Restaurant review: Tucker's Restaurant in Southwick

LIV__DINE_7518977.JPGTuckerâs Restaurant at 625 College Highway, Southwick

Creating a new menu might not qualify as the restaurant world equivalent of an extreme makeover, but a reworked bill of fare can certainly have an impact the dining experience an eatery dishes up. Having heard that Tucker's Restaurant in Southwick had recently recast its culinary repertoire, we decided a visit was in order.

Owned by Chef Michael Anderson, the restaurant's now more than a decade old. Anderson, who'd previously worked in a number of high profile operations across the Pioneer Valley, presides over an attractive medium-sized eatery with a more-than-modest culinary agenda.

His latest menu effort is partly about American fusion style, as evidenced by entrees such as Carolina Style Barbequed Duck ($19), Pan-seared Sea Scallops ($21) crusted with coriander, and a "Boiled Dinner" ($19) of salmon and spring veggies.

Conventional sensibilities shine forth in presentations like Yankee Pot Roast ($15), Chicken Cordon Bleu ($17), and New England Baked Cod ($17).

Starter selections, which reflect similar inspirations, range from a classic Shrimp Cocktail ($9) to wild-rice-based Goat Cheese Crepes ($7).

Unlike the bar-food-derived appetizers we typically encounter elsewhere, first course offerings at Tucker's are carefully composed "small plates" rather than mounds of share-able nibbles.

A Chicken Filo Cup ($10) partnered mildly spiced chicken morsels with a crisp pastry container. A subtle yet savory ragout of mushrooms was puddled alongside.

Grilled Sea Scallops ($10), five in number, were plated with polenta, a precisely cut square of cheesy cornmeal perfection. A salsa-style tomato relish was provided to further the on-the-palate contrast.

Among the entrees we enjoyed was a Rack of Lamb Grecci. Available in two sizes, a small ($15) or large ($15), the three-rib "small" rack was enhanced by a pesto compounded from sun-dried tomatoes and crumbles of goat cheese.

Dumpling-like Lobster Gnocchi ($12) were swimming in a saffron broth enriched with olive oil, a component combination that lent the dish a rich, slightly bitter edge. Chunks of lobster meat, matchstick leeks, and diced red pepper added color, flavor, and crunch.

Anderson's Plum Island Seafood ($22) is a riff on pasta primavera, with scallops, shrimp, crabmeat, and bits of boursin cheese complementing a fettuccine-vegetable saute.

Nowhere else in the Pioneer Valley has as satisfyingly authentic a Chicken Potpie ($14) as does Tucker's. Filled with cubed chicken meat and luscious gravy, the pie, which also incorporates carrots, peas, celery, and pearl onions, come with crumbly-crisp topping of real piecrust.

Most entrees at Tuckers include both vegetable and potato; a salad-or-soup choice is also part of the deal.

We were pleased to have two cold soups from which to choose — a tomato-based gazpacho and a tasty, cinnamon-inflected apple, rhubarb, and cranberry soup. Kudos to the kitchen for serving both icy cold, just as they always should be.

Tucker's maintains a relatively small wine list, with most bottles priced under $30. Now fully licensed, the restaurant also compounds an array of cocktails and specialty drinks.

Desserts at Tucker’s are about evenly split between made-there and made-elsewhere choices, all of which are priced at $5. Possibilities range from Fudge Nut Cake Ball and Brownie a la Mode to Pecan Pie and Tapioca Pudding.

The restaurant’s Indian Pudding is first rate, with a light texture and satisfying molasses flavor.

Grasshopper Pie, with its marriage of mint and chocolate, is delightfully retro although a little hard to manage when served still fully frozen.

Bread Pudding at Tucker’s is much as it is elsewhere — dense, moist, and moderately sweet.

The revised lunch menu at Tucker’s is more than just the dinner menu recast. It’s populated by old school alternatives such as Chopped Sirloin Steak ($10), Lemon Baked Scrod ($12), Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce ($12), and Chicken Marsala ($16).

A "Sandwich Board" submenu offers patrons the option of customizing their between-bread experience.

Name: Tucker's Restaurant
Address: 625 College Highway, Southwick
Telephone: (413) 569-0120
Hours: Dinner served Tuesday through Thursday, 4:30 - 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4:30 - 9 p.m. Lunch served Tuesday though Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Entree prices: $12 - $24
Credit cards: Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped access: Accessible, with rest rooms equipped for wheelchairs
Reservations: Accepted


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