Fantastic service and no lines at this Registry.
Byline: Bill ClapperCOLUMN: DINING REVIEW
In today's highly competitive dining marketplace it is not enough to have great food, reasonable prices (remember them?) upbeat waitstaff and a high-traffic location. A new restaurant needs something unusual to set it apart from the competition.
The four-month-old Registry Restaurant, in the heart of Worcester's Park Avenue restaurant row, appears to have found the right combination, with its playful nod to the building's first inhabitant - the Worcester Motor Vehicle Registry.
Vintage license plates festoon the walls, an oil can hanging high on a pillar pours an imaginary arc of oil, music from the 1920s and 1930s blares from the sound system, and the story of Worcester's first dedicated registry of motor vehicles is proudly displayed on the cover of the menus.
Beneath glass table toppers are automobile and MVR memorabilia. Our table sported a magazine ad of a late 1940s Mercury; copies of vehicle registrations; official RMV documents, newspaper clippings and Sunday newspaper comics from when the building housed the RMV from 1929 to 1969. Part of the fun of dining at the Registry is reading the table.
But our visit to the Registry on a quiet Saturday night wasn't to reminisce about cars our family had back then or the lines at the RMV. We were there for dinner, and the Registry Restaurant came through with a completely enjoyable evening and dining experience.
The loaded fries ($6.49) were something out of the ordinary appetizer fare that I just had to try.
A heaping portion of small Jersey French fries (potatoes cut in wedges) were topped with a very respectable chili, diced onions and peppers, and melted cheese. A subtly hot salsa and a cooling sour cream were served on the side.
This was as far removed from the realm of fries as a hot rod is from the family sedan.
My partner's three New England crab cakes ($7.99) were well presented with a spiral of pink, spicy aioli on each cake, which sat on a bed of mixed greens. Very artistic. But the crab cakes themselves were disappointing. They tended to be heavy on crab-flavored bread crumb filler. Chunks of sweet crab meat were not in evidence.
To be fair, my partner and I tend to measure all attempts at crab cakes to the delicacies we both enjoyed along Maryland's Eastern Shore. The New England crab cakes paled in comparison.
We split a toasted pecan salad ($6.99), which was exceptional. Mixed field greens formed the base for slices of Granny Smith apples, slightly sweetened toasted pecans, crumbled bleu cheese, covered with the Registry's own maple balsamic dressing.
The Registry roasted eggplant ($13.99) could be the restaurant's signature dish. The meal sharply departed from the ho-hum usual breaded slabs of eggplant we are accustomed to find as parmigiana.
This eggplant was not breaded, not fried. Thin slices showed evidence of grilling. The eggplant was then combined with fresh tomatoes, portabella mushrooms and fresh Buffalo mozzarella and then roasted. A drizzle of balsamic glaze completed the dish.
The Registry ribs ($23.99) were a hearty portion of short ribs in a wild berry and bourbon barbecue sauce. Mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables made compatible sides with the ribs. The sauce added a nice dash of flavor and the meat fell off the bone. But the meat itself was fatty and much was cut away and left on the plate.
The portions at the Registry are good-sized, and half the loaded fries and the Registry eggplant were boxed for us by our server. The ribs, though, didn't go home with us.
Other entrees on the menu caught our eye but will have to wait for a return visit. A grilled salmon with a key lime citrus sauce ($19.99), Grandma's meatloaf ($11.99) and St. Louis chicken ($15.99) all were enticing.
The desserts proved to be a notch above prepared desserts that most restaurants offer. The apple pie ($2.99) had a flaky crust and chunks of apple remained crisp and a bit tart. The pie was not ruined by an over reliance on sugar. A finishing touch of warm caramel dripped on top of the pie added flair
The chocolate molten lava cake ($4.49) was also very good. The cake was airy but substantial enough to contain the chocolate sauce, and the sauce was not so sweet that the inherent slight bitterness of chocolate was lost.
Dinner for two with wine was $85.42 before tax and tip, a reasonable amount for an evening well spent.
The Registry Restaurant
264 Park Ave., Worcester
* * *-1/2
Hours: 5 to 11 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays
Phone: (508) 752-2211.
Website: www.registryrestaurant.com
Parking: On street; parking lot behind building.
Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard.
Prices: Moderate: entrees $10 to $20
Pluses: Unique decor, friendly, personable and professional staff; owner involved in the operation; varied menu.
Minuses: Where is the front door?
About the Stars
Perfection: * * * *
Very Good: * * *
Good: * *
Below Par: *
Serious Flaws: No stars
Restaurant reviews are the opinions of reviewers based upon at least one visit to the restaurant. The reviewer is accompanied by at least one companion. Recommendations from readers about restaurants they would like to have reviewed are welcome.
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| Publication: | Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA) |
|---|---|
| Article Type: | Restaurant review |
| Date: | Apr 21, 2011 |
| Words: | 872 |
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