The menu at this White Street establishment is primarily Italian, with influences from other cuisines.
A Touch of Garlic restaurant at 427 White Street, Springfield
Allium sativum, the stinking lily -- no matter what you call it, garlic is an important part of many culinary traditions, with its robust complexity enhancing flavors no matter how it's used.
Garlic, as the restaurant's name suggests, plays a major role at A Touch of Garlic. The menu at this White Street establishment is primarily Italian, but over the years influences from other cuisines have become part of the mix.
The starter selection at A Touch of Garlic is built around choices such as garlic-infused Calamari Bianco ($10.95), Stuffed Mozzarella ($7.95) filled with roasted garlic pesto, and Garlic Mussels ($10.95).
Entrees range from Eggplant Rollantini ($17.95) and Chicken Grand Marnier ($18.95) to Swordfish Corsica ($23.95) and N.Y. City Blues ($25.95), the latter a grilled strip steak topped with Gorgonzola cream sauce.
A "Just Pasta" option offers patrons their choice of pasta sauced with the likes of Bolognese ($13.95), Puttanesca ($13.95) or Alfredo ($14.95).
No dish seemed like a more fitting way to start A Taste of Garlic dinner than Whole Roasted Garlic ($8.95).
A generous, shareable-sized portion, the roasted whole cloves came with plenty of golden crostini "toasts" and a sundried tomato sauce.
More relish than sauce, the latter stole the show. Made from lightly caramelized onions, coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and melted Gorgonzola, it was so good it tempted us to ignore completely the soft, buttery roasted garlic.
An order of Blackened Scallops Crostini ($10.95) was equally memorable. Crispy toasts topped with Gorgonzola, pine nuts, and basil accompanied four not-too-spicy "blackened" scallops. A vinaigrette-drizzled bouquet of mesclun greens garnished the presentation.
Veal's always on Italian restaurant menus, and the Veal Siena ($22.95) at A Touch of Garlic more than adequately filled that traditional post position.
Thin-sliced veal topped with a chunky mushroom sauce flavored with pancetta, sage and (of course) roasted garlic, the dish has a complex, earthy-fruity flavor profile.
Thai Ginger ($20.95) seemed a menu wildcard; perhaps that's why we ordered it. Obviously inspired by pad Thai, the dish featured chicken, shrimp, and red pepper strips tossed with a ginger-peanut sauce and farfalle pasta.
Interesting, tasty, but not quite 100 percent successful, we decided, finding the dish lacking a certain savory complexity.
Our third selection, Salmon Riso ($21.95) was also a creation in which ginger played a role. In this instance it partnered with orange as part of the pan reduction that sauced the salmon, and the sweet, fruity result worked well as a foil for the salmon's oily richness.
Many entrees on A Touch of Garlic's menu, it should be noted, come with a risotto variant. We sample a creamy, spinach-flecked version and a risotto enhanced with full-bodied sweet onion flavor and found both an enjoyable alternative to pasta or potato.
A Touch of Garlic offers full alcoholic beverage service and maintains a reasonably varied wine selection, with quite a number of by-the-glass choices.
Desserts are homemade and, based on our experience, definitely worth every calorie involved.
Choices include Carrot Cake ($4.95), Double Chocolate Cannoli ($4.95), and Karamisu ($5.95), a dolled-up-with-sauces tiramisu creation.
Vanilla Cream Bread Pudding ($5.95), rich and custard-drenched, came with a scoop of house-made peach caramel ice cream, while the Creme Caramel ($4.95) we sampled was dense, tender, and soothingly delicious.
Mom's Italian Cheesecake ($5.95) had the sort of light creamy texture that's too often absent from cheesecake. Drizzled with a stripe of raspberry sauce, it was simple yet delightful.
A Touch of Garlic has expanded over the years, now occupying a row of White Street storefronts integrated into one tastefully appointed dining space. The most recent modification has resulted in a private dining area that's ideal for small parties.
The restaurant is currently offering "Ten for Ten" on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. A mix-and-match array of ten pastas and ten sauces, the $10.95 deal is served with salad and bread.
Name: A Touch of Garlic
Address: 427 White St. (at Sumner Avenue), Springfield
Phone: (413) 739-0236
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday 5 to 9 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.
Entree prices: $11.95 - $28.95
Credit cards: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped access: Accessible, but rest rooms not equipped for wheelchairs
Reservations: Accepted and advised on weekends