Sometimes you want to get away from Connecticut but you don’t want to travel far. We totally understand. We love Connecticut. We love discovering new places. BUT it’s nice go on a road trip every once in awhile. Our CT Snapshot Plus reviews will take you just beyond Connecticut for some weekend fun. We recommend you experience Northampton, MA, a college town that never sleeps! Northampton Center is full of many restaurants, stores, museums, clubs, ect. You’ll never run out of things to do! While you’re there, you might want to check out Amanouz Cafe and The Roost.
Amanouz Cafe
Grade: A
Location: 44 Main Street, North Hampton, MA
Atmosphere: 9/10- Amanouz Cafe serves Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine (you probably deduced that from picture above). This cafe stands out because it rests in the sea of many Mexican and Asian hole in the walls on the strip. Don’t get us wrong, those places look amazing but we like taking chances with new, authentic foods. Amanouz’ interior looks cute on the inside with a few Moroccan paintings/sculptures mounted to the walls. But seating is limited and we were stuck in a table for two next to a fridge. Amanouz would benefit from more Moroccan decorations and another table or two outside.
Service: 9/10-Amanouz is partially self-serve and partially traditional. You pay for your food upfront so you are not required to tip (if you love your meals, however, we recommend you do so!). You also handle your own silverware and can refill water via a dispenser. The tap water does not taste that great. The cooks will serve you your meals in wooden pots and tinfoil wrappers. We didn’t have to wait long for our meals!
Price/Selection: 10/10-Amanouz Cafe offers large portions at an incredibly affordable price. We’re not messing around here. The highest price on the menu is 11.95! The menu provides a wide variety of Moroccan and Mediterranean dishes.
Taste: 9.5/10- Three words: delicious, authentic, savory. You will likely enjoy both the quantity and the quality of your dishes. Your meals are filling, so filling in fact that you’ll have to walk a few blocks to work off those satisfying calories. Your taste buds will thank you for complimenting them with a diversity of spices and juices. We recommend you try the tagine, a traditional Moroccan dish and the honey battered crepes. “A tajine, or tagine (Berber: tajin), is a Berber dish from North Africa, that is named after the special earthenware pot in which it is cooked. A similar dish, known as tavvas, is found in the cuisine of Cyprus. The traditional tajine pot is formed entirely of a heavy clay, which is sometimes painted or glazed. It consists of two parts: a base unit that is flat and circular with low sides, and a large cone or dome-shaped cover that sits on the base during cooking. The cover is so designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the cover removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/tagine).
In a nutshell-37.5/40-Overall, Amanouz scores a 94% for its incredible price and bold taste. There aren’t too many Moroccan restaurants in New England so Amanouz also scores high for daring to be different in a town immersed by Asian and Mexican cuisine.
The Roost
Grade: A
Location: 1 Market, Northampton, MA
The Roost is a very unique cafe and deserves a unique rating scale. Check our top four reasons why you should visit The Roost in Northampton, MA!
4. The Price/selection-9/10
The Roost boasts a competitive price compared to cafes in Connecticut like Starbucks and Gloria Jeans. We wouldn’t call it cheap, but it’s “cheaper” than its competitors. You get your money’s worth in proportion size. You can also choose from soups, salads and sandwiches. We didn’t get a chance to try those but you might want to if you stop by for lunch or an early dinner. From a glance, the prices appear to rival Panera Bread and Atlanta Bread in those categories.
Good for dates/friends-9.5/10
Whether you’re with friends or lover(s), The Roost is a great place to hang. The wooden interior projected a log cabin vibe that many stores in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont do. You never feel like you’re in an establishment restaurant. You can lose track of time sitting down, conversing or playing board games and still leave before it closes. Yes, unlike cafes Connecticut, the Roost stays open well into the night!
2. All nat-ural-9/10
The Roost offers an all-nat-ural feel to its cafe drinks. Our drinks tasted freshly brewed, blended with mouth watering mocha, vanilla or chocolate. These specialty drinks prove superior to the the powdery mixes you’ll overpay for at Dunkin Donuts.
1. The Games!-10/10
The Roost offers a variety of board games! You can pick one off the shelf and play for as long as you’d like. We played Scategories and noticed that the board and the game pieces, though slightly aged, were still in great shape! If you plan on staying for awhile, you might want to play a few. We recommend leaving your names on the scorecards…for historical purposes. Also, we think it’s part of the traveler’s code.
In a nutshell-37.5/40-The Roost scores an A for its great taste…in drinks, food and board games! If you’re looking for a place to lose track of time and not pay any attention to your weeknight schedule, we highly recommend you check this place out. Once you enter The Roost…you’re bound to stay for a drink…maybe two drinks…some food…a conversation…and a plethora of board games!
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