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.

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Foodies Visits the French Quarter in Rutland, MA

Worcester Foodies visit French Quarter in Rutland, MA

January brought the Foodies to The French Quarter in Rutland, MA on a recommendation from our member David, who has enjoyed this small hidden gem with his family. As we arrived, the owner happily greeted us and explained we were in for a real treat, describing the menu as  “…a mix of Asian and Cajun cuisines, with a little fun mixed in.”

Located in a small plaza on Rte 122A, you might drive right by the French Quarter if you didn’t know where it was, but don’t  – this hidden gem is worth searching out.

The casual atmosphere, combined with the friendly smiles and service helped to make our group feel more than comfortable as we trickled into the BYOB bistro. Some appetizers were ordered and shared including some delightfully fresh Spring Rolls, a few orders of Veggie Dumplings, hot Crispy Wontons and Curry Samosas that came with a spicy dipping sauce that caught the attention of more than a few people. “We shared a few apps at our end of the table and those alone made the trip to Rutland more than worth it”, said Julie.

As we opened our wine and passed around the Wachusett Brewery IPA variety pack, we scanned the menu, discussing amongst ourselves what we might want to order. The French Quarter offering is extensive and as advertised, the Cajun, French and Asian influences are easily seen as vermicelli noodles, rice, lemongrass, hoisin sauce, curry and Cajun seasonings dotted the menu landscape.

Robyn ordered the Soup Du Jour – a Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Soup which she described as “flavorful”. The Basil Fried Rice was an interesting combination of fried rice, chicken, kielbasa, onions and basil and the Spicy Cajun Shrimp was a huge portion of shrimp, pickled carrots, cucumbers and lots of other fresh veggies over noodles.

Evan said the restaurant “combined the freshest ingredients with homemade flare” to create his spicy Chicken Pad Thai dish. He added, “the cozy space created an intimate environment for our large group and the owners and wait staff were very personable and social. All these factors made for a memorable night”.

Stephanie ordered the Grilled Beef Poutine and seemed more than pleased with the dish offering “it was really good, tasty, and huge!” So big in fact she passed the dish around for others to enjoy!

Once dinner was complete, the Foodies thoughts turned to the large display of desserts. There were cookies, puff pastries, cakes and more. One Foodie, at our end of the table, thoroughly enjoyed a huge piece of chocolate cake but the French inspired chocolate beignets were definitely the biggest hit. Robyn added “I do the think the hidden gems in this place are the pastries and French inspired desserts. And David, Robyn and Lynn all thought….”the Chocolate Beignets were fantastic.”

Another thing our group all agreed on, the service during our visit was outstanding. Dana added “the staff was very friendly and they handled our large group well.”

Overall the trip to Rutland to visit the French Quarter was well worth the ride and we suggest you try it too.

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Oak Barrel Tavern serves up simple comfort food in newly-renovated space

This month, the foodies escaped the cold with heaping servings of comfort food at the Oak Barrel Tavern, which just opened earlier this year. The most striking thing about the restaurant for many diners was the transformation the space had undergone. Before opening this June, the new owners completely gutted the former Tweed’s space. Beautiful wood features and industrial flourishes made up the transformation. The bar itself is large, bright and inviting. The rest of the restaurant is cozy and comfortable – there’s even a fireplace with some comfy leather chairs at one end.

Mac and Cheese at the Oak Barrel Tavern
Mac and Cheese at the Oak Barrel Tavern

“The atmosphere was bright and inviting, with a plethora of woods, stones and textures that make the space really pop. A combination of modern lodge and classic pub tavern is the best way to describe it, with all the modern amenities you have come to expect from new restaurants. You will hardly remember what the old interior looked like with such a drastic re-do,” said Evan.

The menu was largely filled with the “pub grub” the foodies expected to find in a tavern. There were a few twists you don’t always see on a bar menu, including several varieties of mac and cheese and country fried steak.

Many of the foodies started with items from the “Tavern Treats” section of the menu, which were shareable small plates. The Bavarian-style soft pretzels with a Wisconsin beer cheese sauce for dipping earned high praise. “The soft pretzels were warm and salty, like you would expect and the cheese dipping sauce was wonderful,” said Stephanie of the pretzels. Joe recommended the chicken wings saying, “The chicken wings at OBT are really good. I have had them with a few beers at the bar watching baseball and football and the flavors are fantastic – especially the OBT Stinger wings!”

For main entrees, everyone seemed to gravitate toward their perfect comfort food – of which the menu had many offerings. Most left slightly disappointed with their food, though. “My overall feeling of Oak Barrel Tavern’s food is that it is your basic ‘pub’ food that can be found pretty much anywhere,” noted Scott.

The chicken fried steak was small and the mac and cheese was a bit bland, diners said. Some did find fulfilling entrees, while others said perfectly-cooked green beans stole the show for them.

“The fish was delightful, beer battered and fried, hot and a huge portion. Lots of crinkle fries too along with a small portion of very tasty cole slaw. The fish, while fried, wasn’t heavy yet light and very flavorful,” Joe described his fish and chips. Julie delighted in her order of a veggie burger and crinkle cut fries.

“It was a large, delicious burger with a lot of veggies and even bits of potato in it (not the typical frozen, bland kind). The fries, well, they were crinkle cut, what more can I say? Delicious, and they happen to be my favorite!” Julie said. Stephanie’s side order of a Worcester Wedge had her ready to go back for the full salad. “This is what stole the show for me! The crisp iceberg lettuce was topped with jalapeno bacon, which offered the most delightful heat to offset the salty bleu cheese crumbles and the balsamic glaze was wonderful and added a sweet tang to each bite.”

The Beer Battered Fish and Chips from Oak Barrel Tavern on Grove Street in Worcester, MA.
The Beer Battered Fish and Chips from Oak Barrel Tavern on Grove Street in Worcester, MA.

One thing everyone agreed on was that OBT offered excellent service. Attentive wait staff, quick with both the food and drinks, made everyone feel welcome. “OBT would be a great place to go out with friends or coworkers after work to hang out and grab a few drinks,” said David. OBT made the foodies feel so welcome, they spent the better part of four hours there without even realizing it.

“I’m sure that the OBT will gain all the old Tweed customers and then some if they can continue to improve on their solid foundation,” said Evan.

Mass Foodies' Worcester Foodies Group Visiting Oak Barrel Tavern on Grove Street in Worcester, MA
Mass Foodies’ Worcester Foodies Group Visiting Oak Barrel Tavern on Grove Street in Worcester, MATavern