Tag: truffle honey

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Seared Duck Breast at The Urban

Seared Duck Breast at The Urban on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Seared Duck Breast at The Urban on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

The Urban Kitchen opened a few months ago so when it was announced WorcesterFoodies would be going there, I was excited. The old Coral Seafood space on Shrewsbury Street has been transformed into an sleek, modern space with an open kitchen visible form the dining room. The vibe is elegant while still casual and the menu is ambitious and creative, while still approachable.

Compliments of the house, we started our dining experience with house made ricotta served with truffle honey, chives and roasted croutons. The creamy cheese was firm, slightly salty and very flavorful while the truffle honey added a sweetness that pushed this dish to a whole new level.

The seasonal dinner menu had so many interesting items it made choosing an entree difficult. House made pastas, fish, pork, beef and even venison but when my dining companion chose the Artic Char, I immediately chose the Seared Duck Breast knowing I could taste her fish also!

Duck is a tricky dish, but not at The Urban. Perfectly seared duck breast, sat atop caramelized sweet potato and wild mushrooms. The duck, served with the skin, was crispy on the outside and moist, tender and perfectly medium rare on the inside. Flavorful but not gamey, the meat paired well with the earthy sweet potato and wild mushrooms.

The craftsmanship used to create this meal while not overly complicated, was outstanding. The portion size was generous, but not overwhelming. The sides were as well executed as the duck and the presentation superb. Overall, The Urban is a great addition to the Worcester dining scene and I for one will certainly return for what I anticipate will be another wonderful experience.

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Urban’s Arctic Char during Restaurant Week

Arctic Char from Urban Kitchen on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Arctic Char from Urban Kitchen on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Our most recent foodie stop was at The Urban Kitchen + Bar, situated at the old Coral Seafood restaurant on Shrewsbury Street. While the inside changed a bit, it is still an open and spacious dining area with a great, long bar.  I was pleased with the subtle changes, red velvet drapes were hung over  the bar adding some sophistication. As we sat down we were brought out their house made Ricotta with truffle honey and chives accompanied with thin pieces of crusty French bread. The Ricotta was light and creamy, not too heavy, and the truffle honey was the perfect complement, the bread was thinly sliced so it had a crunch to it, perfect pairing!

I decided on ordering off of the Restaurant Week menu. I started off with the Arugula and Squash salad as my appetizer. The salad was small but the mix of ingredients were delicious. They added some of their homemade ricotta, curried pistachios and pickled raisins. The curried pistachios made the dish for me, what a delight to have those and the ricotta mixed with my arugula and large chunks of squash. For my main dish I had the Arctic Char, it was small in size but cooked perfectly, it wasn’t smothered in butter or a heavy sauce so I could truly taste the fish. The lentils were a fabulous idea, I just wish they offered more on the plate, two very small dollops was just not enough. For dessert I picked the carrot cake with candied pecans and cream cheese gelato, the carrot cake was light and the undertone of cinnamon mixed with the cream cheese gelato, which they placed on the plate next to the cake, made a perfect combination. I enjoyed my experience here, the food was tastefully presented and everything I ate was delicious, my only regret was that there was not more of it.