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The Hangover Pub Has The Cure For What Ails You: Sous Vide Chicken and Waffles

Sous Vide Chicken and Waffles from Hangover Pub on Green Street in Worcester, MA

BACON! The spoken word alone can bring a grown man to his knees and Worcester is now the lucky recipient of a bacon-themed gastro pub. Located smack-dab in the middle of Green Street of Worcester’s Canal District sits a thick slice of smoky candied heaven. With a name like The Hangover Pub, one might conjure thoughts of Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis sitting by the pool trying to remember the prior night’s conquests over a hearty breakfast. While the proprietors of The Hangover Pub first conceived the idea of opening the gastro pub with food & beverage options specifically tailored to curing your hangover, owner Jay Grey explains that the concept evolved as they began developing their menu. The Hangover Pub, as told by Grey, offers a creative menu and flirtatious environment designed to cure whatever ails you: a breakup, a fight with a friend, a bad day at work or simply the need for a good hang with your best buds. If you’re wondering just how committed to this project he is, Grey showed us some fresh ink on his forearm of a sunny-side up skull and bacon cross bones.

As expected, you’ll find bacon in most of the menu items. Whether through subtle but flavorful notes or as the star of the dish, I was pleased to see that Bacon had a major presence on the menu. The Small Plates or the bacontizers, as I like to refer to them, were tough to choose from so naturally my table chose to order a few: Man Candy (maple flavored strips of salty but sweet bacon that came in a whiskey glass), Kimchi Bacon & Rice Balls (in a set of three) that were crunchy on the outside and wonderfully rich and gooey on the inside) and finally the Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad. The salad was pretty big and had a little more greens than I thought necessary. Brussel Sprouts are my favorite kind of BS and I think they could have stood on their own.

For the main course, I chose the Sous Vide Chicken & Waffles. Like most people, we eat with our eyes first and this was one of the mostly beautifully plated meals I have ever had, borderline sexy. The chicken was pure perfection, golden-fried but not too crunchy, topped with a sprig of thyme and lightly dusted with confectioner’s sugar. The French-sous vide method of preparing the chicken prior to battering and frying ensured that this was one tender bird. I was surprised that the chicken, a drum stick and thigh, were bone-in but after a little post-dinner research I found that bone-in IS the classic presentation for this meal. This is a frozen chicken tender-free zone! The waffle beneath was drizzled with a very sweet bourbon bacon maple reduction. The chef put a lot of love into this syrup. It was a little sweet for me but a nice balance when paired with the chicken. While I paired my dinner with a Notch Session Pils from Salem, MA, there were many crafty hand-tailored cocktails to choose from. A few of which I have earmarked for Sunday Brunch!

From the server who made sure my drink never ran dry to the owners care and attention to our group, the service was terrific. The prices are very reasonable so you don’t have to have to worry about breaking the bank on this indulgence.

I was nervous when I first caught wind of The Hangover Pub’s idea to introduce a bacon-themed restaurant to Worcester. Would they really be able to pull it off? I am very happy to report that this is a well-executed concept that is playful but when it comes to the food, it’s serious business. I expect that this pub will continue to grow in popularity and I’m excited to see how the menu evolves as the seasons change.

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Bacon and Bourbon! Yes, at the Hangover Pub

Steak Frites: Watercress cilantro chimichurri, truffled house cut fries, shaved pecorino from Hangover Pub in Worcester, MA

The Hangover Pub (named because of the hangover meals it was intended to provide),  at 102 Green Street in Worcester, MA, is just down the street from the Dive Bar. You’ll know the place if you are a local. It has a city parking lot right next door which is very handy. It’s pretty small and tucked away with several other businesses. When you walk in, theres a very sizable bar and several hightop tables. When I arrived, the restaurant was already full—and it was only 6pm on a Tuesday night! That’s a good sign.

When we came in, the hostess immediately knew we were with the Foodies group—probably because I didn’t have a beard and skinny jeans on and was about twice the age of most everyone in the bar. She took us to the back room where our party was seated. Our waitresses came over right away to take our drink orders. I had the Bacon Bourbon Manhattan. A very delightful cocktail garnished with a giant piece of brown sugar/maple glazed bacon.

Our party of 18 mingled for a while and then sat down to order. First I ordered the “Man Candy,” no it wasn’t some sort of hunky dude with a beard and fuzzy chest. It was a glass of thick cut bacon that was covered with brown sugar and a maple glaze. Yes, I did share, but I could have eaten them all myself; it was a wonderful way to start off my meal. Then I ordered the Steak Frites with watercress, cilantro, chimichurri and truffled house cut fries with pecorino. The fries were a hit right away. I love truffled house cut fries and shared with my friends who enjoyed them very much. The steak was sliced and I had asked for it to be cooked medium rare. It was cooked perfectly, although I suspect it had sat waiting before arriving with the other meals as it wasn’t as juicy as I’d hoped (but, it is hard to plate and serve a party with so many people at once, especially since it’s a pub and not a full service restaurant, but, I enjoyed it nonetheless).

Our waitresses were on the ball and were there to help us out in any way. Even Jay, the owner, came over to chat with us and thank us for our patronage. He was very charming and helpful, stressing that “anything you need, just ask.” We all found that to be nice and a fun challenge!

All in all, I found it to be a fun pub to go to for its trendy hipster attitude and bacon flair. It would definitely be a great place to stop in for a couple of drinks and apps with friends or for a quick bite if you are in the mood for some bacon.