Harry's Too

Westborough's humble diner goes upscale

153 Turnpike Road (Rt. 9 West) Westborough 898-2200
Daily 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m
Major credit cards
Full bar
Handicap Accessible

by Jim Johnson

You're not seeing double when you head down Route 9 in Westborough. Two Harry's Restaurants do indeed stand side by side. Although the names are similar and the ownership is the same, the settings and cuisine are dramatically different.

At the original Harry's Restaurant, customers face the tough choices of 12 types of fried seafood plus a variety of baked, broiled, and Cajun versions. At Harry's Too Restaurant, already growing in popularity for its upscale menu and downscale prices (most entrées are in the $10 to $13 range), the decisions are tougher. Here, the seafood options include cioppino (swordfish, haddock, scallops, shrimp, calamari, and mussels simmered in fennel broth), haddock Nantucket (served with a citrus cilantro butter), and salmon gallette (encrusted with thinly shredded potatoes).

Despite the broad selection, seafood makes up barely a third of the menu. Chicken comes in eight styles, including marsala, Savannah (with barbecue sauce and smoked gouda cheese), margarita (marinated in citrus and tossed over pasta with garlic, artichoke hearts, pepperoni, and broccoli), and Mandarin (pan seared with vegetables and served with a ginger cilantro glaze).

"Prime Cuts" cover the full range of sophistication, from Missouri-style ribs to filet mignon, while vegetarians can choose from couscous with seasonal vegetables and the grilled vegetable platter.

Harry's Too, located in the former NE Noodles, is clean, open, and airy and has inherited much of the defunct restaurant's park-style benches and butcher-block tables. Display cases have been replaced by a quiet bar and a thick, wooden bench/room divider. Colors seem more subdued with a hint of elegance. It's okay to linger

The setting also carries over the fun and whimsy of the original Harry's, in great part thanks to the humorous mural commissioned for NE Noodles, complete with cartoon characters hidden in an old town. You'll find some changes, though, including portraits of the owners and a mini-Rambo with a clamshell head -- Harry's logo.

Although our entrées were outstanding, our appetizers were disappointing. The Maryland-style crab cakes ($6.95) looked great: two plump pieces broiled to a beautiful golden-brown. Unfortunately, the cakes tasted like bland mushroom-cap stuffing with little crab flavor and no personality. The "roasted garlic chipotle aioli" that sounded exciting on the menu was so plain that it subdued what little flavor the cakes had.

Instead of grilled portobellos ($5.95), our serving had just one medium-size mushroom cap surrounded by seasonal vegetables. Fire-roasting and a light herb-and-garlic marinade brought plenty of flavor, but we expected more mushrooms for the price.

Next time, we'll probably try the mussels mariniere, spicy chicken samosas (slices of chicken and vegetables wrapped in a wonton wrapper and deep fried), or mozzarella fritti. Or maybe we'll just stick with the large chunks of fresh-baked sourdough bread.

For entrées, we made two excellent choices: grilled gingered shrimp ($11.95) and Bourbon Street tips ($14.95).

The shrimp were large, plump, moist, and packed with flavor. The grilling imparted a pleasant smoky flavor that would have been excellent even on its own. But a dense ginger vinaigrette drenched each shrimp, making the dish even more delicious. The sauce overflowed into a bed of fluffy couscous, served with lightly-herbed, lightly-sautéed carrots and squash on the side.

The steak tips were tender as could be, despite being ordered well-done. The sweet Bourbon sauce was almost caramelized on each piece. In addition to the sautéed vegetables, the dish came with garlic mashed potatoes (delightfully heavy on the garlic) and a bed of mixed greens.

For dessert, we enjoyed a moist, chocolatey black-and-white torte ($4.25) with layers of black-and-white cake and filling. The cheesecake ($4.25) was also delightful, a rich, dense slice served with raspberry sauce.

Our server seemed a little restrained at first, but he warmed up quickly and was efficient and personable.

Plan on spending $25 to $30 for two, excluding beverages and tip. Lunch entrées -- mostly burgers, soups, salads, fried fish, and creative sandwiches -- average $6 to $7.