On 'cue

There's something special in Brew City's special barbecue sauce

by Margaret LeRoux

Brew City Grill and Brew House 104 Shrewsbury Street Worcester 752-3862 Hours Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sun. noon-10 p.m. Major credit cards Full bar Handicap accessible

You're well past the first date. And you have realized after a disastrous, expensive, fancy dinner that you appreciate a well-stocked plate, but know you're happier in a pub than at a candlelit table. Be honest, doesn't this sound like you on an average day? If you want dinner with no pretensions, the place for you is Brew City, where the atmosphere is big-city pub, and the food is ample and tasty. An added attraction is the wait staff who will make you feel right at home.

You need to dine with someone who won't mind if your attention wanders to one of the five TV screens or to the music that blasts from the bar. Agree ahead of time that the goal is eating, not a meeting of the minds, and you'll be able to appreciate the finer qualities of dinner here. Maybe you'll even win a round of Keno and cover the cost of the meal.

Start by reviewing the long list of beers -- more than 100, though we noticed some potential good choices were marked "out of stock." Our group of three opted for three on-tap brews: anchor steam ($3.50) and Bass ale and Belhaven Scottish ale (both $3.75).

There's a new menu at Brew City, one that features barbecue sauce at every turn. A new smokehouse section features hickory-smoked half-chicken ($9.95), hickory-smoked ribs ($11.95/half-rack; $15.95/full-rack), and a combo platter of pork ribs, Italian sausage, and smoked chicken ($15.95). There's more barbecue in the steak section with Texas-style rib eye ($13.95).

Appetizers are mostly pub standards: nachos ($6.95), onion rings ($3.95), stuffed jalapeño peppers ($5.50), and fried calamari ($5.95). But barbecue sauce turns up here, too, sometimes where you least expect it. Stuffed spuds in barbecue sauce ($5.95), for example, sounded a little too weird; and chicken quesadillas in barbecue sauce ($6.95) sounded a little too cross-cultural. But we found hickory-smoked stuffed mushrooms ($5.50) to be a satisfying version. Filled with a mixture of sausage, bread crumbs, and cheese, they were very tasty.

Two of us opted for salads. The house version ($2.95) has lots of chilled greens, a slice of cucumber, and a ripe tomato slice. We appreciated our waitress's advice: when one of my companions ordered a Greek salad ($5.95), she noted it was "huge" and offered to have feta cheese and olives sprinkled on the house salad instead. My other companion enjoyed the Brew City onion ale soup ($3.75), a big bowl of beef broth enhanced with Tremont ale, lots of sliced onions, a slice of garlic bread, and melted Swiss cheese.

The three of us represent a range of appetites, from hearty to picky, and we all found something to make us happy on the Brew City menu. Our seafood fan found the selection varied enough that a choice was difficult. Grilled, fresh swordfish ($12.95) vied with garlic-and-herb baked haddock ($9.95) and with beer-battered shrimp ($12.95), but in the end apple smoked salmon ($11.95) won out. This was a generous fillet, smoked on premises. Our waitress warned that the smoke flavor is a bit strong for some people, but we thought it was great. Think lox, only thicker and not as salty. Along with the salmon came a choice of potatoes: Cajun spiced was the evening's special, which was misleading since they came in a sauce instead of spiced. After a taste, we focused on the crunchy French fries.

A black Angus steak sub ($6.95) was better than average. The roll was crusty and fresh; the shaved beef fried with peppers, mushrooms, and onions was hot and satisfying.

We rounded out our menu survey with a grilled chicken sandwich ($5.95), another tasty sandwich notable for the roll's freshness. Not to give short shrift to the chicken; it was flavorful.

We'd almost eaten our fill, but a chocolate raspberry cheesecake ($4.75) was too tempting to ignore. It was very good: chocolate crust, creamy filling, and chocolate and raspberry sauces.

In all, a good meal. Better yet, the damage to our wallets was minimal, $60.95 before tip.