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185 Shrewsbury St. 508-868-7508 â&#x20AC;˘ 508-756-MACS (6227) Lunch: Mon. - Fri. 11a.m.-3p.m. Dinner: Wed. - Sat. 5-9p.m. BYOB/Cash Only

157 Shrewsbury St. 508-754-1057 piccolos157.com

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148 Shrewsbury St. 508-753-9968 Take-Out Available

305 Shrewsbury St. 508-753-2995 funkymurphys.com Serving Lunch & Dinner The Best food in Town! Tuesday: 2 for 1 Prime Rib

Krave 2009

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Advertiser Index 85 Main ............................................................................... 13 Apsara ................................................................................... 3 Bocado Tapas Wine Bar ........................................................ 11 Carmella’s Italian Kitchen .................................................... 14 The Citizen........................................................................... 11 D’Iorio’s .................................................................................. 5 Funky Murphy’s ..................................................................... 4 The Hanover Theatre ............................................................. 2 Hebert Candy Mansion ........................................................ 13 Ed Hyder’s Mediterranean Marketplace ............................... 17 Il Forno ................................................................................ 12 Jewel Box.............................................................................. 11 Leicester Country Club ......................................................... 17 Loft 266 Bar & Lounge........................................................... 3 Mac’s Diner ............................................................................ 4 Mezcal ................................................................................. 11 The Owl Shop ....................................................................... 10 Parkway Diner ....................................................................... 4 Piccolo’s .................................................................................. 4 Ralph’s Tavern ........................................................................ 4 Stella Artois............................................................................ 7 Surya Restaurant ................................................................. 18 Wachusett Mountain............................................................... 9 The Wine Vine...................................................................... 18 Wings over Worcester ........................................................... 20 Worcester County Visitor & Convention Bureau ................... 19 Worcester Sharks .................................................................. 15

The Perfect Match ...............6 Local Eats & Drinks ...........7 Cafes & Coffeehouses .........7 The Sweetest Thing ..........10 Recipes .............................12 Diners ................................9 Ethnic ..............................11 Chinese ............................11 Indian ..............................11 Irish .................................11 Italian/Mediterranean .......11 Japanese ...........................13 Latin American .................14

Kirk A. Davis President Gareth Charter Publisher Jim Keogh Editor-in-Chief Tim O’Keefe Reporter Doreen Manning Arts & Entertainment Editor Brittany Durgin Photographer David Boffa, Janice Harvey, Contributing Writers Veronica Hebard, Contributor

Mexican ............................14 Middle Eastern .................14 Singaporean .....................14 Thai ..................................14 Vietnamese .......................14 Family ..............................14 Bistro ................................16 Fine Dining ......................16 Health Dining ...................16 Historic ............................17 Pubs & Taverns ................17 Seafood ............................18 Steakhouses ......................18 BBQ ..................................18

On the cover: Small Slate from Armsby Abbey The Cheese: Hubbardston Blue from Westﬁeld Farms Hubbardston, The Fruit: Black Mission Figs, The Nuts: Marcona Almonds, The Salami: Fra’Mani Handcrafted Salametto Dry Salami Photo by Brittany Durgin Design by Kimberly Vasseur

Cuts

Don Cloutier Production Manager Kimberly Vasseur Art Director/Assistant Production Manager Beckie Gill, Morgan Healey, Stephanie Pajka, Stephanie Renaud, Bob Wellington Graphic Artists

Color

Helen M. Linnehan Senior Account Executive Lindsay Chiarilli, Amanda Guinea, Kelly Mahlert Account Executives June Simakauskas Classiﬁed Manager Carrie Arsenault Classiﬁed Advertising Specialist Michael Baronas Sales and Marketing Coordinator Maureen Toscano Sales and Marketing Intern Noel Nickerson Distribution Manager

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The perfect match Local experts share winning tips on pairing your food with beer or wine By Trisha J. Wooldridge

for wine to go with a grilled ribeye he will describe how different red wines bring out different ﬂavors. A rich Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti or Sangiovese has a higher acid content and will cut through fat to make it more buttery, and the meat will bring out the “low tones” of the wine, such as tobacco and smoke ﬂavors. On the other hand, a fruity, medium-bodied wine, like a Merlot blend,

home to the Armsby Abbey, which has been making news and drawing craft brewers from all over the world for its highly successful Beer Dinners. The events are always sold out — and rightly so. Every course is prepared with beer and served with beer. Chef and owner Alec Lopez says, “Beer is easier to pair with food than wine,” and also more versatile, “more fun to work with.” When it comes BRI T TAN Y DU R G I N

he United States lags far behind most of the world in appreciating the complex dance of pairing food with the right wine or beer, but if you live in the Worcester area, some local businesses are picking up the slack by offering cuttingedge menus and events — and inviting their patrons to enjoy the education. For lovers and sellers of wine, it’s being said that the idea of wine pairing in American culture is in its infancy, but like any infant, it’s growing fast. Worcester’s KJ Baaron’s, for example, has regular wine tastings where they serve hors d’oeuvres, including artisan cheeses, to match every wine they carry. For those beginning their journey of food and wine pairing, consultant Edward Stacy says, “It really depends on the food.” For red meat, he often suggests a cabernet sauvignon or a “hearty Rhone.” Turkey pairs well with white wines, like a Sauvignon Blanc. White and flaky fish also works well with lighter white wines. Pinot Noir, is a great match for both turkey and meatier fishes, like salmon or swordfish. However, he points out, it’s not an exact science. Some people simply don’t like certain wines. “I don’t want to sell you a varietal you don’t like.” Fred Mullins, general manager of Southborough-based Panzano Market and Tomasso Trattoria, agrees that food is key to finding the right wine. If someone is looking

Peculiar pairings Our experts say there are limitless possibilities in pairing food and wine or food and beer. Here are some experiences they discovered on their journey: The pairing that grabbed Gourmet magazine’s attention for Alec Lopez of Armsby Abbey was the barrel-aged ale, Avery Brabant, with an ice-cream made of the same ale and duck cracklings, topped with vanilla bean crème fraiche and an aged Balsamic drizzle. Michelle Frieswick of Brew City suggests

Krave 2009

turns fat into a layer of ﬂavor and draws out the savory “meatiness,” while the ribeye will showcase the fruit and acid of the wine. Even newer to American culture is the culinary art of pairing beer with food — but Worcester businesses are really ahead of the game here. First of all, Worcester’s Main Street is

to pairing, “There shouldn’t be any limit. Explore and put beer in anything.” For people just beginning that exploration, he suggests picking up a copy of Brewmaster’s Table by Garrett Oliver. Brew City on Shrewsbury Street also delves into the culinary with beer. The restaurant

that people try Guinness or a porter to go with spaghetti and meatballs or the restaurant’s salmon with red sauce. Honest Town and 12 Crane Street’s Mike Labbe says that stouts, porters and black ales naturally complement desserts of chocolate and coffee, while you can also contrast a tart but fruity Lambic with a sweet fruit custard. Bill Bourbeau of The Boynton discovered that Allagash White Ale made an excellent addition to the vinaigrette he used over a bistro salad including grilled shrimp, green beans, almonds and mixed greens.

