The small café opened in February and has progressed in content and style since. Owners Seven and Mike Blakeman arrived at the Berkshires from Florida bringing that state's damp, green atmosphere along for the ride.
Inside the Elf Parlor, everything holds an earth-bound sheen, from the sparkling green and red glossed tables and the reading material in the wooden nook to the ball of moss that shoots out cash, and to the food itself. They've got an Earth Muffin, spotted with carrots, pineapple and pumpkin seeds and an all-natural PB&J on Berkshire Mountain Bakery's sunny flax bread.
Before the Blakemans arrived in the space, it had been vacant for about four years, Seven Blakeman said. They did all the reconstruction themselves, fixing a few spots in the wood floors and adding their personal décor.
It's impossible to tell this when you walk in. It looks and feels like it's been established for some time. Upon entering, you'll be greeted with smiles, and no one minds if you just want to hang around. One major plus for the Elf Parlor is the hours. On Fridays and Saturdays they stay open until midnight.
The food at the Elf
The Grilled Cheese Panini comes on thick Berkshire Mountain bread and is perfectly grilled with the cheese kept at bay, not melting all over the place. For an extra 50 cents you can add fresh wholly cut vegetables that mix in with the cheese for a lunch everyone can appreciate. They offer Cucumber, Tomato, Onion, Broccoli and Shrooms.
The scones and muffins calling your name from behind the glass are all homemade. Each piece of bakery is a perfect complement to their rich dark coffees and the price tags are modest. The raspberry oatmeal bar is thick with crunchy oats and pinged with raspberry paste. You'll be picking remnants from your teeth for days.
Up against the back of the bar are jars filled with various teas including Morocco Mint, Sage and the new Kukicha Hojicha, made up of toasted green tea twigs. The Kukicha Hojicha dribbles down lightly while the Sage hits like hot liquid potpourri.
And for those exhausting days of sun, they have smoothies. The Chocobanana smoothie is purely mixed with a thick band of banana remaining at the top. Nothing could take the drought from your mouth more efficiently.
Situated on Ashland Street just outside the downtown area, the Elf Parlor sits across the street from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. It's in a cozy corner of North Adams, and if you live in town you can walk the train tracks due south to get there.
Every Friday night is open-mic night, and all are welcome to share their talents. In the corner, across the bar, a nice set up waits for musicians with guitars propped up, a Wurlitzer plugged in and Mike Blakeman's sparkling red drum-set ready to go.
The space also doubles as an art exhibit. On May 25 they held an opening reception for local artist Andreas Wittstock, whose paintings were being sold off the bathroom walls when I was there. His work will be featured until June 19, Seven Blakeman said, and they will have a new gallery open on the last Monday of every month. So far, they are booked through December.
For now, the Elf Parlor is chiefly the best spot to grab some genuine, heart-pounding coffee. All sizes are just under $2, and every week a different coffee is featured.
The Guatemalan coffee goes down like a hot, muggy jungle. If you're not one to drink coffee black, a large variety of creams (and honey) await. And when the weather agrees, you can sneak out the side door and relax on the porch.
If you go ...
What: Elf Parlor
Where: 303 Ashland St., North Adams.
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m.-midnight.
Information: (413) 664-7303.
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