Restaurants

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Three Sisters: Breakfast, Lunch and Ice Cream

Three Sisters café -- a cup of coffee and coffee ice cream.

Three Sisters café -- a cup of coffee and coffee ice cream.

I first discovered Three Sisters when I needed an oil change in a hurry.  The East Side Shell service center said they could squeeze me in, but that I’d have to wait a few hours.  Having work to do, I quickly googled for a free wifi café nearby and found Three Sisters two doors down.  All I wanted was an iced tea and a place to work for a few hours.  What I discovered was much more — a thick, gooey egg and cheese sandwich on an english muffin and an atmosphere that welcomed earnest laptop users and moms with strollers alike.

Anyone noticing a theme? A yummy chocolate ice cream cone from Three Sisters -- I won't tell anyone if you eat it for breakfast.

Anyone noticing a theme? A yummy chocolate ice cream cone from Three Sisters -- I won't tell anyone if you eat it for breakfast.

Today, the East Side Shell brought me back to Three Sisters since this morning we had a flat tire.  I’ve been meaning to try their homemade ice cream, but keep showing up there at breakfast.  In fact, I have nothing against eating an ice cream cone at 10 am, which is why I bought a pint of chocolate and some cones and took them home to eat.  It’s a grittier chocolate — you can feel and taste the cocoa — but absolutely perfectly thick and creamy.  Oh, and they also sell Only 8, a highly addictive frozen yogurt safe for dieters, diabetics, and those with lactose-intolerance.  Yet I have the strange feeling that I won’t be getting the Only 8 next time either…

Three Sisters
1074 Hope Street
Providence, RI
www.threesistersri.com

East Side Shell
1100 Hope Street
Providence, RI
www.shell.com

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Oatley’s Restaurant

French toast and corned beef & hash at Oatley's Restaurant.

French toast and corned beef & hash at Oatley's Restaurant.

My dad has lived in Rhode Island for my entire life, but since my parents have been divorced for most of that, my childhood in the Ocean State comprised of a few weeks in the summer.  The rest of the time, my dad dutifully drove down to wherever I was living (somewhere in New York or Connecticut) every other weekend.  I’d joke that he was as reliable as the post office, delivering himself on my doorstep through rain, sleet and snow.  So it’s no wonder our moving to Rhode Island would evoke his enthusiasm.  The other day, he stopped by to mow our lawn.

And this morning, he and my step-mom (who Madeline calls Grand-Donna) treated us to brunch at Oatley’s Restaurant in North Kingstown, RI.  Even the name of it, I liked.  From the outside, it has the woodsy charm of a country store and inside it’s an old fashioned restaurant with several tables and a counter dishing out homemade comfort food.  At 10 am there was a bit of a line, which I took as a good sign.  Since they make their own breads and muffins, I chose the french toast made with raisin bread.  French toast on homemade bread can sometimes be dry especially if it’s sliced too thickly, but this was perfectly eggy and not too sweet.  (I’m glad to report that they don’t blanket their french toast with a mound of powdered sugar).  With some crisp, meaty bacon on the side, it made my ideal brunch.

Oatley’s Restaurant
717 Ten Rod Road
North Kingstown, RI

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From Gray’s Ice Cream to Newport Creamery (or Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me Ice Cream Season Was Over?)

Not a bad consolation prize: the all-Oreo ice cream sandwich from Newport Creamery.

Not a bad consolation prize: the all-Oreo ice cream sandwich from Newport Creamery.

I’ve had some darn good ice cream in Rhode Island which is why I’ve been eager to check out the serial Best of Rhode Island winner Gray’s Ice Cream. Deciding it wasn’t wise to promise a two-year old ice cream, get in the car for a half hour and then not actually get it, I opted to call first. Apparently, there’s no phone in their new Bristol shop, but the Tiverton staff member I spoke with assured me they would be open until 9 pm today in Bristol. After our scenic drive, we hopped out of our car and headed to Gray’s Ice Cream’s picture-perfect dockside building. Imagine our horror to find that same building dark and locked.

Don't believe everything you read.

Don't believe everything you read: Gray's Ice Cream's posted hours.

