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Restaurant review: Pete’s Seafood Restaurant in Greenfield

The original fish market storefront serves as the space in which patrons order their meals; a small bar occupies a back corner.

When Peter and Sandy Ruggeri opened Pete’s Fish Market back in 1985, they probably had little idea that what they’d conceived of as a retail venture would eventually morph into one of Greenfield’s most popular casual dining spots.

Added onto over the years, Pete’s School Street location sprawls across two adjacent buildings. The original fish market storefront serves as the space in which patrons order their meals; a small bar occupies a back corner.

A much larger, two-level dining area is located next door. Seating is utilitarian (a picnic table or two figures into the mix), and the walls are decorated with an assortment of nautically themed art.

A sunny, sheltered courtyard is available for those Indian Summer afternoons when al fresco dining is still an appealing alternative.

Not surprisingly the menu at Pete’s is focused on seafood; the kitchen’s repertoire is resolutely “clam-shack classic.”

Fried favorites such as haddock, clam strips, scallops, oysters, and shrimp can be enjoyed as “rolls,” “boats” (with fries), or as “dinners” (fries and slaw). Prices range from $4.99 for a Clam Roll to $17.50 for a Scallop Dinner; some items, like lobster, are priced on a “market” basis.

The restaurant offers a Lobster Roll ($17.99) as well as a Grilled Swordfish Sandwich ($12.99), and their Salmon Burger ($7.49) comes in teriyaki or tomato-basil variations.

Those not in the mood to enjoy fish are accommodated with grilled chicken sandwiches like a Buffalo style with Fries ($8.49). Pete’s also prepared a selection of “Wild” burgers that also go for $8.49.

We began our Pete’s Dinner with a cup of Clam Chowder ($2.99). A credible enough effort, we decided, with a creamy texture and subtle onion presence. Plenty of diced potatoes and minced clams gave the soup body, but we would have enjoyed a bit more briny brightness in the flavor department.

A Crab Cake ($2.50) was equally satisfying. Golden crusted and generously sized, the cake had a reasonable proportion of crabmeat to breadcrumb binder. Its spice profile landed somewhere near the mild end of that particular spectrum.

A Fried Haddock Boat ($8.49) is the fish-and-chips option at Pete’s. The single filet portion was large enough to satisfy, and its golden brown, tender-crisp crust made a pleasant contrast to the moist haddock within.

French fries at Pete’s are of the old-fashioned, no-coating variety and thus deliver unsullied fried-potato satisfaction.

As the demand for clams has put pressure on a limited supply, whole-belly clams have become quite the delicacy, so most places now only offer them as a “market priced” option. That’s the case at Pete’s; our Whole-belly Clam Dinner was pegged at $20.99 the evening we stopped by.

The clams were worth the tariff, we decided. The portion was more than adequate, and the whole bivalves were breaded just enough to give them a bit of contrasting crunch. Like all the fried items at Pete’s, they’d been prepared using fresh fryer shortening, an operating practice that ensure the food doesn’t pick up “off” flavors from overused oil.

Dinners at Pete’s include, along with fries, a side of fresh coleslaw.

Our third entree, a Scallop Roll ($6.25), featured a half dozen deep-fried scallops spilling out of a butter-grilled hot dog; fries were included in the price. “Simple but satisfying” best summed up our assessment.

Pete’s is licensed for the sale of beer and wine and maintains a selection of mass-market and craft brews. The house also stocks individual-serving bottles of generic varietals along with a selection of soft drinks and bottled juices.

Dessert options at the restaurant are limited to packaged Cookies ($1.50) and Brownies ($2.50).

In addition to deep-fried seafood, Pete’s prepares a number of pasta-based alternatives. The selection varies from day to day but is likely to include choices such as Lobster Mac & Cheese ($12.99)

The restaurant maintains a weekly calendar of specials, which includes a Tuesday all-you-care-to-eat Clam Strips and Fries ($8.49), a $7.99 Shrimp Dinner on Wednesdays, and a Friday Haddock Boat ($7.25).

Name: Pete’s Seafood Restaurant
Address: 54 School Street, Greenfield
Telephone: (413) 772-2153
Website: petesseafood.com
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Credit cards: MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped access: Accessible; rest rooms up one flight
Reservations: Not taken

Restaurant review: Bombay Royale in Northampton

A dazzling array of listings is featured on Bombay Royale’s menu.

