Something familiar

Many people are familiar with The Webster House.And if you haven’t visited the restaurant, you most likely know someone who has. It is easly a local landmark.
Opened as the Soda Shoppe in 1935,current proprietor Chris Liazos signed on 1968 and the business later expanded into the restaurant that helps identify the intersection where it sits.
The menu at The Webster House specializes in Greek fare, has vegetarian selections and offers a different ethnic sampling each month.
With no shortage of choices, my guest and I decided to take the “Greek Tour”(with the exception of an order of onion rings $5.50).We ordered the hummus appetizer($4.95),the Greek combination platter($14.95) and the baked lamb shank entrée ($12.95).
Going with the recommended wine selections, we ordered the red Notios St. George and the white Boutari Moschofillero(both$4.95 per glass).We enjoyed the first glasses so much –both fruity; the red expansive and smooth with a hint of mocha at the end ,and the white tart with lemon-that we ordered a second. Webster House has an abundant list of international and domestic wines.
We started with our Greek salads while waiting for the appetizers. An exceptional side salad at most restaurants is rare and here it was no different. Mostly iceberg lettuce and carrots, cucumbers, olives, tomatoes and feta, it was respectable. The feta was missing its usual flavor, and though the dressing was homemade, it did not have the distinctive taste I was hoping for.
Our server, Ann, was most accommodating. Recognizing that we had ordered a lot of food, when she brought out the appetizers, she suggested that we take our time and let her know when we would like her to put in the order for our main course. She also had us signed up for Webster’s birthday and savings clubs before we could say “spam”.
Second course: a generous bowl of fresh hummus was surrounded by a dish of soft, warm pita points.
Again, it was good. Not great. The chickpea,sesame and olive oil paste was a bit bland. I could not detect the liveliness that lemon and garlic usually add. My guest was not such a hummus devotee, thus the onion rings. Thick slices fried just right, the onions were so juicy we needed to keep napkins handy.
Soon two brimming platters arrived. Two hefty lamb shanks were surrounded by rice pilaf, just the right side of dry, and Greek-style green beans. My Colombo platter included the same sides ,as well as an aromatic spinach pita in delicate phyllo. sweetened with cheese, a mini lamb chop and chicken-ka-bob with great, moist chunks of grilled chicken. Marinated in a savory reduction sauce, both cuts of lamb were tender and delicious. While the meat was flavorful on its own, I enjoyed dipping in the Tsadziki, a cool, dill/cucumber/yogurt concoction.
I somehow fit in a slice of baklava cheesecake($4).I have to admit, I usually find baklava too syrupy-sweet. But this creamy cheesecake between layers of phyllo with nuts on top and crumbly crust on the bottom was a wildly successful combination.
“Familiar” is how I would characterize our Webster House experience, which came to $65.26 before tip. At The Webster House, Familiar is a good thing. Patrons are treated like family and when they visit ,they know the table will be filled with their favorites, competently cooked. Liazos and the Webster House family are also active in community. Among the many special events hosted at the restaurant was a benefit for the SWINIC Children’s Library and for Summer Reading Program.

Ina Irving is a pseudonym.Comments? E-mail
editorial@worcestermag.com