Food & Drink

Best place to buy soup bowls

We were eating at one of our favorite Worcester eateries (Coes Cafe) when we chowed our way into culinary heaven. It was one of those cold fall days when the glorious October weather had changed into that raw, bone-chilling November stuff. Inside, however, we were bonding with some warm, carrot-laden not-gluey-at-all chicken pot pie. But the best thing about that pot pie? It was served in a bread bowl: crusty outside, like a good loaf of French bread, and inside, with its middle scooped out, soft and sourdough tinged. A little bread bowl lid snuggled atop the pot pie. So upon learning the Widoff's was the bread source, we hightailed it over to Water Street for our own collection of pumpernickel and sourdough dishware.

Widoff's Modern Bakery, 129 Water Street, Worcester, 752-7200

Best reason to take a cab

You don't have to go south, only across the Worcester County border into Framingham for the best margarita in these parts. Just be sure you're not the driver, because the Iguana Cantina's 'ritas are formidable. They come in hefty, 16 ounce glasses, made with fresh juices -- not a mix -- and gold tequila. Try Izzy's favorite a frozen blend, or a straight-up version, the Acapulco gold, a mix of Harlequin golden orange cognac, gold tequila, and fresh citrus juices. Both are delicious. You'll get a basket of fresh tortilla chips and spicy, fresh salsa with your drinks. If you want something more substantial, try coco loco, coconut-battered shrimp, or gator bites, fried medallions of alligator coated in corn meal, served with citrus mayonnaise.

Iguana Cantina, 1658 Worcester Road (Rte. 9), Framingham, 875-1188

Best reason to move from Auburn to Worcester

For the first five-plus years of its existence, the Worcester Phoenix was housed on Route 20 in Auburn. For most of that time, the only place for anything "edible" came from the gas station convenience store across the street. The arrival of a Dunkin' Donuts helped us survive starvation and caffeine-deprecation headaches, but do you really call that living? When we learned we would be moving to the Northworks complex, we knew it was time to celebrate. Lucky's Cafe would be our new neighbor. We could tell you it's because it's one of the only places in the city that realizes what true French toast is or because its homemade soups are the best the city's seen since the demise of the Garden of Delights, or that its sandwiches convince us to eat items we would never think of putting in our mouths. But the reason we love Lucky's is that for those 15 minutes we're away from the office, we're home. If we're having a bad day, Peter and Amber know about it. If they're having a bad day, we know about it -- only they get to serve us an incredible meal (cooked superbly by Patty and Jonny G) that guarantees the work day will conclude without anyone getting killed. And they always seem to make it too!

Lucky's Cafe, 102 1/2 Grove Street, Worcester, 756-5014

Best excuse when not in Rome to still do as the Romans do

We have it on good authority -- a group of Italian grad students at UMass Medical School -- that the most authentic pizza in Worcester is at the Wonder Bar. The crust is thin and crisp, the toppings are fresh, and the prices -- how about $5.50 for a large cheese pizza? Besides pizza, the Wonder Bar has homemade pasta e fagioli soup, spaghetti with meatballs and red sauce, as well as with garlic and white sauce. There's even a tasty pasta primavera for you vegetarians. If you want to avoid the crowds, visit on a week night. On Fridays, the Wonder Bar is a big, Italian street fair, with arias and jazz tunes from an old-fashioned jukebox competing with the noisy conversations among diners.

Wonder Bar, 121 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 752-9909

Best Middle East adventure

It's grilled, it's garlicky, the sesame dressing is superb; chicken schwarma, served over lettuce, tomatoes, and onions with lots of fresh parsley is our favorite among the many Middle Eastern specialties at El Basha. Others may argue for Port Saiid, sautéed chicken, or tenderloin with mushrooms, garlic, lemon juice, and spices, or kafta kebab, char grilled ground-beef mixed with parsley, onions, and spices. We say, get together with a group of friends and try them all. We may never make it to Beirut, but El Basha has taught us to appreciate its cuisine. If you want to avoid the sometimes-hyper atmosphere of this busy little restaurant, you can call or fax your order for take out.

