Well it looks like the day has finally come when I write my last review (at least as an undergraduate). It has been a good run and quite a bit of fun to boot. I’d like to take a moment to thank those of you that have accompanied me on my restaurant shenanigans over the years. If not for you guys I would never have been able to continue providing “quality” reviews for as long as I have. I hope you have all enjoyed my culinary ramblings.

Image courtesy of http://indiacafeonline.com/index.htm

For my final review I decided to go with a discipline of food I have yet to critique. This week, Indian food was on the menu. I headed over to India Café to give their food a try.

India Café’s décor is pleasant but a bit plain. The floors are made of beige tiles and the walls are painted red. The tables and chairs are made of faux wood, but it is fairly nice looking faux wood. There are paintings, statues, and other cultural trinkets placed about the restaurant. It almost has a classy feel to it, but there are two large televisions continuously playing Cops. Also the place has just a tad bit too much open space.

The prices at India Café are alright. They’re not particularly cheap, nor are they prohibitively expensive. Entrees run between $11 and $13. Drinks, nan, and the like cost between $2 and $4. I suppose it’s actually not that expensive, but this is the sort of place where you’ll need soup or nan to supplement your entrée. Regardless, the prices are certainly reasonable for a place as good as this.

The first thing I sampled was the mango lassi. For those of you not familiar with them, a lassis is a beverage comprised of yogurt, honey, rose water, and in this case, mango. The drink was creamy yet smooth and light. It had a bold yogurt flavor with more subtle hints of fruit flavor. Despite its creaminess it was a very refreshing beverage.

I began my meal proper with the Palak Panir, a dish consisting of cooked spinach and homemade cheese. It looked like a mush of spinach with some seasoning thrown in, riddled with chunks of firm white cheese. While it didn’t look particularly appetizing, it tasted amazing. The spinach was creamy and warm with a spicy aftertaste. The dish was savory and earthy with a hint of cheesiness. Incidentally, the cheese itself had a very plain flavor which was much more subtle than the cheese notes found in the spinach. Mystery cheese aside, I found this to be a tasty dish.

Next up I tried the Lamb Shajahani. This entry was comprised of lamb cooked with cream, herbs, spices, cashews, and raisins. The sauce itself was very thick and creamy. It had an earthy tone with strong hints of curry. The lamb itself was hearty and filling yet moist and tender. I didn’t taste any dried fruits or nuts, but it was so good that I didn’t mind.

After that I had rice pilaf in a vindaloo sauce. The rice was pretty typical for rice, there were some bits of orange pepper tossed in for color but it didn’t really impact the overall dish. The vindaloo sauce was sweet and tasted of tomatoes. It was creamy and had some fiery heat to it.

I finished things off with the keema naan: Indian flat bread stuffed with lamb and peas. The bread itself was doughy but not too heavy. The filling had a meaty flavor with some aromatic herbs. The meat was very crumbly but was held together by the paste like peas. With the other dishes spooned on top, the nan served as a significant enhancement to the tastiness of both dishes.

All things considered, India Café is definitely worth giving a try. The prices are fine and the décor is pleasant enough. The food is the cafe’s real strength, and it was all quite tasty. There is a good deal of options and the portions are sufficient. It may not sound like the highest praises, but it was simply a solid eatery.

And there you have it, the final installment of “Marc on the Menu.” It’s been a good run…I’ve enjoyed it and maybe you have too. To all my avid readers, I thank you for your loyalty. You could have chosen any number of sources for restaurant advice, but you chose me; and for that I am grateful.

Maybe someday you’ll see my food based ramblings somewhere else (a man can dream), but this seems unlikely. So I bid you all farewell and good eats.

Overall: 7/10

I frequented Shiraz, an Armenian restaurant down Park Avenue.

The décor of Shiraz is somewhere in between a diner and a cafeteria. There is a lot of open space that makes the restaurant feel sort of empty. The bottom half of the walls are blue painted wood. The top half is made of plaster and adorned with random pictures. The chairs and tables seem to be the artificial stock furniture you find at many establishments. The décor isn’t particularly bad; it just did nothing for me.

The prices at Shiraz are phenomenal. Lunch entrees run between $5 and $7; this is bumped up to $10 for the dinner platters. All the entrees are served with your choice of salad, soup, or hummus.

The portions are sizable and the prices are a great deal.

I started my meal off with the chicken egg lemon soup. This may seem like a string of random ingredients, but it actually worked out quite nicely. The soup was thick and creamy, almost stew like in consistency. The soup had the savory flavor of chicken soup with a strong citrus taste, and was full of orzo that had soaked up the broth.

The orzo was so saturated with soup that it actually melted in my mouth. There were chunks of chicken that was incredibly juicy and tender. There were also bits of egg, but that didn’t add much to the mix. It was an interesting soup and it certainly worked.

Next up was the hummus and pita. The pita was dry and tough; clearly it was store bought in bulk. The hummus was served with a drizzle of olive oil and some paprika.

The hummus was velvety smooth. It had a hint of garlic and a mild flavor of chick peas. It was a fine dip, and the spices and oil added a little extra flare.

After that I tried the chicken shawarma. The chicken had a very mild flavor with hints of smoke and wood. The meat itself was tender and juicy. The chicken was served with tomatoes, which brought some moistness and crispness to the table.

I then moved on to the stuffed pepper. The dish consisted of a whole bell pepper filled with rice and ground beef served up in a red sauce. The bell pepper was sweet, hot, and fleshy. The beef and rice formed a hearty mixture. The meatiness of the beef was tempered by the rice; while the rice’s mushier texture made the crumbly ground beef more cohesive. The sauce was light, but had a potent tomato favor. These different elements combined to create a dish far tastier than they would taste on their own.

I finished things off with the Middle Eastern spinach pie. A triangle of dough was stuffed full of spinach filling and baked. The dough had a slightly buttery flavor and formed a soft crust. The filling had a vibrant spinach flavor with a hint of lemon. The crust’s buttery tones blended perfectly with the savory ruffage of the spinach. It wasn’t what I expected when I got a spinach pie, but it certainly didn’t disappoint.

All in all, Shiraz is a fine restaurant. There a variety of interesting menu options all at a reasonable price. You certainly get a lot of bang for your buck, both portion wise and in terms of the side dishes. The food itself was interesting, well presented, and delicious. I know I will be returning to Shiraz, and I suggest you go there as well.

Overall: 8/10

Normally this is where I would write a review about a restaurant, but not this week. If you’re wondering why, the answers is that this week is Passover. I won’t be getting into the religious significance of the holiday, because I am an amateur food critic not an amateur theologian. I was able to get one of the highly coveted seats to my family’s Seder. This year my aunt and uncle hosted, and let me say they proved themselves to be chefs of the highest caliber.

There is no proper way to start off a Seder diner other than gefilte fish. Gefilte fish is a mixture of ground fish that is then pickled and formed into balls. It has a mixture of sweet and fishy tastes, with just a hint of saltiness. I like to top it with horseradish to give it some extra kick.

There was also a platter of pickles. These pickles had been brined alongside some hot peppers. The result was a fusion of the different vegetable’s flavors. The sweet cucumber flavor and saltiness of the pickles mixed with the heat of the peppers. They ranked highly amongst pickles I have sampled.

After that was the matzah ball soup. A matzah ball is a mixture of matzah (unleavened Passover cracker bread), eggs, and seltzer that is chilled and then boiled. This year the cook decided to spice things up by adding nutmeg and ginger to the mix. The matzah balls were solid, but still had a spongy texture. They soaked up the broth and tasted like a savory bread pudding. The broth had a rich aromatic flavor and the herbs added a little extra something.

I started my main course off with the string beans. The greens were sautéed with garlic and oil. They had a savory flavor with a bit of smokiness from the charred parts. The garlic and oil threw a bold flavor with some kick to it into the mix. Next up were carrots and tarragon. The carrots were soft on the outside but still crunchy in the center. They had their normal savory flavor with a hint of sweetness. The tarragon added a mild licorice flavor and a light mint note.

After that was the veggie kugel. A kugel is a savory pudding of sorts. This one contained matzah, mushrooms, onions, and carrots. The kugel was soft, cakey, and practically melted in your mouth. The mushrooms added an earthy flavor and the other veggies brought some crunch to the table.

