thePULSEBy Paul Giorgio
Rhino outdoors. Paul Barber of Worcester’s Flying Rhino has recently added an outdoor deck to his Shrewsbury Street eatery. We hear he did the work himself with the help of a few friends. The deck, which will hold about 5 tables, also features a Tiki Bar, a trend that’s making a comeback.
Speaking of outdoor dining. Check out Block 5’s new outdoor dining area. A sleek stainless steel counter runs around the perimeter and ends at their outdoor bar. It has about ten tables and looks like a great place to spend a night in the Canal District. Now what about that canal?
Foxwoods to host Wine & Food Festival. The 4th annual Wine and Food Festival at Foxwoods casino will be held on August 28, 29, & 30th this year. The three day event, which kicks off with a dinner Friday night, includes a Grand Tasting on both Saturday & Sunday as well as celebrity cooking demonstrations and wine seminars. This is the place to go for serious foodies. Last year, the Festival featured appearances by Guy Fieri, Ming Tsai, Jacque Pepin and others; this year’s special guests include Govind Armstrong, Michael Schlow, and well-known food personalities including the Food Network’s Alexandra Guarnaschelli and Ellie Krieger For further info check out foxwoodsfoodandwine.com.
Pho 2000 opens. Pho 2000 is the name of the new Vietnamese and Thai restaurant that has opened in the space that was formerly occupied by the Bamboo Hut. The Bamboo Hut closed over a year ago and Pho 2000 has undertaken extensive renovations to the Main Street eatery.
Quan Yin Closes. Quan Yin, one of the few vegetarian restaurants in Worcester, recently closed it doors. It was located at 56 Hamilton Street on the city’s East Side and had been in business for over five years. No word yet on a repalcement. But all you vegans out there can hop over to the Buddha Hut on Chandler St.
Grafton Inn is sold. The Grafton Inn’s owner closed for business on July 3rd. The restaurant is going to revert to John Pardee, the former owner. No word yet on what kind of food he will serve.
Speaking of selling. By the time you read this column, TriBeCa on Worcester’s Shrewsbury St. will have a new owner. According to current owner Steve Greene, the concept will stay the same.
And selling. Word on the street is that Chris Liacos, long time owner of the Webster House, a Worcester institution, has sold the restaurant.
And opening. Sammy’s in Fitchburg. Sammy’s is a new Fitchburg restaurant located on Route 12. The Rat Pack-themed pub & restaurant will be opening soon. Stay tuned!
And re-opening. Paul Mac’s Diner, a longtime Worcester favorite on Shrewsbury Street, is slated to reopen the first week of August. The eclectic eatery was forced to close a few months ago because of a fire and literally had to be rebuilt from the ground up. Owners Paul McMahon and his son Chris did not have insurance, but they relied on the generosity of their customers to help out. We welcome them back to the Worcester dining scene.
