Tag: burger

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Ravioli Roma from Brew City on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester

Ravioli Roma from Brew City on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester

Allow me to reintroduce myself…just kidding. It has been a while since I ventured into the realm of burgers but now I have returned. With the craziness of the holidays and just completing a move to a new house, I am glad to be back. I decided to come back to the basics and go to a Shrewsbury Street classic, Brew City, for my latest iteration of my burger blog. Needing a hearty meal and possibly a cold beverage at the end of a long week brought me to 104 Shrewsbury Street. Walking in, I was instantly reminded of Monday Night Football and wing specials in the bar, complete with crowded seating and the occasional unruly patron.

It has actually been a few years since I had been to Brew City and I was happy to see that the interior décor had been updated and their menu was given a massive overhaul thanks to a newer executive chef. After ordering a classic ‘Gansett lager, I decided to see what the menu had to offer in the burger department. I was rather surprised to find that they had quite the selection of unique and eclectic choices. I decided on the Ravioli Roma ($12.99). As it is described on their menu, this is a fresh black angus burger topped with a jumbo 5 cheese fried ravioli, marinara sauce and provolone cheese on a butter toasted ciabatta roll. After reading this description, how could I not get it?! A burger mixed with Italian…as Charlie Sheen would say, “#winning.”

When the burger came, the first thing that struck me were the colors of the dish. The marinara sauce was bright red, the fried ravioli was a toasted brown, the burger was charred from the grill and the bun was shining with what looked like a fresh coat of butter. As I bit into the burger, it revealed a nice medium center. The ravioli added a nice textural element to the burger with its crunchy exterior. I was almost expecting the ravioli to lend more of a cheesy element to the burger.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t as cheesy as I would’ve hoped…but then again, I do thoroughly enjoy my cheese. The marinara sauce took the place of a ketchup or BBQ sauce that you would normally top a burger with, and it was a pleasant surprise. The marinara was deep in flavor and had a slight sweetness to it, that complimented the rich burger and ravioli nicely. While I would’ve thought a sturdy ciabatta roll would have been the perfect roll for this type of burger, it just didn’t stand up well against its formidable contents. While it was buttery and delicious, I found that I had to squeeze it to keep the burger in one piece and as a result, more or less made two ciabatta pieces of paper. The fresh cut fries were a delight, as they were salted wonderfully and twice fried for a crunchy, golden outside that we all want from a fry!

As I downed an additional beverage, I was happy to say that Brew City has evolved (atleast to me anyways) from an average restaurant and bar, to a Shrewsbury Street staple with a menu to rival any of the burger places I have visited already. The menu has been refined, while still offering a wide variety of choices, while still being unique with character all it’s own. I just wish my stomach and wallet had the room to try more of their delectable sounding burgers, like the Buffalo Jam, Hot Mess or Thai Blue…but I guess tomorrow is another day! As my burger quest continues, I can always use recommendation. Tweet and follow me @edioufuc5 and your burger suggestion might be my next spot. Until next time…

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The XXR Burger from Park Grill & Spirits

The spicy XXR Burger from Park Grill & Spirits

Set back from the street on the quieter end of Park Avenue, past Worcester mainstays of Blue Jeans Pizza, Loft 266, Leitrim’s and Shiraz (wonderful middle eastern fare) is the Park Grill & Spirits restaurant. A modest curb appeal with premium parking in front of the restaurant makes the space seem smaller than it really is. The front of the restaurant is the bar, adorned with a generous bar, table top seating and a section for live music. A small hallway leads back to a dining room with seating for upwards of 30-50 patrons during their busy hours. As we made our way back to the dining room, we noticed that we were the only ones there for dinner…a sad state of affairs for any restaurant on a mid-week night. Although, we were enjoying the peace and quiet, although we were still able to hear 90’s tunes being sung from the bar area, which unfortunately sounded more like karaoke than composed musicians.

Anyways, I digress…when it came to picking a burger, I needed to try something different. I had done the bacon route, and the mushroom route, with various cheeses and different toppings. But for those of you who may or may not know, I love a spicy burger. Every time I see a burger that might awaken my taste buds, I have to order it. However, I am usually searching for more heat and am disappointed at the end of the meal. So when I come across the XXR Burger on the menu, I am intrigued. The burger is topped with hot capicola, lettuce, tomato, onion, provolone cheese and XXR sauce. The XXR sauce was described by the waitress as extremely hot and spicy…sold! I got my burger with no tomato and cooked medium. When the burger came out, the XXR sauce was dripping from all sides of the burger, bright red in color, speckled with seeds from whichever pepper it was derived from and resembling liquid hot magma; a visual reminder of my impending doom. However, with taste buds intact, I dive in. The first bite was juicy and gooey with cheese. The burger, seemed to be cooked a nice medium, however appeared as though it was a frozen patty minutes before presentation. Then the heat from the sauce kicks in. Slowly at first and then quick and abrupt…like slamming on the brakes in your car or getting slapped across the face. My mouth was alive. For the first couple of bites, the sauce had great flavor. Very smoky and almost fruity in a sense, but the heat turned out to be cumulative. I found myself reaching for my soda and fries to help quench the unquenchable burn that was happening in my mouth and on my lips.

At this point, the onion, cheese and lettuce were rendered indistinguishable in texture and flavor as they were all consumed by the heat from the XXR sauce. The fries provided a crispy relief doused in ketchup, but this was one of those burns that only time and dairy could calm. After suffering through the end of my burger, I was overcome with joy knowing that I no longer had to consume anymore of this burger. I had apparently met my match when it comes to spicy burgers. You can’t say that I wasn’t warned, as the waitress gave an accurate description of the sauce and I still willingly jumped at the opportunity to try it. As the old saying goes, hindsight is 20/20…as was the case with my burger choice; decent sized patty, buttery bun, great toppings, yet overpowered by one ingredient. But as the burn slowly fades away, my vision is looking forward; forward to my next burger destination. Where will my burger quest take me next? I guess you will have to wait to find out. Until next time…

Have suggestions for burgers in the Central MA area? Tweet me at @edioufuc5.