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The Twisted Fork Bistro Seared Scallops

The Twisted Fork Bistro Seared Scallops

The Twisted Fork is a short drive from the Webster Square area of Worcester. At the top of Dead Horse Hill the Twisted Fork sits in a strip mall tempting your taste buds with its interesting menu.

Upon entering the restaurant the owner and chef, Jay Powell, whose passion and eclectic personality are apparent instantly, greeted us. The restaurant is a modest size with a small bar area. When we sat down, Chef Jay shared that his restaurant is a scratch kitchen, which means everything is made in-house from scratch.

The menu offered a variety of options. To start, I went with the Mushroom Truffle Soup, which was a rich creamy mushroom soup with black truffles and a dollop of sour cream. It was a masterful combination of flavors. Also, it was quite possibly the best mushroom soup, and largest quantity of soup, I have ever had. It was a portion that could have served two or three people.

For my main course, I ordered the Seared Scallops. This decent-sized portion of scallops and Brussels sprouts came on a citrus parsnip puree topped with a bacon emulsion and finished with a blood orange olive oil. The scallops were seared perfectly. The surprise star of the dish was the parsnip puree. This flavor pulled the dish together. The citrus noted in the puree and blood orange olive oil helped create a dish I want to order again and again.

Our servers, Miss Lindsey and the owner’s wife, Nancy, provided friendly and helpful assistance all night. Nancy is also the pastry chef. She makes sinfully delicious desserts. Service can be a little slow as the chef explained to us that they only have three burners and, of course, everything is made from scratch.

The Twisted Fork’s only downside was the small kitchen. It seems like having a bigger kitchen would allow them to make everything from scratch within a reasonable amount of time. However, the owner and his team showed us their sincere passion for food in the dining experience they created for us. The Twisted Fork is definitely worth a return trip.

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Seared Sea Scallops from Twisted Fork Bistro in Cherry Valley

Seared Sea Scallops from Twisted Fork Bistro in Cherry Valley

Foodies ventured out of the city boundaries this month and landed in Cherry Valley at The Twisted Fork Bistro. Known for its excellent breakfast, owner and head chef Jay Powell has added dinner on Friday and Saturday nights.

I began with the Caesar Salad, served in a molded parmesan cheese bowl, fresh lettuce and a perfectly balanced homemade dressing. The parmesan bowl was a unique and delicious touch to a perfect salad. Oh, and topped with pickled anchovies. Very good!

For my entrée, I actually let our server decide for me because there were too many great options; I had the Seared Sea Scallops. I have a little rule I go by when dinning out- if I crave the dish the following day, it was a great meal. Well, it’s been five days and I’m still craving this scallop entrée. Fresh sea scallops cooked to perfection and served over a parsnip puree with a side of brussel sprouts. Absolutely fantastic!

For dessert, my mouth is watering writing this, homemade vanilla ice cream topped off with homemade salted caramel made by Jay’s wife, Nancy. This was the best vanilla ice cream I have had in the area.

One point I would like to make, Chef Jay works from a scratch kitchen, with all dishes prepared per order. This takes time, but you will be rewarded for your wait with an amazing entrée.

I have to say, this was one of my favorite Foodies experiences. The food certainly played a role, but another factor was witnessing the passion and talent Chef Jay displays. I have been to the Twisted Fork many times for breakfast, and was not sure what to expect from Jay with a dinner menu. I was presently surprised. Worcester County has some amazing chefs and great restaurants; you can put Twisted Fork on the list.