thePULSEHot & Now: 4/2004
Cynthia Newton, director of the Bijou Cinema Pub.
Give a warm welcome to 86 Winter: A classy new bistro will be opening soon at 86 Winter Street in Worcester. The restaurant will feature upscale food with moderate prices. Predominant on the menu will be steaks, fish and pasta dishes as well as old-fashioned comfort food with a twist. Bill Mignone and Linn Kenneally are owners of the bistro. Located behind Union Station, the restaurant is part of the Canal District revitalization, which has seen a number of clubs and restaurants set to open in the area around Water, Winter and Green Streets. Look for a late spring opening for 86 Winter!
Cue up for Tapas: Boston Billiards, located at 454 Grove Street in Worcester has come up with something new. Recently renovated, the club is now sporting a new tapas menu at its bar. Prices for the “small bites” are just $3. The menu features such pub items as potato skins, veggie plates and southwest crispers.
Lucky’s unlucky: Lucky’s Café, also on Grove Street, recently shut its doors. Lucky’s served great food at very reasonable prices, but the owners couldn’t seem to figure out who or what they wanted Lucky’s to be. They opened sporadically at night a couple of years ago and drew decent crowds, then they reverted to just being a lunch spot. Though the sandwiches and soups were often excellent, Lucky’s never seemed to have enough staff, even for simple lunch crowds. We will miss their soups especially.
Joseph’s Steak & Ale to open: In Dudley, Joseph’s Steak & Ale near Nichols College will be under new ownership shortly. James Pollier and Joe Ricci recently purchased the restaurant. They will continue to operate the restaurant with the concept of a moderately-priced steak house with a pub feel to it.
Sweet sap’s running…in April: The Salem Cross Inn in West Brookfield will host a series of dinners in April, which will feature maple syrup as a primary ingredient. Dishes such as maple butternut bisque, or a maple pumpkin cheesecake will be center stage. Prices for the dinners are $40. Call the Salem Cross Inn for details, 508-867-8337.
It’s Smokin’ on Shrewsbury Street: The Victory Cigar Bar & Lounge will open up soon at 56 Shrewsbury Street, in Worcester. The bar and cigar shop will be owned by Mark Piscillo who also owns Victory Cigar in Sudbury. Victory Cigar will offer a premier selection of fine cigars. With a full liquor license, it will be one of the few places in the area where smoking will be permitted, especially after a July statewide smoking ban goes into effect.
More than just popcorn: The Bijou, Worcester’s cinema-pub located at the Common Outlets mall, recently started serving full dinners. The restaurant, which serves food on the nights that the theater is open, serves dishes with a Mexican theme. The kitchen is under the direction of Chef Veronica Crespo, formerly of The Living Earth, Worcester’s well-known health food market. The Bijou has a steam table allowing tasty burritos, tacos and quesadillas (priced at $5-$7) to be served up quickly. There are also more elaborate entrees featuring chicken, beef and fish, which are priced around $12.
