reading that book, Where the Wild Things Are will forever be on top of my list of great children's books.
As far as ambiance, the restaurant does well; it is located on the bank of a small, as best I can tell unnamed river that runs along Greenfield Rd in Montague Center, and is nicely decorated in a rustic sort of way. It is not too dark, though the lights definitely dimmed from when I arrived at 7:00pm to when we all departed at 9:00pm, to just on the edge of where I would have thought they were too dark. The kitchen is visible from the majority of the dining room, something which some people like, though quite honestly, unless I am eating sushi I don't really care about.
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| Parsnip, Leek and Potato Soup with arugula oil and smoke paprika |
The polenta was flat out disappointing, served in a tiny cast iron "skillet" with garlic mushrooms and mozzarella. The polenta itself was flavorless, thick and with a cement-like consistency. I've made better, my mother has made better, and any Italian who ate it would probably take it as a personal insult. All in all, one of the worst items I have ever had in a fine-dining establishment; stay away. The flatbread, on the other hand, was spectacular. With white Spanish anchovies and some gruyere melted on top, it was salty and savory, as well as a tiny bit sweet from some caramelized onions. This was a great, simple, but elegant appetizer that any restaurant would be proud of, and I am still kind of regretting not grabbing another piece of it.
Entrées were also a mixed result, as I loved my dish, but my step-dad and his mother felt that theirs were served a little cooler than they should be. In fact, my step-grandmother sent her dish, the Seared Duck Breast, back to be re-warmed. When it returned, she very much enjoyed it. My step-dad's Grilled Bistro Steak, which he ordered medium, was on the medium-rare side of that, which was fine with me when I tasted it, and I thought it was both well cooked and tasted great. My mother had the Grilled Pork Rib Chop, a bone in chop stuffed with black mission figs; it was decent, better than I expected (though I must admit that I expect poor results anytime someone orders a pork chop at a restaurant, as they typically overcook them horribly; it's why I enjoy the pork chops at Hope and Olive so much), but still not as juicy as I'd have liked, though it certainly tasted good.
My entrée was solid, a Potato Crusted Arctic Char, served with an orange and radish slaw and
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| Potato Crusted Arctic Char with orange radish slaw and horseradish crème |
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| Salted Caramel Pudding |
Service was...interesting. Our waitress was friendly enough, but a little blah; she did not seem to have any kind of actual personality. Now, I'm not saying I want wait staff to be super effervescent, but my lord, be more than a soft spoken automaton! Timidity is a poor trait in a service industry, and I hope it was just that she was new, but she could not even muster much more than a "they're both really good" when I asked if she recommended the Char versus the Trout. The waiter who took our dessert order was much, much better, a strong personality without overdoing it. The waitress that my step-grandmother spoke to when she sent back her entrée was similarly good, apologizing profusely and immediately taking the dish back to be re-done, but never seemed to be overwhelmed by anything. She may have been a manager of some sort, because I don't believe I ever saw her actually taking orders from anyone.
All in all, this was a fine meal, one that was better than anything else you could find in Montague, but not really equal to the food you would find at Hope and Olive or at several places in Northampton, Brattleboro or even Sunderland. I would go back for two reasons: one, the deck outside is perfect for a summer date; and two, for that salted caramel. The prices are not unreasonable, but for the same money, I think you can do better.
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With my dinner I had a glass of the Berkshire Brewing Company River Ale, a mediocre, at best, beer that I will never have again. I am a fan of BBC, with the Lost Sailor IPA, Drayman's Porter, and Steel Rail Pale Ale all personal favorites of mine, but this was just a poor beer. Their website says it has a "slight" sweetness, but it's really more of a whack you over the head amount of sweet. It is a high alcohol beer at 7%, and its saving grace is that it does not taste like it has that much booze; that said, I cannot in good conscience recommend this, as it is simply a more expensive, darker version of Bud Light Platinum. Stay away, and try one of the other three I listed instead.
