Tag: Restaurant Week

Posted on by

Worcester Restaurant Week Kicks Off

Worcester Foodies Visiting Via on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA for Brunch

The 2016 Summer edition of Worcester Restaurant Week is here and it’s the perfect time to get out there and try something new. With over 40 restaurants participating across the City of Worcester (and a few in surrounding towns) there is surely something for everyone!

Originated in 2009 and growing every year, Worcester Restaurant Week is a great opportunity for diners to enjoy the red-hot Worcester restaurant scene. From old favorites to the new hot spots, participating restaurants create a special 3-course, pre-fixe menu at super affordable prices – lunch at $14.16 and dinner at $24.16!

Via_Chophouse_Donovan_1029154-8613“Worcester Restaurant Week is a great time for us to showcase our 3 restaurants to new customers,” said Robb Ahlquist, owner of the Worcester Restaurant Group (VIA Italian Table, 111 Chop House, and Sole Proprietor).

During Restaurant Week, The Sole Proprietor is featuring both lunch and dinner. For lunch, some choices include Oven Baked Crab Cakes or Smoked Scallop Maki to start, creamy hot Chowder or fresh House Salad next and for entrées a spicy Dijon and Blue Lump Crab Crusted Cape Cod Bluefish, fresh Grilled Salmon or a Hanger Steak & Shrimp Skewer. During dinner, the menu includes cold Shrimp & Pasta Salad, Salmon Marsala or fresh North Atlantic Haddock. Save room for dessert too – their famous Flourless Chocolate Cake or Strawberry Pound Cake is perfect to finish your meal. At the Sole, you can upgrade your entrée to a Lobster Tail over Clam Bake Hash for only $27.16.

At One Eleven Chop House the dinner menu starts with a spicy Tomato Bisque, tender Grilled Lamb Riblets or Bang Bang Shrimp appetizers; first courses of fresh Mixed Green Salad or a Summer Grilled Watermelon Salad and entrées feature a Pan Seared North Atlantic Salmon, Beef Tenderloin and Shrimp Skewers or slow roasted BBQ Beef Brisket.

Next door at VIA Italian Table, both lunch and dinner are served. Intriguing options include Truffle Frites with Parmigiano or Black Pepper & Mascarpone Arancini as a first course; entrée options include Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza, Grilled Chicken Salad or a Salmon Livornese. Finish lunch with homemade Gelati or a rich and creamy Canoli Duo. Finally, dinner at VIA starts with a plentiful Tomato Mozzarella Stack or a Slow Roasted Pork Belly “BLT”; Mixed Greens Insalata or Chicken Orzo Soup are next and entrées include Grilled North Atlantic Salmon, Pappardelle Bolognese or Braised Pork Shank over creamy Parmesan Polenta.

So get out there and tempt your taste buds. Worcester Restaurant Week runs August 1st– August 13th. And yes, that is longer than just a week as the name implies so you have plenty of time to try a few different restaurants!

Posted on by

Urban’s Arctic Char during Restaurant Week

Arctic Char from Urban Kitchen on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Arctic Char from Urban Kitchen on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Our most recent foodie stop was at The Urban Kitchen + Bar, situated at the old Coral Seafood restaurant on Shrewsbury Street. While the inside changed a bit, it is still an open and spacious dining area with a great, long bar.  I was pleased with the subtle changes, red velvet drapes were hung over  the bar adding some sophistication. As we sat down we were brought out their house made Ricotta with truffle honey and chives accompanied with thin pieces of crusty French bread. The Ricotta was light and creamy, not too heavy, and the truffle honey was the perfect complement, the bread was thinly sliced so it had a crunch to it, perfect pairing!

I decided on ordering off of the Restaurant Week menu. I started off with the Arugula and Squash salad as my appetizer. The salad was small but the mix of ingredients were delicious. They added some of their homemade ricotta, curried pistachios and pickled raisins. The curried pistachios made the dish for me, what a delight to have those and the ricotta mixed with my arugula and large chunks of squash. For my main dish I had the Arctic Char, it was small in size but cooked perfectly, it wasn’t smothered in butter or a heavy sauce so I could truly taste the fish. The lentils were a fabulous idea, I just wish they offered more on the plate, two very small dollops was just not enough. For dessert I picked the carrot cake with candied pecans and cream cheese gelato, the carrot cake was light and the undertone of cinnamon mixed with the cream cheese gelato, which they placed on the plate next to the cake, made a perfect combination. I enjoyed my experience here, the food was tastefully presented and everything I ate was delicious, my only regret was that there was not more of it.