The center piece of the main course was brisket, and let me tell you it was delicious. The meat was sliced thin and served in a tomato based gravy full of juicy onions. It was moist, tender, and meaty. The gravy gave it some extra juice, a complimentary tomato flavor, a little bit of spiciness, and some sweet onions.

Finally there were cheesy mashed potatoes. The gravy only bolstered the dish’s appeal by throwing in some heat, sweet onions, moisture, and tomato flavor. Piling the potatoes on the brisket with the gravy was a tri-fecta of fantastic flavor.

For dessert there was a loaf of mandelbrot. Mandelbrot is a sort of Jewish cookie that is baked in loaves and then sliced. The mandelbrot was fairly soft but still maintained a firm form. Basically it’s a biscotti that doesn’t attempt to shatter your teeth. The mandel brot was chock full of chocolate chips. It tasted like a slightly sugary biscuit. It was lightly topped with cinnamon sugar to give it some spice and extra sweetness.

At the end of the day, my family knows how to host a mean Seder. There was a good mix of traditional dishes along with contemporary sides. All the food was wonderful and tasty. I am guessing many of you have never had the pleasure of attending a Seder, I highly recommend you do so at some point in your life.

Overall: 8/10

This past week was one of the biannual Worcester Restaurant Weeks. That means a whole slew of Worcester eateries offered

Image courtesy of aminitrattoria.com

a reasonably priced three course price-fixed menu. With a deal like that on the table, there was no way I wasn’t going to take advantage of it. After perusing the list of participating establishments, I ended up deciding on trying Amici Trattoria, an Italian restaurant down Grafton Street. Avid readers may recall my hesitance at going to Italian restaurants. That being said, without risk there can be no reward, and the food at Amici Trattoria was well worth crossing my arbitrarily established boundaries.

Amici Trattoria’s interior had a very fancy feel to it. The lights were kept dim and there were candles at all the tables. The tables themselves had a metallic brass top that reflected the fire light beautifully. Framed Italian food advertisements from decades past lined the walls. Other than the large ventilation shaft running through the room, Amici Trattoria is one classy establishment.

In terms of pricing, Amici Trattoria is a bit pricey. There are options like appetizers and Panini that cost between $7-$11. On the other hand, the entrees themselves run in the $13-$20 range. The prices may be a bit high, but the food is quite good.

For an appetizer I had the Polenta Ripiene Fritti. The dish consisted of wedges of fried polenta stuffed with mozzarella cheese, served with a pomodoro sauce and grated romano cheese. It was like a savory Italian version of stuffed French toast. The polenta was thick cut and riddled with herbs. It was crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. It tasted of fried breading and slightly sweet corn. This went well with the gooey texture and creaminess of the fresh cheese. The pomodoro was a bold red sauce brimming with potent flavors. These elements combined wonderfully, almost like a polenta parmesan.

Speaking of parmesan, the next dish I tried was the chicken parmesan. The chicken was moist, tender, and lightly breaded. Though it had been deep fried the chicken’s exterior was dry and the dish wasn’t greasy. The cheese was gooey and had a tangy flavor. The red sauce covering it all was rich with savory flavors. When put together it created a piece of extraordinary comfort food.

Next up was the sweet sausage Panini. This sandwich was full of sausage, cheese, and red sauce. The bread was warm and soft. As the name suggests, the sausage was both sweet and savory, chewy but not too tough. The sauce was rather odd; it tasted artificial and had flavors reminiscent of pepperoni. The sandwich just wasn’t consistent with the high quality of the rest of their dishes

After that I had the Salsicca e Cannellini alla Toscano. This entrée was comprised of sweet Italian sausage, white beans, spinach, and sundried tomatoes served in a garlic and oil sauce. The chopped up bits of sausage were meaty and mildly flavored with herbs. The sausage had an aftertaste of caraway seeds. The beans were soft and earthy. The sundried tomatoes had a bold, savory flavor and a fleshy texture. The spinach was fresh, moist, and lighter than the rest of the ingredients. The sauce had a mild garlic flavor with hints of olive oil and white wine. The different pieces of the dish fit together wonderfully like some sort of gastronomic jigsaw puzzle.

I then moved on to dessert with the ricotta pie. The pie’s crust was so mild that you could barely taste it. The filling was sweet, creamy, and had a note of savory flavor from the ricotta cheese. The pie was served with strawberries and drizzled with a strawberry sauce. The strawberry accoutrements added a sweet and fruity element to the dish.

I concluded my meal with the banana split bread pudding. The hunk of bread pudding was filled with banana slices, pineapple chunks, and chocolate chips. The pudding was served with chocolate sauce on top and whipped cream on the side. The bread pudding itself was rich and creamy. The chocolate sauce and chips combine to give a decadent, but overpowering chocolate flavor. The banana lightened the heavy pudding and was wonderfully mushy. The pineapple didn’t add much flavor but had a distinctive chewiness. The only thing I have to say is that you needed to put the whipped cream on the bread pudding to mellow out the brutally strong chocolate flavors. Other than that, it was a very tasty variation of a classic dessert.

To wrap things up, I highly recommend giving Amici Trattoria a try. The atmosphere is sophisticated and classy, but not overwhelmingly so. The panini wasn’t nearly as good as the other dishes, so I suggest that you go for the proper entrees instead. That being said, other than that one blemish, the rest of the meal was delicious. As far as Italian food goes, Amici gets my vote for the best place around.

Overall: 8/10

In the past I have had rather mixed results with Chinese restaurants in Worcester. While some have been good others have been abysmal. Despite this uneven record I decided to try another of Worcester’s Chinese establishments. This time I went to HoToy Luau, an eatery just a few blocks off of campus.

If I had to describe the interior of HoToy in three words, they would be: cheesy, crummy, and kitschy. The tables are made of faux wood made to look like faux marble. There is a dirty plastic koi pond with a few fish swimming about. A handful of random statues and pictures are strewn around as if to remind you just what sort of restaurant you’re eating in. Not to mention they have those place mats that describe the zodiac that you only see in the most touristy of tourist traps.

The prices are pretty standard for a Chinese place. Soups and appetizers are $3 to $5 and entrees bump you into the $8-$13 range. That being said, given the quality of the food, the prices are way too high.

I started my meal with the yakta mein with roast pork soup. This was basically chicken stock with long noodles and pieces of roast pork. The pork was chewy and in pieces that were far too long to be manageably eaten with a spoon. Not only that, but it had a rather unnatural deep purple-red color to it. The broth was bland to the point of being flavorless. The noodles were closer to spaghetti than Chinese noodles, plus they were definitely undercooked.

After that I decided to try the moo shi beef. This basically consisted of mushrooms, onions, some other veggies, and beef served up in a brown sauce. This was accompanied by moo shu pancakes (sort of like tortillas) and hoisin sauce. The pancakes and hoisin sauce were fine, but the rest of the dish just fell short. The veggies were far too bland and the beef was unnaturally chewy.

The final dish I tried was so repulsive that it shall be referred to only as shrimp sludge. As the name suggests, it consisted of a thick black sludge-like sauce with tiny bits of unidentifiable white stuff. It tasted mildly of salt and rotten fish. While disgusting, I suppose it is mildly impressive that it tasted of purification without being completely overwhelming. As for texture, that too was repugnant. It was like some sort of curdled jello pudding hybrid. Seafood that bad would even make a stone cold killer like Wee-Bey upset.

To sum things up, this place was just terrible. The atmosphere is atrocious, the prices are far from worth it, even the service is lacking. As for the food, well, calling it food is an exaggeration. What wasn’t dreadfully bland was downright nauseating. Even the fortune cookie – something you literally take out of box: was burnt. I found my experience at HoToy to be downright unsavory and I recommend not eating there.

Overall: 1/10

Courtesy of http://www.bbqstack.com/

This week I was craving something a little different; my stomach was making the grumbles that only BBQ could satisfy. Yes, BBQ, that slow cooked meat in a sweet yet savory sauce. Unfortunately, New England is not well known for this style of cuisine. In fact finding good BBQ joints here can be downright daunting. Luckily for me I found out that there is a BBQ restaurant conveniently located in Worcester. And so I found myself heading out to try Smokestack Urban BBQ.