El Basha, 424 Belmont Street, Worcester, 797-0884

Best original work

Remember the days when mom -- trying to do eight things at once -- gave you a pan covered with pizza dough and told you to throw what you want on it? Woosta Pizza lets you relive those days with a wild assortment of regular offerings and daily specials. When we first saw the sign in front advertising slices of barbecued steak and cheese pizza, we knew this was an out-of-the-ordinary place, and so do most of the customers. There's Portobello Mushroom Pizza, Lasagna Pizza, Spicy Chicken with Blue Cheese Pizza (Tabasco flavored no less), Barbecue Chicken (covered in Bermuda onions!), Philly Cheese Steak Pizza, and Veggie Pesto Pizza. Okay -- there are also the traditional cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and meatball pizzas; or if you don't like pizza, there are salads. But do you really want to go your entire life without trying a slice of Margarita Pizza?

Woosta Pizza, 8 Franklin Street, Worcester, 791-3333

Best dessert to start your day off

It's the ultimate comfort food, a soothing antidote to the napalm-strength hot sauce Tortilla Sam's customers use to douse their burritos. The flan, lovingly prepared by chef Sara Maggio -- she says it's one of her favorites, too -- is rich and creamy. The sweetness comes from a caramelized sugar sauce. Flan is good for breakfast the next day, if you're too full from tacos, tostados, enchiladas with spicy black beans (we're most fond of the lime grilled chicken with mango salsa).

Tortilla Sam's, 107 Highland Street, Worcester, 756-7267

Best performance of clam chowder in a non-seafood restaurant

If you want clam chowder, you may not think "Irish brew pub" at first. But it's the unexpected gem at Irish Times. It's creamy, not too thick, chock full of clams as well as potatoes, and it has a slightly smoky taste from bits of bacon in the broth. A bowl of this chowder with a mug of Guinness makes a hearty meal.

Irish Times, 244 Main Street, Worcester, 797-9599

Best way to trick yourself into believing you're in Tuscany

You must be eating Tuscan chicken at Peppercorns. It's delicately seasoned with rosemary and sage, two of the signature herbs of the Tuscan region of Italy. Served over angel hair pasta with artichoke hearts, slices of kalamata olives, garlic, and onions, this is a dish to transport you far beyond Park Avenue in Worcester. There are lots of other Italian influences on Peppercorns' menu too, from pasta to cioppino. Ask for a table in the green dining room, where stucco walls and redwood furniture make you feel like you're eating in a sun-washed piazza.

Peppercorns Grille & Bar, 455 Park Avenue, Worcester, 752-7711

Best way to trick yourself into believing you're on the Intercoastal

You must be eating red snapper or pompano at the Red Fish Grille. This unassuming little spot used to be a function room at the El Morocco; now it's the casual cousin to the larger, more sophisticated "El." There's nothing casual about the cooking, however. Chef Jim Stolberg offers up pan fried catfish with red pepper beurre blanc, and broiled grouper with mango salsa. He loves to tempt New Englanders with specialties from the South Atlantic coast such as pompano and red snapper. Order between 4 and 6 p.m., and you can get specials like baked scallop casserole and broiled mahi mahi for $6.95.

Red Fish Grille 100 Wall Street, Worcester, 756-7117

Best sticky situation to get into

Bored with twirling forkfuls of pasta? Give risotto a try. It's creamy and serves as a wonderful base for many different meat, seafood, and vegetable combinations. Plus, you won't be caught with linguine dribbling out of your mouth, just as your date fixes you with a romantic stare. Willy's Tuscan Trattoria in Shrewsbury has risotto with everything from sun dried tomatoes and cheese, to shrimp, mussels and scallops. There's also veal, shiitake mushrooms, fresh asparagus, and a smoked salmon. P.S. If you absolutely must have pasta, Willy's has lots of that, too.

Willy's Tuscan Trattoria, 582 Main Street, Shrewsbury, 842-7800

Best new kids on the block

Did Shrewsbury Street really need two more Italian restaurants? After dining at Primo's and Anthony's our answer is a resounding yes. The pair of newcomers opened this summer within days of each other featuring imaginative cooking that takes Worcester's Little Italy to a new level of sophistication. Anthony's offers pasta fuzzi with roasted peppers, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, imported olives, and herbs in a lemon and white wine sauce, and chicken carciofini, medallions of chicken sautéed with artichokes, fresh spinach, capers, roasted garlic, sun dried tomatoes in a marsala sauce over linguine. At Primo's try bite-size pieces of salmon and scallops, chopped mushrooms, red onions, and fresh spinach leaves in a red pepper cream sauce on a mound of ziti in a colorful pottery bowl. Anthony's and Primo's are two more good reasons to amble down Shrewsbury Street.