Most Indian restaurant here in the Pioneer Valley are cautious, serving a predictable range of offerings simplified for American tastes. Not so at Bombay Royale in Northampton, a South Asian eatery that opened in Northampton earlier this year. Its fidelity to Indian culinary tradition makes it one of the region’s best such dining establishments.

A dazzling array of listings is featured on Bombay Royale’s menu. Many of the Indian restaurant standards make an appearance – Aloo Gobi ($12), Chicken Tikka Masala ($15), Lamb Vindaloo ($16), and Sheek Kebab ($18), and we suspect they’re executed skillfully executed.

It’s the less conventional items that make Bombay Royale noteworthy. The restaurant offers choices like Lamb Chettinadu ($16) that’s prepared in a black pepper and roasted coconut sauce, Malabar Goat Curry ($16), cashew-paste-marinated Shrimp Malai Kebab ($20), and Fish in Banana Leaf ($24).

Vegans and vegetarians each have their own sections on the menu, with the former describing the likes of Lassoni Gobi (batter-fried cauliflower – $14) and Coconut Mushrooms ($12). Vegetarian selections range from Palak (Spinach) Paneer ($13) to Malai Kofta (cheese dumplings in almond cashew cream – $13).

Appetizer selections at Bombay Royale also transcend the often mundane. In addition to the likes of Masala Dosa ($8) and Vegetable Samosa ($5), patrons can indulge in Kalmi Kebab (Indian spiced wings — $6) and spicy Calamari Cochin ($7).

An order of three Kheema Samosa (lamb-stuffed pastries — $5) had a spicy complexity to their ground lamb-potato filling. We guessed that cinnamon and cardamom both played a role in their flavor architecture.

We’re not particularly enamored of eggplant in any form, but the Tamarind Eggplant ($7) starter we ordered won us over. Thin, fried-crisp slices of eggplant had been topped with chickpeas, yogurt, and fried onion. Finely chopped fresh mint and a complexly flavorful tamarind sauce finished off a dish that was so tasty that we could hardly stop eating it.

Though Bhelpuri ($5) looked like little more that a mound of puffed rice cereal, it proved to be one of the most enjoyable parts of our Bombay Royale experience. Light and savory, the rice had been generously drizzled with flavor-packed two chutneys – mint and tamarind.

Chicken Korma ($15) is a dish that’s typically found on Indian restaurant menus but rarely reflects the finesse that characterized Bombay Royale’s version. Lush and creamy, with subtle ginger and garlic notes enlivening its cashew “gravy,” the korma delivered satisfaction in every forkful.

Shrimp Biriyani ($18) is a North Indian specialty that’s also common fodder, but Bombay Royale transforms this fried rice variant into something extraordinary. Decked out with authentic spaces and herbs, it’s a taste bud experience that’s sure to live in memory.

Feeling a bit adventurous, we opted to try Meen Molee ($24), one of the restaurant’s “plated specials.”

Chunks of salmon in a turmeric-coconut sauce, the dish had a boldness of flavor that might not be to everyone’s liking, but the dish deserves high marks for originality. A vegetable biryani side, an interesting house salad of sprouts and microgreens, and several pieces of garlic naan (tandoori flatbread) completed the presentation.

Bombay Royale isn’t licensed, so its beverage selections are limited to tea, soft drinks, and an assortment of Indian thirst-quenchers. The house is, however, BYOB-friendly.

Dessert choices at Bombay Royale were the traditional favorites we’ve seen elsewhere – Kheer, Gukab Jamun, and Mango Kulfi (all $4), for example – but executed with more finesse.

Rasmalai ($4) was three cheesecake-like patties served in a condensed milk sauce laced with a delicate caramel flavor. A garnish of chopped pistachios added complementary texture.

As is customary for Indian restaurants, Bombay Royale offers a luncheon buffet that is priced at $9.95 on weekdays. The weekend version, which is somewhat more elaborate, goes for $13.95.

Name: Bombay Royale
Address: 52 Crafts Avenue (Roundhouse Plaza), Northampton
Telephone: (413) 341-3537
Website: bombayroyale.com
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 9:30 p.m.; Friday; and Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 5 to 9:30 p.m. Lunch is served Tuesday through Friday, noon to 2:30 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, noon to 3 p.m.
Entree prices: $12 – $25
Credit cards: Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped access: Accessible, with restrooms equipped for wheelchairs
Reservations: Accepted

Restaurant review: Michael’s Pasta in the Pan in Wilbraham

The menu at Michael’s features pasta dishes inspired by both Italian and contemporary American ideas about food.

