Worcester Foodies »
WorcesterFoodies is a group of wandering consumers of tasty foods. All from different backgrounds, we have the love of food in common. Coming together once a month at a Worcester area restaurant, WorcesterFoodies is determined to eat everything the city has to offer and suggest, to you, what we like the best!
Worcester Foodies has reviewed dishes from:
At the end of my dinner, I had an interesting conversation with the owner of Volturno, Worcester’s newest Italian/pizza restaurant. He readily acknowledges that Volturno is not for everyone. If you are looking for a Hawaiian or Meat Lover’s pizza, he noted, you might as well drive past Volturno. There are many other pizza joints [...]
Calamari and Orrachetti with broccoli rabe, sausage, and chilies
Volturno is most definitely one of my new favorite restaurants in Worcester. I was enticed first by its attractive location, renovated interior, historical “Buick” charm and over my last 5 visits…the food. On this gorgeous spring evening out with the Worcester Foodies, I had convinced myself to order something other than pizza. This was a difficult [...]
fior de latte pizza and duck prosciutto
Shrewsbury Street is a food mecca for those looking for variety, culture and good eats. One of the newest kids on the block is Volturno…an old school Italian pizzeria with a modern vibe that has found its home in the old Buick dealership next to 7 NaNa. The entrance is laid with stone fixtures that remind [...]
Beet Stuzzichino and Fava Bean Bruschetta
The beet appetizer and fava bean bruschetta together made an excellent entrée for those saving a few carbs for dessert at Volturno. The beet ‘stuzzichino’ was a showstopper and consisted of golden and red beets, hazelnuts, and smoked goat cheese. The pureed golden beets were slightly sweet and unexpected against the classic cubed pickled red [...]
Bianca Ricotta Fior di Latte Chile Roasted Garlic Scallion Pizza
Perhaps in reading some of my reviews you may have gathered a little known fact about me. I am extremely passionate about pizza, specifically brick oven. Therefore, when my turn came to select our next foodies’ adventure, it was foreseeable that I would choose the new brick oven pizza restaurant on the Worcester scene: Volturno. (Disclaimer: if [...]
Pistachio Pesto Mozzarella Sausage Pecorino Pizza
Volturno is Shrewsbury Streets newest entry into a bustling dinner scene. At first I was a little skeptical when I heard another pizza and Italian dining establishment was joining the mix, but Volturno has carved out its own spot in Shrewsbury Streets restaurant row. The owners of Volturno did an excellent job blending the old Edward Buick space with a [...]
Vongole Pizza
Right on Shrewsbury Street this refurbished historic “Buick” Dealership has been re-purposed into an upscale Pizza place: Volturno. They kept the high ceilings and exposed beams as well as all the internal exposed plumbing in view giving it a rustic feel. The place is flanked by extra-large windows “Show casing” a view of Shrewsbury street [...]
Funghi Pizza with Goat, Fior di Latte and Pecorino cheeses
It was with great anticipation that my dining companion and I went to Volturno for the May Foodies gathering. Housed within the old Edward Buick dealership on Shrewsbury Street, the design and layout of the restaurant was very inviting with extremely high ceilings and open spaces and sight lines. A massive bar sits elegantly in the [...]
Pork Entree
I know; going to a place known for their classic Neapolitan pizzas and not order a pizza? “What kind of foodie do you pretend to be,” you might ask. Well, that is a fair question, however, sometimes straying from the path will yield great results. This just so happens to be what happens when you [...]
Herb and Mustard Encrusted Salmon
When Flying Rhino opened at the turn of the century it heralded a new era for cuisine in Worcester. As much as I love a great diner, burger joint, and well established “usuals” I was desperate for a city menu that went beyond salads, burgers, steak, and fish and chips. The Flying Rhino was one of the [...]
Shrewsbury St. Swordfish
The Flying Rhino is an eclectic restaurant with a nice variety of options. They offer many selections that are healthy choices to go along with a great mix of more standard fare, most prepared with a little twist. I started with the Chicken Lettuce Wraps, which comes with a decent sized portion of skillet fried ground [...]
Fish Tacos
Flying Rhino was the first restaurant I ate at when I moved to Worcester over ten years ago and very happy to see it thriving still. It has a very familiar and warm but eclectic feeling to it. One of the greatest treats is that the menu changes seasonally, but some of my favorites remain consistent. [...]
Cowboy Burger
There are times when you just want to have a burger. I know from previous experience that the Flying Rhino serves elegant entrees that are beautifully plated and taste even better than they look. However, on this particular night, I wanted some simple and satisfying, and so I chose the Cowboy Burger ($12). Of course, ever [...]
Ivory Tusk
The Flying Rhino is one of my favorite “watering holes” in Worcester. I love the eclectic vibe, food, atmosphere, and come warm weather, the alfresco dining. As an individual who prides herself on eating relatively “healthy”, I am thrilled that the Flying Rhino is endorsed by WooFood. On this Tuesday night out, I was shocked and [...]
Caesar Salad with Steak Tips
The Flying Rhino on Shrewsbury Street is one of the better known restaurants in Worcester…. maybe it is the peculiar name or the actual Rhino on the roof…. but whatever reason you need, make sure you get to the Rhino because you won’t regret it. For our Foodies event my dining companion and I chose the very popular [...]
Flying Rhino’s Grill Special
Entering Flying Rhino I got the feeling of a fun upbeat atmosphere. I was greeted promptly by a friendly server who immediately made me feel welcome. My husband and I headed to our table and joined our friends. Our server was right behind us as we sat and was quick to inquire if we wished a beverage to start [...]
