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Shrimp Scampi from Via’s Brunch

Shrimp Scampi from Via on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Shrimp Scampi from Via on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

The menu described this dish as pan seared shrimp with grape tomatoes, parsley, and a lemon white wine butter sauce. All served over a spaghetti. And it was nicely delivered just as stated. The sauce was very lemony and very flavorful. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the spaghetti was cooked firm to the bite, the perfect al dante, just the way I love it. It was a smaller portion which was perfect for brunch. We also indulged in the Smoked Salmon Plate. The salmon was just perfect, rich and delicious, with the perfect extras of capers, red onion and a light mustard sauce. I look forward to enjoying brunch there again.

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Fettuccine Tossed with Fresh Parmesan

Fettuccine Tossed with Fresh Parmesan from Livia's Dish on Main Street in Worcester, MA

Fettuccine Tossed with Fresh Parmesan from Livia's Dish on Main Street in Worcester, MA

On Main Street, on the way into Leicester, you will find a small little restaurant front with about 10 parking spaces and a welcome sign drawing you into Livia’s Dish. As you enter, you can feel as though you are stepping into someone living room, with personalized touches and a homey feel. The smells of home cooked food emanating from the kitchen and the sound of customer’s conversations litter the air as you wait to be served. As we waited for the main course, we were greeted with homemade hummus and bread that had been slightly toasted, buttered and drizzled with Olive oil. While it was unlike any other hummus I have ever had, it was creamy and was a great start to the meal.

After perusing the menu, I decided on Livia’s Dish. This entrée was fettuccine tossed with fresh parmesan, parsley, butter and asparagus, topped with a perfectly poached egg. I was excited for the idea of having a poached egg to thicken the sauce and make the dish more rich. First off, the poached egg was less than perfectly poached, which was extremely disappointing. The yolk was almost fully cooked and not runny at all, as I was hoping for. The pasta was cooked so dente and had a good bite to it. The dish as a whole however desperately needed a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. The other aspects of the meal, like the parsley and the asparagus added a nice freshness and texture to a smooth, creamy plate of pasta. While my dinner was less than ideal, my wandering eye was drawn to other meals on our table that looked delicious. I would definitely be willing to go back and try something else on their menu. The ambiance and cheerful service would be enough the get me back a second time.