Thai Place - Sturbridge, MA - Ian

OK, so we've been venturing outside of Worcester lately and we discovered that there lots of great places hidden away in Sturbridge. One of which is a Thai restaurant called Thai Place. Sheri loves Thai food. I like it.

The Service
I have to say, though, that the best thing about this restaurant is the waiter. He's dry and deadpan with a great sense of humor and goes around telling everyone that he's half Polish and half Korean and how funny that is. He mostly makes fun of his Polish side. If he forgets something you asked, he says: "Oh, I guess I had a Polish moment." And if you ask pointedly for something, he'll just refuse. But you know he's just playing because one of us asked for some extra peanut sauce and he brought a bucket size portion with a huge spoon. We wanted to take it home. Suffice it to say that the service here is excellent.




The Food
As for the food: The winner was the Tom Kha Kai soup. With coconut milk, scallions and chicken, I have to say that it had the best flavor out of anything I sampled that evening.

The runner up were the wings. Wings with hot Thai spice and a cucumber dipping sauce--ooh yum.

My main dish, the spicy chicken, came with celery, carrots, peanuts and some great spicy sauce with a hint of peanut flavour...OK, and I added a little bit of that peanut sauce too. Oh yeah, good stuff.

I did get dessert and it was OK--red bean ice cream. It was a strong vanilla base and I don't know if I was experiencing anything much different from a traditional American ice cream cone experience. I guess I expected Thai ice cream to be different. I have had green tea ice cream at a Thai restaurant before, and that was defintely a new experience. So, nothing amazing in the Red Bean ice cream, but it was tasty.

The Location and Ambiance
Positioned right next to the entrance to Old Sturbridge Village on Mass Rte. 20, the atmosphere fits nicely into the old-world, Sturbridge scene. The building was old with creaky, sloped floors and there were little stand-up, folding dividers around several of the tables that added a nice little private feel to the ambiance. And it was sufficiently warm on that very cold evening. We all know how important that is. Nobody likes to dine with wind blowing underneath their table.

The Drinks
Also, I should mention that they had a fairly good selection of wines but there was not a full bar.

All in all, it was a favorable experience. Comfortable, fun and tasty.

Here are the numbers:

// Menu Selection: 8.6
// Taste: 7.5
// Presentation: 7.1
// Ambiance/Atmosphere: 7.3
// Service: 8.4

Bollywood Grill - Shrewsbury, MA - Ian

Well, I practically had to drag Sheri to this restaurant on Mass Route 9 in Shrewsbury, but I'm glad I did. It was a very interesting experience. I didn't eat or taste anything that I didn't like.

I'm not going to pretend to be a connoisseur of Indian food, because I don't frequent Indian restaurants. But I think I'm going to try a few others now.

The Ambiance
The atmosphere was very interactive--Indian music videos displayed on a large plasma screen and popular Indian actors looking up at you from underneath the polyurethane on the table. The decor was very modern and warm. Lot's of browns and yellows. It was a very comfortable place and I wasn't the only one feeling it because there was a small group at a nearby table that were really kicking back. But the full bar could have been the explanation for that.

The Food
We started off with the Bollywood Combo Platter under "Trailers" because we wanted to taste as much variety as we could. Since we were both starving we were glad that it came out quickly. The platter mostly consisted of meats or vegetables deep-fried in chickpea batter, which was a nice, healthy twist. Tasty too. I think my favorites were the non-deep-fried Meat Samosas, which were turnovers stuffed with fresh, minced lamb. Yummy.

For a main dish, I decided to reach for the unknown and went for the Shaahi Paneer, although I wasn't reaching too far because the listed ingredients (ginger, garlic, onions and tomato base) are on my hit list. But the paneer cheese was completely foreign to me. It's kind of a homemade Indian version of cottage cheese, but much more firm with almost the consistency of tofu. It has a very mild flavor of its own, which made it a great canvas for the sauce it came with. It was totally delish. I wrapped bite after bite in a whole wheat pita and finished the entire thing.

Sheri got the Chicken Curry because she was too chicken to get something other than chicken. Sorry I had to. Anyway, I got a taste of it and it was top-notch curry flavor. Yummy. I also tried this great Mango shake that she got that was made with yogurt and it was oh, so smooth. Good stuff.

The Service
I have to say that the service was pleasant and attentive. The whole wheat pita I mentioned was something I had to ask for, and they had no problems complying. The service here gets a big gold star on its forehead.

Sorry, but I can't offer any feedback on the dessert menu since we were stuffed, but if you like Indian food, definitely check it out. Even if you don't know if you like Indian food, but you're in the mood for some diversity, give it a try. You might have something new to put on your comfort food list.

Here's the quick scorecard:

// Menu Selection: 8.8
// Taste: 7.9
// Presentation: 6.9
// Ambiance/Atmosphere: 8.1
// Service: 9.6

Their website features the full menu:
www.bollywoodgrill.com

Block 5 - Worcester, MA - Ian

"Where,? On Green Street?" That's what I said when Jordan suggested Block 5. I couldn't remember where Green Street was, and then when I realized it was one of those streets leading to Kelley Square I became skeptical. But I was very pleasantly surprised.




The Location and Atmosphere
The valet parking did make up for the super-small lot next to the building and to look at the face of the building changes your opinion of Kelley Square. As a man, I certainly enjoyed the modern, black-trim decor and especially the "streets at night" photos hung all over the place since I'm a fan of photography. Very modern, very cool. We kept saying that we felt like we weren't anywhere near Worcester.

