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Worcester Center for the Performing Arts, a registered not-for-pro t 501(c)(3) organization, owns and operates The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts.

TheHanoverTheatre.org 877.571.SHOW (7469)2 Southbridge St. • Worcester

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Pairings that enhance the senses............................................................................................................................... 5Three ways to enjoy bobas ...............................................................................................................................................8Carne! ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 10All aboard the spud wagon ............................................................................................................................................ 14Dining Out: Restaurant listings ................................................................................................................................... 15Healthy Dining in the Woo .............................................................................................................................................. 16What He Kraves with Dan Andelman of the Phantom Gourmet ....................................................... 19

About the cover

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Pho Dakao’s blended boba drinks. Photo by Steven King.

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worcestermagazine.com/A Special Supplement of Worcester Magazine KRAVE 2014 5

Pairings that enhance the sensesJacleen Charbonneau

Restaurants are taking dining to a whole new level with food and beverage pairings, an upscale option

that turns dinner into an experience. “We believe that a really great food

and wine pairing enhance each other,” said Katie Kelly, wine director for Niche Hospitality, which owns a cohort of restaurants, including The Citizen and The People’s Kitchen. “Instead of one plus one equals two, it’s one plus one equals three; because a great wine [and] a great dish ... taste better with each other,” said Kelly.

The Citizen, located on Exchange St., is first and foremost a wine, cheese and chocolate bar, but also shares a menu with its counterpart, The People’s Kitchen, an upscale restaurant, located upstairs.

Known for its selection of cheeses and charcuteries, The People’s Kitchen offers preselected wine flights to pair with each of these options. Each flight includes three two-ounce pours of wine that are offered in three different options: white wines, red wines and a combination of red, white and rosé wines.

“Sauvignon blanc is a really great white wine that has high acidity, which is great for eating,” said Kelly, explaining how highly acidic wines trigger the mouth to water, which pairs well with the restaurant’s softer cheeses.

In contrast, the rosé wine pairs well with any menu item, said Kelly, including the restaurant’s house-made pickles found on the charcuterie board. “It has a structure of a red wine but it chills like a white wine, so it’s a really nice transition,” explained Kelly. Also, she said, “the red wine that we have is a barbera from Italy, so it’s a lighter, low tannin red wine. It goes really great with...some of the harder, sharper cheeses.”

The restaurant offers a bone-in, dry-aged rib eye served over roasted

potatoes and sautéed vegetables of the season, paired with a tannic zinfandel wine. “When you have a piece of meat that has a high fat content, you want a tannic wine to help cut through the fat,” advised Kelly.

Also fond of pairing food and drink is Peppercorn’s owner Tom Oliveri, whose family has been in the food business since 1980. Described by Oliveri as an

“upscale family restaurant with Italian flare,” Peppercorn’s allows guests to enhance their dining experience with meals like the crispy Fontina Chicken – a breaded cutlet topped with prosciutto and fontina cheese and a creamy, roasted garlic and lemon cream topping – paired with J.Lohr Chardonnay.

“[J.Lohr] is probably the best

STEV

EN K

ING

The Castle Restaurant’s North Atlantic cod wrapped

in salmon pastrami paired with Greco di Tufo 2011

Mastroberardino Vinyards Campania, Italy.

continued on page 6


chardonnay at its price point. It’s creamy and buttery, but it’s also acidic. It finishes pretty dry,” explained Oliveri. “Wines that finish acidic will pair well with foods, and I think the J.Lohr hits on those notes.”

Additionally, Oliveri suggests Cecchi Bonizio Chianti from Italy with the restaurant’s Neapolitan thin crust pizzas, which are thinly-rolled and cooked at 700 degrees. “Chianti is typically … a pretty dry wine. [For the

pizza], you got the tomato sauce, which is on the sweeter side. You have the cheese, which is rich and creamy, and pairs very well,” said Oliveri. “Chianti generally goes with anything and everything, but pizza especially.”

Also experienced in fine wine is the staff at the Castle Restaurant in Leicester, marked as one of the Top 10 wine cellars in the U.S., offering fine dining for nearly 65 years and occasional wine-maker dinners. “We were really the benchmark for fine dining and, most importantly, wine in Central New England,” said General Manager and maître d’hôtel James Nicas, who has purchased the wine for his family-owned restaurant for nearly five decades. “There’s no easy explanation [for pairings]. It really is trial and error, and understanding the different chemical compositions of food and wine.”

When it comes to pairing, Nicas recognizes that every guest has his

or her preferred taste. However, one pairing he is particularly fond of is the cod loin wrapped in salmon pastrami, which is pan-seared and then oven-roasted, coupled with a glass of Greco di Tufo by Mastroberardino.

“It tends to have a real polished vanillin and melon-apricot nuance. It tends to work against, or is a foil to, the strong pastrami spices of the salmon, which is a little softened out by the pure… cod” said Nicas. “So it works to showcase those flavors. It’s one of

those magical things that seems to work very well.”

Nicas recently tried a unique pairing for an International Wine and Food Society dinner, which consisted of Lirac, a Grenache blend from France, and scallops cooked in wild mushroom, shallot and butter cream, topped with muenster cheese and then baked. “People would, most times, veer away from a very rich, concentrated red wine with a shellfish and cream base. But, when add[ing] the wild mushrooms and the sweetness of the Nantucket scallops…it was pretty across the board that it was unusual but extremely successful.”

Also highly recognized for an exceptional selection of pairings is Armsby Abbey on Main Street in Worcester, which has offered some of the best craft beers and locally-sourced food to its guests since it first opened its doors six years ago. This multi-award-winning restaurant holds its

standards high, offering a beer pairing for each item on its menu.

Armsby Abbey, said owner and curator of the restaurant’s beer selection Alec Lopez, “is a complete ethical commitment to the idea of serving hand-crafted food with the best ingredients possible. For us, that means that they’re coming from local farms. The food is technique-driven, always evolving.”

The food and cocktail menu constantly changes at Armsby Abbey, so naturally as do pairings offered. “The goal is to enhance the food and beer experience. You’re creating a marriage, a symbiotic relationship … It’s something we take incredibly seriously and have since day one,” said Lopez.

