Restaurants

by

Providence, RI: A Day in the Life

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We’ve now lived in Providence for over four years, and it would be hard to fit in one blog post all my thoughts about that. So instead, I thought I’d describe an eventful, but fairly typical Saturday, which as it turns out, might be a perfect way to highlight our life in Providence.

8:28 am – We woke up “late” for us, which meant we had to rush to get the girls ready for gymnastics and ballet at Aim High Academy, where dozens of gymnasts were already hard at work.

10:00 am – We head to Allie’s Donuts–an institution for good reason. A donut cake (exactly what it sounds like) has been ordered for one of our daughter’s birthday this month.

11:15 am – We make our way to the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers’ Market opening day. This year’s market has more than doubled, and it is every bit better. We all sit in the courtyard and have Tallulah’s Tacos for lunch. The girls make a basket at ACKpack Basket Studio. Michele buys a giant stalk of brussels sprouts, freshly dug potatoes, onions, and parsnips from the market, along with apples from Barden Family Orchard. Our daughter insists we buy more pickles from Harmony Hill Farm. We get dessert–an almond croissant and an apricot financier–from the French Tarte. On our way out, we discover a new store, Sassy Mama Cuisine, that has rows upon rows of hot sauces. I’m looking for one made with Bhut jolokia, and pick from more than a dozen.

2:00 pm – I nap.

3:30 pm – I take my six-year-old daughter to Cirque Éloize, one of the first shows in this year’s FirstWorks Festival at the Providence Performing Arts Center, while Michele takes our two-year old to the Providence Children’s Museum.

6:00 pm – At home,  I make the kids a pizza with dough from Olga’s and cheese from Narragansett Creamery.

7:30 pm – Michele and I walk downtown to the Brown University/Trinity Repertory Theatre, to see a production of Twelfth Night, or What You Will. Since we didn’t buy tickets in advance, we wait standby and luckily get seats from a few no-shows. Even after four years of shows, it’s my first time in the Pell Chafee Performance Center.

9:30 pm – We get drinks and appetizers at Gracie’s, which turned out to be a meal that would rival the best in recent memory: a sherry-roasted beet salad with Cloumage cheese, pistachio nougatine, wild rice crispies, sour apple, and Aquidneck honey; Hudson Valley foie gras with fennel dusted brioche donuts, roasted peach, pistachio, raspberry gelee; russet potato gnocchi with house cured ham, broccoli, cauliflower, cheddar, buttery herb crumb; and crispy veal sweetbreads with sunny side quail’s egg, parmesan spinach, potato fondue, pickled ramps (this one was a standout).

10:30 pm – Our babysitter needs to leave early tonight, so Michele grabs a cab home. I stay on, for a show at AS220.

12:00 am – The band Melt Banana plays in AS220’s tiny venue, where you can get up close and mingle with the bands.

1:00 am – I take an UberX ride home! Just 2 minutes after calling…

I’ve always thought that a perfect city is one that you can “use” to its fullest regularly. And with that as my definition, I’m in the right place for now…

For more information:

Aim High Academy
3355 S County Trail
East Greenwich, RI
http://www.aimhighacademy.com/

Allie’s Donuts
3661 Quaker Lane
North Kingstown, RI
https://www.facebook.com/AlliesDonuts

Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers’ Market (Saturdays 9 am-1pm and Wednesdays 4-7pm through May 17, 2014)
at Hope Artiste Village
1005 Main St.
Pawtucket, RI
http://www.farmfresh.org/winter

Tallulah on Thames
464 Thames Street
Newport, RI
http://www.tallulahonthames.com/

Sassy Mama Cuisine
at Hope Artiste Village
1005 Main St.
Pawtucket, RI

The French Tarte
at Hope Artiste Village
1005 Main St.
Pawtucket, RI
http://www.frenchtarte.com/

ACKpack Basket Studio
at Hope Artiste Village
1005 Main St.
Pawtucket, RI
https://www.facebook.com/pages/ACKpack-Basket-Studio/467747816608744

Barden Family Orchard
56 Elmdale Rd
North Scituate, RI
http://www.bardenfamilyorchard.com/

Harmony Hill Farm
Barrington, RI
http://harmonyhill-farm.com/

Providence Performing Arts Center
220 Weybosset Street
Providence, RI
http://www.ppacri.org/

FirstWorks
http://first-works.org/

Providence Children’s Museum
100 South Street
Providence, RI
www.childrenmuseum.org

Olga’s Cup & Saucer
103 Point Street
Providence, RI
www.olgascupandsaucer.com

Narragansett Creamery
www.richeeses.com

Brown University/Trinity Repertory Theatre
www.browntrinity.com

Gracie’s
194 Washington Street
Providence, RI
graciesprovidence.com

AS220
115 Empire Street
Providence, RI
www.as220.org

by

Bakery Style Pizza (aka Rhode Island Pizza Strips) at Tomato City Pizza

Bakery Style Pizza from Tomato City Pizza.

Bakery Style Pizza from Tomato City Pizza.

