Friday, May 1, 2009
A Good Eats Battle Tonight!
Tonight, I'm going to Zia's on Shrewsbury Street. Not to be confused with the already reviewed VIA's! One is behemoth and the other is a little, quaint hole in the wall - all the way down the "other" end of the street. Should be fun, especially since I still have the memory of my "SpaghettiOs lasagna" from Via's fresh in my mind! Still thinking about Via's "whiskey" bread though . Crazy stuff man. (read my Via's review below)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Yippee, it's Udupi! Shrewsbury, MA
You know, the good restaurants are just not as fun to cover...but I'll try. :)
I guess I'll start off with my standard "if you're looking for..." comment. So if you're looking for non-vegetarian Indian food - keep on driving. Udupi is a vegetarian joint...and a very good one at that. There are few restaurants that I'm inclined to want to try each menu item but Udupi is one of them.
The first time I went there the waiter suggested I try a spring dosai; which I suggest everyone who tries this place for the first time does. Personally I think most palates will be pleased by this dish and it's a good gateway to more adventurous dishes.
The biggest thing about Udupi is that everything always tastes fresh - and that is a BIG plus in my book.
CONCLUSION: I like it. You will too. Go. Now.
CONS: The atmosphere is pretty boring.
MUSINGS: I think the Indian waiter was flirting with me... Just kidding! Also I read reviews and some people were like: oh, they're not authentic...blah, blah, blah. Personally I don't care about authenticity, I just want good food!! :)
I guess I'll start off with my standard "if you're looking for..." comment. So if you're looking for non-vegetarian Indian food - keep on driving. Udupi is a vegetarian joint...and a very good one at that. There are few restaurants that I'm inclined to want to try each menu item but Udupi is one of them.
The first time I went there the waiter suggested I try a spring dosai; which I suggest everyone who tries this place for the first time does. Personally I think most palates will be pleased by this dish and it's a good gateway to more adventurous dishes.
The biggest thing about Udupi is that everything always tastes fresh - and that is a BIG plus in my book.
CONCLUSION: I like it. You will too. Go. Now.
CONS: The atmosphere is pretty boring.
MUSINGS: I think the Indian waiter was flirting with me... Just kidding! Also I read reviews and some people were like: oh, they're not authentic...blah, blah, blah. Personally I don't care about authenticity, I just want good food!! :)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Via on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester
First off, I don't think any of the entrees were less than 18 dollars, so if you're looking for something reasonable, you'll be in for a surprise when you see the menu.
I wasn't really expecting big things from this restaurant. Primarily because I haven't heard great things about it - and I don't care for it's big sister the 111 Chop House. Granted the Chop and Via have "star" quality. Meaning that I don't think you can get that kind of atmosphere anywhere else in Worcester...except maybe Bocado. Of course, as Sheila keeps reminding me, I haven't seen all the restaurants in Worcester. YET.
Speaking of atmosphere, it was really nice to sit outside on the veranda. Later, when it started getting colder, one of the waiters turned on the overhead heat lamps and after a little while I started to feel like one of those rotisserie chickens at the supermarket (of course Sheila loved them). Like the Chop we had two waiters and they were pretty efficient, not like when I went to the 111, where every time I turned around there was a waiter asking me if everything was alright. Personally, I like to eat without being interrupted every few bites. Don't get me wrong, I like pampering, but sometimes it seems unnecessary.
For starters, we ordered shrimp cocktail and crostini. Two of the crostini were prosciutto and some other ingredients - which I couldn't exactly see, since they were wolfed down by two other members of our party. The other two were sun dried tomato paste and goat cheese and I was able to try one of them, and I thought it was good. Can't really go wrong with sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese. Unfortunately, they did go wrong with the jumbo shrimp. They looked big and beautiful and the sauce was good - just enough horseradish. Unfortunately the shrimp themselves were slightly fishy...and rubbery. The flesh just didn't feel firm like freshly boiled shrimp. I have a feeling they were cooked earlier and put on ice for hours. Sheila said they tasted "powdery"...I have NO idea how she came up with that description...but powdery is not how I want my shrimp to taste.
Now for the food... I ordered an 18 dollar cheese lasagna and at first bite it was very good. Very cheesy and yummy. However, by the 4th bite the cheese was getting to be a bit too much. I also marveled at how much the lasagna tasted like spaghettiOs as it started to cool. Eighteen dollar spaghettiOs....interesting.