Lopez gives the example of the Belgian Wit, an “unfiltered wheat beer that has the addition of coriander and orange peel,” paired with fresh goat cheese. Additionally, Lopez recommends fresh, hoppy IPAs with tomatoes.

“We’re sort of dealing with bright acidity. Tomatoes – sweetness and brightness – really line up well with hops. When you have something that’s really freshly-hopped like an IPA, you are dealing with the oils from the hops still being present in the IPA. Big citrus aromas … and grassy and floral notes,” explained Lopez. “The combination of the two, [hoppy IPA and tomatoes], is really nice. You could do a really classic Castilian Gazpacho and pair that with a super bright IPA.”

With local restaurants offering pairings, diners can indulge in a feast for the senses, experiment with new drinks, and perhaps discover a new favorite combination or two.

Visit these restaurants and try a pairing for yourself!

The Citizen and The People’s Kitchen1 Exchange Place, Worcester Peppercorn’s Grille & Tavern455 Park Ave., Worcester Castle Restaurant 1230 Main St., Leicester Armsby Abbey 144 Main St., Worcester

STEVEN KING

James S. Nicas, owner of the Castle Restaurant, with sous chef and pastry chef

Cassie Ramsey.

PAIRINGS continued from page 5


Three ways to enjoy bobasMike Murray

Throughout the past 10 years, American cities have witnessed the growth of the curious elixir, boba

tea, also commonly called bubble tea or pearl milk tea, and Worcester is no stranger to this popular beverage. The drink typically combines a chilled, blended or iced Asian tea with chewy, pea-sized bubbles of a variety of flavors, from fruit flavors like mango, orange, or coconut, but most commonly tapioca. The origin of boba tea is oft debated, but many scholars have settled on Chun Shui Tang tea house in Taichung, Taiwan, where product development manager Ms. Lin Hsiu Hui combined the tea house’s famous Chinese iced tea with a traditional Taiwanese dessert of sweetened tapioca pudding called fen yuan. The concoction was an instant success and the drink went global within a few years. While larger cities like Boston and New York are home to dozens, if not hundreds, of restaurants and tea shops serving bubble tea, Worcester has capitalized on the trend with a small handful of East Asian restaurants, each serving their own version of the drink.

Pho Dakao on Park Ave. has been a local favorite for traditional Vietnamese fare for years, and while most diners visit for the comfortable dining room, lively bar and the restaurant’s eponymous Vietnamese noodle soups, the restaurant has also carved out a niche in serving a variety of excellent blended bubble teas. Pho Dakao’s hallmark boba tea is their Trà Thái, Thai iced tea, that is made with strong Ceylon tea, blended with milk, and flavored using orange blossom and spices like tamarind and star aniseed. As is customary in many Western Vietnamese restaurants, the Trà Thái is blended into a thick and refreshing frappe, with dozens of bobas layered heavily at the bottom of the glass. Though Pho Dakao’s most popular

Pho Dakao’s blended boba drinks.

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boba tea is the Trà Thái, the restaurant also specializes in a handful of less common teas, including durian (not nearly as smelly as the famous aromatic fruit), jack fruit and avocado, which is surprisingly sweet and refreshing.

Just minutes down the street from Pho Dakao is one of Worcester’s newest Asian restaurants and the only hot pot restaurant in the city, Chuan Shabu, also on Park Ave. While the focus of Chuan is on hot pot – an East Asian stew that allows diners to cook their own meats and fish at the table – the restaurant also features a delicious Taro iced bubble tea. Served over ice instead of blended, this pale purple beverage is flavored using taro which is the corm, a bulbous root, and tastes similar to a sweet potato. While it may sound as strange as an avocado tea, taro is one of the most popular boba teas. Chuan Shabu’s taro iced tea is sweet, spicy and smooth with a few dozen bobas floating lightly at the bottom of the glass.

With Chuan Shabu serving their

signature bubble tea over ice and Pho Dakao having delicious blended teas, it begs the question of which is better: a frappe-like boba tea or a chilled boba tea over ice? Much of this comes down to personal preference and while I prefer a refreshing draw from a bubble tea over ice, if your goal is to suck the slippery, chewy and sweet tapioca balls through your straw, having a blended frappe makes this much easier. For those who simply can’t decide between iced or frappe, the dilemma is complicated further by the popularity of serving fruit boba along with frozen yogurt. Just minutes from Pho Dakao and Chuan Shabu is one of Worcester’s original frozen yogurt shops – Wooberry. With lines that back out the door at all hours of the day, Wooberry swirls up frigid frozen yogurt piled high with toppings, ranging from crushed candy bars, to dark chocolate swirls, and of course, boba. Worcester-area diners looking for a fruity treat should look to combine Wooberry’s

pomegranate frozen yogurt, with fresh kiwi, and Lychee boba – a sweet, aromatic and vaguely floral boba that packs an impossibly juicy bite.

It is impossible to decide on only one way to enjoy boba, and Worcester-area diners who need a fix for boba can enjoy three variations on the treat within just a few miles. Whether you are topping your frozen yogurt, slurping up a blended frappe, or cooling off with a taro iced bubble tea, there is truly no wrong way to enjoy boba.

Try a boba for yourself!

Pho Dakao593 Park Ave., Worcester

Chuan Shabu301 Park Ave., Worcester

Wooberry Frozen Yogurt141 Highland St., Worcester


Carne!Cade Overton

Love meat, but tired of the same old steak? There are several restaurants in Worcester that offer different

takes on carnivorous pleasures, ones with offerings inspired by cuisines south of the border and even across the pond to satisfy your need for culinary adventure. Other cultures’ traditions and variations on preparation and seasoning offer an easy way to escape the norm, so let’s take a look at three local establishments thinking outside of the American box.

First up is Pampas Churrascaria, located in the heart of the Shrewsbury Street restaurant district. A churrascaria is a place where meat is cooked in churrasco style, which means “barbecue” in Portuguese. This style of rotisserie has its origins in the fireside meals of the gauchos of southern Brazil, traditionally from the Pampa region. Pampas in Worcester offers a variety of dining options, including an impressive buffet and an entire corner devoted to churrascaria. Customers stand in front of a large rotisserie-style barbecue oven and choose from a variety of meats; it’s easy to overdo things without meaning to with the range of options. The meat

is cut straight from the skewer by the chef at the counter as the customer makes selections.