Smokestack’s interior tries to blend classy with comforting. The walls are adorned with stars and chalkboards. The floors are wooden like an old fashioned eatery, but kept well polished like a chain restaurant. There are huge glass windows that give the place a nice open feel. A great smell of sweet sauce and savory meat hangs in the air. They also have light fixtures made of metal buckets, which I thought was pretty neat.

As far as prices go there are options that can fit into pretty much any budget. Soup, certain appetizers; and the likes go for $5 – $7. Sandwiches and burgers cost between $9 – $11. There are entrees and meats that run the $11-$18 range. Heck, there are even some goliath portions of meat that cost over $20.

I started off with the macaroni and cheese. The pasta was light, warm, and covered in gooey melted cheese. Unfortunately there was a lot of inconsistency between bites. Parts of the dish had the sharp flavor of cheddar cheese, while other parts were bland and lackluster.

Next up was the BBQ beans. The beans were soft and saucy. The sauce in question had a sweet brown sugar flavor and notes of BBQ sauce. The beans had an earthy flavor and there were bits of pork that added a meaty element to the dish.

I moved on to the meat and sampled the BBQ chicken. The bird was tender and juicy. It was coated in a mildly sweet flavor with a bit of pepper. It was quite tasty.

After that I had the brisket. The meat was thick and a bit chewy. It had a bold savory flavor. The beef was coated in a tangy sauce that had some lingering heat to it. Furthermore, there was a mild cider flavor to the dish.

Smokestack boasted not one, but two varieties of pulled pork. The Kansas pulled pork was moist and shredded. The sauce it was served with had a sweet flavor.

The Carolina pulled pork was made of large chunks of meat that weren’t nearly as shredded as pulled pork ought to be. Not only that, but the sauce it was served in was lackluster and the meat itself was bland.

Next up was the corn bread. It was served in huge wedges and was slightly chilled. The bread was firm yet moist and had a cakey texture. There was a slight sugary taste that was balanced out by the savory corn. I was rather partial to the corn bread.

They also offered a cucumber salad consisting of cucumbers, onions, carrots, peppers, and herbs in a vinegar sauce. The vegetables were crisp and the herbs lent them an aromatic quality. The sauce had a mild vinegar flavor with a hint of peppery heat. It was quite the refreshing side salad.

Finally I tried their apple slaw. This dish was comprised of cabbage, apples, and bits of pickles in a creamy vinegar mixture. The cabbage was the dominant flavor, but occasionally the subtle sweetness of the apples could be tasted. The dressing tasted heavily of vinegar, but pooled at the bottom of the slaw leaving some bites overpowered by the flavor of mayonnaise. The bits of pickles added a briny taste that I for one did not enjoy. They tried to do something creative with their cole slaw, but I’m afraid it just fell short.

All in all Smokestack was pretty average. There were some really tasty dishes and some that just didn’t go the distance. That being said, if you choose right then it’s a decent BBQ experience. So if you’re hankering for BBQ, Smokestack is a fine choice.

Overall: 6/10

For someone who likes food, I have been notoriously bad about trying all the restaurants around Clark itself. There are a variety of eateries a block or two off campus that I just haven’t gotten around to trying. This week I worked at fixing that problem by trying Peppercorn’sfor the first time.

Logo courtesy of http://www.epeppercorns.com/

Peppercorn’s interior feels a bit like a chain restaurant, but at the same time it was classier than a TGI Friday’s or the likes. There are small light fixtures at each table, but other than that the place is inadequately illuminated. The walls were covered in odd blue and red. The tables are made of faux wood and were adorned with fake plants. The place just feels artificial, but it is a pleasant sort of artificial.

Peppercorn’s prices are pretty variable. For a salad, burger, or sandwich, it will run you between $8-$11. However, when you start looking at entrees the price range bumps itself up to $11-$20. For a burger or the like these prices are reasonable; the entrees, however are not.

First up I tried their pickles. I know this is a reoccurring motif, but hey, pickles are delicious. As far as pickles go this one was pretty average. It was crunchy, salty, and slightly sweet. It was worth eating but nothing special.

I also got to try the pasta salad. This consisted of pasta tossed together with hunks of onions, chopped pepper, olives, and baby corn. The pasta had an al dente texture and was coated in a tangy dressing. The veggies were crisp and added a savory element to the dish. The main issue was the huge chunks of raw onion that were biting and bitter.

For my main course I has the Mediterranean chicken wrap. It consisted of a tortilla filled with grilled chicken, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, fresh spinach and an Asiago Fresca dressing. The chicken was warm and the cheese was creamy. The richness of the cheese was counterbalanced by the light texture of the tomatoes and the sharp flavor of raw onion. The tortilla was soft but still able to contain its contents, and furthermore it didn’t overpower the other flavors. There was a lot of spinach, but it didn’t add much flavor. It was a fine wrap but it was about as Mediterranean as the Greek is Greek, which is to say not at all.

To sum things up, Peppercorn’s is alright. The prices can be high, but there are some reasonably priced options. The food itself is fine, nothing special but not awful. I think their biggest issue is the fact that they seem to like using raw onions in everything. So if you feel like going there why not, but I wouldn’t go out of my to try it.

Overall: 5/10

Image courtesy of Marlboro Fish & Game website.

This week I got to attend a very special culinary event. Each year Marlboro Fish and Game holds a game dinner.

Mr. Benjamin Gardner and his wonderful family bring a van full of Clarkies to the dinner each year. This year the dinner consisted of 10 different animals, all expertly prepared.

The first thing I had was the venison stew. It was full of huge chunks of carrot, potato, celery and venison. The broth was thick in texture yet mild in flavor. The veggies tied everything together with their savory flavors.

After that I moved on to the venison chili. The chili was hot and thick. The chili had the slightest fiery aftertaste and a bold meaty flavor.

Next up was the smoked bass crispini. This hor d’ oeuvre consisted of a smoked bass spread on crispy French bread. Unfortunately the bread was way too stale and crunchy. On the plus side the creamy spread was superb.

The next appetizer I tried the buffalo mushrooms. Mushrooms were stuffed with ground buffalo meat and mozzarella cheese. The mushrooms were earthy and juicy. The buffalo was dry and well seasoned. The cheese added a gooey, creamy element. All together they made something incredibly tasty.

I then tried the venison pepperoni jerky. The meat was chewy but not too tough or gristly. It had a meaty taste with notes of garlic and soy. It basically tasted like a high quality, less artificial pepperoni.

After that I sampled the hot buffalo quail. Unfortunately quail is a poor substitute for chicken. The meat was too chewy, tough, and dry, not to mention the fact that quail is pretty much 85% bone. The buffalo sauce was hot and sweet, but it didn’t make up for the shortcomings of the quail.

The last appetizer was the boar puffs, pockets of dough stuffed with a boar filling. The dough was light and flaky. The filling was rich and savory with hints of ginger, soy, and scallion. The flavors blended perfectly as did the textures.

The feast proper began with bear brigole. This consisted of a cheese filling wrapped in bear meat and stewed. The bear meat was soft and firm with some gamey flavors. The filling was mildly cheese and had notes of garlic. The sauce it was cooked in was like a light, garlicy gravy.

Next up were the goose balls, meatballs made with goose meat served up in a red sauce. The meatballs were hearty, but lighter than normal meat balls. The red sauce was sweet and there was melted cheese on top. Goose or not, these were some of the best meatballs I’ve ever gotten to enjoy.

There was a carving station slicing up venison and boar. The meat was moist, fresh, and tender. It was thick and juicy and hot. The meats were delicious.

I then moved on to the BBQ bass. The fish was smokey and didn’t taste too much like seafood. The BBQ was sweet and tangy. Together the sauce and fish were a potent combination.

Next, I sampled the quail bits. Like I said before I am not a fan of quail. The meat was tough and dry and didn’t have much flavor. Also did I mention how many bones there were, because there were a whole lot of bones.

After that I went for the scallops Veronique, a mixture of seafood in a wine and cream sauce. I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t bad.

The next dish I tried was the moose burgundy. The dish consisted of peas, mushrooms, and big chunks of moose. The whole thing was served up in a light peppery wine sauce.