Consolidated Beverage’s Shane Blanchette found that “people from all over the place” make special trips to The Boynton for their gluten-free pizza paired with a wheat-free beer. Edward Stacy of KJ Baaron’s notes that “raw vegetables are one of the hardest things to pair.” For vegetable plates, he recommends Grüner Veltliner, an Austrian dry white wine that enhances fresh foods. Panzano’s Fred Mullins had to ﬁnd a match for complex Korean barbeque: spicy, hot, salty, and high in acid, and learned pairing a Sparkling Shiraz could balance things out.

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maintains a wide selection — from commercial to craft — so that patrons have the choice to stay in their comfort zone, or to be a little more adventurous, according to general manager Michelle Frieswick. Like Lopez, she preaches the versatility of beer with food. People often worry that adding beer will overpower a dish, she says, but the reality is “you will get the characteristics of beer … beer just adds a little something.” The Guinness Meatloaf and the Beer Burger are two examples she offers where the beer adds a little tang and an extra level of complexity. Bill Bourbeau, executive chef for The Boynton on Highland Street, is also a fan of cooking with beer. He does advise beginners to be careful when reducing beer. Unlike wine, which can be reduced to a syrup, if beer is reduced too far it can become bitter. While he ﬁnds beer a particularly good match for barbecue, often using it in his sauces, marinades, or injected directly into beef brisket, he shares the view that beer can be part of any course. “Whatever beer you like to drink the most, add it to the food you’re cooking,” Bourbeau says. 12 Crane Street, the Southbridge entertainment complex that includes an Irish Pub, also boasts its own microbrewery:

Honest Town. Brewmaster Mike Labbe says that the strength and flavor of the beer and food is important. “If you’re talking about something that’s delicately seasoned and spiced, if you bury it with a strong beer, you lose the food,” he says. The reverse is also true: a light beer’s flavor and texture might be lost if paired with too heavy a meal. “Beer is becoming a lot more popular,” notes Shane Blanchette, vice president of sales and marketing for Consolidated Beverage, LLC. “There are more ingredients in beer than wine, and a lot of complexity, so more people are experimenting with it and food.” He points out that the retailers he sells to are now including food as part of their in-store beer tastings, and more restaurants like The Boynton and even the dessert bar, Sweet, use beer as an ingredient in their cooking. Commercial beers, like Stella Artois and Shock Top White Belgian, send food-pairing information to distributors because the demand is there. Whether your preference is wine or beer — or if you love both — you can discover new ways to enjoy these beverages with food. A bevy of local experts can guide you onto the path that melds food and drink into a wonderful destination of flavors, textures and experience. ❏

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Local Eats & Drinks CAFÉS & COFFEEHOUSES Acoustic Java 932A Main St. 508-756-9446 acousticjava.com Allgos Sweets & Drinks 58 Shrewsbury St. 508-304-7129 allgoslounge.com Bagel Time 194B Park Ave. 508-798-0440 bageltimeUSA.com Bagel Inn 785 Main Street, Holden 508-829-3550 25 West Boylston Street, West Boylston 508-829-3550 Bean Counter 113 Highland St. 508-754-3125 288 Boston Tpke., Shrewbury 508-754-0505 Black Diamond Coffee 307 Grafton St. (Rte. 140), Shrewsbury 508-842-3709 Caffé Dolce 154 Shrewsbury St. 508-754-3761 Coffee Mug 286 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-832-3616

Corner Café 27 Main St., Sterling 978-422-0088 Eric’s La Patisserie Café 252 Commercial St. 508-756-1454 Heritage Coffee Shop 567 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-832-9297 inhouse Coffee 225 Shrewsbury St. 508-363-1212 Jumpin’ Juice and Java 335 Chandler St. 508-962-8800 Jumpinjuiceandjava.com La Tazza 69 Main St., Leominster 978-840-2739 LalaJava 731 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-845-5282 290 West Main St. Ste 12, Northboro 508-393-7625 lalajava.com Miranda Bread 140 Shrewsbury St. 508-791-2030 On the Rise Baking 1120 Pleasant St. 508-752-3809 The Q 362 Chandler St. 508-757-0411 continued on page 9

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Waiting to inhale By Jeremy Shulkin

egardless of any kind of health claim you want to make about hookah — an ancient Middle Eastern contraption with a hose attached to a water-ﬁlled basin used to smoke a kind

of tobacco called shisha — it’s one of the most relaxing social activities you can ﬁnd. You are with friends. You recline. You inhale essences of your favorite fruits and herbal teas. You sit on pillows. You hear the sound of bubbles. It’s like enjoying all your favorite things from when you were 5 years old while BRI T TA NY D URG I N

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simultaneously having a social life and the mental capacity to talk about them. In an odd mash-up of conflicting stereotypes and misconceptions — that of the opium den/bong-ripping vibe often given off by hookah bars and the musty, old, leathery stodginess of cigar bars — Worcester’s newer smoke shops are staking their territory in the city’s nightlife, all the while making those past allusions go — ahem — up in smoke. Spiritual Haze, the Amsterdam Lounge, Victory Cigar bar, and Cigar Masters (formerly Michael’s Cigar Bar), along with mainstay the Owl Shop, are offering alternatives to a work/dinner/bar evening schedule that can become pretty routine. “If you were under 21 you had nowhere to go at night, and if you were over 21 you could only go to bars, none of which I found were conducive for meeting nice people, says Victoria Mariano, owner of Spiritual Haze, a hookah bar that she set up in 2007 as a student in Clark University’s Entrepreneurships program, “Hookah sets a really comfortable and open-minded atmosphere, unlike other socially focused night-time activities. You can go in there and expect the majority of the people to be sober, with natural energy, and be very easy to talk to.” Adam Gallagher, the general manager of Cigar Masters Worcester, echoes the same point. “It’s a party, but more relaxed and sophisticated.” As of press time, Cigar Masters will have added a hookah room to their already impressive bar, walk-in humidor, and outdoor patio. “People automatically think ‘old man, dingy, scotchy,’ but it’s not. There’s so much more to it now even though it’s such an old-world tradition. It’s really a unique, hip tradition. We appeal to a younger audience now — the hip mid-twenty-something — as well as the traditional audience.” Florina Kachka, the owner of Amsterdam Lounge, has found a way to bridge the bar and club scene with the exoticism of hookah. “I did it to combine two things people love to do: to party and relax,” she says. Her bar features numerous combinations of shisha, as well as club music, DJs, black lights, graffiti art on the walls, and bartenders who throw flares (think of the movie Cocktail but with glowing cups and bottles). “Everything in Amsterdam [Lounge] is really entertaining. Atmosphere is a huge thing to us. You can

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cigars before, but we’ve added a slew of new ones.” The plan is for distributors to come to the store a few times a year to provide tasters wine, beer, cheese and cigars, and to utilize an outdoor area for smoking them. “It’s not something we’re going to have on a regular basis because we don’t have a license for people to regularly smoke there, but we’re going to be doing these events often,” she says. These places are out to add something different to the Worcester after-work and weekend scene. “Cigars are our heart and soul, but we like to expound upon that. We make it a lifestyle,” offers Gallagher, “Every cigar has a story and every cigar place has a story.” And who doesn’t want their evening out to include a good story? Spiritual Haze is located at 482 Park Ave. It’s BYOB and 18+. Amsterdam Lounge is on 27 Pleasant St., should be found on Facebook, and is 18+ too. Cigar Masters Worcester is at 1 Exchange St. and you should add it as a friend on Facebook to ﬁnd out about upcoming events. Victory Cigar bar has a location on 56 Shrewsbury St., Worcester as well as in Sudbury. The Owl Shop is a stalwart on 416 Main St. Kids: This publication does not endorse smoking anything, be it shisha, tobacco, or rolled up copies of Worcester Mag. ❏

