jmacd's Profile
Ceres Bistro Reviews Needed
We had our Worcester Foodies event here on Tuesday night and, as i mentioned, it was a fixed menu with some things that aren't on the regular menu, but I really enjoyed it. As mentioned, the chef used to be at TPK and I noticed a similar style in the food at this event. We had a pork chop that was really well brined and cooked perfectly, which is something I had previously at TPK. I think the food is definitely worth another try and hopefully the service lives up to your expectations as well!
Ceres Bistro Reviews Needed
i'm going tonight with a foodies group, and our menu is fixed but should give me a sense of how things are going with the new chef. will report back!
Mexcal in Worcester
i've been really underwhelmed with mezcal, with the exception of their guac and margaritas. i've tried the tacos and was not impressed at all (dry tortillas, flavorless). the veggie quesadilla is good and i've heard others having hit or miss experiences with other entrees. i'd recommend reservations if possible as it gets busy on the weekends. Ceres has a new chef if you're up for something like that, i think i remember you having hit or miss experiences there before.
Foodies of New England magazine
they're new - only a couple of issues in - but i thought they did a great job of getting out of central MA even though they're based here. the last issue featured restaurants in VT and NH as well as Northeast CT. I think as time goes on they'll branch out even more, geographically. i think the photography is incredible!
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 1st quarter 2012 [old]
when i had the chicken one, i added a bunch of sriracha or other chili sauce so maybe the vinegar helps balance it out. i definitely think adding the veggies helps - it gives more texture and spreads out the sauce a bit.
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 1st quarter 2012 [old]
bought a bag of this and can't wait to try it! like the concept of the chicken one, but i don't love dark meat. add some veggies and throw it over brown rice for a quick weeknight dinner.
Trader Joe's February 2012 Fearless Flyer is out
tried the spinach and kale dip this weekend - i asked an employee for his opinion on it, if he had tried it. he hadn't, so he opened it right there for me. i'm not usually a fan of cold spinach dips, but i really liked this one. it's garlicky, and i could definitely taste the carrot. for 30 calories/2Tbsp, it came home with me.
Who has the best pizza in Berkshire County??
if you're going all the way to torrington (my hometown), you have to check out pizzeria marzano. probably the best pizza i've had - http://www.pizzeria-marzano.com/. they went to italy to study and have a great oven.
Worcester for Lunch - must tries
armsby isn't a good choice if you're in anything close to a hurry though. if you only get an hour, save it for another time.
Worcester for Lunch - must tries
I have had great meals at Theater Cafe on Main Street. Tiny storefront, husband and wife team...you can taste the love :)
also, Da Lat for Vietnamese is one of my favorites. an order of spring rolls with their fabulous peanut sauce...i could eat it every day!
Sat. night in Worcester- dining tip needed
my "go to" for cheap is usually Da Lat for vietnamese. boynton is a great choice but will be really busy at that time, so be prepared to wait. I also really like Perfect Game for pub type food, good burgers and sandwiches. have fun!!
Gift container for a spread?
The first thing that comes to mind is a short mason jar. you can decorate with a piece of fabric or a nice ribbon. i'm not sure of the exact size you would look for, but there are a ton of options out there. good luck :)
Boyton in Worc. or other low key bar sort of places..
I've also really enjoyed the food at Perfect Game over at 64 Water St in the Canal District. I was pleasantly surprised with their food and the housemade ranch dressing is fabulous. it's more of a sports bar than the boynton, but we've found the food to be worth the trip.
Boyton in Worc. or other low key bar sort of places..
i'm not sure that they have much of the non-meat variety. maybe a cheese plate and some italian bread that they use for the sandwiches. most of what i've heard raved about is meat - meatballs or sausage either on pasta or in a sandwich.
i have yet to try either ralph's or vincent's, although they've been on my list forever! i need to get there.
Boyton in Worc. or other low key bar sort of places..
the boynton is always good for a decent meal. great for crowds as there really is something for everyone. i find the entrees a bit pricey but the sandwiches are great and very reasonably priced. the pizza is also good, although also not cheap.
you could always bring her to ralph's for a cheeseburger and a beer :)
Kale Chip Flavoring Ideas
i add a splash of vinegar before baking....i think it balances out the bitterness of the green and who doesn't love salt and vinegar anything??
Vegetarian in Worcester
gotcha! i'll have to check it out next time i'm visting the family in CT :)
Vegetarian in Worcester
just curious, what do you mean "Udupu in shrewsbury is much more formal than Udupi Bhavan"? i'm not sure what udupi bhavan is, another local restaurant?
hm...although when i post this, it links to a CT restaurant. is that the one you mean?
