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Baked Meatloaf Dinner

Baked Meatloaf Dinner from Wexford House on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Baked Meatloaf Dinner from Wexford House on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

I drive by the Wexford House twice daily but have never been inside – nor have I known anyone who has been.  I was intrigued by this pick by a fellow Foodie and looked forward to the adventure.  When I walked in, the decor was what I expected – in need of some updating but clean and appealing to the target audience (which is slightly older than my usual crowd).  The waitress promptly brought me the pumpkin beer that I ordered (quite a steal at $3.50, I believe) and I looked over the menu. American comfort food and Middle Eastern favorites were the two main categories and I leaned more towards the former on this night.  Someone at the table mentioned meatloaf and I decided to go well outside of my usual ordering preferences and try the Baked Meatloaf Dinner.  The waitress gave it a strong recommendation when she told us her grandfather ordered it when he came into the restaurant.  When my plate came, I was not surprised to see a very generous portion as it just seemed like that kind of place.  I chose mashed potatoes and the mixed vegetables as my sides.  The meatloaf and potatoes were covered in a brown gravy which tasted jarred but it helped to add flavor to the meal.  The meatloaf was a bit dry and I would have preferred more moisture and less dependence on the gravy.  The mashed potatoes were obviously not from a box – chunky and delicious – while the vegetables (a mix of summer squash, zucchini and carrots) were probably the highlight of my meal as they were well seasoned and cooked to a perfect tender-crisp.

I did take home my leftovers and was happy to enjoy them for lunch the next day but this is probably not a meal I would order again. Several of the other dishes at the table looked tempting, especially the appetizer sampler platter with hummus and feta amongst other goodies. I would certainly come back for this dish and the very reasonably priced beers.

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Steak

My lasting impression of Lago Ristorante on Mill Street in Worcester ended up being much more favorable than my first. From the outside it just doesn’t look like much, but once you get inside and see the long bar extending almost all the way across the room on one side and the picture windows overlooking Coes Reservoir on the other you begin to change your mind. Although the bar and dining area of the restaurant consists of just one large room, the interior looks new and inviting. Usually when I go to a restaurant with just one other person I prefer the bar — and the bar here looks like a great place to sit and have dinner. On this occasion, there was a group of us so we sat at tables near the window. I didn’t see any large tables and the room was not set up in a way that you could put two tables together so I think you are pretty much restricted to the bar or tables for four.

The menu is a single sheet of heavy paper printed on one side with four sections: Starters, Salads, Main Courses, and Specials. We were informed that they also have homemade deserts. Since I am doing the low carb diet, right now my eyes automatically skipped over the pasta dishes and went straight to the 16 oz. sirloin. Again, my first impression, the price of $17, lowered my expectation, but I went with it anyway. It came with two vegetable dishes, summer squash and a mixed vegetable, as well as a small side salad served before the main course.

Although we waited patiently for the meal, it ended up being really good. The steak was cooked to perfection–despite the fact that the server never asked if I knew what medium rare meant. It looked great, it was very tasty, and it appeared to be a true 16 ounces. The two sides of vegetables were delicious as well. The salad crisp, fresh, and simple. Overall, it was a great meal and a fun experience — I would definitely return. –RS