Worcester Foodies ventured to Chioda’s Trattoria on Franklin Street, an unassuming Italian restaurant that has been part of Worcester for many year. It is a bit out of the way but as you will see, very much worth the trip!
Chioda’s prides itself on creating a very authentic, home-style Italian dining experience. The atmosphere is very homey, almost like you are walking into your friends house for dinner. The waitstaff was friendly, and extremely helpful and fun. For my dinner I chose one of their “signature dishes – the “Tour of Italy” – not to say the other entrees didn’t sound good, but our server told me that if I had a big appetite and I wanted to get a true feeling for the Chef and the restaurant – The Tour of Italy was the dish for me.
The dish consisted of two overstuffed shells, a healthy portion of eggplant parmigiano, another portion of chicken parmigiano, an Italian sausage and a huge meatball. When delivered to the table, it certainly was a sight to behold and a dish that smelled as good as it tasted. The creamy cheese mixture that filled the shells was definitely not just ricotta, probably a combination of cheeses and had also hints of basil and black pepper. The shells was cooked al dente and held together nicely. The eggplant and chicken parmagianos were perfectly cooked, both with crispy breadcrumbs outside and topped with mozzarella cheese. The sausage was outstanding, with hints fennel, parsley and nutmeg and a nice spicy finish that paired perfectly with the creamy stuffed shells. But the best by far was the meatball, so good in fact I wanted to order a few to take home for lunch but I resisted. The meatball was moist and flavorful, seemed to be a beef and pork mixture, again with hints of basil and parsley and cooked perfectly. The entire dish was smothered in a rich red sauce that was deep and dense, probably having simmered for hours earlier. I enjoyed a glass of house Chianti with my meal and there was a never-ending supply of freshly baked bread served to our table. Now comes the part that puts this meal over the top… $18.
Chioda’s is a family run restaurant that offers a great value, outstanding flavorful food and a wonderful staff that makes everyone feel comfortable – features that Worcester restaurant one everyone should visit and experience for themselves!