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Seattle’s Best Coffee Borders Books 739 Donald J. Lynch Blvd., Marlboro 508-490-8521 476 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-845-8665 Starbucks 1 West Boylston St. 508-595-9315 434 Southbridge St. #A, Auburn 508-721-9475 Sturbridge Coffee House 479 Main Street, Fiskdale 508-347-2288 sturbridgecoffeehouse.com Sturbridge Coffee Roasters 212 Hamilton Street, Southbridge 508-765-5520 sturbridgecoffeeroasters.com Sweet 305 Shrewsbury St. 508-373-2248 sweetworcester.com Tatnuck Bookseller Café 18 Lyman St., Westboro 508-366-4959 Udderly Delicious 273 Main St., Oxford 508-987-9636 Wholly Cannoli Café & Bakery 490 Grafton St. 508-753-0224 DINERS Boulevard Diner 155 Shrewsbury St. 508-791-4535

Carl’s Oxford Diner 291 Main St., Oxford 508-987-8770 Charlie’s Diner 32 West Main St., Spencer 508-885-4033 The Edge 51 Hartford Tpke. (Rte. 20), Shrewsbury 5&Diner 525 Lincoln St. 508-852-6100 5anddiner.com Gold Star Restaurant 68 West Boylston St. 508-852-7900 Green Island Diner 162 Millbury St. 508-753-4189 The Kenmore Diner 250 Franklin St. 508-792-5125 Mac’s Diner 185 Shrewsbury St. 508-868-7508 Miss Worcester 300 Southbridge St. 508-753-5600 Parkway Diner 148 Shrewsbury St. 508-753-9968 Ralph’s Chadwick Square Diner 95 Prescott St. 508-753-9543 ralphsdiner.net continued on page 11

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come to Amsterdam on a Tuesday, and even if it’s not a huge party it’ll still be a great time.” All of Worcester’s hookah bars and smoke shops offer more than what’s advertised. The Owl Shop features an indoor smoking area, but also sells everything from handcrafted pipes to chess sets. About four years ago the store added an indoor smoking area right by the store’s front window overlooking Main Street. “If you want to sit down, relax, and smoke pipe tobacco or a cigar it’s a place to go,” says George Photakis, who opened the store in 1946. Not as well-known is the smoking club upstairs, where members go through an application process in order to join, have their own locker, and enjoy a “private, plush place” with the feel of a living room. Victory Cigar Bar offers more than 50 beers, 25 different vodkas, and small-batch scotches. Spiritual Haze has a café and live music. Cigar Masters has already hosted music on its patio and is an excellent place to watch a Patriots game. Amsterdam Lounge seemingly has a differently themed party every night of the week. Even places not known for their smoke shops are getting in on the action. Liquor store K.J. Baaron’s has expanded its cigar section. “We’re opening our smoke shop ofﬁcially,” says owner Katic Krock, “We’ve had

October 17-18 & October 24- 25, 2009 10 am to 5 pm 1st Weekend – Oct. 17-18

Oktoberfest Jolly Kopperschmidts (Sat.) & Alex Meixner Band (Sun.) Gemuetlichen Enzian Schuhplatter Dancers • Great Little Bear Show

Both Weekends! • Over 60 Craft & Farmer’s Market Booths!

2nd Weekend – Oct. 24-25

• Birds of Prey Show by The Raptor Project

Celticfest Mac Talla Mor Band • Flying Irish Dance Troupe

• Mountainside Barbecue & Seasonal Ales in the Beer Tent

Olde Time Lumberjack Show • Chainsaw Carvings

• Scenic Foliage SkyRide to the Summit!

Buy Tix in Advance and Save $$$ ADMISSION: $9 for adults; $4 for kids 6-12; Free for kids 5 & under. Food, beverage & SkyRide not included in admission. No coolers or pets.

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Just off Rt. 140 in Princeton, MA! (978) 464-2300 (800) SKI-1234 www.wachusett.com

Krave 2009

The Sweetest Thing By Kari Kline

appy endings — of the sweet kind — are an essential element of the dining experience. Just the sound of the word “dessert” can make your mouth water and your stomach prepare for the delectable. In and around Worcester, there are many places that garner this reaction, and we’ve dabbled into the sweet scene just a smidge to ﬁnd some of the favorites.. First stop: Prifti’s Candies, located on 106 Green St. in Worcester. This family-run shop is owned by son Nick, and run by father, Bill, Prifti Candies has been located at the same place for 45 years and has established a loyal following. Bill Prifti says, “There is no favorite. They (customers) like everything!” That “everything” includes soft chocolates, crèmes and fudge to name a few succulent choices. For a short ride out of the city, try Colonial Candies in Bolton. Owner Richard Hebert has been in the business for 40 years, and at the Bolton store since 2003. He says his customers come in all sizes and ages, but the one thing they seem to agree on is their

favorite dessert. At Colonial Candies it’s the hot fudge sundae. Choices for the makeyour-own-treats include cherries, blueberries, apples, peanut butter, walnuts, syrup and jimmies. Appropriately the store is located on Sugar Road. A popular place to end your night sweetly is Armsby Abbey, located in the heart of the city at 144 Main St. Manager Joy Flanagan said the bistro draws an “eclectic crowd” which includes lawyers, business people and college kids. Although the shop showcases many delicacies, the crowd-pleasing favorite, according to Flanagan, is their “decadent chocolate cake”. Flanagan explained how bakery chef Sarah Brueck crafts the cake — the special ingredients are butter crème and Coffee House Porter. Brueck is a fan of using beers in many of her Abbey recipes, including pumpkin beer in their ice cream. Her other popular concoctions include strawberry shortcake, in season, made with strawberries, vanilla bean, orange basil biscuits and homemade whipped cream. Brueck also creates a fantastic fruit crisp topped with brown sugar, with fresh fruit from Tougas Farm in Northboro, which

Owl Club

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BRI T TAN Y DU R G I N

includes nectarines and peaches. When Armsby Abbey’s newest endeavor — Crust Bake Shop — opens next door later this fall, Brueck’s creations will hit a new peak with a dedicated haven for the Abbey’s breads and sweets. Another sugary spot in the city is the Candy Shoppe in Millbury, where owner Todd Willette has drawn many different types of clientele, from individuals with sweet-tooth cravings to corporations filling their gift lists at Christmas time. The most popular delicacy, according to Willette, is fudge, followed closely by chocolate covered Oreos. All the yummy fudge is created by Willette himself, a former employee of Hebert Candies where he worked as a candy maker for 19 years. He uses the old Hebert family recipe in his own recipes including crème butter, sugar and corn syrup. “This is real fudge,” he noted. The chocolate-covered Oreos also include fudge, and are a well-loved dessert that “flies right off the shelf,” said Willette. Among the other popular desserts sold at the shop are caramels and truffles. We’ve highlighted just a few of the exquisite dessert places in the area. In addition to these there are plenty more for you to sample with surprises in store, because life is like a box of … well, you know. ❏