Anthony's, 172 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 575-6864

Primo's, 157 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 754-9709

Best reason to skip the main course

We have friends who make meals out of appetizers. They're champion grazers, eating a bit of this, a bite of that. We think they would love Kettles' steamed mussels. Offered as a first course, it's plenty for two or a solid meal for one. A large plate is heaped with the delicately fresh shellfish, garnished with chopped tomatoes and pecorino cheese. Sop up the delicious broth with slices of Kettles' chewy Italian bread or indulge yourself with bruschetta, more chopped tomatoes marinated in garlic and olive oil on hot, crusty, Italian bread topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Add a glass of wine and you're in appetizer heaven. For you of heartier appetites, Kettles has lots of pasta, meat, and fish options, too.

Kettles, 274 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 753-8711

Best antidote to menu boredom

We're so glad that Chef Gary Killeen is easily bored. Otherwise we might not have had the pleasure of sampling roasted-vegetable stuffed pasta, a little tower made from a rolled up lasagna noodle stuffed with roasted eggplant, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, summer squash, plus ricotta cheese and fresh basil. This whimsical accompaniment to pan seared scallops appeared on Thyme's Square on Hudson's menu months ago; if and when it appears again, it will be in a different variation. "I like to keep things fresh and moving," says Killeen, explaining why he changes the menu at Thyme's Square every week. It's a good thing his imagination works overtime; his customers eat better for it.

Thyme's Square on Hudson, 455 Pleasant Street, Worcester, 791-6102

Best reason to save room for dessert

Jerome's restaurant at Nashoba Valley Winery offers so many creative and unusual selections, it's hard to single out any one dish or course. But if we had to name the best dessert we've eaten in the past six months, Jerome's almond tart would be our answer. It easily fills the richness category -- buttery pastry, almond cream filling, and a dollop of crème fraîche. But the presentation -- on a beautiful plate, garnished with a wedge of crystalline almond candy and pretty blossoms from the kitchen garden, is a knockout. Jerome's gets bonus points for its unusual use of fruit, too, this time for a delicious dry blueberry wine that's added to a demi-glace of venison juices accenting a big juicy, chop. A glass of dry blueberry wine is lovely to sip with the venison too.

Jerome's, 100 Wattaquadoc Hill Road, Bolton, (978) 779-9816

Best original coffee flavor

When Fred and Tonya Cashman moved back from Seattle and opened the Bean Counter in 1993, fancy coffees were still a novelty. "When I moved there [Seattle], I didn't even know what a latte was -- everyone was walking around like they were Stepford Wives," Fred explains, rushing to prepare a tray of desserts and bagels for a catering job. "In fact, I made fun of them until I drank one." One of our fondest Worcester memories occurred during the Bean's early days. A uninitiated coffee drinker, trying to get a simple cup of coffee, became involved in an amusing Abbott and Costello-ish exchange with a new employee, trying equally as hard to grasp the explanations of the flavors and blends. "We were trying to change the Dunkin' Donuts mentality of just coming in and saying, `Coffee, please.'" Cashman's locale has become one of the city's favorite places to catch up on the day's news (a full set of papers is always on hand by 8 a.m.), to listen to jazz or acoustic music, or to wire themselves up for a night of studying or working. The main attraction, however, remains the Bean's unique blends. For the record, the Blackstone Valley Blend is a medium-bodied light, dark roast that's blended slightly smoky. The 7 Hills Blend is a full-bodied ,moderately acidic smooth drink. See that wasn't hard; we seem to have gotten the hang of it.

Blackstone and 7 Hills Blends, The Bean Counter, 113 Highland Street, Worcester, 754-3125

Best do not pass Joe

For the past two years, Joe Tomaino (a/k/a "Java Joe") has been taking care of Federal Square's hurried workers, who start their day off with a quick English muffin and a cup of coffee. Located across from the federal courthouse in the Stevens Building, Java Joe's, open Monday through Friday, has a stream of customers grabbing that quick meal before the meeting. "You wouldn't believe -- they don't have time for anything anymore. What's ever easiest to handle on the run, that's the best way." The basic lunch menu features tuna salad, turkey, ham and cheese, hot pastrami, and roast beef sandwiches. There are also Caesar and garden salads, chili, and soup. "People don't eat the same way they used to. I've been selling a lot of bagels for the later afternoon. People have become very health conscious and want anything that's fat free." But just because people say they're health conscious doesn't mean they don't indulge in the danishes and other tasty pastries. Who wouldn't?