Then I dug into some venison stir fry. There were crisp carrots, zucchini, and broccoli served up with strips of venison. The venison was meaty and moist and the veggies were fresh. The dish itself was cooked in a mildly sweet sauce, but luckily it was not too sugary.

I then tried the boar shepherd’s pie. The dish consisted of mashed potatoes, peas, and ground boar all baked together. The potatoes were creamy, the peas were mushy, and the boar was sweet. The three ingredients combined to form a trinity of awesome food.

The final dish I tried was the ram stuffed peppers. Bell peppers were chock full of rice, tomato, and ram. The pepper was fleshy, the rice warm, and the tomatoes juicy. The ram’s meat was tender and fiery. This dish had heat, but the vegetables helped to mellow it out. It was my first taste of ram and I am hungry for more.

All in all, the game dinner was a wonderful time and I was lucky enough to get to go. There was a veritable zoo worth of food, the sheer quantity and quality of it was overwhelming.

The dishes combined traditional recipes with new and interesting ingredients. The results were nothing short of a gastronomical delight.

Overall: 9/10

This week I decided to delve back into the madcap world of all you can eat Chinese buffets. My avid readers will recall that such excursions have been met with mixed results. This time I heard a lot of recommendations for a Chinese food place called Nancy Chang’s and figured I’d give it a try.

Image courtesy of Nancy Chang's Facebook page.

The interior of Nancy Chang’s is nice, but it is definitely atypical for a Chinese food place. There are tile floors and brick walls. The walls have mood lights and drapes. There are also more fish tanks than in Wee-Bey’s house.

The prices are pretty typical for a Chinese food place. Soups and appetizers run between $2-5, while entrees go for $7-$15. They do have an extensive brunch buffet for only $10, which is a bargain.

I started off with the butterfly shrimp. They were basically normally sized popcorn shrimp. They were heavily breaded and didn’t really have much shrimp flavor. It felt like something out of a Red Lobster and not a Chinese restaurant.

Next up was the Beef Santa Fe. This dish consisted of squares of wonton dough with a beef filling. The dough had a light flavor and was chewy; the beef had a mild curry flavor to it. They were very tasty, but as about authentically Chinese as the Qing dynasty.

I moved on to try the Buddha’s delight. The dish compromised of random steamed vegetables. The vegetables were cold and basically had no added flavor. This dish was pretty much a bust.

After that I tried the homemade bean curd. The dish consisted of vegetables and tofu. Everything was served up in a mild brown sauce. There was tender corn, juicy peppers, and some other tasty veggies. The tofu was soft, fleshy, and delicious. This was one of if not the best dish.

The veggie fried rice was pretty standard for fried rice. There weren’t many veggies or eggs for veggie fried rice. I don’t really have much else to say on this one.

The string beans were pretty good. They were hot and crisp, not too wilted. They were soaked in a sweet brown sauce that complimented the beans’ more savory flavors.

I also had the garlic chicken. The chicken was served with chunks of celery. The celery was crunchy and had a light flavor. The chicken was tender; and the whole dish was served up in a rich garlic sauce.

Then I moved on to the peanut chicken. This dish consisted of bits of peanuts, chicken, and celery. The nuts and vegetables were crunchy, which contrasted with the soft chicken. The mix was served up with a mild brown sauce (they seem to like mild brown sauces).

They also had sweet and sour chicken. The chicken was covered in batter to the point where the taste of chicken was lost. There was a sickly sweet sauce served up on the side. I did not like the dish, and the sauce could be best described as radioactive orange.

Their veggie lo mein, much like the fried rice, really lacked vegetables. Other than that it was pretty standard lo mein. Not bad, not good, not noteworthy.

The general Tso’s chicken was also mediocre. The sauce was sweet, but didn’t have the heat the dish usually does. The chicken itself was fine, but the breading was a bit too chewy.

The vegetable spring rolls were soft and full of cabbage. Interestingly they had a slight mint taste.

The crab rangoon was a horrible disappointment. Namely there was no crab in them. It was literally a pocket of dough filled with warm cream cheese.

I also sampled the Thai seafood. The dish consisted of shrimp, mussels, squid, and vegetables in a broth. The broth was spicy, but had a lot of seafood flavor. The seafood was fine, nothing special. The vegetables sort of clashed with the fish flavors.

There was also hot and sour soup. It was pretty mild for a hot and sour soup, which is nice because I often find such soups far too spicy. It was full of chunks of tender tofu and juicy mushrooms.

Next I had some of the zucchini and beef. The zucchini was good, savory, and juicy. However, the beef was way too chewy.

Finally I had some wonton soup. The broth had an odd flavor to it. The wontons were really tasty. There was really soft dough and richly flavorful beef.

All in all, Nancy Chang’s was a pretty average eatery. There are a few good items, a few terrible ones, and a whole lot of unimpressive ones. The prices are good, and the lunch buffet is a solid deal. At the end of the day it’s a solid Chinese buffet, but in general it’s just average.

Overall: 5/10

As a Clark student and Foodie I try to keep tabs on new restaurants opening around campus. In recent months the Kumon learning center shut down and was replaced with the Jamaican restaurant Ya Mon. Seeing as it is close to campus and I was hungry for something new, I decided to give it a try.

Ya Mon has a “hole in the wall” sort of interior. The floors are made of concrete and the walls of painted wood. There are a handful of random wooden sculptures adorning the walls. The chairs and tables are comfortable, but feel a bit out of place.

There was Jamaican music playing across several speakers. Despite this hodgepodge décor, it somehow made it feel more homey.

The prices at Ya Mon are pretty damn reasonable. For $7-$8 dollars you get an entrée with all the fixings. For $3-4 you can get soup, oatmeal, dessert, and the likes. They also have smoothies, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Heads up: a lot of their dishes are only available on certain days, so I would suggest that you check ahead to make sure that what you want is on the menu.

That being said, it seemed like many of their menu items weren’t available, regardless of the day. So basically it’s a bit of a crap shoot with what you can get, but whatever it is, it’ll be a good deal.

One issue I had with my visit was that despite being the only customers in the restaurant, it took over an hour for our food to be served to us.

I acknowledge that this is because there was only one chef who made all the dishes from scratch when we ordered them. So I suppose it is a bit of a trade off. You know the food is being freshly prepared; it just takes a while to get to you.

To start things off I went with the curry goat. The dish was compromised of chunks of goat meat in a curry sauce of sorts. The goat was tender and chewy, possessing a flavor slightly but distinctly different than that of beef.

Unfortunately there were a lot of large pieces of bone mixed in with the meat. The curry sauce had a subtle spicy flavor and a dull heat. It complemented the goat’s natural flavors and textures. Bones aside, it was a tasty dish.

Next up I tried the creamy chicken. This dish consisted of chicken cooked in a sauce that combined coconut milk with alfredo sauce.

The chicken was moist and juicy, practically melting in my mouth. The sauce had a mild note of cheesiness and a rich coconut flavor. The dish had a heavy peppery aftertaste. It was a pretty interesting take on chicken and I must admit it was pretty good.

After that I went for the obvious choice, the jerk chicken. The chicken was just as moist and juicy as the rest of the meats. It was sweet at first, but had a fiery after taste. My only complaint was that the skin was a bit too tough for my liking.

Each of the above dishes was served with a variety of sides.

They all came with rice and beans; it was plentiful and tasted fine. There was also a salad comprised of tomatoes, lettuce, and a tomato vinaigrette.

The vegetables were crisp, the dressing light and sweet. Finally there were fried plantains. They were fleshy and sweet, but not too sweet.

To sum things up, Ya Mon has some quality food. The prices are good and the portions equally so. They have some well-known Jamaican dishes and some more obscure traditional ones.

The downsides are an inconsistent menu and a long wait for your food. That being said, with food like that, at those prices, so close to campus, why wouldn’t you go there?

Overall: 6/10

When winter arrives and the cold weather is upon us, nothing warms you up quite like comfort food. In search of some good hearty grub I stumbled across New England Roast Beef. This eatery boasted a wide array of sandwiches and top notch cuts of meat. With snow in the air and a hunger in my tummy it seemed like the right time to give New England Roast Beef a try.

New England Roast Beef’s interior is best described as sporty. Pennants, photos, and other sports memorabilia adorn the walls. The floors are tiled and the chairs are high. There is both table and counter seating. It’s like eating in a sports bar minus the bar.