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continued from page 9

ETHNIC CHINESE Bauhinia 271 Grafton St., Shrewsbury 508-842-0880 Beijing Palace Restaurant 321 West Boylston St. 508-853-8880 beijing-palace.com Best Chinese 892 Main St. 508-752-3392 321 West Boylston Street 508-853-7388 Buddha Hut 415 Chandler St. 508-459-0367 Chef Sau 148 Main St., Spencer 508-885-3995 chefsau.com Cheng-Du Restaurant 157 Turnpike Road (Rte. 9), Westboro 508-366-7489 Cheoy Lee’s 45 Sterling St., W. Boylston 508-835-3663 684 Main St., Holden 508-829-6331 China One 566C Southwest Cutoff 508-791-8882 Chopsticks 21 Commercial Road, Leominster 978-534-0020

Chopsticks Restaurant 1083 Main St. 508-755-1075 Chumlee’s 50 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-798-2220 Ding Ho Dynasty 38 Southbridge St. 508-754-7609 Dragon Island 1328 Main St. 508-754-5236 Empire Village 446 Main Street, Sturbridge 508-347-6588 Foodworks 50 Southwest Cutoff 508-752-0938 120 Stafford St. 508-752-3663 110 Elm St., Millbury 508-865-1707 Fred’s Chinese Food 380 Maple Ave., Shrewsbury 508-798-8838 Great Wall Restaurant 521 Main St. 508-799-0803 Ho Toy Luau Restaurant 401 Park Avenue 508-754-4929 Hong Kong Island 880 West Boylston St. 508-853-8887 Kahula Rte. 131, Sturbridge 508-347-7121

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Ken Chin’s 272 Mill St. 508-793-9657 Mandarin Westboro 57 East Main St., Westboro 508-366-2288 westborough.com/mandarin.htm Chef Chinese Restaurant 205 Chandler St. 508-767-0209 Lucky Gourmet 117 June St. 508-791-8888 Ming House 217A Chandler St. 508-756-6888 Nancy Chang 372 Chandler St. 508-752-8899 nancychang.com New Ping’s Restaurant 60 Madison St. 508-791-9577 New Super Chinese Buffet 490 Lincoln Street 508-853-8899 Peking Chef 344 Main St., Southbridge 508-765-0398 Super Chinese Buffet 50 Mill St. 508-799-6868 Tin-Tin Buffet 2 Coes Sq. 508-792-1689 Yong Shing 338 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-832-0622

Yong Shing II 60 Reservoir St., Holden 508-829-1788 INDIAN Bollywood Grille 97 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-793-9888 India Café 84 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-754-2200 indiacafeonline.com Surya 299 Shrewsbury St. 508-752-3700 Upudi Vegetarian Indian 378 Maple St., Shrewsbury 508-459-5099 IRISH Stone’s Public House 179 Main St. #1, Ashland 508-881-1778 stonespublichouse.com ITALIAN / MEDITERRANEAN A.J. Tomaiolo’s Pub & Restaurant 411 W. Main St., Northboro 508-393-5245 Al Fresco 680 Main St., Holden 508-829-3008 Amici Trattoria 582 Main St., Shrewsbury 508-842-7800 amicitrattoria.com

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Find Your Niche, We Did. Offering four truly unique restaurant concepts with plenty of exciting plans for the future, the Niche Hospitality Group continues to expand as the premier provider of dining and hospitality services. No matter what the occasion, Niche will deliver an experience to remember.

www.NicheHospitality.com

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Krave 2009

Mozzarella and Tomato Stacks with Stella Artois Vinaigrette INGREDIENTS 4 small tomatoes (sliced) 4 small, egg-shaped fresh mozzarella balls (sliced) 8 large whole basil leaves (ﬁnely sliced) plus 4 additional leaves for garnish Salt and pepper, to taste 1 1⁄3 cups mixed baby salad greens 1 medium shallot (ﬁnely chopped) 2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp STELLA ARTOIS

oil, Stella Artois and season with salt and pepper in a small bowl.

PREPARATION Arrange alternating slices of tomato, mozzarella and basil leaves on each of four plates. Season with salt and pepper. Top each stack with 1/3 cup baby salad greens. Whisk together the shallots, balsamic vinegar, olive

Drizzle some of the salad dressing around the mozzarella and tomato stacks, and garnish with sliced basil. Serve with additional salad dressing.

Cucumber & Avocado Salad INGREDIENTS 1 cup English cucumber cut into ½” cubes 1 avocado cut into ½” cube 8oz Asian Soba noodles 1 tbs sesame oil ¼ cup chopped roasted cashew ¼ cup diced dried pineapple 2 tbs hoisin sauce Sriracha sauce

Orange Sesame Vinaigrette 1 tbs frozen orange juice concentrate ¼ cup fresh orange juice Zest of 1 orange 2 tbs sesame 1 tbs hoisin 2 tbs canola oil ¼ cup soy sauce ½ tsp minced garlic

Provided by Consolidated Beverages

First Course to Last, We’ve Got You Catered! PREPARATION Serving Lunch Tues. thru Fri. 11-3 Luncheon Buffet Tues. thru Fri. 11-2, dine in only Serving Dinner Tues. thru Thur. 4-9 Fri. and Sat. 4-10 Closed Sundays During September

1 Exchange Place, Commercial St., Worcester 508-421-5100 • www.il-forno.com 30 Lyman St. Westborough 508-366-1955

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27 Airport Road Fitchburg 978-345-2511

508 Nagog Park Route 2A, Acton 978-263-5311

Cook soba noodles in boiling water until al dente. Cool under cold water. Toss noodles with sesame oil, hoisin sauce & ¼ cup orange sesame vinaigrette. Allow to absorb ﬂavors for 5 minutes tossing noodles a couple of times during this time. Toss chopped cucumber & avocado with ¼ to 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette adding a pinch of salt & ground black pepper. Arrange noodles on a plate. Top with avocado mixture. Sprinkle with chopped cashews & dried pineapple. Drizzle spicy sriracha sauce over salad as desired.

1 tsp minced fresh ginger 2 tbs rice wine vinegar 1 tbs sugar Place all ingredients in blender and blend 10 seconds till blended and emulsiﬁed. Provided by Niche Hospitality Group

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Bertucci’s Solomon Pond Mall, 601 Donald Lynch Blvd., Marlboro 508-485-3636 160 Turnpike Road, Rte. 9, Westboro 508-898-3078 155 Otis St., Northboro 508-351-2500 bertuccis.com Biagio’s Grille 257 Park Ave. 508-756-7995 biagiosgrille.com Bossenele’s Pizzeria 198 Millbury St., Millbury 508-581-8885 Café Sorrento 143 Central St., Milford 508-478-7818 Calabria Ristorante 75 Main Street, Millbury 508-581-9700 Carbone’s Restaurant 280 Cordaville Road, Hopkinton 508-435-3465 Carmella’s Italian Kitchen 55 South Maple St. (Rte. 9), Brookﬁeld 508-867-5475 carmellasitaliankitchen.com Castellana’s 90 Harding St. 508-757-5575 castellanasdining.com Ciao Bella 402 Grove St. 508-756-2426 The Colonial Restaurant 290 Thompson Road 508-943-4040

