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Smoked Duck Sausage at deadhorse hill

Duck Sausage from deadhorse hill on Main Street in Worcester, MA

The social media feeds had been buzzing with anticipation over the newest kid to the culinary scene in Worcester. That new establishment resides where the old Ritual used to be on Main Street and has a brand new look from front to back. Greeted by the open windows of the front of the restaurant, the space is split in half by the centrally located bar, with an open view to the kitchen; where you can watch some of deadhorse hill’s best prepare your meals for the evening. The space was bright and vibrant, being classy and industrial at the same time, painting the tin ceilings a contrasting color than the walls to pop and using tall, hanging lights to adorn the bar. The bar seats add additional character as no two are alike.

Southern Fried Chix Thighs from deadhorse hill on Main Street in Worcester, MA
Southern Fried Chix Thighs from deadhorse hill on Main Street in Worcester, MA

Being that this is a relative specialty restaurant that features local ingredients and a menu that changes depending on the offerings of the day, the menu is small…5 or 6 “small choices” and roughly the same amount of “large” dishes. Having anticipated the evening, I did not eat much during the day. I was famished. I decided to order a “small dish” of southern fired chicken with hot sauce and honey ($16). Expecting a couple of small drumsticks or a wing as a starter, I was taken back when I was served two massive deep fried chicken thighs. The chicken was coated in a crispy, brown and perfectly seasoned batter. The addition of the honey with the hot sauce made for a sweet departure from the spiciness of the sauce. The chicken was moist and made me wanting more. As if this starter wasn’t enough to make me call it quits for the night, I decided to order the smoked duck sausage ($24), which came accompanied with cranberry beans and greens. The cranberry bean is also known as the borlotti bean, and is not cranberry-like in nature. Rather, the name is derived from the color of the bean’s pod and the bean itself, which tends to speckled with maroon, however lose their bright color during the cooking process. The sausage had a slight game bird flavor to it, as you would expect any duck meal would. The natural casing of the sausage added a nice snap and texture to the dish. The flavors were rich and fully developed. The beans were cooked nicely and had a smooth texture to them. The green’s bitterness helped cut through the richness of the sausage. I love duck and whenever I see it on a menu, I have to order it. You will not be disappointed with this rendition.

The wait staff at deadhorse hill was very attentive and energetic. They lent their knowledge of the menu to the table and gave suggestions when it came to ordering. Our waitress was very friendly and outgoing and always seemed to have a big smile on her face. While she was not the hovering type, she seemed to always be around when you needed something, like a drink refill or your dishes cleared. At an establishment that seems to pride itself on everything having to do with the customer, it does not surprise me that the wait staff excelled at their duties this night.

I was pleasantly surprised with the final product that deadhorse hill was able to deliver. Nestled next to the Palladium and City Hall, it gives you a reason to go to Main Street in Worcester, when otherwise you would attempt to avoid it at all costs. With the emergence of restaurants like Armsby Abbey and deadhorse hill is proof that the food scene in Worcester is catching on. I would definitely recommend deadhorse hill to anyone looking to get a perfectly cooked meal with a little class and a slight flare. Being on the pricier side of the spectrum, it would make for a perfect date night or anniversary site for you and your significant other. The charm, atmosphere, spirits and food would be enough to bring me back again. Whether you’re sipping on your ‘Gansett from a Grimace glass or tearing up the $110 huge dry-aged prime ribeye, you will be happy with whatever you choose on the menu!

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Lock 50 Small Plates and Roasted Half Chicken

The Meat Board from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA

I love walking into a new restaurant and seeing all the possibilities that lie within. The expectations of either good or bad. I can say that I was very happily surprised and delighted to find the location that was once a dentist’s supply warehouse into a modern eatery with ample warm character and charm. Keeping the wood beams and brick along with modern décor. As a photographer who often photographs architecture, I found this to be wonderfully laid out and ample in size as well, accommodating our large party in the front of the building and a large event happening in the lower part of the building.

Looking around at the patrons, it was a large contrast to the last restaurant, or “gastro pub” that I reviewed where I felt a little out of place because I didn’t have enough flannel, big beard, and skinny jeans. At Lock 50, I noticed many ladies dressed for their late afternoon get-togethers and ladies evening out. A more sophisticated crowd that went along with the sophisticated menu. The only complaint we had was that due to all the hard surfaces, it was a bit loud with all the people chatting. I’ll chalk this up with the fact that they just opened and still need some interior dressing to make the place perfect.

Sitting down after we had our greetings and hugs, we ordered our appetizer, which was a wonderful cured meat board, which happened to have many different cured meats and this wonderful pepperoni spread that was a hit. The bread that I believe she mentioned comes from Iggy’s in Cambridge was pretty much addictive. I think our only complaint was that we would have loved some amazing local cheese to go with the meat board, but that’s just me being selfish.

Donna (my wife) and I ordered the roasted half chicken with mushrooms, marsala syrup and fried sage. All I can say is that the chicken was cooked perfectly and the mushrooms which I believed were marinated in the marsala syrup and then pan seared, were so tender and tasty that other people were picking them out of our dish to sample and then go back for more. I had to slap some hands away to keep some for myself.

What I love so much about the “small plate” experience is that for me, it’s all about the sharing process. At our table, we shared each other’s food to sample. I felt like even though I ordered just a couple of plates, I was able to sample almost everything on the menu and at the end of the night not feel so incredibly gut busted, but satiated and happy. That being said, I didn’t have any dessert as I might have tipped the scales a bit too far.

Being a “made to order” restaurant, you should be ready to wait a bit for your food. All of these things are made to order just for you and if there’s a large party, it might take a bit longer than a fast food or chain restaurant. This is not really a problem for me or the others as we are very social and love to chat. For the most part, this monthly get together is the only time we get to see each other and it’s a great time to catch up, have a drink and hear each others stories. Good times.

Our lovely and sweet server was Madison. She was ever present and happy to address anything we needed. She had a quick smile and was incredibly pleasant. We had a special surprise when Chef Tim Russo came out to chat with us and educate us on our dishes and his excitement of the new restaurant. It always is a good sign when a Chef comes out from the kitchen to chat with his clients. It was a very professional touch.

Overall, I’d have to say that this is one of my favorite new locations and I’m sure to be back with friends and family. There were some menu items that literally had my mouth watering and I feel I am now completely addicted too.