The prices are quite reasonable. It costs $6-7 for a sandwich and for about 2 dollars extra fries and onion rings can be added. There are a variety of soups, salads, and sides that all cost less than the sandwiches.

The first thing I had was a pickle. This wasn’t some flimsy thing pulled from a jar or can. No; this was a whole cucumber soaked in brine. The pickle still had the crunch of a crisp cucumber. It was refreshing and only mildly salty. There was even a hint of sweetness to it. It was a truly tasty pickle.

Next I tried a cup of the chili. It was chock full of ground beef and laden with chunks of pepper, tomato, and bean. Unfortunately, as far as chili goes I was very unimpressed. It was incredibly watery, more of a flimsy stew than a chili. There were hints of beef, but other than that there was not much flavor to it. While the vegetables added some texture, they did not contribute to the taste.

The trend of mediocrity continued as I moved on to the coleslaw. The slaw was drowned in watery mayonnaise. It was soggy, damp, and none too pleasant. There was a hint of a sugary taste, alongside the savory cabbage. However, the flavors were too mild and the consistency too off.

They also offered beer battered onion rings. The onions were soft, but still held their shape. The batter was crispy, thick, and not too greasy. Furthermore, the beer added subtle and interesting flavors to the mix. As far as onion rings go, these were pretty good.

For my main course I had to go with one of their sandwiches. I tried the Russell, which consists of roast beef, horseradish, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and bacon. For starters when I ordered I was asked what sort of bread I wanted; rye incidentally. Yet when I was given my food it seemed that my preferences had been ignored, the sandwich was served on a bulky white roll. Despite this unfortunate miscommunication the Russell was pretty tasty. The roast beef was moist, juicy, and tender. The bacon added crunch and a smoky flavor. The horseradish was creamy and gave it a manageable kick. The Swiss cheese helped to mellow out the other flavors. While the vegetables proved texture and roughage. All in all, not a bad sandwich.

In summation, New England Roast Beef is a sandwich shop. They make good sandwiches (even if they don’t always get the orders right), but a good number of their other options fall short. That being said some of their sides were actually quite tasty. So basically, stick with the sandwiches or you’re taking a bit of a gamble. To wrap things up, if you find yourself craving Roast Beef give this place a shot.

5/10

Last week was Thanksgiving, and like most of you I made the voyage back home.

Image courtesy of clipartreview.com

When it came to deciding where I would have my holiday feast there was no contest. I would be returning to the Kadushin Family Kitchen for another meal.

Thankfully, the menu changes constantly so I was treated with a different spread than last year. Furthermore, with the addition of some guest chefs, this year’s menu was sure to be a treat.

The Kadushin Family Kitchen is still rather small for an eatery. The interior is pleasantly decorated, not too dull but not overwhelming. A large metal lighting fixture hangs menacingly low threatening to bludgeon the heads of any one who has the audacity of being too tall.

New additions included a pressed glass plate, a bouquet of chili peppers, and multicolored bean art. Furthermore, the mischievous and belligerent pug mutt is still scratching legs and whining throughout the meal in a desperate and misguided attempt to get food.

Some people may find this to be bothersome, but if this is the case you are dead to me. The hours are determined arbitrarily on a daily basis. The prices are incredibly affordable; in fact to the untrained eye the food may appear free.

The central dish of every Thanksgiving dinner is the turkey. This year’s bird was cooked up by visiting chef Grandma according to her secret recipe.

While I am not at liberty to share the details of how the bird was cooked, I can say it was delicious. The meat was moist, juicy, and full of flavor. It paired wonderfully with both the cranberry sauce and the gravy. It was stuffed with a standard white bread stuffing. The stuffing had a savory flavor and was hot and mushy.

Unfortunately, due to false assumptions about dietary restrictions, there was a dearth of mushrooms in the stuffing.

The big new addition to the holiday menu was a brussell sprout succotash. This dish consisted of brussells sprouts, corn, onions, and bacon sautéed and baked together.

After that, beans and tomatoes were tossed into the mix. The bacon, provided the dish with smoky and salty flavors, while the corn added some sweet notes. The beans gave texture and earthy tones while the brussell sprouts provided some ruffage. It was a rather hodgepodge mix of vegetables and bacon, but that didn’t stop it from tasting great.

There were also green beans, but not in their traditional casserole form. The greens were cooked up with mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, and fried onions. Instead of being baked, the mixture was sautéed. It tasted pretty much the same as your standard casserole, but wasn’t as uniformly labored. The dish had a creamy texture with some crunch from the onions. However, I found the beans to be a bit dry and tough for my tastes.

Next up on the array of side dishes garlic mashed potatoes made a triumphant return. This year new russet red potatoes were substituted with Idaho potatoes. The boiled spuds were mashed together with fresh roasted garlic, spices, and yogurt.

The final result was a thick, smooth, and hardy mixture. Last year’s mash was sadly lacking in the garlic department, but this year’s rendition was able to overcome this weakness. The dish was packed with garlic flavor and not in the least bit bland.

Next up was the mashed sweet potato casserole. As per tradition, canned yams were used in this dish. If you have a problem with this, then deal with it. The yams were mashed together with butter, brown sugar, and milk.

Then in a last minute act of genius, a visionary chef decided to add vanilla extract to the mash. The casserole was then topped with marshmallows. The dish had a great blend of soft and lumpy textures, with the melted marshmallows throwing gooeyness into the mix. It had a sweet taste with strong notes of vanilla. It was not as sugary as other renditions of the dish, but still quite tasty.

There was also roasted butternut squash. The gourds were cut up and roasted with onions and olive oil. The squash was hot and fleshy, just the way it should be. It had rich savory tones, with hints of earthy and sweet flavors. It was some very solid squash which, I for one, enjoyed.

The most exciting addition to the laholiday menu was pumpkin ravioli. A pumpkin ricotta cheese filling was sealed inside of cinnamon pasta. The raviolis were then cooked in a butter sage sauce. Let me tell you, they were superb. The pasta was firm, and the filling mushy. The pumpkin filling was sweet and had a robust pumpkin flavor. The sage and butter tempered the sugary taste. It was a wonderful hybrid of dinner and dessert. I would go so far as to call it the embodiment of what fall food ought to be.

There were a variety of pies served for dessert, but they were all purchased from off the premises at a hospital fundraiser. The sweet potato and pumpkin pies were rather standard for their ilk, not too good but not too bad. The caramel apple nut pie was a disaster. It was just an awful abomination of a pie and no sane person would ever enjoy it.

As far as Thanksgiving dinners go, the Kadushin Family Kitchen continues to deliver; I’d even go as far as saying they’ve improved.

There was a variety of tasty side dishes coupled with a quality turkey, plus there was pumpkin ravioli! The only real issue was the awful desserts; those pies were horrible. A word to the wise: never buy food from hospital fundraisers. Just don’t do it.

The Kadushin Family Kitchen offers a pleasant and welcoming place to dine, plus there’s a pug!

So if you’re looking for some good old family cooking in a cozy atmosphere with a pug, then I would certainly recommend giving the Kadushin Family Kitchen a try. But that being said, I’m bargaining none of you will.

Overall: 8/10 (warning very biased)

There are a growing number of restaurants that specifically cater to vegan and vegetarian needs. In the past I haven’t really frequented any of these, but this week that changed. I decided to sample the fare offered at Loving Hut: a vegan Chinese restaurant.

Image courtesy of veganpandamonium.blogspot.com

The interior of the Loving Hut was fairly plain. The floors and walls were all very neutral tones of white and yellow; the chairs and tables were fairly nondescript. There were a variety of lanterns and potted plants placed about the restaurant to add some ambience.

The prices are fairly standard for Chinese restaurants. It costs about $3-$5 for a soup, salad, or appetizer. An entrée will run you between $6 and $9, and once a month they offer a $10 all-you-can-eat buffet.

The first thing I tried was the spring roll. It was surprisingly crunchy; not only was the outer shell crispy, but some of the filling was as well. In addition to the cabbage, there was some sort of imitation meat. Which actually tasted remarkably like pork. The real issue with the spring rolls was consistency. In some bites the different flavors and textures came together well, while in others they just sort of clashed. On the other hand, I was pleased with the egg rolls. They were filled with a mixture of cabbage and mushroom. The crunchy exterior went well with the soft and mushy filling.