Cornerstone Restaurant 616 Central St., Leominster 978-537-1991 cornerstonerestaurant.com Christina’s Restaurant 314 Central Street, Leominster 978-534-0849 christinas.net Dante’s 421 Shrewsbury St. 508-791-1111 Dino’s 13 Lord St. 508-753-9978 dineatdinos.com Enrico’s Brick Oven Pizzeria 500 Main St., Sturbridge 508-347-1740 Four Seasons 249 Lake Ave. 508-753-4823 Giovanello’s Italian Market 139 Main St., Sturbridge 508-347-1440 Gondola Restaurant 428 Lancaster St., Leominster 978-537-5887 Guiseppe’s Grille 35 Solomon Pond Road, Northboro 508-393-4405 guiseppesgrille.com Il Camino 555 Central St., Leominster 978-537-5083 Il Forno 27 Airport Road, Fitchburg 978-345-2511 1 Exchange St. 508-421-5100

508 Nagog Park, Route 2A, Acton 978-263-5311 30 Lyman St., Westboro 508-366-1955 il-forno.com Junior’s Pizza Grille 346 Shrewsbury St. 508-459-5800 La Bussola 1 Princeton St., Jefferson 508-829-1914 La Scala 185 Shrewsbury St. 508-753-9912 Lazio Italian Bar & Grille 318 Main St., Northboro 508-393-5525 Leo’s Ristorante 11 Leo Turo Way 508-753-9490 leosristorante.net Lidio’s 1045 Central St., Leominster 978-534-6600 lidios.com Linguine’s 350 Boston Post Road West, Marlboro 508-481-9747 Mario’s Ristorante 52 Central St., Southbridge 508-764-8009 The Mediterranean Café 35 Blackstone River Road 508-792-9706 Muncheez Pizzeria 1102D Pleasant St. 508-795-6930 muncheezpizzeria.com

The Olive Garden 728 Donald Lynch Blvd., Marlboro 508-303-6558 olivegarden.com Picasso 2 Common St., Barre 978-355-3099 Piccolo’s 157 Shrewsbury St. 508-754-1057 Porto Bello 156 Shrewsbury St. 508-753-9865 Ristorante Via Alto 27 27 High Street, Clinton 978-598-7002 ristoranteviaalto27.com Rovezzi’s Restaurant Corner of Rtes. 20 & 148, Sturbridge 508-347-0100 Tomasso Trattoria and Enoteca 154 Turnpike Road, Southboro 508-481-8484 tomassotrattoria.com Tony’s Pizza Rte. 146 Boston Road, Sutton 508-865-9544 Two Cousins 856 Eastford Road, Southbridge 508-765-1959 Via 89 Shrewsbury St. 508-754-4842 viaitaliantable.com Vinny T’s of Boston 7 Boston Tpke. (Rte. 9), Shrewsbury 508-755-0900 vinnytsofboston.com

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downtown dining at its best...

85 main American Fusion Cuisine using fresh, local, organic ingredients... experience casual fine dining in a warm, contemporary atmosphere

alfresco dining ~ raw bar late night bar menu

BRAND NEW BAR EXPANSION

come enjoy our...

~now offering~

SUSHI MENU t lunch, dinner, and bar menu daily from 11:30 am-11:00 pm

Rte. 20 • Shrewsbury 508.845.8051 www.hebertcandies.com A Special Supplement of Worcester Mag | worcestermag.com

“Best Seafood ~ Best New Restaurant ‘06 ~ Best Mac n’Cheese” -CT Magazine Awards

85 Main St. Putnam CT

t www.85main.com t 860.928.1660

Krave 2009

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Viva Bene 144 Commercial St. 508-799-9999 viva-bene.com Zia Grill at Scano’s 352 Shrewsbury St. 508-363-3477 Ziti’s Italian Trattoria Speedway Shopping Center (Rte. 9), Westboro 508-898-2282 JAPANESE Baba Sushi 309 Park Ave. 508-752-8822 babasushi.com Haiku 258 Park Ave. 508-459-3033 haikusushi.com Hisa Japanese Restaurant 21 South St., Westboro 508-898-9262 Kaizen Sushi Bar & Grill 479 Main St., Sturbridge 508-347-1088 Mikaku Japanese Restaurant 290 Main St., Northboro 508-393-5553 Osaka 20 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-753-1144 Sakura Tokyo 640 Park Ave. 508-792-1078 sakura-tokyo.com Takara 10 Kelley Sq 508-791-1140

Yama Zakura 369 West Main St. #3, Northboro 508-393-4187 Zipango Sushi Bar 270 Shrewsbury St. 508-754-8047 zipango-sushi.com LATIN AMERICAN Brisa Tropical Restaurant 976A Main St. 508-797-3900 Churrascaria Ranch Cantina 329 Grafton St. 508-792-3560 Conchagua 875B Main St. 508-890-8787 Maria’s Kitchen 826 Main St. 508-797-3380 OneLove Café 800 Main St. 508-753-8663 Pampas Churrascaria 145 East Central St. 508-757-1070 Pupuseria La Salvadorena 82 Pleasant Valley Dr. 508-756-5586 MEXICAN Baja Grill 169 Millbury St. 508-459-2727 Border Grille & Bar 246 Mill St., Leominster 978-840-0194

Cancun Family Mexican Restaurant 75 Worcester St., North Grafton 508-839-8800 Canyon Café 153 Turnpike Road (Rte. 9), Westboro 508-366-8848 Chili’s Grill & Bar 820 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-832-4093 291 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-756-1800 chilis.com Chipotle 97 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-752-1726 chipotle.com José Murphy’s 97 Water St. 508-792-0900 josemurphysworcester.com Margarita Grill 10 Prospect St., Auburn 508-832-2553 chucks.com Mezcal Tequila Cantina 166 Shrewsbury St. 508-926-8307 mezcalcantina.com Moe’s Southwest Grille 3 Stafford St. 508-459-6060 61 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-797-6637 moes.com Playa Del Carmen 700 Main Street (Rte. 122A), Holden 508-829-7700

Qdoba Mexican Grille 70 Worcester/Providence Dr., Millbury 508-865-0500 50 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-459-3052 qdoba.com Tacos Acapulco 344 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-425-3593 Tortilla Sam’s 107 Highland St. 508-756-7267 tortillasams.com Williker’s Tex-Mex & BBQ 896 Hartford Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-842-3030 MIDDLE-EASTERN El Basha 424 Belmont St. 508-797-0884 256 Park Ave. 508-795-0222 2 Connector Road, Westboro 508-366-2455 elbasharestaurant.com Morocco 172 Shrewsbury St. 508-459-9660 Sahara 143 Highland St. 508-798-2181 Shiraz 259 Park Ave. 508-767-1639 SINGAPOREAN Singapore Restaurant 170 Whalon St, Fitchburg 978-345-0132 THAI Racha Thai 545 Southwest Cutoff #2 (Rte. 20) Worcester 508-757-8884 thaiplacerestaurant.com Thai Island 456 Main St., Holden thaiislandholdenrestaurant.net Thai Place Restaurant 371 Main St. (Rte. 20), Sturbridge 508-347-2999 Yoong Tong Thai 278 Main St., Northboro 508-393-7714 yoongtong.com VIETNAMESE Anh Thu 439 Park Ave. 508-752-1330 Da Lat 425 Park Ave. 508-753-6036 Apsara 264 Park Ave. 508-752-2211 Pho Dakao 593 Park Ave. 508-756-7555 Saigon 976 Main St. 508-799-5250 Viet Thao Webster Square Plaza 68 Stafford St. 508-752-8426 vietthao-restaurant.com