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Presenting meals “in the pan” is certainly a clever gimmick; it’s a service strategy that Michael’s Pasta in the Pan, an eatery on Boston Road in Wilbraham, has successfully employed for a number of years.

The menu at Michael’s features pasta dishes inspired by both Italian and contemporary American ideas about food.

The Old World influence is visible in dishes such as Baked Ziti ($14.95), Pan-fried Chicken Parmigiana ($18.95), Steak Tips Marsala ($19.95), and Seafood Fra Diavolo ($26.95).

A more contemporary perspective manifests itself in the likes of Spicy Chicken Mississippi ($18.95), with its jalapeno cream sauce, and Teriyaki Alfredo ($18.95), a dish in which the lushness of Alfredo joins forces with the savory sweetness of teriyaki.

Starter options at Michael’s include Fried Mozzarella Sticks ($6.95), Artichoke Franchaise ($10.95), and Zuppa de Clams ($10.95)

We began our dinner with an order of Michael’s Spicy Golden Fried Calamari ($13.95), one of the restaurant’s signature specialties.

Presented in the hallmark commercial saute pan, the calamari were a tropical-themed twist on the “Point Judith” style that’s become popular over the last few years.

The squid was lightly battered and pan-fried to crispy golden brown, and the portion was certainly generous. Garnished with bits of red bell pepper and minced parsley, the calamari was glazed with a sauce in which orange marmalade seemed to be playing a big part. Bits of jalapeno pepper delivered the requisite heat, but the overall profile of the dish was, in our opinion, a little too sweet to be an entirely successful starter.

Blackened Sea Scallop Teriyaki Alfredo ($22.95), another house specialty, represented a tasty convergence of flavors.

Al dente penne had been simmered in a cream sauce into which a splash or two of teriyaki had been introduced. A sprinkle of crushed red pepper added heat, while chopped fresh spinach contributed color and freshness.

A half dozen Cajun-spice-dredged, pan-blackened sea scallops topped off the pasta.

Our second entree selection, Michael’s Mac & Cheese ($17.95), turned out to be considerably different than we’d anticipated. Instead of the gloriously gooey experience we associate with mac ‘n’ cheese, we got rigatoni pasta dolled up with onion, diced fresh tomato, and thin-sliced prosciutto, all of which had been tossed together in a thin cheese sauce.

Topped with breadcrumbs and briefly broiled, the pasta wasn’t flawed, it’s fair to note. It just wasn’t we’d hoped for.

One aspect of the “served-in-the-pan” idea deserves special mention; food comes to the table piping hot. Those who wish, however, can specify that their meal be served on a plate in traditional fashion.

Entree choices at Michael’s are accompanied by a salad, a serviceable blend of field greens enhanced with radicchio and escarole. Oven-fresh rolls with herbed oil and butter are also included.

Michael’s Pasta in the Pan has a full bar setup as well as a wine list of about two dozen reasonably priced labels.

For dessert, the restaurant maintains a tray of fancy pastries; choices typically include several tortes and cheesecake variations.

We enjoyed a Chocolate Dipped Cannoli ($3.95), appreciating its pleasantly creamy, chocolate-bit-enhanced filling.

The Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake ($6.95) was a more elaborate affair, with gianduja (chocolate-hazelnut cream) and pastry cream sandwiched between nut-flour sponge cake layers. Definitely a two-cup-of-coffee dessert experience, we decided.

Michael’s Pasta in the Pan also offers pizza, both in create-your-own and specialty formats.

Choosing the latter, we settled on a “Goodfellas” ($14.95), a red-sauced pie topped with sausage, pepperoni, hamburger, and prosciutto. Great crust, great pizza, we agreed, but the prosciutto garnish was a little too assertive; we’d leave it out if ordering the pie again.

Michael’s Wilbraham location is a handsome space, with a casual ambiance that’s nonetheless swanky enough for a special evening out. Though the outdoor dining season is almost over, the restaurant does offer attractive terrace seating.

Michael’s Pasta in the Pan operates a second restaurant serving a similar menu on River Road in Agawam.

Name: Michael’s Pasta in the Pan
Address: 2133 Boston Road, North Wilbraham
Telephone: (413) 271-1084
Website: michaelspasta.com
Hours: Dinner served Monday through Thursday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Lunch served Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; closed Sunday
Entree prices: $14.95 – $26.95
Credit cards: MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped access: Accessible, rest rooms equipped for wheelchairs
Reservations: Accepted