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Stuffed Pork Loin

In homage to Southern cuisine, the Stuffed Pork Loin at 86 Winter on Water Street adds an elegant flare to an American meal. The center cut pork loin was cooked to perfection and topped, not stuffed, with a floury, crumbly, cornbread of equal size to the pork loin it rested upon. Topping both the cornbread and pork loin was a slice of jalépeno pepperjack cheese that infused the contrasting flavors of the cornbread and meat. Helping to bring closure to the array of flavors, a homemade bourbon barb-b-que sauce, with a slight tang of marinara, acted as a base. Accompanying the main dish were thin sliced potatoes with an incredible cheese sauce and green beans with a familiar garlic and pepper flavor that left a pleasant aftertaste.

The portions of this meal were hearty and each side dish played an integral antagonist to the main course as their flavors competed for attention. The synergy of the textures and contrasting flavors played beautifully together to create a worthwhile meal.

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Mydia & Antipasto Art

Restaurant: Ritual, Main Street

The Facts: Mydia: Steamed mussels in light wine herb infused broth,  Art:  Artisan cheeses, cured meats, olives, roasted vegetables, assorted nuts and bread

Foodie’s Review: The steamed mussels arrived and they were overflowing from the bowl, the Mydia was an appetizer, and this was a generous portion! They were served with triangles of toasted pita bread. The mussels were small and tender and the broth was perfect, not too buttery with just the right amount of herbs and garlic. It was fantastic! The broth was great for dipping the pita bread in. This would have been an meal in itself for me. Along with the Mydia I ordered another appetizer, the Antipasto Art, art it was! The antipasto arrived on a huge cutting board/plate. The first thing I noticed was the variety of all the named ingredients. There were pistachios, almonds, two kinds of cheeses, roasted red peppers and artichokes, grapes, sliced apple and many types of meat, some I did not recognize, and two types of bread. I sampled everything and it was all very delicious. This was an appetizer for two to three people. I would order both these appetizers again, but with more people to share them with!

This review was done by an independent member of the Worcester Foodies group during their monthly meeting in May 2011.