Krave 2009

FAMILY A&D Pizza 60 Elm St., Millbury 508 865-9013 Abigail’s Restaurant/Jack Russell’s Pub 625 Betty Spring Road, Gardner 978-630-2322 All Star Bar and Grill 181 Boston Post Rd., Marlborough (508) 303-1783 American Pie Pizzeria 119 Summer St. 508-755-8352 Annie’s Clark Brunch 934 Main St. 508-756-1550 Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill 632 Park Ave. 508-363-3032 680 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-721-7817 120 Charlton Road, Sturbridge 508-347-0174 222 Washington St., Hudson 978-567-1997 70 Worcester/Providence Tpke., Millbury 508-581-9270 applebees.com Atlas Pizza 1282 Pleasant St. 508-756-9994 Auburn Town Pizza 69 Auburn St., Auburn 508-832-5210 Barbers Crossing 175 Leominster Road, Sterling 978-422-8438 861 Main St., Leicester 508-892-7575 barberscrossing.com The Barre Mill Restaurant 90 Main St., South Barre 978-355-2987/6417 barremill.com The Belfry Restaurant 59 Blackstone Road 508-751-5040 belfryrestaurant.net Bluebird Pizza 591 Park Ave. 508-798-6591 Blue Jeans Pizza 270 Park Ave. 508-753-3777 bluejeanspizza.com Boomer’s Sub and Deli 93 Highland St. 508-791-5551 The Boynton 117 Highland St. 508-756-8458 boyntonrestaurant.com Brian’s Restaurant 91 Providence Road (Rte. 122), Northbridge 508-234-9256 The Broadway 100 Water St. 508-753-3233 broadwaycaterers.com Café on the Common 1 Grafton Common, Grafton 508-839-7447

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Christo’s of Worcester 97 Stafford St. 508-752-3765 Colonial Restaurant 290 Thompson Road, Webster 508-943-4040 Coney Island 158 Southbridge Street 508-753-7885 Copper Stallion 538 Main St., Sturbridge 508-347-2100 The Corner Grill 806 Pleasant St. 508-754-8884 cornergrille.com Cracker Barrel 215 Charlton Road, Rte. 20, Sturbridge 508-347-8925 crackerbarrel.com Cranberries Restaurant 142 Massasoit Road 508-753-7885 Crystal Caves Family Entertainment Center 790 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-832-0797 Dean Park Pizza 745 Main St., Shrewsbury 508-842-2525 deanparkpizza.com Diamond Pizza 848 Main St. 508-755-4449 Domino’s Pizza 396 Park Avenue 508-754-2236 294 Hamilton St. 508-792-6900 E.B. Flatts 245 West Main Street (Rte 9), East Brookfield 508-867-6643 ebflatts.com Emerald Isle 49 Millbury St. 508-792-3830 Eller’s Restaurant 190 Main Street, Cherry Valley 508-892-3925 Elsa’s Eatery 33 Boston Tpke. (Rte. 9-West), Shrewsbury 508-890-1009 elsaseatery.com The Family Kitchen 63 Hamilton St. 508-799-2611 Finally Big Joe’s 119 Shrewsbury St. 508-752-0558 Firefly’s 235 Old Connecticut Path, Framingham 508-820-3333 350 E. Main St., Marlboro 508-357-8883 fireflysbbq.com Blackstone Freshway Pizza 96 Water St. 508-755-1999 freshwaypizzablackstone.com Gael House Grill 119 High St., Clinton 978-365-1949 Goody’s Deli 894 Grafton Street 508-792-3646

Golden Pizza 453 Lincoln St. 508-852-6000 1168 Main St. 508-752-4653 20 Auburn St., Auburn 508-721-1271 271 Grafton St., Shrewsbury 508-842-7774 107 Chandler St. 508-752-8907 1137 Grafton St. 508-770-1533 goldenpizza.net The Great American Grill at the Hilton Garden Inn 35 Major Taylor Blvd. 508-753-5700 Hiltongardeninn.hilton.com Grille 57 57 Highland St. 508-798-2000 Harry’s Restaurant 149 Boston Tpke. (Rte. 9), Westboro 508-366-8302 westborough.com/harrys Heavy Evie’s 2 Maple Ave., Rutland 508-886-6284 Hooligan’s Bar & Grill 493 Boston Post Road, Marlboro 508-481-3310 Jason’s Pizza Place 113 June St. 508-756-7424 Joseph’s Bistro 97 Main St., Westminster 978-874-9918 Kaboodle Pizzeria & Grill 152 Main St., Spencer 508-885-4884 Ladd’s of Rutland 64 Barre-Paxton Road, Rutland 508-886-4771 Lake Pizza & Restaurant 39 Thompson Road, Webster 508-943-3684 The Lodge 148 Gore Rd., Webster 508-949-0000 Lucky’s Café 102 1/2 Grove St. 508-756-5014 The Manor 42 West Boylston St., West Boylston 508-835-4722 ourmanor.com Maury’s Deli 1125 Main St. 508-754-4446 Millbury Street Pizza 121 Millbury St. 508-752-7442 Mountain Barn Restaurant 174 Worcester Road, Princeton 978-464-2044 mountainbarn.com Mulligan’s Tavern on the Green 121 West Main St., Westboro 508-366-0207 The National Grille at Blackstone National Golf Club 227 Putnam Hill Road, Sutton 508-865-2111 (ext. 5) bngc.net continued on page 16

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Northeast Pizza 1205 Main Street, Leicester 508-892-9276 548 S Main Street, Webster 508-949-3409 208 W Main Street, West Brookﬁeld 508-867-9567 570 Summer Street, Barre 978-355-4333 O’Connor’s Restaurant 1160 W. Boylston St. 508-853-0789 oconnorsrestaurant.com Olde Post Ofﬁce Pub Rte. 140 and Ray Street, North Grafton 508-839-6106 Oxford’s Casual Dining 2 Millbury Blvd., Oxford 508-987-1567 oxfordcasualdining.com Peppercorn’s Grille and Tavern 455 Park Ave. 508-752-7711 peppercorns.com Periwinkles & Giorgio’s 892 Southbridge St. (Rte. 20), Auburn/Oxford line 508-832-9705 periwinkles-giorgios.com The Pickle Barrel Delicatessen 305 Pleasant St. 508-754-0921 PJ’s New England Bar & Grill 185 West Boylston St., West Boylston 508-835-2224 pjsbarandgrill.com Pleasant Street Grille 438 Pleasant St. 508-792-0770 Quizno’s 395 Park Avenue 508-890-7827 quiznos.com Red Robin 70 Worcester/Providence Tpke., Millbury 508-581-9200 redrobin.com Regatta Deli 28 Lake Avenue 508-756-6916 3 Colonial Drive, Westboro 508-366-8958 regatta-deli.com Romaldo’s 455 Main St., Sturbridge 508-347-9965 romaldos.com Ronnie’s Seafood and Ice Cream 187 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-832-2708 (seasonal) Ruby Tuesday 537 Lincoln St. 508-854-9916 32 Lyman St., Westboro 508-389-9985 rubytuesday.com Seven Hills Bistro at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Lincoln Square 508-791-1600 ext. 2256 Slattery’s 106 Lunenburg St., Fitchburg 978-343-6120 slatterysrestaurant.com

