The Main Street eatery focuses on locally sourced, contemporary fare.
The Lumber Yard restaurant on Main Street in Amherst. (The Republican photo).Amherst, the quintessential college town, is most often categorized as a beer-and-pizza destination. These days, however, the community supports some fairly sophisticated dining options; among the newest of them is the Lumber Yard Restaurant.
Located in a Main Street storefront that was once a building materials emporium, the Lumber Yard focuses on locally sourced, contemporary fare.
Open since October, the restaurant space favors dark earth tones and presses oversized black-and-white photographs into service as decorative eye candy.
The menu at the Lumber Yard brings together a jumble of alternatives.
A "bar menu" describes grazing fare like Sweet Potato Hummus ($6), Mac 'n' Cheese ($9), and a Charcuterie Board ($12).
Entree choices ranging from pappardelle pasta topped with Bolognese ($18) to a Grilled Ribeye Steak ($25), while those selections categorized as "appetizers" include Mussels ($13) steamed with Pernod and an enigmatic-sounding Butternut Squash Tartar ($7).
Dinner at the Lumber Yard starts off with some wonderfully tasty house-baked bread; the chance to enjoy it seems almost reason enough to visit the restaurant.
We also opted to share two starters. Crab Cakes ($9), a listing from the "appetizer" category, were, thanks to their outstandingly fresh flavor, good enough to make us forget what a menu cliche the cakes have become.
Hush Puppies ($8), a choice from the "bar menu," proved to be appealing little cornmeal fritters served with spicy-sweet mayo and tasty pickled onions.
The restaurant's Pan Roasted Chicken Breast ($22) had much to recommend it. Nicely seasoned and golden crusted, the breast meat was pleasingly tender and juicy.
Gnocchi, those little pasta pillows that can be a real test of a kitchen's prowess, were delicate in texture, while the cream-enriched mushrooms and wilted spinach that served as vegetable accompaniment contributed their own pleasantly simple flavors.
We also had a good experience with the Pan-seared Salmon ($21) we ordered -- it was mild-flavored and impeccably fresh. A topping of queso blanco, the bland cheese that's a staple of Mexican cookery, was the kitchen's choice to garnish the filet.
Roasted beets served chilled were also included.
Pork Shank ($23) is the sort of hearty dish that's well suited to brisk March evenings, and the version served at the Lumber Yard was much to our liking.
Rich-flavored and ever so slightly gelatinous, the pork meat was accented with roasted Roma tomatoes and a sprinkle of grated citrus rind.
Our only grumble was the polenta over which the pork shank was served. It was too soft-textured to support the presentation, and the whole dish soon became unpleasantly soupy and visually unappealing.
Salads aren't included with meals at the Lumber Yard, although the menu does list a "house salad" option. Several side dish selections like Crispy Brussels Sprouts ($6) and Cauliflower Gratin ($7) are also available.
The Lumber Yard is fully licensed and has a rather ambitious wine list. By-the glass-options are a house specialty; the restaurant is equipped with a nitrogen-displacement system that maintains open bottles at the peak of drinkability.
The current selection of dessert options at the Lumber Yard -- they change periodically -- includes Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta ($9) garnished with fresh fruit and honey and Affogato ($7), a scoop of vanilla ice cream doused with a shot of espresso.
Though now widely available in commercial "bake-and-serve" forms, the Chocolate Volcano Cake ($11) at the Lumber Yard is house made, and the difference is obvious.
Tender and light-textured like a fallen souffle, the cake has a dark heart of molten fudge.
A wedge of Pear Cake ($9) was an enjoyable finale, thanks to its rich, almond-infused crumb. A small slab of mascarpone cheese and a drizzle of honey served as garnish.
House made ice creams ($7) are also featured on the restaurant's dessert menu, and we definitely enjoyed the strawberry and coconut varieties we sampled. Served with a fresh-baked madeleine cookie, the ice creams made a likeably simple conclusion to the proceedings.
Name: Lumber Yard Restaurant
Address: 383 Main Street, Amherst
Phone: (413) 253-4200
Hours: Open Tuesday through Sunday, 4:30 to 11 p.m.
Entree prices: $14 to $25
Credit cards: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped access: Accessible, with rest rooms equipped for wheelchairs
Reservations: Accepted and advised, especially on weekends