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Lock 50’s Porchetta, Grilled Sausage, and Pork Rib

Upon entering Lock 50 you are greeted by a beautifully refinished brick building that formerly housed a dental supply business. The brick, wood work, reclaimed wood in the bar areas, patio, and exquisite entrance doors all come together in a wonderful gem in the canal district. My only suggestion is that all of the hard surfaces come together beautifully but leave for a slightly noisy environment. The staff was quick to greet us and get us settled in.

Roasted beets with creamy goat cheese, baby Kale and Blood Orange form Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA
Roasted beets with creamy goat cheese, baby Kale and Blood Orange form Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA

After a review of the menu I was tempted between ordering a few smaller plates or a main course. I opted to start with the roasted beets with creamy goat cheese, baby kale and blood orange. The dish delivered as promised offering a nice portion of beets over a thin creamy goat cheese spread that did not over power the dish and was accompanied by blood orange wedges and baby kale that completed the dish perfectly.

For may main course I opted for the Porchetta, Grilled Sausage, and Pork Rib served with stewed lentils and fried polenta. The plate was a health portion of the above mentioned items. The grilled sausage was perfectly grilled and had a nice flavor to it. The pork rib was also perfectly prepared and paired well with the stewed lentils which had a great taste and consistency. Unfortunately the porchetta and polenta and did not quite live up to the same expectations. The porchetta seemed to be very fatty and lacked texture or flavor and the polenta was extremely salty.

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The Future Fix On Grove Street

Niche Hospitality President, Michael Covino, giving Mass Foodies a tour of the new Fix set to open on Grove Street in Worcester, MA

No longer are burgers confined to the restricted stigmas of fast-food and summer cook-outs. While chefs around the nation have been paying careful attention to burger service, Worcester, too, has been paying close attention since The Fix Burger Bar opened in 2014. The long wait to sit at this small eatery proves that burgers in Central Massachusetts isn’t a fad, and Michael Muscarella’s serious dedication to the craft and the evolution of the sandwich allows it to take another step forward in Central Massachusetts.

Michael Covino, President of Niche Hospitality Group, has embarked on a move and expansion of the popular Fix brand, which will alleviate some of the problems that the original Shrewsbury Street location has: turning away customers night after night due to their maxed capacity.

“The Fix was instantly successful on Shrewsbury Street. I mean, we are the only full-service burger bar in Worcester and success has given us a new challenge: space,” says Covino. “A year into The Fix, we realized it was time to make the change and we were contacted by a broker who led us to the old Northworks, and here we are.”

The timing was impeccable.

Covino, toured Mass Foodies through the newly leased property on 106 Grove Street, giving Mass Foodies the behind the scenes tour on what is in store for The Fix. Covino breathed life into his vision, taking notes on new ideas about The Fix and the future of the brand, while showcasing all that is perfection in a construction site. The ability to foresee the new expansion isn’t about restaurant experience, isn’t about passion and for Covino, passion has led him to new heights in the past.

With a new space comes a highly anticipated level of change – and not just change on the menu but change in the culture assimilated with devouring a nice half pound burger and fries on a work day.

Among the added seating areas, expansive industrial look, open kitchen and a variety of function rooms, The Fix is adding a visual tap system designed to creatively flow beer from a central location to the tap and, of course, is hopeful to supply local craft beers to its patrons.

“We aren’t going to just stop at a great burger menu and beer. With our new location, completely surrounded by businesses, we want to add value to our lunches by expanding our function meal to include dishes beyond the burgers but we are also going to introduce the cold brew coffee tap and a few ‘mid day’ treats for those looking to come in a break away from,” says Covino. The nitro coffee is a brand new technology only seen in larger cities like New York and has seen success when first introduced at Sweet and Lock 50, and for The Fix, it’s going to help take their menu to a new level of kick-ass.

A quick peek at the progress of the new The Fix set to open on Grove Street in July!

Posted by Mass Foodies on Wednesday, May 25, 2016