Martini's Menu


Steve Ozcelik, Chef Owner

Hours: Monday - Thursday 5:00 to 10:00
Friday - Saturday 5:00 to 11:00
Sunday Brunch - 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Reservations Accepted

Credit Cards: American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Discover

 Handicapped Access: Two small steps up from parking lot; restroom not equipped for wheel chairs.

Non-smoking Area

Directions: I -91N, exit 18, take left off exit, go straight to center of town, take right onto Main St., go under bridge, located on the corner of Main St. & Bridge St.


Cultures Combine Deliciously at Martini's in Northampton

By Fran Bellamy - The Union News 1994

Martini's in Northampton serves French and Italian fare with accents from the owner's native Sweden.

Steve Ozcelik of Sundsvall, Sweden, and his wife, Nuray, a native of South Deerfield, operate Martini's at the site of the former Jack August restaurant.

The walls are hung with a selection of original from the owner's personal collection, and sizable silver pieces make an opulent display.

Live greenery, sparkling chandeliers, and the glow from candles set a warm tone. There is a full bar with high-backed chairs at one end of the room. Dark wood tables are set with flatware tucked into linen napkin "pockets," and the tables are set far enough apart to provide privacy. At the farthest end of the dining room is the kitchen. Although it is not a display kitchen, one can glimpse the proceedings.

The wine list describes both international and domestic wines, most of which fall into the $16-$45 range. A glass of Lagaria Pinot Grigo was satisfactory, but the Manhattan cocktail ordered from the bar had not been made according to specification. Our waiter promptly exchanged it for a second cocktail, which was fine.

Martini's showcases its fare by serving much of it on oversized platters, which adds to the drama of the presentations. The kitchen's real talent, however, is showcased in the preparation of sauces, which are rich, complex, and full of flavor. They complement, but do not over power, foods they accompany.

Among the appetizers, the Gravlax served on toast points brought a profusion of color and textures. Several slices of cured salmon, finely julienned carrots, lemon wedges, slices of orange, cucumber and tomato composed a lovely presentation. The cured salmon alone was delicious, but the house-made honey mustard dill sauce made it sublime.

Madeira Mushrooms was an earthy combination of several types of mushrooms, including chanterelle and shiitake, sauteed and then combined with a Madeira-spiked cream sauce redolent of garlic and shallots. The appetizer was an example of the juxtaposition of different cuisines, for this decidedly French dish, garnished with parsley, was also accompanied by a small dollop of Swedish lingonberry sauce. The mushrooms were served in a puff-pastry case with the lid offset to display the treasure spilling forth.

Lentil Soup, the soup du jour, was a hearty cup of rich broth thick with lentils and celery. Toast points with trimmed crusts accompanied the soups. Additional appetizers include seafood ravioli, escargot, and toast Paris, topped with golden caviar. A la carte soups and salads can be ordered.

The entree menu offers an eclectic variety of pasta, beef, veal, chicken and seafood. Many of the entree choices are available as "petit selections," smaller portions at a lesser cost.

Most of the beef and veal entrees are devoted to the French preparation and they are tempting. Caesar Special is two medallions of tenderloin with a bernaise and green peppercorn sauce.

Veal Bon Appetite is sauteed with wild mushrooms and topped with a Madeira sauce. Pasta, of course, leads one to think of Italian fare such as Scampi Provencale.

Many entrees begin with the classic preparation, but are given a new interpretation. The Aglio Olio, for example, is a classic Italian dish, pure and basic-pasta, garlic, oil. Martini's adds to this pesto, broccoli, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes, for a decidedly different twist. Chicken Linguini has a green peppercorn sauce, unusual in an Italian dish.

Pasta a la Martini was a mound of linguini mixed with a tomato-vegetable sauce and topped with a number of large shrimp. The fragrant sauce, laden with fresh vegetables - green and red peppers, leeks, celery - was further punctuated by the concentrated flavor of sun-dried tomatoes and fresh parsley for a mouth-watering treat.

Veal Barossa provided two generous slices of sauteed veal topped with bernaise sauce and garnished with lobster pieces and slender stalks of limp asparagus. The veal was excellent, the best we've had in a while, and the bernaise sauce was wonderfully rich and smooth. We detected a touch of dill in addition to the characteristic lemon flavor. Side vegetables of fresh sauteed zucchini and summer squash and thinly sliced roasted potatoes came with the dinner.

Leafy greens with chick peas, carrots and red cabbage compose the house salads. House-made dressings are delicious. We sampled the creamy Gorgonzola and the pecan mustard vinaigrette.

The Cappuccino, served in a stemmed mug, was unusually strong.

Restaurant Interior

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