Comfy, cozy dining at Dianna’s Neighborhood Bistro
Walking into Dianna’s Neighborhood Bistro feels a bit like walking into your grandmother’s kitchen. This quaint, BYOB restaurant on the corner of June and Chandler Street in Worcester is what one Foodie called “the type of mom and pop shop that this city is known for.”
Cooking for such a large group was a challenge for the kitchen this night (the Chef noted there are only two and a half people in the kitchen) so while some of the food took a little time to make its way to the table, most agreed it was well worth the wait.
Robyn said her Pollo Lorenzo was so good that she’d have a hard time not ordering it again on a return trip to Dianna’s. “This dish was amazing. I loved the mixture of creamy gorgonzola sauce with artichokes, asparagus and broccoli. The chicken was pounded and lightly breaded and was cooked to perfection. The dish also came with cherry tomatoes which made a nice colorful contrast to the other ingredients. A very large amount of spinach ravioli were nestled at the bottom of this dish absorbing the creamy sauce,” Robyn said.
Julie enjoyed the Haddock & Salmon special at Dianna’s Neighborhood Bistro
Stephanie couldn’t get enough of the Pollo Lorenzo, either. “The Gorgonzola sauce in my meal was to die for!! And I really loved the added veggies in the dish. Asparagus and artichokes are my favorite! The chicken was also very tender and juicy and had a nice crisp on the outside,” she added.
Joe applauded the plentiful portion of Chicken Piccatta which “served over penne, was tender and sautéed to perfection, topped with a rich wine and lemon and caper sauce.”
Julie ordered a special of baked haddock and Dijon-encrusted salmon over a bed of linguine aglio and wasn’t disappointed. “My fish was fresh and cooked perfectly, the Dijon crust on the salmon was crunchy and gave a great texture to the fish. The linguine had onions and fresh cut grape tomatoes and plenty of garlic. My meal was delicious,” she said.
Lynn loved the cozy atmosphere – “perfect for date night” – and raved about the homemade soups.
While most felt their meals were very good, a few found Dianna’s to be just slightly off the mark.
Dana said his steak special, which consisted of a New York strip topped with sautéed red peppers and onions in a balsamic sauce, was a bit overcooked and found the balsamic sauce “overpowering.” But he added….”That said, I do realize that ordering steak in an Italian restaurant probably isn’t the best idea. I tasted my wife’s Pollo Lorenzo and it was delicious, so it seems like they do Italian very well, but the other stuff a bit hit or miss.”
Evan said his Vitello Forestier with fresh veal medallions, sautéed with Portobello, Cremini and Shitake mushrooms, shallots, prosciutto, garlic and a brandied demi-glace over house made Pappardelle pasta “had the makings to be extraordinary.” Unfortunately, he felt the veal was a little overcooked. “However, the brandied demi-glace could’ve been eaten with any combination, it was that good,” Evan added.
All in all, the Foodies seemed to agree that Dianna’s is a great addition to the neighborhood dining scene and while a few dishes were slightly off, most were right on the mark. We recommend trying his friendly neighborhood, BYOB bistro yourself!