Java Joe's Gourmet Coffee, 34 Southbridge Street, Worcester, 795-0767

Best place for baked fish when you're fried

Ronnie's (in Auburn and Charlton) and the Clam Box (in Brookfield) are seasonal, the legendary Aegean Seafood in Kelly Square is long gone, Suney's Pub on Chandler Street certainly was in the running, the Sole Proprietor's perfectly broiled half- and full-pound portions are the best secret on Highland Street, and both Robert's Fish and Chips on Belmont and Grafton Streets have been synonymous with Fridays for most of our life. But the Miss Worcester gets the nod for taking care of us fried-food addicts. "A lot of people can't eat fried food, so we do the baked for them," says owner Tina Budzinski, who serves up fish and chips every Thursday and Friday night until 9 p.m. But don't ask for the secret ingredients. "My son does it, but he won't tell anyone how he makes it." Are Central Massachusetts residents responding to warnings about eating too much fried food? "We cook much more of the fried, three-to-one, maybe more. Most of them know they shouldn't but they still go with the fried." So do we.

Miss Worcester Diner, 300 Southbridge Street, Worcester, 757-7775

Best "A rose by any other name . . ." wouldn't taste nearly as good

At Hesa, a new Japanese restaurant in downtown Westborough, the food is as nice to look at as it is good to eat. Super fresh ingredients are artfully arranged on pretty, ceramic plates -- picture salmon rose petals, daikon chrysanthemums, a nest of lightly battered vegetables. The salmon sushi rose petals are delicious; the fish tastes clean and fresh. Sushi fans can als choose mackerel, halibut, shrimp, squid, tuna, and octopus. Tempura veggies and fish are crispy and light and melt in your mouth. Green wasabi adds another colorful touch. We also recommend gyoza, Japanese fried dumplings that are more subtle, less heavy and spicy than Chinese pot stickers. And miso soup, a delicate broth made from fermented soybeans, is never a bad way to start things off. If you're into the "art of eating," Hesa is the place for you.

Hesa, 21 South Street, Westborough, 898-9262

Best ridiculous portion of food

Diners, the truly great ones, represent a place where you can always count on getting a satisfying meal. Unless you have the kind of appetite that handles Guinness World Book proportions, you will find it's nearly impossible to order a meal at Carl's Oxford Diner and not leave with your next one in a doggie bag as well. These meals are MASSIVE. "That came from Carl Thomas, who started it when he opened up in 1972," says current owner Paul Bremer. "He was a big eater and liked to go to places that had a big breakfast, so he fed people the way he wanted to be fed." Bremer took over in 1990 but made no attempt to scale down the size of the diner's offerings and most of the patrons like it just fine. "No way! I was a customer first and was worried someone would buy it and ruin Oxford Center." Although it's open for lunch (meat loaf and homemade soups are customer favorites), most visitors want breakfast -- French toast, bacon, ham and eggs, and kielbasa. And lots of it. "Carl comes in everyday for coffee, keeping an eye on me and making sure I'm not messing up."

Carl's Oxford Diner, 291 Main Street (Route 12), Oxford, 987-8770

Best place to make your smooth move

It took a shop next to Wesley United Methodist Church to make us realize the full potential of a tortilla wrap. The Buzz Bar's roll-up sandwiches -- be they veggie hummus, roasted veggies, or chicken curry -- are one of our city's greatest lunch options. Others have given the eatery the nod for its 100 percent pure fruit juice Buzz Bar Smoothies. Berry Blast, Strawberries and Cream, Peach Raspberry, or Choco-Banana -- the choice (and pleasure) is all yours. You want lunch? Longtime Lucky's Cafe chef (and WCUW Hullabaloo host) Mark Paolini creates something special each day, including crab mango pies, Italian vegetable sandwiches, and soups -- how's a bowl of Mediterranean lemon-pepper chicken or cauliflower cheese sound now that it's getting cold outside?