Spicy Turkey Burger
Flying Rhino is a very recognizable name on Shrewsbury Street. While I have dined there in the past, it has been many years so I was intrigued to try this venue once again. The atmosphere of the Flying Rhino is vibrant, casual and lively. I was particularly fond of the mosaic when you first enter and the [...]
Flying Rhino’s Duck Farrotto
Duck is not a dish that I frequently order, partly because it is rare to find it among the Worcester restaurants and partly because it is an easy dish to do wrong. Knowing the Flying Rhino’s reputation for taking risks often with rewarding results, I decided that the Duck Farrotto could challenge the chef and, hopefully, result [...]
Chicken Le Mirage
Worcester has its share of “genre restaurants”; if you want Italian, there are eighteen readily available. Pizza? More than twenty. Japanese? A dozen. But if you are looking for Middle Eastern or Mediterranean there is a small handful and even less if you are also looking for BYOB. Le Mirage is one of them. Located at [...]
Fattoush Salad
It’s been a long while since I have been able to attend a Worcester Foodies event and was eager for the opportunity to see the inside of a building that I driven by at least once a day for the last 10 years yet have never entered—Le Mirage! I don’t think anyone was surprised that [...]
Veal Piccata
The menu at Le Mirage presented me with a dilemma. It divides fairly evenly between Middle Eastern and Italian items, and I love them both. Most at my table, however, chose the Middle Eastern route. So I, to paraphrase Robert Frost, took the road less traveled by. I chose Italian, the Veal Piccata. My $19 entrée [...]
Lebanese Platter
Le Mirage was on my list of places I knew I needed to check out in Worcester so I was excited when it was announced that it was our next Worcester Foodie destination. I have only heard good review and it didn’t disappoint. They are a family run restaurant surprisingly serving both middle eastern and [...]
Chicken Capri
Nestled on the corner of June and Chandler Street is Le Mirage, a family run, BYOB restaurant featuring a unique mix of Italian and Lebanese food. While I had heard of this eatery and driven by the establishment countless times, I had never dined there and was excited to do so with my fellow foodies! [...]
Chicken Cacciatore
I am no stranger to Le Mirage. In fact, I have been known to visit the Mediterranean restaurant several times a month, usually ordering the tried and true Eggplant Parmesan, but for the sake of Worcester Foodies I decided to try something new—the Chicken Cacciatore. To warm up to my dinner, I started with house [...]
Grilled Salmon
I started with the House Made Grape Leaves (6) for an appetizer at Le Mirage which were very tasty although entirely vegetarian. For my main course I chose the Grilled Salmon with rice pilaf and fresh vegetables with an added Winter Harvest Salad (mixed greens topped with apricots walnuts and crumbled goat cheese lightly tossed with [...]
Grilled Swordfish
Le Mirage is a place that I have been interested in trying. The small corner restaurant that happens to be a BYOB (I love a BYOB restaurant, certain I have said that before) was decorated invitingly and had a very welcoming atmosphere; someone even opened and greeted me at the door when I first arrived. The [...]
Eggplant Lasagna
If you are wondering what Lebanese/Mediterranean food is like, save yourself the plane ticket and eat at Le Mirage on June Street. If you don’t like the food here, you may as well write off all Lebanese/Mediterranean food for the rest of your life because this is as good as it gets. It is family owned [...]
Shish Kabob Beef Tenders
One of the great things about being part of WorcesterFoodies is that we often dine at restaurants that we have heard about, but to date have not had the opportunity to enjoy. Thus was the case this month as we gathered at Le Mirage, a small, family-owned and operated BYOB restaurant on June Street in [...]
Baked Kibbie
Having never been to a restaurant specializing in middle eastern cuisine like Le Mirage, I was determined to order a dish that I, perhaps embarrassingly, had never heard of. I selected the Baked Kibbie, which the menu informed me came with housemade rice pilaf, fresh vegetables, and a side salad. The side salad, full of [...]
Beef Port Saiid
This was my first trip to Le Mirage and I love middle eastern food so I was excited to try this place. The place is cute but nothing about the decor was exceptional and it honestly—lacked charm for me. When we looked at the menu it was an interesting mix of middle eastern and Italian foods. We knew [...]
Lebanese Platter from Le Mirage
Le Mirage, a family owned restaurant specializing in Mediterranean cruise with touches of Lebanese and Italian on their menu. I found the atmosphere here to be small and cozy. I felt invited and welcome as soon as I opened the door and stepped into the place. The night started off with our waitress introducing herself [...]
Broccoli Pizza
Wonder Bar‘s pizza is loaded with fresh, bite sized broccoli florets. The broccoli had a great texture and offered a really nice balance with the tomato sauce making an overall excellent pizza. -DL It seems like an oxymoron to include broccoli on a dish like pizza, but in reality, the fresh, perfectly seasoned broccoli balanced the [...]
Bacon and Tomato Pizza
The Wonder Bar is touted as one of Worcester’s best pizza joints and it’s definitely one of the oldest. It’s classic, dive bar decor is welcoming in a “come as you are” sense. On this visit, our group shared a number of pizzas which allowed me to try a couple that I hadn’t in the past. The [...]
Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Pizza
Worcesterites are very protective of their favorite pizza joint. I have seen families (okay, one family, mine) nearly come to blows regarding where to go for Friday night pizza. Each of us knows for a fact that his place serves the best pie in town. It is not a matter of one place having unique [...]
Spinach, Chicken and Garlic Pizza
This thin crust pizza at Wonder Bar is loaded with spinach and a fair amount of small, bite sized chicken chunks. The spinach is easily the primary taste here and in my opinion, it totally overpowers the chicken and garlic. While a very nicely cooked pizza, I found it unbalanced and lacking in the chicken and [...]