French Fries & Chocolate Cake, Plus 2 More Restaurants You Should Eat At

Recently Mr. Madley and I have been trying a few new restaurants.  Not that the restaurants are new, but they are new to us.  I am writing to give them rave reviews.

First, a shoutout goes to Sierra Grille in Northampton, which does cheesy melt-in-your mouth potatoes au gratin, which pair well with their delicious duck breast with cranberry-peach chutney and grilled vegetables.  We have now been there twice, thanks to the occasional coupon from the Save 30% store on the River.

Second, the Mission Cantina in Amherst.  I know this is old news, and we did go there about a year ago, too, but we were there again recently and it was even better the second time.  I ordered the quesadilla in corn tortillas with carnitas and could have easily eaten a second or third plate of them, had I not been so full.  It really is delicious Mexican food, which I can't seem to get enough of these days.
(And speaking of Mexican food, I am looking forward to the reopening of Mi Tierra in Hadley where The Butterfly restaurant used to be.  While you wait, you can find their homemade tortillas at Atkins Farms and Maple Farm Foods.)

And now, on to the french fries and chocolate cake portion of our post.  Last week, Mr. Madley and I made our way (finally) to High Horse, in Amherst where ABC used to be, and where the upstairs has billiards and the downstairs has dining.  Both floors have a bar with a fairly impressive selection of house-brewed beers.  I can't speak much to those, but perhaps we'll get lucky and Mr. Madley will do a guest post for you.  However, I can speak to their locally-sourced burgers -- delicious -- and their bottomless fries -- better fries I have never tasted.  Seriously.  I love fries and enjoyed my fair share of them at Local Burger and other such fine burger & fry establishments; HH fries topped them all.  And if you get them with dinner, they are bottomless!  Hot, crisp, salted, tender -- everything you want in a fry, and you can eat as many as you can eat.  Who could ask for anything more?  Well, sometimes I do.  Not very often, but it has been known to happen.

Last night we were out and about, looking for something to do after dinner (we ate at Miss Saigon) and not feeling a strong pull towards the cinema or billiards (in olden days this is when we would have visited Captain Candy, alas), we ended up looking for dessert at High Horse.  The dessert menu is small and simple, but the bartender assured us that each item was delicious (his must-have is the $5 milkshake, but it only comes with bourbon, so it was a no-go for me), and I ended up, surprisingly, with the chocolate cake.
I don't usually go for chocolate cake when I'm out.  I find them either too sweet, too bitter, too dense, or desperately in need of some lightening up.  I usually take my chocolate with fruit when I'm at a restaurant; I usually find that it's a more reliable combination.  However, last night I felt a tug towards the cake, and it was thusly delivered.  Delicious.  A reasonable-sized portion with no heavy or thick frostings, just a round cake with a chocolate ganache icing and topping of fresh, lightly-sweetened cream.  A chocolate cake I would eat again.  A perfect ending on a cool, damp evening.

French fries and chocolate cake.  Oh, so good.

Filos Greek Taverna

Filos.  It's a new Greek restaurant in downtown Northampton and where Mr. Madley and I enjoyed a delicious dinner this weekend.  You should definitely eat there.

Eating at Filos is like making a quick trip to Greece (or so I imagine) -- the food is wonderful, the atmosphere is festive, and the owners are friendly and talkative.

 

The restaurant specializes in the typical Greek foods -- gyros, brick-oven pizza, baklava -- all good stuff, in my opinion.  And, happily, the prices are extremely reasonable -- two people could easily eat for under $25, even without getting a pizza.  You can find their menu online, if you're curious or if you just like to decide ahead of time.

During our visit we learned that Filos does not just cater to the wheat-eaters among us, as one might think based on the menu offerings.  They have a variety of gluten-free options, both in their pizza(!) and their regular dinner platters; they'll even swap out the wrap around a gyro for rice, if you'd like.
Let me repeat that the food is simply fantastic.  Mr Madley enjoyed a pork souvlaki platter with a side of gigantes; four days later and he's still talking about how delicious the pork was.