******
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Tuesday, April 23, 2013
The Dirty Truth (Northampton, MA) and Kulmbacher Braurei AG EKU Pils
The Dirty Truth is probably my favorite place to go in Northampton, MA, a small city that offers several good bars and restaurants, but none that offer the combination of food, beer, and ambiance of The Dirty Truth. This place is not dim, it is dark; if you have trouble seeing in darker restaurants, you will not be able to read the menu here, but for me, that's fantastic. I love a good dark bar, where I can feel like my friends and I are in our own little cocoon, and The Dirty Truth provides just that; even the acoustics of the place make it tough to eavesdrop on others.
A beer bar is how most people know this place, and for good reason; the selection is always fantastic, with a variety of high quality craft beers, typically including several local options. The bartenders and waiters are all very knowledgeable and passionate about beer; I rarely pick my own beer there, usually asking for suggestions and relying on their advice. Thus far, I have not been led astray.
The menu is bar food...sort of. French fries, burgers, Reuben sandwich, and nachos are among the baker's dozen of options on the menu, but these are not your standard bar type foods. The french fries are ridiculous, perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, served with ketchup made in house from local tomatoes, mayonnaise (I don't get that one, but whatever I get it now...holy crap that's some good homemade mayo), and best of all, gravy...perfect, rich, meaty gravy (that I can't even tell you for sure isn't vegetarian; it is Northampton, after all); overall, these are the best fries I've ever had, making even the fries at Bouchon Bistro seem only decent. My friend Sean and I have been here a couple times, and there are few things better than the combination of great beer, great conversation, and french fried perfection.
For the vegetarians and vegans in the crowd, there are also homemade baked pretzels (with an IPA mustard), falafel, two salad options, nachos, spicy mac and cheese, and a veggie burger. For those of us who prefer dead critter in our food, the corned beef Reuben, hamburger, mussels, fried chicken, and best of all, the pulled bbq duck nachos. I had the hamburger this evening with a glass of Kulmbacher Brauerei AG EKU Pils.
The hamburger, a giant patty on a perfect brioche bun, was fantastic, with few flaws; it was not up to the level of Burger Bar in Las Vegas, but it was among the better burgers I've had, equal to or possibly even surpassing the burgers at Bobby's Burger Palace at Mohegan Sun. The bun, as I said, was perfect, with a lightly crisp crust and an airy, almost sweet crumb, and held up perfectly to the juices of the burger. Cooked just slightly off what I asked (medium rare rather than rare), the quality of the meat, which the menu states is "certified organic" and "humane" beef, was clearly high, and the tightly packed patty held together perfectly without becoming too dense or feeling like meatloaf. I ordered the burger with bacon and smoked bleu cheese, with one being successful and the other being a huge disappointment. Incredibly, it was the bacon that bothered me, being undercooked to the point of almost being raw, and thus chewy and tough to bite through. The cheese was a home run though, lacking the flavor of smoke that I was expecting, but it tasted like a strong Roquefort. The texture was similar to a drier brie, and served as a thick slab on top of the burger, it was the perfect accompaniment to the strong beef flavor of the patty. On the side were some possible toppers for the burger, including lettuce (and not iceberg, though I couldn't tell you what kind it was, though it was good), onion, and a few thick slices of what I suspect were homemade sweet pickles. I hate sweet pickles; they are just the worst kind of abomination, a poor tasting substitute for the delectable dill or sour dill pickle. These were freaking awesome. Seriously, I have never liked sweet pickles before, and I loved these; I could have eaten them all night.
The Kulmbacher EKU Pils was suggested by the bartender when I asked for something light and refreshing, and as usual, the suggestion was spot on. A light amber, nearly translucent, it had a significant head when served, a brilliant eggshell colored froth that dissipated quickly once I started drinking. The beer itself had a slightly hoppy flavor, which I enjoyed, but was otherwise a very simple, albeit invigoratingly fresh barley taste. It's a good introductory beer if you're trying to convince someone who claims not to like beer that they're wrong, but it's also a more than acceptable option if, like me, you're simply interested in something that won't fill you up or give you the heady feeling of a stronger, heftier beer.
