The Registry Restaurant
264 Park Avenue, Worcester
508-752-2211
www.registryrestaurant.com

The Registry Restaurant has embraced its connection with Worcester’s first Registry of Motor Vehicles ~ the restaurant occupies the RMV’s former home, hence its name ~ by decorating the dining room in mid-twentieth century automobile culture. Antique license plates and scenes of old Worcester hang on the walls. Pages of the menu look like they’ve been stamped by registry clerks with ink-smeared shirt sleeves.

But it’s the laminated tabletops that really make the connection. Ads for new, used and auto repair shops, technical drawings, comics ~ really anything on paper that illustrates the golden age of the American auto industry ~ have been encased in plastic. Clearly, The Registry has a passion for cars. The important question is whether this passion extends to their cuisine. A friend joined me for dinner to find out.

We were led to a table and my attention wandered off as I studied the tabletop’s diagram of an ancient camshaft and pages from a Hardy Boys adventure I read decades ago. I reeled my attention back in to check out the menu, but the tabletop remained compelling.

Otto, our server, came by to take our drink orders and run through the day’s specials. After he left, we amused ourselves watching potential diners wander around the building trying to find the entrance. Why not paint a path and hang some arrows… create a miniature roadway to the door? The motor vehicle theme opens a world of opportunities.

Soon Otto returned with our New England Crab Cake appetizer: three medium-sized cakes were each topped with a dollop of jalapeno aioli and served over a bed of mixed greens. Thick with breading and flecks of bell peppers, we also found a fair amount of crabby bits. The cakes’ rich peppery flavor went well with sips of Tohu Sauvignon Blanc.

I remember when it was difficult to find decent Caesar Salad without the drama of table-side flourishes in uber-expensive restaurants. But things have markedly improved and The Registry was no exception. Their Caesar was a generous plate of crunchy romaine richly coated in a cheesy dressing balanced with lemon and garlic flavors. Studded with large garlicky croutons, their portion was perfect for sharing and a perfect prelude to our entrees.

My friend ordered the “New Yorker” New York Strip, medium rare, and he immediately praised its deep grill-lines, tenderness and perfect preparation. “As good as anywhere else in the city,” he remarked. It came with buttery sautéed vegetables and rice pilaf, but he would have been satisfied with the steak solo.

I ordered one of the day’s specials, Stuffed Haddock. Its first impression was amazing, mostly because of its huge size. Lying on a bed of creamy-soft linguine, a thick haddock fillet was folded over a layer of rich seafood dressing and then drenched in a creamy sauce loaded with wilted leaves of baby spinach.

I’m still not sure why I ordered stuffed haddock; it violates a sacred rule I have prohibiting any stuffed fish dish. But The Registry’s wasn’t any of the things I feared; the fish was fresh and moist, the breading had rich seafood flavor that didn’t dominate the dish, and the spinach gave the cream sauce color and plausibility. The linguine ~ a bit too soft for my taste ~ was actually unnecessary.

The Registry Restaurant is the “new kid” in a town with plenty of dining options. I’d term the cuisine as “American Comfort;” its menu includes dishes found in most casual-format restaurants and offers plenty of sandwiches and burgers for faster meals. The quality of our meals was rock-solid and Otto provided excellent service.

No longer need the word “registry” be associated with unpleasant workers, accumulated fees, and long, confusing lines.