Of all the towns surrounding Worcester, Clinton has long stood out as a dining destination. Not so much for its breadth of cuisines, but for a couple rock-solid restaurants that have kept the town on the map. With the loss of The Old Timer and Via Alta 27, the status of dining destination seemed at risk.

Happily, a new place has opened in the Via Alta 27 storefront, and after an initial visit, we can report that Clintons Bar & Grille would be a strong contender in any town. Judging by the size and enthusiasm of the crowd enjoying mid-afternoon lunch on a recent Saturday, Clintonians are fully embracing this good fortune.

Clintons’ dining room retains the acoustic signature of a large, open space, with an exposed kitchen and bustling bar. In my opinion, that’s a good thing, because its Moby-leaning music theme is able to drift over, without impeding, conversations and the business of running a restaurant. This is a space that once housed a small town department store – complete with balcony and large plate-glass windows looking out on a commercial street.

Stephanie, our server, noticed me snapping interior photos and remarked, “Isn’t this place beautiful? Until you look out the window and see Aubuchon [hardware store] across the road, you forget you’re in Clinton.” Her enthusiasm proved unflagging and, though she readily admitted to less than a passion for beer, she guided my friend and me through our craft brew selections.

Enough background. The real Clintons story is the food, and in that regard, things got off to a great start with my appetizer of Slow Roasted Beets topped with chunks of creamy goat cheese and toasted glazed pecans. All this under a nest of crunchy-fresh julienned Bartlett pear. Each ingredient contributed a succinct texture, but the rich beet flavor, augmented with a balsamic reduction, was never muffled. Indeed, to really ignite these flavors, a toss of raspberry crystals, like pixie dust, was sprinkled over the dish. Each little red crystal, now activated by the moisture of the pears, packed the intense tang of a fresh raspberry.

On the other end of the cholesterol spectrum was my friend’s bowl of Creamy Lobster Bisque. Velvety and luxuriously refined, it was a pale-yellow color and decadently crammed with big chunks of tender lobster meat. Perfect on this frosty February afternoon.

Either of these selections would be a delightful beginning to the finest of dinners. But lunch is about sandwiches, right?

My selection was the Black Pastrami on a pretzel bun that was glossy, moist and glistening brown. Thick slices of pastrami were topped with Swiss cheese – all of it stuffed way beyond the bun’s holding capacity.

Too often when ordering a sandwich or burger, I forget to request Dijon mustard whilst the server is still at the table. Then, I have to go searching for a bottle. And, jeepers, didn’t it happen again! This was especially annoying because the menu stated “Dijon mustard.” Yet, there was none in sight.

Stoically, I sampled a few fries and then took my first bite of the sandwich. If condiments can produce rapture, this was it! My sandwich gushed with tangy Dijon mustard! Each bite was a feast of peppery pastrami, melty cheese and a slathering of Dijon. The hoppy, bitter nuances of my glass of Long Trail Brewery’s Limbo IPA paired perfectly with pastrami.

And my friend was similarly responding to his 10-ounce Black Angus Burger. Yeah, it was done medium-rare as ordered; thick and juicy and stacked with the layers of lettuce, a tomato slice and molten Swiss cheese. But when it came to flavor, the chef had laid down a rich char on the exterior of this beef patty that took it to a higher plane of deliciousness. Paired up with a glass of Magic Hat’s Single Chair Golden Ale, this was “total burger satisfaction.”

Both sandwiches came with a mini-basket of French fries and a thick dill pickle spear. It proved a very robust lunch, and when we had finished, Stephanie tried to sell us on dessert. So far, her recommendations had proven stellar; she’d earned my complete trust.

But, alas, we were no longer hungry; dessert, as well as Clintons’ imaginative dinner menu, will have to wait for return visits. I’m confident there will be many.

Clintons Bar & Grille | 27 High St., Clinton | (978) 598-7002 | clintonsbargrille.com

By Bernie Whitmore