All of it may look and sound familiar, but something as simple as pork sausage is impressively spiced and perfectly cooked. Beef is sliced thin and can be had in any level of rareness; the medium-rare is very pink with no blood, and boasts an uncommon sweetness that is the result of a wonderful marinade, which is perfectly offset by a charred and very salty crust.

The roast pork strikes a similar note, but is heavily doused with a bouquet

of spices that would be a challenge to guess at. Hefty slices of chicken leg meat are so tender it’s almost difficult to believe it’s chicken, yet somehow the skin is crispy. As a result, the bacon-wrapped chicken is almost too rich to handle, and at this point it becomes explicitly clear that Pampas is not your uncle’s backyard barbecue.

It’s also extremely hard to leave without feeling morbidly, yet satisfyingly full, and that’s without bothering with the wide variety of vegetables available from the buffet. A crushing amount of meat will set you back just over $10.

Without question, one of the best

methods of getting meat into your mouth is in a corn tortilla, but it can be difficult here in New England to find tacos of the authentic Mexican persuasion. Look no further than Tacos Parilla Mexicana on Millbury St., but be prepared to dust off your high school Spanish.

A great place to start is with a chorizo taco. Mexican chorizo is sausage, usually made of fatty pork, chili peppers and a variety of spices. It can be deceptively hot, so go easy on the hot sauce at first. From there, try a carnitas taco. Carnitas, literally “little

meats,” are made by slow-cooking pork in oil or lard until tender and then pulling it to shreds. It can be spiced with cilantro, and the flavor does not disappoint. It offers a complexity you won’t find in American pulled pork, and the seasoning at Tacos Parilla Mexicana is outstanding. It’s possibly the perfect taco filling.

For a true adventure, if you think you can handle it, it’s definitely worth trying a lengua (tongue) taco. It is, quite literally, cubic chunks of beef tongue, and though the texture is a little startling (think somewhere between brisket and gelatin), the flavor is very interesting. It certainly tastes

Pampas Churrascaria

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like beef, but there’s a richness and subtlety to it that’s hard to pin down. Three tacos here will cost you next to nothing – they go for $2 apiece.

Finally, if you’re feeling flush and want a classy experience, head to Bocado on Winter Street. Bocado is a Spanish-style tapas and wine bar, where mixing a lot of smaller dishes for a big experience is encouraged. As a result, the restaurant offers a long list of varied options. From the charcuteria menu, the house-cured pork loin is a lightly-spiced and thinly-sliced pile of meat that pairs very well with the accompanying bread and jam, and is certainly worth topping with some fried goat cheese.

When it comes to tapas, it can pay to be adventurous once again. The conejo de blanco is slow-braised rabbit in white whine, garlic and fresh thyme reduction, and it is a perfect fall dish. The meat is tender and the portion is surprisingly large, served in a shredded pile with a slice of toast as a base, which will soak up the delicious juices as you slice into the meat. The thyme gives it a distinctive harvest flavor, which is very nice in the colder weather. It’s a unique experience, but not so foreign as to be jarring, and you’ll come away knowing you haven’t had rabbit for the last time. Be prepared to shell out a little more at Bocado – it’s well worth it.

Leave the leftovers at home next time you’re feeling those meat cravings. The carnivorous urge is one that deserves your full attention and the ultimate satisfaction, and you don’t even need a passport to pull it off.

Try these meat items and others for yourself at:

Pampas Churrascaria145 E. Central St., Worcester Tacos Parilla Mexicana138 Millbury St., Worcester Bocado82 Winter St., Worcester

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All aboard the spud wagonCorlyn Voorhees

They are starchy, hearty and can go with almost anything. Potatoes are used as a main ingredient in many

delicious meals, but several Worcester restaurants have found creative ways to prepare them for hungry customers.

Olé Taqueria, located on Water St., serves a potato taco and potato burrito, thanks to the daughter of owner John Haskell.

“My daughter is a vegetarian and she’s the one who came up with it,” he said.

The potatoes used are cut into cubes, seasoned and fried, replacing the traditional meat in the tacos and are served with lettuce, tomato, cheese and other taco supplements.

Haskell said the potato taco is very popular with vegetarians and vegans who visit the restaurant.

“Our potato tacos are actually our No. 1 seller,” said Haskell. “I think it’s because it’s different.”

Also located on Water St., Weintraub’s Jewish Delicatessen & Restaurant offers a potato knish, a type of Eastern European snack, as an appetizer.

Owner David Midrahi described it as a mixture of mashed potatoes and fried dough.

“A lot of people are vegetarians so they buy that,” he said.

Pomir Grill, serving Afghanistan cuisine on Shrewsbury St., offers a type of pan-fried potato-filled pastry called Kachalu Bolani.

“A lot of vegetarians and vegans go for [Kachalu Bolani],” said Sowzia Sherzai, owner and chef. “People love it.”

While Pomir Grill does not use a lot of potatoes in their dishes, Sherzai said

“they’re definitely a vegetable that a lot of people like.”

At O’Connor’s Restaurant & Bar, located on West Boylston St., the bestselling appetizer is the potato pizza. Made with baked potato skins and topped with three cheeses, herbs, bacon bits, tomato, red peppers, mushrooms and scallions and served with the restaurant’s original creamy

dip, vegetarians can also enjoy it without the bacon.

“We’ve been serving it since the day we opened,” said owner Brendan O’Connor. “It’s one of those Irish comfort foods that’s just taken off over the years.”

O’Connor also suggests the New England Fisherman’s Pie, a seafood pie containing haddock, salmon, shrimp and bay scallops with diced potatoes, a New England-style chowder sauce and a crust made of mashed potato, cauliflower and white cheddar cheese.

“We use a lot of potatoes,” he

said. “They are huge part of the Irish psyche.”

O’Connor estimated that about 50 percent of the menu uses potatoes as an ingredient.