I swooned over my gyro, and if I hadn't been so satisfied after eating it, I would have happily eaten another.  The baklava was huge -- it took me three meals to finish!

One of the most delightful parts of the Filos experience is talking to the owner.  He is very personable and loves to talk about his food, his restaurant, and this wonderful area where we all live.
If you're looking for a delicious quick meal in Northampton, stop by Filos and give it a try!

UPDATE 7/21/15: Mr. Madley tried one of their pizzas on their special gluten-free crust and raved over it.  If you eat gluten-free pizza, give this one a shot!

Breaking Fast at Stables

Stables is an unassuming restaurant on Rt 9, just across the street from Whole Foods.  With a parking lot in front, the restaurant is set back from the road, and if you're driving by on an afternoon or evening, you might just think the place is closed.

Luckily for all of us, it's not!

Stables is open for breakfast and lunch, 6am-2pm.  It serves up affordable home-style breakfast foods (I haven't been there for lunch) from a 3-page menu.  (Click on those menu pictures to see them in extra-large glory.)

Stables has a comfortable country-dining atmosphere, with homemade cookies and breads, a counter and booths, newspapers available near the register, and coffee refills.  The waitresses are always nice, even when busily rushing about.

  

Besides their menu "specialities," Stables also has daily specials.  These specials are sometimes seasonal (pumpkin pancakes in autumn, for example), sometimes from special homemade breads, and are written on the chalkboards in the restaurant.

Coupons for Stables can often be found in the Valley Quarterly, but be forewarned -- the restaurant does only accept cash.

Stables seems to have been around for a good long while, and if you go, you'll see lots of locals.  But you'll also see bunches of college students who have discovered that if you want a hearty breakfast on a budget, you definitely want to go to Stables.  You might even see some out-of-towners skipping the continental breakfast at the chain hotel for some breakfast-diner-cooking.
At our house, Stables has become the go-to breakfast restaurant for Monday holidays (and New Year's) -- because going to breakfast at Stables is just fun (plus, it's close, local, affordable, and filling).
There's a Monday holiday coming up soon.  Treat yourself to breakfast out.

What a Treat! -- Holiday Dining

I've had some bum experiences with holiday and special occasion dining, but this year for our pre-Christmas celebratory dinner, Mr. Madley and I made reservations at the Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland.  We had enjoyed a New Year's Eve dinner there before, and when deciding on the right holiday restaurant for this year, the Blue Heron came immediately to mind.

If you've never been to the Blue Heron, it's a wonder to see.  The restaurant is in the renovated old town hall; the building has housed town offices and a school, and has been the site for plays, meetings, and community groups.  Tin ceiling, tall windows, beautiful chandeliers, high ceilings, strong rich colors, and old wood create a comfortable atmosphere to sit and talk and sit and eat and talk and eat.
The wait-staff is well trained -- attentive without being overly familiar.
And then, of course, there's the food.  The Blue Heron supports local farms/farmers (a list can be found on their menu), buying local seasonal produce when available, and uses meat from pasture-raised, grass-fed, antibiotic-free animals.  (Read their philosophy here.)  Entree options, as well as appetizers and desserts, are eclectic but always well-thought-out and creative, with a variety of flavours to please the palate.

Dinner for us started with the Blue Heron Salad and continued with the Pan Roasted Breast of Pekin Duck, which was just about divine.  The duck was crispy and juicy and well-seasoned; the fennel and compote and potatoes complemented the duck; the green beans were as good as any I've ever eaten.  For dessert we enjoyed the Chocolate Truffle Torte, which was a rich confection accompanied by gelato, cream, and cherries.  A positively delicious dinner -- it left me completely satisfied and happily content.  I honestly can't say that I've had a better dining experience anywhere in the Valley.

I recommend a visit to the Blue Heron -- it's a class operation with delicious food.  Enjoy!

Wanna Buy a Diner?

Mr. Madley forwarded this ad to me from Craigslist this week.  An interesting piece of news -- the Route 9 Diner is for sale.

