Crostini trio: filet and asiago, shrimp and cannelloni, tomato mozzarella basil

Although I love Restaurant Week promotions, sometimes eateries don’t live up to expectations.

Last year, a group of friends and I made RW reservations at one of Northampton’s most vaunted restaurants, only to receive some of the worst food and service I’ve ever experienced in my lifetime. (We ordered a half-dozen oysters as an add-on, and received five weak, watery specimens – and one empty shell. Our server rolled his eyes as he took back the plate. It all went downhill from there.)

Left scarred by this experience, I was a bit guarded when we made reservations at Spoleto, Northampton’s highly regarded and popular Italian restaurant. But the droolworthy menu won me over. Besides that, I was looking for some wine redemption after the miss at Zen.

Three of us started with the crostini trio: filet mignon with asiago cheese;  grilled shrimp, cannelloni and basil chiffonade; tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil with balsamic. The latter was the best of the three – there wasn’t a ton of recognizable flavor in the shrimp and white bean mixture and the filet, served without any kind of sauce, was a bit dry. (I remedied it with a drizzle of olive oil.) One friend said she wished the bread had been more crusty.

Another friend went with the fried calamari. While was nice and crispy and smelled like fried-food heaven, it was a little bland without its two tomato-based dipping sauces (one much spicier than the other.) I stole a few tentacle pieces for myself.

New York strip a la barolo with steamed veggies and sweet potato gratin

My newly awakened carnivore tendencies led me right to the New York strip, finished with a Barolo demiglace and served with sweet potato gratin and mixed vegetables. I was not disappointed. The steak was sizable, juicy and encrusted with a hint of pepper, and the Barolo sauce, though surprisingly light, had intense flavor. The veggies were steamed to perfection and only improved with a sprinkle of fresh grated cheese.

None of us were blown away by the gratin, though. While it was layered artfully like a napoleon, it was cold and a bit congealed. This suffered most from the inevitable mass-production that goes on during Restaurant Week promotions. Though we’re all familiar with my carb addiction, I would have been much more disappointed by an overdone steak.

To be honest, I was really torn between the NY strip and the seafood fra diavolo, a whole mess of shellfish tossed with squid-ink pasta in a spicy marinara sauce. But that’s why you dine with friends who are willing to share. The jet-black pasta, a little thicker than linguini, was really intriguing. And it was virtually buried by a tidal wave of lobster, mussels, clams, scallops, calamari and shrimp.

Seafood fra diavolo

My friend remarked that it was more like a cioppino than a pasta dish, for its sheer amount of seafood. The marinara was wildly hot, though. “I kept eating because every time I stopped, my mouth burned,” she said.

Dessert was plentiful – and chocolaty. The chocolate lover’s sampler incorporated a huge dark-chocolate dipped strawberry; a flourless chocolate torte (with a strong hint of coffee); light, airy chocolate mousse and a dab of fresh whipped cream. One plate could have fed three of us.

Spoleto has a great wine option – a full liter carafe (6 glasses) for $15 or a half-carafe (3 glasses) for $8. On the night of our visit, the carafe wines were cabernet sauvignon and Chardonnay.

We started by ordering a half-carafe of each, and this is where we ran into our one service snag. We tried to explain to the waiter, as he was pouring, that we wanted to save our red carafe for our steak dinners. Somehow, this annoyed him, and he banged down the carafe and stalked away. It was inexplicable, and unnecessary…

Chocolate lovers' sampler

As the night went on, we ended up ordering two more half-carafes, which brought us to a technical total of two full carafes. Yet we were charged for four half-carafes, amounting to an extra $2. I guess that was a charge for labor?

Spoleto has an ongoing $20 three-course meal promotion, available at both locations: Northampton and East Longmeadow. It’s a good value.

In my opinion, Restaurant Weeks should be an opportunity for restaurants to shine, not to cut corners or make customers feel unwelcome.  I have no doubt that the banquet-style meal planning and extra traffic cause stress for chefs and servers. I’m sympathetic to that, to a point.

But I firmly believe that restaurants can hook potential repeat customers. If you dazzle a Restaurant Week customer with your $20 three-course meal and spectacular service, they’ll consider spending top dollar there for a special occasion in the future. At the very least, they’ll come back during next year’s promotion. My bad RW experience in 2009 has turned me off that particular restaurant for good.

