Tag: worcester

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Sliced Beef Brisket

Sliced Beef Brisket at Smokestack Urban Barbecue

The Sliced Beef Brisket from Smokestack Urban Barbecue on Harding Street in Worcester.

It used to be difficult to find a restaurant in the Worcester area that focused their culinary skills on BBQ, so when Smokestack Urban Barbecue opened their doors in 2010 with a focus on Southern Style BBQ many were eager to give their bountiful menu a chance.

A safe bet with any BBQ restaurant is the Beef Brisket. At Smokestack, it comes with traditional cornbread and a choice of two sides; our choice was the Cucumber Salad, BBQ beans, and, taking advantage of an added third option, the Mac & Cheese. Prepared in true Southern style, the brisket is dry smoked and prepared with a flavorful Southern inspired rub; two house BBQ sauces are available at the table to “add the heat or the sweet.” The meat, enough to take home for lunch the next day, is prepared perfectly, rendering the necessity of a knife obsolete. With an intense smoke flavor, this dry rubbed meat is thinly sliced, tender, lean, and cooked to perfection. The Mac and Cheese compliments the meat, yet is also dense with flavor unlike the watery consistency of many local versions. In addition, both the BBQ beans and cucumber salad worked together to bring different flavors and textures to this meal, creating a true southern BBQ experience.

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Gorgonzola Almond Crusted Sirloin

Hidden from the hustle of the city is Chioda’s Trattorria on Franklin Street. The small, intimate, Italian eatery boasts both the traditional flavors of Italy along with an authentic atmosphere to help you escape from the world outside. Apart from a diverse wine menu, the meals have an added element of surprise. Take the Gorgonzola almond crusted sirloin. Pan seared, this large sirloin is encrusted with almonds and topped with a Gorgonzola cheese that simply melts into the tender meat. The crunch of the almonds compliments the light salty tang of the cheese, and is further complimented with roasted potatoes—whose combination of spices and olive oil could serve as a meal on it’s own—and green beans. Although the steak itself could have been a better cut, the flavor of the dish is something that other restaurants might have a difficult time replicating. When looking to escape into a small, intimate, Italian restaurant, look for someplace small and authentic, like Chioda’s Trattorria, where careful attention to food is obvious.