The Buzz Bar, 118 Main Street, Worcester, 753-8200

Best opportunity to invite someone to stuff it

Ever since we fell in love with Indian food, House of India has been our main destination whenever we need a meal to cleanse the soul and restore the body to a state of healthiness. And every time we visited, we would gaze at the sign hanging over the entrance advertising the lunchtime buffet between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. When we finally made the time, we found there wasn't an ounce of disappointment, with plenty of chicken tandoori, vegetable pakoras, nan, allo baingan, vegetable vindaloo, rice, chicken curry, and salad, with kheer and raita to top things off. Since we're picky eaters, it's a "safe" way to taste unfamiliar items. By the time you've finished off your plate (no reason to not fill it to the top), and paid the bargain price of $5.95, you'll probably be too filled to want to return to work. But you'll certainly be satisfied.

House of India, 439 Park Avenue, Worcester, 752-1330

Best Caribbean trip within the city limits

If your idea of a Jamaican experience is listening to "Buffalo Soldier," get your butt over to Island Food. Nothing about the storefront (across from R&R Plumbing) recalls the West Indies, but go on in -- one bite of curried goat will erase all concerns of unimportant details like presentation. It doesn't get any better, unless you'd prefer stewed chicken or oxtail, all served over your choice of white rice or rice and beans (choose the latter). The ginger beer is the real thing, spicy as all hell; and the meat patties are a thing of beauty. Saturday's the day for jerk chicken or the Jamaican national dish, Ackee and saltfish (cod mixed with the creamy flesh of a Jamaican fruit brought from West Africa by Captain Bligh in 1793). This is Jamaican food made by people from Jamaica for anyone who appreciates such things. Thank goodness, nothing is toned down for New England palates, so this is a good place to find relief from that winter congestion.

Island Food, 155 Chandler Street, Worcester, 752-8554

Best place to have a pint and talk about Saving Private Ryan after it sweeps the Oscars

After a good (or especially after a not so good) second-run movie at the Last Strand Cinema & Drafthouse, you'll need someplace to discuss the acting display of everyone's favorite Bosom Buddy. The town of Clinton offers a few comfortable pubs within walking distance, but none can compare to the Old Timer, right around the corner on Church Street. Oak booths surround the homey interior, and you'll find no more comfortable locale to discuss the thespian display you've just witnessed. The Old Timer has been hosting moviegoers (or tipplers waiting for moviegoers) since there were two theaters in town -- the Strand and the Globe. John and Helen McNally opened the barroom in 1929, and the 92-year-old Helen remains active there to this day. Now it's their son James (the singing chef) and wife, Irene, who run the dining hall and connecting bar along with their son Brian McNally. Not much has changed in 66 years, though the murals that overlook the place have faded somewhat; and there are a few distracting promotional beer signs hanging from the ceiling. Still, this is the real thing, a cozy old barroom in a nice little town.

Old Timer Restaurant, 163 Church Street, Clinton, (978) 365-5980

Best breakfast if you're down to your last fin

The Gold Star Restaurant used to be our little secret, but word is getting out. In a city full of great diners, many of which serve okay food, the Gold Star makes up for its rather plain corner facade with a friendly staff who serve good food cheap. The pancakes, the malted waffles, the hot pastrami, the fish, and macaroni -- they each have a place in our hearts; but when you're ready for the best, just read the sign in the window: "Special -- Our Own Make, Corned Beef Hash, 2 Eggs, Toast, and Coffee - $3.95." Loucas (co-owner with his brother-in-law Spiro) jokes that it's from a can, but one taste will tell you different. This is homemade hash the way hash was meant to be served. And you've still got a buck left for a tip.

Gold Star Restaurant, 68 West Boylston, Worcester, 852-7900

Best pollution control by a restaurant bar

"Your table's not ready. Why don't you have a seat in the lounge?" How many times have you groaned when you hear that directive from a host or hostess? If you hate being banished to a smoky, crowded bar, you'll be delighted by Nantucket Seafood's cozy, smoke-free lounge. Here, you can sit in comfy, overstuffed chairs and enjoy a view of the Exchange Place courtyard, sip a mixed drink, a glass of wine, or a micro brew from an extensive selection. There are lots of appetizers, too. How about oysters Nantucket, grilled shrimp with marinated feta cheese, or even Beluga caviar? It's so congenial here no wonder many diners opt to stay in the lounge for dinner.