The wantons were also good. They were hot, and the wrappers were mildly chewy. They were stuffed with a curry vegetable filling. They were rich with aromatic flavors and just a little bit spicy.

They also served a vegan bacon salad. The fresh vegetables were paired with crunchy imitation bacon. The whole thing was covered with a sweet vinegar dressing. The salad itself was good, but I’m not entirely sure about the whole imitation bacon thing.

Next up were the “bacon balls.” The dish was comprised of cakes of faux bacon covered in an onion sauce. The balls tasted like bacon with an unnaturally smoky flavor. It was sort of surreal; my taste buds registered it as tasting like bacon, but the texture was like eating a soggy felafel. The onions added some more solid texture to the dish, and the whole thing was served up in a fiery brown sauce.

I also tried their rendition of potato salad; it was quite different from the mayonnaise laden mush that is your typical version. Instead it was comprised of fake bacon, potatoes, and onions cooked up in a brown sauce. The potatoes were incredibly soft, and the onions were so tender that they were practically dissolving. The sauce and ” bacon” just didn’t quite go with the potatoes and onions, however in the end the dish was all right, but just felt somewhat off.

The squash and mushroom were really quite good. The vegetables were tender and full of earthy flavors. They were cooked in a garlic sauce that was light but very aromatic. Simply put, they just did a great job cooking vegetables without any of that fake meat silliness.

The tofu with tomato sauce was an interesting dish. It consisted of tofu, zucchini, and celery cooked up in a very light tomato sauce. The most striking thing was how weak the flavor of the sauce was. The dominate flavor in the dish was the celery, a vegetable not often noted for its robust flavor. The dish was basically warm celery with a hint of tomato and some less crunchy ingredients. That being said, I really like celery, so it worked for me.

The lomein was pretty standard. There were a lot more vegetables in it than you normally find, but other than that it was quite typical. Of course typical doesn’t mean bad; it was pretty good. The thin noodles, the crisp vegetables, the mild sauce; they all worked well together.

All in all the Loving Hut is okay. It does boast an impressive number of vegan and vegetarian options, but there in also lies the flaws. The dishes that tried to imitate meat were lackluster. The texture and flavors didn’t match, which created a rather incoherent feeling. However, the items that used vegetables and didn’t try to mimic meat were quite tasty. So if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, this place is probably for you. If not then you’re probably not going to be a fan.

Overall: 5/10

Café Manziis a diner/café located on Shrewsbury Street. It is another one of the eateries I had frequently sampled during Taste of Shrewsbury events, but had yet to actually try. So this week I decided it was time I go there in earnest.

Image courtesy of worcesterdiscountdeals.com

Café Manzi is a very typical dinner. It has a counter riddled with stool seating. The kitchen is open enough that you can see the chefs at work. The tiles and walls are made of synthetic materials, yet somehow still feel homey and welcoming. The booths are well cushioned and quite comfortable.

Prices-wise, Café Manzi is really quite reasonable. Menu items range from $3 to $10, which is pretty standard dinner pricing. That being said, there are plenty of under $5 options for more frugal individuals.

I started my meal off with the breakfast quesadilla, a tortilla stuffed with cheddar cheese, scrambled eggs and sausage served with salsa on the side. It was hot and gooey, yet surprisingly manageable for a quesadilla (the filling wasn’t falling out all willy nilly). The quesadilla didn’t taste bad, but it was a bit bland. The eggs and sausage took second stage to the dominating taste of the melted cheddar. The salsa helped to balance out the cheese and added some lighter flavors to the dish.

Next up I tried the Manzi Omelet; it was filled with meatballs, provolone cheese and red sauce. It was a fine omelet; the eggs were wrapped around the fillings rather than just haphazardness folded over them. The eggs were firm, yet light, they held their shape but weren’t too rubbery. The meatballs were savory and tender, practically melting in my mouth. The provolone was creamy and the red sauce was hearty and full of flavor. All of the ingredients melded wonderfully to create a rather delicious whole.

The home fries were surprisingly tasty. They were incredibly soft, almost like a twice-baked potato. They were well seasoned with hints of paprika, garlic, and many other spices. They also had a fiery heat, much spicier than your standard breakfast potato.

I also tried the chicken ceaser wrap. The sandwich was filled with grilled chicken, cheese, ceaser dressing, and lettuce. The wrap itself wasn’t too thick or overpowering. The grilled chicken were pretty standard, it was a bit chewy but still tasty. The cheese and dressing was quite overpowering and rich. The lettuce tried to balance out the flavors, but it only succeeded in giving some crunch to the sandwich. All in all it wasn’t bad, but there was way too much dressing.

The pasta salad was quite good. It had a mild, slightly acidic flavor that complimented the cold pasta perfectly. The pasta itself wasn’t soft enough to be unmanageable or undercooked, it was just right. It was also mixed in with chunks of zucchini and roasted red pepper.

I finished off my meal with the peanut butter banana pancakes. The pancakes were hot and fluffy; the bananas were soft, moist, and flavorful. The peanut butter was creamy, but did not overpower the other ingredients. As far as pancakes go, I certainly enjoyed these.

All in all Café Manzi is quality diner. If you’re looking for a reasonable priced lunch or breakfast, then you’ll be able to find something here.

Some of the dishes were a bit out of whack flavor wise, but others were solid in the taste department. So if you find yourself craving dinner fare, and want to try something new; head on down to Café Manzi.

Overall: 6/10

Image courtesy of zorbastaverna.com

This week I went to Zorba’s, a Greek restaurant down Park Avenue. Why did I go there, you ask? Because I hadn’t been to a Greek restaurant in Worcester yet. And that’s all the introduction you’re getting for this week.

Zorba’s interior was designed to look like an old Mediterranean building. There are sandstone colored walls and tiles, coupled with paintings of sea ports, elaborate lighting fixtures, and large amounts of open space. It sort of felt like it was meant to mimic an ancient town square. That being said, there was something off about the decorations. It felt incredibly artificial; frequently, the illusion of antiquity was replaced with the feeling of being in a large scale chain restaurant.

The prices at Zorba’s are not too bad. A sandwich runs about $10, a starter $5-$10, and an entrée $13-$20. Many options are expensive, but there are also quite a few reasonably priced dishes as well. Basically if you want to spend a lot you can, but if you’d rather not then you can still find something suitable.

To start things off I tried the cheese platter. The menu said it consisted of fruit, cheese, baguette slices, salami, and proscuitto. First of all, despite claiming to be a part of the dish, there was no proscuitto to be found.

The overall presentation of the dish was really lackluster. A bunch of cheese cubes and melon chunks were tossed about on a plate with some other accoutrements. The baguettes were crispy to the point of being charred and blackened. The salami and melon were fine additions, but nothing out of the ordinary.

There were a handful of different cheeses. None of them were bad; heck, the smoked Gouda was pretty darn tasty. Overall, it was good, though it looked like something a high school kid threw together for his grandparents.

Next, I had the Greek salad: a standard mixture of tomato, peppers, onions, lettuce, cucumbers, olives, and feta cheese, with Greek dressing. Much to my chagrin, the salad was poorly mixed; a ring of veggies around a heap of lettuce with a pile of cheese on top.

That being said the poor presentation did not detract from the dish as a whole. The dressing was surprisingly creamy, but still had the acidic taste and olive flavors of your typical Greek dressing. The peppers added some heat to the dish and the feta cheese was rich and creamy. These elements combined with the light flavors and fresh crispness of the veggies to make a solid salad.

I finished my meal with the gyro sandwich. It consisted of gyro, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and Tzatziki sauce (Greek yogurt sauce). Once again my main complaint was that of presentation. Instead of having the shredded or more finely cut gyro typical of Greek restaurants, there were three large slabs of gyro meat. It just looked off compared to other gyro dishes I’ve had.

As with the previous dishes, Zorba’s was able to redeem itself in the taste department. The pita was crispy on the edges yet still doughy in the center. The gyro had mild flavors of lamb and was rich with herbs. The yogurt sauce was light and tangy. The vegetables added crunch and mellowed out the other flavors.

