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Chicken Piccata from Rosalina’s Kitchen

Chicken Piccata from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

Chicken Piccata from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

Simply put – Rosalina’s Kitchen is a neighborhood gem. You may miss it driving by as it blends right into the neighborhood but that is part of the charm. I always love frequenting small restaurants that have that local casual feel – like I am sitting in a friends house having dinner and that is exactly how I felt there. It was a Wednesday evening but the place was filled with large groups of friends and families enjoying their meals and a nice bottle of wine. Did I mention its BYOB?

I think everyone heard that they make their home made ravioli on Tuesday nights. While I didn’t try the ravioli this first visit they are must for my next visit. I could see the pillow like raviolis piled high on a friends plate filled with such unique items as lamb and grape leaves. While the home made ravioli is what first attracted me to Rosalina’s Kitchen I ordered a very traditional chicken piccata. Normally when I go to a new restaurant I try to order a favorite dish to help me compare to others I have had at other places.

At Rosalina’s Kitchen you could order the piccata with chicken, haddock or veal. My dish of chicken piccata came steaming hot with lightly browned pieces of moist chicken slices sautéed with lemon, butter, white wine, capers and their special touch – spinach. Bringing the whole dish together was the nice strong lemony flavor balanced with the slight crisp from the white wine. What I liked about this dish was while it was sautéed with butter, like a traditional piccata, I didn’t feel that the butter was the star of the dish which made it much more pleasurable. Overall a great meal and enough to take home for a great dinner the next night.

I am already planning my next trip there with a group of friends.  Try your best to make this your next dinner destination.

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Veal Ragu

Veal Ragu from Joey's on Chandler Street in Worcester, MA

Veal Ragu from Joey's on Chandler Street in Worcester, MA

Nestled away in a small strip mall, slightly off the beaten path, is Joey’s Bar and Grill—a reliable name to the Worcester dining scene. Lesser restaurants would likely struggle with the location but Joey’s was packed during our last Worcester Foodies meeting—even on a Tuesday night. Joey’s offers a mixed menu of good staples and interesting dishes. Our waitress was very knowledgeable and helpful with the menu and specials of the day.

I decided to order the veal ragu. The veal ragu was described as slow roasted veal with wild mushrooms, white wine and sage. It was served over a bead of cracked pepper risotto. Accompanying the meal was an arugula, pancetta, and crisp apple salad. The meal was well prepared and the flavors described in the description were apparent and well balanced. My only comment on the meal was that salad had a slightly salty taste to it which brought out the flavors of the greens, apples and pancetta but was slightly over salty at times. The veal ragu and risotto were exceptionally prepared and went well together making for a wonderful felling like a home cooked comfort food meal with some unique flair to it. The slow cooked veal, carrots, mushrooms, and wine all blended well into a savory dish that I would definatley order again.

The food, service, staff, and attention to detail were evident at Joey’s. The chef smmed quite interested in checking up on his guests and making sure everyone as happy and content. Joey’s is a great place for a good meal that’s slightly of the beaten path for Worcester’s dining scene. If your ever in the Chandler St area Joey’s is worth a visit. -DO