Zen's Pyramid Roll

Restaurant Week promotions are foodie paradise.  Multicourse meals for less than the cost of an entree? Sign me up, several times over.

Northampton held its annual event this past week, and when the menus came out, everything looked incredible. Several of the restaurants stepped up their game, incorporating high-end ingredients like lobster and good cuts of steak with lots of variety, like appetizer and dessert samplers. Remember, all three-course meals cost a mere $20.10.

A friend and I chose Zen for our Wednesday night meal. Zen is one of the top Japanese eateries in the Northampton area, but we almost always pass it over in favor of Osaka’s Japanese-French fusion. But Zen’s promo menu, offering a variety of sashimi, noodles, teriyaki and spring rolls, looked amazing.

We started the meal with two appetizer choices: the rock shrimp and the jalapeno carpaccio. Flash-fried and tossed in a spicy chili sauce with a hint of mayonnaise, the crunchy little shrimp were addictive.

Jalapeno carpaccio

But the winner was the carpaccio: three slim slices of halibut, white tuna and yellowtail bathed in a citrusy yuzu sauce and topped with slivers of jalapeno pepper and a dab of sriracha. The fish was tender, fresh and succulent – I wished it had been an entree in itself.

We both opted for the Pyramid roll, six massive maki pieces overstuffed with rice, spicy tuna/crab/scallop/salmon, avocado and asparagus. It was topped with tempura crunch and a drizzle of syrupy eel sauce.  Lots of exciting flavors here, but I’ve never been a fan of the rolls that require jaw unhinging for consumption. Less is more.

(Side note, I once ate a spider roll in front of my sushi-unaware mother, who suggested I  ‘cut it with a knife and fork’ before eating it. She got the WTF glare.)

Dessert was unremarkable, as it sometimes tends to be at Asian restaurants (and Restaurant Week at that.) The apple-cinnamon spring roll was cold, stale and forgettable, but my dining partner liked her open-faced chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich.

More disappointing was my wine choice, a lukewarm Tukulu Chenin Blanc from South Africa. I tried an excellent Sula Chenin Blanc at our favorite Indian restaurant a few months ago, but apparently not all CBs are created equal.

I’m still thinking about that carpaccio, though. So, successful visit.

On Thursday, we ventured to Spoleto for their Italian-influenced Restaurant Week menu. Stay tuned.

I’ve seen Yelp haters describe western Massachusetts and north-central Connecticut as culturally bereft. Well…okay. But as ethnic cuisines become more mainstream, even suburban Longmeadow boasts two notable sushi restaurants. And up in Springfield, you can find three Vietnamese eateries within a three-block radius.

A friend and I checked out Vinh Chau in January. Good stuff. And in the interest of trying new things, Rob and I checked out its across-the-street neighbor, Pho Saigon, on Friday night.(Bamboo House, a Vietnamese/Szechuan restaurant, is within shouting distance.)

Of the Springfield trifecta, Pho Saigon has the most traditional “restaurant” atmosphere. It’s warm, inviting and stylish. I was surprised to see a Montepulciano on the otherwise-predictable wine list and had to get myself a glass. Rob enjoyed the #33 Vietnamese beer, which had the weight of a very light beer without sacrificing lots of taste.

Shrimp and chicken spring rolls

Fresh spring rolls are a must for me, and when the plate came to the table, I was happy to see the shrimp nearly bursting out of the rice paper. But the rolls also included unseasoned chicken, and the meat’s blandness dominated the taste. I really liked the tangy peanut dipping sauce, however – love when there’s plenty of crushed peanuts.

But hold on, the appetizer course didn’t end there. We lost our minds over the shrimp on sugarcane skewers. The shrimp was ground, fried and wrapped around short sticks of sweet, fibrous cane. It was hot, juicy and succulent, enhanced even more by our own little blend of sriracha and another condiment that was like a thick soy sauce. (Still learning about all the accoutrements.)

We weren’t feeling particularly daring, nor did it seem like a night for pho. So we both chose bun dishes – mine with grilled shrimp, pork and egg roll, Rob with pork and pork meatballs. Every bowl of bun I’ve ever had has been just that – a large bowl of rice noodles topped with lettuce, sprouts, carrots, herbs and meat. Mine looked legit, even if the meat portions looked a little skimpy.

