One of the great things about being part of WorcesterFoodies is that we often dine at restaurants that we have heard about, but to date have not had the opportunity to enjoy. Thus was the case this month as we gathered at Le Mirage, a small, family-owned and operated BYOB restaurant on June Street in Worcester. Walking into Le Mirage we were greeted warmly by the owner and seated promptly with our group. Glancing at the menu I knew immediately that making a dinner choice would be difficult as the menu was a mix of some of my favorite Italian and Mediterranean dishes.
I finally decided upon the Shish Kabob beef tenders, not a very adventurous choice, but something I knew I would definitely enjoy. My dining companion and I chose to start our meal with the Fire Roasted Baba Ghannouj and pita bread appetizer. The smoking eggplant dip was creamy and light with just the right amount of garlic, the pita bread was soft and fresh and the whole thing was just the perfect starting point for our meal.
Next came a traditional salad of fresh mixed greens, tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers that was topped with a tangy mint lemon garlic and olive oil dressing that made the salad come alive with flavor. When my meal arrived the Shish Kabob skewers were jammed packed with seasoned and marinated beef, onions and peppers and served over a flavorful and moist rice pilaf and salad. The beef was perfectly cooked to a medium rare temperature and the vegetables, while cooked thoroughly, were firm and crispy.
In addition to enjoying an outstanding meal, the staff could not have been more accommodating and pleasant. All the meals were served timely, water glasses were filled promptly and our outstanding waitress greeted every request made at our table with a smile and a “thank you”. At the end of our meal, the owner joined us to ask if we had any questions and thanked us for coming in.
Le Mirage had an outstanding menu to choose from, great service and wonderful food, all in a casually sophisticated atmosphere that met every one of my expectations. –JG