Eating at the Route 9 Diner is a classic diner experience -- a large menu with salads, burgers, sandwiches, dinners, appetizers, desserts, and an all-day breakfast; jukeboxes on the tables; a dessert spinner; booths and a nice long counter with view of the t.v. -- just in case you need to watch the ballgame or the news.  It's a good place to meet up with friends or just chill over a milkshake; plus, it's one of the few places in the Valley open 24/7 in such a convenient location with copious parking.

I don't know what this listing will mean to the current diner once it sells, but keep it in mind if you know anyone who wants to buy a diner.

CSA: The Kitchen Garden

Yesterday was part 2 of my CSA visits for Open CSA week, and Mr Madley and I visited The Kitchen Garden on Rocky Hill Road.  The Kitchen Garden is relatively new at its Hadley location (previously having been home to Stone Soup Farm), and is still under a little construction (the barn should be finished within the next few weeks).  Most of the farming and crop-growing is done in Sunderland on Silver Lane, but the Hadley location has pick-ups, a wonderful assortment of chatty chickens, and pick-you-own gardens.  Plus, a few of the farmers were there unloading the beautiful produce from the van for distribution.

Flowers, eggs, bags, an informational card, and a sign-in welcomed members and guests;

The white-board listed today's share portions.

Beautiful bunches of radishes (3 kinds) were part of this week's vegetable share,

as were garlic scapes, swiss chard, lettuces, bok choy, and kohlrabi (I don't think I'd ever seen kohlrabi before -- pretty!).

 

The farm offers different kinds of shares and add-ons -- vegetable shares, fruit shares, and egg shares; plus, special winter and spring shares and market shares. 
Strawberries and rhubarb were part of this week's fruit share.

Happy chickens lay tastier eggs for the egg share.

 

The Kitchen Garden produce is also available at farmer's markets in the area, including the Wednesday Market at Kendrick Park (which I'm really hoping to get to go to soon).  If you're looking for more information, take a gander at their website -- it's loaded with information on the farm, CSA shares, farmers markets, the produce they produce (storage tips, recipes, etc.), restaurants, and the farm philosophy.

Another fantastic CSA opportunity right here in Hadley.  

CSAs are a wonderful way to participate in the local farming industry and to support the local community.  Open CSA week is now over for the year, and I've highlighted two local CSAs.  If you have hesitations about joining a CSA, start by visiting the farmers markets and farm stands in the area.  Don't miss out on your opportunity to partake of the fresh, delicious produce grown here in the Valley and to sustain the local agriculture that has built the foundation of our community.  Enjoy those fresh summer crops!

A Little Taste of Persia

Mr. Madley and I had a delightful dinner last Saturday night at Moti -- a Persian Mediterranean restaurant in Amherst.  I had first tasted their goods at Taste of Amherst last June in the form of a lamb gyro and immediately fell in love.  I had the same thing Saturday night -- seasoned lamb and fresh vegetables in a creamy tzatziki sauce all wrapped up in a thick pita and served with potato strings (like fries only lots thinner) -- super delicious; Mr. Madley enjoyed a lamb kabob with rice and veggies.  With its warm and inviting atmosphere, and its menu of wraps, platters, soups, salads, vegetarian fare, specialty rices, kabobs, and very tempting appetizers, I think Moti may become one of our new favourite spots.  Plus, it can definitely be counted in my "cheap eats" list (which I blogged about a year ago but desperately need to update) (and it's just down the street from Captain Candy, which we happily visited after dinner).
See Moti's menu at their website.

Small Business Saturday

Thanksgiving officially marks the beginning of shopping season.  It's sad that a holiday devoted to gratitude is overrun by advertising and marketing, and I hope that you thought of many things to be thankful for yesterday.  I waited an extra day to post this, just so that I could leave Thanksgiving for thankfulness.

But now it is post-holiday and time for thinking about presents and purchasing and who will get what and where you will get it.  Some of you may have already been at Target or WalMart during the wee small hours of the morning; I'm going to curb my comments on that....  However, Saturday is Small Business Saturday -- a day to be especially mindful of the small local businesses in our community.  We have many small businesses -- restaurants, shops, and more in Hadley, Amherst, Northampton, Deerfield, Greenfield, and all the other towns around.  Please get out on Saturday (or today -- and any other day, of course) and support our local small businesses.

