Joey’s Bar and Grill is situated on Chandler Street in Worcester. Tucked back into the corner of a strip mall it is a little unassuming. Once you enter, you notice a large bar that takes up the center of the space surrounded by small intimate and casual dining areas. Low lighting sets the mood for this place. Robust conversations from patrons surround you as you enter and give you the feeling of a neighborhood watering hole.
Once we were seated, our server was prompt and came right over to attend us. I found our server to be very friendly, open, and knowledgeable about the menu. The service seemed to be a little slow but that could have been due to our large group.
I started my meal with an appetizer called “Blue cheese and Chive dip” it was a creamy blue cheese dip with chives served with fresh homemade potato chips. This was a large portion and would have been just right for two people.
For my meal I chose the “Swordfish and Salmon” Medallions of swordfish and salmon over a creamy pesto sauce of cavatelli pasta with red peppers. A dollop of ricotta cheese in the center of the plate went fantastic with this and served to bring the dish to an all new level. I was very satisfied with my meal and cannot wait to revisit this place and try other wonderful sounding entrees on the menu.
For dessert, I ordered the lemon sorbet. It was a good-sized quantity and came with fresh berries. A very nice ending to a fantastic meal.
Worcester is home to some of the most amazing restaurants and some of the area’s best-known chefs practice their trade right in our back yard…but sometimes all that gastronomical genius makes it difficult to make healthy choices when dining out.
WooFood founders Adam Chin, Mitch Li, and Matthew DeWolf with Flying Rhino owner Paul Barber (third from left).
It is a well-known fact that making healthier eating choices are imperative to preventing or treating diseases like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease…but when presented the all-you-can-eat buffet, double chocolate red velvet cupcakes or the 24 oz rare prime rib, most of us simply cannot resist. Luckily for us, a newly formed organization promises to make it easier for us all to make better decisions when dining or ordering out in the city.
WooFood launched by UMass Medical Schools students Matthew DeWolf, Adam Chin and Mitch Li, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is working with area restaurants to develop and offer healthier menu items and to make sure they are clearly stated on menus and by servers.
WooFood’s goal is to empower and promote restaurants that encourage more healthy choices to their customers by making simple changes. The WooFood philosophy does not restrict choice, instead it is set up to make the healthier choice easier for diners. Customers eating at a WooFood certified restaurant can expect to find at least three dishes that are not only WooFood certified, but also chef certified—there is no lack of flavor, creativity, or effort. Two of the three options typically are crafted for vegetarians, complete with proteins, and wholesome options for growing children. As WooFood doesn’t require restaurants to remove any ingredients, you can rest assured that each certified meal is nutritious and delicious.
In order to become “WooFood Certified” a restaurant must first meet a series of prerequisites including:
At least three WooFood certified dishes are available and easy to identify
Two or more vegetarian dishes meeting WooFood standards are available
One or more WooFood Approved Desserts is available (featuring fresh or frozen fruit)
Whole grain options are available for the vast majority of grain based items
No trans fats are used and instead healthful oils such as Canola or Olive oil are used with no more than 2 pats of butter per dish if butter is used for cooking
Unsweetened and low sugar beverages are available on the menu
Low or Nonfat Dairy are available and the default choice
Must have at least one WooFood Certified kids meal following the same standards
Once a restaurant meets these basic criteria, they can become “WooFood Certified” and begin to work toward “WooFood Silver” and “WooFood Gold” certifications. The WooFood program does not stop with a restaurant’s menu, the team offers training for wait staff members and advertising and networking opportunities for the owners.
The menu for the Flying Rhino is constantly reinventing itself for each season, those items WooFood certified are displayed with the Certification icon.
In addition to encouraging healthy eating, WooFood has developed a concept called “Dinner for Now, Tomorrow’s Chow” where wait staff offer a customer to “wrap up” half their meal before they begin eating so as to encourage the overall intake of less food.
Three local restaurants have become WooFood Certified including Flying Rhino, Nancy Chang and Wooberry Frozen Yogurt and more will be coming on-line in the very near future. Paul Barber, owner of Flying Rhino on Shrewsbury Street recently said, “Not only are we trying to do the right thing for our customer, we definitely see the value a WooFood certification brings our restaurant and will continue to work and grow with the organization.”
So look for the bright leaf logo indicating a restaurant is “WooFood Certified”…you’ll feel better about the choices you make when eating out.
Worcester is home to some of the most amazing restaurants and some of the area’s best-known chefs practice their trade right in our back yard…but sometimes all that gastronomical genius makes it difficult to make healthy choices when dining out.
