Tag: jalapeños

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Angostura in the Atrium

Pho-Real Steam Bun and a Zombie during the Angostura in the Atrium at The People's Kitchen in Worcester, MA

On a rainy autumn evening in the atrium of The People’s Kitchen, Chef Cornelius Rogers transported guests from Worcester to a Caribbean island oasis with the help of Angostura Rum. Rogers and co. turned up the whimsy, evoking the spirit of Trinidad with each and every pairing.

Tot-chos and the Caribbean Spritz
Guests were greeted with playful wine glasses rimmed in banana salt and served with striped paper straws. The Caribbean Spritz consisted of Angostura 5 Year Old Rum, Fever Tree Tonic Water and a fresh pineapple garnish. Cubes of Angostura Bitter-Mango Ice slowly melted, resulting in an entirely different beverage by the end of the first course. The adobo chicken Tot-chos (as in tater tot nachos) grasped onto the Spritz’s emerging mango notes with complimentary flavors of avocado and Serrano salsa.

Pho-Real Steam Bun and a Zombie during the Angostura in the Atrium at The People's Kitchen in Worcester, MA.jpg
Pho-Real Steam Bun and a Zombie during the Angostura in the Atrium at The People’s Kitchen in Worcester, MA

Pho-Real Steam Bun and a Zombie (for 4)
Steamed pork buns called “pow” are a local favorite in Trinidad, so it’s no wonder that the crispy Pork belly, jalapeños, sprouts and pho sauce mirrored an Angostura Zombie so appropriately. This monster of a cocktail came served in hollowed pumpkins with long fluorescent straws for shared consumption. Garnishes of mint and basil on the steam buns enhanced medicinal qualities of Absinthe and warm spices of Falernum.

Pan Roasted Duck Breast and Treacle
The Angostura Treacle is a rum based Old Fashioned, topped with a float of cinnamon-citrus and garnished with a dehydrated apple slice. The union of this tiki concoction with pan roasted duck, pear mostarda, and candied walnuts made for a warming pair on a bone-chilling New England evening.

Warm Semolina Cake and Tom & Jerry
Our meal concluded with moist semolina cake, pumpkin mousse, salted caramel, and a Tom & Jerry. Rogers explained that semolina is a course purified wheat often used to make pasta. Served in a porcelain mug, the Tom & Jerry proved a thick boozy batter. A combination of Cognac, Angostura 7 Year Old Rum, and Amaro di Angostura offered natural undertones of vanilla, maple and cinnamon.

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The Firecracker Burger from Teddy G’s in Sturbridge

The Firecracker Burger from Teddy G's Bar and Grille in Sturbridge, MA

Hanging around my house and taking a break from the nightmare that we adults call Monday, I had a craving for another burger. Not wanting to stray too far from the comfy confines of my couch, I decided to head over to a place in nearby Sturbridge that many friends have recommended; Teddy G’s Pub & Grill. I have driven by this establishment many times as one of my closest friends lives right up the street. Every time I pass by, it always looks as though it is packed…it doesn’t matter if it’s a weekday or a weekend. This evening was no exception. Heading into the restaurant front that occupies the corner of a small shopping plaza on Main Street, across the way from Ocean State Job Lot and and Shaw’s Market, the dining room was filled with people of all ages.

As the hostess sat us, we had to settle for a high top in the bar area, as everything else was filled, including the large, square bar. The decor was modern and catered to the central MA faithful; plenty of Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins signs to make even the most fair weather Yankees or Giants fans think twice about stopping for a quick bite. The tables and high tops reminded me of something out of Guy Fieri’s book of design. There were lots of metal and bright colors with intricate designs everywhere, including the wall of the bar. Being thoroughly famished at this point, I ordered a quick brew and scanned the vast menu for the burger section. Any avid reader of this publication might know that I’m a sucker for a spicy burger. The description of the Firecracker Burger ($11) seemed to fit the bill; a 1/2 pound ground chuck burger, with Red Hot Buffalo sauce, melted pepper jack cheese, lettuce, onions, jalapeños and ranch.

As we enjoyed an appetizer of Grecian fried calamari and caught up on the latest scores of the Copa America Centenario, visions of spicy burgers danced in my head. Barely able to contain myself, the peppy waitress brought the burger to our table. Upon first gaze, I have to say that this has to be the most visually stunning burger I have had yet, with a fancy design of buffalo and ranch on the perfectly melted pepper jack cheese. As I did a quick cut into the burger to check on the doneness of the meat, I discovered that it in fact was cooked to a nice medium (which is much appreciated – I hate and overcooked/ruined burger). The bun was large and sturdy enough to hold the big burger and all its accompaniments. The lettuce and onion added a crunch texture to the burger that is always welcomed, instead of a one note pony. The burger wasn’t initially overly spicy though. The slight spice of the buffalo sauce was tempered nicely from the cooling nature of the ranch sauce.

Where the spicy began to creep in was with the bottom layered pickled jalapeños. Much like most spicy burgers, spice is cumulative. Unlike a previous burger that scorched most of my taste buds off by the halfway point, the spice of the Firecracker burger was addicting and just made me want to crave the next bite. The fried were delightfully crispy and thick cut like steak fries. They were some of the better fries that I’ve had in recent memory…not quite as good as the bacon laden fries from the Hangover Pub, but right up there in flavor and deliciousness.

For being a quaint restaurant in an unassuming location, Teddy G’s certainly delivers in the flavor category. There were enough options to come back time and time again and get something different each and every time. It’s good to know that quality food can be found in all parts of central Mass, not just in Worcester, or towards Natick and Boston. Sufficiently full and catching glimpses of the Mexico/Venezuela soccer match, my mind had already begun to wander to thoughts of my next location. Where should I hit up next? Should I venture north towards Leominster, or east towards Framingham, or anything in between? Have a suggestion…tweet me at @edioufuc5 and your suggestion might just make my to-go list. Until next time my friends…