sprouts | Mass Food & Wine

Pho-Real Steam Bun and a Zombie during the Angostura in the Atrium at The People's Kitchen in Worcester, MA

On a rainy autumn evening in the atrium of The People’s Kitchen, Chef Cornelius Rogers transported guests from Worcester to a Caribbean island oasis with the help of Angostura Rum. Rogers and co. turned up the whimsy, evoking the spirit of Trinidad with each and every pairing.

Tot-chos and the Caribbean Spritz
Guests were greeted with playful wine glasses rimmed in banana salt and served with striped paper straws. The Caribbean Spritz consisted of Angostura 5 Year Old Rum, Fever Tree Tonic Water and a fresh pineapple garnish. Cubes of Angostura Bitter-Mango Ice slowly melted, resulting in an entirely different beverage by the end of the first course. The adobo chicken Tot-chos (as in tater tot nachos) grasped onto the Spritz’s emerging mango notes with complimentary flavors of avocado and Serrano salsa.

Pho-Real Steam Bun and a Zombie during the Angostura in the Atrium at The People's Kitchen in Worcester, MA.jpg — Pho-Real Steam Bun and a Zombie during the Angostura in the Atrium at The People’s Kitchen in Worcester, MA

Pho-Real Steam Bun and a Zombie (for 4)
Steamed pork buns called “pow” are a local favorite in Trinidad, so it’s no wonder that the crispy Pork belly, jalapeños, sprouts and pho sauce mirrored an Angostura Zombie so appropriately. This monster of a cocktail came served in hollowed pumpkins with long fluorescent straws for shared consumption. Garnishes of mint and basil on the steam buns enhanced medicinal qualities of Absinthe and warm spices of Falernum.

Pan Roasted Duck Breast and Treacle
The Angostura Treacle is a rum based Old Fashioned, topped with a float of cinnamon-citrus and garnished with a dehydrated apple slice. The union of this tiki concoction with pan roasted duck, pear mostarda, and candied walnuts made for a warming pair on a bone-chilling New England evening.

Warm Semolina Cake and Tom & Jerry
Our meal concluded with moist semolina cake, pumpkin mousse, salted caramel, and a Tom & Jerry. Rogers explained that semolina is a course purified wheat often used to make pasta. Served in a porcelain mug, the Tom & Jerry proved a thick boozy batter. A combination of Cognac, Angostura 7 Year Old Rum, and Amaro di Angostura offered natural undertones of vanilla, maple and cinnamon.

Spicy Tofu and Vegetables from Dalat Restaurant on Park Avenue in Worcester, MA

Vietnamese food has become one of my favorite foods when eating out in Worcester, although I tend to go more in the winter months, so when I found out our next Foodies gathering would be at Dalat I was excited. I purchased a six pack of ice cold beer along with a nice bottle of crisp Pinot Grigio for my dining companion, knowing spicy food was about to consumed, and off we went.

Dalat is a very casual spot on Park Ave, so casual that if you didn’t know it was there you might actually pass by it. Inside things are clean and basic, and obviously, family owned and operated.

We started with an order of spring rolls that came out hot and fresh. For my main meal I opted for one the Chef’s Special – Spicy Tofu and Vegetables. Tofu…? my Foodie friends asked? Yes tofu. In perfect contrast to the al dente vegetables it was served with, the spicy, spongy and delicious tofu was the perfect protein to add to this dish as it took on the flavors of the bell and chile peppers, onions and sprouts it was mixed with. Add the perfect amount of heat and this dish was outstanding, especially with an ice cold BYOB beer! The only draw back is that it was a Chef’s Special and might not be on the menu when I go back. But no worries, I am sure that my next experience at Dalat will be just as outstanding.