Tag: Shrewsbury Street

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Greek Octopus from Meze

Octopus from Meze on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Octopus from Meze on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

I my opinion Shrewsbury Street is to Worcester as Federal Hill is to Providence. It’s fun, cheery, and lined with great restaurants. So many great restaurants, if fact, that it takes some time to try them all. So when Mezé Greek Tapas Bar & Grille became the restaurant of choice for our Worcester Foodies group I welcomed the opportunity to finally experience what they had to offer.

I started with the Marinated Anchovies. They came served on a small white plate, marinated in balsamic vinegar and olive oil, with toast. They were very tender and tasty with just the right amount of tanginess to prepare the palate for the next course … Octopus. I had to try the octopus … and it was a very interesting experience indeed. It was grilled … moist in the middle with a nice brown crispiness on the outside. It came on a bed of raw onion — Bermuda I think — with a slices of lemon and cucumber. Although very tasty it was not as tender as it appeared. It was not tough by any means but it wasn’t tender either — maybe that is just how octopus is — it was my first time so I can’t say, but I would definitely have it again.

I think what I enjoyed most about the meal was the fact that everyone just naturally started passing plates around. Because of that I got to try several other items, of which I especially liked the beets. If you go and like beets definitely order some! Overall, I give this restaurant high marks in all areas: tasty and fun menu items, excellent service, a bright clean atmosphere and you can’t beat the location — right on Shrewsbury Street. Got to love that!

Due to the tapas style eating, photos may not match the foodies review or description.

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Lavraki: Mediterranean Sea Bass from Meze Greek Tapas

Lavraki Mediterranean Sea Bass from Meze on Shrewsbury Street

Lavraki Mediterranean Sea Bass from Meze on Shrewsbury Street

This month’s Worcester Foodies venture brought us to the recently opened Mezé Greek Tapas Bar & Grille on Shrewsbury St. I began my journey with the Tzatiki which was loaded with flavors of garlic and cucumber and served with warm pita bread. The dish was prepared well and of good portion. I also ordered a side Village Salad based on our server’s recommendations. This was little more than a traditional house salad. Unfortunately there was nothing extraordinary about this. In fact, I felt it lacked any flavor beyond the oil and vinegar it was topped with. I saw spices at the bottom of the bowl, but I didn’t taste any. For an entrée I chose the Lavraki, or whole Mediterranean Sea Bass. The dish was presented as described on the menu, over a bed of lettuce with shredded cabbage on the side. There was little loose flesh to eat without working around tiny sharp bones. The flavor of the fish unfortunately did not make up for the extra efforts needed to obtain a bone-free bite. The fish was charred, and although the menu states it’s served with a light lemon juice and olive oil, nothing stood out past the charred flavor that overwhelmed the dish. I also tried some of my fellow Foodie’s dishes including Calamari which was prepared cut into large pieces and grilled. Much like the sea bass, this was overcooked and overwhelmed with a burnt, charred flavor. The Grape leaves that were passed around were good, but nothing extraordinary. In all, I’m sad to say I was disappointed with Mezé Greek Tapas Bar & Grillee. I felt the foods I sampled were very basic preparations, which is certainly in line with traditional Greek cooking, but they were not very well prepared. When I dine out I look for food preparations that I cannot do on my own. I just didn’t find any at Meze.

Due to the tapas style eating, photos may not match the foodies review or description.