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Salad Topped with Salmon from Livia’s Dish

Salad Topped with Salmon from Livia's Dish on Main Street in Worcester, MA

Salad Topped with Salmon from Livia's Dish on Main Street in Worcester, MA

The latest incarnation of Foodies brought us to Livia’s Dish on Main Street, just outside of Webster Square. As with many of our gatherings, Livia’s Dish has been on my list of restaurants to visit, but for whatever reason, just haven’t been able to get to yet.

Located in a wonderfully renovated space, there are two dining areas. The lower level is an open and spacious room filled with light and very inviting and relaxing. Walk up a short flight of stairs to another dining area which shares space with a small, full service bar.

The menu is very interesting with a mix of Mediterranean and Italian dishes with a variety of appetizers, salads and main courses. There was plenty to choose from including a few daily specials and the Wednesday $5 Burgers.

Our server brought complimentary grilled homemade bread and hummus while we perused the menu. The hummus had a strong lemon-garlic flavor and the bread was fresh and well made. Another nice touch was the bottle of water that was on every table ensuring that we would never had to ask for a refill throughout the meal.

For my main course I ordered a salad topped with salmon and was assured by our server it will be plenty of food for dinner. When it arrived I understood exactly what she meant as the dish was overflowing with fresh mixed greens, chopped peppers, ripe tomatoes, cucumbers and topped with a huge piece of grilled salmon. The fish was outstanding, fresh and perfectly prepared. The balsamic lemon dressing offered a slightly tart taste that worked well with both the fish and the salad and enjoyed a glass of Pinot Noir with my meal.

For dessert, our end of the table shared and enjoyed a homemade cannoli and coffee.

Livia’s Dish is a great spot for a casual yet upscale meal. The service was outstanding, the food was excellent and after our meal, we enjoyed a great conversation with the owner who was very hospitable.

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Kibbee Plate

Traditionally Lebanese, the Kibbee Plate from Shiraz Armenian Cuisine combined several Mediterranean delicacies, including the signature kibbee over rice pilaf, a hot grape leave stuffed with meat and rice, and cooling cucumber yogurt. Having never had kibbee, I was unsure of what to expect. Although it’s appearance seemed to be a dry, layered, meat stuffing, the consistency was anything but. The ground meat consisted of a wheat consistency with incredible seasonings of onions, green pepper, cinnamon, allspice, cumin, and basil. Reminiscent of an autumn meat stuffing, the combination of the kibbee with rice and jajek was filling and satisfying. -LV

The portion was huge, the rice was piled high with three large pieces of kibbee placed on top. The kibbee was moist and flavorful however I didn’t taste the lamb which was a disappointment. The pilaf was good, not dry. The grape leaves were made with rice and tomato, a combination I have never had, which I found tastier than the typical lemon flavor.  The jajek was yogurt with cucumbers, the cucumbers were fresh and crisp and the yogurt was cold and tasty, a great combination with the kibbee. Overall I would definitely go again to try another dish! -JV