Krave 2009

Spoodle’s Deli 355 Main St. 508-755-0800 Squire’s 347 Greenwood St. 508-752-7544 Still Four Corners Route 122 Rutland 508-866-6666 Tech Pizza 137 Highland St. 508-752-2133 T.G.I. Friday’s 601 Donald Lynch Blvd., Marlboro 508-303-0996 70 Worcester/Providence Tpke., Millbury 508-865-9189 tgifridays.com Tom’s International Deli 118 Water St. 508-755-7295 Trumbull Bar & Grill 117 Main St., Spencer 508-885-6901 Twin Oaks Restaurant 228 Leominster Road, Sterling 978-422-6100 Uncle Jay’s Twisted Fork 509 Stafford Street, Cherry Valley 508-892-5437 unclejaystwistedfork.com Uncle Sam’s Pizza 974 Main St. 508-890-7888 samspizza.com Uno Chicago Grill 25 Major Taylor Boulevard 508-421-9300 70 Worcester Prov. Tpke., Millbury 508-581-7866 Val’s Restaurant and Pizza Palace 75 Reservoir Road, Holden 508-829-0900 Webster House 1 Webster St. 508-757-7208 websterhouseweb.com Weintraub’s Jewish Delicatessen & Restaurant 126 Water St. 508-756-7870 Westview Farms Creamery 111 East Hill Road, Monson 413-267-5355 Wexford House Restaurant 503 Shrewsbury St. 508-757-8982 Whistle Stop Bar and Grill 85 Main St. (Rte. 12), Oxford 508-987-3087 Wild Willy’s Burgers 317 West Boylston St. 508-459-2088 Wings Over Worcester 1 Kelley Square 508-421-WING wingsoverworcester.com The Wonder Bar Restaurant 121 Shrewsbury St. 508-752-9909 Wright’s Farm Resturant 84 Inman Road, Nasonville/Harrisville, R.I. 401-769-2856 wrightsfarm.com Z Café 389 Main St. 508-304-1220

Zimmy’s Kitchen 865 Main St., Leicester 508-892-3200 Zorba’s Pizzeria Tavern 132 Sturbridge Road (Rte. 20), Charlton 508-248-0433 zorbaspizzeriatavern.com BISTRO 85 Main 85 Main St., Putnam, Conn. 860-928-1660 85main.com 86 Winter American Bistro 65 Water St. 508-459-5400 86Winter.com Armsby Abbey 144 North Main St. 508-759-1012 armsbyabbey.com The Blue Cricket Bistro 372 Chandler St. 508-767-1123 Bocado Tapas Wine Bar 82 Winter St. 797-1011 bocadotapasbar.com Chloé: An American Bistro 23 Main St., Hudson 978-568-1500 chloebistro.com The Citizen 1 Exchange Place 508-459-9090 thecitizenwinebar.com Cyprian’s Bistro Cyprian Keyes Golf Club 284 East Temple St., Boylston 508-869-9900 cypriankeyes.com EVO 234 Chandler Street 508-459-4240 evodining.com Flying Rhino Café 278 Shrewsbury St. 508-757-1450 ﬂyingrhinocafe.com The Hamilton Diner and Bistro 105 Hamilton St. 508-751-0500 508-751-0501 Jewel Box 139 Green St. 508-767-3483 Joey’s Bar & Grill 242 Mill St. 508-797-3800 Le Mirage 120 June St. 508-793-8558 lemiragerestaurant.com FINE DINING 55 Pearl Restaurant 55 Pearl Street 508-752-0070 55pearl.com Alicante Mediterranean Grille 84 Uxbridge Road (Rte. 16), Mendon 508-634-8188 alicantema.com

Allora Ristorante 139 Lakeside Ave., Marlboro 508-485-4300 Alloraristorante.com Arturo’s Ristorante 54 East Main St., Westborough 508-366-1881 arturosristorante.com Blue Marlin 20 Central Street, Leominster 978-537-2900 themonumentgrill.com The Castle 1230 Main St., Leicester 508-892-9090 castlerestaurant.com Cedar Street Restaurant 12 Cedar St., Sturbridge 508-347-5800 cedarstreetrestaurant.com Chocksett Inn 59 Laurelwood Road, Sterling 978-422-3355 chocksettinn.com Fins and Tales 858 Main St., Southbridge 508-764-3340 ﬁns-and-tales.com Gazebo’s Four Points Sheraton 99 Erdman Way, Leominster 978-534-9000 The Harding Allen Estate 59 Allen Dr (Rte. 122), Barre 978-355-4920 harding-allen.com Harlequin at the Beechwood Hotel 363 Plantation St. 508-754-5789 beechwoodhotel.com The Harrington Farm 178 Westminster Road, Princeton 978-464-5600 harringtonfarm.com The Hop Vine Café 12 Crane St., Southbridge 508-764-1100 The Inn at Woodstock Hill 94 Plaine Hill Road, Woodstock, Conn. 860-928-0528 woodstockhill.com J’s Restaurant Nashoba Valley Winery 92 Wattaquadock Hill Road, Bolton 978-779-9816 nashobawinery.com The Jenkins Inn 7 West St. (Rte. 122), Barre 978-355-6444 Jenkinsinn.com Maxwell Silverman’s 25 Union St., Worcester 508-755-1200 maxwellmaxine.com Monument Grill 14 Monument Square, Leominster 978-537-4466 themonumentgrill.com Romaine’s 299 West Main St., Northborough 508-393-8889 romainesrestaurant.com Sky Restaurant 120 Boston Post Road (Rte. 20), Sudbury 978-440-8855 sky-restaurant.com

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HISTORIC The Bull Run 215 Great Run Road (Rte. 2A), Shirley 978-425-4311 bullrunrestaurant.com Grafton Inn Restaurant 25 Central Square, Grafton 508-839-5931 Publick House 227 Main Street, Sturbridge 508-347-3313 publickhouse.com Salem Cross Inn 260 West Main St. (Rte. 9), West Brookﬁeld 508-867-2345 salemcrossinn.com The 1761 Old Mill 69 State Road, Westminster 978-874-5941 1761oldmill.com The 1790 Restaurant and Tavern 206 Turnpike Road (Rte. 9), Westborough 508-366-1707 1790restaurant.com Spencer Country Inn 500 Main St., Spencer 508-885-9036 spencercountryinn.com The Sterling Inn 240 Worcester Road, Sterling 978-422-6592 sterlinginnmass.com Vienna Restaurant & Historic Inn 14 South St., Southbridge 508-764-0700 thevienna.cjb.net PUBS & TAVERNS The Banner Bar & Grille 112 Green St. 508-755-0879 Thebannerbar.com Beatniks 433 Park Ave. 508-926-8877 Black Diamond Restaurant at Wachusett Mountain 499 Mountain Road, Princeton 978-464-2300 wachusett.com

Spices • Cheeses • Olives • Oils • Nuts Chinese and Asian Specialties

HEALTHY DINING Veggie Corner 56 Hamilton St. 508-831-1322 WAH-BO Grill 98 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-363-0002

