Category: Casual Eats

Whether you’re looking to enjoy a quick bite to eat at the bar or sitting down to relax without the fanfare associated with white linen and fancy wine menus, Casual Eats takes a look at all of the food that can be enjoyed when you’re able to sit back and unwind.

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#FamilyEats – Kid Approved at 2 Ovens (RIP!)

2 Ovens in Shrewsbury, MA

Editor’s Note: The same day that this original article was published, it was announced that 2Ovens would be closing their doors—fallout from their parent company, Bertucci’s, filing for bankruptcy on Monday. 2Ovens opened their doors in 2012 as the first location for the company’s new concept chain—which never took to fruition. RIP 2Ovens.

Dining out with kids can be challenging especially if the little ones haven’t yet perfected their table manners, but that shouldn’t stop mom and dad from enjoying a dinner without having to wash the dishes. Parents who sacrifice the pleasure of enjoying a restaurant because its too much of a hassle or it creates uncertainty, should not have to skip out on a great meal. Maybe you feel your children aren’t ready for the sophisticated experience at food havens like deadhorse hill, maybe your spouse or significant other isn’t ready for exotic ingredients at places like Baba, or maybe you’re not interested in a chef’s tasting at a restaurant like Lock 50, but there are plenty of restaurants in the region that will fulfill whatever expectation you have to make your family eating experience comfortable.

Just outside of Worcester, 2 Ovens is a hidden gem for family dining. Lunch or dinner at this Shrewsbury institution hailed as a foodie destination inspired by “a passion for brick oven cooking,” has quickly become a place to satisfy the taste palettes of children without sacrificing the adult appetite. With two handmade brick ovens from Italy, 2 Ovens boasts a menu of “brick oven fare,” signature pizzas, shared plates and most importantly, a thoughtful selection of children’s favorites for the kids’ menu.

Each oven is dedicated to its own food selection, with oven one focused on pizzas like the Margherita, the prosciutto, and caramelized onion, and the famous mac & cheese pizza – a pizza topped with sriracha chicken, smoked applewood bacon, spicy paprika aioli, and lemon pepper cream sauce – while oven two is focused on the entrees including the wild roasted cod – topped with olives, tomatoes, lemon pepper cream, bread crumbs, parsley oil, and tangy house slaw with Yukon potatoes – and the slow roasted bbq pork sandwich – drenched in a mustard bbq sauce, cheddar, mixed greens, crispy dill pickles and a toasted brioche bun. These hearty dishes are a fan favorite among the moms and dads that dine at 2 Ovens on a consistent basis. “As a family, we come here often. It is a great place to dine, watch a game, enjoy the evening and satisfy the kids all at once and for the price, we think it’s worth it,” said one mom as she sat across her husband and two children.

The children’s menu, as with most family-friendly restaurants, offers classic “kid approved” dishes like pizza, toasted cheese sandwich – aka a grilled cheese served with Yukon potatoes – and mac and cheese; however, there are options like salad and roasted chicken to balance out the kids’ menu. To add a little magic to every kid dining experience, each kids menu includes a scoop of ice cream. Hey, 2 Ovens, maybe you can add a scoop for moms and dads too?

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#SundayFunday – It’s an Experience at Bocado Tapas Wine Bar

Bocado Paella

In this fickle town, going out for dinner has become an epic battle amongst the most indecisive people. The new restaurant expansion has left food lovers in a world unknown filled with diner’s remorse, food envy, and other food-related regrets. Ultimately, food lovers are trying to satisfy their cravings at every new place with a certain level of FOMO – fear of missing out – as a new place opens down the road. However, there’s one establishment in Worcester that remains in a world of its own with a unique position to satisfy the utmost indecisive foodie.

Representing the underrepresented Spanish culture, Bocado Tapas Wine Bar is at the epicenter of the ideal #SundayFunday destination. Its walls are adorned with paintings of matadors de toros and flamenco dancers, the dark crimson colors drape over the chandeliers, and the dark leather booths speak to comfort and indulgence. Before the presence of a menu, Bocado Tapas Wine Bar sets the tone for an experience beyond its culinary offerings. The sultry sounds of salsa music played in the background as the small flames of the tealight candles on every table give off the perfect amount of intimate lighting.

Once the menu is presented, the experience of Bocado comes full circle with an intricate listing of tapas, Spanish wines, and authentic paella dishes. In the Spanish culture, tapas are the making of every meal. They are the small, savory plates or canapés originating in Spain and captivating the senses of food lovers everywhere. Served in select bars in Spain, tapas have evolved into an elegant affair of cuisine and company. At Bocado, they have emerged as a game changer years ago and remain as an exciting feature of Worcester’s growing food infatuation, making it the ideal #SundayFunday pick.

They say to truly experience Bocado is to share the menu with your table. Enjoying meats and cheeses, tapas plates and a large plate entree or paella and dessert is the ultimate way to experience what Bocado has to offer.

From the charcuteria y queso – a culmination of imported and domestic meats and cheeses – to the acompanamientos of fried mixed olives with saffron allioli, starting a night out at Bocado is easy as the menu varies with exotic flavors and a hint of exploration. Tapas are offered as cold or hot dishes, tapas frias and tapas calientes.

Hearing tapas described as small savory plates doesn’t provide the full imagery of some of the dishes as they range from chuletas de cordero – grilled lollipop lamb chops with rosemary mustard oil – to pulpo a feira – grilled Spanish octopus, roasted potato drizzled with olive oil, smoked Spanish paprika and sea salt. The range is impeccable and pairing the tapas, whether frias or calientes, with Spanish wine and a large plate of paella produce a transformative experience back to the old country. The paella, topped with a variety of peppers, and loaded with everything from shrimp to chorizo to lobster and mussels, is the closest formation to the original Valencia-style paella – a darker, denser and drier paella. The dish is the perfect pairing for Bocado’s award-winning Spanish wine list.

If for nothing more than the transformative experience Bocado Tapas Wine Bar provides, transitioning every foodie to the essence of Spanish culture in Spain, it is deserving of our #SundayFunday seal of approval.