I have yet to try The Dirty Truth's brunch, but I've heard it is absolutely fantastic. The pork belly taco sounds spectacular, and who doesn't love chicken and waffles? Savory bread pudding is a hard option to argue with, as is eggs Florentine, the vegetarian version of my personal favorite eggs Benedict. I will definitely be returning, and I cannot recommend this place highly enough; it's the best choice in a city with many fine options.
******
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A beer bar is how most people know this place, and for good reason; the selection is always fantastic, with a variety of high quality craft beers, typically including several local options. The bartenders and waiters are all very knowledgeable and passionate about beer; I rarely pick my own beer there, usually asking for suggestions and relying on their advice. Thus far, I have not been led astray.
The menu is bar food...sort of. French fries, burgers, Reuben sandwich, and nachos are among the baker's dozen of options on the menu, but these are not your standard bar type foods. The french fries are ridiculous, perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, served with ketchup made in house from local tomatoes, mayonnaise (
For the vegetarians and vegans in the crowd, there are also homemade baked pretzels (with an IPA mustard), falafel, two salad options, nachos, spicy mac and cheese, and a veggie burger. For those of us who prefer dead critter in our food, the corned beef Reuben, hamburger, mussels, fried chicken, and best of all, the pulled bbq duck nachos. I had the hamburger this evening with a glass of Kulmbacher Brauerei AG EKU Pils.
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| Hamburger, french fries, and Kulmbacher EKU Pils |
The Kulmbacher EKU Pils was suggested by the bartender when I asked for something light and refreshing, and as usual, the suggestion was spot on. A light amber, nearly translucent, it had a significant head when served, a brilliant eggshell colored froth that dissipated quickly once I started drinking. The beer itself had a slightly hoppy flavor, which I enjoyed, but was otherwise a very simple, albeit invigoratingly fresh barley taste. It's a good introductory beer if you're trying to convince someone who claims not to like beer that they're wrong, but it's also a more than acceptable option if, like me, you're simply interested in something that won't fill you up or give you the heady feeling of a stronger, heftier beer.
I have yet to try The Dirty Truth's brunch, but I've heard it is absolutely fantastic. The pork belly taco sounds spectacular, and who doesn't love chicken and waffles? Savory bread pudding is a hard option to argue with, as is eggs Florentine, the vegetarian version of my personal favorite eggs Benedict. I will definitely be returning, and I cannot recommend this place highly enough; it's the best choice in a city with many fine options.
******
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Friday, December 14, 2012
MRKT Restaurant (S. Deerfield, MA)
MRKT Restaurant, located at 6 Elm St in South Deerfield, MA, is the new creation of Josean Jimenez, formerly of Del Raye Restaurant in Northampton. Del Raye, which was the fanciest of the Spoleto Restaurant Group's stable of restaurants until it closed a few years ago, served some pretty fantastic food, but the one time I went there I was struck by the fact that the food seemed to take a back seat to the experience and ambience of the place. MRKT does not suffer from that issue, and I don't mean that negatively at all; the decor is fantastic, very simple, and the atmosphere is perfect for a date (which is why I was there, and also why there will be no pictures today), a group of friends, or even a business lunch/dinner. The restaurant is one of a growing number of "farm to table" types, specializing in, according to their Facebook page, "local, organic, ethical and natural ingredients."
Located in the building vacated by Alina's, a reasonably well known local restaurant that moved to Hadley, MRKT looks like a simple storefront that could be easily mistaken for an antique shop. Once you step inside, you enter a dimly lit (but not dark) dining room, with tables for about 60; the tables are set far enough apart that you wouldn't ever feel crowded even if it were packed, and if they were simply trying to maximize profit I think they could fit another 20 to 30 people. It's a white tablecloth kind of place (literally and figuratively), but it doesn't feel stuffy at all, and I didn't feel under-dressed in a pair of nice jeans and a half-zip sweater.