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Udupi Bhavan
749 Saybrook Rd, Middletown, CT 06457
Vegetarian in Worcester
i second all of those recs. i didn't think outside of the umass area, but Flats and da lat are very frequent stops for me. vietname cafe has been on my list for a bit, i'm really curious to try a real banh mi!
Vegetarian in Worcester
will you have access to a car?
the first thing that comes to mind for vegetarian options are right on rt. 9 -
belmont vegetarian gets great reviews (http://belmontvegetarian.com/)
udupi is South Indian (http://udupi.us/index.html)
my favorite indian place (surya) is on shrewsbury street and has the traditional vegetarian options.
worcester is surprisingly veg friendly (i'm told) and you can find a bunch of options here: http://vegworcester.com
enjoy your stay!
CSA in Worcester Area
I'm also doing the choose your own. it's such a great option, given that it's just me + a roomate/boyfriend sometimes. the kale can build up quickly with traditional shares! i'm so excited to go out to the farm and do pick your own. even though it's a drive, it's a pretty one. i have a little community garden plot here in the city as well so i should be totally set for produce.
CSA in Worcester Area
nice to see another farmacy gardens member! i'm so excited for june - the greens from earth day made me want it to come even faster. are you going to do the preboxed or the choose your own?
CSA in Worcester Area
I've done a couple of CSAs in the area - heaven's harvest, many hands organic farm in barre, and now one from farmacy gardens in western mass. the current one is by far my favorite, and i'd recommend it highly. the only caveat is that pick up is not super convenient (unless you work at umass) - it's a tuesday pickup during the weekly farmer's market at the University Campus. if that for some reason works for you, i can't say enough good things. super fresh produce, greens that last for more than a week, and super enthusiastic young farmers.
i think the Artichoke Co-op on main street in the city is a pick up site for heaven's harvest. they don't have great refrigeration so i'd only recommend that if you can get there relatively early in the pick up time. i had some greens that went bad more quickly than i thought they should have with this CSA at this pick up site (but hearing from friends at other pick up sites, it wasn't unique).
enjoy it, whichever you choose. you may need to play around with farms to find one that really works for you, but it's worth it!
People's Kitchen in Worcester
i'm glad to hear you enjoyed ceres - i'm waiting to give it a second try as i had a very mediocre lunch experience a while back. now that it's nice out, the patio is calling to me!
People's Kitchen in Worcester
I had a different experience than phelana...we went on a weeknight after a special event with a group of 10 and had a great dinner. we parked around the block (everyone was ok with the short walk) and we were seated in the main room upstairs. i'm usually very sensitive to smoke smells and i sensed none. I'm betting the smell is more obvious on the weekend evenings when the cigar bar is busier...
the food was delicious, more on the comfort food side of the spectrum (vs. something super creative), but it was done very well. i was happy with the wine selection as well as the cocktails. i didn't have an issue with dirty glasses, but i'd suspect that would be easy to correct with a quick ask to the wait staff?
the atmosphere was just what we were looking for - good food but not stuffy. there were a number of families dining that night, which surprised me but the kids were all well behaved. i like that it's accessible and not just a "special occasion" kind of place. i'm definitely looking forward to going back to try it again, the menu changes so often that it looks like it will be a whole different set of choices!
ideas for eating in Worcester?
the people's kitchen is great for dinner, but they aren't open for lunch. downstairs is a wine/cheese/chocolate bar called the citizen (and you can actually get the whole TPK menu down there for a more relaxed dinner setting) which is great for an after dinner drink.
http://www.thecitizenwinebar.com/the-peoples-kitchen.php
puff pastry square ideas?
it's one of my favorite ingredients, as well. i was running late to a party last weekend and picked up the puff pastry as well as a log of the vanilla/blueberry goat cheese. sliced the cheese onto the pastry, baked, cut into squares...gone! they were really good, just good simple flavors. i also did a savory one with their artichoke bruschetta (jarred) and some grated parm, which was also really good. a fave that involves more prep is some really good carmelized onions with goat cheese.
i find there isn't much that doesn't taste good on a puff pastry creation...it's a good way to use leftover whatevers.
Worcester, MA - New Restaurant - Promising Barbecue!
i haven't tried it yet (i've been too obsessed with flats, my favorite new find in worcester, to venture elsewhere) but i'm looking forward to it!
Worcester, MA - New Restaurant - Promising Barbecue!
it's called Smokestack Urban Barbecue. their website is still in the rough stages: http://www.bbqstack.com/
Flats - new pizza in worcester?
the owner has also had a booth at the main south farmers market (at the ymca, saturday 10am - 2pm) the past couple of weeks. delicious pesto and hummus, pizza kits with dough, sauce, and cheese, and panini that look wonderful. he's a nice guy and it's great for him to be getting out into the community.