After living in Providence for four years, we still didn’t understand what all the fuss was about ‘pizza strips.’ In our experience, it was a cold doughy cheeseless pizza with globs of tomato sauce that looked like this.

However, recently a veteran of the city introduced Geoff to the ‘bakery style pizza’ at Tomato City Pizza in Providence. And now we get it. Their version of the pizza strip is sprinkled with parmesan cheese and features a thinner, crispier crust cooked so well-done that the brown edges actually taste sweet. It’s delicious hot, warm or cold. I can’t promise this is the most ‘authentic’ pizza strip in Rhode Island, but it’s certainly the best we’ve tasted to date.

Tomato City Pizza
1041 Douglas Avenue
Providence, RI
by

Blount Clam Shack: Summer All Year Long

Blount Clam Shack's famous clam chowder.

Blount Clam Shack’s famous clam chowder.

In an effort to try and pretend that summer is not over, I’ve continued to make regular trips to Eskimo King for soft serve (yes, it’s worth the drive from Providence). It just doesn’t get much better than their medium (okay sometimes large) coffee soft serve cone with chocolate jimmies. Sadly, they closed for their season on October 14.

Blount's seafood dinner for two, a Friday special.

Blount’s seafood dinner for two, a Friday special.

I also finally made my way over to Blount Clam Shack in Providence, which is open year round. We ordered the Saturday special “Seafood Dinner for Two” which as it turned out was plenty for all of us (two adults and two kids) with two cups of chowder, clam cakes,
haddock, scallops, whole belly clams, shrimp, french fries, cole slaw and two drinks. The clam chowder was our favorite with just the right amount of creamy with good hunks of firm potatoes and tender clams, but I definitely prefer the clam cakes at Flo’s Clam Shack. The rest seemed more like your traditional seafood shack fare, although the whole belly clams were quite unique and tasty. Next time, I’ll try the lobster bisque and a lobster roll for a taste of summer decadence in the off-season.

Eskimo King
29 Market Street
Swansea, MA
www.eskimoking.com

Blount Clam Shack and Soup Bar
371 Richmond Street
Providence, RI
http://www.blountretail.com/providence/home
Also see their list of other locations in Warren, Fall River, MA and Crescent Park (Riverside, RI) at http://www.blountretail.com/providence/other_blount_locations

by

Geneva Diner

A bowl of tripe

A bowl of tripe

With more handwritten signs than items on the menu, Geneva Diner serves lunch everyday and dinner on the weekends. On a whiteboard, I spotted an asterisk next to the word “Tripe,” which produced the spicy, tender bowl pictured at right, smelling faintly of a barnyard.

Geneva Diner
1162 Douglas Ave
North Providence, RI 02904
(401) 353-8333

by

Figidini Wood Fire Eatery: Pizza in Providence

A margarita pizza with fresh mozzarella and local basil.

A margarita pizza with fresh mozzarella and local basil.

Providence has great food. But I’m still not sure what algorithm causes New York to rank third for Travel & Leisure’s America’s Best Pizza and Providence to rank second. I suppose having grown up in New York City, I will always believe that the thin-crust New York-style pizza (when done right, of course) is the ‘real’ pizza.

Arugula with Israeli couscous, goat cheese, lemon cucumber, and a blackberry yogurt dressing.

Arugula with Israeli couscous, goat cheese, lemon cucumber, and a blackberry yogurt dressing.

Nevertheless, there is also nothing quite like a wood-fired Neapolitan pizza done right, and that you’ll find at Figidini Wood Fire Eatery. They recently opened in Downcity adding to what is turning out to be a great block to grab a bite in Providence.

On our most recent visit, we opted for an arugula salad with Israeli couscous, goat cheese, red onions, and lemon cucumber topped with rock salt and a blackberry yogurt dressing. Geoff chose the soppressata‎ pizza special, while I opted for the plainer margarita pizza — each so different, but both with their signature flavorful, light and tender crust.

It’s not New York pizza, but it certainly is Providence pizza at its best.

Figidini Wood Fire Eatery 
67 Washington St
Providence, RI
(401) 808-6886
www.facebook.com/Figidini

by

Matunuck Oyster Bar

There's nothing quite like a plate of lobster.

The whole lobster at Matunuck Oyster Bar.

Personally, I prefer a lobster roll. But it seems that once every summer, I have to order a full lobster despite how much effort it takes to eat it. For me, this needs to be prefaced by a day at the beach so that I’m sandy and salty while I eat it. Matunuck Oyster Bar happens to be located down the street from East Matunuck State Beach, so the location is ideal. Plus, they prioritize fresh, local seafood and local farm produce, which results in a fine meal.

Point Judith Calamari: Lightly fried calamari with cherry peppers, tossed with arugula and fried capers, and topped with citrus aioli

Point Judith Calamari: Lightly fried calamari with cherry peppers, tossed with arugula and fried capers, and topped with citrus aioli

We began our most recent meal with the perfectly tender calamari, which they lightly fry with cherry peppers and toss with arugula and fried capers, and top with citrus aioli. Their clam chowder (New England creamy or Rhode Island clear) also makes a great appetizer, and if you enjoy fresh oysters, you’ll find plenty to choose from here.