“It’s really because we’re Irish,” he said. “It’s like rice and the Chinese cuisine, you know? We grew up with potatoes.”

Visit these restaurants and try the spud-inspired dishes for yourself:

Olé Tacqueria118 Water St., Worcester

Weintraub’s Jewish Delicatessen126 Water St., Worcester

Pomir Grill119 Shrewsbury St., Worcester

O’Connor’s Restaurant & Bar1160 West Boylston St., Worcester

STEVEN KING

The potato pizza at O’Connor’s Restaurant & Bar.


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DinersBoulevard Diner155 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-791-4535Carl’s Oxford Diner291 Main St., Oxford508-987-8770Charlie’s Diner32 West Main St., Spencer508-885-4033Gold Star Restaurant68 West Boylston St., Worcester508-852-7900The Kenmore Diner250 Franklin St., Worcester508-792-5125Lou Roc’s1074 West Boylston St., Worcester508-852-6888Mac’s Diner185 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-868-7508

Dining Out

continued on page 18

13” The diameter of a pancake at Jan’s Kitchen.


Healthy Dining in the WooColin Burdett

In 2010, three UMass Medical students challenged the traditional “eat until you’re full” restaurant paradigm

by creating a natural, healthy and delicious dining experience known as WooFood. Co-founders Adam Chin, Matt DeWolfe and Mitch Li envisioned a sustainable way to enjoy eating out, without having to sacrifice the notion of being forced to eat healthy.

“We were noticing that people were becoming upset with only having two options: eating healthy or eating something that is tasty,” DeWolfe said. “We combined them, and created a healthful and tasty experience.”

The WooFood initiative allows restaurants and cafes in Worcester to spread this message of combining tradition and health.

“We educated local chefs on how to make desirable dishes that are flavorful and packed with whole grains, proteins and nutrients, allowing patrons to not feel forced to eat healthy,” explained DeWolfe. “These restaurants are now naturally guiding their customers to healthy eating options while still maintaining a fun and casual dining experience.”

To help grow the WooFood philosophy, restaurants in and around Worcester can become WooFood Certified. There are three levels of certification: basic, silver and gold. To meet the standard of these certification, each restaurant has a certain level of healthy initiatives to maintain. Each restaurant must have two vegetarian dishes, one non-vegetarian dish, one appetizer and one dessert that meet WooFood

certification criteria. The menus must also have a prominent display of whole grain options, no Trans fats and offer smaller portion sizes. To help with over-sized portions, the minds at WooFood have created the “Dinner for Now, Tomorrow’s Chow” option, which allows customers to eat half their meal at the restaurant and save the other half for a next day meal. “Having smaller portion sizes allows restaurant owners to keep their same prices while also allowing customers to be satisfied and healthy and having food for later,” said DeWolfe. “It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Over 10 restaurants have become WooFood certified, most recently: 7 Nana Japanese Steakhouse on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester and Apple Spice Junction located in the White City Plaza in Shrewsbury. Popular restaurants like The Flying Rhino Café and Coral Seafood have been strong supporters of the WooFood initiative. Even small cafes and dessert shops, including Sweet Worcester, NU Café and Wooberry frozen yogurt have jumped on the WooFood bandwagon. In order for a dessert to become certified, it must include at least half fruits (frozen or fresh) and must contain no added sugar. For example, Wooberry offers a wholesome 3-ounce WooFood certified frozen yogurt and customers can put as many fruits, nuts and granola on it as they wish (light amounts of dark chocolate is considered a healthy topping, too).

In January of 2014, UMass Medical students Salim Zerriny and Jason Todd were handed the respective WooFood torch and are focusing on maintaining and strengthening their current connections with WooFood restaurants and plan on expanding to different locations and catering to different restaurant demographics.

Try a WooFood certified dish for yourself. Below are three offerings suggested by WooFood certified restaurants.

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LUNCHGarden Fresh (Located inside St. Vincent Hospital)The Falafel: A 4-ounce portion of falafel mixed with tahini, hummus, tabbouleh, alfalfa sprouts, cucumbers, lettuce, tomato and onions served on a 12-inch whole wheat tortilla wrap or on top of a spinach salad. $5.99

DINNERThe Flying Rhino Café, 278 Shrewsbury St., WorcesterCranberry Chicken: Two 6-ounce grilled white chicken breasts marinated with an original cranberry glaze served with two sides: jeweled black rice (rice mixed with almond nuts, ginger and dried cranberry) and sautéed broccolini. The meal is served over a homemade cranberry sauce and a cucumber yogurt sauce.$19.00

DESSERTWooberry, 141 Highland St., WorcesterPetite Frozen Yogurt: A 3-ounce serving of your choice of frozen yogurt flavor topped with at least two WooFood certified toppings which include: fruit, granola, nuts and a small amount of dark chocolate.

508.835.472242 West Boylston St., W. Boylston, MA

Th ursday Night TriviaGame Room • New Bar Specials

34+ Ice ColdDraft Beers

on Tap

Enjoy a Casual Dining

Experience

KRAVE 2014 17

worcestermagazine.com/A Special Supplement of Worcester Magazine KRAVE 2014 1918 KRAVE 2014 A Special Supplement of Worcester Magazine/worcestermagazine.com

Miss Worcester300 Southbridge St., Worcester508-753-5600Parkway Restaurant & Bar148 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-753-9968 parkwayma.comRalph’s Chadwick Square Diner148 Grove St., Worcester508-753-9543 ralphsrockdiner.com

ChineseBauhinia271 Grafton St., Shrewsbury508-842-0880Best Chinese892 Main St., Worcester508-752-3392Chef Sau148 Main St., Spencer508-885-3995 chefsau.comCheng-Du Restaurant157 Turnpike Road (Rte. 9), Westboro508-366-7489Cheoy Lee’s45 Sterling St., West Boylston508-835-3663684 Main St., Holden508-829-6331China One566C Southwest Cutoff, Worcester508-791-8882Chuan Shabu301 Park Ave., Worcester508-762-9213 shabuworcester.comChumlee’s50 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury508-798-2220Dragon Island1328 Main St., Worcester508-754-5236Empire Village446 Main St., Sturbridge508-347-6588Foodworks50 Southwest Cutoff, Worcester508-752-0938120 Stafford St., Worcester508-752-3663110 Elm St., Millbury508-865-1707Fred’s Chinese Food380 Maple Ave., Shrewsbury508-798-8838Great Wall Restaurant521 Main St., Worcester508-799-0803Ho Toy Luau Restaurant401 Park Ave., Worcester508-754-4929Hong Kong Island880 West Boylston St., Worcester

