By Paul Giorgio

It’s about Thyme. Niche Hospitality, managed by Mike Covino, debuted its second Leominster restaurant and the 6th in their growing empire.  Rye and Thyme, an American Tavern, recently opened in downtown Leominster in the space that was occupied for a number of years by the Monument Grill.

Let’s Dish.  Livia’s Dish, a new Mediterranean restaurant, will be opening shortly in the Main Street/Rte. 9 West space near Airport Drive that has been occupied by a number of Southeast Asian restaurants, starting with the Bamboo Hut,  over the years.

Can do.  Cheng Du, a Route 9  landmark in Westboro, recently underwent a $1 million renovation.  They now have three restaurants under one roof.  They have the original Cheng Du, a Chinese restaurant, but they have expanded to include 157 Bin, a 68 seat wine bar serving over 40 wines by the glass.  Then there’s the new Japanese restaurant in the same space ~ Akamon.  Akamon is the only Japanese restaurant in Massachusetts that has a Kushiyaki grill, which grills meat or fish on skewers. Cheng Du is owned by Kuo-Rung Tang and his wife Fong and has been a mainstay in Westboro for over 15 years. It is located at 157 Turnpike Road.

Something new is brewing. Brew City, located on Worcester’s Shrewsbury Street, has a new look and menu.  It recently underwent a major renovation, changing its brew house look to a more upscale and comfortable space.  The dining room has been repainted in contemporary colors and sound-deadening panels have been added.  The updated menu offers a more contemporary culinary experience.

La Familia. Rosalina’s Kitchen on Worcester’s Hamilton Street will feature a family style feast menu in addition to their regular menu. Parties of four or more will be able to choose between two fantastic dinner feasts. According to the press release, “Portions will be served on platters fit for a king at prices that cannot be beat!” The feast will be available on Thursday evenings. As an added bonus, Rosalina’s is BYOB so you can bring a wine to go with your feast.

The end of an era.  First it was Ding Ho, now Ken Chin’s, which has been in business over 40 years on Worcester’s Mill Street, is looking to sell or lease their space. Chris George of George and Company has been hired to handle the deal.  We hear that Ken Chin’s were famous for their duck sauce.

Wild about Willy’s. Wild Willy’s, a West Boylston St., Worcester burger joint that has some of the best burgers, fries and onion rings in the city, was recently sold.  The new owners are Andy Norton and his brother Nick.  The brothers have owned two pizza places in Ware and Munson.