Tag: gravy

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Short Ribs Over Fried Polenta

short ribs over fried polenta from O'Connor's on West Boylston Street in Worcester, MA

short ribs over fried polenta from O'Connor's on West Boylston Street in Worcester, MA

O’Connor’s Restaurant is truly a gem. What once started as a small place to have a drink and a meal has turned into quite a large establishment. O’Connor’s is situation on route 12 where route 190 meets. This Irish sounding restaurant has Irish fare and many selections from all over Europe, including England, Spain and Portugal with quite an extensive menu. Once you enter, you notice a lot of natural looking wood on the walls, rustic but sophisticated with a casual dining areas throughout the building, giving you the impression of a small cozy space. Robust conversations came from the large bar area as we entered and was located just off the entrance. As you leave this area and journey further into the restaurant proper you hear the noise level diminish and again you feel like you are in a small cozy and setting with friendly surroundings.

Once we were seated, our server was prompt and came right over to attend us. I found our servers to be very friendly, open, and knowledgeable about the menu. When asked what our servers favorites dishes where there was no hesitation in telling us their favorites and why. After hearing my server tell me her favorite I knew what my choice would be for the evening.

I started my meal with an appetizer called “Shelagh sticks” they were amazing. It was mashed corned beef that had a creamy-ness to it that was wrapped in dough and then deep fried. It came with a honey mustard type of dipping sauce but I found it to be so tasty I never used any sauce with it. The dough was very light and was really just there to hold the moist meat together inside. Truly something I would come back for again and again.

I also had a side salad with mixed greens and an amazing blue cheese dressing. It was just the right size for a side salad.

For my meal I chose the “short ribs over fried polenta.” I received 6 short ribs bone in and was happily pleased to see the meat come off the bone very easily. The rib meat was tender and flavorful and came in a brown gravy which only enhanced the flavor. The polenta was fried crispy on the outside and was creamy on the inside. Truly a dish I will come back for and have many times again.

I would recommend this place to my friends and anyone who wishes to have a fantastic meal with fantastic server knowing the food is prepared loving and for your enjoyment. I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant. It will be forever on my rotation of favorite restaurants.

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Veal and Sausage Mafia from Rosalina’s Kitchen

Veal and Sausage Mafia from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

Veal and Sausage Mafia from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

I’m not Italian. But, for all intensive purposes (e.g., having memorized Godfather, point with both my pinkie and index, my Sinatra playlist, etc.) I like to believe that I would have made a great Italian—despite not being the biggest fan of gravy. To be fair, I have a lot of family and friends that are considered old school in their Italian heritage and, even as a child, I had fallen in love with their traditions that combined “famiglia con il cibo.”

In a city like Worcester, Italian restaurants are not hard to find—you have the staples, contemporary interpretations, and even the avant-garde hybrids that combine various dining categories—but it wasn’t until my visit to Rosalina’s Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, that I found what authentic Italian meant.

To start, Rosalina’s Kitchen is not pretentious. The space is cozy, yet deceptively large. Diners sit in simple chairs at plain table clothed square tables surrounded by a decor that is anything but consistent—from drop ceiling tiles through its black and white basket-weave floor tiles. All of this is charming, welcoming, and a breath of fresh air to the Worcester dining scene. During our visit—on a Wednesday—Rosalina’s Kitchen was full of lively guests—some talking quietly to their dining companions while others were boisterously having conversations with the tables next to them. The atmosphere had an energy that combined the warmth of a Sunday dinner at home with an extended family with the nostalgic Italian smells wafting through the air from the kitchen.

The menu was creative but decidedly Italian—staying true to the genre without adding too much “creativity.” I will admit, upon looking at the meals I felt like a kid on a playground not knowing which ride to start with; I wanted to order everything. After long deliberation—strategically listening to what my dining companions were ordering on the off chance I could steal a bite from them—I decided on the Veal & Sausage Mafia: “a delightful combination of sautéed veal & sausage bites with mushrooms simmered in a roasted red pepper sauce.” It was immediately evident that this was home cooking by the hands of a chef who loves to cook. The pasta was cooked as expected and bathed with the perfect amount of sauce that carried the flavors of the roasted red peppers and texture of the mushrooms. While the round, thinly sliced sausage added a great flavor to the dish, the true star with the sautéed veal. The texture, the flavor, the portions came together masterfully to round off the entire dining experience.

Rosalina’s Kitchen has been open since 2011, but is quickly gaining popularity as a safe, clean, neighborhood restaurant. Its BYOB policy is very appealing too, as it helps to ensure that a group, large or small, is able to affordably imbibe in their drink of choice with their meals. With an inviting atmosphere and authentic meals (including their speciality: homemade raviolis) Rosalina’s Kitchen is focused on combining “famiglia con il cibo”—even for those of us who aren’t Italian.