Judie's

Once a week at Judie's in Amherst, guest baker Nelly whips up her ever-changing varieties of cake balls, truffle-like treats which might include an Earl Grey cake ball (with lemon-butter cream frosting dipped in white chocolate), a chocolate orange cake ball dipped in dark chocolate with candied orange zest, a red velvet cake ball with a mascarpone frosting (also dipped in white chocolate) or a carrot-coconut cake ball. Baked Alaska is routinely torched to order. The restaurant (which also placed 2nd for Best Salads) also boasts Chef Michael Babb's specialty beet salad, made with fresh vegetables from Hadley's Plainville Farm, bleu cheese crumbles, shredded carrots, chopped greens and hard-boiled eggs, homemade peanut brittle, candied bacon and a French vinaigrette. Try it with the famous popover and it's a meal.