Handled with care

The Gentle Lentil specializes in flavor

by Margaret LeRoux

The Gentle Lentil
800 Main Street
Worcester
753-8663
Lunch Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dinner Tues.-Sat. 5-10 p.m.
Visa, MC
BYOB
Handicap accessible

You might think you're in Berkeley or Madison or Cambridge. But the Gentle Lentil Restaurant, a sunny, plant-filled storefront -- with sitar music playing in the background, and the fragrance of ginger and curry wafting from the open kitchen -- is right here in Main South.

A friend and I dined recently, and we were reminded of our college past as we perused the bulletin board where the day's offerings are tacked up. It was early in the evening, only a handful of diners in the small place -- three tables for four, and three for couples.

The menu is fairly limited but driven by seasonal produce and the whims of the cooks: owner Greg Hagopian, Julie Bonnici, Elizabeth Hughes, and Jill Curtis. What makes lunch or dinner at the Gentle Lentil stand out from the stereotypical "health food" is the seasoning. Hagopian is bold in his use of herbs, spices, and garlic, and so is his staff. Maybe a little shy with salt, but you can always add more from the assortment of salt, pepper, cayenne, and cumin bottles on each table.

Lentil soup, for example, has undertones of ginger and curry; you'll find more ginger, this time with lemon juice and soy sauce, in a steamed vegetables and brown rice dish. And curry shows up in tomato sauce as well as in a black bean and tofu wrap sandwich.

We began with a bread and cheese platter ($4), consisting of a creamy, deliciously tangy goat cheese (we later learned it's a French import), slices of smoked gruyere, string cheese, a healthy dab of roast garlic-almond-basil pesto, grapes, and an assortment of bread, including a herb rosemary bread from Darby's Bakery in West Boylston.

It was a tasty introduction to the Gentle Lentil's approach to meal preparation: mix flavors, textures, and colors for maximum appeal. In an interview later, Hagopian pointed out that in his day job as a house painter and wallpaper hanger, as well as in his cooking, he's "always aware of mixing colors and textures."

Hagopian grew up in a big Armenian family where dinner was the focal point of the day.

"We ate fresh vegetables that my father and uncle grew on their farms," he explained. Now, his uncle's farm in Leicester is one of the suppliers of vegetables served at the Gentle Lentil. So is the community garden in back of the building, as well as several area farmers.

When I arrived for dinner my friend was pouring tea from an adorable, single serving pot. I ordered some herb tea myself; it was a good complement to the cheese and bread. I noticed another patron brought in wine; the Gentle Lentil welcomes carry-ins. It also provides an assortment of soft drinks, fruit juices, and smoothies.

For main courses there are always several vegetarian choices, as well as a meat, chicken, lamb, or fish selection. My friend ordered eggplant ravioli ($10), and I chose steamed vegetables on brown rice ($7).

The ravioli were very good. The pasta cooked al dente, held a flavorful puréed eggplant filling. The tomato sauce was spicy -- maybe a bit of curry in it -- and fresh, not the heavy, cooked-all-day variety. There was a generous amount of pasta, and my friend gallantly shared some with me.

My serving of rice and vegetables was equally generous. Broccoli, red peppers, zucchini, red cabbage, grated carrot, and sliced onion were steamed and topped with a lemon-soy sauce laced with tempeh, which gave it a slightly nutty flavor. There was enough to re-heat for lunch, and both vegetables and rice held up well after a couple days in the refrigerator.

Neither of us were in the mood for dessert, so we passed on apple crisp and baked apples. Our meals came to a very reasonable $26.51.

Returning for lunch with another friend later the same week, I sampled the restaurant's namesake lentil soup ($2.50). Served in an earthenware bowl, it had slices of portobello mushroom, tomato, and diced zucchini in a light broth. It desperately needed salt, however, and once added, this was as tasty a soup as I've ever eaten. It came with a slice of the same whole-wheat bread I'd enjoyed earlier with the cheese platter. When I ordered a small green salad ($3), I asked if I could have some of the memorable goat cheese with it. My request was granted, and the creamy cheese offset the salad's balsamic vinaigrette nicely.

My companion ordered a veggie burrito with tofu and black beans. It came densely packed with a mild flavored filling. Tabbouli and star pasta salad were served alongside.

With a strawberry-banana smoothie ($3.75), he had enough to be satisfied. I indulged in a slice of apple pie ($2.75). The filling was assertively spicy, the apples still had some crunch to them, a very hearty dessert. Our bill came to $20.21.