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Porchetta at La Cucina

Porchetta at La Cecina on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

Porchetta at La Cecina on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

La Cucina Italiana, a BYOB restaurant on Hamilton Street in Worcester, hosted Worcester Foodies this month. I had eaten there before, but I was eager to try it again. The dining area is an open room with booths that surround a handful of tables. They also have some old black and white photographs of Worcester County, which is a nice accent. The dining area is homey and comforting, which to me meant the meal was about to be the same.

Our very attentive server immediately brought us bread and olive oil to enjoy as we reviewed the menu. La Cucina Italiana offers tried and true Italian favorites such as lasagna, chicken Parmesan, eggplant Parmesan, meatballs with pasta, pizza and so much more. Many of the dishes tempted me, but I chose the Porchetta from the specials listed on the blackboard.

To start, I ordered a cup of Pasta Fagioli Soup, which was served piping hot. The tender beans and pasta were as plentiful as the flavor in this rich, hearty soup. Although I did add red pepper flakes for a little spice.

The Porchetta was a popular choice in our group. The generous portion of pork was rolled and stuffed with spicy ham, salami and a mixture of cheese with cavatelli pasta and a topping of wonderful brown mushroom gravy. The meat and cheese stuffing added a zesty, spicy flavor to complement the tender pork. The mushroom dressing brought an earthy finish to each bite. Then the pork was somewhat crispy on the outside, but soft in the center.

This family-run restaurant really made us feel right at home. Our servers were extremely attentive and helpful. They were always there to replenish the water glasses and the bread basket. The rest of the service team pitched in too, which made our dining experience outstanding.

I would certainly recommend La Cucina Italiana to friends and family, especially if they are looking for a casual Italian meal at a great price.

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The Vesuvius Pizza from Dino’s

The Vesuvius Pizza from Dino's on Lord Street in Worcester, MA

The Vesuvius Pizza from Dino's on Lord Street in Worcester, MA

Dino’s Ristorante was the next stop on the 2014 Foodies tour. Nestled in the hills of Worcester, Dino’s is deemed a classic Italian Restaurant.

We started with some delicious bruschetta mixture and bread. The bruschetta was bursting with flavor, tomatoes, onions, basil in a light olive oil and the bread was extremely fresh and delicious.

For my main course, I decided to try the pizza, yes, you know me Pizza Girl, – typically necessary to try if available. I selected the Vesuvius – Ham and Pineapple with Mozzarella Cheese and Tomato Sauce. I ordered the medium and for me, the size of the pizza was great. The ham was my favorite, thin sliced slightly browned on the edges, ample cheese but there could have been a little more sauce in my opinion. The amount of pineapple on the pizza was slightly imbalanced to the amount of ham. The crust was very thick. Overall, it was a good pizza for my mature pizza palate. To go with my meal, I enjoyed a few glasses of the homemade Sangria, which was very good. Ciao!