I
have not lived in New England all my life. When I moved here to attend college,
the term ‘wicked’ generally described witches. Yet after four long years, I’m
happy to report that I have successfully managed my way around and even, dare I
say, become a proud New Englander (sorry New York). However, I recently
realized I could not boast such a thing without having some proper New England
clam chowder. As a New Yorker, my conception of clam chowder had always been
tomato-based and thin. To remedy this “atrocious crime”, as my wonderful
Massachusetts-born friend so aptly called it, we made plans to try the newly
established Smithsonian Café and Chowder House in Northampton, MA.
Located
in the Roundhouse Plaza by the popular Korean restaurant SooRa and the Peter
Pan bus stop, stepping into the Smithsonian Chowder House immediately gives you
a sense of a coastal place by the sea. The walls are decorated with various
boat parts including heavy metal anchors and old oaky helms. There are even mounted
fishing poles and charming glass baubles strung together by a rope that hang prettily
from the ceiling. The room was surprisingly not crowded for a noon lunch hour
and a muted TV flickered with some local news.
After
grabbing a table, we went up to the front to order, finding a surprising amount
of baked goods. The glass showcase displayed a wide selection of gourmet cupcakes
ranging from Red Velvet, Whoopee Pie, Peanut Butter Cup, Monsta’ Mint, and even
a gluten free option called Fudge Bar, muffins, and scones. Fitting with the
café part of the restaurant, they offered a nice selection of loose-leaf teas
as well as very cheap coffee ($1.39/$1.69).
However,
in a savory mood, my companion and I went straight to the list of freshly
prepared soups, which included their bestsellers: seafood chowder, creamy
lobster bisque, and hearty turkey chili, as well as five other special soups of
the week: tomato bisque, corn chowder, Buffalo chicken chowder, chicken noodle
soup, and the mysterious so-called Golumpki stew (for those who are gluten-free
or vegetarian, don’t worry; the majority of their soups are actually made with
a rice flour base and no meat). They also offered a variety of other lunch
options including signature sandwiches, build-a-grilled cheese, and popovers
(plain and stuffed). A comprehensive and cheap meal deal, $7.95, was the best
way to try a little of everything as it includes a cup of soup, a build-a-grilled
cheese, a bag of Cape Cod chips, and your choice of water or soda. While tempted
to try the grilled cheese, I decided to stick with a simple cup of seafood
chowder ($4.25) and a sizeable popover for only $0.99 more.
We didn’t have to wait long to dig in because
they served us right away. While the presentation wasn’t anything to write home
about, I found I didn’t care, as it was only soup and a popover. Given the
environment, it seemed fitting we received our chowder in little homey mugs with
butter packets on the side of our popovers.
Tasting the seafood
chowder, I was first struck by the balance between seafood flavor and the
consistency of the chowder. This was no weak chowder; I could taste a light and
delicate seafood stock, which was not fishy or overwhelming. There was also a
satisfying amount of seafood in my cup, including flaky fish pieces, flavorful
clams, baby scallops, and soft shrimps, as well as roughly chopped chunks of tender
potato. In addition, unlike my Manhattan chowder, this was creamy and thick,
but not unpleasantly so. In fact, it was just the right consistency to be
sopped up by the popover pieces I had enthusiastically used to finish any trace
left in my bowl. My friend was also happy with her soup as well, applauding the
creaminess and smooth texture of her chowder, although commenting the lobster
flavor wasn’t as strong in hers compared to mine.
Overall,
my experience at the Smithsonian Café and Chowder House was a very pleasant
lunch experience. The staff was friendly and nice, making jokes as we waited
for our food and answering our inquiries about the restaurant. According to one
of the workers, this is the third location to open since 2011 and all their
soups and baked goods are made from scratch at their main shop in Hatfield. In
addition, the food is a steal for lunch ($5-8), popular not only with students
but townies and families with kids (there are coloring books and crayons next
to the coffee to keep them busy while you order). The Smithsonian Café and
Chowder House is a great place to go to lunch, especially on cold and cloudy
days, and most importantly, it is the place to go if you’re looking for a
quintessential taste of New England in a cup, bowl, pint, or quart.
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