508-853-8887Jasmine Auburn711 Southbridge St., Auburn508-832-8869 jasmineauburn.comKahulaRte. 131, Sturbridge508-347-7121Ken Chin’s272 Mill St., Worcester508-793-9657King Chef Chinese Restaurant205 Chandler St., Worcester508-767-0209Lucky Gourmet117 June St., Worcester508-791-8888Mandarin Westborough132 Turnpike Rd., Westborough508-366-2288 mandarinwestborough.comMin’s Wok582 W Boylston St., Worcester508-853-0988 minswok.comMing House217A Chandler St., Worcester508-756-6888 minghousetakeout.comNancy Chang372 Chandler St., Worcester508-752-8899 nancychang.comNew Super Chinese Buffet490 Lincoln St., Worcester508-853-8899Peking Chef344 Main St., Southbridge508-765-0398Red Pepper1083 Main St., Worcester774-243-6488 redpepperworcester.comShangri-La 50 Front St., Worcester508-798-0888 shangrilaworcester.comSingapore Restaurant170 Whalon St., Fitchburg978-345-0132Super Chinese Buffet50 Mill St., Worcester508-799-6868Wong Dynasty176 Reservoir Rd., Holden508-829-2188 wongdynasty-yankeegrill.comYong Shing338 Southbridge St., Auburn508-832-0622

IndianBollywood Grill97 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury508-793-9888New House of India2 Coes Sq., Worcester 508-793-9900Surya299 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-752-3700

Upudi Bhavah378 Maple St., Shrewsbury508-459-5099

IrishO’Connor’s Restaurant1160 West Boylston St., Worcester508-853-0789 oconnorsrestaurant.com

Italian / MediterraneanA.J. Tomaiolo’s Pub & Restaurant411 W. Main St., Northborough508-393-5245Amici Trattoria582 Main St., Shrewsbury508-842-7800 amicitrattoria.comBistro Limoncello Ristorante290 West Main St., Northborough508-393-5440Bossenele’s Pizzeria198 Millbury St., Millbury508-581-8885Café Sorrento143 Central St., Milford508-478-7818

Calabria Ristorante75 Main St., Millbury508-581-9700Cappellini’s Italian Restaurant141 Worcester Road (Route 12), WebsterCarbone’s Restaurant280 Cordaville Rd., Hopkinton508-435-3465Ciao Bella402 Grove St., Worcester508-756-2426 ciaobellarestaurant.bizCristina’s Restaurant314 Central St., Leominster978-534-0849 cristinas.netDino’s13 Lord St., Worcester508-753-9978 dineatdinos.comEnrico’s Brick Oven Pizzeria500 Main St., Sturbridge508-347-1740Four Seasons249 Lake Ave., Worcester508-753-4823Giovanello’s Italian Market139 Main St., Sturbridge508-347-1440Gondola Restaurant428 Lancaster St., Leominster978-537-5887 gondolarestaurant.comGuiseppe’s Grille35 Solomon Pond Rd., Northborough508-393-4405 guiseppesgrille.com

Il Camino555 Central St., Leominster978-537-5083Il Forno27 Airport Rd., Fitchburg978-345-251165 W.Boylston St., W. Boylston508-835-3700508 Nagog Park, Route 2A, Acton978-263-5311 il-forno.comLa Scala185 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-753-9912Leo’s Ristorante11 Leo Turo Way, Worcester508-753-9490 leosristorante.netLidio’s1045 Central St., Leominster978-534-6600 lidios.comLinguine’s350 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough508-481-9747Livia’s Dish1394 Main St., Worcester508-926-8861 liviasdish.com

Nuovo92 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-796-5915 nuovoworcester.comPadavano’s Place358 Shrewsbury St., Worcester774-823-3022 padavanosplace.comPicasso2 Common St., Barre978-355-3099Piccolo’s157 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-754-1057 piccolos157.comPolka Café169 Millbury St., Worcester774-243-1302Ritual281 Main St., Worcester508-762-9501 ritualworcester.comRovezzi’s RestaurantCorner of Rtes. 20 & 148, Sturbridge508-347-0100 rovezzis.comTony’s PizzaRte. 146 Boston Rd., Sutton508-865-9544VIA Italian Table89 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-754-4842 viaitaliantable.comViva Bene144 Commercial St., Worcester508-799-9999 viva-bene.com

continued from page 15

1906 The year the Worcester Lunch Car Company began

creating diners.



274 Franklin St., Worcester(Next to Worcester Fire Dept.)

508-755-1978Tues-Thurs 11am-11pm • Fri 11am-1am

Sat 2pm-1am • Closed Sun & Mon

Pepe’s is special

every day!

Book your holiday parties now!

A taste of Greece in Worcester

We offer a wide selection of our freshly prepared, homemade dishes and desserts

Our shop is stocked with a variety of imported cheeses, olives and olive oil.

hours:Mon-Fri: 9 am - 7 pmSat: 9 am - 6 pmSun: 10 am - 3 pm

118A June St508-304-8828

connect with us

What he Kraves“The Crunchy” burger from The Fix in Worcester

is one my newest and strongest cravings. The burger, itself, is a beauty, made with a fresh grind

of 60 percent chuck and 40 percent short rib, so it has the perfect blend of richness, fat and flavor. Then, it’s topped with lettuce, fried prosciutto, parmesan crisp, potato chips, garlic mayo and pickles.

What makes this burger so cravable is the crunchiness that comes from the crispy fried prosciutto, those awesome house-made potato chips, and the ultra crunchy layer of parmesan crisps. I like to add a side of sweet potato fries and wash it down with a spiked coffee milkshake.