Immediately, I called the Tivertown branch to inform them (much to their surprise) that there was, in fact, no one working at the Bristol store but there wasn’t much they could do. Since we had come all that way, we took a walk through the charming waterfront town of Bristol and stopped in at Organically Good and Quito’s (opposite ends of the culinary spectrum). We learned that since it had been raining all day, no one had really come to Bristol — for all we know, we were the only ones peering into the dark windows of Gray’s Ice Cream. A few blocks away was The Daily Scoop, but it too was closed, this time more officially for the season. I then tried calling the next closest place, Frostee’s Ice Cream and Desserts in Warren, RI, but there was no answer. So we resigned ourselves to an old standby: Newport Creamery. We had passed one on the way down in Barrington and were so confident they’d be open we didn’t even call first.

I’ve eaten at Newport Creamery dozens of times over the past several years and I have a lukewarm feeling about their food (although fond memories of their Earth & Turf Superburgers). Summers in Newport, I never went there, opting instead for Frosty Freez in Middletown or Cold Fusion in downtown Newport. But it was open, and apparently in October, that’s the main criteria.

An undiscovered treat on the menu caught my eye: the Cow’wich, an ice cream sandwich made with your choice of ice cream smashed between two giant Oreo® cookie wafers. I decided to go all-Oreo choosing cookies & cream ice cream for the middle. It was a good choice. The Oreo® wafers made the perfect crisp counterpart to the rich ice cream. Even just seeing it made Madeline’s sundae look like a meager substitute. And what kid doesn’t like a giant cookie? Needless to say, I had to share.

Sad Update 10/24/2009:  After one of the worst meatball sandwiches at Fellini Pizza, I decided to go for another Cow’wich consolation prize.  But sadly, the Newport Creamery in Warwick, RI has started refrigerating their cookies making them wet and mushy.  I’m not sure yet if this is a company-wide decision, but I’m in mourning nonetheless.

Newport Creamery
296 County Road
Barrington, RI
www.newportcreamery.com

Organically Good
267 Thames St
Bristol, RI
www.organicallygoodri.com

Quito’s
411 Thames Street
Bristol, RI
www.quitosrestaurant.com

Gray’s Ice Cream
Bristol, RI and Tiverton, RI
www.graysicecream.com

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Cupcakes, Jerk Chicken, Natural Soda (oh, and Fruits and Veggies too) at Providence Downtown Farmers’ Market

Peanut butter cupcake with dark chocolate frosting -- why didn't I think of that?

Peanut butter cupcake with dark chocolate frosting -- why didn't I think of that?

A bit of squash, some onions, certainly apples — these are the things I expected to find at today’s visit to the Providence Downtown Farmers’ Market in Kennedy Plaza. And although it’s a small market, there were certainly enough vendors to satisfy, including some of my favorites from the Newport and Middletown markets — Simmons Farm (squash, lettuce, corn, heritage pork, etc.) and Barden Family Orchard (peaches and apples). I also discovered some new farm vendors — Big Train Farm, Hill Orchards and Heritage Farm.

Madeline wakes in time for The Cupcakerie.

Madeline wakes in time for The Cupcakerie.

What I did not expect to find were cupcakes. Now, I do agree that there is a cupcake bubble. Yet I have to agree with a friend of mine who recently admitted that there’s no ceiling on the price he’s willing to pay for one of those small perfectly iced cakes.   But the disappointing truth is most cupcakes are just awful and usually the better they look, the worse they are.  A trip to New York is worth it if only for a sloppy Magnolia cupcake, but I only needed to try once the delicately designed and lousy imitation cupcakes from Sweet in Boston or Crumbs (from New York to California). So I remained fairly skeptical as we paid $2.75 per impeccably iced cupcake from The Cupcakerie stand at the market today. Our choices: a lemon cupcake for ourselves and a peanut butter with chocolate frosting for Madeline who instinctively awakened from her nap as we approached the stand. I’ve never had a peanut butter cupcake with a smooth dark chocolate frosting, but now that I have, I’ll say, it’s about time. It was one of the softest, tastiest cupcakes I’ve ever had — a perfect balance of light cake and rich frosting.  The lemon cupcake equally impressed us with a simple cake and and heavy-on-the-butter (I’m not complaining) lemon frosting.

