Tag: mozzarella cheese

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Chicken Parmigiana at Dino’s

Chicken Parmigiana from Dino's on Lord Street in Worcester, MA

Chicken Parmigiana from Dino's on Lord Street in Worcester, MA

It has been a while since I have dined at Dino’s so I was excited to learn our next Foodies gathering would be there. One of Worcester’s oldest Italian eateries, Dino’s opened over 60 years ago and serves a variety of Italian and American classics, in an upscale yet comfortable, family friendly atmosphere.

My dining partner and I arrived early and were greeted by our friendly and energetic server who quickly offered a large serving of bruschetta, which we enjoyed with a glass of wine as we scanned the menu. The bread was freshly made and the tomato, onion, basil and olive oil made a delicious topping. The choices were endless and I was considering a meat lasagna, broiled salmon or the spicy seafood pasta – which all sounded delicious. After some discussion I decided on the chicken Parmigiana, which for me is my standard, “go-to” dish having enjoyed it at many of Worcester’s restaurants.

We did not order appetizers so our small dinner salads were served immediately. The balsamic dressing was outstanding, with a hint of sweetness that balanced out the acidity sometimes found in other balsamic vinaigrette dressings.

My very generous portion of Chicken Parmigiana arrived as I ordered it, light sauce, extra crispy with a side of al dente linguine. I always asked to have the chef make the sauce “spicy” which seemed to confuse my server, but when my dish arrived the sauce was perfect, rich with flavor and enough heat to get my attention. The chicken breasts were pounded thin and lightly breaded with hints of basil, and then pan-fried and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Tender enough to cut with a fork, the chicken was moist and tender and paired perfectly with my glass of house Chianti.

I also have to comment on the other dishes that were at my table. I tasted the broiled haddock which was outstanding, I was told the broiled sirloin was fantastic and the large, traditional antipasto was an enormous collection of cured meats, olives, cheeses, mushrooms, peppers and greens that was a meal for two unto itself.

For me, Dino’s was a great dining experience with outstanding flavors in the food and attention to detail in the service and the presentation.

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Chicken Parmagiana at Rosalina’s

Chicken Parmagiana from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

Chicken Parmagiana from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MAHaving dined at and enjoyed Rosalina’s Ktichen a few times in the past year, I was excited to find out our next Foodies gathering would be at this cozy, BYOB restaurant on Hamilton Street. The atmosphere at Rosalina’s Ktichen is casual, the service was great and as you will find out shortly, the food was outstanding!

We started with an Antipasto to share amongst everyone at our end of the table. To say the salad was large does not do it justice as 6 people shared the antipasto and there was enough left over to take some home. Grilled vegetables, hot and sweet sausage, stuff peppers, tuna, chicken, assorted meats and cheeses were drizzled with a balsamic and olive oil dressing and placed atop a huge bed of mixed greens. Everything was fresh, the creamy mozzarella cheese was in stark contrast to the veggies and the hot sausage and hot stuffed peppers not only added some heat, but outstanding flavors as well.

For my main course I had a much harder time making a selection. In past visits to Rosalina’s Ktichen I have enjoyed the homemade Ravioli and the Fra Diavolo, so tonight I thought I would try something new. As I scanned the menu I found so many dishes that sounded delicious I knew I would never be able to make a decision so I went to my “go-to” Italian dish, the Chicken Parmigiana. As I always do with Chicken Parm, I ordered the chicken crispy with very light sauce and asked our server to have the chef add a little “heat” to the sauce. When my dish arrived, two large, lightly breaded chicken breasts topped with mozzarella cheese sat atop a generous portion of al dente pasta. The breading was flavorful with a hint of fresh basil and the chicken was cooked to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside. The homemade sauce had the heat I had asked for but also was rich in traditional flavor. I enjoyed my meal with the complex flavors of an ice cold Yuengling Lager which complimented my somewhat spicing and rich meal very nicely.

Luckily our group is made up of wonderful people who encourage sharing so I was able to enjoy some other great tastes including veal, cheese ravioli, Arrabiata (spicy white wine sauce with mushrooms, tomatoes and pepper rings) and an incredibly adventurous peanut butter and Nutella dessert ravioli that was simply incredible.

As with my other visits to Rosalina’s Ktichen I was utterly impressed. If you haven’t yet dined here, you should. If you have, go back and eat here again. The attention to detail in the food, the service, the flavors and the presentation all exceeded expectations and I would highly recommend Rosalina’s.