Basil n' Spice 299 Shrewsbury St, June 24

Overall impression: Tasty food and a lovely atmosphere in this newly-opened Thai restaurant.

 http://www.basilnspice.com/

I love Thai food. Leaving the fabulous Thai restaurants of Berkeley behind when we came to Worcester was one of the most heartbreaking things of our move. Sure, there had been a couple of options (3, to be exact)  in Worcester and Shrewsbury. These are fine, but not stellar. So I am happy to report that our dinner at Basil n' Spice was great. The quality of the ingredients and freshness place them above other local places.

We went to Basil n' Spice on a Wednesday evening. It was a pre-Morrissey show dinner. (How exciting was it that we could see Morrissey at the Hanover, a 10 minute drive from our home?! If only the Hanover theater management would tell their ushers to lay off scolding people standing up. Its a rock show - people stand, people dance. But that is a rant for another time...) Our friend Jennifer was with us, so the vegetarians in our party of three outnumbered meat eaters. And the restaurant had plenty of veggie options. We started with spring rolls and Gui Chai. These are scallion-filled fried dumplings - amazing! I hadn't had them before and they will soon become my go-to appetizer. Eric and Jennifer had curry - Panang curry with chicken and mango curry with tofu, respectively. They both said that there could have been more sauce with the dishes, but that they tasted quite good. I had the drunken noodles with tofu. I should have chosen a less sweet dish, for my personal taste, but it was good. The vegetables were incredibly fresh and cooked perfectly. All the dishes had spice, as it should be. A little kick (little because we didn't ask for more) is perfect.

Jennifer wanted me to point out her straw wrapper was  folded into a paper flower - a nod to the details. The staff seem to be working hard to make sure all patrons enjoy themselves. The interior is beautifully done. Service was fast and attentive, and the proprietor stopped by to make sure everything was going well.  This restaurant tucked back from Shrewsbury street is definitely worth going to, I think I'll be back many times.

Food Truck Festival - Elm Park, June 21

Overall impression:  Only for rich foodies.
Alternate tag line:  $5 for the privilege of standing in line.


I love the idea of food trucks. I wish that they were regular occurrences around Worcester. But I didn't love the food truck festival.

I hadn't been before, so when it was advertised at Elm Park I thought it would actually be in the park. Instead it is on Park St. along the western edge. We paid $5 each to get into the blocked-off area. I thought there might be more entertainment type stuff (granted, there was one singer with a guitar, but you could only hear her within 10 feet). Or free sodas or something. No, just (expensive) food.

We only had veggie eggrolls (which tasted fine). That's it, because there were at least 50 people in line for every truck, maybe more. The trucks were parked in the middle of the street, rather than at the far edge. So there was all kinds of room behind them, but everyone in line was wedged into a small area - making it difficult to maneuver through.

I understand food trucks are having a moment, and people are willing to wait 30 minutes to buy grilled cheese. But I have also been to a new eating or drinking establishment every week for the past 6 months (plus I don't blog about the regular places we go) - and I know that there is wonderful food to be had in this city. So the food truck festivals aren't the only option for tastiness. I also understand that if you block the street and have police detail that costs money - hence charging for entrance. But do they really need to block off a street? Couldn't they just ring the park?

A friend asked the other day if I ever did a negative review. This is one.

       Additional note: we walked out behind three guys complaining about the lack of variety at the beer garden. They were sure that they could run said beer garden and whole event better.

Mini-review: Bahan's International Market, 344 Pleasant St. (June 12)

Overall impression:  Delightful veggie kibbeh. Worth seeking out!

http://bahnans.com/

I went to Bahan's to grab a quick lunch, on a friend's recommendation. I was running late, so I didn't end up sitting in the cafe section. Instead, I ordered food to go at the market register. I got the spinach and cheese pocket and a veggie kibbeh. As I waited for it to be warmed up I was tempted by the chocolates (lots of Nestle and Milka products - but the things you don't see in a typical US supermarket). I managed to hold myself back, though.

I ate while driving (classy...), starting with the veggie kibbeh. It was a lentil-filled bundle of deliciousness. So amazing! I should have gotten two. The spinach and cheese was fine, as expected. I think it suffered from coming after the kibbeh, I probably should have eaten it first.

I will go back again, although since I really liked the kibbeh I may not try much else! I'll bring Eric with me, feed him a meat-filled lunch and get his review another time.

Shangri La, 50 Front St. (June 3)

Overall impression:  I would really like a restaurant to succeed in this location. If you are downtown, stop for lunch. This isn't likely to be destination dining, though.

 http://shangrilarestaurant.net/   (orders can be place online)

Shangri-La is a pan-Asian restaurant right across from Worcester common. At least a couple of eateries have been in this location that I know of, and it has also sat empty. So I'm happy that something is on offer there. The common really is beautiful. Unfortunately the food did not stand out. It wasn't bad, just your standard Americanized Chinese (plus some sushi). Unless you are hungover - then this is damn good hangover food.

Eric and I went on a sunny Wednesday evening, and were seated next to the large windows. The interior is a nice space. Dark and woodsy. When we got there the bar was full and loud classic rock was playing.  After happy hour was over it got kind of quiet. Just us and a few other couples.

We started with spring rolls (oily and salty, good-tasting comination). Eric had kung pao chicken and I had the chili garlic eggplant. Though my dish had a star next to it in the menu (indicating a high spice level), it really wasn't spicy, just sweet. The portions were extremely generous and the food was  relatively inexpensive.

I also mistakenly ordered a tuna and avocado roll, I was looking for a cucumber avocado roll. We took the sushi and our other leftovers and called our friend Sarah. She stopped at our house on her way home from work and happily ate the sushi and eggplant. She thought it all yummy.

Perhaps next time I'm at the main library I'll stop for lunch. Maybe try something a little lighter on the sauce. Or sometime we'll go the the bar to indulge in fruity drinks.