No. 40 Lunch

I write a bi-weekly column for the Sophian called "Senior Wine and Cheese". It focuses on inexpensive yet delicious wines that students (over 21!) can enjoy. However, sometimes I am asked to review a restaurant that is downtown. Today I wrote a review for No. 40 Lunch on Green Street, and I wanted to share with you before the edited version hits campus next Thursday. Enjoy!

There are few times when a restaurant confuses me. Dining out is generally straightforward: you go, sit, eat, pay, and leave. Perhaps if you are feeling feisty you take it to go. The restaurant in turn does its best to provide the customers with good food and experience while hopefully maximizing their profits. So I was befuddled when I went to grab some food at No. 40 Green Street Lunch because while the food is certainly tasty, the café does not seem to be aware of the needs of its clientele. This makes me believe that they are not doing as well as they could be, which is a losing situation for all parties.

No. 40 opened its doors a little over a year ago, advertising themselves as a European-style café that hoped to add something different to the Northampton restaurant scene. The menu definitely reflects this with a cultural array of breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, snacking platters, and desserts. Vietnamese bahn mi, Louisiana muffuletta, and an Italian sandwich that would make any salami lover’s heart soar with fatty contentment are just a few of their diverse sandwich offerings

Salads are extremely creative, the Zabar is chock full of not-too-salty house-cured salmon, while the Jungle Book is comprised of fresh, tropical ingredients. Everything is handmade, and the quality is quite excellent. Also, like any good European café, No. 40 offers a selection of inexpensive wines by the glass and bottle, as well a fair amount of bottled beers that would make any beer geek satisfied.

The problem with No. 40 is not the food at all, but rather a lack of knowledge of who their potential patrons are, as well as how and when to get their good product to them. In patrons, of course, I am speaking of a large group of hungry girls sitting right across the street from No. 40. Smith College students.

I would be surprised if any of us were frequent visitors to No.40. The reason for this is that it is just plain inconvenient. It is inconvenient on our time, our lifestyle, and unfortunately, our wallets. Smithies are generally not ladies who lunch; I would say we are more of the grab-and-go free egg sandwich sort. However, several of us like to escape downtown on the weekends to grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately, No. 40 is closed on Saturdays.

While in Denmark last year, I got used to enjoying a beer after classes with my friends before heading home, as that was part of the Danish lifestyle. No. 40 would be hard pressed to find any Smithie, let alone any American, who is willing to enjoy an alcoholic beverage at 3pm on a Wednesday. We all wish we could live a more relaxed existence, but face it: it is not our lifestyle. If I were going to enjoy a glass of wine, it would be in the evening, while nibbling on some cheese and laughing with a good friend or two. While No. 40 does offer an array of snacking plates, alas, your evening will be short-lived, as they close at 8pm on the weekdays and 6pm on Sunday.

Finally, I will be the first to admit that I am a stingy, penny-pinching college student. We all love a good deal. You get a glowing review from me in The Sophian if you have one. While the quality of food is superb at No. 40, a lunchtime deal or perhaps a student discount on their snacking plates would not only help draw in Smithies, but more NoHo clientele as well. By not paying attention to where a large chunk of their income could come from, I feel as though No. 40 is just shooting themselves in the foot.

Do not get me wrong, this is a great little café, and I whole-heartedly support it and want to see it succeed. So No. 40, stop confusing me and cater to the needs of your patrons! You will do great, I promise!