Shrimp on sugarcane skewers

But Rob’s came on a plate, with a small amount of noodles and an overflowing bowl of pork. I’ve seen him house enough pasta to feed a team of marathon runners, so I knew it wouldn’t be enough for him. It got to the point where we were sharing meat and noodles, trying to shore up each other’s portions.

Verdict on the meats: The grilled pork was tasty, with a good smoky flavor, but unfortunately kind of greasy. The one grilled shrimp in my dish (one!) was just shy of rubbery. But the fried egg roll was spectacular, and the pork meatballs were luscious.

We skipped dessert, though our table was decorated with suggestive pictures of lemon mousse and caramel-topped flan. Excellent marketing strategy, though it didn’t work on us.

The service was very friendly and welcoming – the kind of place where they treat you like a regular from the minute you sit down for your first meal. Also friendly – the bill. We racked up a whopping $42 for our tab of three drinks, two appetizers and two entrees. I still can’t get over how wallet-friendly Vietnamese cuisine can be.

User reviews rave about this restaurant’s pho selections. We’ll be back to try that, for sure, along with Pho Saigon’s house specialties like hot pot and sizzling catfish.

The ultimate German beer paddle

Because nothing says “Happy Birthday” like schnitzel, wurst and big-ass mugs of beer, we took Kat out for an early 29th celebration this past weekend at Munich Haus in Chicopee.

German food lovers in greater Springfield are blessed, having three such restaurants nearby: Student Prince in the city, Hofbrauhaus to the west.

Though I love my ethnic foods, I’m pretty new to the flavors of Germany. I’m guilty of ordering baked stuffed lobster at Hofbrauhaus. (Shut up, that was like, seven years ago, and  I made up for it when we sampled an authentic buffet during our stopover in Frankfurt last fall.)  So when the birthday girl suggested Munich, I was excited to give it another whirl.

Munich Haus does an excellent job setting the scene, with homey decor, live accordian music and waitstaff in traditional garb (dirndl, I think the outfits are called.) The service is friendly and prompt. Before we even sat down, there were three bowls of their homemade potato chips at our table for five, with an accompanying sour cream-based dipping sauce.

The area's most irresistible chips?

(Warning: these chips are stupidly addictive, and I mean that in the best way possible. Save room for the massive entrees.)

The beer list would be daunting for your average brew lover, and even moreso for a novice like me. Thankfully, Munich Haus offers two “beer towers” with six varieties apiece for those who want to sample everything. The first contains two Hacker-Pschorr weisses, a Franziskaner Weisse and three Spatens: Maiboch, Lager and Optimator. They go a little more local with the second tower, offering two Paper City Holyoke brews alongside two German pilsners and lagers. Of course, we got one of each. Surprisingly, I liked the darker varieties better, and ended up really enjoying the Paper City Reilly’s Irish stout. Great caramel and chocolate flavors.

Next came appetizers: German fried baby pickles, fried imported German cheese and then something not fried: a Bavarian pretzel, one of the evening’s specials. The little wedges of cheese were deliciously decadent, mild and gooey

Bavarian pretzel appetizer special

and great with their accompanying kicky honey mustard sauce. But the star of the pre-entree was the big pretzel – soft, warm, stretchy and salt-crusted. It came with more of the zesty honey mustard, but it was even better with its other dip, an herbed sour cream.

Still more food was on its way – I opted for Roquefort dressing with my salad (a $1.85 upcharge) and watched as the waitress prepared it tableside. The bowl of dressing was literally as big as my bowl of salad. The cheese was rich and flavorful, but I wouldn’t order this again – you’d never get your money’s worth unless you truly glopped your greens with dressing.

And then came the main courses. Or should I say, the meat. The birthday girl and Rob each ordered the Bavarian platter, a metal tray full of Pfalzer rostbratwurst, Nuremberg bratwurst, Jaeger schnitzel, sauerbraten and sides of red cabbage, sauerkraut, spaetzle and a potato pancake. Each wurst was juicier and more flavorful than the next, and the potato pancake was crispy and comforting.

