Republican photo by John Suchocki - Eclipse Restaurant at 186 Main St. in Northampton
After wrapping up a visit to Eclipse a few weeks back, we felt we'd gotten an early holiday gift -- the experience we had there was one of the best we'd enjoyed all year. A meal that was neither outrageously over-styled nor unimaginatively mainstream, dinner at Eclipse was dining out to savor.
Operated by chef-owner Zach Gorman, Eclipse does business out of a Main Street storefront only a few doors away from Northampton's City Hall.
The restaurant's interior is understated, with warm wood tones dominating. A cozy bar occupies the front half of the space, while Gorman and his culinary acolytes practice their craft in an open-to-view kitchen located in the back.
Committed to making use of fresh, local foodstuffs, Gorman tweaks the menu at Eclipse weekly, adding to, subtracting from, and otherwise fine-tuning the restaurant's repertoire.
First course choices the evening we visited included a Mushroom and Duck Crepe ($12), a Pate ($10) of liver mousse, and Duck Confit ($10).
Among the entree selections on the docket were Filet Mignon ($27), Maple-glazed Steel Head Trout ($21), Eggplant Napoleon ($17), and Pot Roast ($16) as well as an exotic-sounding Beef Heart Stew ($12) made with meat from locally raised steers.
Winter squash soup is a restaurant business cold weather standby, but few versions are as skillfully put together as is Gorman's Autumn Bisque ($7).
Agreeably sweet but not cloying, with hints of cinnamon and ginger adding complexity, the soup was a masterful composition.
Similarly praiseworthy, the restaurant's New England Clam Chowder ($5) had carefully calibrated onion and bacon notes as part of its flavor profile.
A starter of house-made Lamb Ravioli ($12) featured a mellow, meaty filling of braised lamb. Garnished with sliced radish, frizzled leek, and a hefty dusting of grated Pecorino cheese, the ravioli possessed the savory character an appetizer should have.
Duck Breast ($23) is a signature dish at Eclipse. It's prepared simply and served medium rare unless otherwise specified; a drizzle of duck demi-glace is the only enhancement.
Plenty of local restaurants serve Chicken Francaise ($17), but none do it better than Eclipse. Fresh chicken, a delicate egg batter, and a masterfully compounded pan sauce built with lemon, capers, white wine, and a whisper of garlic are the secrets to a version that should serve as the dish's gold standard.
A thick slab of pork loin was the headliner in Gorman's Pork Mignon ($18). Pan seared before being roasted, the pork was remarkably juicy, a characteristic of which the "other white meat" can rarely boast. A compound butter made with vanilla and fig preserves added its own lush goodness.
Entrees at the restaurant are accompanied by various potato and vegetable preparations. The evening we stopped in, the kitchen was turning out "to-die-for" fried polenta, cream- and cheese-enriched potato galette, and a medley of late season veggies.
Salads are not part of the entree deal, though they can be ordered separately. Country style bread and butter are, however, provided gratis.
Portions at Eclipse, it's worth noting, are moderately sized and certainly enough for normal appetites.
The wine list at Eclipse describes some 30-odd different bottlings, with labels from out-of-the-way wine growing regions like Uruguay and Argentina as well as offerings from France, Italy, and California. Per-bottle tariffs range from $20 to around $50.
Reluctantly passing up a cream-cheese-frosted Pumpkin Layer Cake ($6) and a Lemon Curd Cheesecake ($7), we opted for three other dessert selections, each of which we found to be completely satisfying.
A Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake ($7) garnished with cinnamon-enhanced whipped cream featured a seductively dark chocolate intensity.
Served in glass coffee cups, Creme Brulee ($5) featured soft custard under its crisp sugar cap.
Enjoyable to the very last forkful, a Chocolate Marzipan Cheesecake ($6) layered sweetened almond paste with a chocolate cheesecake filling and a vanilla-almond crust.
Eclipse's ever-changing menu is regularly updated on the restaurant's web site, www.eclipse186.com
Name: Eclipse Restaurant
Address: 186 Main St., Northampton
Telephone: (413) 584-6006
Hours: Dinner served Wednesday though Sunday, 5 - 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to midnight. (Call for holiday week hours)
Entree prices: $12- $27
Credit cards: Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped access: Accessible, with rest rooms equipped for wheelchairs
Reservations: Accepted