The Food
As for the menu, one word would suffice: eclectic. But I'll say more. They had some dishes that are super-original and others that are classic but have a cool modern twist, like their burger that's dressed with goat cheese and shallots. The menu wasn't very extensive, but they make up for that in the meticulous preparation of their dishes.

I decided on the slow-roasted duck ($19) , since I haven't had duck for some time, and I was really pleased. I'd say 3 and a half out of 4 stars. I think I'm holding back the half star because I couldn't substitute brown rice for the jasmine they offer with the dish. So I got asparagus instead and wasn't cooked nearly as long as it should have been. But nonetheless, the duck was superb. The presentation was outstanding--everything arranged in orderly fashion on a square plate with sauces drizzled appropriately. They cooked the duck exactly as I had ordered (medium-well) and the taste was amazing. The raspberry-hoisin glaze was perfect.

I almost forgot to mention the appetizers we shared. We got the Parmesan-encrusted shrimp and the calamari. I have no complaints about the calamari. It was awesome. Especially the spicy kick from the pepperoncini and the chorizo sausage that was tossed in. The lemon aioli added a nice twist too. The shrimp was OK, but the Parmesan was undetectable. Not a big win.

They had a great selection of teas. I had the African Amber--decaf and delicious. I passed on dessert but I tasted Sheri's Molten Chocolate Egg-Rolls and they were quite tasty. I know I'm picking but, I think they should change the name to spring rolls since they're wrapped in rice paper and not egg roll wrappers.

We checked out the bar on our way out. It featured leather seating areas and large, flat-panel monitors showing the Celtics game. Again, very cool, very modern.

The Prices
You get a great experience for prices that are right around Vinny T's prices, which range from $13-$22 for an entree. In my opinion, the plates here are well-priced.

The Conclusion
All in all, this restaurant is a big win for night-outers in Worcester. With a price point not much higher than Vinny T's and a super-modern experience, we all agreed that Block 5 is one of our favorite places.

Here's a quick little scorecard on a scale of 1 through 10:

// Menu Selection: 5
// Taste: 8.9
// Presentation: 9.9
// Ambiance/Atmosphere: 9.9
// Service: 7.8

You can check out their site: (the intro is kind of annoying)
www.block5bistro.com

Block5 in Worcester, MA - Sheri

First of all, let me say, that I never in a million years would have thought that such a trendy place could be found tucked away on Green Street. When you look at the surrounding neighborhood, the last thing on your mind is a hip, happening evening.

Block 5 makes a pleasant first impression peering in on the bar and dining areas from Green Street. With a limited amount of off-street parking, the valet service is an essential. Our party of 4 arrived around 7pm and we were seated immediately, although we didn't have a reservation. By about 7:30 a steady stream was flowing through the curtainted entryway. I was immediately taken by the great mix of cool green and blue painted walls contrasted with the black doors and trim. The black and white photos of local Worcester streets hanging on the walls gave a nice perspecitve on the local neighborhood.

At first glance, the dinner menu seems a little small, but as you start reading about the appetizers, pizzas, and sandwiches, you realize dinner doesn't have to mean steak and potatoes. After about 10 minutes of hemming and hawing, we finally decided on 2 appetizers-the Calamari and Mussels Mediterranean along with the Parmesan Shrimp Fritters. Right away we were munching on crostini spread with white navy bean dip. It was a great starter. Soon after, our appetizers were out, and soon after that they were gone, because they were so delicious. The calamari and mussels were dressed with a smooth aioli and tossed with chorizo sausage and cherry tomatoes and pepperoncini. The shrimp fritters were served with a red pepper jam to replace the traditional cocktail sauce. Both were great tasting, and generous portion sizes.

About 15 minutes later, our dinners were out. Lisa and I each got a sandwich and swapped halves. My sandwich was a Pressed Cuban. The presentation, just like all the other dishes, was impressive. The taste left a little something to be desired. Nothing bad, but nothing spectacular either. The swiss cheese was well paired with the pork and ham, but it was a little light on the horseradish for my taste, and the pickles seemed out of place somehow. The french fries had the appearance of McDonald's french fries, but closer to the taste of Friendly's french fries. Nothing special there either. The B5 Grilled Cheese made an even more spectacular presentation accompanied by a Raspberry black peppercorn sour cream dunk, which at first glance seemed a bit out of place, but paired with the carmelized onions and mix of creamy cheeses including brie and fontina, it was delicious. I'll let everyone else comment on their entrees. (But just to get my 2 cents in, Jordan's burger looked delicious and Ian's duck looked pretty good too. The asparagus left something to be desired though)

I couldn't resist the dessert menu, and finally, after much deliberation, settled on the Molten Chocolate Eggrolls. They were accompanied by a rasberry-ginger dipping sauce, a caramel-Kahlua cream, and a white chocolate mousse. It was divine. The warm chocolate earned its name as it oozed out the sides of the "eggrolls" like molten lava.

Througout, our waitress was attentive but not over bearing. The service all around was friendly and warm.

All in all, it was impressive. With generous portions designed for sharing, its a great value as well. The fun and trendy atmosphere is contagious. I'm ready to go back next week and try those great looking pizzas. Maybe next time I can get someone to split the Chocolate fondue for Two with me!

Introduction

OK, so this blog is for the Fantom Four, two young, modern couples on the Worcester restaurant scene, to post their reviews of the coolest eats in town.

We all decided, after having a great experience with a new restaurant, that we would share our experience with the rest of you. So take a look, but don't let us sway you too much and draw your own conclusions! :)