Hot & Now

HOT & NOW What’s hot and happening now in the restaurant scene

PAUL GIORGIO

Downtown update. The restaurant scene in downtown Worcester is in a state of flux. It looks like the mega eatery at Mercantile Center is a go, with financing in place and construction staring shortly. But there has been no word about the Ruth Chris Steak House also slated for the Mer- cantile Center. On the other side of the Common, Chu Sau is built and ready to open, but with no opening date scheduled. The 5,000-squarefoot Asian restaurant has the look and feel of something out of Manhat- tan.

It’s just not fair. Franklin Street Fare recently opened in the space that was once occupied by Stix, a ramen noodle place. The Fare is owned by the Grid Hospitality Group, which owns other restaurants on Franklin Street. The restaurant’s concept is to serve street or food truck food in a brick-and-mortar setting. It will serve everything from tacos, gyros, des- sert and other items found on food trucks.

The Fix is in. Niche Hospitality recently converted its Leominster restau- rant, Rye & Thyme, to another Fix Burger Bar. This will be the third Fix in the restaurant group’s holdings. No word yet on the fate of the Leominster Mezcal.

Under the big top. We have dined outside under the stars and under tents. Peppercorn’s on Worcester’s Park Avenue has by far the most im- pressive tent in the city. Other tents of note are The Boynton on High- land Street and Flying Rhino on Shrewsbury Street.

In other Park Ave. news. One-Eyed Jack’s Tiki Bar recently opened its door on Worcester’s Park Avenue with large outdoor patio.

Throwing shade. According to a Facebook post, Worcester Blue Shade on Park Avenue has closed, a victim of the pandemic. "We couldn’t make it through the pandemic with rent being so high and customers are still quarantining. We have loved being able to offer the best single origin coffee and liege waffles and snacks in Worcester,” the post said.

The pandemic didn’t stop them. Taco Caliente opened this past spring at 226 Chandler St. in Worcester. The Mexican eatery specializes in homemade flour tortillas. It is owned by friends Job Cardenas and PJ Heffernan.

First, they started taking credit cards. Worcester’s Coney Island has undergone great changes in its second 100 years. The first change was taking credit cards, then it started opening on Tuesday. Now, comes the news that it is doing outside dining.

Say it ain’t so, Joe. Not Your Average Joe’s has closed its Westboro loca- tion. The Milton-based chain announced the closing in July. Joe’s was on Route 9. It had been open for about five years.

It will be friendly. Pholocious, a Vietnamese restaurant, will be open- ing in Holden. The owner, Thien Phan, has started to renovate the old Friendly’s at 1062 Main St. The building’s footprint will remain the same, according to site plans filed with the town. Phan also runs Kyoto Bar and Grill in Worcester’s Lincoln Plaza