Lock 50 is located on Water Street in Worcester. The exterior reminded me of a restaurant you would find in Providence, RI. We entered through the front of the restaurant walking through the breakfast/lunch area. The delicious aroma of coffee welcomed us, in the back was a counter to place your order and plenty of seating next to the over-sized windows overlooking the street. Here we found a mix of contemporary artwork, great light fixtures and the warm feel of exposed brick from an old building. We were here for dinner so we were seated in the back dining area up a few stairs. The dining area had dark, rich, wood flooring, large chandeliers and an open floor concept, making the feel of the restaurant sophisticated and fun.
I decided to order the Whole Roasted Local Fish with Grilled Lemon, Fresh Greens and herbs. The fish was large and fresh with a hint of lemon, the fresh greens had just enough dressing to compliment it. I would suggest a few more herbs on the fish to give it a bit more flavor and also, another choice for a side dish.
Our waitress was prompt and knew the menu well, she kept our drinks flowing which was helpful since our food took quite a while to come out.
Lock 50 is a sophisticated addition to Worcester. The menu has some delicious shareable items that you do not find elsewhere and I can’t wait to return to try them. They also have a great wine selection and hand-crafted beer that change seasonally, I look forward to my return trip!
“There was a lot to love about Lock 50, from the ambiance to the service, but my favorite part was the shareable plates. The act of sharing food creates conversation and brings about laughter and camaraderie.”
Set in an emerging neighborhood with an industrial sensibility, Lock 50 has upped the game for its neighbors. With a split-level space catering to the breakfast, lunch and dinner crowd as well as a nice patio area, the origins of Lock 50 are evident throughout its design and location as the 50th lock in the canal sitting at the intersection of Water, Pond and Harding Street.
The tapas-style menu is designed for sharing with small plate starters and more significantly rounded-out entrees. Sharing food can be tough in a mixed crowd but with a broad menu there’s something to please even the most scrutinous palates. Unlike many restaurants where bread is complimentary, the assorted bread basket at Lock 50 must be ordered from the menu. I wasn’t sure what to make of that but we ordered it, because that’s our job, and I was happy we did. There were at least three varieties of warm delicious bread with a choice of EVOO and whipped butter, which was delightfully rich and decadent. Our group also ordered a handful of small plates to try. While the Grilled Beets with Creamy Goat Cheese, Baby Kale and Blood Orange was lovely, the portion was on the small side for sharing (or I could just be a little selfish). The char offered a nice texture and the goat cheese and blood orange gave the beets a deeper more complex layer of flavors. The rest of the table ordered an array of plates from Potato Gnocchi with Bleu Cheese and Crispy Sweet Potato (one of the larger portioned selections), the Chorizo Stuffed Calamari with Zesty Tomato Broth and Chickpeas (which could have been mistaken by sight for marinara covered manicotti… very playful and even more delicious than it looked), the Shaved Compressed Octopus with Salsa Verde and Crunchy Bread Crumbs (so delicate and unexpected, it looked it rose petals) and finally the Buttermilk Fried Quail with Celeriac Slaw and Cranberry Gravy. I took a very small bite of the Quail; It was good but tasted like fried chicken. With so many unique pairings and playful preparations I didn’t want to use up what appetite I had left for the next course.
Roasted 1/2 Chicken with Mushrooms and Marsala Syrup from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA
We ordered the Roasted 1/2 Chicken with Mushrooms and Marsala Syrup. The mushrooms were the star of this dish. They were slightly crunchy and tasted as though they had marinated in that Marsala sauce overnight. From there we feasted upon the Grilled Tri Tip Steak with Roasted Potato and Broccoli Rabe Pesto as well as the Porchetta accompanied by Grilled Sausage, a Pork Rib, Stewed Lentils and Fried Polenta. The Porchetta dish was my favorite by far. This plate embodied the spirit of sharing and had an earthiness about it. It seemed like others at my table were digging the steak a bit more; which meant more pork rib for me! The fried polenta rounded out this entrée with just enough crunch and even tasted great with the sauce from the stewed lentils.
To wash down all of this food, I ordered a light, refreshing and slightly dry hard cider from Lookout Farm in South Natick. I highly recommend it, especially at the height of those hot summer nights.
The service was fantastic. Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable. When we ordered the Calamari she was sure to tell us that it is different than what most people expect. Kudos to her for that, not all servers are as forthcoming.
There was a lot to love about Lock 50, from the ambiance to the service, but my favorite part was the shareable plates. The act of sharing food creates conversation and brings about laughter and camaraderie. I always look forward to my monthly foodies meeting but this was one of my favorites so far. It was a little pricey but we ordered more food than was necessary. The shareable plates are bigger than what you might think of in a traditional tapas meal.
