Task 30 – Byblos (Worcester, MA)

Restaurant: Byblos

Stars:           3 Stars

I wanted to try something new for dinner.  Byblos was listed on the participating restaurant’s list for restaurant week and sounded good so I decided to give it a try. It is located in Union Station and had a very Moroccan/Middle Eastern feel the second you walked in. Directly ahead there was a great bar with huge mirrors making the room feel even bigger. To the left was more lounge and to the right was more dining area.

While we were eating a band was setting up for an evening gig. Normally I wouldn’t object but the restaurant should have turned off their music and just let the band warm up. They instead kept turning up their background music for some reason and it was a bit distracting with both at once.

We started with the Fattouch Salad and the Hummus. The salad was huge and was fresh and light. The tasty lemon and olive oil dressing brought out the flavors of mint and thyme. I was a great way to start. The hummus was different then I am used to. It wasn’t as finely chopped as I would have liked and was a bit chunky. It also was a tad dry and needed a bit more tahini or olive oil to lighten/soften it up.

I had the grilled Kaffta and my friend had the Chicken Kabbab. My kaffta was excellent and was very flavorful and incredibly tasty. It was fresh and light and perfectly complimented the rice and pita. The grilled chicken was juicy and flavorful and didn’t disappoint.

For desert I had the Rice Pudding and he had the Baklava. The rice pudding was fresh and tasty but not as sweet as I am accustomed too. The baklava was a bit soggy and didn’t taste particularly fresh.

All in all it was a mixed meal. Something’s were out of this world and others left a little to be desired. Byblos shows a lot of promise and with a little fine tuning they will really have something that could remind me of the old El Morocco.

 

Task 30 - Cabot's Ice Cream & Restaurant (Newton, MA)

Restaurant: Cabot’s Ice Cream & Restaurant

Website:     www.cabots.com

Rating:        4 -Stars

Open since 1969 Cabot’s is still family owned and operated and has become a tradition in Newton.

Immediately after walking in you feel transported back to the good old days where it was quality of product and service that made a business successful instead of flashy marketing and fancy storefronts.  Cabot’s has stayed true to their roots offering comfort food and ice cream creations in generous portions.

During this visit I selected the Old Fashioned Brownie Sunday. The double fudge brownie was amazing and the rich and creamy ice cream was perfect. It was huge and covered in hot fudge, caramel and topped with whipped cream. It was so good that I forced myself to finish the entire thing. Gladly I didn’t bump into any sharp objects on the way out as I might have exploded on the spot.

 

Task 30 – Ceres Bistro (Worcester, MA)

Restaurant: Ceres Bistro

Rating:        4-Stars (Food)
                     2-Stars (Service)

This past week was Restaurant Week in Worcester. Many of the most popular restaurants participate and I often try a few of them. This time I picked Ceres Bistro. I have been before but management has changed and I have heard mixed reviews mainly focused on the service.

I called for a reservation thinking it would be packed. Much to my surprise when we arrived at 7:00 it was about 30% capacity. They seemed to have lost my reservation and seemed flustered that they couldn’t find it. Thankfully it wasn’t a problem and they agreed to seat us.

Anyone who has dined out with me knows that my biggest pet peeve is being seated at the kitchen or bathroom door when there are seats available away from those high traffic areas. Well Of course that is where they wanted to seat us. I asked to be relocated immediately.

Our second table was in the Club Room. It is a small room off to the side of the main dining room and was nicely decorated and very intimate. The large sliding doors were open to the outside patio and with the weather unseasonable warm it was delightful to enjoy the fresh air.

However, the first thing I noticed when we were seated was that my dining partner’s water glass had lipstick on it. Additionally, the table cloth while appearing to have been cleaned had a large very visible stain. I also noticed throughout the course of our meal that several of the white plates were chipped.

Our waiter was friendly but seemed to be new to the profession. He failed to bring us bread and oil without being asked and never actually brought the oil. He also brought a beer without a glass and brought me lemon’s instead of limes as I had requested. When I asked for the limes I was told they were out. Really a restaurant ran out of limes on a Friday night during restaurant week. 

Now to the food. Both my dinner partner and I decided to order from the restaurant week menu. For an appetizer I selected the Count Neck Clams. There were 4 clams and they were tasty and tender. The Narragansett larger broth was very flavorful and was a nice compliment.

My dining partner had the Baby Arugula Salad and I will admit I had to try it. It was perfectly dressed in a sweet onion poppy seed dressing and the candied orange peels, pecans, and goat cheese was exceptional compliment to the fresh and crisp greens.

We both selected the same entrée a Heart of Sirloin served with mashed Yukon gold potatoes and fresh vegetables. The sirloin was tender and melted in my mouth. It was cooked perfectly to temperature and had just the right amount of sear to keep it juicy. The potatoes were rich and buttery and complimented the fresh vegetables which were perfectly al dente.

For desert we chose differently to sample each others. I selected the Panna Cotta Duo with pistachio and vanilla honey panna cotta.  The panna cotta was rich and creamy and so smooth. The flavors were perfectly balanced and for me a perfect end to a great meal. My dining partner had the Toasted Marshmallow and Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding served with vanilla bean gelato and cherry reduction. The bread pudding was fresh and light and the chocolate was rich and creamy the ice cream was soft and refreshing. 

I would return again for the food but as nice as the waiter was I hope I get a different one or I hope he learns the trade and perfects his skills.