Nice tostones

Following the Mohawk Trail (aka Route 2) to the Berkshires is a lovely way to get your autumn kicks. The colorful leaves awaken your cornea w/ their sweet, sweet candy. But leaf-peeping is not for the empty of stomach. A day-tripper needs sustenance. So after a recent ramble through Mohawk-Mohegan Trail outside Shelburne Falls, we found great eats in the cute-as-a-button village. The Tusk N Rattle, a subterranean fusion restaurant, formerly a lounge, strikes the right balance of cheer and cool. Once you descend the stairs into the colorful small space, you know you’re going to like it here.
A basket of chips and bean dip arrives as we sit down at the bar. Watching the margaritas being made (with just squeezed limes) a teetotaler would give in. We start with the soup of the day, a smoky, creamy broth studded with scallops, and sherry perhaps? It was richly divine. The Tusk looks and feels like a Mexican cafe, but I found out later it’s Indian and Latin. That explains the colorful Spanish shrimp dish I ordered. This spicy, pan-roasted affair with tomatillos, leeks and garlic in extra virgin olive oil, was made complete with tostones. That’s what did it for me, the tostones. Turns out they are pan-fried savory green plantains served with chimichurri sauce. Kind of like fried green tomatoes — a welcome stand-in for rice or potatoes. Gourmet Guy ordered the chicken quesadillas. Only misfire was the flour tortilla. Why do restaurants do this when corn is so much tastier and healthier? Spreading good energy around the cafe, owner Yanina Vargas makes you feel great. The bubbly Puerto Rico native, and former academic, is having a good time since taking the spot over a year ago and doing it right. tusknrattle.com