There are restaurants where you can go, expect to be seated promptly, be in and out in a relatively short time. Then there are others where you need to call ahead, take your time, and prepare yourself for a two hour experience. Saturday night I had an experience.
At the Sierra Grille in Northampton, Mass., the experience you get, leaves you satisfied until you return. This wasn’t my first visit, however. I’ve visited the Pearl Street establishment a few times before and have regretted not calling in; assuming that I can show up on a Thursday afternoon and was stuck waiting for hours. This time, I knew better.
My reservations were for 8:15. Showing up at 7:45 I didn’t expect to get seated right away, but surprisingly I was. In a dining room certainly not big enough for 60 people, I was seated at a cozy, against-the-wall booth for two. The dimly light, slightly european-like atmosphere can alter those who are in for a quick dinner, but instead for a relaxing affair where the outside worries are left back at the door.
Sierra’s menu isn’t overly expensive, I’m pretty sure I got the most expensive thing on the menu – Duck Breast. The Belgian Fries ($3, $5) are a must. The double-cooked fries come rather salty, but with a delicious aioli and truffle ketchup that will get you wondering where the heck all the frites went. And if you ever go with me, don’t even ask, consider them ordered.
The Frites with aioli and truffle ketchup. Must have.
The staff also has european-like tendencies. What I mean by that is that they let you be. If you’re like me, then you like that. You have to get their attention for them to actually come to you. It lets you talk to whoever you’re talking to, take as long as you want, and just enjoy your time. And, if you decide that whoever you’re with isn’t worth your time, then you could be busy hailing the staff.
The Sierra Grille does something a bit different from other restaurants. If you decide to select one of their main entrées, then you get to decide on a sauce and two sides. Choosing their special compound butter to appropriately go with my duck, grilled asparagus, and grilled vegetables, I got a rather nutritious meal without getting totally confused.
Accompanying my frites and duck was a Duvel. Yes, it’s my favorite beer. Say what you want, but a restaurant that has Duvel already goes up a point and is getting a good rating unless I get a severed limb on my plate. That, or my duck comes out with its beak on. Alas, that didn’t happen and the crisp beer, was without any horrific side affects, so we can move on.
Duck, grilled vegetables, and my grouping of asparagus. All I need.
Unfortunately, since I can be selfish I didn’t take a picture of my date’s meal, a Spinach salad. Topped with chévre, or goat cheese, this wasn’t your average run-of-the mill, give me a plain salad, sort of salad. This was a serious salad. Around the edges of the salad was an array of grilled vegetables, topped with cheese and tossed in balsamic. A large for only eight dollars, or just four for a small, you can eat this salad as a meal no matter how hungry you are.
Overall, the Sierra Grille experience was one that will keep me coming back for more. With nothing pretentious about it, their beer and wine selection fit for anyone, service with a smile, quality food at a good price, this establishment as their focus in the right area. And if, for whatever reason you don’t have a voice, the smiles still come, and make sure you bring sticky notes as your main way of communication. It might get you another date, or at least by for the night.
I talk a lot. Or, write for that matter.
