Providence RI Restaurants

[michael_g]

I'd also highly recommend Brickway on Wickenden for, well, everything.

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Boy, given that I'd recommend it for nothing, I'd love to know what you like about the place. My daughter is insisting we go there tomorrow for our blended family first-day-of-school breakfast; five'll give you ten that it's still lousy.

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I was a little glib, but I've always enjoyed the omelets and gotten great service. French toast with strawberries is good -- in the season. The hashbrowns have been underdone from time to time, or so says my girlfriend. But the coffee is good and ever-flowing, the omelets well-rolled, and the staff friendly. I mean, no lobster benedict, but...

Then again, I've been gone for a year, so I may be letting the glow of the past wash over my memory.

[Chris Amirault]

You said it -- I didn't! Breakfast the other day was better, though, than in the past; their potatoes weren't as greezy. However, their pancakes are still food-service bad.

Had a swell dinner at La Laiterie last night. We especially liked the chevre fig tart, though the fig, radicchio and endive salad was great, too. (Sense a theme here?)

[Chris Amirault]

Found out that Chilangos closes on Wednesdays (grrr...) and went over to Bombay Club with my 9-year-old. OK samosas, excellent naan, good palak/saag paneer, and a somewhat bland aachari chicken. Fantastic rice, too. Interesting.

[BeefCheeks]

Al Forno.....FABULOUS place.

[OwnReward]

Al Forno.....FABULOUS place.

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There are changes going on in the kitchen there I believe... the exec is leaving to start his own place now the owners are back from their French sabbatical...I don't know if the change has happened or is still in process...

KV

[Chris Amirault]

Yep. Click for the full ProJo story:

Kingsford, the chef and CEO, has been running Providence’s signature restaurant for the past three years for owners George Germon and Johanne Killeen. The pair has spent most of that time at their second home in the Provence region of France writing a book. Kingsford has worked at Al Forno for 17 of the restaurant’s 27 years.

Killeen is back in Providence and has replaced Kingsford with David Reynoso, 35, who previously worked with her and Germon at their Café Louis restaurant in Boston.

Apparently Kingsford (a swell guy from whom I got access to Al Forno's kitchen for my food blog) is looking for funding for his own place.

[larousse]

HI.

Im moving to Providence at the end of this month and I was hoping to find out a little more about the restaurants in the area. I'm a chef, looking for a job and Im trying to find out where to look for a job. Basically Im looking for the short list of the best places to eat, fine dinging and casual. Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

[Chris Amirault]

Had a pretty good, if small-portioned, lunch at Rasoi today. The lamb kofta with prune centers were great, but there were only four of them -- yikes!

[NewEnglandSteve]

I've been to Rasoi a couple of times since it opened. I've enjoyed it but have not been overwhelmed. I'm glad to have another option for Indian in the area, especially since the menu seems to be considerably different than what I'm used to. I still think Bombay Club is the best around.

[Chris Amirault]

What do you get at Bombay Club?

[NewEnglandSteve]

My favorite is the chicken/lamb vindaloo. Next would have to be the chicken tikka masala, and the aachari chicken. They have the best garlic naan in the city too in. Wash it down with a nice mango lassi. Good stuff!

[Chris Amirault]

Just had a fantastic pabellon arepa -- a round corn cake filled with cheese, shredded stewed beef, black beans, and avocado -- at La Arepa, a busy little Venezuelan restaurant on Smithfield Ave in Pawtucket. They have great drinks (the sugar cane and lemon drink and raspberry are confirmed winners) and are cheap as can be. A good option in Blackstone Valley, especially now that Siam Square is gone.

[Chris Amirault]

Back at Rasoi tonight and enjoyed it a great deal. Chicken Chettinad was very good, though the white meat was a bit dry, and the kofta were again great. Not sure what's going on with the mango curry vegetables, though.

[Jesikka]

Can anyone give a full report on Bravo? I have only seen snippets here and there indicating that it's not great. Are there better things to order?

[Chris Amirault]

I can't -- sorry. All I've gotten for feedback is "Ugh. No. Don't."

La Arepa on Smithfield Ave in Pawtucket has reopened after remodeling and is nice and big now. Got another one of those pabellon arepas today, which I enjoyed with lots of sauce and the soursop drink. Yum. Yes. Do.