All in all, Zorba’s had some fine Greek food. It wasn’t the best, but it was still pretty good. The real issue was one of presentation; namely, they’re not very good at it. The atmosphere has a very artificial feel and the dishes were poorly presented. That being said, they offer reasonably priced Greek cuisine, and if you don’t mind the presentation then there is no reason you shouldn’t try it.

Overall: 5/10

Image courtesy of thedailynorthbridge.com

When you think of the word hotel you think of sleep, beds, vacations, late nights, early mornings, and homesickness (maybe). But seldom do people but hotel and food together. Sure you might ask the concierge for restaurant recommendations or eat the continental breakfast (this doesn’t count), but you rarely find good meals there. However, hotels often do have quality eateries located within them. Ceres Bistro is one such restaurant located in the Beechwood Hotel. Sure it’s in a hotel, but that doesn’t stop it from being delicious.

Ceres Bistro is a classy establishment. The place is full of mirrors, arches, stained glass, and sculptures that practically ooze sophistication. The tables and seats themselves seem like they were specially made to feel fancy, and let me tell you they do. Interestingly the outside seating is all on a putting green. But like I said, if you want atmosphere this place has it.

The prices tend to lean towards the expensive side. It is $8-11 for a starter and the typical entrée runs about $24.

While these prices aren’t unheard of, they’re certainly not within a desirable price range. That being said, half entrees can be purchased at a lower cost.

The first thing I tried was the duck spring roll. The shell was crispy and the inside was tender. The duck was savory but had a little bit of sweetness to it. The rolls were drizzled with a spicy yet acidic sauce. All in all it was a complex medley of tastes and textures, but a medley that worked.

I also tried the lobster truffle risotto. Normally risotto is a creamy rice dish, however this version was fried; a fact they neglected to mention on the menu. Basically it was a ball of mushy rice that had been deep fried. The outside was crispy, the inside creamy, with a bit of a lobster taste. But aside from that slight bit of flavor it was really bland. There was a lemon cream sauce that accompanied it well, but that was probably because the dish was so light in the taste department that any sauce would work with it.

On the other hand, the strawberry spinach salad was quite tasty. It was served with mint, caramelized goat cheese, and a balsamic dressing. The sweetness of the berries helped to temper the more blunt flavors of spinach. The mint was a bit too potent, but didn’t detract too much from the overall experience. The goat cheese was rich, creamy, and sugary; its richness was offset by the light salad. The balsamic dressing added a sweet yet biting note to the salad.

For my entrée I had the pretzel chicken. This dish consisted of chicken cooked with a pretzel breading, coated with a mustard cheese sauce, served with asparagus and potato salad. It was a very tasty creation. The chicken was moist and tender; it was almost like a greaseless fried chicken. The pretzels added a salty taste and a bit of crunch to the bird. The asparagus was crisp and aromatic. The potato salad had actual chunks of potato and pieces of bacon, and there was no mayonnaise involved. I know this isn’t traditional potato salad, but if you ask me it’s a hell of a lot better. The sauce gave everything a mild spicy taste and a mustard aftertaste, giving the dish some character.

For dessert I had the banana butter rum parfait. For starters, this dish was not a parfait, it was basically a sundae. Parfaits have layers, this did not. That being said, it was pretty tasty. Basically it was a rich banana fosters ice cream with a thick layer of fudge sauce. The ice cream itself was tasty. The sweet banana flavors were mellowed out by the rum. The chocolate sauce was good, but it was not needed.

Like I said, Ceres Bistro is classy. They have a lot of interesting dishes and odd variations of classics. The food is good and the atmosphere is too. Some of the dishes might be lackluster, but there are enough solid items to balance this out. The only real issue is that the menu descriptions can sometimes paint a different picture than what the actual dish consists of. It might be a bit pricy, but if it’s a special occasion or you just don’t care about costs, then go for it.

Overall: 7/10

In my culinary quest across Worcester, I have gone to many different types of restaurants. Now certain types of cuisine like Italian, Mexican, Deli,

Image courtesy of worcesterlocalfirst.org

Chinese, Greek or seafood are rather common for New England; but there are some sorts of restaurants that are far harder to come by. One of these is southern kitchens or soul food restaurants, which are unfortunately uncommon in the Northern states. When I discovered that there was such a restaurant in Worcester, called Sweet T’s, I knew that I ought to go there. When I found out they offer a Sunday brunch buffet, I knew I didn’t really have a choice in the matter – I was going.

The interior of Sweet T’s was a bit lacking. There was a lot of open space and very few decorations. The tables and chairs were rather plain and fairly fair apart from each other. The ceiling was made of plaster tiles, and the walls seemed to be made of different materials. The overall effect was like a summer camp’s food hall. That being said, it had a nice open feel to it. It was homey and had a welcoming atmosphere. Additionally, the staff was quite friendly. The chef, owner, and servers were willing, if not eager, to banter with everyone who walked in.

The brunch buffet costs $15 a person. This is a steep price for a student’s budget, but it’s quite cheap for a quality brunch buffet. Their normal menu offers $5 meat dishes and $3 dollar sides, with a variety of combination options available.

I started off with some of the more traditional breakfast items that were being offered. First up was the sausage. It was surprisingly tender considering how tough/chewy sausage often is. It also had a sweet maple element to it. This sweetness blended wonderfully with the savory pork.

There also were potatoes and onions, Sweet T’s version of home fries; the potatoes were far softer than your standard home fry. There were sizable slices of onions that added flavor to the mix.

The cheesy eggs were quite tasty. The eggs were hot, scrambled, and well seasoned. A thick blanket of melted cheddar cheese rested on top. Sure it’s a bit of a standard dish, but it still tasted good.

The corned beef hash, however, was lacking. In addition to the fine chopped potatoes present in hash, there were also potato chunks. It was sort of like potatoes with some meat and then more potatoes. The hash was bland and the meat didn’t have much flavor to it.

The grits were surprisingly delicious. I know what you’re thinking: grits, now isn’t that just course bland oatmeal? And normally I would tell you that you were right, but not today. Sweet T’s grits were phenomenal. They were hot and smooth, with surprisingly little grittiness for grits. Furthermore, they had a buttery sweetness that was tempered with pepper. Definitely the best damn grits I’ve ever had.

They also had a sausage gravy. It was thick and creamy, yet surprisingly light. Not only that, but there were chunks of sausage in every bite. The gravy went wonderfully on a variety of the other dishes.

They had home made biscuits, but I’m afraid I wasn’t much of a fan. They were hot and chewy, but sort of dull. They tasted like flour, baking soda, and not much else. Their only redeeming feature was an impressive ability to soak up the delicious gravy.

The mashed potatoes were quite served. It had a powerful tomato based sauce. The rice was firm, saturated with sauce but not succumbing to sogginess. There were peppers to give the dish a little bit of heat. It was finished off with chunks of chicken and spicy sausage.

Next up was the string beans. The vegetables in question were cooked up with onions and garlic. They were nice and juicy, full of aromatic flavors. I’m not a real fan of string beans but I certainly enjoyed these.

I also sampled one of Sweet T’s specialties, the fried chicken. The bird was crunchy on the outside, with a golden brown curst surrounding it. On the inside the meat was moist and tender. A bit of the gravy on top, and you had yourself something wonderful.

The mac and cheese was also pretty good. It was very rich and I finished things off with a slice of their bundt cake. This week’s flavor was root beer, though the chef and owner seemed to be in disagreement as to whether or not this was actually the case. The cake was fluffy and moist. It had a rich vanilla flavor, with just a hint of root beer. The icing was sweet, not too hard or runny. It also had the subtle root beer taste to it.

So all in all it was a rather enjoyable brunch. The food was really tasty, and there was plenty of it. Not every dish hit the ark, but there were a whole lot more that did. Sweet T’s has good food, friendly staff, comforting atmosphere, and pretty good prices. If you find yourself hankering for some soul food or are hungry and in the area, then Sweet T’s is a solid choice.

Overall: 7/10

In my tenure here at Clark I have made it a point to never miss the Shrewsbury Shuffle. In the four times I’ve attended there have been many restaurants I have sampled, but have not

Photo Courtesy of Brew City's Facebook Page

yet frequented. One of these places is Brew City, a beer and burger bar that always has a strong showing during the festivals. After four years of trying its samples, I figured it was about time I went there for myself.