The stands at the Providence Downtown Farmers' Market.

The stands at the Providence Downtown Farmers' Market.

The market was full of other wonderful sweet and savory surprises like the fabulously tender jerk chicken from a stand by Tina’s Caribbean Restaurant and a clearly addictive agave-sweetened and purple corn infused soda by Misti.  Oh yes, I’ll be back.  And I’ll try to remember to pick up some fruits and vegetables while I’m there too.

Providence Downtown Farmers’ Market
Kennedy Plaza & Exchange Terrace
Providence, RI
http://www.farmfresh.org/food/farmersmarkets_details.php?market=13
Fridays 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM from June 12 to October 30, 2009

The Cupcakerie
www.thecupcakerie.net

Misti
www.misticorporation.com

Tina’s Caribbean Restaurant
www.tinasjamaican.faithweb.com

Simmons Farm
www.simmonsfarm.com

Barden Family Orchard
www.bardenfamilyorchard.com

Heritage Farm
www.heritagefarmri.com

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First Two Days of Eating in Providence: Diners and Delis

An inside view of Farmstead.

An inside view of Farmstead.

We moved to Providence, Rhode Island 48 hours ago, and have had a decent meal every six hours on average. With no particular bias except geography, here are the first eight Rhode Island restaurants we tried since we became residents of the state. I’ve ordered these from what I thought was the worst to the best, for fun, so the reader can understand my personal preferences for food and why.

8. Haven Brothers Diner – By far the worst meal of the lot. I’ve been to this movable diner once before at 2am, and it seemed a lot better than it did on my recent day visit.  Nothing is cooked to order, frozen food is reheated in an underpowered microwave in unwashed containers. The staff is all family and perfectly friendly, but tonight they are much more interested in the novelty of running a diner than the food quality. One would think the novelty would have worn off considering that they’ve been around forever. Walking up those stairs into the portable restaurant is really great, but the food is worse than poor. Save it for 2am. (Fulton and Dorrance Streets, Providence, RI)

7. Minerva Pizza House – Standard fare. Americanized Greek and Middle Eastern food. I didn’t try the pizza yet, but falafel fell short. A heavily seasoned grilled chicken salad (iceberg lettuce) wasn’t half-bad. (20 South Angell Street, Providence, RI)

6. Amenities – This little owner-run deli makes decent sandwiches, with good proportions, on fresh bread. A few inventive items decorate the whiteboard menu. A turkey Reuben was tasty the other day, and the sandwich was made to order with care. (10 Dorrance Street, Providence, RI)

5. Eddie & Sons Diner – [Ed. note: Eddie & Sons has closed permanently] The atmosphere at this central downtown diner can’t be beat. Newspapers waiting in a neat pile for their readers to pore over during a breakfast taken with black coffee. They failed my official ‘diner litmus test’ with canned hash, but Michele liked the pancakes, which is no small feat. Lots of gossip, lots of regulars, and even a refusal to serve a customer — “I can’t fill that coffee cup, it’s too big,” our waitress practically hollers to a workmen who walked in. “Let him fill it,” a voice rings out from the back.  “I already told him I won’t!” she shouts back. I love it. Potatoes (another test) were not crispy but otherwise very flavorful. (4 Dorrance St Providence, RI)

4. East Side Pocket – The long line is a giveaway. This place is good. Fresh-made sandwiches, and solid Middle Eastern food. Chips and hummus where both the hummus and chips taste homemade. (278 Thayer Street, Providence, RI www.eastsidepocket.com)

3.  Seven Stars Bakery – These simple sandwiches of ham, cheese and butter on a baguette could have been made in Paris — tasty although a bit dry (here you are welcome to add mustard or mayo).  They also make a delicious cinnamon swirl bun and ginger star cookies. They carry soda made in Rhode Island! (820 Hope St and 342 Broadway, Providence, RI www.sevenstarsbakery.com)

