The resultant Spoleto 2.0 is a classy venue, inheriting a home in which a front-and-center display kitchen dominates.
Spoleto's at 1 Bridge St. in Northampton
This summer Claudio C. Geurra reworked his Northampton restaurant portfolio, closing down Paradise City Tavern, an upscale burger-and-beer operation, and moving his flagship Spoleto Restaurant into the Bridge Street space Paradise City previously occupied.
The resultant Spoleto 2.0 is a classy venue, inheriting a home in which a front-and-center display kitchen dominates. Fully refurbished, the new Spoleto is casual yet elegant, offering a suitable backdrop for the establishment's contemporary Italian cooking.
In reworking Spoleto's bill of fare, Guerra's dropped the all-inclusive menu strategy he'd been using for the last few years in favor of an exclusively a la carte pricing scheme. The new culinary agenda is also surprisingly abbreviated, offering fewer than 20 entree options.
Pasta choices range from Gnocchi con Funghi ($18) and a cherry-tomato-and-pine-nut Cavatelli ($17) to Cajun Pasta Shells ($18), a dish with a Cajun inflection.
Veal Scaloppini ($24), Herb-encrusted Salmon ($20) and Statler Chicken "Saltimbocca Style" ($22) are representative of the remaining menu selections.
Appetizer choices are equally limited. Brick Oven Meatballs ($7), Pumpkin Ravioli ($8), and Roasted Chipotle Oysters ($10) is a partial roster of the options available.
We began our meal with two classic antipasto assortments.
A plate of Artisanal Salumi ($9) offered a handsomely composed array of traditional cured meats -- prosciutto, hot coppa, salami, and sopressata -- garnished with olives, marinated mushrooms, and roasted peppers.
Tuscan Arrosto ($7) was an all-vegetable, similar-in-style affair that featured an assortment of grilled veggies along with crostini and sweet-sour roasted eggplant.
Both plates were pleasingly varied in the flavors and textures they brought together.
Like all entrees at Spoleto, a plate of Pan Seared Scallops ($24) was elegantly composed, the six bivalve morsels neatly arranged in an arc across a long rectangular plate.
A splash or two of a lemon beurre blanc added piquancy; a creamy, delicately flavorful butternut squash risotto completed the presentation.
Though the filet steak around which our Filet Mignon Nebbiolo ($26) was built seemed smallish, the flavor, thanks to a fruity red wine reduction sauce and a topping of crumbled Gorgonzola, was robustly oversized.
Roasted root vegetables in crunchy matchstick form were served alongside, as was a polenta enriched with mascarpone.
Rigatoni Bolognese ($16) was an example of pasta done right -- al dente pasta tossed with a rich, cream-enhanced meat sauce made with plenty of sausage and ground beef. We reveled in every forkful.
Entrees at Spoleto come with rustic Italian bread; seasoned olive oil and a scoop of house-made ricotta are offered alongside.
Side salads are not provided as part of dinner, but various greens compositions are available on an a la carte basis.
Portions at Spoleto, we should note, seemed "just right" to us -- neither too small nor so large that "take some home" was necessary.
Spoleto offers an extensive, carefully chosen wine library in which selections from California and Italy dominate. Prices range from "affordable" to "indulgent."
The restaurant is fully licensed, offering specialty beer choices and an array of unconventional cocktails.
Like the main menu, the dessert selection has been downsized, but nonetheless dishes up sweet satisfaction aplenty.
A Flourless Chocolate Torte ($5) was dense, intensely flavorful, and not too sweet. Garnished with fresh blackberries, the plate included a scoop of blood orange sorbet for contrast.
Soothingly creamy and perfectly crusted with a fragile layer of sugar, a Vanilla Cream Brulee ($5) turned out to be a great way to end a meal.
Like tiramisu was a decade or so ago, affogato is an up-and-coming Italian dessert idea. The idea is simple -- good quality vanilla ice cream partnered with a fresh shot of espresso.
At Spoleto the Affogato ($5) is finished with tableside flair -- the espresso's ceremoniously poured, sundae style, over ice cream. Though simple in form, the result was much to our liking.
The new Spoleto also offers a "Happy Hour" bar menu of appetizers and small plates that's served daily from 4 until 6 p.m.
Name: Spoleto
Address: 1 Bridge Street, Northampton
Phone: (413) 586-6313
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday 5 to 11 p.m.; Saturday 4:30 to 11 p.m.; Sunday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Entree Prices: $16 - $26
Credit Cards: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped Access: Accessible, with rest rooms equipped for wheelchairs
Reservations: Accepted and advised, especially on weekends