thePULSEThe new Struck is a sure-fire winner
Upon leaving the bone-chilling, minus 30 degree air on the coldest night of the year and entering the new Struck (right on Chandler Street in the neighborhood of many other great Worcester eateries), the first thing we were warmed by is the restaurant’s daring use of color and light. Deep blues and golds cover the walls and ceiling of the dining room and bar area. The original artwork of Dale LePage brightens the already colorful walls.
April 2004 – If the Struck is starting to sound as if it has a circus-like feel, not a chance. This décor is all done in a wonderfully comfortable, laid-back style. The new space, extremely well laid out for both fun and quiet dinners with a private room for group functions, complements the creative, eclectic and reasonably priced cuisine we had come to depend on a few blocks up the street at the Struck’s former home.
Starting the evening with a cocktail from the full bar, we perused the salad, appetizer and entrée selections. I chose to start with a pistachio chicken appetizer, while my guest went for the crab cake. Both appetizers were presented as well as they tasted, visually resembling something akin to a carousel, with wonderfully mellow tastes blending into each other. Accompaniments of black bean puree for the crab cake and a jazzy raspberry relish for the chicken added a welcome kick.
Our salads soon arrived accompanied by a breadbasket starring warm, lemon poppy seed bread. All this was made more interesting with a fun collection of odd serving plates. The salads were also first- rate featuring baby spinach leaves with apple, blue-cheese slaw, sun-dried tomatoes and smoked turkey moistened by a sherried vinaigrette.
As we waited with anticipation for what we were sure would be great entrées, we noticed that the table service was exemplary; warm, gracious and welcoming without hovering.
Left: Kelly, general manager of Struck Cafe.
With a host of entrees ranging in price and style, I was ready for the Five Spice Pork Tenderloin, stuffed with fruits, pistachios, and feta accompanied by banana sweet potatoes drizzled with a black tea and honey jus – doesn’t that sound amazing? And when it came I was happy to find that the flavors never collided, they just kept rolling off my happy tongue. My guest dove into his veal medallions sautéed with roasted tomatoes, olives, feta served over red bliss potatoes – again an entree getting top marks. On such a cold night we thoroughly enjoyed our large portions, obviously created with great care and creativity.
With no room to spare, but this review to write, dessert was a necessity (tough job right?). A host of selections were whittled down to the multi-textured bread pudding, warm in a pool of rum sauce. What’s called Euphoria is a delightful pile of apple cranberries in pastry partnered with creamy ice cream – delicious!
The appetizers range from $8 to $10, the salads $6 to $8, entrees $17 to $23. Not pub prices to be sure, but not over the top either. To rate the value for experience, portion and most of all taste, not to mention a great new space, this restaurant is a sure-fire winner!
Obviously great thought, time and creativity have gone into this new Struck. With excellent service, a warm and comfortable atmosphere, fun, eclectic mismatched dinnerware, whimsical artwork, and outstanding creative cuisine, an old favorite has become a new classic.
The new Struck is located on the corner of Deerfield and Chandler Streets in Worcester, across from George’s Fruit, (508) 757-1670.
