Tag: cream

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Urban’s Chicken and Dumplings

Urban Kitchen's Chicken and Dumplings

Urban Kitchen's Chicken and Dumplings

The Urban Kitchen and Bar housed in the former Coral Seafood on Shrewsbury Street is one of Worcester’s newest dining destinions for upscale dining. Upon entering the restaurant one is greeted by a theater style wall over the bar and a subtle renovation to the prior restaurant.

After reviewing the menu I was drawn to the restaurant week menu and the thought of warm savory chicken and dumplins on a cold winters night. For my first course I started with the Salsify Clam Chowder. The clam chowder came with Manila clams in the shell small pieces of root vegitables, celery, thyme, cream, bacon, and a nice smokey flavor and was a nice twist on a New England clam chowder. The one suggestion would be a little less salt.

The chicken and dumplings was described as a mushroom consomme, Swiss chard, beech mushrooms, and toasted garlic. The dish was masterfully prepared and lived up to the desciption of the dish, but was overly salty and missed the mark for chicken and dumplins.  It was an exquisitely prepared dish in the style of a good French trained chef, but missed the slow cooking and comfort food nature of chicken and dumplins in my opinion.

For desert, I opted for the carrot cake with candied pecans and cream cheese gelato.   This was a nice petite desert in which the high point was the cream cheese gelato which left me wanting for more gelato.   Again quality and attention to detail was apparent.

Overall, I was impressed with the quality, presentation, and effort that went into each dish. My struggle with dinner was two of my dishes were oversalted and the portions were small.  I felt satisfied after my four course meal with an extra appetizer I ordered, yet if it had not been restaurant week the smaller portions and pricey menu might be a challenge to the Worcester dining scene. To find it’s place in the Worcester dining scene The Urban Kitchen will need to find it blend of quality, creative menu, and value in the Worcester market.

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Roasted Lobster Tail + Butter Poached Claws

Lobster Tail and Claws from The Urban on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Lobster Tail and Claws from The Urban on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Despite it being my favorite food, despite seeing it on a menu in the dead of winter, I had decided against lobster twice in the week leading up to our February Foodies meeting. I have no rational explanation as to why, but it may have been a fear that the elusive winter lobster would be previously frozen and/or poorly cooked. But then I saw it as the first entree at The Urban Kitchen + Bar.  Just read the description: roasted lobster tail + butter poached claws, lobster bisque, potato & parsnip puree, braised fennel, chervil.  Surely this would be no frozen boiled winter abomination.

After hearing the portions would be small, I decided to start with the clam chowder, which in and of itself is a rare occurrence. Clam chowder is so heavy!  Definitely not a mere starter to a meal.  The Urban’s chowder is different, light and smooth with exceptional flavors. It is titled “salsify clam chowder” and includes manilla clams, bacon, thyme, cream, and housemade oyster crackers.  Fun fact: salsify is a root vegetable and not a cooking technique.  This “chowder” with housemade oyster crackers is the best liquid food I have ever eaten.  I ended up scraping the bowl with bread and only then was restrained from licking the bowl by the fancy ambiance and linen napkins.

Then I was a bit disappointed.  Yes, we were a large group, but it was a long time before the entrees arrived.  About an hour and I was starving!  I am all for small portions with strong, complex flavors, but they need to follow each other quickly.  I was a bit shocked to see one tiny claw, when the menu says “claws,” and a very tiny split lobster tail that would not even qualify as a chicken lobster.  But I must say, that potato and parsnip puree was heavenly.  A light, foamy texture, it was smooth and rich and came with more than enough to drag all the lobster bites through.  The fennel was braised very well and had the texture of caramelized onions.  The dish was very good, but I was definitely still hungry afterwards.

I would recommend that instead of planning for an appetizer and entree, you go for multiple courses.  An appetizer, followed by a pasta, then mains, then dessert.  Yes, this method will cost nearly $100 a person, and more if you have drinks, but the dinner experience will be worth it.  After all, I didn’t even know salsify was a food and parsnips have never touched my mouth before, but I would eat that soup and mains all day.