-Dan Andelman, host/show runner for Phantom Gourmet, myTV38

COURTESY OF THE FIX/PHOTO BY ERB PHOTOGRAPHY

Pictured here is “The Crunchy” with an original strawberry milkshake.

worcestermagazine.com/A Special Supplement of Worcester Magazine KRAVE 2014 2120 KRAVE 2014 A Special Supplement of Worcester Magazine/worcestermagazine.com

Zorba’s Pizzeria Tavern97 Stafford St., Worcester508-796-5828132 Sturbridge Road (Rte. 20), Charlton508-248-0433 zorbaspizzeriatavern.com

Japanese7 Nana60 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-755-88887nanasteakhouseworcester.comBaba Sushi309 Park Ave., Worcester508-752-8822 babasushi.comHisa Japanese Restaurant21 South St., Westborough508-898-9262Kaizen Sushi Bar & Grill479 Main St., Sturbridge508-347-1088Mai Tai Bar and Sushi Restaurant69 Green St., Worcester508-751-5900Mikaku Japanese Restaurant290 Main St., Northborough508-393-5553Oishi Japanese Restaurant8 Franklin St., Worcester508-752-1688Osaka20 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury508-753-1144Sakura Tokyo640 Park Ave., Worcester508-792-1078 sakura-tokyo.comTakara10 Kelley Sq., Worcester508-791-1140Yama Zakura369 West Main St. #3, Northborough508-393-4187

Latin AmericanBrisa Tropical Restaurant976A Main St., Worcester508-797-3900Churrascaria Ranch Cantina329 Grafton St., Worcester508-792-3560Maria’s Kitchen826 Main St., Worcester508-797-3380OneLove Café 800 Main St., Worcester508-753-8663Pampas Churrascaria145 East Central St., Worcester508-757-1070

Pupuseria La Salvadorena82 Pleasant Valley Dr., Worcester508-756-5586Sazon Latino130 Chandler St., Worcester508-797-5645

MexicanCancun Family Mexican Restaurant75 Worcester St., North Grafton508-839-8800cancunmexicanrestaurants.comMargarita Grill10 Prospect St., Auburn508-832-2553 chucks.comMezcal Tequila Cantina30 Major Taylor Blvd., Worcester508-926-830720 Central St., Leominster978-728-4084 mezcalcantina.comMexicalli Fresh Mex Grill700 Main Street (Rte. 122A), Holden508-829-7700117Main St., Spencer774-745-8200Tacos Acapulco344 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury508-425-3593

Middle-EasternEl Basha424 Belmont St., Worcester508-797-0884256 Park Ave., Worcester508-795-02222 Connector Rd., Westborough508-366-2455 elbasharestaurant.comSahara143 Highland St., Worcester508-798-2181 eatsahara.comShiraz259 Park Ave., Worcester508-767-1639Shawarma Palace3 Pleasant St., Worcester 508-755-6500

ThaiBrown Rice Thai Cuisine26 West Boylston St., West Boylston774-261-8322 brownricethaicuisine.comRacha Thai545 Southwest Cutoff #2 (Rte. 20)Worcester508-757-8884 thaiplacerestaurant.comThai Island456 Main St., Holden508-829-8272 thaiislandholdenrestaurant.net

Thai Place Restaurant50 Boston Tnpk., Shrewsbury508-425-3595371 Main St. (Rte. 20), Sturbridge508-347-2999 thaiplacerestaurant.comThai Time107 Highland St., Worcester508-756-7267 thaitimeworcester.com180 Church St., Clinton978-365-6368 thaitimeclinton.comYoong Tong Thai 278 Main St., Northborough508-393-7714 yoongtong.com

VietnameseAnh Thu439 Park Ave., Worcester508-752-1330Dalat425 Park Ave., Worcester508-753-6036Pho Dakao593 Park Ave., Worcester508-756-7555Pho-Lam91 Stafford St., Worcester508-799-6666Saigon976 Main St., Worcester508-799-5250Viet ThaoWebster Square Plaza, 68 Stafford St., Worcester508-752-8426vietthao-restaurant.com

FamilyA&D Pizza60 Elm St., Millbury508 865-9013 adpizzapub.comAbigail’s Restaurant/ Jack Russell’s Pub625 Betty Spring Rd., Gardner978-630-2322Annie’s Clark Brunch934 Main St., Worcester508-756-1550Atlas Pizza1282 Pleasant St., Worcester508-756-9994Auburn Town Pizza69 Auburn St., Auburn508-832-5210Barbers Crossing175 Leominster Rd., Sterling978-422-8438861 Main St., Leicester

508-892-7575 barberscrossing.comThe Barre Mill Restaurant90 Main St., South Barre978-355-2987/6417 barremill.comBentley Pub602 Southbridge St., Auburn508-407-8880362 Main St., Sturbridge774-241-0005 bentleypub.comBlue Jeans Pizza270 Park Ave., Worcester508-753-3777 bluejeanspizza.comBoomer’s Sub and Deli

93 Highland St., Worcester508-791-5551The Boynton117 Highland St., Worcester508-756-8458 boyntonrestaurant.comBrian’s Restaurant91 Providence Road (Rte. 122), Northbridge508-234-9256The Broadway100 Water St., Worcester508-753-3233 broadwaycaterers.comConey Island158 Southbridge St., Worcester508-753-7885Copper Stallion538 Main St., Sturbridge508-347-2100The Corner Grille806 Pleasant St., Worcester508-754-8884 cornergrille.comCranberries Restaurant142 Massasoit Rd., Worcester508-753-7885Dean Park Pizza745 Main St., Shrewsbury508-842-2525 deanparkpizza.comDiamond Pizza848 Main St., Worcester508-755-4449The Fix Burger Bar166 Shrewsbury St., Worcester774-823-3327 thefixburgerbar.comE.B. Flatts245 West Main Street (Rte 9), East Brookfield508-867-6643 ebflatts.comEller’s Restaurant190 Main St., Cherry Valley508-892-3925 ellersrestaurant.comElsa’s Eatery33 Boston Tpke. (Rte. 9-West), Shrewsbury508-890-1009 elsaseatery.comBlackstone Freshway Pizza96 Water St., Worcester508-755-1999 freshwaypizzablackstone.com