2. Loui’s – This snug diner offers great diner food at reasonable prices.  Favorites are the delicious (and huge) breakfast sandwiches on toasted long rolls or English muffins and tasty pancakes (no maple syrup though).  Sometimes the portions are a bit absurd, like two scrambled eggs that look more like five.  They also have lunch and dinner items — although we tried to go there for dinner on Monday, and they were closed.  The service is perfect — our quick-handed waitress was able to save a huge OJ from being knocked off the table by an over-eager Madeline.  We’ve been back quite a few times since we first discovered this place on one of our trips to Providence — it’s a keeper. (286 Brook St, Providence, RI)

1. Farmstead – Glad to see this top-notch little sandwich shop in Wayland Square.  A BLT with thick, smoky bacon (perfectly cooked, IMO) on even thicker bread is a delicious, if a bit heavy of a lunch.  The braseola with fig jam, cheese and lettuce definitely won us over. They have a wide selection of cheeses, and even sell chips and sodas made in New England. (184-188 Wayland Avenue, Providence, RI, www.farmsteadinc.com)  June 2014: Farmstead has been sold and will no longer be run by Chef Matt Jennings

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The Middle of Nowhere Diner

Middle of Nowhere Diner

The Middle of Nowhere Diner in Exeter, Rhode Island

This is the kind of place that usually causes Geoff to declare, “That looks fantastic,” as we drive past. I’ve come to realize his criteria: the dingier and dirtier, the better he imagines it is. Sometimes, he’s right and we discover the best pancakes ever, but just as often our meal turns out to be a disappointment.

So last night as we stopped into The Middle of Nowhere Diner in Exeter, Rhode Island, I knew it could go either way. At 5:30 pm on a Sunday, the place was bustling with a mostly over-60-something crowd, but still plenty of tables to choose from (it’s larger than it looks from the outside).

We started with the wedding soup which nicely done with delicious homemade meatballs, fresh greens, and teeny balls of pasta. I’m not going to lie to you — it’s not even half as good as Geoff’s grandmother makes. But, it was pretty good for a diner, and since I ate two bowls, I must have liked it. For our main course, Geoff had meatloaf (also freshly made with robust flavor), and I had a perfectly wonderful roast chicken which they called All-You-Can-Eat Chicken alongside a more ordinary pasta with sauce. Sadly, we didn’t get to taste the homemade desserts because Madeline had decided it was time to go. And when a two-year-old says it’s time to go, trust me, you listen.

But we’ll be back, hopefully next time to try their pancakes and four-egg omelets.

The Middle of Nowhere Diner
222 Nooseneck Hill Rd
Exeter, RI
www.themiddleofnowherediner.com

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The Dawg House

Note: We recently drove past here in summer 2010, and it appears that the Dawg House is no more.  If anyone knows anything, please post a comment!

I have driven past The Dawg House in Middletown hundreds of times without seeing it. It’s at the end of a small plaza just before Rt. 138 on Aquidneck Ave. (It is only 2 blocks from Frosty Freez). Hot dogs are not hard to make well, and here they follow all of the standard rules: there is a large cabinet outside for daily roll deliveries; the rolls are steamed, soft and fresh; and the hot dogs are high-quality New York style hot dogs — long and thin with a juicy snap when you bite into them.  So far so good.

Where's the Hot Dog?

Where's the Hot Dog?

What makes The Dawg House special is that Roger, an amicable co-owner thinks long and hard about the flavors to add to his already tasty hot dogs. On one visit, he was in a heated discussion about Peanut Butter — not for the hot dogs — just for the academic exercise (he’s a die-hard fan of the pristine peanut butter from Peanut Butter & Co.)  He’s just as passionate about hot dog condiments, as he makes all of them in-house. (He will happily experiment on you with some of his combinations).

His New York red sauce with onions is the best I’ve had, much thicker and with larger, sweet onions. His baked beans are delicious, but would be better as a side dish, since they mask the flavor of the hot dog.  Sauerkraut is fresh and crisp, and his mustard has finely ground seeds in it.  My only complaint is that the condiments overpower, so take advantage of the “buy four get one free” and get a couple without too much on them.

Possibly the best thing about The Dawg House is the prospect of a perfect summer lunch. A dozen hot dogs from here (eaten at tables outside beside the shop) followed by soft serve from Frosty Freez a few hundred feet away!

The Dawg House
1132 Aquidneck Ave. (Gambrell Plaza)
Middletown, RI
(401) 324-4089
www.dawghouseonline.com