Nantucket Seafood, 1 Exchange Place, Worcester, 752-3474

Best Italian stallion

Worcester's Highland Street has a hidden jewel of a sub shop that stands out from others. Boomer's sells pizza and grinders reminiscent of New York's finest. Their flagship sandwich is the Italian Stallion. Yes, it's really called that. They start with a half a loaf or so of bread, pile it high with fresh deli meat and cheese, add the lettuce, tomato, hot peppers, and flavor with oil. It's so good that it takes us back to the old country, and we don't even have an old country. And while we're on the subject of big, we must mention that you've got to try one of Boomer's gigantic cookies. It's about two hands wide, thin as a wafer, and stuffed with big chocolate chunks.

Boomer's Subs, 93 Highland Street, Worcester, 791-5551

Best place to have a cow, but you gotta have the clams

Willy's Steakhouse has long been considered the prime choice for choice prime for those unafraid to go the extra few bucks. An excellent place to unwind after a long day of chasing the corporate carrot, Willy's offers a relaxing atmosphere that, while refined, is never stuffy, has a decent beer and wine selection, and, of course, lots of red meat. So how could life get any sweeter? Enter Kenzo Phan, who has been serving up the best sushi and sashimi west of 495. Fresh, tasty, and neat to watch, Kenzo is an artist whose canvas just happens to be raw fish, seaweed, and rice. It's the perfect appetizer before cutting into that flank; or you can skip the turf and stay strictly with the surf. Try the spicy tuna, cucumber roll, and a tomato salad on the side. It won't disappoint.

Willy's Steakhouse, 2 Grafton St., Shrewsbury, 842-7220

Best 3 a.m. pit stop

Serving up food to truckers, ambulance crews, policemen, insomniacs, late-night prowlers, and the plain-old shit-faced bar crowd, the Kenmore Diner is a long-standing tradition. Those who have the faculties to be somewhat discerning about their food (those who aren't go to Denny's) have made this tiny outpost located beneath the trestles of I290 the top spot for post-midnight grub. The menu is simple -- eggs rule the wee hours of the morning, though they do offer a standing hamburger special for the non-breakfast type, and the French toast with bacon is A-1. When the joint gets jumping the atmosphere is akin to a third-grade classroom after the teacher steps outside. But that just makes for interesting people watching. Besides, it's the food we come for, and that is always fresh, hot, and (reasonably) fast. The service is better than it should be for the surrounding conditions, and the wait for a seat is never that bad. During off-peak hours, the Kenmore is a good place to sit and chat over a cup of coffee.

Kenmore Diner, 250 Franklin Street, Worcester, 753-9541

Best calorie counter

As most everyone is aware, the doughnut, as far as health and dietary concerns go, is somewhere just north of a lard omelet. So, if you're gonna go that route, you might as well go first class. Which brings us to Bobby Sbrogna, the Wolfgang Puck of fried dough. Sbrogna has been making doughnuts his entire adult life. For the past 20 years, he's been turning out his masterpieces of sin with the Donut Cafe on Shrewsbury Street and Donut Cafe II on the corner of June and Chandler. The atmosphere at both suggests a friendly, laid-back vibe, and the counter space is set up to encourage intimate conversation. The Donut II actually has a collage of regular patrons' photos displayed by the door. The breakfast menu is simple and cheap -- two eggs, ham, homefries, and toast will set you back three bucks; but it's the doughnuts that knock our socks off. Every doughnut is handmade by Sbrogna, who's up at 4:30 a.m., seven days a week. The old-fashioned is lightly crisp on the outside, the chocolate frosted melt in your mouth. Sbrogna uses real honey in the honey dip (generally a sugar/water combo suffices at most joints), and the jelly-filled are a tart blackberry rather than a sickly, nondescript red jam. And the buttercrunch is like a little blob of heaven on earth. The beauty of Sbrogna's creations is that they're never greasy, so you don't get that I-feel-like-a-big-fat-piece-of-shit-sensation when you're finished. And, unlike the big chain competition, leftovers from a box of Donut Cafe doughnuts are guaranteed to taste just as fresh the next day.