Bavarian platter: with lots and lots of MEAT

Another friend opted for the Pfalzer bratwurst by itself, which came with cabbage, sauerkraut and spaetzle, and another opted for Parmigain schnitzel, a sort of ‘Italian fusion’ dish with pasta sauce and provolone cheese. Though it was made with a pork cutlet, everyone teased her about her “chicken parmesan.”

My dish, the Schnitzel Lichtenstein, was topped with Westphalian ham, sliced tomato and melted Emmenthaler cheese. Ironically, it was similar to the Milanesa, my favorite dish at the Argentinean steakhouse Caminito in Northampton. The veal cutlet was rich and meaty, and the strong flavors of the toppings – the cured ham, the fresh tomato and tangy Swiss – rounded out the hearty dish. Two large cutlets were served as an entree portion; one and half my spaetzle came home with me.

And since I’ve made no secret of my love for carbohydrates (the whiter, the better,) let’s talk about the spaetzle. These delicious little bits of egg noodle are totally worth the glycemic index spike, especially when they’re buttered and topped with bread crumbs and herbs. The spaetzle was reminiscent of baked macaroni and cheese, just without the fromage. (Yelp reviewers actually reference a käse spätzle made with cheese and a white sauce that’s no longer on the menu.) I ate several late-night leftover forkfuls after a few cocktails.

Schnitzel Lichtenstein

No dessert for us, though there’s a yummy-looking selection of gourmet cookies, crepes, tortes, cheesecakes and a Bavarian apple strudel on the menu.

Verdict: We’re going back once we’re ready for another hit of meat and carbs. Munich Haus has an attractive outdoor patio, and I envision sitting there on a nice summer night with a big mug of beer, those beautifully crunchy chips and my beloved spaetzle.

This event is a real treat for Western Massachusetts wine lovers and foodies.  First, the tickets are affordable ($40 for WGBY members, $45 for nonmembers.) The admission price entitles you to hundreds of wine, champagne and beer tastings. That alone would be worth it, but it also includes tons of gratis food tastings. (No expensive food-for-purchase ticketing system like some larger festivals. )

Our first stop was the Table & Vine Connoisseur’s room (thanks, T&V!) where we tried some excellent high-end wines – a refreshing Grgich Hills Chardonnay, a rich Ferrari- Carano (Sangiovese/Malbec blend), a stunning Antintori Tignanello Italian red (recommended to us by a WGBY rep) and a few equally impressive Champagnes. Then we moved on to the edible offerings.

Beefalo frankfurters from Wild Mountain

There were specialty foods galore – everything from artisan cheese and chocolate to meatballs, curry chicken, seared tuna, lobster rolls and clam chowder. We sampled charcuterie, bruschetta spreads on crackers, homemade ricotta, grilled Australian barramundi, vegetable pakora and much more. I had an OMG moment with a piece of Berkshire Bark Jumpin’ Java chocolate, which probably gave me the tastiest caffeine buzz I’d ever experienced. Also amazing: the Beefalo frankfurters from Wild Mountain Farm in West Brookfield.

Beyond grapes, there was also honey and chamomile mead from Green River Ambrosia, fruit and ice wines from Hardwick Valley and Still River Winery and a variety of beers from Berkshire Brewing Company.

The booths were a bit difficult to locate and identify – they were marked by letters and numbers, intended to correspond with a printed program. It would have been much easier to get to each booth if they’d all had identifying banners or signs representing their company. It also would have been great if the event had lasted for more than three hours. We didn’t arrive until 6:30 because of the previous commitment (the event was held from 5 to 8 p.m.) and felt really rushed. Not to mention that some booths started breaking down around 7:30 p.m.

Either way, this is an event that we hope to attend annually. This festival is absolutely worth the price of admission, especially if you’re looking for great food as part of the package deal. Scroll down for more photos…

Chicken curry and basmati rice from Sitar, Springfield

Grilled barramundi with lemon butter from Australis in Turners Falls, Mass.

One of many, many cheese displays (the cheese on the right was speckled with blueberry)

Spectacular Berkshire Bark chocolate

Hartford Courant: “Twitter, Facebook Help Restaurants Communicate With Patrons”

It should come as no surprise that I located and contacted all of my story sources for this article through social media platforms. To their credit, most of them responded to me within hours, if not minutes. Any journalist – particularly freelancers – can tell you how rare and refreshing that is!