26The number of sauces available to top off the chicken at Wing it Up.

worcestermagazine.com/A Special Supplement of Worcester Magazine KRAVE 2014 21Flip Flops680 Main St., Holden508-829-3008flipflopsma.comDean’s Deli894 Grafton St., Worcester508-792-3646Golden Pizza453 Lincoln St., Worcester508-852-60001168 Main St., Worcester508-752-465320 Auburn St., Auburn508-721-1271271 Grafton St., Shrewsbury508-842-7774107 Chandler St., Worcester508-752-89071137 Grafton St., Worcester508-770-1533 goldenpizza.netThe Great American Grill at the Hilton Garden Inn35 Major Taylor Blvd., Worcester508-753-5700 Hiltongardeninn.hilton.comGrille 5757 Highland St., Worcester508-798-2000 grille57.comHarry’s Restaurant149 Boston Tpke. (Rte. 9), Westborough508-366-8302 harrysrestaurant.comHeavy Evie’s2 Maple Ave., Rutland508-886-6284Hungry Coyote580 Park Ave., Worcester508-755-8777 hungrycoyote.comJ. Anthony’s892 Southbridge St. (Rte. 20) Auburn/Oxford line508-832-9705 janthonysgrill.comJason’s Pizza Palace113 June St., Worcester508-756-7424Kaboodle Pizzeria & Grill152 Main St., Spencer508-885-4884Ladd’s of Rutland64 Barre-Paxton Rd., Rutland508-886-4771 laddsrestaurant.comLake Pizza & Restaurant39 Thompson Rd., Webster508-943-3684The Lodge148 Gore Rd., Webster508-949-0000 restaurantlodge.comLucky’s Café102 1/2 Grove St., Worcester508-756-5014 luckyscafeworcester.comThe Manor42 West Boylston St., West Boylston508-835-4722 ourmanor.comMaury’s Deli1125 Main St., Worcester

508-754-4446Millbury Street Pizza121 Millbury St., Worcester508-752-7442Mountain Barn Restaurant174 Worcester Rd., Princeton978-464-2044 mountainbarn.comMulligan’s Tavern on the Green121 West Main St., Westborough508-366-0207The National Grille at Blackstone National Golf Club227 Putnam Hill Rd., Sutton508-865-2111 (ext. 5) bngc.netNortheast Pizza1205 Main St., Leicester508-892-9276548 S Main St., Webster508-949-3409208 W Main St., West Brookfield508-867-9567570 Summer St., Barre978-355-4333Olde Post Office PubRte. 140 and Ray St., North Grafton508-839-6106 postofficepub.comOxford’s Casual Dining2 Millbury Blvd., Oxford508-987-1567 oxfordcasualdining.comPeppercorn’s Grille and Tavern455 Park Ave., Worcester508-752-7711 epeppercorns.comThe Pic480 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-755-1808The Pickle Barrel Delicatessen305 Pleasant St., Worcester508-754-0921Regatta Deli28 Lake Ave., Worcester508-756-69163 Colonial Drive, Westborough508-366-8958 regatta-deli.comSisters Restaurant171 Stafford St., Worcester508-755-2604Slattery’s106 Lunenburg St., Fitchburg978-343-6120slatterysrestaurant.comSpoodle’s Deli355 Main St., Worcester508-755-0800 spoodlesdeli.comStill Four CornersRoute 122, Rutland508-866-6666Tech Pizza137 Highland St., Worcester508-752-2133Tom’s International Deli52 Millbury St., Worcester508-755-7295

Uncle Jay’s Twisted Fork509 Stafford St., Cherry Valley508-892-5437 unclejaystwistedfork.comUncle Sam’s Pizza974 Main St., Worcester508-890-7888 samspizza.comVal’s Restaurant and Pizza Palace75 Reservoir Rd., Holden508-829-0900 valsrestaurant.comWeintraub’s Jewish Delicatessen & Restaurant126 Water St., Worcester508-756-7870Wexford House Restaurant503 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-757-8982Whistle Stop Bar and Grill

85 Main St. (Rte. 12), Oxford508-987-3087Wings Over Worcester1 Kelley Sq., Worcester508-421-WING wingsoverworcester.comWright’s Farm Resturant84 Inman Rd., Nasonville/Harrisville, RI401-769-2856 wrightsfarm.comZ Café389 Main St., Worcester508-304-1220 zcafeandcatering.comZimmy’s Kitchen865 Main St., Leicester508-892-3200

BistroArmsby Abbey144 North Main St., Worcester508-759-1012 armsbyabbey.comBlue Jeans Bistro264 Park Ave., WorcesterBocado Tapas Wine Bar82 Winter St., Worcester508-797-1011 bocadotapasbar.comThe Canal Restaurant65 Water St., Worcester508-926-8353 thecanalrestaurant.comThe Citizen1 Exchange Place, Worcester508-459-9090 thecitizenwinebar.comCyprian’s Bistro at Cyprian Keyes Golf Club284 East Temple St., Boylston508-869-9900 cypriankeyes.comEVO234 Chandler St., Worcester508-459-4240 evodining.com

Flying Rhino Café278 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-757-1450 flyingrhinocafe.comJoey’s Bar & Grill44 Chandler St., Worcester508-797-3800 joeysbarandgrill.comLe Mirage120 June St., Worcester508-793-8558 lemiragerestaurant.com

Fine DiningAlicante Mediterranean Grille84 Uxbridge Road (Rte. 16), Mendon508-634-8188 alicantema.comArturo’s Ristorante54 East Main St., Westborough508-366-1881 arturosristorante.com

Avellino502 Main St., Fiskdale508-347-2321 avellinorestaurant.comThe Castle1230 Main St., Leicester508-892-9090 castlerestaurant.comCedar Street Grille12 Cedar St., Sturbridge508-347-5800 cedarstreetrestaurant.comCeres Bistro363 Plantation St., Worcester508-754-5789 ceresbistro.comChocksett Inn59 Laurelwood Rd., Sterling978-422-3355 chocksettinn.comThe Duck502 Main St., Fiskdale508-347-2321 theducksturbridge.comFins and Tales858 Main St., Southbridge508-764-3340 fins-and-tales.comGazebo’sFour Points Sheraton99 Erdman Way, Leominster978-534-9000The Harding Allen Estate59 Allen Dr (Rte. 122), Barre978-355-4920 harding-allen.comThe Harrington Farm178 Westminster Rd., Princeton978-464-5600 harringtonfarm.comThe Inn at Woodstock Hill94 Plaine Hill Rd., Woodstock, Conn.860-928-0528 woodstockhill.comThe Jenkins Inn7 West St. (Rte. 122), Barre978-355-6444 Jenkinsinn.com

96The number of years

Coney Island has been open.



