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Drunken Noodle from Basil N’ Spice

Drunken Noodle from Basil N' Spice on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Drunken Noodle from Basil N' Spice on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Basil n’ Spice is tucked away in the back of Funky Murphy’s where Surya Indian Cuisine once was. I was very impressed with the remodeling. The low ceilings and old, outdated interior have been replaced with high ceilings, exposed brick, modern lighting and light-colored paint, which created a refreshing change. The bar area was beautiful–a great spot to grab drink.

We sat in the back at a long table where two waiters served us. They were courteous and quick. One of our waiters was actually an owner. She is a truly delightful woman. We could see that she takes pride in the food and enjoys running the restaurant.

It was difficult to decide what to order because there were so many appealing options.

To start, I ordered the Spring Fresh Rolls. These rice-paper wrapped rolls come with shrimp, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, fresh basil leaves and rice vermicelli along with peanut hoisin sauce. They arrived quickly and didn’t skimp on the shrimp, which I appreciated. The serving was enough for an appetizer although I would have enjoyed a bit more dipping sauce.

For dinner, I chose the Drunken Noodle. It’s a stir fried wide rice noodle with red and green bell peppers, carrots, onions, broccoli, and basil ‘n spicy sauce. I requested it extra hot.

It was a large portion–enough for two. I had never had this dish before and I found it delicious. I loved how the vegetables and tofu far outweighed the noodles. All of the vegetables were fresh too. The sauce tasted flavorful as well, but it was not spicy at all, which was disappointing because a hot chili displayed on the menu indicating heat. Plus I asked for it extra spicy. I will order this again and ask for it extra, extra, extra hot.

I can’t wait to return here for more Drunken Noodle and to try new menu items. Two highlights for me included seeing several vegetarian dishes and a responsive, pleasant staff. Plus the modern remodel made it a fun space to be in. I’ll definitely go back!

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Mediterranean Salad from Brew City

Mediterranean Salad from Brew City on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Mediterranean Salad from Brew City on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MAI like Brew City. It’s a dependable stop for all situations: wings and beer during Football, quick lunch meetings, or even enjoying a well prepared meal in a casual setting. In recent years, however, I’ve started to really appreciate something more than their impressive beer list: their menu.

It is safe to say that their burgers are winners. For years, their chef has combined often unlikely ingredients (like the Buffalo Jam burger) to stimulate the sensory glands of the mouth. But, how do they stack up to something more basic, like the Mediterranean Salad? Combining chopped Romaine lettuce with olives, feta cheese, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, tomato and cucumber, Brew City creates a house made balsamic vinaigrette dressing to bring together the textures and flavors that you’d expect with a Mediterranean experience. With the ability to add-on, I chose to top the (already very large salad) with medium rare grilled flank steak and a roasted shrimp skewer. The meat was thinly sliced and cooked as ordered. The seasoning to both the steak and shrimp added a nice burst of flavor to the already dynamically designed salad.

As one of the largest salads I’ve ordered, the Mediterranean Salad from Brew City is a great alternative to those looking to skip a burger or wings when catching the game with one of your favorite beers.