I hope you're looking forward to a happy holiday season!

Daytripping: Ashfield

The area of the Pioneer Valley and surrounding Western Mass is rife with lovely little towns to visit and spend a day -- we love to make the occasional jaunt to Shelburne Falls and Brattleboro.  A few weekends ago we made the short trip to Ashfield, where we spent the better part of the afternoon and evening.
In the autumn, Ashfield has a lively fall festival full of crafts, foods, music, dancing, tag sales, and feats of agriculture.  But there is definitely more to Ashfield than just their fall festival.

Chapel Brook & Pony Mountain: Ashfield is home to some beautiful falls & hiking trails along Chapel Brook and Pony Mountain.  Trails run along the brook, and in the brook there are falls to splash under, pools to cool off in, rocks to sit on, and natural water slides.

Elmer's Store: If you're looking for a snack or a morning meal, don't miss out on Elmer's Store. It boasts daily breakfast and lunch and a Friday night dinner, but it's also a corner store with a bakery, some pantry basics, local art and music, and occasional events.  Call or stop in for info -- the website is not updated regularly.

Ashfield Lake: The lake sports a couple of beaches, one of which is reserved for residents and one of which is open to the general public.  It's a large lake with plenty of room for swimming, kayaking, canoeing, or just wading around.

Ashfield Lakehouse: Right on the lake is a restaurant that looks to have been there for years and years.  It has outdoor deck dining with great lake views, a bar, a piano, pinball machines, and regular live music.  The online menu prices are a little out of date, but the burgers and fries were pretty good.

Belding Memorial Library: Open 3 days a week, this old library is a beauty.  Sit on the wood benches in the front lawn or enjoy the relaxing field-and-forest view from the stone bench behind the library.  If it's open, be sure to take a look inside.

If you're out for a stroll while in town, try not to miss the amazing Japanese lilac at the Inn at Norton Hill across the street from Elmer's or the classic hardware store on the main drag.
(There are lots of other places to go and things to see in Ashfield, but these were the highlights of one afternoon's visit.)

Hadley Maple Syrup -- Good on EVERYTHING!

The nights are freezing and the days are above freezing (hopefully,mostly), and the sap in the sugar maples runs, and the local sugar shacks get busy. It's maple sugaring season!
In Hadley, the place for all your maple needs is the North Hadley Sugar Shack at Boisvert Farm on Rt 47, where they have syrup galore -- jugs of syrup, bottles of syrup, cans of syrup, syrup recipes, syrup candy, syrup news...

Syrup ...

...and more syrup!

... and people pouring syrup over pancakes and waffles and french toast and sausage -- some even pour the syrup into their coffee, sweetening up that bottomless cup! (Yes. This syrup really is that good.)
The North Hadley Sugar Shack does a very tasty breakfast (from the end of February until mid-April), featuring their very own syrup, and people come from miles around to share in the farm, the community, and that maple sweetness.

Mr. Madley and I had our first sugar shack breakfast last Saturday morning, and I eagerly anticipated piles of syrup-drenched pancakes, bacon, eggs, and home fries -- and a look-see at the syrup-making process.  Upon arriving at the "shack," we put our name on the restaurant list and had a 35-minute wait (go early or go before you're actually hungry-- the place gets quite busy on weekend mornings).  But there was plenty to do before eating, and the time flew by.  We took some time to visit the animals,

Available for petting...

...or for sleeping.

and spent a good deal of time talking with Joe, one of the owning brothers, about the making of syrup (contents of that discussion found below).
After our chat with Joe and our visit to the animals and some looking around at the maple products (donuts, candies, t-shirts, and more), a table finally opened for us and Mr. M and I happily (OK, it's true, I was a little giddy) enjoyed pancakes, eggs, bacon, and homefries -- with fresh 100% local maple syrup.  We were surrounded by families and couples and friends and children all doing the exact same thing -- enjoying happy community and good syrup.
The food was tasty, the service was great -- it was definitely well worth the wait.  I would go back again anytime.

