Tag: Buttermilk fried Quail

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A Little Bit of Chorizo Stuffed Calamari and A Lot of the Grilled Tri Tip Steak at Lock 50

Grilled Tri Tip Steak from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA

Summertime and the livings easy! Worcester is in full bloom and so are all of the new restaurants, cafes and bars throughout the city! Lock 50 stands out on crowded Water St. with its beautiful outdoor patio and exposed brick exterior. It was cozy and stylish with fun decor. I especially loved the hanging lights and rock salt crystal candle holders that were set on each table.

Buttermilk Fried Quail from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, Ma
Buttermilk Fried Quail from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, Ma

Our table of 5 quickly agreed to take the “YOLO” route and ordered a little bit of everything. For small plates we went with the Assorted Bread Basket, Grilled Beets, Potato Gnocchi, Chorizo Stuffed Calamari, Shaved Compressed Octopus, and the Buttermilk Fried Quail. My favorite of the 6 was undoubtedly the Chorizo Stuffed Calamari which was accompanied with zesty tomato broth and chickpeas. It reminded me of manicotti, but instead of pasta it was grilled calamari. I’ve honestly never seen or tasted anything like it!

As if all of that wasn’t enough we also ordered three shareable plates which were a lot larger than I expected. We went with the Porchetta, Grilled Tri Tip Steak and the Roasted 1/2 Chicken. All three were phenomenal, but the one that stood out most was the Tri Tip Steak with Roasted Potato and Broccoli Rabe Pesto. I had never thought of putting pesto with my steak but it was fabulous and cooked to perfection. After one bite I found myself going back for more.. and more.. and more.. until it was all gone. Each and every plate I tried was extremely satisfying and unique.

Our server was fantastic and well-versed on the entire menu. For drinks she recommended the Lookout Farm Cider from Natick and I’m so glad she did. I’m not normally a cider drinker because they tend to be on the sweeter side but this one was dry, crisp and refreshing! Definitely a new Summer go-to.

After ordering a handful of the small plates we asked if there was anything she thought was a must-try and she suggested the Buttermilk Fried Quail. It added a crunch that other plates lacked and I’m glad we went with it. Overall prompt service and great recommendations!

Lock 50 is a restaurant that brings out the best in Worcester! Although I found the dinner menu on the pricier side, it’s absolutely worth it for date night or a special occasion. I’ve been told their coffee (especially their Nitro Brew) and crepe selection is one of the best in the city, so I’ll be sure to hit up their cafe for a weekend treat! Overall it was a fantastic evening and my favorite Foodie adventure to date!

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Porchetta, Grilled Sausage, Pork rib, Stewed Lentils, Fried Polenta

Porchetta, Grilled Sausage, Pork rib, Stewed Lentils, Fried Polenta from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA

Beautiful windows line one whole wall of Lock 50 but unfortunately they look out over a dreary street. No view to speak of but beautiful light streaming in thru a gorgeous set of windows. Another side wall showing old exposed brick really helped to make this place unique. The dining room we sat in was very loud. In fact I found it extremely hard to have a conversation with my dining companions and we sat at a table for six.

Our server explained to us how the menu worked: there were small dishes that she urged us to share so that we could try more options and told us ordering 2-3 dishes per couple was a good idea; then to finish off with a share-able dish at the end. This is exactly what my husband and I decided to do.

Our three dishes started with Crisped Fontina cheese with fresh crostini which was the single most amazing thing I put in my mouth all evening. It was truly a delight and this would be something I would order each and every time I go back to Lock 50. Our second small dish to share was the Buttermilk fried Quail in a cranberry gravy; while this wasn’t bad in any way it wasn’t anything to write home about. My husband I and both enjoyed it but we both agreed it wasn’t something we would order again. Our third small dish was the Cured meat board, which was delicious and I would order this again in a heartbeat, it came with three different cured meats and a pepperoni paste that we spread on the crostini bread that came with the board. For our “share-able” meal we ordered the “Porchetta, Grilled Sausage, Pork Rib, Stewed Lentils and Fried Polenta. With the exception of the fried polenta this share-able plate was delicious. The Polenta was so heavily salted that my no one at our table could eat it. I do believe there was a mix up in the kitchen with this. But the rest of this plate was excellent.

Our server, Madison, was very knowledgeable about the menu and was happy to share with us her favorite dishes on the menu. She was prompt and was very quick to respond to our requests throughout the night.

I was very happy with most of the food we ordered and consumed. The service was excellent. I enjoyed pretty much everything we ordered with the exception of an overly salty Fried Polenta. I would most certainly go back and recommend this to my friends and family. There was a lot of thought put into some of the dishes I had last night and I look forward to seeing more of what this chef has to offer.