I asked Essie if the large piece of machinery in the back corner was a coffee grinder, upon which she affirmed that it was and began to explain the story behind the café. She and her husband opened the restaurant with the owner of Rao's, and now the couple operates it. They roast their own coffee on the premises twice weekly, use free-range eggs and sell muffins, bars and cookies from Woodstar Café of Northampton.
The first table one sees upon entering is a beautiful, large, circular, wooden table rimmed on one side by a comfy couch and the other by chairs. Essie tells us that her husband made the table from a famous Hadley elm tree. This table, like the long rectangular table in front of the counter, hosts various parties at multiple times like a cafeteria table, while the rest of the café's tables are intended for individual parties. Bags of coffee beans that the café will use in its fabulous roaster separate the dining tables from the counter.
Even the ceiling is a wonderfully ornate addition to the "distinctive European look and the welcoming feel of a beautiful home," which their web site boasts. The well-chosen, softly playing music in the background enhances the café mood even more.
Esselon Café serves a breakfast menu, a brunch menu and a lunch menu. We visited for brunch, which is served Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and I found myself stumped. Many entrée items, combinations of side items and muffins pulled me in their disparate directions. The brunch menu is a series of "Brekkies" including the Smoked Salmon Benedict ($9.50); a spinach, feta and roasted red pepper omelette ($8.50); a warm Breakfast Burrito ($9); Pancakes ($7) and Challah French Toast ($8.50). The side item list is extensive as well.
Rhea and I elected to share the half order of the Blueberry Pancakes ($5.50). The two pancakes are served with an abundance of berries, powdered sugar, butter, local maple syrup, a strawberry and a mint leaf. Even though the pancakes were good (though not as good as my grandmother's), two blueberry pancakes should not cost that much, and the single strawberry served was terrible.
I ordered the Two Eggs Any Style ($6.50), scrambled with a grilled potato cake, toast (your choice of sourdough or multigrain) and a side of mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette.
These were the best scrambled eggs I've had in as long as I can remember. They're amazing. Light, fluffy, on the border of being undercooked, but with an ideal texture. And it's a hefty portion so you will leave satisfied. The potato cake, sprinked with pieces of scallion, is creamy and comforting. The multigrain toast is nice, but pretty burnt on the edges, and I hate the taste of burnt foods. The side greens with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and shredded carrots are classically wonderful.
Rhea combined items from the "Kids' Brekkies" (of course) and the side items. She ordered the Yogurt ($1) with the Mixed Fresh Berries ($2). The yogurt, which she poured into the large fruit bowl, is a plain yogurt that is "definitely not low fat" and, therefore, really good and filling. She also enjoyed the "One Egg" ($4) from the kids' menu which she had poached with toast and mixed greens. Emily ordered the Veggie Brekkie ($9.50) with eggs any style, spinach and mushrooms sautéed in garlic and olive oil, a potato cake, toast and the mixed greens. It was all recommendable.
The café offers an abundance of beverages including the staple Coffee of the Day (medium for $1.43), Cappuccino (small for $2.14), Café Mocha and Chai Latte. Its more creative offerings are the Honey Lemon Ginger with its constituent ingredients steeped in hot water, and the Local Apple Cider which is served hot or iced. Emily had the iced cider which was declared as being really good.
An element I enjoyed was the café's French Press, a personal pot of any coffee one chooses for $2.62. The café has a wine bar serving after 1 p.m. on Sundays with a small but fine list of reds, whites, sparkling wines and beers.
The café's breakfast menu is served Monday through Friday until 10:30 a.m. and is basically the same as the brunch menu. The lunch menu is available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers a number of sandwiches, burgers and entrée salads. All the offerings sound delicious, but I'd recommend brunch as the best occasion to come here.
After downing the café's almost perfect eggs and perhaps some berries or a muffin, you can linger over a cup of coffee or tea with friends or with some fine reading material from an institution of higher education. I cannot wait until the temperature finally exceeds the 50-degree ceiling to return to the café. Then I may have my eggs and coffee outside in the garden, and watch as the café grows in popularity, as it will undoubtedly do with the atmosphere and food it offers.
The fare at Esselon Café is more expensive than the Lone Wolf, but I believe that the atmosphere is worth the $2 difference and not feeling pressured to evacuate your table as soon as your final bite enters your mouth.
Contact Leigh with your thoughts and questions about Esselon Café at lfrivlin@amherst.edu.