[Tina Wright]

I can't -- sorry. All I've gotten for feedback is "Ugh. No. Don't."

La Arepa on Smithfield Ave in Pawtucket has reopened after remodeling and is nice and big now. Got another one of those pabellon arepas today, which I enjoyed with lots of sauce and the soursop drink. Yum. Yes. Do.

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i keep passing la arepa on the way to the rock gym and had thought about trying it. now i definitely will. what other arepas have you tried?

what do you know about la lupita in olneyville square?

[Chris Amirault]

Haven't been to Lupita -- but I hear that your trip to La Arepa was swell, si?

[Chris Amirault]

Has anyone been to Loui Fuller on Westminster? I keep driving by and it looks interesting.

[Chris Amirault]

Went by the new Big Fish tiki bar today to check out the cocktail menu. Surely Elkay would have some interesting tiki drinks out there, right?

There is no cocktail menu at the Big Fish tiki bar.

[herp17]

Going to Providence, RI next weekend for a convention Rhode Island Convention Center. What are the good cheap eats around the area? It can be within walking distance or driving. And it can be anything. From pizza to middle eastern. Any suggestions? What are the must go to eating places in Providence.

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

[jvictor930]

Going to Providence, RI next weekend for a convention Rhode Island Convention Center. What are the good cheap eats around the area? It can be within walking distance or driving. And it can be anything. From pizza to middle eastern. Any suggestions? What are the must go to eating places in Providence.

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. 

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There's a little place called Murphy's Deli & Bar on Union Street. It's a hop, skip and a jump away from the convention center. It's been a while since I've been there, but it was good cheap eats downtown...it's probably not a must see, but it's good food and close!

[tkrongold]

Hi - NJ eGullet member coming to Providence for weekend in early October. Have never been before. Can anyone provide restaurant suggestions? I've heard Al Forno is good but service is bad unless you are a regular. Others?

Thanks!

[andyb]

Gracie's

Capriccio

Cafe Nuovo

10

XO

Mill's Tavern

Providence Oyster Bar

+ many others

[Chris Amirault]

From that list, I'd keep Gracie's, maybe 10, maybe XO. Definitely not Capriccio or Mill's Tavern.

Local 121, Chez Pascal, La Laiterie, and, yes, Al Forno are serving great food. That rumor about non-regulars treated badly sounds like bunk to me, btw.

If I had to pick one meal right now that's a lock to be good, I'd choose Gracie's or Pascal.

Avoid Temple, Loie Fuller, Capriccio, and any Federal Hill "legends" like the plague.

[CiriloE]

If I had to pick one meal right now that's a lock to be good, I'd choose Gracie's or Pascal.

Avoid Temple,

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Thank you Chris. We were were in town for parent's weekend and gave the daughter who was in a college production a treat. Chez Pascal at 5:30 out by 6:35PM and Gracie's at 9:45 after the show. We've eaten at Pascal several times and Gracie's for the first time. Both are very good restaurants and I cannot say which one I prefer after our meal.

At Pascal, we informed our server of our need to leave by 6:30 and we were done with enough time for tea. Ordering from the appetizers we all had the salad special; my wife had the braised rib in peppers, daughter and I had the crispy duck leg confit. Service and food, excellent.

After the show we went to Gracie's. I was hungry enough to feast but the two ladies were not. The ambiance was totally different. We were greeted by our server with champagne for my daughter's birthday. This was followed by an amuse of oysters. My daughter had the Sweet Potato Soup with cornbread crumbles, speck, celery & apple salad and she said this was the best sweet potato soup ever. This was followed by the veal sweetbreads which she consumed with the same enthusiasm. The wife was not that hungry and she had the George's Bank Scallops. I had the slow poached lobsters and scallops both of which were very yummy and perfectly presented.

We stayed at the Renaissance and our package came with free breakfast at the Temple. I don't know if the problem lies with the incompetent service or the kitchen staff. There was no reason why one had to wait 35 minutes for eggs but it did the first day. Sunday I ordered pancakes but got eggs and sausages. Again, after waiting 35 minutes. We need to leave so I just accepted it. The Temple was the only down side of our stay at the Renaissance, actually of the whole weekend . I wonder what kind of a horror show it is at dinner time?

We can''t wait to be back in early December for another college play and Gracie's or Chez Pascal. Really depends on where we stay, I guess.

Cirilo