The Three Forks Review, 1500 Main Street, Springfield, MA (2026)

10/19/2026

🍜 We recently saw that Kiao Wan Thai in South Hadley, Mass., is celebrating its second anniversary, and we realized it has been far too long since we enjoyed their delicious Thai cuisine.

Located in the South Hadley Commons, this small, counter-service dining spot fits right in with the vibe of the commons and proximity to nearby Mount Holyoke College.

Soft wood tones, muted sage-green accents, and orchids on each table give Kiao Wan Thai a nature-inspired aesthetic. Clearly well-loved by the MHC community, the restaurant was steadily busy during our visit. Each dish is impressively prepared fresh to order, so it may take a little extra time for the dishes to come out as they're completed. The end product, however, showcases the care that goes into each plate.

With Michelin-trained talent and a career that has taken her from Dubai to Italy to Switzerland, South Hadley is blessed to have the culinary expertise of Chef June. Kiao Wan Thai has also received the Best New Restaurant and Best Lunch awards from 2026 The Advocate's Best of the Valley Readers' Poll.

The drink menu boasts a variety of boba and Thai teas, as well as soft drinks. The food menu features a variety of appetizers, soups, salads, noodles, and stir-fry dishes.

For starters, we went with a favorite of ours: the Toa Hod Tod. Crispy cubes of tofu, battered and fried to a golden crisp, are served with a pineapple chili dipping sauce and sprinkled with crushed peanuts. The tofu was crispy on the outside while pillowy on the inside. The sauce adds a burst of flavor to the appetizer with its sweetness and bits of pineapple.

Khao Pad Sapparod is Thai pineapple fried rice featuring whole cashews, pineapple, onion, carrots, garlic, soy sauce, and green onions. We added chicken to ours. The medley of flavors, most notably the sweet pineapple and nutty, roasted flavors of the cashews, mingles with the rice to create a dish that is savory, aromatic, and well-balanced.

Pad Thai is a quintessential Thai dish featuring stir-fried noodles seasoned with tamarind sauce, which lends a sweet, slightly tart, and savory flavor. We added tofu to our Pad Thai and loved the contrasting textures of the fried tofu, soft noodles, and crunchy bean sprouts and crushed peanuts.

For dessert, we tried the Thai Tea Tiramisu, which was a fun twist of the classic Italian dessert. Instead of the espresso and cocoa flavors, the base flavors were a sweet Thai tea custard-paste and cinnamon mixed with fresh whipped cream.

We enjoyed our visit to Kiao Wan Thai, from the friendly, helpful service and delectable cuisine to the lively yet cozy setting. Our previous rating of 3 out of 3 forks remains. Congratulations to Chef June on two years of serving up flavorful Thai cuisine in South Hadley. We look forward to seeing what the next chapter brings!

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10/13/2026

Maple soft serve season

10/13/2026

🍁 We last visited North Hadley Sugar Shack in March for their maple sugarin’ breakfast and made a mental note to return for their maple soft-serve ice cream.

The farm stand looks particularly picturesque this time of year, with bursts of color from mums, pumpkins, and gourds set against the fall foliage. There’s a lovely outdoor seating area where you can enjoy ice cream, sandwiches, or perhaps a local hard c***r from the market cooler.

Of course, we had to order a maple cone. The creamy soft serve delivers just the right amount of maple flavor, making this a must-try for the season. They will be serving maple ice cream for a few more weeks, so be sure to plan your visit soon.

After hiking around the top of nearby Mount Skinner, we decided to split a sandwich from the deli counter. The Sugar Maple sandwich features a hearty portion of oven-gold turkey, American cheese, crisp bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, and maple mayo on grilled wheat bread. Although ours wasn’t grilled, we enjoyed the sandwich and found it to be a satisfying option to share.

Be sure to browse the market for other fun fall treats, including maple cotton candy, maple puffs, and maple kettle corn. We love supporting local farms, and North Hadley Sugar Shack continues to be a wonderful place to visit any time of year. For this visit, we award 2.5 out of 3 forks.

10/12/2026

An evening out at Notch 8 - check out our page for the full review

10/12/2026

🚂 Notch 8 Grille in Northampton, Mass., is a beautiful, upscale steakhouse that opened in 2023. Rich tones, plush booths, and grand lighting give the space a bit of Gatsby glamour, with art deco accents adding to the charm. The dimmed lighting leans into the feel of a polished, high-end vintage train car, which feels fitting given that Notch 8 Grille is housed in a historic train station.

The Tropical Ghost cocktail consists of ghost tequila, pineapple juice, mango purée, and lime juice. The tequila contains a pinch of ghost pepper, delivering a quick burst of heat with a smooth finish. It’s a truly enjoyable sweet yet spicy cocktail.

The Charcuterie came with a selection of cured meats, an olive mélange, house-made jam, and French bread crostini. I’ve yet to meet a charcuterie board that I haven’t found enjoyable, and this was no exception.

The Stuffed Pork Chop was presented as a double bone-in chop stuffed with sweet potato, apple, and pancetta, finished with a c***r demi-glace. Beautifully presented, it offered a delicious blend of fall flavors.

The Seared Scallops were topped with bacon jam and served on a bed of wilted spinach and crab risotto with pan jus. Full of flavor, with perfectly cooked scallops, this was another truly wonderful dish. Both of our entrées were accompanied by a house salad and fresh bread.

