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Brunch: Salmon Salad from Via

Salmon Salad from Via on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Salmon Salad from Via on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

We switched up our usual Tuesday night for a Sunday morning brunch at Via Italian Table for this past Worcester Foodie event and let me tell you, it was a pleasant surprise. I was a little apprehensive when the next pick was Via, I had been there on several occasions and each time left feeling disappointed. I was excited to try them again.  The menu was an exciting blend of breakfast and lunch options with so many great looking options it was very hard to make a decision.

For an appetizer I selected  the Yogurt Parfait: homemade spumoni granola with pistachios, dried cherries, chocolate chips and vanilla Greek yogurt. I had never had granola with pistachios or dried cherries so I was excited to try it. It was delicious,  just  the right amounts of pistachios and chocolate chips and the dried cherries added the hint of sweetness, I will add this to my granola at home from now on.

For my entrée I ordered the Salmon Salad- grilled north Atlantic salmon with avocado, fresh corn, tomatoes, zucchini ribbons, mixed greens and homemade pesto. My Salmon Salad arrived in a large, deep dish.  It was so colorful, the avocado, corn, cherry tomatoes and zucchini ribbons blended perfectly, it was an innovative combination of vegetables which was complimented by the homemade pesto, which you could tell was homemade, not too garlicy, either. The vegetables were not overcooked and there was a green salad at the bottom of the vegetable, very light and refreshing. The salmon was large, which I asked to be Cajun seasoned, and they cooked it perfectly, it was light and flaky and obviously fresh. I made a note to myself this would be something I would come back for. I watched all the meals arrive and I must say I am excited to go back to try other dishes because they all looked delicious.  I paired my food with a Flight of Bubbles, a sampling of all Bellini and Mimosa options.  The display of the Flight of Bubbles was beautiful, and I will not be able to do it justice in my review, it arrived with four mini wine glasses hung on a metal flower shaped stand.  Each glass was better than the next, all refreshing and made perfectly. I am happy to say that I look forward to returning not only for the brunch but for dinner too!

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Losh Kebab with Yogurt

Losh Kebab with Yogurt

Losh Kebab with Yogurt

Presentation of Shiraz Armenian Cuisine’s Losh Kebab was unexpected and not altogether pleasing to the eye. I was expecting skewered shish kebab but instead two large seasoned hamburgers over garlicy yogurt sauce covered flatbread. I was forced to look up the middle eastern definition of kebab and discovered that a kabob is meat can come in many forms – small or large cuts, ground, grilled, baked, stewed… It looked hard to eat and it was, but it was deliciously authentic. Cutting through the whole pita at the bottom was tricky even though the yogurt softened the bread just enough without becoming mushy. I was accustomed to my grandmother preparing this dish in bite-sized pieces with stewed beef and onion, but was pleasantly surprised that with my eyes closed there was a sense of nostalgia there. The losh kebab entrée was a great value, about $12 for a large iceberg side salad with a light lemon-mint dressing, plate of buttery rice pilaf, and main dish with grilled tomato and green pepper garnish. Being of middle eastern decent, I can appreciate the authenticity of dish and look forward to visiting again. The atmosphere of the restaurant is another story. Shiraz is a place I’d go to for lunch on my own, but not for date night out as the décor is outdated and bland. -MO