Next came the lobster — a monster of a meal, but delicious, of course. I’d also recommend the pistachio-crusted Atlantic cod with curry brown butter, saffron rice, and local roasted vegetables. Somehow, we still had room for dessert. We chose one of the best fruit cobblers I’ve ever eaten (that Geoff didn’t make). A day at the beach followed by a meal like this — I couldn’t ask for more.

Matunuck Oyster Bar
629 Succotash Rd
South Kingstown, RI 02879
(401) 783-4202
www.rhodyoysters.com

by

Garden Grille: I Can Be a Vegetarian Too

Reggie's Raw Heaven salad: ugula – Mango – Grapefruit – Avocado Beet Infused Jicama – Cashew Gamasio – Pomegranate Dressing

Reggie’s Raw Heaven salad at Garden Grille.

I am quite publicly not a vegetarian (Exhibit A: hamburger, Exhibit B: corn dog, Exhibit C: meatball). In fact, when my sister decided in high school to become a vegetarian, I immediately took her to Westville West telling her they had great salads (they do), but knowing she’d never be able to resist their hamburger (she couldn’t). Perhaps that’s what makes Garden Grille in Pawtucket especially impressive–it can turn even an avid meat-lover into a vegetarian (at least for a night).

We’ve been to Garden Grille at least a dozen times, and we always leave having eaten well and feeling great. Our favorite salad is Reggie’s Raw Heaven (pictured above) with arugula, mango, grapefruit, avocado, beet-infused jicama, cashew gamasio and pomegranate dressing. We also love the nachos (which we order with ‘real’ cheese although they have a vegan version), the chipotle seitan (which the girls call ‘chicken’), and the sweet potato wedges with barbecue sauce. They always feature unique specials inspired by fresh produce from local farms, and they carry drinks from local breweries and wineries.

Some surprisingly delicious cookies from Wildflour Vegan Bakery.

Some surprisingly delicious cookies from Wildflour Vegan Bakery.

If you want to stick with the theme, you can have dessert a few doors down at Wildflour Vegan Bakery. I was so sure that vegan desserts couldn’t taste good that I didn’t even order one.  I was wrong. I’m not sure what witchcraft they use to replace butter and eggs, but my daughters’ chocolate chip cookie and corn muffin were both surprisingly delicious.

Garden Grille
727 East Avenue
Pawtucket, RI
(401) 726-2826
http://gardengrillecafe.com/

Wildflour Vegan Bakery
727 East Avenue
Pawtucket RI
(401) 475 4718
http://www.wildflourveganbakerycafe.com/

by

La Arepa Restaurant

The chicken arepa with sliced avocado, black beans and cheese.

The chicken arepa with sliced avocado, black beans and cheese.

After a trip to Rock Spot Climbing, we all seem to work up an appetite (even though only one of us climbs).  Luckily, La Arepa, an unpretentious Venezuelan restaurant, happens to be on our way home.  We’ve now been there a handful of times and have always loved what we ordered.

This time, I chose an arepa (like a tortilla, but thicker) with shredded chicken, sliced avocado, queso cheese, and black beans, along with a side of fried plantains. Our two-year-old wanted only rice (she’s on a strictly all-carbs diet), which she proceeded to eat while sprinkling all over the table, chair and floor so that the waiter asked politely if she needed a bigger plate. Still, even she ate some of the chicken that we ordered for her–it was that good.

La Arepa
574 Smithfield Avenue
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
(401) 335-3711
www.laarepari.com

by

Taste Trekkers Food Tourism Conference

Farmstead Chef Matt Jennings will deliver the conference's keynote

Farmstead Chef Matt Jennings will deliver the conference’s keynote.

Yes, we can admit that Providence is not the best Spring Break destination, as Travel & Leisure reports. However, we do rank high in arguably more important measurements: #1 for hamburgers and #2 for both pizza and ice cream. As if you needed more than that, Providence also ranks #8 for ethnic food and #9 for micro-beers, among others.

So, it should be no surprise that the Taste Trekkers Food Tourism Conference plans to come to Providence for its inaugural event in September 2013. Organized by Mystery Meet founder and Brown alum Seth Resler, the event, designed for people who plan their vacations around food, will bring together hundreds of chefs, farmers, food bloggers, travel writers, culinary students and others to enjoy a range of cuisines. Farmstead Chef Matt Jennings will deliver the conference’s keynote address, and the event will feature a cocktail reception, a tasting pavilion, a food truck court, and group dinners all around the city.

In anticipation, they’ve launched a KickStarter campaign that will run through March 30 to fund the event. As with all KickStarter campaigns, if the project succeeds in reaching its funding goal, all backers’ credit cards will be charged. If the project falls short, no one is charged. So ante up everyone–they are giving away tickets, books, posters and more to contributors.

Taste Trekkers Food Tourism Conference
September 20-22, 2013
www.TasteTrekkers.com
Reserve tickets and more through their KickStarter campaign at www.kickstarter.com/projects/mysterymeet/taste-trekkers-food-tourism-conference