Brew City itself is fairly typical for a brewery/bar restaurant. There are brick walls and large pipes creating an almost industrial feel. This is balanced out by wooden tables, booths, and a sizable bar. It was a pretty nice set up and had a casual atmosphere.

The prices are pretty standard for a sit down restaurant. Appetizers and other starters cost between $3 and $9, while entrees could run you from $10 to $20. These prices aren’t unusual, but may not be as low as college students are looking for.

I started things off with the clam chowder. The soup was surprisingly light for a chowder, but was still rich and creamy. Furthermore, Brew City decided to include bacon in the mix. The bacon added a bit of saltiness and hearty flavor not normally present in clam chowder. The clams themselves were chewy and delicious. It was a pretty solid cup of soup.

Next up was the fried jalapeño ravioli. The pasta was crunchy, but still maintained some of its usually chewy texture. The cheese filling was creamy, but didn’t really have much flavor to it. The peppers gave them a bit of a fiery kick. All in all not bad, but most of the taste came from the marinara dipping sauce.

The first part of my main course was the pulled pork. The pork itself was soft, tender, and full of flavor. That being said, it was slathered in a deluge of bbq sauce. While the sauce itself was a sweet yet tangy compliment to the meat, they added excess quantities. It ended up drowning out a lot of the meat’s flavors and turned the dish into a rather mediocre experience.

Baked beans were served as a side. The beans themselves were hot, mushy, and had heavy earthy tones. However, they were cooked in some sort of a brown sugar sauce. The sauce turned the beans sweet…too sweet. At times the beans almost became nauseating from being too sugary.

I was a fan of the corn bread. It was cut thick and had a heavy texture. At the same time it perfectly balanced out the savory and sweet elements of the corn. It was hot and crumbly, but was still able to hold its shape enough to be eaten by hand.

I also sampled their barbeque chicken. Unfortunately, I really couldn’t tell what set this apart from run of the mill grilled chicken. The quality of the meat was fine; it was moist and hearty, but it tasted like grilled chicken. Grilled chicken isn’t known for its awe inspiring taste, and Brew City’s rendition certainly did not impress me.

The coleslaw was just plain unimpressive. It was floppy, watery, and lacked any pizzazz. The slaw itself was bland and was practically drowning in mayonnaise. As far as slaw goes I was not quite pleased.

The ribs weren’t bad; the meat was certainly high grade. They were so tender that the meat fell off the bones and the bones were practically disintegrating. That being said, there wasn’t much flavor to it. It wasn’t a bad taste, there was simply a lack of spices or seasoning.

For dessert I had the Jell-o cake; I mean with a name like that how could I not try it? The dish consisted of yellow cake soaked in strawberry Jell-o, topped with cool whip and fruit. The cake itself was moist and juicy. The Jell-o suffused fruit flavors and added sweetness to the cake. The cool whip added a bit of creaminess. The berries provided milder flavors to balance out the Jell-o. It was a tasty and interesting piece of cake.

All in all Brew City is alright, but not much more than that. It has some charm to it, but the food isn’t really all that good. There were a handful of items that stood above the rest. However, a lot of their offerings, particularly the meat, were pretty bland and unimpressive. At the end of the day, I feel that there are places that serve better versions of the same sort of faire.

Overall: 5/10

Image courtesy of the restaurant's Facebook page.

Mexican food is tasty; this is simply a fact. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas; they’re all good stuff. Now most Clark students turn to Moe’s for their Mexican fix, however, there are many small Mexican restaurants that go unnoticed in the shadow of larger chains. Sol of Mexico is one such place, a tiny little shop on Pleasant Street. So I set out to see if Sol of Mexico was a hidden culinary gem.

The interior of Sol of Mexico is clean but sparse. It is a nice, well kept little shop. There isn’t much seating, just a small counter and a few tables. The ceiling is made of odd green tiles, and a few random decorations scatter the walls. The prices are really quite cheap tacos cost $2-$3, while more expensive fare such as the burritos are closer to $6. That being said, the service here is really slow. I was forced to wait at the counter for close to 15 minutes before my order was taken.

I had the red enchiladas: 4 tortillas filled with beef, topped with red sauce, spiced sour cream, cheese, tomato, and lettuce. The beef itself was fine, not particularly good but not too bad. The cheese was melted and gooey; the vegetables adding some crispness to the dish. The sauce and cream didn’t really have much flavor. Basically it was an incredibly bland enchilada. It wasn’t good or bad – it simply was. I was actually impressed with the sheer averageness of the dish.

For dessert I had the cheese flan, which was pretty tasty. It was sort of a mix between cheese cake and custard. It was both more airy and firm than your standard flan. Not only that, but it was also a bit less sweet than most flans. There was a caramel sauce on it that added more sugary flavor to the dish. Unfortunately, the flan was clearly frozen as there was a small amount of ice on it when they served it to me.

There really isn’t much to say here. Sol of Mexico is incredibly average. The prices are fine and there are certainly worse places in Worcester. That being said, there really isn’t anything remarkable about it. So if you feel like trying it, why not? You won’t be impressed, but you won’t be disappointed.

Overall: 5/10

Image courtesy of vegworcester.com

Part of my unending quest to find good breakfast is looking for new restaurants that specialize in serving this mightiest of meals. To my pleasant surprise, such a place recently opened in the Worcester area. The eatery in question is Woodaddy Waffles. Woodaddy Waffles is run by some Clark alumni out of Moynihan’s (a bar down Main Street). Seeing how it was mere blocks away and that it had waffle in the name, my going there was pretty much a categorical imperative.

There are traditional seating options like booths, but the bar itself is still a pretty dominating presence. While it felt a bit off, it certainly wasn’t gross or unappealing.

My biggest issue with the place was the amount of options available. It had a fairly small amount of waffle variants on its actual menu. Most bizarre creations of grid worked batter were cast aside to the specials menu. As such, any trip to Woodaddy Waffles is a bit of crap shoot; the specials could be unique and tasty or they could be unappetizing. Also, the hours are really, really limited. It’s only open for 4 hours a week; Sundays from 11-3. That being said, the prices are quite reasonable. The most expensive items are $8, and there are quite a few cheaper options.

Now, for reasons I don’t entirely know or understand, I decided to try the vegan sausage. Perhaps it’s because the menu boasted that they were homemade; perhaps I wanted to try new things; or perhaps I’m simply a deranged eater long past the point of ordering rationally. Either way, I ordered the meatless sausage, and I must say it was a regrettable decision. Texture wise it was sort of like hot soggy bread. It tasted a bit like bread soaked in meat drippings. It was like a lump of mediocre stuffing. I’m no expert on vegan eating, but I certainly wouldn’t go so far as to liken it to sausage.

For my entree I ordered the waffles rancheros. The dish consisted of a corn waffle topped with black beans, salsa, cheese and fried eggs. I must say it was a tasty waffle. The beans were hot and full of earthy flavors. The salsa was mild, but added an acidic taste. Furthermore, its light composition helped to balance out the heavier ingredients like the beans. The fried eggs added the chewy textures of the whites and the rich goodness of liquid egg yolk. The cheese was melted to perfection and threw some gooeyness into the mix. The waffle itself was chewy and had a subtle corn flavor. Interestingly, the waffle itself was lost beneath a sea of toppings. I could scarcely taste it, and I don’t think I ever actually saw it. Regardless, it was a nice blend of Mexican flavor and traditional breakfast fare.

In conclusion, this place has potential, but has yet to reach it. At the end of the day the menu is limited and the restaurant itself seems like a Sunday morning gimmick for a bar to draw customers. The vegan food really wasn’t very good. I know there are all sorts of vegan eaters who would insist that serving vegan food is wonderful. But I’m not one of them. That stuff just tastes bad. On the other hand, the waffles themselves are really quite good. The rancheros waffle was certainly an interesting twist on the breakfast classic. I would keep on eye on Woodaddy though, they’re just getting started. They have to work some kinks out, but once they do I think they could really step up there game. That being said, at the moment it skirts the line between mediocrity and unique grandeur. Is Wooddady the best place? No; but you could do a hell of a lot worse. It’s only a few blocks away, so if you’re hungry one Sunday morning you might as well go give it shot.

Overall: 5/10