Stuck on Struck

This longtime Worcester eatery continues to get it right

by Margaret LeRoux

Struck Cafe
415 Chandler Street, Worcester
757-1670
Lunch Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Dinner
Mon.-Thurs. 5:30-9 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 5:30-10 p.m.
Major credit cards
Full bar
Handicap accessible

While waiting for our waitress to reappear and take our order, my dining companion and I got into a discussion about the details that can make or break a restaurant meal. The food, certainly, is the most important feature, followed by service, we agreed. Then there are things that combine to create ambiance: lighting (Is it too bright or dim?), noise level, tables too close together, a room that's too hot or cold. But consistency, we decided, is what keeps us coming back. When the staff gets it right every time, a restaurant is a winner.

And getting it right every time is tough, I'll certainly concede. That's why I was willing to give the Struck Cafe another chance, when, despite outstanding food from new chef Glenn Gonyea on a recent visit, the service was off. During a return visit, the contrast in service was striking. Despite a private party upstairs that kept the waitstaff hopping, our servers handled the downstairs customers with ease. Courses were paced perfectly. Two nights, two meals, two experiences.

On our first visit, we were caught up in a new menu that featured seasonal touches, from an appetizer of pumpkin risotto to the root vegetables and red cabbage that accompany the entrees. There's even a dessert of apple slices in a caramel sauce.

From a very tempting list of appetizers that included acorn squash and risotto crepes, we selected the pumpkin risotto ($5.95) and portobello mushrooms stuffed with spinach, feta cheese, and walnuts ($6.95). My wine choice was a glass of Dunnewood merlot ($4.50).

The pair of portobello mushrooms, presented on a large plate decorated with streaks of balsamic vinegar and a mustard tasting sauce, were huge. The mounds of chopped spinach mixed with crumbled feta and topped with finely chopped walnuts were tasty.

The pumpkin risotto was creamy but crunchy at the same time thanks to walnut bits. It was served with the risotto spilling out of a bright orange miniature pumpkin -- an attractive arrangement. We tasted hints of sage and nutmeg in the risotto; this appetizer was so outstanding, my companion considered it the high point of the meal.

A waitress (we were served at times by three who shared tables) brought a basket of breads. I'll admit my prejudice here: I don't find sweet fruit breads appealing at dinner. I love them for breakfast, brunch, or even afternoon tea, but cranberry, blueberry, or lemon bread at night seems jarringly unsophisticated in an upscale restaurant like the Struck.

I was intrigued by apricot-and-ginger-glazed roast pheasant ($16.95), and once I tasted the crispy skin, I knew I'd made the right choice. The tender breast meat was sliced; the bird's thigh and leg were left intact. Underneath the pheasant was a delicious purée of sweet potato, next to it an assortment of slivered roasted vegetables including carrot and leek. Little piles of crunchy red cabbage and kernels of corn rounded out the plate, and a handful of steamed green beans made a colorful accent.

My companion chose veal scaloppine sautéed in white wine with sage and a hint of garlic. The veal was sliced paper thin; a serving of butternut squash over scalloped potatoes topped with béchamel sauce was a hearty contrast. More root vegetables and red cabbage filled out this plate, too.

On our return visit, we had the benefit of two experienced waitresses who made us feel quite welcome. This evening we concentrated on the Struck's seafood offerings, starting with cucumber cilantro crab cakes ($8.95), three plump and creamy patties chock full of crab in a piquant yogurt-based sauce.

Between courses, we nibbled on salads, a lemony Caesar ($3.95), and the restaurant's signature l'il Struck salad ($2.95). The Struck's version of Caesar salad is very lemony, light on the garlic, heavy on the homemade croutons, and no anchovies with the crispy romaine.

My companion's choice of entree, shrimp and scallops carbonara on gnocchi ($16.95), was delicious but surely a cardiologist's nightmare. A bounty of large, firm shrimp and tender, scallops in a rich cream sauce were enhanced by a sprinkling of salty pancetta pieces. Later, our waitress noticed that he hadn't cleaned his plate and confided, "I've never seen anyone finish this."

I had tuna loin crusted with horseradish ($18.95), four large, seared pieces of tuna, dusted with bread crumbs and topped with just enough horseradish to give the meaty fish a real bite. It came with lemon couscous flecked with chives, and more of the red cabbage, green beans, and corn I'd enjoyed on the previous visit.

You can enjoy dinner and dessert -- on our first trip we had a very rich pumpkin terrine in a caramel sauce with whipped cream ($4.50) -- for under $70.