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Bernard Hinault has Sole at Bikes and Life’s Charity Ride

Five Time Tour de France Winner, Bernard Hinault, inspires diners during an exclusive event at The Sole as part of a charity ride hosted by Bikes and Life.

“Tomorrow we ride!” exclaimed Bernard Hinault, five time winner of the Tour de France, as he kicked off a private dinner at The Sole Proprietor with a short speech about winning and motivation – a speech meant to motivate crowds before a big game and ensure victory.

Five Time Tour de France Winner, Bernard Hinault, inspires diners during an exclusive event at The Sole as part of a charity ride hosted by Bikes and Life.
Five Time Tour de France Winner, Bernard Hinault, inspires diners during an exclusive event at The Sole as part of a charity ride hosted by Bikes and Life.

At The Sole, Hinault’s exclusive dinner was more than just a visit to the city of Major Taylor’s glory days, it was part of a charity ride hosted by Bikes and Life, a newcomer to the Worcester market with a long love of cycling. Most of all, the dinner was a childhood dream turned reality for Robb Ahlquist, owner of Worcester Restaurant Group. “I have a passion for cycling and I have been cycling since my early days out of college,” says Ahlquist. “As part of my bucket list, I rode cross-country with a good friend, Scott Russiter. We dipped our front tires in San Francisco and ended in New Hampshire. I just completed a ride in Nova Scotia this past June and two summers ago, I spent two weeks cycling in France. Seeing Hinault here, with us, is an honor. I’ve watched him race growing up. He is truly an icon – he is what Michael Jordan is to basketball.”

“The Sole is a one of my favorite places to eat in Worcester. It complements the eating style of myself and my wife and it is always busy here and that says a lot about the restaurant’s quality.”

The Sole Proprietor, which is "myWith a dinner of 60 intimate fans, Hinault recounted stories of his cycling career, giving everyone a deeper look into his life. As guests asked detailed questions about Hinault’s riding techniques, he reassured everyone that confidence was the real reason for his winnings. “I have a natural desire to win. I do not stress and am confident in winning,” says Hinault as the cyclist cheer him on for his brilliance in the sport. As he charmed the crowd, The Sole delivered a dinner fit for champions. Haddock with lobster newburg, baked stuffed shrimp and North Atlantic swordfish with a serving of roasted fingerling potatoes and asparagus with hollandaise were only but a few entree selections gracing the tables of cycling enthusiasts. “The Sole is a one of my favorite places to eat in Worcester. It complements the eating style of myself and my wife and it is always busy here and that says a lot about the restaurant’s quality,” said an attendee. “When I first heard about this dinner, I immediately signed up for the dinner and the ride. I mean, how could I not?”

The dinner was a prelude to the near weekend event. The charity ride tour gave each registered cyclist a chance to ride alongside the greatest of all time. Benefiting the Souffles D’Espoir – a charity dedicated to the fight against cancer and The Faine House – a charity providing transitional housing for youth aging out of the foster care system, the ride was a win-win for everyone involved. “This dinner means a lot to us and we thank everyone for coming to see Hinault – a living legend – at The Sole. This night is unique to the cycling community and to the city of Worcester,” says John Antretter Jr, co-founder of Bikes and Life. “We thank you.”

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OysterFest Returns to The Sole Proprietor

OysterFest at Sole Proprietor

“Oysters are the most tender and delicate of all seafoods. They stay in bed all day and night. They never work or take exercise, are stupendous drinkers, and wait for their meals to come to them.” -Hector Bolitho

If you’re one of those crazy people who hates seafood, you may have interest in reading on. But if you’re a seafood fanatic like myself, keep reading, you’re going to love this.

OysterFest at Sole ProprietorThe beloved Sole Proprietor’s OysterFest is back and the offerings are seriously out of this world. You can enjoy baked oysters, raw oysters, fried oysters, stewed oysters and everything in between. With 8 hot appetizer options ($10.99), 4 entrees ($21.99) and 5, yes 5, $1 oyster options between 4-6PM, it’s mandatory that you make time, and sneak out of work a little early if need be, for this buck-a-shuck oyster extravaganza!

Here’s how it works – you can sit in the bar area from 4-6PM Monday thru Friday for a variety of dollar oyster happy hour offerings, or you can enjoy the OysterFest menu (excluding dollar offerings) from open to close.

When I walked in on Tuesday at 5:30PM the bar area was slammed. The after-work crowd, young and old, getting their oyster and cocktail fix with coworkers made it a lively atmosphere.

I was told by my server that the $1 oyster menu ends strictly at 6PM, so I immediately ordered a dozen Blue Point Oysters and a few of everything else. Here’s the breakdown:

Blue Point Oysters – From Long Island, NY, all 12 of my oysters were a respectable size with mild salinity and a faintly sweet finish. The cocktail sauce added a kick but they were perfect on their own, too!

“Be Hoppy” Oyster Shooter – The Wormtown oyster shooter is so New England. One shucked oyster, cocktail sauce, horseradish, and lemon juice, served in an oversized shot glass full of Worcester’s own Be Hoppy IPA. Fantastic.

Buffalo Oyster – Huge fried oysters drenched in a spicy buffalo sauce. So good it could have passed as buffalo chicken!

Bang Bang Oyster – Tangy and sweet with a touch of spice, the fried bang bang oysters were my favorite of the bunch.

Kimchi Oyster – This was a fried oyster atop of Korean kimchi and a pita crisp. It had nice spice to it and reminded me of an oyster nacho. Now there’s an idea!

After finishing all of the dollar offerings, it was now 6:15 and I was full, but still wanted to try something off of the Hot Appetizer section. I went with a bowl of Classic Oyster Stew which consisted of cream, butter, sherry, celery, shallots, a dash of Tabasco, and a lot of oysters. It had good consistency, creamy but not too thick, with a hearty serving of vegetables, and finished with a hint of heat from the hot sauce. Although it did take a while to cool down it was absolutely delicious and would be perfect on a chilly fall night.

Other items off of the Hot Appetizer menu included an Oyster Po’ Boy, Rhode Island Style Shrimp and Oysters, Oysters Casino and Smoked Bacon and Spinach Oysters, all just $10.99 each. The entrees included a Fried Oyster Dinner, Oyster Ritz, Haddock with Crispy Oysters or Creole Oysters and Shrimp Jambalaya, $21.99 each.

As if all of this hasn’t made you excited enough, The Sole is also hosting an Oyster & Champagne Dinner on October 25th which is just $75, tax and gratuity included. Seats are limited so reserve your seat when you’re in for happy hour!

The world is your oyster, and remember, the first man gets the oyster, the second man gets the shell, so dive into The Sole Proprietor before it’s too late!

OysterFest at Sole Proprietor