Christo's of Worcester

A look at what guys reallydo when they go out

by Jim Johnson

97 Stafford Street, Worcester
752-3765
Sun. 8:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
Mon.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
Major credit cards
Full bar
Handicap accessible

A friend of mine read my review from several weeks ago where I lightly lamented my single status. Somehow he wanted to mix a restaurant review with finding women, and another friend was curious enough to tag along.

When our threesome arrived at a local lounge/restaurant, friend #1 looked inside and beat a hasty retreat. "It's dead," he sighed.

"It's empty?" I asked.

"No, everyone's dead," he replied. "The average age must be 80."

Before we had a chance to discuss our options, a white-haired gent approached and shouted, "G'wan in! You'll love it!"

With that, he strode over, swatted my friend's butt, and repeated, "G'wan! G'wan!"

And, with that, my friend was outta there. We followed and, with our focus now shifted from women to food, made our way to Christo's.

Christo's, I'm told, is a Worcester institution. I quickly saw why. Servers hustled about with smiles on their faces, and platters were piled high with pasta, fish, and steak. Families and couples of all ages packed the dining area, an upbeat mix of booths and tables kept spic-and-span. At the entrance, one hostess kidded with three toddlers. Another waved goodbye to a foursome of older women: "See you next week."

The welcome felt even warmer when we checked out the prices. Just a handful of dishes exceeds $10. Many are below $7. Our original guys-night-out thoughts were behind us. We were ready to chow.

Our server made that happen with lightning-fast turnaround on our combo appetizer platter ($7.95). Before we knew it, we were munching on crunchy potato skins topped with cheddar cheese and real bacon; fried mushrooms coated with cheese and breadcrumbs and topped with rich tomato sauce; and chicken fingers that were large, flat, and tender. Our favorite, however, were the spicy chicken wings marinated, we thought, in a mix of teriyaki sauce and cayenne pepper. We liked them so much we placed a separate order ($5.95).

As we ate, our server returned for our orders. The menu is heavy on seafood and pasta, with burgers, salads, and clubs for lighter appetites. It's also the only place I've seen beef liver with onions in years.

One tablemate was torn between several choices:

"How's the baked lasagna?" he asked our server.

"Better than homemade," she replied.

"How about the lazy lobster?"

"Excellent. Everyone loves it."

"The pork chops?"

"An inch-and-a-half thick. Really good."

"The lamb shish-ka-bob?"

"Look over there," she said, as a meat-packed skewer arrived at the next table.

After further interrogation (and with infinite patience and some good-natured kidding from our server), my friend chose the lazy lobster ($9.95). The chicken-and-ribs plate ($8.95) and broiled pork chops ($7.95 for one, $9.95 for two) rounded out our order, and in seconds we were enjoying warm bread and crisp salad.

Not much later, our dinners arrived. The pork chops, my inquisitive friend correctly observed, were "big-ass." Indeed, I'd put the thickness at nearly two inches. Rimmed with just enough fat to add flavor, the chops were lean, yet tender, with the flavor broiled in. Some duck sauce left over from the wings and some barbecue sauce from the ribs made for tasty variations. Although the broccoli was fresh, it was overcooked. The baked potato, however, tasted straight from the oven.

The lobster was sweet as could be, a plentiful portion of claw- and tail-meat served in a casserole dish with light breading. Although my tablemate thought it had a bit too much butter, he finished it nonetheless (with a little help from his friends). The potatoes au gratin were firm with a nice complement of mild cheese.

The ribs were fall-from-the-bone tender, with a smoky-sweet sauce that tasted store-bought but good. The chicken, however, tasted slightly overcooked (perhaps pre-cooked, re-cooked, and over-warmed). Still, most of the meat was generally tender. The accompanying rice was tasty but soggy.

Throughout dinner, our server kept close tabs on us, keeping water glasses filled and offering a frequent, friendly "How you guys doing?" on the run. She helped make a pleasant evening even more fun.

When the time arrived to order dessert, she approached warily. My friends borrowed descriptions from the menu: "I'm feeling `elegantly simple, yet sophisticated,'" said one. "I'm `incredibly moist,'" offered the other.

Looking at me, she said, "And you must be `succulent.'"

Regardless, she quickly returned with cappuccino silk pie ($2.95), chocolate-fudge layer cake ($2.25), and strawberry shortcake ($3.25). The pie was rich and buttery with whipped mocha cream lying in a chocolate- shortbread crust and topped with chocolate curls. The cake was decadent, with layers of dense chocolate covered with sour-cream frosting. The shortcake was warm and buttery, covered with syrupy strawberries (loved by many but not my preference), and topped with whipped cream.

Dinner cost us about $15 each. G'wan in.