Sheila ordered shrimp scampi and the shrimp were firmer in this dish and were sitting in a bed of nicely done, al dente pasta. It was pretty good. Very buttery, with a nice garlicky taste, diced tomatoes, and of course, shrimp. Again, if I was eating this dish, I'd wonder if the initial buttery yummyness would start to get old and too heavy. Sheila like it though.
Oh, I almost forgot about the bread!!! It was sooooo yeasty. I swear there was so much yeast in this bread that it was starting to turn to alcohol. I don't know how this could happen, but there was a definite taste, and hot feel of alcohol.. Strange...but oddly good and delightfully crusty.
CONCLUSION: Overall, it was ok. However, I wasn't paying! If I were paying, I would have been disappointed. I liked the surroundings, but I wouldn't have been too keen on spending a lot of money on just "OK" food. I'm not wealthy so I have to get the most value for my buck! Still, if I were single and was taking a date out for the first time - this would be the place I'd take her.
CONS: Price, price, price...
MUSINGS: The Captains and Coke Sheila had was yummy. Oh, and I'd probably go there again for a soup (something cheap) just so I can have some more of that wacky bread...so different...so alluring.... :)
I wasn't really expecting big things from this restaurant. Primarily because I haven't heard great things about it - and I don't care for it's big sister the 111 Chop House. Granted the Chop and Via have "star" quality. Meaning that I don't think you can get that kind of atmosphere anywhere else in Worcester...except maybe Bocado. Of course, as Sheila keeps reminding me, I haven't seen all the restaurants in Worcester. YET.
Speaking of atmosphere, it was really nice to sit outside on the veranda. Later, when it started getting colder, one of the waiters turned on the overhead heat lamps and after a little while I started to feel like one of those rotisserie chickens at the supermarket (of course Sheila loved them). Like the Chop we had two waiters and they were pretty efficient, not like when I went to the 111, where every time I turned around there was a waiter asking me if everything was alright. Personally, I like to eat without being interrupted every few bites. Don't get me wrong, I like pampering, but sometimes it seems unnecessary.
For starters, we ordered shrimp cocktail and crostini. Two of the crostini were prosciutto and some other ingredients - which I couldn't exactly see, since they were wolfed down by two other members of our party. The other two were sun dried tomato paste and goat cheese and I was able to try one of them, and I thought it was good. Can't really go wrong with sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese. Unfortunately, they did go wrong with the jumbo shrimp. They looked big and beautiful and the sauce was good - just enough horseradish. Unfortunately the shrimp themselves were slightly fishy...and rubbery. The flesh just didn't feel firm like freshly boiled shrimp. I have a feeling they were cooked earlier and put on ice for hours. Sheila said they tasted "powdery"...I have NO idea how she came up with that description...but powdery is not how I want my shrimp to taste.
Now for the food... I ordered an 18 dollar cheese lasagna and at first bite it was very good. Very cheesy and yummy. However, by the 4th bite the cheese was getting to be a bit too much. I also marveled at how much the lasagna tasted like spaghettiOs as it started to cool. Eighteen dollar spaghettiOs....interesting.
Sheila ordered shrimp scampi and the shrimp were firmer in this dish and were sitting in a bed of nicely done, al dente pasta. It was pretty good. Very buttery, with a nice garlicky taste, diced tomatoes, and of course, shrimp. Again, if I was eating this dish, I'd wonder if the initial buttery yummyness would start to get old and too heavy. Sheila like it though.
Oh, I almost forgot about the bread!!! It was sooooo yeasty. I swear there was so much yeast in this bread that it was starting to turn to alcohol. I don't know how this could happen, but there was a definite taste, and hot feel of alcohol.. Strange...but oddly good and delightfully crusty.
CONCLUSION: Overall, it was ok. However, I wasn't paying! If I were paying, I would have been disappointed. I liked the surroundings, but I wouldn't have been too keen on spending a lot of money on just "OK" food. I'm not wealthy so I have to get the most value for my buck! Still, if I were single and was taking a date out for the first time - this would be the place I'd take her.
CONS: Price, price, price...
MUSINGS: The Captains and Coke Sheila had was yummy. Oh, and I'd probably go there again for a soup (something cheap) just so I can have some more of that wacky bread...so different...so alluring.... :)
Monday, April 27, 2009
Good Eats in Portsmouth, NH!
I went for a little drive to Portsmouth, NH last weekend with some friends and found a great Tex-Mex restaurant. It's called Poco's Bow Street Cantina.
