Category: Worcester Foodies Group

Mass Foodies is dedicated to consuming everything that the commonwealth has to offer. The food review portion of Mass Foodies is written by independent group of wandering consumers from different backgrounds. Foodies come together once a month at a predetermined restaurant, order off of the menu, and share their experiences. Worcester eats and we write about it.

Posted on by

Authentic Middle Eastern Dining at Sahara

Worcester Foodies #76 visiting Sahara on Highland Street in Worcester, MA

After 75 consecutive months of dining together in Worcester, it becomes quite difficult to continue our foodie journey without repeating restaurants, but we manage to persist. This month Giselle selected Sahara, a Middle Eastern restaurant on Highland Street that prides itself on gourmet Lebanese cuisine.

There were 16 of us in attendance and upon arrival, it seemed we all had one thing in mind: what would we be drinking? Although many of us couldn’t even pronounce the Lebanese wines at first, we asked for samples and found that we really enjoyed them. Dana ended up ordering the Lebanese Clos St. Thomas Gourmet Rouge which he described as dry with juicy fruit flavors. Luke also went for a Lebanese wine, Chateau Ksara, a red blend aged for 18 months in oak.

Chateau KsaraNext came the appetizers. The simplicity of Sahara’s grape leaves allowed the hummus to be the star. Everyone who tried the hummus really enjoyed it, especially Robyn who noted her love of Tahini. After quickly finishing the first course, our table came to an agreement that Sahara possesses one of the better hummuses in all of Worcester.

Between the 16 of us, surprisingly almost everyone ordered a different entrée. Some kept it simple with Fatoush Salads while others experimented with dishes such as Port Said Shrimp, Mughrebeeye, Stuffed Cabbage Leaves, Sheikh el Mishi, and various Shawarma plates.

Port Said Lamb paired with Chateau Ksara from Sahara on Highland Street in Worcester, MA
Port Said Lamb paired with Chateau Ksara from Sahara on Highland Street in Worcester, MA

Julie enjoyed her Port Said Shrimp over rice pilaf. The shrimp was sautéed in butter with lemon, mushrooms and a hint of garlic. The sauce was light but had a dominant lemon flavor which she felt enhanced the fresh seafood. Her one wish would be that for the price ($18) there was a little bit more rice.

The Mughrebeeye (huh?!) is a chicken dish that Sahara claims can please the most finicky guests. Lynndzie thought it was excellent and has plans to come back for it. Steve also enjoyed the Mughrebeeye.

Steve said, “The dish smelled amazing when it was served. The taste of nutmeg, and I believe, coriander and turmeric made me instantly think of having this dinner in front of a fire place on a cold snowy December evening.”

I ordered the Sheikh el Mishi ($19), which Sahara likes to call “The King of eggplant dishes!” I wouldn’t disagree with them on that, it was quite large and full of eggplant, ground beef, onions and various spices. My only complaint was that the thick tomato sauce made it a very heavy dish and it was very hot inside the restaurant. Like Steve, I would absolutely order this again on a chilly fall or winter night.

As a group, we agreed that the size of the restaurant was great for large parties but the inside could use a little love. It has an upscale look to it with the gold chandeliers, but the peeling paint on the walls and the dirty carpet were eye sores.

Sahara is open until 2 a.m. every night and offers free, live entertainment every Friday and Saturday evening. (I hear it gets packed on the weekends!) Whether you go for something exotic or an old staple, Sahara’s authentic Middle Eastern cuisine is sure to please even the pickiest eaters.

Posted on by

Pizza and Pasta Perfection at Pepe’s Italian Restaurant

Mass Foodies' Worcester Foodies enjoying their 75th consecutive month of dining out in Central Massachusetts — this time at Pepe's Italian Restaurant.

In July, the Foodies ventured to Pepe’s Italian Restaurant, a neighborhood eatery on Franklin Street in Worcester.

With so many pizza variations on the menu, it’s lucky that Pepe’s allows half-and-half pies, because the Foodies were eager to try a little bit of everything.

“Tasting Pepe’s brick oven pizza instantly reminded you of all of the good things that a nice slice can offer,” said Evan, after trying his half Margherita and half fungi combo. “A Margherita pizza is one of my personal favorites because of it’s simplicity; you let the dough, the mozzarella, basil, and sauce do the talking. I could not get enough of this pizza.”

Evan observed that the Fungi half of his pizza was equally delicious and only wished for more mushrooms.

Pizza at Pepe's Italian Restaurant.
Pizza at Pepe’s Italian Restaurant.

Stephanie had the “Best of Both Worlds” pie, which is on the menu, and includes a half Firecracker and half Potato Pizza finished with a ranch dressing drizzle.

“The Buffalo Chicken portion provided perfect spice, while the crunchy cucumbers allowed for a bit of a cooling effect. The Potato half was salty and savory. The ranch drizzle that covered both varieties of the pizza added an extra kick to each slice,” Stephanie said. She added, “This combo was amazing, like the wings and skins of pizza!”

Joe also gave the Fungi pizza a try and said it was in a word, “fantastic.”

Every pizza-eating Foodie loved the 16-inch pies because of their thin, crispy crust. Giselle, who had the Rocky pizza, said the crust was, “phenomenal,” though it left her wanting for more arugula, prosciutto, tomatoes, and shredded Parmigiano.

Some of the others opted for Pepe’s pasta specialties rather than pizza and they did not disappoint.

“The chicken carbonara dish I ordered for dinner was amazing. It was creamy and flavorful with a very large number of bacon bits throughout. It also came with a good portion of cooked white meat chicken tenders,” Robyn said. “I ordered mine with spaghetti and the creamy-ness of the carbonara sauce soaked into the pasta nicely. I would order this dish again in a heartbeat. I would even venture to say it would be hard NOT to order this dish again when I go back to visit Pepes,” she concluded.

Giselle also had the seafood diablo pasta, which included shrimp, haddock, mussels, baby clams and calamari sautéed in a spicy sauce, served over pasta.

“This dish was beautiful and the flavors were just right. The spicy kick at the end made me want to order a second serving,” Giselle said.

Joe also sampled some of the Baked Eggplant Parmigiana and said it was “equally as delicious” as his pizza.

“The baked eggplant was thinly sliced and tender and was topped with a deep rich red sauce and creamy cheese,” Joe said.

Amy opted for a lighter dish and ordered the baked haddock.

“The meal did not disappoint. The fish was nice and flaky with a cracker topping that was beautifully toasted and a light lemon and olive oil drizzle,” Amy said. “The broccoli was perfectly steamed with a light crunch and served with a size of homemade rice pilaf. Pilaf is a religion in my home so I was very pleased that is was made in-house.”

Beyond the food, everyone loved the large open space where Pepe’s is housed. The Foodies also noted an excellent patio space outside, which would be lovely to enjoy on a nice day.

Joe spoke for everyone, commending the service when he said, “I was really impressed by our server Megan…she was great, always nearby and handled our large group all by herself.”

After all, in the iconic words of Danny Meyer, “Business, like life, is all about how you make people feel. It’s that simple and that hard.” At Pepe’s, it’s not just about the food.