Task 30 - Ritual, Worcester, MA

(30) Eat in 10 New restaurants (8/20)

Restaurant: Ritual

 

Rating: 4-Stars

My birthday night celebration started with a great tapas style meal at Ritual in Worcester. With parking a constant problem on Main Street the idea of free valet was a wise choice. The environment was upscale and an eclectic mix of people and decore. It had a great bar in the center of the room and was flanked by generously sized tables. The front windows opened accordian style up to provide a nice airy feel while maintaining the rich and intimate appeal of the darker interior with walls flanked by large wooden doors and greek and indian artifacts.

As a group we decided to order a bunch of tasty appetizers and some great drinks instead of ordering individual entrees. I will review each of the appetizers.

Drinks: In addition to all the appetizers we also had some great drinks.

We all started off with a French 75. It was a mix of Tanqueray Gin, Cointreau, Champagne, Peychaud's Bitters, Orange Bitters, Lemon Juice and a Twist. It was excellent but at $12 it was a bit on the steep side price wise. We also tried the

Blueberry Field. It was a mix between Stoli Bluberi, Triple Sec, Gourmet Basil Syrup, Blueberry puree, White Cranberry Juice. At $9 it was a perfect drink to enjoy. It was ligh but rich tasty and sweet with a little bit of tang. It was definitely my favorite.

Spanakopita: They were light and tasty and not overly seasoned. They were the perfect mix. The ingredients were very fresh and they were cooked until golden brown.

Domaldes: Like the spanakopita the great leaves were very fresh and light the mix of rice to beef was perfect and it literally melted in my mouth. Grape leaves are an acquired taste and were not loved by everyone. However as a person who enjoys them these ranked high.

Chocolate Bacon: This isn't anything I have ever had before. It was interesting and a good plate to share amongst a group of friends. I don't think I would or could have eaten it by myself. It was a very rich chocolate and a perfectly cooked piece of bacon. Definitely an explosion of unique flavors all perfectly matched for a rich tasty treat.

Kobe Sliders: These were by far the best treat of the night.

Each order came with two Kobe Beef Sliders. They were so juicy and tasty that they were a bit messy to eat. The burgers were cooked perfectly to order and the smell was intoxicating. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into them. They were so good everyone had to have one and it resulted in two more orders being placed immediately. The gorgonzola and roasted red peppers complimented the flavors of the beef and the accompanying biscuit bun.

A definite order again appetizer. I can see myself going for just them and a cocktail.

Party of Screwers: This was my least favorite appetizer. They were tasty and well thought out. However, compared to the other rich and tasty appetizers whose portion sizes were significant these were definitely on the small side and left me a little dissappointed.

Truffle Frites: I am a hugh fan of anything truffle oil and had to try the truffle fries. They were very good but as noted by the others a little on the soggy side. I would have liked to have seen them baked and presented on a plate rather then sitting in truffle oil in a basket. With that said they didn't last long and were quickly eaten.