And for some more exciting news: I am now contributing to the new Hartford Courant/ctnow.com dining blog, A La Carte. I’ll still be blogging here at FWC, of course, but definitely check it out. Food, food, food!

Harpoon Oyster Stout, brewed with real Island Creek oysters

I’ve been reading a lot about Harpoon Oyster Stout this week – a new, limited-edition dark beer brewed with Island Creek oysters from Duxbury, Mass. And I became a little obsessed with finding it. But it seemed like the tasting events set up to accompany the beer’s release were all located closer to Boston. And if you’ve ever lived an hour or more outside of Beantown, you’re familiar with the “Boston gets everything good” jealous-stepchild mentality. (Or if you’re in Hartford, it’s: “New York gets everything good.”)

But the beer heavens must have aligned, because a rather serendipitous check of Facebook led me to Lattitude’s fan page. Could it be? Yes! The trendy West Springfield restaurant had Harpoon Oyster Stout on tap, paired with Island Creek oysters. Within 45 minutes, my favorite foodie friend Kat and I were seated at Lattitude’s bar, awaiting a pour.

Now remember, I’m new to beer. Though I’ve tried my share over the past year, I keep going back to pale/light/flavored varieties, like Blue Moon. I feared that I wouldn’t enjoy a thick, dark stout. But one taste of the brew proved all my theories wrong. It was smooth, sweet with hints of chocolate and surprisingly light. (Where I’d describe Guinness as a heavy beer dessert.)

Harpoon’s tasting notes describe the beer as “…[having a] rich body and smooth mouthfeel derived in part from a combination of roasted barley and chocolate rye malts. The roasted malt notes blend beautifully with the briny, mineral flavors of the Island Creek oysters.” While I didn’t pick up any shellfish hint in the beer itself, we picked up emerging hints of flavors in the brew once we sampled the bivalves themselves. (I’ve done wine and cheese, wine and chocolate…now beer and oysters!)

Though the concept was new and exciting to me, oyster stouts apparently have a storied history. Read more about them here.

Island Creek oysters

And let’s not forget the oysters themselves. I’ve had Island Creek twice (both times at Lattitude) and they’re pretty freaking fabulous. Large, briny, fresh and perfect with a hint of cocktail sauce and a few drops of lemon juice.

We were having such a good time at our little ‘happy hour’ that we ordered three more plates: smoke-roasted pulled pork tacos, topped with pico de gallo, green chili and cheese; ‘popcorn’ calamari made with crushed Smartfood and topped with seaweed salad and a delectable trio of chocolate mousses. While the calamari lacked some crispness, the pork melted in the mouth and the mousses were topped with a perfect tangy raspberry coulis.

'Popcorn calamari'

Pulled pork tacos

Chocolate mousses (milk, white, dark) served with a raspberry coulis-topped graham cracker

According to Lattitude, they only received two barrels of the stout. So if you’re jonesing to try it, give them a call first to check on availability. But if you can get your hands on a glass, do it. (Then again, there’s always the Mass Pike to Boston…)

I’m really not against Valentine’s dining. Hell, I’m a restaurant blogger – eating out is my favorite thing to do. I understand people love to plan special dates, and I respect that couples have favorite restaurants that they return to year after year. I just believe that restaurant owners go out of their way to make these diners pay for so-called romance.

Therefore, this post by food blogger Brooke Burton spoke to me. She explains the reasons why couples should think twice about dining out on (or in this case, around) this holiday. Among the rationale: high-stakes dining (with elevated expectations), inflated prices and rushed seating times.

For years, my now-husband and I would go to Chandler’s Restaurant at the Yankee Candle flagship store in South Deerfield, Mass. The dining room is candlelit and cozy, and outdoor lighting reflects off the snow. But on our last visit, two years ago, we were utterly unimpressed by the tiny prix-fixe menu and absurd pricing.

So last year, for a fraction of the price, we stayed home and cooked. We made a seafood casserole and homemade chocolate-dipped strawberries, and I picked up an $8.99 cava at our local liquor store. This year, we’re having tenderloin and I’m going to try to replicate the ridiculous fontina fondue we had at Bin 228 last month. To drink? A gift bottle of Veuve Clicquot we’ve been saving since our wedding. Maybe. I also have a $10 bottle of Mionetto prosecco. Try ordering a martini for under $10 at a restaurant this weekend.