Donut Cafe, 399 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 798-9755; Donut Cafe II 414 Chandler St., Worcester, 752-0653

Best dogma and dumplings

Tucked away in a little shop at the top of Hamilton Street, Quan Yin has, for the past five years, served as Worcester's best-kept vegetarian secret. Run six days a week by the hospitable and charming Kevin Khuc and Joanne Ngo, Quan Yin serves up bargain-priced vegitarian fare that must be tasted to be believed. With a sign in the window advertising a hamburger with large fries for three dollars, and a menu that lists beef, chicken, mutton, pork, and fish, the small restaurant also draws plenty of first-time non-vegetarians, who, if they weren't aware they were actually eating mock soy-based substitutes, would have a tough time realizing the difference. All dishes at Quan Yin are meat, egg, and alcohol free, which, while making us wonder how the heck the pork special tastes so good, also makes us happy to be eating something healthy (at least occasionally). There are 12 soups, all under four dollars, that easily qualify as a meal, dinners run from $3 to $7.50, and there's a cool selection of drinks from which to choose. The other great attraction to Quan Yin is that it's also Worcester's base camp dedicated to the wisdom and teachings of Master Suma Ching Hai, who advocates inner piece and better living through meditation and finding the light within. (For the record, she's also non-denominational.) Pictures of Ching Hai hang from the wall, and a videotape of her speaking segs into some kind of fashion show. All of this makes Quan Yin a top value for your hard-earned entertainment dollar.

Quan Yin, 56 Hamilton Street, Worcester, 831-1322

Best place to smile and say cheese

There's nothing like a good bagel, and it's incredible how hard it is to find one in these parts. A longtime staple at breakfast tables, the bagel rose to prominence during the go-go '80s as the perfect commuter breakfast for aspiring world conquerors who just didn't have the time to park their ass for a proper meal. Luckily, with '90s downsizing, the bagel shop is still an important morning ritual. Besides the already realized attributes of tasting good and portability, the dough ball has remained a cheap eat, very important for those now working twice as many hours for the same pay. Which brings us to Bagel Time, Worcester's premiere practitioner of dishing out quality bagels, and far-and-away the best tasting in town. Unlike most lifeless, chewy competition, a Bagel Time bagel has integrity -- the outside is tough and crisp, the inside soft -- just the right mix for superior munching. Besides offering a yummy assortment of bagels, Bagel Time goes above-and-beyond the call of duty by providing a rainbow of cream cheeses. Besides plain for the purist (and a lite plain for the expanding purist), you can pick everything from veggie and tomato-basil, to the more experimental scallion-bacon, apricot, maple walnut, lox, and pumpkin.

Bagel Time, 194 Park Ave., Worcester, 798-0440

Best place to hop scotch

Nestled between the banks of Sargent's Pond and the shoulder of Route 9, the Castle Restaurant has always been looked at by area residents as a top choice for celebrating special occasions. Known for attentive service, quality food, an unmatched wine list, as well as a neat-looking building, the Castle has consistently achieved dining excellence. But what we really appreciate is the often overlooked breadth of the bar. Not at all for the shot-and-a beer crowd, the Castle is the perfect getaway to sit quietly and sip on any number of fine liquors. Featuring 16 scotch selections (12 of which are single malt) and 16 varieties of cognac, ranging from the standard Hennessey VSOP to a snifter of Louis XIII that fetches nearly one hundred clams a pop, the Castle has to be experienced to be fully appreciated. Grappa, Spanish brandy, classic liqueurs (including a 50/50 blend of 50- and 100-year-old Grand Marnier), armagnac, and the extremely rare Chartreuse are all on the menu, as are a comprehensive selection of vintage ports. It's a great way to spoil yourself, especially if your having more than one.

Castle Restaurant, 1230 Main Street, Leicester, 892-8000

Best "Why aren't there more of these in Worcester?"

While Shrewsbury Street has been synonymous as Worcester's restaurant row and the home of good Italian food, it's only recently that the second part is true. Oh sure, you get some pretty decent staples anywhere on the strip, but it's only been in the past few years that the menus have become more daring. We can't get enough of Porto Bello because it's the one place that's the total package. Tile floor, brick walls, Sinatra music, small yet comfortable dining area, even a mother running the show as a waitress/hostess from her perch at the back table. And that's just the way an Italian joint should be. The atmosphere is perfect for a quiet dinner with your significant other, a power lunch tête-à-tête, or the best place to take your visiting parents before you hit them up for more "book" money.

As for the food, Porto Bello fare is fresh-made, reasonably priced, and better than most of its neighbors. The ravioli are all outstanding, the bruchetta is among the best we've ever had, and the veal is top-notch (Try the veal sorentino, it's a nice change of pace), and they pass the "meatball test," the true mark of good Italian food, with flying colors.

Porto Bello, 156 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 753-9865

Back to The Best