The Night Kitchen at Montague Mill was created with this story in mind, and just being there evokes memories of childhood and comforting home cooking. The restaurant is on the bottom floor of the Montague Bookmill, a beautiful 25-minute drive from campus. The Bookmill is my favorite place in Pioneer Valley, and I had never had the pleasure of experiencing the restaurant until my mom came up for Family Weekend.
The restaurant is decorated just how one would expect a quaint New England inn to be. The wooden floors, walls, tables and chairs are complemented by candlelight and the sound of the Sawmill River's rushing water in the background. Paintings of New England countrysides and a framed picture of a scene from "In the Night Kitchen" decorate the walls. The sheer size of the restaurant, the interior decoration and the feeling of being so far from the buzz of campus create an intimacy unmatched by Amherst and Northampton restaurants.
While my mom listened to that night's band set up for their show upstairs, we were warmly welcomed for our 7 p.m. reservations. With our drinks came a basket of warm, freshly baked olive bread with whole chunks of olives baked into it, and served with a black olive tapenade. The bread had an element of rusticity to it, as if it came from an old New England family recipe book. It was delicious.
For appetizers, my mom and I shared the night's soup: a butternut squash purée with carrot and ginger dressing ($6). If you're expecting a butternut squash soup, you'll be disappointed. The carrot and ginger flavors overpowered the butternut squash, leaving it tasting like Mulligatawny soup, a fabulous Indian dish. The soup is served piping hot, and is thick enough to satisfy anyone. To top it off, the soup is beautifully decorated and garnished; so much so that you're hesitant to put your spoon in it for fear of ruining the chef's art. I loved it, even though I was looking forward to butternut squash.
We also shared the Sautéed Crabcake with Sambuca-Honey Soaked Fennel and Citrus Remoulade ($9). The crabcake was good, but lacked any substantial chunks of crabmeat. To compensate, there was more breading involved than we Marylanders would prefer. Luckily, it was not overpowered by spices, as crabcakes often are. It comes topped with a dollop of thousand island-like dressing, and is served on a bed of greens.
For her entrée, my mom ordered the Grilled Whole Rainbow Trout with Toasted Almond Butter and Saffron-Citrus Risotto ($21). I should just stop writing right now for fear of ruining the perfection of the dish with my words. Every bite was heavenly. The fish was perfectly grilled and tasted incredibly fresh. The almond slivers provided the ideal crunch to the fish's smoothness. The combination of the saffron and citrus flavors of the creamy risotto is to die for. As each forkful-consisting of a piece of trout, an almond sliver or two and a bit of risotto-entered my mouth, countless flavors slid across my palate.
I finished off my mom's trout dish, but only after I had done my own damage to the Pinenut and Parmesan Crusted Rack of Lamb with Arugula Pesto and Truffle Oil with Rosemary-Horseradish Mashed Potatoes ($23). I'm used to eating lamb that has been cooked in a stew so I had a bit of trouble getting used to The Night Kitchen's creation. It was very good, but I preferred the Rainbow Trout. The pinenut and parmesan crust were excellent. The mashed potatoes, or "mashies" as I've always called them, were simply fabulous. The lamb is best eaten when scooped up with the mashies rather than dipped in the arugula pesto that was meant for that purpose. The pesto was definitely a letdown. Overall the dish was good, and I recommend it. However, I am more likely to try the Seared Sea Scallops with Lemon, Garlic and White Wine ($20) or the Grilled Duck Breast with Port Soaked Cherries ($21) next time.
Each entrée is served with the fresh seasonal vegetables of the day. On the night my mom and I went, we had carrots, rutabaga and leeks with garlic. The vegetables tasted as if they had been parboiled (partially boiled), and I witnessed the chef sautéing the vegetables the rest of the way before dressing another guest's platter with them. I could have eaten an entire platter of just the vegetables. Without question.
For dessert, we shared the Lavender-Vanilla Crème Brûlée ($6). You would not think you could experience heaven twice in one meal, but The Night Kitchen gladly obliges. I usually despise crème brûlée. In my opinion, the custard filling is ruined by an excessive coating of caramelized sugar. The Night Kitchen's denser version of the classic dessert creates the perfect ratio of crunch to cream. And the lavender-vanilla combination is out of this world.
Our night at The Night Kitchen was an experience. The Bookmill, the gushing water, the music upstairs, the romantic restaurant and of course, the food made for an unforgettable evening. You must make a trip out to The Night Kitchen. Bring your parents, friends, boyfriend or girlfriend. Just make sure you bring your camera and your appetite.
Botulism got you down? You can write Leigh at lfrivlin@amherst.edu.