The food is even more impressive than the atmosphere, though it's expensive. Even without drinks (the restaurant is BYOB at the moment, though they are working on getting their liquor license) the bill was just over $100 for two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts; add in tip and the $12 bottle of Chimay Blue Cap Grande Reserve I brought (see my review of the same here) and I went over the $140 mark. Thank heaven for overtime, huh? I didn't mind the cost though, as the meal was delicious and I had a great time. It's also to their credit that MRKT does not charge a corkage fee, at least not for a wine bottle sized beer, and they have wine and pint glasses available.
We started with a special appetizer, roasted bone marrow, which was served with a small salad on the side and some toasted bread, and a cheese platter, which consisted of a brie like smooth cow's milk, a chevre, and a bleu. The cheeses were fine, but at $15 I would have expected more than three small wedges of cheese, a small pile of local honey comb (which was pretty awesome), and a small pile of fruit mostarda. They were not stingy with the bread, at least, offering to bring more at request without extra charge. We didn't end up finishing all the cheese, but only because they brought our entrees out before we did; this was one of a series of small issues with service that I will talk about later. The bone marrow was quite good, worth whatever it cost (I have no clue), and it was my date's first time having it, so that was a win in my book. Hint to the women out there; not only being willing to try something a little out of the norm like bone marrow, but in fact suggesting it...that kind of adventurousness is really sexy. At least to me. And that's what matters, clearly.
The entrees were a huge success, for a couple reasons. First off, my companion ordered the Casco Bay Cod, served with quinoa, radish, arugula and a red wine butter sauce, which was perfectly cooked, flaky but not falling apart, and not remotely tough. This was great for both the fact that it tasted good, and because Casco Bay is among my favorite places on this planet, and I have spent a significant portion of my life on Peaks Island, the most populous island in that bay. My dry aged ribeye was perfectly cooked, a lovely deep purple rare, exceptionally tender and with the strong beef flavor associated with dry aging. My only complaint was that the fat wasn't well trimmed from the edges, creating some slightly tough cutting and bites when I didn't realize that right away. Even with that, it was a completely reasonable $29, for a pretty decent sized hunk of meat. The heirloom potato and rainbow carrots were delicious, and the soubise (repetitively labeled "onion soubise") was nice.
For dessert I had a panna cotta, which was vastly better than the one I had at d.Vino in Las Vegas. Richer, with a serious lemony flavor and much denser, this was what I was expecting from a panna cotta after seeing it on tv before. I was a huge fan, and would highly recommend it. My date had the chocolate budino, a chocolate shell with caramel, chocolate ganache, sea salt and a drizzling of olive oil. She really enjoyed it, though it was apparently extremely rich and she wasn't entirely sure that the EVOO was really necessary. It was so rich that she commented that it was hard to finish, but she wasn't willing to leave any on the plate either, so that's a pretty good endorsement, especially after a rather large meal.
So, on to the service. This is a brand new restaurant, only a month or two old, and it showed. The waitress we got was very nice, but clearly had never worked at a nicer restaurant before, as she asked another waiter "can we do rare?" when I ordered my steak. There was a pretty clear lack of familiarity with the menu on the part of all of the wait staff members, but not so much so that it was an annoyance; simply something I noted. Bringing out the entrees while the appetizers were still unfinished was a bigger problem, one that demonstrates a lack of communication between the front of the house and the kitchen, or possibly simply a lack of understanding of how to time such things by the wait staff. It's a pretty simple fix, but one that is important. That said, I'm a firm believer in tipping well based on the attitude of the wait staff, not their performance, and they were very friendly, not annoyingly attentive (something that bothers me greatly when you're very clearly on a date), but never too distant if needed. Overall, this is a restaurant that has huge potential, and I'm sure they will only get better. I highly recommend it, as you will be supporting not just a fine local restaurant, but also numerous farms and other purveyors throughout the region.