The only problem – I’d really love some fresh raw oysters. and I don’t want to shuck them at home.

And do not even get me started on Valentine’s Day proposals…

Pho Ga at Vinh Chau

Vietnamese is making its way up to the top of my ‘favorite cuisines’ list. It’s fresh, exotic, intriguing, incredibly flavorful and best of all, so affordable.

My friend Cindy and I went out Wednesday in search of pho, spring rolls and more. Originally we planned to head to Pho Saigon, but pulled up to see the storefront empty and dark. (We obviously didn’t do our research – that’s their only day closed during the week.)

But lucky for us, Vinh Chau was open across the street. Inside, it was warm, well-lit and clean, and the employees greeted us with big smiles. We had a feeling we’d happened upon a ‘good mistake.’

The menu’s huge. It’d be overwhelming to choose from even if you were completely familiar with Vietnamese food – which we weren’t. There are several varieties of pho, bun (rice noodle dishes with meat, seafood and vegetables), hot pot, rice dishes, other native soups and much, much more. The most expensive meals topped out around $15, with the exception of some specialties.

Fresh spring rolls

We stuck to the few items we knew: fresh spring rolls and bun ga narong (vermicelli topped with grilled chicken.) The spring rolls, shrimp, pork, rice noodles, mint and other herbs wrapped in cool rice paper, were beautifully refreshing, enhanced further by a sweet-savory peanut sauce. Total guilt-free appetizer.

The bun dish was even better, with fantastic tender grilled chicken atop vermicelli, lettuce, julienned carrots, sprouts and scallions, served with a side of nuoc cham (light dipping sauce.) We did our best to navigate with chopsticks, the only available utensils.

But we didn’t feel right leaving without trying pho, the quintessential Vietnamese noodle soup. Friends of mine have raved about its unusual complex flavor, and it was excessively cold outside – perfect soup weather. We asked the waitress to bring us small bowls of pho ga with chicken. She laughed. When the massive bowls arrived, we knew why. An order of pho could probably feed four.

Bun ga narong

Before the pho arrived, the waitress brought us a plate of accoutrements – a platter full of bean sprouts, basil, mint, peanuts, lime wedges and chopped peppers. I knew vaguely that pho was sort of a build-your-own dish, but I almost felt like I needed a primer on the process. Do you add more basil? How much lime? What flavor do the peppers impart? The day after our dinner, my colleague told me she loves to add spicy sriracha sauce. I’m trying that next time.

(I squeezed both wedges of lime into my soup and realized too late that Cindy hadn’t gotten any. “I have no idea what I’m doing,” she laughed. “Don’t even worry.”)

Pho might be one of the most intricate things I’ve ever tasted. The broth is typically simmered with exotic spices like Saigon cinnamon, allspice, star anise, ginger, cardamom and clove. In its purest form, it’s a beef noodle soup, served with rare steak and tripe. Even if mine was a bit inauthentic, it was startlingly delicious, one of those dishes you know you could never, ever truly replicate at home.

We each took home pho leftovers in quart containers, and paid a whopping $34 for our enormous meal. The bowls of pho were $6.50.

I can’t wait to experience these clean, enchanting flavors again. And at these prices, I could eat Vietnamese food a few times a week and not go broke…

Oysters...the ultimate aphrodisiac...

My story on young foodie couples is running on the cover of Thursday’s Hartford Courant Flavor section (and online now.) It’s a look at couples in their 20s and 30s who share a mutual interest in food, dining, cooking and wines.

The article concept was inspired by my friends Kat and Ben (pictured at left) who graciously agreed to be interviewed for this piece. In addition to cooking elaborate Sunday dinners, traveling the Connecticut Wine Trail and smoking their own meats, these two attended the Celebrity Chef Dinearound at last weekend’s Sun WineFest and finally met their chef idol, Bobby Flay. Color  me super-jealous.

This picture was taken in Ogunquit last July, when the four of us ordered a dozen oysters for an appetizer, and then six more oysters for dessert. That’s how we roll…