The North Hadley Sugar Shack produces some tasty syrup -- bucketloads of it.  Before the season starts, the Boisvert brothers and their crew put 5000 taps into those lush sugar maples that dot the hills and vales of Hadley.  When the temperatures declare sugaring season has begun, the sap runs through hoses or collects in buckets and is deposited at the sugaring house, where it is reduced and distilled in a wood-fired boiler --

The sugar shack

Sap steam in the boiler

-- the boiler heats the sap and boils the excess water out of it, leaving behind the thick sweet syrup that we know and love.
Joe and John have been sugaring since their teens, and they loved it enough to buy out the family farm in 1995 and turn maple sugaring into a family business; their mom even runs maple sugar candy making classes during the season.

Classic old syrup tins.

Surrounded by the steam off the hot sap.

The Sugar Shack is open late February until mid-April, and the farmstand is open from mid-August through the end of December.  I recommend visiting again in the autumn, when they have pumpkins and mums out in full force.   No matter when you go, don't leave without picking up some syrup to take home -- we have a 1/2 gallon on our counter just waiting to make something perfectly delicious.

Thank you for visiting!

Bunches of New Businesses?

Interested in what stores and businesses want to come to Hadley next?  The Gazette.net* printed the article "Hadley's influx of new business" (search it here and click on the gazette.net link from March 28), citing the interests of Firestone, Chipotle's, Denny's, Long Hollow Bison Farm in moving into the area.
A new addition to the Cinemark will be appearing at the Hampshire Mall soon, as well.

Have some thoughts on the situation?  Talk to the Select Board and the Planning Board -- and definitely attend the town meeting on May 5.

*Gazette.net features require a subscription or entry through a search engine like Google.

Off the Main Drag - N'hampton Eats

As often as we go to Northampton, we find ourselves usually sticking to the main drag of Rt 9.  Occasionally, we head down Rt 5/10 for bowling or to find parking or to visit La Fiorentina, but we don't often hit the "side" streets.  Last weekend, with the near-warmth and the extra light, we were feeling the need for new adventures and took a stroll down Masonic Street -- where we discovered and explored 3 small new (for us) eateries:

WoodStar: a cafe & bakery (with great key lime tarts -- yum!)
Mosaic Cafe: Moroccan-Euro fare (I've been hearing lots of commercials on the radio), related to Amanouz
Bela: a vegetarian joint with dairy & gluten free dishes

We walked in to each one, checked out the menus and prices and atmosphere, and we can't wait to try them.
Have you been there yet?

WoodStar Menu

WoodStar Breads

Photos by Mr Madley

Disappearing Eateries

Mr. Madley and I were back in Northampton Saturday night to seek out a new 2-for-under-$20 restaurant; we thought we'd try Taipei and Tokyo*, but when we arrived at the dark storefront, there was a sign on the door saying that Butterfly: Chinese and vegetarian would be soon opening there.  No more T&T.
There is a Butterfly restaurant on Rt 9 in Hadley -- one that serves Japanese, Chinese, and vegetarian.  Whether the Butterfly coming to Northampton is the same Butterfly moving spaces, a clone Butterfly, or a completely new one, I can't say for sure yet.  I look forward to finding out.

There is yet more restaurant news for Northampton -- according to rumour, Union Station and company will be leaving Northampton in the coming months.  Keep a watch on that one -- I'm not sure when they're closing up shop.

And in case you haven't yet heard, Amherst Brewing Company is looking to relocate from its keystone position in downtown Amherst to Newmarket Center on University Drive.  The Zoning Board meets tonight to take a vote on issuing the permit.

(By the way -- Saturday we were able to eat at the Teapot for under $20 by eating off the noodle section of the menu.)

*Update 3/20:  Upon walking more of the streets of Northampton last night, we discovered that Taipei and Tokyo isn't leaving -- it's simply moving down the street to the storefronts where Sid Vintage and Sabin Star Lock used to be on Crafts Avenue.  Rejoice!

