The walls are painted warm greens and browns and several pumpkins decorate anywhere there's space. Each table is candlelit and jazz plays lightly in the background. It's not loud enough to disturb your meal, but just loud enough to fill in any awkward silences.
The menu presents a problem, however. Don't worry. The problem isn't because the menu is terrible; it's because everyone wants everything and can't decide what to order. Beginning with the appetizers, or "noshes," we narrowed it down to the Eggplant Pesto Bruscetta Points (eggplant pesto blended with basil, mint, garlic, olive oil and parmesan cheese with crostini and diced tomatoes, $8.99), Escargot Stuffed Mushrooms (snails from Burgundy stuffed in mushroom caps topped with goat cheese and a black Sambucca flambé, $8.99) and Mussels Creole (a pound of Prince Edward Island Mussels with Bayou vegetables tossed in a spiced Creole shellfish tomato jus, $8.99).
The bruscetta was nothing to write home about. However, the Escargot Stuffed Mushrooms were excellent. They were very soft and comforting to bite into with an interesting, fun flavor attributable to the licorish taste provided by the Sambucca. The dish was very reminiscent of a spinach and artichoke dip, with the distinct flavors blending nicely together. Definitely order this one. The Mussels Creole were fabulous as well: an abundant serving of tender mussels floating in a very spicy sauce among pieces of red and green peppers. The mussels had almost a barbecued flavor to them. Another must-order dish.
Nina and I both ordered the Salmon Cornucopia (Apple Jack and cider-marinated salmon on butternut squash, red peppers and caramelized onions, $16.99). First, I must address the incredible Butternut Squash with Lobster Bisque soup that I selected as my accompaniment to the salmon. Undoubtedly the best soup I've ever had in my life. The kind where you really don't want to eat it because that just means you'll only have less. Out of all the dishes we tried, this would be the one where I'd say you couldn't leave without ordering. The salmon itself was very nice. They give you a small piece, but it's sufficient with the butternut squash, the soup and any appetizers you might order.
Kate and Sasha had one of the night's specials: the Steak Diane ($18.99). Both were very pleased. The puréed butternut squash with maple swirl that Sasha selected for his accompaniment was absolutely fantastic. Liz ordered the Gravelox and Field Greens salad ($9.99), which consisted of house-cured salmon on greens with a clover honey Dijon sauce and champagne Gorgonzola vinaigrette. Josh ordered the Haddock Sauté on a bed of orzo, spinach and tomatoes ($17.99). The haddock was good. However, the orzo, spinach and tomato mix lacked any flavor whatsoever and simply tasted like water. Such a disappointment.
Rhea redeemed herself after her unexciting dish at Lhasa Café, ordering the Stuffed Acorn Squash (squash baked with brown sugar and spices, filled with spinach, apples, tofu, raisins, smoked Gouda and a cider glaze, $17.99). Everyone wanted a piece. Luckily, Rhea got full fast enough for that to happen. The baked squash was so comforting. The large half of stuffed squash was surrounded by lentils that must have been mixed with the smoked Gouda. A mouth-watering combination. This is a great dish for vegetarians, or meat lovers who can appreciate a good squash.
Although we were all stuffed beyond comprehension, no review of Butternuts would have been complete without sampling the desserts. Butternuts offers a Kahlua Tiramisu, a Chocolate Oblivion Torte with raspberry sauce, a Trio Sorbet Platter and Bart's ice cream, with all desserts ranging between $5.50 and $7. Josh ordered the Apple Rum Raisin Crèpes with Triple Melted Vanilla Sauce. It was fabulous and in my opinion, the best dessert we tried. The apples in the crèpes were far superior to the apples that composed the Apple Crisp à la mode that Rhea and I shared. The crisp and the ice cream were fine, but the apples weren't very savory. Sasha had a nice crème brûlée that was surrounded by a kiwi coulis, orange slivers and pieces of mango.
We also enjoyed the creatively-named drink concoctions. Rhea and Nina had the Darth Vader, a combination of coke and grenadine. Butternuts also makes a fine Shirley Temple with the right amount of grenadine and a fun little cherry on a sword that took us back to our kiddie drink days. Sasha experimented with orange soda: "Tastes like sparkling orange jello-that's melted."
Another Sasha gem arose while we were discussing the dating scene at Amherst, or lack thereof: "And the penalty boxxx does NOT count as a date." We couldn't agree more. Butternuts, however, would count as a date. Gentlemen, if you're looking to please and impress a lady, take her to Butternuts. Not Valentine. Not Antonio's. Butternuts. And order her the Butternut Squash with Lobster Bisque. When you're tired of Val, when the parents are up, when you're taking out a hottie or when you've got a butternut squash fix, head down Route 9 to Butternuts.