To fully understand the inspiration behind Sweet Kitchen & Bar in Worcester, we must go back into Chef Elina Eisenhauer's past to explore her love for cooking (and of course, baking). Growing up in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Alina was inspired to cook by her mother, a dedicated farm-to-table cook who took pride in baking from scratch for her family. Her mother's cooking had a distinct healthy push, leaving Alina and her father craving what else- sugar! With a huge sweet tooth on her side, she began to work in restaurants that permitted her to create delectable desserts for the customers. Although Alina's life took many twists and turns (including a 10 year career as a fitness competitor, wow!), she always came back to her true passion- baking. Her search for sugar has led her to be successful dessert bar owner and entrepreneur, Food Network cooking show Chopped and Cupcake Wars competitor and Sweet Genius winner.
Perhaps a common misconception is that Sweet Kitchen & Bar is simply another bakery in Worcester. Although their cakes and cupcakes may be the most delicious part of your visit, the location itself is a full-scale restaurant that serves sweets, savory bar bites and appetizers, and a large drink menu. The restaurant features an in-house bakeshop that cooks up homemade, all-natural cupcakes, pastries, and even custom cakes for your birthday party or office celebration. Whether it is a replica of a Celtics Jersey for the big game, or a bottle of their favorite wine, there isn't an idea that they cannot make into a cake!
The restaurant menu also features some of their most popular desserts- the Dosants and their Bananas Foster Spring Rolls. The Dosants are French inspired donuts that are filled with dark chocolate, fried, and then covered in a cinnamon sugar coating. These finger-licking-good creations are served with a Carmel dipping sauce on the side. The Bananas Foster Spring Rolls are also fried up and served alongside vanilla ice cream topped with a rum spiced caramel sauce. Both mouth-watering creations can be seen below.
Those who prefer their savory offerings should take a seat at the bar and check out their "Shared Plates" menu. Most dishes are set up to share, allowing for guests to order multiple things and try a little bit of everything before meal's end. Some of their most popular savory dishes include: Korean Nachos with sesame rice crisps, Korean BBQ short ribs, cucumber kimchi, and garlic chili aioli, and the Chicken and Waffles with buttermilk fried chicken, cornmeal waffles, pickled peach relish, and housemade maple syrup. Yum!
"While desserts are her my area of expertise, I am quick to squash any beliefs that pastry chefs can't operate outside the realm of sugar and frosting. I am very proud of the small savory menu at my place."
However, the most popular of all their menus is the Saturday and Sunday Brunch that offers a creative twist to your normal breakfast options- for example their Smoked Duck Harvest Hash with cured and smoked duck breast, sweet potatoes, rutabaga, parsnip, sweet onion, and eggs. Or, try their Farmers Breakfast Frittata, featuring potatoes, spinach, onion, and sausage all mixed together with eggs and topped with melted cheese! Take a look at this delectable creation below.
Wash down all of these wonderful, creative dishes down with an ice-cold beer, glass of wine, or one of their specialty cocktails (feel free to check out the list here: www.sweetworcester.com/drinks-menu.pdf). Visitors can even watch as their dishes are being prepared as they sit in lounge chairs and talk amongst friends. Whether you're stopping in for a quick bite after a movie, or enjoying a nice meal alongside family and friends, Sweet Kitchen & Bar has whatever you need for a delicious experience.
Watch a demo of how it works!