******
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Located in the building vacated by Alina's, a reasonably well known local restaurant that moved to Hadley, MRKT looks like a simple storefront that could be easily mistaken for an antique shop. Once you step inside, you enter a dimly lit (but not dark) dining room, with tables for about 60; the tables are set far enough apart that you wouldn't ever feel crowded even if it were packed, and if they were simply trying to maximize profit I think they could fit another 20 to 30 people. It's a white tablecloth kind of place (literally and figuratively), but it doesn't feel stuffy at all, and I didn't feel under-dressed in a pair of nice jeans and a half-zip sweater.
The food is even more impressive than the atmosphere, though it's expensive. Even without drinks (the restaurant is BYOB at the moment, though they are working on getting their liquor license) the bill was just over $100 for two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts; add in tip and the $12 bottle of Chimay Blue Cap Grande Reserve I brought (see my review of the same here) and I went over the $140 mark. Thank heaven for overtime, huh? I didn't mind the cost though, as the meal was delicious and I had a great time. It's also to their credit that MRKT does not charge a corkage fee, at least not for a wine bottle sized beer, and they have wine and pint glasses available.
We started with a special appetizer, roasted bone marrow, which was served with a small salad on the side and some toasted bread, and a cheese platter, which consisted of a brie like smooth cow's milk, a chevre, and a bleu. The cheeses were fine, but at $15 I would have expected more than three small wedges of cheese, a small pile of local honey comb (which was pretty awesome), and a small pile of fruit mostarda. They were not stingy with the bread, at least, offering to bring more at request without extra charge. We didn't end up finishing all the cheese, but only because they brought our entrees out before we did; this was one of a series of small issues with service that I will talk about later. The bone marrow was quite good, worth whatever it cost (I have no clue), and it was my date's first time having it, so that was a win in my book. Hint to the women out there; not only being willing to try something a little out of the norm like bone marrow, but in fact suggesting it...that kind of adventurousness is really sexy. At least to me. And that's what matters, clearly.
The entrees were a huge success, for a couple reasons. First off, my companion ordered the Casco Bay Cod, served with quinoa, radish, arugula and a red wine butter sauce, which was perfectly cooked, flaky but not falling apart, and not remotely tough. This was great for both the fact that it tasted good, and because Casco Bay is among my favorite places on this planet, and I have spent a significant portion of my life on Peaks Island, the most populous island in that bay. My dry aged ribeye was perfectly cooked, a lovely deep purple rare, exceptionally tender and with the strong beef flavor associated with dry aging. My only complaint was that the fat wasn't well trimmed from the edges, creating some slightly tough cutting and bites when I didn't realize that right away. Even with that, it was a completely reasonable $29, for a pretty decent sized hunk of meat. The heirloom potato and rainbow carrots were delicious, and the soubise (repetitively labeled "onion soubise") was nice.
For dessert I had a panna cotta, which was vastly better than the one I had at d.Vino in Las Vegas. Richer, with a serious lemony flavor and much denser, this was what I was expecting from a panna cotta after seeing it on tv before. I was a huge fan, and would highly recommend it. My date had the chocolate budino, a chocolate shell with caramel, chocolate ganache, sea salt and a drizzling of olive oil. She really enjoyed it, though it was apparently extremely rich and she wasn't entirely sure that the EVOO was really necessary. It was so rich that she commented that it was hard to finish, but she wasn't willing to leave any on the plate either, so that's a pretty good endorsement, especially after a rather large meal.
So, on to the service. This is a brand new restaurant, only a month or two old, and it showed. The waitress we got was very nice, but clearly had never worked at a nicer restaurant before, as she asked another waiter "can we do rare?" when I ordered my steak. There was a pretty clear lack of familiarity with the menu on the part of all of the wait staff members, but not so much so that it was an annoyance; simply something I noted. Bringing out the entrees while the appetizers were still unfinished was a bigger problem, one that demonstrates a lack of communication between the front of the house and the kitchen, or possibly simply a lack of understanding of how to time such things by the wait staff. It's a pretty simple fix, but one that is important. That said, I'm a firm believer in tipping well based on the attitude of the wait staff, not their performance, and they were very friendly, not annoyingly attentive (something that bothers me greatly when you're very clearly on a date), but never too distant if needed. Overall, this is a restaurant that has huge potential, and I'm sure they will only get better. I highly recommend it, as you will be supporting not just a fine local restaurant, but also numerous farms and other purveyors throughout the region.