When we got there we opted to sit outside under a tent overlooking the ocean. Not the greatest view of the ocean, but it was very nice to be outside in the fresh air. For starters, we ordered 2 mojito and a mango margarita. Trea loved her frozen mango margarita piled high in her glass - and I can attest that it was delish. I had a mojito and I found the mint fresh and the drink refreshing. Sheila had the same, but a piece of the mint was rotten which of course, spoiled the whole drink. As a replacement she got a scrumptious pineapple mojito - with fresh mint this time.
For lunch we each ordered an appetizer. Sheila chose vegetarian nachos with chicken...that's right...with chicken(?) The serving was easily enough for 2 and in our case...3. The nachos were great. Served with a bowl of salsa that had a yummy peppery taste - just enough to make it stand out from your standard restaurant salsa. The nachos had spinach, cheese, corn, black beans and chicken and they were very satisfying. Ever go to a restaurant and they pile all the ingredients into a dish like this...as if more is automatically better? Well I'm of the opinion that you need balance. There was just the right amount of each ingredient on these nachos, and I loved 'em.
Trea HAD to have mussels and I'm glad she did! I think we'd both agree that they weren't the best mussels we've ever had, but they were good and they came with some very tasty foccacia bread.
For my selection, I ordered the sweet potato empanada (partly because I knew Sheila REALLY wanted them). They were encased in a delicious golden brown pastry and filled with some very tasty sweet potato filling. We REALLY enjoyed them.
Last of all, we ordered 3 soft shell tacos (beef, chicken and pork). The ground beef taco was OK, but we all liked the chicken - and we especially liked the pork - sweet and tender.
CONCLUSION: If you're looking for real Mexican food - don't look here. If you want to relax by the water, have some drinks and some enjoyable food, then I say, look up Poco's the next time you're in Portsmouth, NH.
CONS: It was a bit expensive (that's why we chose appetizers) and it can get a little chilly under the tent when the sun isn't out. Also, the bathroom is a "one-sy" - so if you all have to pee at the same time (possible when you're drinking), you're out of luck.
MUSINGS: I've checked out other on-line reviews (most of them old) and many people complained about the lousy, rude service. Luckily we didn't see any of that. They were perfectly pleasant to us.
When we got there we opted to sit outside under a tent overlooking the ocean. Not the greatest view of the ocean, but it was very nice to be outside in the fresh air. For starters, we ordered 2 mojito and a mango margarita. Trea loved her frozen mango margarita piled high in her glass - and I can attest that it was delish. I had a mojito and I found the mint fresh and the drink refreshing. Sheila had the same, but a piece of the mint was rotten which of course, spoiled the whole drink. As a replacement she got a scrumptious pineapple mojito - with fresh mint this time.
For lunch we each ordered an appetizer. Sheila chose vegetarian nachos with chicken...that's right...with chicken(?) The serving was easily enough for 2 and in our case...3. The nachos were great. Served with a bowl of salsa that had a yummy peppery taste - just enough to make it stand out from your standard restaurant salsa. The nachos had spinach, cheese, corn, black beans and chicken and they were very satisfying. Ever go to a restaurant and they pile all the ingredients into a dish like this...as if more is automatically better? Well I'm of the opinion that you need balance. There was just the right amount of each ingredient on these nachos, and I loved 'em.
Trea HAD to have mussels and I'm glad she did! I think we'd both agree that they weren't the best mussels we've ever had, but they were good and they came with some very tasty foccacia bread.
For my selection, I ordered the sweet potato empanada (partly because I knew Sheila REALLY wanted them). They were encased in a delicious golden brown pastry and filled with some very tasty sweet potato filling. We REALLY enjoyed them.
Last of all, we ordered 3 soft shell tacos (beef, chicken and pork). The ground beef taco was OK, but we all liked the chicken - and we especially liked the pork - sweet and tender.
CONCLUSION: If you're looking for real Mexican food - don't look here. If you want to relax by the water, have some drinks and some enjoyable food, then I say, look up Poco's the next time you're in Portsmouth, NH.
CONS: It was a bit expensive (that's why we chose appetizers) and it can get a little chilly under the tent when the sun isn't out. Also, the bathroom is a "one-sy" - so if you all have to pee at the same time (possible when you're drinking), you're out of luck.
MUSINGS: I've checked out other on-line reviews (most of them old) and many people complained about the lousy, rude service. Luckily we didn't see any of that. They were perfectly pleasant to us.
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