Tag: canal district

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Chicken Shawarma Dinner Plate

Chicken Shawarma Dinner Plate from Bay State on Water Street in Worcester, MA

Chicken Shawarma Dinner Plate from Bay State on Water Street in Worcester, MA

As a patron that frequents the Canal District more than any other section in Worcester, I was surprised to learn that the restaurant that we would be dining at was on a very familiar area of Water Street. Bay State Shawarma and Grill is a restaurant that you may walk past ten times, but not pay it any attention. If this has been the case for some of our readers, then you should begin to take notice because this restaurant will be a pleasant surprise to your taste buds. Having a general idea of what Middle Eastern food had to offer, but not had the chance to truly sample shawarma, I had to go with a staple…the chicken shawarma dinner plate ($7.99). I began my meal with the hummus ($4.99), which was homemade and topped with a healthy drizzle of olive oil, fresh herbs and sliced pickles and served with pita bread. The hummus was smooth and hearty, with the olive oil adding a nice richness to the appetizer, while the pita bread with the perfect scooping vessel to deliver the delicious hummus to my mouth.

Now it was time for my dinner plate that I mentioned earlier. Fore go the fancy dinnerware and cutlery, as it is all paper plates and plastic forks. However, in no way does this detract from the experience whatsoever. On the flip side, it actually speeds up the serving process and limits the clean up as well. This meal came with a large portion of sliced chicken, served over rice (best comparison would be to rice pilaf). On the side, it came a side salad, and a variety of pickled vegetables, a small serving of hummus, and an onion-garlic-mint paste that was incredible. The chicken was seasoned nicely and was very juicy. What the kicker was for me were the pickled veggies and onion-garlic-mint paste. These additions added a great acidity to the dish, as well as a nice crunchy texture. The paste was also unassumingly spicy and was to die for when combined with the chicken and the rice. I routinely found myself taking a small portion of everything and mixing it together for one bite. Next time I visit this restaurant, and there definitely will be a next time, I am eager to try one of the different middle eastern dishes that they offer. Everything looked amazing, and from what I tasted, they have created a new fan in Middle Eastern cuisine.

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Middle Eastern Vegetarian

Middle Eastern selection at Bay State Shawarma

Middle Eastern selection at Bay State Shawarma

We recently visited the Bay State Shawarma and Grill which is located on Water Street. I was immediately excited because I love the Canal District and adding a new restaurant is a plus! We entered into a cafeteria style setting with the food behind a viewing counter. I was excited to see they had an assortment of vegetarian options as well as many meat options, those too on display, some on rotisserie! I chose the following: Vegetarian Grape leaves, Baba Ghanouj, Loubieh and Mujadara. The grape leaves were delicious, the leaves were not stringy (which I find happens more often than not) and the rice had a wonderful assortment of herbs and spices. Next I tried the Loubieh, I had never had this dish before, green beans mixed in a tomato sauce with onions and spices, truly a delight, there was so much flavor considering the few ingredients, the beans were fresh and they mixed well with the tomato sauce and spices. I will definitely get that again. Another dish I had never tried, the Mujadara, a mix of lentils, fried onions and spices served over rice. Hands down this was my favorite dish, lentil dishes can be dry, not this one, a blend of strong but not overpowering spices and caramelized but not dried out onions, the rice was great though my only wish would be this dish was served a bit warmer, but that might be due to the fact that there were so many of us to serve. Lastly, was the Baba Ghanouj, I like mine a bit on the smokier side, and this hit the mark! Creamy and smoky, I was in heaven, their pita bread was large and fresh and perfect for dipping. As I was finishing my last bite I was already planning when I could return, not only is this the best Middle Eastern food I have had in this area it is also paired with a bakery! One stop shopping! I highly recommend for those who love great Middle Eastern food that does not lack in flavor!