******
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Monday, October 1, 2012
The Big E 2012 (West Springfield, MA)
The Big E, aka the Eastern States Exposition, is the "state fair" equivalent for the six New England states, as none of the six have their own. Begun, according to the Fair's website, as an exhibition called the "National Dairy Show," it eventually morphed into what it has become, a massive fair visited this year by over 1.3 million people, a record. It encompasses all the traditional aspects of a country fair, such as 4H and other livestock competitions, games, and, of course, food. Especially food.
I had never been to The Big E until I was a sophomore in college, despite having grown up in Western Massachusetts, but I've always loved fairs, having frequented both the Franklin County Fair and Ashfield Fall Festival as a kid. Back then I cared more about the games than the food (other than, of course, fried dough), but these days it's all about the food and the adorable furry animals. (See the adorable piglet and alpaca baby from 2011; I should have gotten a picture of the week old alpaca yesterday, but oh well)
In so many ways like other fairs, The Big E has one major unique feature, the Avenue of States, six scale replicas of the original statehouses of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Maine, each filled with a variety of tourism related booths, including merchants selling representative foods and objects from the state, such as lobster rolls and baked potatoes in the Maine Statehouse. There are also State Troopers from each of the states, as the buildings are "sovereign territory" of each state, though obviously in practical terms this does not apply, but during the The Big E every year they sell lottery tickets from each at or outside their building. The Vermont building includes Cabot cheeses, and they always bring a special Big E cheddar, which is aged longer than any of their other cheddars.
Like most fairs, there are also numerous small outdoor shops and
food vendors. These range from the typical corn dog and fresh squeezed lemonade to smoked turkey legs and fried vegetables (fried green tomatoes being my favorite, though I was far too full to end up getting them this time), but there are also a lot of specialty foods. The Big E cream puffs are the most famous, though I'll admit to not being a huge cream puff fan, so I don't ever get these. The Craz-E Burger, a cheeseburger with two glazed doughnuts standing in for the bun, has become popular over the last couple years, along with fried kool-aid and fried Oreo cookies. Popular local burger joint White Hut has a spot, and this year offered a burger sandwiched between two waffles. The star rookie this year, however, were EB's fried shepherd's pie balls, pictured above with a fantastic Spaten Oktoberfest draught beer (purchased from a real German, no less!), and they were exceptional. I had them at the suggestion of a co-worker, and by god, he was right on. The crisp, yet tender crust was perfect, the ground beef was succulent and juicy, and both the gravy that the ground beef was swimming in and that which was offered on the side (or poured over the top) were strong, but did not overwhelm any of the other flavors. Lacking only the potato that traditionally comes as a part of shepherd's pie, the standard flavors were all there.
Of course I also had a corn dog, which was delicious if unremarkable. They're my all time favorite, so despite the relative lack of ambition and creativity that goes along with them, they are an integral part of my fair experience, and I got one almost immediately upon arriving. I also had chicharrones, which were great, though my buddy Jon, who is inexperienced in the eating of them, ended up with a piece of glass-like pork skin stuck in his gum for a couple hours, but otherwise enjoyed them. A fresh squeezed lemonade was great, but a little overly sweet.
We wandered through the various buildings, including a farm building that had, among other things,a coop of chicks, and an incubator for eggs, from which supposedly over 2200 are hatched during the 17 days of the event. This is also where the alpacas are, as well as llamas, typically some pigs (though I didn't see any this year), and some dogs. There are a couple buildings with vendors selling everything from the kind of stuff you see on late night infomercials to beautiful hand-crafted Japanese silk embroidered pictures, and also a "Winter Wonderland" area presented by Kringle Candle, the newest creation of Yankee Candle founder Michael Kittredge.
