Tag: spinach

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Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka from Chioda's Trattoria on Franklin Street in Worcester, MA

Penne alla Vodka from Chioda's Trattoria on Franklin Street in Worcester, MA
We started our dinner at Chioda’s Trattoria with the Aracini Balls: Risotto stuffed with provolone, breaded and then deep fried. This came as 3 large (meatball sized) balls with a small portion of marinara on the side. The breading was nice, but not too thick, and added a nice crunch of texture to the softer risotto mixture inside while keeping the balls together. These had a very nice flavor themselves, and the complement of the marinara gave a nice overall flavor. The portion size was plenty large for 2 people to share.

For dinner I had the Penne alla Vodka: Penne, tossed with garlic, shallots, onion, tomato, spinach, crushed red pepper and Romano in a vodka marinara. Again, a good large portion and a nice presentation. If you like hot spicy food, this dish is for you. The cumulative heat was fairly strong, but not overpowering, and provided a nice spicy counterpoint to the creamy vodka marinara marrying together to create a really great overall flavor. The pasta was perfectly al dente, giving texture against the soft tomato and spinach for a really nice mix of textures. This dish was a great mix of flavors and textures.

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Channeling My Inner Greek

Spanaki from Meze Greek Tapas on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Spanaki from Meze Greek Tapas on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

I’m French (technically Northern French, I won’t say the “C” word—not that there is anything wrong with that) but after a recent trip to Greece I find a part of me wishing that I were Greek. Full disclosure: I also wish that I were Italian sometimes. So, you can imagine my excitement when I heard that a Greek tapas-style restaurant was opening in the heart of Shrewsbury Street. After a visit to Mezé on opening night, I was hooked. The atmosphere is designed to replicate the typical al fresco eateries you’d find in Greece and the menu is inspired by the Mediterranean style.

Octopus from Meze on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MAFrom the wine (some of the greatest Greek selections—although missing Robola of Kefalonia) and ouzo through the hot and cold dishes, the menu speaks to the nature of the Grecian diet. For this visit, I opted for the spanaki (spinach salad) which consisted of baby spinach, walnuts, sun dried tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, tossed with a balsamic vinegar dressing. The dish was surprisingly large for a spinach salad, but perfectly captured the essence of its flavors.

For my meal, I opted for the Octapodi (octopus). I am bad when it comes to tapas—I don’t like to share. And, when it comes down to the octopus, you can hold me to that. I commonly will stop at Mezé Greek Tapas Bar & Grille on my way home from meetings just to have a glass of wine and enjoy the octopus at the bar. It’s prepared on a bed of onions and grilled with simple balsamic vinegar and olive oil. To be honest, it’s my new go-to meal because the presentation, flavors and consistency. The light meat of octopus absorbs the Mediterranean flavors and satisfies all gustatory perceptions.

I look forward to any night that I know I can belly up to the bar and enjoy a glass of wine, octopus, and spinach salad. It brings out the Greek in me.