Our server was friendly and personable, with perfectly timed service throughout each course of our meal. Notch 8 is a beautiful setting for an evening out, offering an elegant yet casual atmosphere for any occasion. We found it to be a perfect date-night restaurant.

We would love to return and try the Notch 8 steaks, expertly seared at 1,700° using a certified Montague broiler and topped with the house recipe Cowboy Butter. Combined with the intrigue of trying one of the freshly smoked drinks, there is plenty on the menu to bring us back for a future visit.

For a dining experience that feels special in both ambiance and food, we felt Notch 8 checked off every box during our visit. The Three Forks Review awards Notch 8 a perfect 3 out of 3 forks.

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10/09/2026

🌴 Island Table Bakery Restaurant in Springfield, Mass., has been serving up Puerto Rican cuisine with island comfort and flavor for the past year. With plenty of classic dishes to choose from, you can order at the counter and dine in, as well as get your meal to go. We found ourselves wishing we could have tried a bite of everything! The setting delivers island vibes, complete with soft, upbeat music. There was a steady flow of customers during our visit, and the staff remained helpful and friendly throughout.

I loved that the food was brought to our table in a basket, adding a casual, welcoming touch to the experience.

The thin-cut pepper steak was flavorful, aromatic, and incredibly tender. The herbs and garlic gave it that comforting, home-cooked taste. Served with yellow rice and pigeon peas, the steak was beautifully complemented by mofongo, made from mashed plantains.

The grilled chicken (pollo asado) was another standout, with juicy, savory meat and golden, crisp skin that locked in the flavor.

The chicken empanadilla came stuffed with a flavorful filling and wrapped in a nicely flaky pastry crust. One bite transported me back to a vacation many years ago, when I savored an empanada on Luquillo Beach in Puerto Rico while sipping a piña colada. Sometimes, a single bite is all it takes to bring back a travel memory.
We finished our meal with dessert. To be honest, I was in such a food coma by that point that, for the life of me, I can't remember the name of it!

Dining at Island Table was a pleasant experience, with satisfying Puerto Rican comfort food that delivered on flavor and made us want to return to try more. For a casual meal with friendly service and a little island-inspired escape in Springfield, Island Table is worth a visit.

The Three Forks Review awards Island Table Bakery Restaurant 2.5 out of 3 forks.

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10/06/2026

🍣 Located in the South Hadley Commons, IYA Sushi and Noodle Kitchen is a sleek, cozy and intimate spot that’s great for any occasion. IYA has long been a favorite of the Three Forks Review, with many great meals enjoyed both dining in and to go. In addition to top-notch sushi, we’ve enjoyed every menu item we’ve tried here over the years. Although tempted by the seasonal specials, we decided to go with some of our longtime favorites on this visit.

The Bumble Crunch Roll features spicy tuna, avocado, and cucumber, topped with shrimp tempura, scallions, eel sauce, and drizzled with an amazing local honey white truffle aioli. Due to an allergy, we asked to substitute sweet potato tempura for the shrimp. The roll was out of this world as always and devoured far too soon. Our only surprise was the $2 upcharge for substituting sweet potato for shrimp.

The Classic Tokyo Style Ramen features a deeply flavorful pork broth, chashu pork, boiled egg, bean sprouts, green onions, bamboo shoots, nori, roasted sesame seeds, and ramen. If you’re new to ordering ramen, this is sure to please and always delicious bowl. And if you like a little heat, you can make it spicy.

The Spicy Roll Combo comes with a spicy tuna roll, spicy salmon roll, and spicy shrimp roll. Each roll delivered exactly what we’ve come to expect from IYA sushi and was thoroughly enjoyable.

Our food was delicious, as usual when dining at IYA. While we would have expected to give a 3 out of 3 forks, we unfortunately did not see our server again after our food was dropped off until the check was delivered. With a few spicy bites in the mix, we would have appreciated a drink refill along the way. For that reason, the Three Forks Review awards IYA Sushi and Noodle Kitchen 2.5 out of 3 forks.

And we’d also like to take this opportunity to make a very important request to IYA: please bring the Tuna Wonton Appetizer back to the menu! 🍣

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10/03/2026

And that’s a wrap on our special Big E: Three Forks Review 2026!

🍽️ We came…we ate…we conquered

Check out our recent posts for details on some of the delicious bites and sips we enjoyed!

10/03/2026

The Three Forks Review: Big E Bites & Sips

* 🍴 The Bite: From the Meatball Factory Giant Corn Dog Factory - Jalapeño Popper Corn Dog

A sliced corn dog topped with cream cheese, sliced jalapeños, and crumbled bacon

💰 $15

⭐️ A fun twist on the classic corn dog with the ingredients typically inside a jalapeño popper as a topping

🍴 2/3 Forks

10/03/2026

The Three Forks Review: Big E Bites & Sips

* 🍴 The Sip: From Eden C***rs

Vermont State Building C***r Flights

* 💰 The Price: $5 for four tastes of c***r

* ⭐ Deep Cut, Troc Star, Eden Ice C***r Northern Spy, and Eden Ice C***r Honeycrisp

* 🍴 Three Forks: 3/3
Liquid gold in c***r form

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