A fancy, big city dining experience

111 Chop House

by Margaret LeRoux

111 Chop House 111 Shrewsbury St. 799-4111 Hours Sun.-Thurs. 4-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 4-11 Full bar Major credit cards Handicapp accessible

If you're out to impress --whether it's a date or business dinner, there's no better place to be in Worcester than 111 Chop House. From the hostess's warm greeting at the door to the solicitous treatment by the pair of wait staff assigned to your table, you'll feel practically pampered. When was the last time you felt so well cared for in a restaurant?

One of my friends compares the Chop House to the fancy, big city dining establishments favored by her parents in the 1950s. It's easy to see why; the décor and menu combine to create a rich, nouveau-retro experience. Subdued, golden lighting bathes the big spiraling dining area, filled early on a recent week night. We'd called ahead for a reservation and after shedding our heavy coats at the cloakroom, were led to a spacious booth on the second level(an elevator is available for those who need assistance with the steps).

The décor is simple and sophisticated; lots of warm, dark wood with art deco posters on the walls. Carpeting keeps the noise level manageable. Once seated, we forgot about those other diners and concentrated on our own little party of four. We debated whether to stay in the spirit of the '50s with one of the Chop House's generous martinis or cosmopolitans, but for me, at least, the idea of a martini is more fun than the reality. We studied the extensive wine list instead, choosing glasses of Erath pinot noir ($6.99) and a bottle of San Pellegrino ($3.90).

The list of appetizers is another opportunity to go back in time, with offerings like oysters Rockefeller or on the half shell (both $8.99); jumbo shrimp cocktail ($7.99); and smoked salmon ($5.99). But there are lots of trendy first courses too: duck confit spring rolls ($5.99); portobello mushroom fritters with radicchio aioli ($5.99); and sushi sampler ($7.99). We tried clams casino ($6.99), a platter of six sizzling cherrystones heaped with a generous topping of chopped bacon, red and green peppers, and a hint of onion and garlic.

When I first visited the Chop House soon after its grand opening two years ago, I was startled by the restaurant's scale; everything seemed over-sized, including the prices. Since then, the menu has been retooled; signature entrees now share the plate with an ingenious array of "sides." A few of the selections are no more pricier than comparable items on the menus of other Shrewsbury Street restaurants, and with the exception of the two pound lobster at $34.99, no entrée tops $25.

Salads are included with all the entrees; you can choose from the house version, a hefty wedge of iceberg lettuce buried under a drift of blue cheese--my personal favorite-- a nice change from the ubiquitous field greens, though you can have those as well, in balsamic vinaigrette, or with marinated cherry tomatoes and onions. A Caesar salad is $2 extra.

There are about a dozen different steak items on the menu including a 24 ounce porterhouse ($24.99), filet mignon ($22.99), grilled pepper crusted sirloin ($20.99) a 20 ounce prime rib ($19.99), and hickory smoked brisket $17.99).

On an earlier visit I shared a taste of the beef bourguinonne ($18.99) that had my friend practically swooning. This version of the rich, winey, beef stew featured caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms and was served in a nest of radicchio. The Chop House's menu changes weekly, however and on this visit beef bourguignonne was altered with the addition of garlic cream sauce and served over fusilli pasta.

On that earlier visit I did my best to finish a platter of pan seared duck breast ($18.99), the slightly gamey flavor complimented by creamy mashed Yukon gold potatoes. But the portion was so generous I ended up taking home almost half. (Even the doggie bags are retro -- adorned with cute drawings of canines.)

This time I counted on my companions for samples of red meat, while I ordered trout ($17.99). No ordinary fish, of course, it was fried in a hazelnut crust, filleted and served with thin, crispy haricots vert, slices of sun dried tomato and artichoke hearts over garlic mashed potatoes. Unless you've just caught the trout yourself and cooked it over a camp fire you're not likely to have a better version.

One of my companions chose the English cut, double thick lamb chop ($22.99) almost a small roast in size, grilled to his medium well specification and tender enough to cut with a fork.

Veal scaloppini ($19.99) over gorgonzola and beet risotto was the most colorful entrée. The magenta hue of the rice (and just a hint of the earthy beet taste) was striking next to a stack of roasted asparagus.

My third friend liked his grilled club steak ($19.99) served in thin slices over mashed potatoes, though the mushroom duxelles were surprisingly bland.

Ordinarily we'd pass on dessert, but once again we were seduced by the past -- sweets we haven't seen on menus in years: apple brown Betty, profiteroles (both $5.99), and chocolate and caramel bread pudding ($6.99, deserving of a return trip). But crepes Suzette ($5.99) won us over, even though they are flamed in the kitchen instead of tableside. These crepes had a silky custard filling and a Cointreau-laced sauce. With cups of coffee, they were the perfect end to a thoroughly indulgent meal. We spent just over than $30 each, including tip; considering the quality of the meals and service, it was well worth it.

Margaret LeRoux can be reached at
feedmefeedback@hotmail.com.

Margaret LeRoux can be reached at feedmefeedback@hotmail.com.