thePULSEGood cuisine from end to end
October 2003 – There’s always been a sort of off-beat appeal to Highland Street – it has a little bit of Haight Ashbury-style charm mixed in with blue-collar, Worcester street smarts. Maybe it’s the street’s proximity to several schools resulting in a kind of college-town mix of thrift shops, a futon store, a fine coffee shop, a really good gift shop — and restaurants, restaurants, restaurants.
No matter what your culinary taste or budget, there’s something you’ll like on Highland, starting at the Elm Park end with the popular Sahara which offers Lebanese, Middle Eastern and International fare at very reasonable prices. Sahara’s big open room and full bar and kind of quirky décor make it popular with local academics and college kids who enjoy the tasty, reasonably priced food.
Sahara offers a full slate of hot and cold appetizers such as stuffed grape leaves ($4.25), kibbi ($4.25). tabbouleh ($4.35) and kafta in pita ($6.95). Soups are simple, but tasty, such as the lentil and spinach ($3.95) and the yummy cucumber yogurt ($3.95).
The eggplant salad ($5.95) with baked eggplant seasoned with Mediterranean spices, is very good. For entrees, Sahara’s specialties include the delicious Mughrebeeye, sauteed boneless chicken breast in a fragrant nutmeg sauce ($14.95). The grilled Kafta Kebab featuring a blend of ground beef, onion, minced parsley and spices served with rice, grilled veggies, salad and bread is also yummy and a good value at $11.95.
Sahara, at 143 Highland, is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 8 p.m.
One of our personal favorites on Highland Street is the Boynton, which has three dining rooms as well as a very popular pizza/bar area where lots of neighborhood people as well as college students hang-out to watch sports on TV, gossip or just enjoy one of the Boynton’s specials. On Sunday and Monday nights in the pizza/bar section there is a Football Special where you can get 20 wings and a 20 oz. draft beer for $4.95 or a large cheese pizza with a pitcher of beer for $11.95.
The booths in the bar area are simple and spacious — the Boynton doesn’t waste a lot of time or money on fussy decorations, which is one reasons why it is so popular with the college crowd.
In the upstairs and downstairs dining rooms, diners sometimes wait for up to an hour on the weekends for Boynton’s supreme comfort food — there are few places in the city where you get such good, plain, hearty fare for less than $20 and lots of times for less than $10. The appetizers are cheap and well-prepared, the soups are delicious and filling and such standards as chicken piccatta, meatloaf, prime rib, spaghetti and meatballs and the very bountiful fried seafood platter will make you smile.
You can even get liver and onions here – or macaroni and cheese. What more do you need? The Boynton, at 119 Highland, is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m (pizza and grinders until 2 .m.), Monday through Saturday.
There are a multitude of sub shops on Highland Street including two Subways and a Boomers, as well as numerous places where you can get coffee, but the premier java spot is The Bean Counter, which offers fine gourmet coffees and an elegant little display case of baked goods made from scratch. This is the perfect place to hang out and read the paper or watch the Highland hotties cruise by. There are small café-style tables and chairs inside and benches right out on the sidewalk.
Tortilla Sam’s at 107 Highland is a favorite with locals and students hungering for filling, inexpensive tortillas, burritos, barbecued ribs, nachos and more. Tortilla Sam’s, which has been a Highland Street favorite for the last 6 years, makes their own fresh tortillas daily (which are also for sale by the dozen) and is planning to upgrade their kitchen with the addition of a new chef
According to Jason, one of Tortilla Sam’s culinary crew, the new chef is a Johnson & Wales grad who worked at Sturbridge’s prestigious Publick House as well as the Oxhead Tavern.
Our favorite tortilla wrap is the guacamole with lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar and jack for $2.25….we love the pesto chicken quesadilla ($3.95) and the nachos for one with the works ($6.95) which will keep you happy for days. If you’re hungering for a big burrito, try the Big Fajita Burrito with rice, black beans, cheese, grilled peppers, cilantro, salsa, and your choice of grilled tofu, veggies, chicken or steak. ($5.45)
Tortilla Sam’s, which features a Mexican cantina atmosphere, will also make deliveries anywhere in Worcester. Hours are Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m; Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight.
Just up a block or so from Tortilla Sam’s is the Bravo Café at 57 Highland, a combined restaurant/club spot that attracts lots of lunch-time workers looking for good, inexpensive sandwiches, as well as college students wanting pizzas and subs. Bravo is also busy at night as a popular Highland Street club.
On the other side of the street, Dragon Dynasty at 104 Highland is a small, simple Chinese restaurant that has a big, big menu of Mandarin and Szechuan cuisine – just about anything you are looking from egg rolls (2 for $3.00), to hot and sour soup ($3.75) and on through to lo mein, chop suey, moo shu, and a full line of chicken, pork, beef and seafood dishes (price ranges $4-$9). There are also Chef Specialties such as General Tso’s Chicken ($8.50) and Gai Poo Lo Mein ($11.95)
Dragon Dynasty is open most days from 11 a.m. to until 10 or 11 p.m
Of course, no cruise up Highland is complete without a stop at the famous The Sole Proprietor, long-time winner of “Best Restaurant” honors in all readers polls conducted by local media, for superb seafood, great atmosphere and terrific service. This is the place where college students bring Mom and Dad for graduation – and is also very popular with the city’s well-dressed yuppie types who take over the classy, well-stocked bar on the weekends.
The Sole, which recently expanded the dining area to include both comfortable booths and linen-topped tables, has every kind of seafood you could wish for from thick and creamy chowder ($3.99) and the scrumptious crab rangoons ($4.95), through the delicious sushi choices ($5.99 to $8.99) and on to a huge choice of lunch and dinner entrees.
Try the Fruits of the Sea medley of shrimps, scallops, and mussels in a garlic, tomato, clam broth sauce with pasta and basil ($18.99), the Asparagus Stuffed Sole ($18.99) and the Baked Salmon with Goat Cheese Gratin. ($18.99)
The Sole is not cheap, but it is excellent and there is also a very good wine list as well as a terrific late night kettle menu. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Fridays and Saturdays to 11:00 p.m.