Maxwell Silverman’s25 Union St., Worcester508-755-1200 maxwellmaxine.comRomaine’s299 West Main St., Northborough508-393-8889 romainesrestaurant.comSonoma205 Worcester Road (Rte. 31), Princeton978-464-5775 sonoma-princeton.comWachusett Village Inn9 Village Inn Rd., Westminster978-874-2000 wachusettvillageinn.com

HistoricThe Bull Run215 Great Run Road (Rte. 2A), Shirley978-425-4311 bullrunrestaurant.com25 on the Common Restaurant Grafton Inn25 Central Square, Grafton508-839-5931 grafton-inn.comPublick House227 Main St., Sturbridge508-347-3313 publickhouse.comSalem Cross Inn260 West Main St. (Rte. 9), West Brookfield508-867-2345 salemcrossinn.comSpencer Country Inn500 Main St., Spencer508-885-9036 spencercountryinn.comVienna Restaurant & Historic Inn14 South St., Southbridge508-764-0700 thevienna.cjb.net

Pubs and TavernsThe Banner Bar & Grille112 Green St., Worcester508-755-0879 thebannerbar.comBeatnik’s433 Park Ave., Worcester508-926-8877 beatniksbeyou.comBlack Diamond Restaurant at Wachusett Mountain499 Mountain Rd., Princeton978-464-2300 wachusett.comBlackstone Tap81 Water St., Worcester508-797-4827 Blackstonetap.comBolton Roadhouse Bar and Grill544 Wattaquadock Hill Rd., Bolton978-365-5757Brew City Grill and Brew House104 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-752-3862 brew-city.comCenter Bar and Grill102 Green St., Worcester508-755-0879 thecenterbar.comClub Maxine’s25 Union St., Worcester508-755-1200 maxwellmaxine.com

Fiddler’s Green19 Temple St., Worcester508-795-0400 fiddlersgreenworcester.comFunky Murphy’s305 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-753-2995 funkyandjosemurphys.comGrille on Main306 Main St., Douglas508-476-5661 grilleonmainpub.comJillian’s315 Grove St., Worcester508-793-0900 jilliansworcester.com

JJ’s Sports Bar & Grill38 SW Cutoff, Northborough508-842-8420 jjsbarandgrill.bizKeepers Pub/Finder’s Pub175 West Boylston St., West Boylston508-835-1100/508-835-3707The Manor and Draught House Bar & Grill42 West Boylston St., West Boylston508-835-4722 thedraughthouse.comThe Mill at 185185 West Boylston St., West Boylston774-261-8585 themill185.comMurphy’s Pub97 Water St., Worcester508-792-0900 funkyandjosemurphys.comNick’s124 Millbury St., Worcester508-753-4030 nicksworcester.comNorthworks Bar & Grill106 Grove St., Worcester508-755-9657 Northworks.comOther Place Pub71 Shrewsbury St., Boylston508-869-6003Oxhead Tavern at Sturbridge Host Hotel366 Main St., Sturbridge508-347-7393Park Grill & Spirits257 Park Ave., Worcester508-756-7995Ross Tavern at Wachusett Country Club187 Prospect St., West Boylston508-835-4484 wachusettcc.comStooges114 River St., Fitchburg978-342-0017Suney’s Pub216 Chandler St., Worcester508-753-9072Tweed’s229 Grove St., Worcester508-755-8047 tweedspub.com

Vintage Grill346 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-752-0558 vintagegrille346.comVivian’s Market Style Cafe184 West Boylson St., West Boylston508-835-6100 vivianscafe.comWaterfront Mary’s103 Birch Island Rd., Webster508-943-9731 waterfrontmarys.comWest Side GrillRte. 9, Northborough508-366-6277

SeafoodCoral Seafood225 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-755-833129 South Bolton St., Marlborough508-460-3474 coralseafood.comDresser Hill290 Dresser Hill Rd., Charlton508-248-7870Clam Box53 S. Maple St., Brookfield508-867-2047Point Breeze114 Point Breeze Rd., Webster508-943-0404 pointbreezeonwebsterlake.comRonnie’s Seafood871 Southbridge St., Auburn508-832-9068208 City Depot Rd., Charlton508-248-5024Snow’s Clambox321 W Boylston St, Worcester774-823-3300 snowsrestaurant.comThe Sole Proprietor118 Highland St., Worcester508-798-3474 thesole.comSturbridge Seafood376 Main St., Sturbridge508-347-2600 sturbridgeseafood.comWest Boylston Seafood321 West Boylston St. (Rte. 12), West Boylston508-853-3655

SteakhousesChuck’s Steakhouse10 Prospect St. (Rte. 20), Auburn508-832-2553/508-832-5139 chucks.com111 Chop House111 Shrewsbury St., Worcester508-799-4111/508-791-7224111chophouse.com

The Steakloft369 West Main St., Northborough508-393-8134 Thesteakloft.tripod.comWilly’s Steakhouse Grille and Sushi Bar2 Grafton St., Shrewsbury508-842-7220 willyssteakhouse.com

BBQB.T.’s Smokehouse392 Main St., Sturbridge508-347-3188btsmokehouse.comSmokestack Urban Barbeque139 Green St., Worcester508-363-1111 bbqstack.comTexas BBQ Company309 Main St., Northborough508-393-4742 Texasbbqco.comWestside Steak and BBQ2 Richmond Ave., Worcester508-756-6328Williker’s Tex-Mex & BBQ896 Hartford Tnpk., Shewsbury508-842-3030

1.5The number of pounds of the

colossal burger for the Boynton’s Burger Challenge.


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