With a name like Gumbo, you wouldn’t necessarily picture a restaurant that was nestled in Worcester’s Canal District and mingled amongst some of Worcester more popular bars. However, upon entering this location, you quickly learn that this place fits right in! The actual dining room of Gumbo is set in the basement of the building, adorned with brick and stonework, as well as stained glass and pictures that immediately transport you to New Orleans. I was hoping for a menu filled with inspired seafood dishes and southern staples and I wasn’t disappointed. I finally decided on the Shrimp Monica. Labeled as a Jazz fest classic, this dish consisted of jumbo shrimp sautéed with Creole spice and julienned vegetables. It was finished with a rich Parmesan cream and tossed with fettuccine. Being one of the specials of the day, I figured I couldn’t go wrong. When the dish arrived at the table, I was surprised at the size of the dish. It was much smaller than I would’ve thought it would be. However, it turned out to be just the right size portion. The rich cream sauce filled you up and kept you full throughout the meal. The shrimp were coated with creole spice were cooked perfectly and had a delightfully fresh taste to them. I was looking for something a little spicier though. I would have liked to have a bit more cayenne pepper or red chili flake, to kick it up a notch…because without those bold flavors, this could be just another run-of-the-mill shrimp and Alfredo dishes. I had to add a decent amount of salt and pepper just to accentuate the flavor of the dish. With so many choices on the menu, I would have liked to try a half dozen other items, so I guess that means that they created a regular customer –ED