All in all, The Big E is a great experience, a lot of fun, though it's rather more commercialized than the old time fairs in the area such as Ashfield's, or the Cummington Fair, but it's also better than the Franklin County Fair, which is really just a smaller version of The Big E at this point, though obviously a bit more locally focused. I strongly recommend it to anyone in the area, or anyone who is interested in traveling to the area in mid to late September.
******
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I had never been to The Big E until I was a sophomore in college, despite having grown up in Western Massachusetts, but I've always loved fairs, having frequented both the Franklin County Fair and Ashfield Fall Festival as a kid. Back then I cared more about the games than the food (other than, of course, fried dough), but these days it's all about the food and the adorable furry animals. (See the adorable piglet and alpaca baby from 2011; I should have gotten a picture of the week old alpaca yesterday, but oh well)
In so many ways like other fairs, The Big E has one major unique feature, the Avenue of States, six scale replicas of the original statehouses of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Maine, each filled with a variety of tourism related booths, including merchants selling representative foods and objects from the state, such as lobster rolls and baked potatoes in the Maine Statehouse. There are also State Troopers from each of the states, as the buildings are "sovereign territory" of each state, though obviously in practical terms this does not apply, but during the The Big E every year they sell lottery tickets from each at or outside their building. The Vermont building includes Cabot cheeses, and they always bring a special Big E cheddar, which is aged longer than any of their other cheddars.
Like most fairs, there are also numerous small outdoor shops and
food vendors. These range from the typical corn dog and fresh squeezed lemonade to smoked turkey legs and fried vegetables (fried green tomatoes being my favorite, though I was far too full to end up getting them this time), but there are also a lot of specialty foods. The Big E cream puffs are the most famous, though I'll admit to not being a huge cream puff fan, so I don't ever get these. The Craz-E Burger, a cheeseburger with two glazed doughnuts standing in for the bun, has become popular over the last couple years, along with fried kool-aid and fried Oreo cookies. Popular local burger joint White Hut has a spot, and this year offered a burger sandwiched between two waffles. The star rookie this year, however, were EB's fried shepherd's pie balls, pictured above with a fantastic Spaten Oktoberfest draught beer (purchased from a real German, no less!), and they were exceptional. I had them at the suggestion of a co-worker, and by god, he was right on. The crisp, yet tender crust was perfect, the ground beef was succulent and juicy, and both the gravy that the ground beef was swimming in and that which was offered on the side (or poured over the top) were strong, but did not overwhelm any of the other flavors. Lacking only the potato that traditionally comes as a part of shepherd's pie, the standard flavors were all there.Of course I also had a corn dog, which was delicious if unremarkable. They're my all time favorite, so despite the relative lack of ambition and creativity that goes along with them, they are an integral part of my fair experience, and I got one almost immediately upon arriving. I also had chicharrones, which were great, though my buddy Jon, who is inexperienced in the eating of them, ended up with a piece of glass-like pork skin stuck in his gum for a couple hours, but otherwise enjoyed them. A fresh squeezed lemonade was great, but a little overly sweet.
We wandered through the various buildings, including a farm building that had, among other things,a coop of chicks, and an incubator for eggs, from which supposedly over 2200 are hatched during the 17 days of the event. This is also where the alpacas are, as well as llamas, typically some pigs (though I didn't see any this year), and some dogs. There are a couple buildings with vendors selling everything from the kind of stuff you see on late night infomercials to beautiful hand-crafted Japanese silk embroidered pictures, and also a "Winter Wonderland" area presented by Kringle Candle, the newest creation of Yankee Candle founder Michael Kittredge.
All in all, The Big E is a great experience, a lot of fun, though it's rather more commercialized than the old time fairs in the area such as Ashfield's, or the Cummington Fair, but it's also better than the Franklin County Fair, which is really just a smaller version of The Big E at this point, though obviously a bit more locally focused. I strongly recommend it to anyone in the area, or anyone who is interested in traveling to the area in mid to late September.
