Tag: meatloaf

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435 Bar & Grille: Leominster’s Hidden Gem

Worcester Foodies celebrating 74 consecutive months of food with 435 Bar & Grille in Leominster, MA.

On the recommendation of our member Lynn, the Foodies gathered at 435 Bar & Grille in Leominster. Tucked away on the second floor of an old mill building, requiring a back door and an elevator ride to find it, 435 Bar & Grille certainly feels hidden. And after the Foodies dined there this month, they found that it was an absolute gem.

Once you enter the restaurant is extremely inviting with a wide open space, big windows and beautiful exposed brick. A massive circular bar feels like a great place to catch up with friends or sip a pre-dinner drink.

The trim, yet diverse menu 435 offers made diners want to try a little bit of everything.

The Poutine was a popular appetizer selection, with Robyn calling it a “must try.” She said the fries were crispy, the short rib meat tender and the gravy delicious. “The meat was tender, the sauce was salty, and there were so many cheese churds!” Stephanie said of her Poutine order.

Almost everyone said they had a hard time choosing an entrée because so many of the items on the menu sounded so good.

“I ended up choosing the Pasta and Chicken which was outstanding,” said Joe. “Nice portion, sweet wine sauce, tender pieces of chicken breast over pasta.”

Braised short rib and lobster tail with pickled mustard seeds, celery root puree, spinach and port wine demi from 435 Bar & Grille in Leominster, MA.
Braised short rib and lobster tail with pickled mustard seeds, celery root puree, spinach and port wine demi
Dana opted for the bacon-wrapped Meatloaf and commended the restaurant for being flexible and pairing it with roasted carrots rather than the asparagus on the menu. “I wouldn’t call it a traditional meatloaf, as it was less firm and structured, but the flavor was fantastic. The bacon complimented the meat nicely and the dish was an overall success. One of the nicer meat loafs I’ve had out,” Dana said.

Stephanie got a “huge portion” of eggplant parmigiana, which was “breaded and fried perfectly” and paired with an enormous bowl of al dente pasta.

Both Robyn and Evan tried the Bolognese. “I would venture to say this is one of the best Bolognese I’ve had anywhere,” Robyn said. “It came in a large bowl filled to the brim with homemade Pappardelle pasta. It came in a rich tomato sauce with chunks of carrots. Topping this dish off was freshly shaved Parmesan cheese.”

Evan described the Bolognese as “incredible.” He said, “The thick, ribbon like pasta was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The sauce was rich and had large chunks of meat large enough that you could’ve cut them with your fork. It was honestly one of the best and largest pasta dishes I have had in recent memory.”

David and Lynn both tried the fig and serrano ham tart. Though labeled a tart on the menu, it was a bit more like a flatbread pizza. “I enjoyed my unique flatbread. The soft egg was a delicious addition,” Lynn said. David said the “ingredients and flavors were wonderful.” He paired his with a beat salad, that was served with burrata cheese, pea tendrils and a squid ink dressing. “The flavors, textures, and contrast with the plaques quitting in the dip dish was amazing.”

Beyond the food, everyone agreed the service was fantastic. The speed and quality with which the food came out combined with friendly and attentive service made dining at the 435 comfortable and fun. Definitely worth the trip.

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The Oak Barrel Tavern Meatloaf Provides A Refreshing Riff On A Comfort Food Staple

The Meatloaf from The Oak Barrel Tavern on Grove Street in Worcester, MA

If you can remember what the interior of Tweed’s used to looks like you will remember a lot of wood, old décor, dark greens and carpets…pretty much a recipe for failure or something you might expect to see on the latest episode of Restaurant: Impossible. However, the end result is the Oak Barrel Tavern, which is an establishment that even Robert Irvine would be proud of. The atmosphere was bright and inviting, with a plethora of woods, stones and textures that make the space really pop. A combination of modern lodge and classic pub tavern is the best way to describe it, with all the modern amenities you have come to expect from new restaurants. You will hardly remember what the old interior looked like with such a drastic re-do.

There were a wide array of choices on the menu that it took some studying to narrow down what I was going to order. The recent trend that we are seeing are restaurants offering smaller plates to share (think tapas) at a more reasonable price. OBT is no different. After picking out the Bavarian Soft Pretzels ($7.99) as a starter, which were salty and chewy by the way, I decided on the OBT meatloaf ($15.99). Now before you ask why, I have to admit that meatloaf was a standby in my household growing up, so it’s one of those dishes that I associate with as comforting. It’s not something I have often now as an adult and I order it even less seldom than I make it, but I still wanted to give it a try and throw it back to my childhood. It was advertised as being grilled and basted in Sriracha Bourbon sauce, while being served with mashed potatoes and green beans. I opted to substitute the mashed potatoes with tater tots, hoping that the tots were going to be homemade. Unfortunately, I was disappointed as they were of the generic variety. While deliciously brown and crispy, I am still searching for a place to make their own tots. The meatloaf seemed slightly underwhelming as well. It was a little dry, and had it not been for the Sriracha bourbon sauce to give it a tangy, spiciness, it would have completely fallen flat. The green beans however were cooked perfectly al dente and seasoned beautifully. It’s not often that I get to say that the vegetable was the highlight of the meal. The meatloaf was topped with onion rings, and while they were delicious, they seemed out of place in the presentation of the meal. The portion size was great though, as it definitely filled me up and left me no room for dessert.

Being such a large group, I was surprised in our service. I thought the wait staff did a great job getting everyone’s drinks, share-ables and main dishes out in a timely manner. Time and time again, we see that we can overwhelm a kitchen and the quality suffers as a result. The dinners came out at a nice interval and were hot and ready to eat. We could not really ask for a better end result.

I was quite happy with the overall experience had at the OBT. It was a breathe of fresh air in an otherwise exhausted space and it pays dividends. The décor is one of my favorites in recent memories and can easily see myself there to enjoy a casual meal or catch a game. The menu had enough of variety and familiarity to satisfy whatever craving you might have. While my meal wasn’t everything I had hoped it would be, it still will not deter me from going back in the future. As a group, we were enjoying the space and everyone’s company so much that we quickly realized we had spent the better part of four hours together. I’m sure that the OBT will gain all the old Tweed customers and then some if they can continue to improve on their solid foundation.