Blackstone Tap 81 Water St. 508-797-4827 Blackstonetap.com Blackstone Valley Bar & Grille 306 Main St., Douglas 508-476-7220 Blue Dog Sports Bar & Grille 110 South Main St., Milford 508-473-6611 Bolton Roadhouse Bar and Grill 544 Wattaquadock Hill Road, Bolton 978-365-5757 The Bootlegger Restaurant & Lounge 50 Massachusetts Ave., Lunenburg 978-342-7711 Thebootleggerrestaurant.com Boston Billiard Club 454 Grove St. 508-459-1540 bostonbilliardclubs.com/ worcester.htm Brew City Grill and Brew House 104 Shrewsbury St. 508-752-3862 brew-city.com Center Bar and Grill 102 Green Street 508-755-0879 Club Maxine’s 25 Union St. 508-755-1200 maxwellmaxine.com The Dark Horse Tavern 12 Crane St., Southbridge 508-764-4749 12crane.com Fiddler’s Green 19 Temple Street 508-795-0400 Finder’s Pub 171 W. Boylston St. (Rte. 12), West Boylston 508-835-3707 Funky Murphy’s Bar & Grille 305 Shrewsbury St. 508-753-2995 funkymurphys.com The Irish Times 244 Main St. 508-797-9599 irishtimespub.com Jillian’s 315 Grove Street 508-793-0900 JJ’s Sports Bar & Grill 38 SW Cutoff, Northboro 508-842-8420 jjsbarandgrill.biz Keepers Pub 175 W Boylston St. West Boylston 508-835-1100 The Lights Sports Pub 395 Grafton St., Worcester 508-459-7879 McFadden’s 50 Front St. 508-755-4339 mcfaddenssaloon.com Michael’s Place Bar & Restaurant 141 Worcester Road (Route 12), Webster 508-943-4147 Michael’s Pub 11 Merriam Ave., Leominster 978-534-1590 Michaelspub.net

continued on page 18

A Special Supplement of Worcester Mag | worcestermag.com

Take your tastebuds on vacation with fine foods and wines from around the world. Treat yourself to affordable luxuries available daily at Mediterranean Marketplace. Ready-made foods, marinated kebabs for your grille, party platters, gift baskets EDITERRANEAN ARKETPLACE and the widest variety of international ingredients 408 Pleasant St., Worcester • 755-0258 for your favorite recipes. Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Ed Hyder’s M

G re e k • M e x i c a n • I n d i a n • I t a l i a n

Sonoma 205 Worcester Road (Rte. 31), Princeton 978-464-5775 sonoma-princeton.com Tribeca 92 Shrewsbury St. 508-754-7600 tribeca92.com Wachusett Village Inn 9 Village Inn Road, Westminster 978-874-2000 wachusettvillageinn.com The Whistling Swan 502 Main St., Sturbridge 508-347-2321 thewhistlingswan.com

Middle Eastern Foods • Fruits • Nuts • Teas

508.892.1390 x12 • Rte 9 • 1430 Main Street, Leicester www.leicestercc.com

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Nick’s 124 Millbury St. 508-753-4030 Myspace.com/nicksworcester Ninety-Nine 50 Southwest Cut-Off 508-363-3999 900 W. Boylston St. 508-852-2999 11 E. Central St. 508-792-9997 793 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-832-0999 99restaurants.com Northworks Bar & Grill 106 Grove St. 508-755-9657 Northworks.com Other Place Pub 71 Shrewsbury St., Boylston 508-869-6003 Oxhead Tavern Sturbridge Host Hotel 366 Main St., Sturbridge 508-347-7393 Piccadilly Pub 480 Shrewsbury St. 508-755-1808 602 Southbridge St. (Rte. 12), Auburn 508-832-4762 piccadillypub.com Ross Tavern at Wachusett Country Club 187 Prospect St., West Boylston 508-835-4484 wachusettcc.com Stooges 114 River St., Fitchburg 978-342-0017

Suney’s Pub 216 Chandler St. 508-753-9072 Tal’s Place Restaurant 138 Lake St., Webster 508-949-6559 Tweed’s 229 Grove St. 508-755-8047 tweedspub.com The Ugly Duckling Loft 502 Main St., Sturbridge 508-347-2321 thewhistlingswan.com Waterfront Mary’s 103 Birch Island Road, Webster 508-943-9731 waterfrontmarys.com West Side Grill Rte. 9, Northboro 508-366-6277 SEAFOOD The Chowder Bowl 144 Gore Road, Webster 508-949-7227 Coral Seafood 225 Shrewsbury St. 508-755-8331 29 South Bolton St., Marlboro 508-460-3474 coralseafood.com Dresser Hill 290 Dresser Hill Road, Charlton 508-248-7870 Clam Box 53 S Maple, Brookﬁeld 508-867-2047

Free Wine, Cheese & Coffee Tasting Every Friday 5-7 pm Tea, Chocolate and Specialty food sampling p g everyy Saturday! y

Kay’s Dairy Bar 196 State Road, Westminster 978-632-7191 Little Anthony’s Seafood Emporium 678 Spring St., Winchendon 978-297-2669 Point Breeze 114 Point Breeze Road, Webster 508-943-0404 Ronnie’s Seafood 871 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-832-9068 208 City Depot Road, Charlton 508-248-5024 The Sole Proprietor 118 Highland St. 508-798-3474 thesole.com TJ’s Seafood 452 Southbridge St (Rte. 12), Auburn, 508-407-8380 West Boylston Seafood 321 West Boylston St. (Rte. 12), West Boylston 508-853-3655 STEAKHOUSES Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse 50 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury 508-755-6600 bugaboocreek.com Chuck’s Steakhouse 10 Prospect St. (Rte. 20), Auburn 508-832-2553/508-832-5139 chucks.com Longhorn Steakhouse 191 Post Boston Road, Marlboro 508-481-4100 70 Worcester/Providence Tpke., Millbury 508-865-2202

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227 N Main Street, Leominster 978-534-6429 longhornsteakhouse.com 111 Chop House 111 Shrewsbury St. 508-799-4111/508-791-7224 111chophouse.com Outback Steakhouse 771 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-721-9799 outbacksteakhouse.com The Steakloft 369 West Main St., Northboro 508-393-8134 Thesteakloft.tripod.com Wildwood Steak House 189 Boston Post Road, Marlboro 508-481-2021 wildwoodsteakhouse.com Willy’s Steakhouse Grille and Sushi Bar 2 Grafton St., Shrewsbury 508-842-7220 willyssteakhouse.com BBQ Li’l Texas Restaurante 466 Quaker Hwy. (Rte. 146A), Uxbridge 508-278-0628 Texas BBQ Company 309 Main St., Northboro 508-393-4742 Texasbbqco.com Texas Roadhouse 535 Lincoln St. 508-853-7266 Texasroadhouse.com Westside Steak and BBQ 2 Richmond Ave. 508-756-6328

Worce s Finest Worcester’ Worc Indian Cuisine

FREE 12oz. Bag of Locally Hand-Roasted Coffee with any $35 Purchase (Limit one per customer, per visit. Must present coupon at time of purchase.)

Fine Wines, Brew, Tea, Chocolate, Cheese, Specialty Foods & Gift Baskets 142 Highland St., Worcester

Lunch 11:30-2:30 Tues - Sat Dinner 5:00-10:00 Tues-Sun 299 Shrewsbury Street Worcester, MA 508-752-3700

1-508-797-WINE 18

Krave 2009

A Special Supplement of Worcester Mag | worcestermag.com

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