******
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Friday, September 14, 2012
Bacon, pickles, and beer (My Apartment)
This post is going to be short, but very important, so all you non-vegetarians pay attention: Bacon, dill pickles, and beer is the greatest snack combo ever. Really.
I'm actually dead serious (and sober) as I write this; I ate dill pickles topped with strips of bacon earlier, washed down with beer, and it was perfect, truly perfect. All of it was local, too, which is a nice little benefit, harkening back to my appearance on a soap box, coming from:
Bacon: Bostrom Farm
Dill Pickles: Real Pickles
Beer: High and Mighty Beer Company Pas de Dieux Saison
Bostrom Farm and Real Pickles are located in Greenfield, MA, and High and Mighty is from Holyoke/Easthampton, MA (I'm not actually sure which one), I heard they moved recently out of Holyoke. All are fantastic, and Bostrom has a great meat CSA (community supported agriculture) share program, which I have a share in. At $300 for a total of 40 pounds of meat, 10 pounds a month for four months of mixed pork and beef, it's a good deal, since the meat is so much better than I'd typically get in the supermarket, even a decent one like Big Y.
I bought the pickles at Pekarski's in South Deerfield, MA, a polish sausage company that is so damn good and popular they don't even have a website; they simply don't need one. I also picked up some linguica and kielbasa, both of which are house made, while there, and both were incredible. I have recently made a few meals that were entirely local, from local lamb bought at a farm stand in South Deerfield to potatoes, corn, and tomatoes in both Sunderland and South Deerfield.
****
While I'm at it, a quick recommendation for the King Arthur Flour education center; for this most recent Mother's Day, my brother and I bought our mom a pass to a class there, and being the awesome son I am I agreed to go with her. We took the "Yeast Bread Basics" course, making our own white bread loaves and shaping a loaf of semolina flour bread prepared ahead of time by the course instructor in about three hours. The course was informative, and the instructor, Irene, was absolutely fantastic. She was friendly, informative, and best of all, she was supportive of her students. Instead of saying that things must be done her way, she told us to take what she taught us and then do what works for us; this was refreshing, as so often you get people teaching courses, whether it be baking or college class, or even trainings in emergency communications (my profession) who think their way is the only way. At only $65 each, this was well worth the trip, and both of us had a lot of fun.
******
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Bacon: Bostrom Farm
Dill Pickles: Real Pickles
Beer: High and Mighty Beer Company Pas de Dieux Saison
Bostrom Farm and Real Pickles are located in Greenfield, MA, and High and Mighty is from Holyoke/Easthampton, MA (I'm not actually sure which one), I heard they moved recently out of Holyoke. All are fantastic, and Bostrom has a great meat CSA (community supported agriculture) share program, which I have a share in. At $300 for a total of 40 pounds of meat, 10 pounds a month for four months of mixed pork and beef, it's a good deal, since the meat is so much better than I'd typically get in the supermarket, even a decent one like Big Y.
I bought the pickles at Pekarski's in South Deerfield, MA, a polish sausage company that is so damn good and popular they don't even have a website; they simply don't need one. I also picked up some linguica and kielbasa, both of which are house made, while there, and both were incredible. I have recently made a few meals that were entirely local, from local lamb bought at a farm stand in South Deerfield to potatoes, corn, and tomatoes in both Sunderland and South Deerfield.
****
While I'm at it, a quick recommendation for the King Arthur Flour education center; for this most recent Mother's Day, my brother and I bought our mom a pass to a class there, and being the awesome son I am I agreed to go with her. We took the "Yeast Bread Basics" course, making our own white bread loaves and shaping a loaf of semolina flour bread prepared ahead of time by the course instructor in about three hours. The course was informative, and the instructor, Irene, was absolutely fantastic. She was friendly, informative, and best of all, she was supportive of her students. Instead of saying that things must be done her way, she told us to take what she taught us and then do what works for us; this was refreshing, as so often you get people teaching courses, whether it be baking or college class, or even trainings in emergency communications (my profession) who think their way is the only way. At only $65 each, this was well worth the trip, and both of us had a lot of fun.
******
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