Tag: Foodies LXI

For March, Foodies traveled to Cherry Valley—a village of Leicester—to dine with Chef Jay Powell from his restaurant, Twisted Fork Bistro. Having reserved the restaurant exclusively for the foodies group, here are some of the dishes that were enjoyed.

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Chicken Francaise — Twisted Fork Style

Chicken Francaise — Twisted Fork Style

I have been to Uncle Jay’s Twisted Fork for brunch several times so I was excited to try Uncle Jay’s for dinner. This dining experience was different from what the Foodies group is accustomed to since the Twisted Fork is not open on Tuesdays for dinner. We had the small, intimate restaurant to ourselves.

Chef Jay greeted us with an explanation of how he roasted the pork for a special he made to welcome us. His wife, Nancy, came over immediately to ask if we would like a beverage. They have a full bar and a nice selection of wine.

As you may have heard, Jay can be a little quirky and loud. He often talks to everyone through the window from the kitchen. I love when he gets going. His wife, Nancy is calm and so pleasant, she makes you feel as if you are at their home and you can see how she is the perfect balance to Jay.

We started with a pork taco accompanied with some truffle fries. This taco was so delicious, I really wished I could have ordered more for my meal, but it was not on the menu that night. After that, I had the soup special, which you are asked to shout to the kitchen to inquire about. Jay shouted to us all through the window the specials; however, I only heard “Root Vegetable Bisque” and knew I must try!

The soup was so well done. The flavors were rich but it was not over-powering. The texture was perfect. I wanted to finish it all but I still had my main meal to follow. I chose the Chicken Francaise, which was served with a cider glaze, cranberries, and asparagus. This was excellent.

Nancy also had another nice young lady assisting her. The service was fantastic. We were well taken care of and had whatever we needed.

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the evening from the warm, welcoming atmosphere, delicious food, amazing service to Uncle Jay and Nancy taking the time to chat with us. I will certainly be back for dinner and brunch.

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Maple Leaf Seared Duck Breast from Twisted Fork Bistro

Roasted Duck Breast from Twisted Fork Bistro in Cherry Valley, MA

I had driven past the Twisted Fork many times not really paying attention to the strip mall as I whizzed by. After dining there, I found that I need to slow down and stop in more often. The strip mall is located at the top of Dead Horse Hill. The location and interior reminded me of something straight out of Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

The interior isn’t anything spectacular. Tables and booths make up the landscape. There’s an open kitchen where you can see Chef Jay Powell work his magic. His frenetic style and enthusiasm can be felt the instant you talk to him. He exudes confidence and knowledge about the products he works with. And, you can tell that he truly loves what he does. It shows in the dishes he serves.

First off, the Twisted Fork isn’t usually open on Tuesdays, but Chef Jay made a special exception for the Foodies. That wasn’t the only thing out of the ordinary. Not five minutes after entering the restaurant, Jay came out of the kitchen with a locally raised, freshly roasted pig. That’s when I knew this was no ordinary restaurant. The smell of the pork was intoxicating because it was still hot. And, the crispy skin was glistening under the lights of the dining room.

When it came to the meal, I decided that I had to start with one of Jay’s specialty soups of the day. I selected the Roasted Root Vegetable Bisque ($12). When bisque comes to mind, you usually think of a classic lobster bisque that resembles a chowder. However, his bisque had a whipped, aerated texture. It tasted sinful to be eating something that was so delicious, yet relatively healthy.

The soup probably would have filled me up, but I decided to be a glutton and order the Maple Leaf Seared Duck ($29). This dish was made from a Maple Farm duck. The meat was seared to perfection and served on a bed of Parmesan risotto, topped with a cranberry duck reduction, and a side of roasted Brussel sprouts. One word: amazing!

If you are a fan of duck, you need to try this dish. The skin was crispy. The duck was cooked medium and fork-tender. The reduction sauce with the cranberries was rich, but the cranberries’ tartness cut through nicely adding some freshness to the plate. The roasted Brussel sprouts were slightly bitter after being roasted. With a dish this rich, you need something to cut all that fat. The risotto was creamy, thick, and tangy from the parm. I could’ve eaten just the risotto for a meal.

Being that it was just the Foodies in this small space for dinner, the waitstaff was incredible. They explained all the dishes from their origins to the preparation details and even the names of the people and farms they used to source their produce and meats. Jay and his wife were kind and loving like your Aunt and Uncle, but slightly edgier (in the best way possible). They were always around asking about refills and bringing more house-made bread to the table.

Next time you are in the Cherry Valley area, you shouldn’t drive by the Twisted Fork like I used to do. Stop in and you will be amazed at what Chef Jay and his staff offer. Not only would their dinners rival anything that you can find in the heart of Worcester, but I would put him up against anyone in the Metro West and the Boston area. It was that good!

Knowing that the food that you are eating is as fresh as it possibly can be, locally sourced and cooked with love and care comes together to create quite an experience. To have a chef be so hospitable and talented on the outskirts of Worcester was a treat too. Chef Jay is a diamond in the rough, and his restaurant the Twisted Fork is one of the best restaurant experiences I have had in a long time.