Tag: Foodies LXIV: Lock 50

It is never okay to indulge in the Seven Sins but at Lock 50, gluttony, pride and lust are inevitable traits infused with each dish.

Carefully choreographed with the precision of Executive Chef Tim Russo, Mass Foodies writers explored the palate and visio n of Russo’s exceptional culinary skills with a night of fine dining and fine wine.

“The Potato Gnocchi was phenomenal,” says Robyn Lane, in between servings of small plates meant for discovering new favorites. The potato gnocchi with bleu cheese, crispy sweet potato and fresh scallions was the dish everyone knew they would come back for within the first few bites. “Oh, and the Fontina Cheese was amazing.”

With a constant rotation of new plates from the kitchen, the subtle “oohs and ahas” echoed throughout the room as dishes like the Shaved Compressed Octopus made its way to each table.

“The Octopus and the Porchetta dishes are my favorite to create. The Shaved Compressed Octopus technique was just a creative thought I had one day and it seems to be a favorite so far. The Porchetta with Grilled Sausage, Pork Rib, Stewed Lentils and Fried Polenta is where I can alleviate some steam. It’s a fun dish to create and not as delicate as the others,” says Executive Chef Russo.

The Chorizo Stuffed Calamari was a great play on the full use of a squid dish. The body, stuffed and proportionally enhanced with a Zesty Tomato Broth and Chickpeas, was adorned with a boost of flavors and a well-versed tapas presentation.

While Stephanie Orsi and Evan Dufault raved about the Potato Gnocchi – clearly a group favorite, Amy Peterson saw the magic in Russo’s eyes when speaking about the Porchetta dish and seconded him as her favorite of the night. “The act of sharing food creates conversation and brings about laughter and camaraderie. The Porchetta is a dish to be desired. The plate, something like an upscale Shepard’s selection embodied the tapas experience with culinary excellence,” says Peterson.

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Staff Writer

Who doesn’t like gnocchi?

gnocchi with bleu cheese, crispy sweet potato, and fresh scallion from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA.

As someone who gets rather overwhelmed by too many choices, I was a bit anxious browsing the menu at Lock 50. Not because there were multiple pages and every dish imaginable, but because the menu was divided into two sections: small plates and shareable plates. Can we still share small plates? How small are small plates? Are shareable plates only for sharing? Can I eat a whole shareable plate myself? PANIC! Luckily, I was sitting with people of a similar mind. Why don’t we just order everything that looks good to us? We ended up with a solid 3/4 of the menu for a group of 5. Absolutely no regrets. Some small plates are smaller than others, so I would recommend getting more than one even if you are part of a table for two on date night. The shareable plates are bigger, and can be eaten by one person, but Lock 50 is all about sharing so share!

I chose the gnocchi with bleu cheese, crispy sweet potato, and fresh scallion. This is one of the larger shareable plates (the shaved compressed octopus being an obvious tiny one). The gnocchi arrived in a bowl topped with crispy sweet potato. Crispy sweet potato is now my favorite topping. The sweet potato was extremely thin, thinner than a toothpick, but crunchy. I would add it to all my salads if I could. The gnocchi felt almost light, but full of flavor. I would not usually call gnocchi a light dish, but there really was a light, refreshing feeling to it and I could not stop eating. The bleu cheese added a savory element that a basic potato, flour, egg gnocchi can lack, and the scallions added to the presentation as well as the fresh taste of the gnocchi. Luckily, they brought an additional one to the table due to some kind of miscommunication so I was free to eat as much as I liked.

The service was excellent beginning with the menu clarifications. Recommendations from the waitress for drinks and dishes were solid.

It was frequently a little difficult to hear each other at our table of five. We were in the upstairs section, in the middle of the room, and the room can get quite loud with a full restaurant. Some sort of sound dampening foam may be a good investment. The dishes came out in a good time frame, two dishes at once with enough time before the next to enjoy. I recommend going to Lock 50 with a small group and doing what we did-order all the plates that catch your eye. The downside is that the bill can end up rather high as the prices are near the top of the range for Worcester, but it is an experience worth having.

Posted on June 14, 2016June 14, 2016 by Staff Writer

A Little Bit of Chorizo Stuffed Calamari and A Lot of the Grilled Tri Tip Steak at Lock 50

Grilled Tri Tip Steak from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA

Summertime and the livings easy! Worcester is in full bloom and so are all of the new restaurants, cafes and bars throughout the city! Lock 50 stands out on crowded Water St. with its beautiful outdoor patio and exposed brick exterior. It was cozy and stylish with fun decor. I especially loved the hanging lights and rock salt crystal candle holders that were set on each table.

Buttermilk Fried Quail from Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, Ma

Our table of 5 quickly agreed to take the “YOLO” route and ordered a little bit of everything. For small plates we went with the Assorted Bread Basket, Grilled Beets, Potato Gnocchi, Chorizo Stuffed Calamari, Shaved Compressed Octopus, and the Buttermilk Fried Quail. My favorite of the 6 was undoubtedly the Chorizo Stuffed Calamari which was accompanied with zesty tomato broth and chickpeas. It reminded me of manicotti, but instead of pasta it was grilled calamari. I’ve honestly never seen or tasted anything like it!

As if all of that wasn’t enough we also ordered three shareable plates which were a lot larger than I expected. We went with the Porchetta, Grilled Tri Tip Steak and the Roasted 1/2 Chicken. All three were phenomenal, but the one that stood out most was the Tri Tip Steak with Roasted Potato and Broccoli Rabe Pesto. I had never thought of putting pesto with my steak but it was fabulous and cooked to perfection. After one bite I found myself going back for more.. and more.. and more.. until it was all gone. Each and every plate I tried was extremely satisfying and unique.

Our server was fantastic and well-versed on the entire menu. For drinks she recommended the Lookout Farm Cider from Natick and I’m so glad she did. I’m not normally a cider drinker because they tend to be on the sweeter side but this one was dry, crisp and refreshing! Definitely a new Summer go-to.

After ordering a handful of the small plates we asked if there was anything she thought was a must-try and she suggested the Buttermilk Fried Quail. It added a crunch that other plates lacked and I’m glad we went with it. Overall prompt service and great recommendations!

Lock 50 is a restaurant that brings out the best in Worcester! Although I found the dinner menu on the pricier side, it’s absolutely worth it for date night or a special occasion. I’ve been told their coffee (especially their Nitro Brew) and crepe selection is one of the best in the city, so I’ll be sure to hit up their cafe for a weekend treat! Overall it was a fantastic evening and my favorite Foodie adventure to date!