Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters- (Easthampton, MA)

GREAT COFFEE, good waitstaff, comfy seating...wish there was more...there is some outside seating but you would have to come early. The house coffee is slightly sweet, a type of organic Guatemalan, which I had over ice due to the 65% humidity outside. All their coffee is FAIR TRADE from all over the world. At least 20 different selections which gives the educated coffee drinker an array of choices to tempt your palate.

Light food selection, mostly baked goods and biscotti's. You walk in the door and are hit with the vibrant smell of roasted coffee as with the cool air conditioner. Music is chill and relaxing...could be a couple of degrees lower, but it has a good vibe with a consistent beat. Relaxed and casual, you can drop in for a scrumptious cup of coffee on your way to work or sit for hours in a sitting room type of atmosphere. $0.25 refills, why wouldn't you want to chill for hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon?

(4 stars) Coffee/ baked goods

Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters

47 Union St
Easthampton, MA 01027

(413) 527-0597
Hours: 6am-5pm daily!!!
www.ibuycoffee.com

Pasta E Basta (Amherst, MA)

Situated in the downtown of Amherst, MA, this Italian restaurant is two floors of nice kid friendly atmosphere, while still perfect for a first or second date. A good wait staff with attentive servers that will joke and still know what everything is on the menu. For a little place they have an excellent affordable wine and beer listings that pairs well with the rich and filling Italian foods.

As with most American Italian dishes- they are plentiful and rich with cheese. This meal was no exception, except the bread. Bread as a rule is the fresher the better... this bread however was a frozen and then re-baked which just doesn't cut it. There was a pleasant roasted pepper olive oil which was paired with the bread, but it was not enough to mask the hardened twice baked bread. (I would recommend consulting with the Black Sheep across the street for some fresh daily artisan bread or even ask them as a partner solely for updating the bread.)

For the main course the ricotta cheese with beef manicotti. The manicotti was everything I wanted it to be- rich, filling, fresh, and best of all there was a peppery kick at the end that was comforting and made me want to snuggle down with the rest of my white wine.

My partner had the white wine angel hair pasta with chicken and mushrooms. The sauce was not as flavorful as anticipated which was regretful, yet the chicken was well cooked and plentiful. The chicken was offset however by the mushrooms and cooked red bell pepper which didn't make the dish flow together. Good try, but a miss.

Overall, it was a good experience, as the waitstaff out performed the meal and I look forward to giving this spot another chance to make me eat my words.

( 3 1/2stars-***)

Pasta E Basta

26 Main Street
Amherst, MA 01002

(413) 256-3550