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A Little Bit of Chorizo Stuffed Calamari and A Lot of the Grilled Tri Tip Steak at Lock 50

Grilled Tri Tip Steak from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA

Summertime and the livings easy! Worcester is in full bloom and so are all of the new restaurants, cafes and bars throughout the city! Lock 50 stands out on crowded Water St. with its beautiful outdoor patio and exposed brick exterior. It was cozy and stylish with fun decor. I especially loved the hanging lights and rock salt crystal candle holders that were set on each table.

Buttermilk Fried Quail from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, Ma
Buttermilk Fried Quail from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, Ma

Our table of 5 quickly agreed to take the “YOLO” route and ordered a little bit of everything. For small plates we went with the Assorted Bread Basket, Grilled Beets, Potato Gnocchi, Chorizo Stuffed Calamari, Shaved Compressed Octopus, and the Buttermilk Fried Quail. My favorite of the 6 was undoubtedly the Chorizo Stuffed Calamari which was accompanied with zesty tomato broth and chickpeas. It reminded me of manicotti, but instead of pasta it was grilled calamari. I’ve honestly never seen or tasted anything like it!

As if all of that wasn’t enough we also ordered three shareable plates which were a lot larger than I expected. We went with the Porchetta, Grilled Tri Tip Steak and the Roasted 1/2 Chicken. All three were phenomenal, but the one that stood out most was the Tri Tip Steak with Roasted Potato and Broccoli Rabe Pesto. I had never thought of putting pesto with my steak but it was fabulous and cooked to perfection. After one bite I found myself going back for more.. and more.. and more.. until it was all gone. Each and every plate I tried was extremely satisfying and unique.

Our server was fantastic and well-versed on the entire menu. For drinks she recommended the Lookout Farm Cider from Natick and I’m so glad she did. I’m not normally a cider drinker because they tend to be on the sweeter side but this one was dry, crisp and refreshing! Definitely a new Summer go-to.

After ordering a handful of the small plates we asked if there was anything she thought was a must-try and she suggested the Buttermilk Fried Quail. It added a crunch that other plates lacked and I’m glad we went with it. Overall prompt service and great recommendations!

Lock 50 is a restaurant that brings out the best in Worcester! Although I found the dinner menu on the pricier side, it’s absolutely worth it for date night or a special occasion. I’ve been told their coffee (especially their Nitro Brew) and crepe selection is one of the best in the city, so I’ll be sure to hit up their cafe for a weekend treat! Overall it was a fantastic evening and my favorite Foodie adventure to date!

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This new restaurant has the Canal District on lock!

Chorizo Stuffed Calamari with Zesty Tomato Broth and Chickpeas from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA

“There was a lot to love about Lock 50, from the ambiance to the service, but my favorite part was the shareable plates. The act of sharing food creates conversation and brings about laughter and camaraderie.”

Set in an emerging neighborhood with an industrial sensibility, Lock 50 has upped the game for its neighbors. With a split-level space catering to the breakfast, lunch and dinner crowd as well as a nice patio area, the origins of Lock 50 are evident throughout its design and location as the 50th lock in the canal sitting at the intersection of Water, Pond and Harding Street.

The tapas-style menu is designed for sharing with small plate starters and more significantly rounded-out entrees. Sharing food can be tough in a mixed crowd but with a broad menu there’s something to please even the most scrutinous palates. Unlike many restaurants where bread is complimentary, the assorted bread basket at Lock 50 must be ordered from the menu. I wasn’t sure what to make of that but we ordered it, because that’s our job, and I was happy we did. There were at least three varieties of warm delicious bread with a choice of EVOO and whipped butter, which was delightfully rich and decadent. Our group also ordered a handful of small plates to try. While the Grilled Beets with Creamy Goat Cheese, Baby Kale and Blood Orange was lovely, the portion was on the small side for sharing (or I could just be a little selfish). The char offered a nice texture and the goat cheese and blood orange gave the beets a deeper more complex layer of flavors. The rest of the table ordered an array of plates from Potato Gnocchi with Bleu Cheese and Crispy Sweet Potato (one of the larger portioned selections), the Chorizo Stuffed Calamari with Zesty Tomato Broth and Chickpeas (which could have been mistaken by sight for marinara covered manicotti… very playful and even more delicious than it looked), the Shaved Compressed Octopus with Salsa Verde and Crunchy Bread Crumbs (so delicate and unexpected, it looked it rose petals) and finally the Buttermilk Fried Quail with Celeriac Slaw and Cranberry Gravy. I took a very small bite of the Quail; It was good but tasted like fried chicken. With so many unique pairings and playful preparations I didn’t want to use up what appetite I had left for the next course.

Roasted 1/2 Chicken with Mushrooms and Marsala Syrup from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA
Roasted 1/2 Chicken with Mushrooms and Marsala Syrup from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA

We ordered the Roasted 1/2 Chicken with Mushrooms and Marsala Syrup. The mushrooms were the star of this dish. They were slightly crunchy and tasted as though they had marinated in that Marsala sauce overnight. From there we feasted upon the Grilled Tri Tip Steak with Roasted Potato and Broccoli Rabe Pesto as well as the Porchetta accompanied by Grilled Sausage, a Pork Rib, Stewed Lentils and Fried Polenta. The Porchetta dish was my favorite by far. This plate embodied the spirit of sharing and had an earthiness about it. It seemed like others at my table were digging the steak a bit more; which meant more pork rib for me! The fried polenta rounded out this entrée with just enough crunch and even tasted great with the sauce from the stewed lentils.
To wash down all of this food, I ordered a light, refreshing and slightly dry hard cider from Lookout Farm in South Natick. I highly recommend it, especially at the height of those hot summer nights.

The service was fantastic. Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable. When we ordered the Calamari she was sure to tell us that it is different than what most people expect. Kudos to her for that, not all servers are as forthcoming.

There was a lot to love about Lock 50, from the ambiance to the service, but my favorite part was the shareable plates. The act of sharing food creates conversation and brings about laughter and camaraderie. I always look forward to my monthly foodies meeting but this was one of my favorites so far. It was a little pricey but we ordered more food than was necessary. The shareable plates are bigger than what you might think of in a traditional tapas meal.