Come again

To attract more diners, Crescent City revamps its popular menu and still gets it right

by Margaret LeRoux

Crescent City Steakhouse
278 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester
757-1450
Tues.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Major credit cards
full bar
Handicap accessible

Crescent City, the popular steak house on Shrewsbury Street has been touting its new menu with "41 new items." I wondered why the need to tamper with a formula that seemed successful, if a bit pricey.

According to chef Jamie Tsikas, Crescent City has a strong following among corporate customers -- those who don't flinch at paying $25 for rack of lamb -- but to attract repeat visits from typical Shrewsbury Street diners, a range of lower priced entrees was developed. Many favorites from the original menu, including swordfish tenderloin and Crescent City steak remain as house specialties.

The entire lunch menu has been revised, chef Tsikas says, and on a recent visit with a couple of friends, we found many of the changes to our liking. There is an assortment of pasta dishes, a few new twists on steak, and several sandwiches in the $5 and under range.

One big disappointment, though, is the loss of the daily risotto special. One of my companions had lovingly described a dish of Crescent City's risotto with its crunchy, Parmesan-laced crust and creamy middle. "It the best I've ever eaten," she said, and I was looking forward to trying it for myself. Our waitress was sympathetic, but forthright.

"Not enough people ordered it," she told us.

We started with the surf sampler: two crab cakes, two shrimp cocktail, and two coconut battered shrimp. They were served with a trio of tasty sauces: peach salsa, a spicy version of tartar sauce, and a puréed pepper sauce. The crab cakes were crunchy and crabby -- with a lot more of the delicious shellfish than bread crumbs. The coconut batter on the shrimp was just the right side of sweet -- enough to complement rather than overwhelm the shrimp. We ate up every bit, tail and all. The boiled shrimp were fresh and fine too. A few other appetizers from the original menu remain: grilled portobello mushrooms ($8.95) and boiled Baton Rouge crawfish ($8.95); they've been joined by fried mozzarella sticks ($6.95).

The lunch menu retains its New Orleans/Cajun identity with sandwiches like New Orleans Po Boy ($5.95), grilled or Cajun blackened chicken breast ($5.50) There's also a wrap of the day, on our visit it was BLT with cheese (4.95).

From the day's specials one of my friends chose seafood jazz -- chunks of salmon and sea scallops in a basil cream sauce over linguine ($8.95). The carnivore in our group, usually a cheerful soul, went for "the blues," sirloin tips sautéed with blueberry demi-glace and garnished with fresh berries ($8.95). I knew I could count on them to share, so ordered more conservatively the Cajun blackened Caesar salad (7.95).

The salad was served under a huge drift of onion strings -- thinly sliced, battered, and deep fried. They were deliciously crispy, non-greasy, and so abundant there were plenty for all of us. The hot Cajun chicken strips were spiced assertively, but the seasoning wasn't so hot that it obscured the flavor of the chicken. The salad greens, coated in a creamy, garlic dressing, were cool and crisp, a good contrast to the temperature and texture of the chicken.

"A nice bright flavor," was my friend's assessment of the sirloin tips. The "blues" berries played a supporting role to the sirloin's lead. Sweet and tart, they were a tasty balance to the steak's natural juices. Other bit players on the plate --rice pilaf, zucchini, and summer squash were forgettable.

Seafood jazz didn't live up to its name; it was too tame. We thought the cream sauce that blanketed the salmon and scallops was bland; but on the plus side, the seafood was both fresh and tender, very tasty on its own. The pasta was al dente, and the Parmesan cheese was grated fresh at our table by our waitress.

On to dessert, where chef Tsikas, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, really shines. The pastry tray was so appealing, we'd like to have tried them all. Our choices, midnight chocolate cake and peanut butter cup pie ($4.95 each) were served on pretty, over-sized china plates and garnished with whimsical squiggles of mango and raspberry coulis as well as chocolate sauce. Alongside were mounds of whipped cream and chocolate mousse. The cake, multi-layered and thickly frosted with dark chocolate, was rich and delicious. It satisfied my chocolate cravings for the rest of the week.

The pie, another generous serving like the cake, was a grown-up version of the Reese's candy bar with its filling of chocolate and peanut butter cream in a chocolate crust. Did we take the remainders home for midnight snacks? Oh yes.

The coffee and tea we sipped throughout or meal were frequently and unobtrusively refilled. Service throughout was thoughtful. Our bill including tax but not tip was $56.60.