Review: Cafe Adam Delights and Surprises
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Cafe Adam is the exception that proves the rule: when, at 4 on a Saturday afternoon last month, we called to inquire about a 7:30 reservation for two, we were pleasantly surprised to be accommodated.
Even more surprisingly, when we called again at 7:15 to say we were running late and wanted to change the reservation to 8, we were assured that this was no problem whatsoever. And when we finally arrived at 8:25, we walked into a nearly empty restaurant, and were cheerfully escorted to the best table in the room.
Why Cafe Adam isn't in a position to turn diners away at the door, on a Saturday or any other day of the week, is a mystery to us: this gem of a restaurant, located just a few miles from the heart of downtown Great Barrington at 325 Stockbridge Road (with that rarity of rarities in South County: ample parking), serves up some of the most innovative and delectable cuisine in the Berkshires.
 Nantucket scallops on mashed parsnips. |
While every table is given a tray of crusty baguette slices with olive oil (traditional), for example, the baguette slices are accompanied by warm herbed tortilla crisps and pistachios in the shell (unexpected). Other appetizers share this basic-yet-intriguing quality.
The Ceci Frito, a classic Italian fried chickpea appetizer, is taken to a surprising (and scrumptious) dimension with a dusting of tandoori spice and a splash of lemon. Prince Edward Island mussels are paired with an unusual fennel creme, and are ocean-fresh with the barest hint of anise flavor. Calamari is fried to perfection, with a crisp and grease-free breaded exterior and a tender interior with just a tiny bite, and kicked up a notch with pickled peppers instead of the de rigueur tomato sauce.
A salad special touted as "local greens with goat cheese, strawberries and balsamic syrup" was the only starter that fell flat, both aesthetically (for some unknown reason, the chef decided to put the greens on top of the strawberries and goat cheese rather than the other way around, making for a rather colorless presentation) and taste-wise (while the greens could not be faulted, the dressing was less of the promised syrup and more of an ordinary vinaigrette).
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325 Stockbridge Road,
Great Barrington Dinner 5 to 9 Thursday-Sunday.
Lunch until 3 except Wednesday. Fine dining ranging from $10 to $28. Best bets: Nantucket scallops or Angus sirloin with creme brulee for dessert. |
Nantucket scallops, placed like jewels on dollops of sweet and silky mashed parsnips, and accompanied by buttery and garlicky baby spinach, were so mind-bogglingly fresh they tasted like they had been plucked from the sea seconds before they were served to us. The Grilled Summer Pizza transported us to a Roman piazza with its smoky charred crust and explosively flavorful toppings (Kalamata olives, fresh mozzarella, local tomatoes and oregano from the restaurant's own garden).
And for the diehard meat-and-potato fanatics in your party, you can't go wrong with the Beef Steak and Frites — the hand-cut Angus sirloin was seared to a perfect medium-rare, locking in every bit of mouth-watering pan jus; the frites, like the calamari starter, were crispy and golden on the outside, pillow-soft on the inside and not the least bit greasy (such a rare pleasure to find a restaurant that really knows how to fry!); and the accompanying roasted Portobello mushrooms with cognac butter were heaven on a plate.
Once again, there was a lone disappointment on the dinner menu: the Pasta Naples (handmade fettuccini with pancetta, roasted eggplant ragu, Italian olives and spinach) was bland, with soggy eggplant and slightly overcooked pasta, and the dark sauce was visually unappealing.
 Strawberries hide under a clump of greens. |
We couldn't resist the creme brulee (based on the Julia Child recipe) for dessert, and were rewarded with a crackle-crisp bittersweet sugar crust over a feather-light custard with beautifully balanced egginess, creaminess and sweetness. Less thrilling was the chocolate torte — the cake, itself, was rich with a nice depth of flavor, but the chocolate ice cream piled into the center of the cake did nothing to enhance it (we'd suggest using whipped cream and chocolate sauce instead, or at least switching over to a high-quality vanilla ice cream).
Prices at Cafe Adam are on the high side, with most appetizers and desserts in the $10 to $12 range and mains between $16 (for a hamburger) and $28 (for New Zeeland lamb). Given the superb quality of the food, the pleasant environs and the friendly and attentive service (our waiter knew the menu inside-out, and was solicitous without being cloying and hovering), however, this is a restaurant that's worth the splurge.
Cafe Adam is open for dinner Thursday through Sunday from 5 to 9, and serves lunch until 3 every day except Wednesday. All major credit cards are accepted. While the restaurant is very much an adult space, children are welcome to join their parents for dinner here, and children's menus are available upon request.
The identity of our reviewers will remain anonymous to preserve their ability to be objective.