So Spicy: SNE Spice Company

Last Friday was excursion time -- a small excursion to nearby places of interest.  One of those places included the Southern New England Spice Company.  You know the place -- you've driven past it on 47 dozens of times but have never stopped in because you never quite knew what it was about and there were never any cars in the lot.  And each time you drove past you thought "One of these days I'll just stop in and see...."

Last Friday was "one of those days," and I stopped in to see.
The public space inside of the SNESC is deceptively small -- just a single room.  But that single room is stocked with large bottles of spices, salad dressings, jams & jellies, dried fruits & veggies, rices & beans, marinades, dips, extracts, oils, salsas, relishes, Mexican chilies, cooking agents, sauces, honey, and more.

Amazing how much variety can fit in one uncrowded room.  If you've ever wanted,needed to stock up on spices, this is the place to do it.  (Preview the list of spices here; an even more extensive list is available at the shop.)

Here's the kicker -- the SNE Spice Co. supplies over 700 restaurants in New England, so if you've ever been frustrated because you can't get that great restaurant taste at home with your kitchen oils and spices, you might want to stop in and see what they have.  They might have just what you're looking for.

Eating: 2<$20

In trying to economize, Mr. Madley and I came up with a list of restaurants where we can eat for under $20 -- both of us.  If you've ever tried it, it's not necessarily easy to do, but at most of these restaurants it's fairly easy to find a good variety of dishes that 2 can eat for under $20 (desserts and drinks excluded -- water is free, tip is variable).
PS -- we're a gluten-free, dairy-free group, so that cuts out most pizza & sub places....

Mi Tierra (Mexican, Hadley)
Miss Saigon (Vietnamese, Amherst)
Thai Corner (Thai, Amherst)
Whole Foods (Hot & Salad Bar, Hadley)
Local Burger (Burgers, Northampton)
La Vera Cruzana (Mexican, Amherst & Northampton)
Rt 9 Diner (Diner, Hadley)
Hillside Pizza (Pizza, Hadley)
Amanouz (Mediterranean, Northampton)

Do you know of another good local restaurant where 2 can eat for under $20?  Please share!

Restaurant Review: Hillside Pizza

It's been an awful long time since I've posted here, and I've missed lots of important things -- like autumn in New England and election day and the cyclocross race at Look Park in Florence.  Maybe I'll catch up on those later.  Today's post is all about pizza.

Friday night is pizza night, right?  Not if you're gluten-free and lactose-free.  It's been years since Friday night was pizza night at our house.  But then we saw "gluten-free pizza" on the sign for the recently opened Hillside Pizza on Rte 9, and we had to try it.

We ate in; the restaurant was nice.  Cork board advertising and decks of cards at each table; a refrigerator with sodas and juices; clean, well-lighted, with plants and paintings.  The staff were friendly and helpful (entertaining, too -- you can watch them throw the pizza dough in the air). 
After a thorough perusal of the menu and a few questions asked and answered, we ordered 2 kinds of pizzas -- a regular pepperoni and a gluten-free mushroom & sausage.  Prepped in-house upon order, there's a bit of a time-lapse between ordering and eating, but that's what the cards are for -- plenty of time to play a game or start a conversation.  But not too long.  And then the pizzas came.  Our reactions? -- Delicious!  Hot, fresh, cheesy, and made with many local ingredients -- you can't go wrong with that. 
The gluten-free pizza is made with cheese in the crust, so if you usually need a little help with lactose, don't forget the lactaid.  However, Hillside Pizza does offer dairy-free cheese for the top of the pizza, if you have problems with lactose and not gluten.

Hillside Pizza also offers salads and sandwiches, gluten-free desserts, chips, fundraising opportunities, and take-and-bake pizzas.  Better than Amy's; better than DiGiorno.  But that shouldn't surprise anyone.  Hillside also promotes local business and a healthier community by responsible use of local, sustainable, and renewable resources.  If you've been thinking about making a visit, think no longer -- just go (but check their hours first -- they're only open 4 days a week).


Friday night pizza night!  Delicious -- I can't wait to do it again!

Here's a look at the Hadley restaurant's menu.

For more restaurant info, visit my previous blog.