Providence RI Restaurants

[xxchef]

Chris-

Andrea's on Thayer - that's right! That was the first place I’d had a gyro not made from "pre-gurgitated" mystery meat and tzatziki sauce not made with some fake dairy product (so sue me – I had a sheltered upbringing!). By “Still there, astonishingly” do you mean that Andrea’s is, perhaps, not worthy of such a long run? That it might be living off something besides its inherent culinary merits (ummm, like location and a never-ending supply of new student/customers)?

I had to laugh at the mention of Tortilla Flats earlier in the thread. I can’t believe it is still in existence. I worked a brief stint at a Domino’s Pizza around the corner and, even with my ignorance about good Mexican food at the time; I knew it wasn’t.

I remember Sandwich Hut too. Glad they’re still going but that’s not the place I’m thinking of. This was a real stinking (literally) dive full of dock workers drinking tap ‘Gansetts with raw eggs and Tabasco at 6am. My shoes would stick to the floor on the way in to pick up the sandwiches from the bartender. What was I even thinking eating food from there? But the sandwiches were great.

Thanks. This is a real trip down memory lane for me as I haven't been in Providence in almost 30 years.

Oh. Another place I remember was Vinnie’s Deli on Douglas Ave(?). I lived near there for a while and the owner introduced me to sopressata and a really good dried beef cold cut (probably bresaola?). He always had great bread too.

[Chris Amirault]

So where did you end up going?

[Chris Amirault]

Great write-up from Tom Siestema at the Washington Post on Providence restaurants, noting Persimmon, La Laiterie, and Cook & Brown Public House. I'm on the cocktail team, so I'm very proud of these two paragraphs in particular -- and of "secret ingredient" Hannah Kirschner!

As with the food, the cocktails at Cook & Brown reflect the owners' desire to "do what we think is great," says Nemo. Cook & Brown mixes a first-rate rye Manhattan and a Jakewalk with just the right splashes of tequila, white rum, elderflower liqueur and lime. Thin stone coasters support each drink. My friends and I are captivated by the attention that mix master Hannah Kirshner lavishes on a trio of anonymous customers; the bar manager's graciousness on a busy Friday night is equaled by her smooth bar skills.

Before we leave, Kirschner passes out handwritten instructions for making the cocktails we like best. I appreciate knowing exactly how much mescal, Aperol, lime and maraschino liqueur go into a proper (smoky and floral) Division Bell. But I know that whatever I whip up back home can't possibly compete with Cook & Brown's version. She is, after all, its secret ingredient.

[vice]

So where did you end up going?

I'm afraid this was directed towards me. I'm embarrassed that it's taken me til the eve of my next trip back to Rhode Island to report back on the previous one—-apologies all around. Luckily I did have some notes (some more complete than others) to jog my memory.

Cook & Brown

I stopped in for a quick bite and a drink served by our own Chris Amirault, a consummate host despite the fact that he was flying solo on a busy night. He and his colleagues behind the bar have definitely put together the best cocktail program that I've encountered in Providence thus far. I started off with the Famiglia Royale, a Negroni on the rocks, topped up with prosecco. Such a simple tweak to a classic, but very well conceived. It was a great way to cut through what, at the time, was a very humid Providence summer. I now have this little gem tucked away and will be repurposing it as a brunch drink, served up in a flute, as soon as the opportunity arises.

To eat, I had a small plate of bluefish prepared two ways: fritters, crusted in coarse breadrumbs (panko?), and nicely balanced by the horseradish mayo beneath; and rillettes atop crostini. Some pleasantly bitter baby greens alongside offset the richness of the fish. And thus the craving of this homesick New Englander for one of our great summer treats was sated.

After a brief chat about various intriguing bottles behind the bar, we settled on rum for the next drink, specifically the Doctor cocktail: Smith & Cross Jamaican rum, a slightly modified version of Erik Ellestad's Swedish Punsch, and lime juice. This was a lovely showcase both for the rum and the Swedish Punsch. I'm angry that I had overlooked this in Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails for so long. It beats an apple a day by a mile.

So thanks again to Chris. He kindly introduced me to Nemo, Cook and Brown's chef-owner, and some folks around the bar (one of whom I actually knew but had never met in person; Rhode Island, small world, and all that). My overall impression is that C&B is a top-rate neighborhood joint, but also one that aspires to be and succeeds at being much more. I'm very jealous of the locals, and look forward to my next visit (which will hopefully be soon).

Chez Pascal

head cheese, sauce gribiche

country pâté, candied fennel

duck liver mousse, carmeleized onions

pork rilletes, pickled red pepper

cornichons, pickled fennel and carrot

Why has it been so long since I've been to Chez Pascal? They gave me what was, without a doubt, far and away, the best head cheese I've ever had. Ever. So delicate, so rich. Where other head cheese comes in firm slices, this melted. Is it just a more refined aspic holding all the face bits together? Other standouts included the pickled vegetables and the pâté. I confess that I've never been excited about rilletes of pork or duck—they always seem devoid of flavor relative to the unshredded meat, which is curious (contrast with salmon rilletes, or bluefish like the above, which never fail to please). These continued the trend. All told, Matt Gennuso might be doing the best charcuterie in the state right now, and so it's in everyone's interest to get back there and try it.

La Laiterie

Charcuterie platter of rabbit mortadella, pâté de campagne (pork, pistachio, smoked bacon), and chicken liver mousse. The liver flavor of the mousse was way too strong, and I like liver. Mortadella and pâté were both good.

Heirloom tomato salad, burrata, avocado, purslane. How can you not enjoy a salad like this at the height of summer? Also, since when did RI restaurants discover purslane? I think I encountered it three separate times on this trip.

Baby octopus, charred corn, green cherry tomato

Soft shell crab, pork belly, (unidentified large-leafed herb?), two sauces (one remoulade-like, the other a coarse chili sauce)

Grilled sea scallops, grilled white peach, potato, turnip puree, green goddess?, peach molasses

Pork head torchon, grilled peach. Torchon was like a fried doughnut filled with pork, intoxicating.

Other notable mentions include a chicken liver mousse at Nick's on Broadway that was textbook perfect, and the mutton curry at Not Just Snacks. In our prolonged separation, it continues to haunt my dreams.

[vice]

So after all that, and a promise to be more punctual next time, what's new and exciting in our little state? On my radar:

Persimmon, and now Persimmon Provisions. Never been (well, haven't had a chance for the latter), but everything I've heard sounds very promising.

Watching the twitter feed of La Laiterie's Ben Sukle is increasingly, mind-bendingly awesome. I'd love to do their tasting menu. Any idea if it's still only offered Friday and Saturday (which, over the course of my visit, are entirely obscured by the holidays -- #*@%)?

[Chris Amirault]

Dave, it was great to meet you and serve you. Thanks for the kind words.

I don't know about LL's tasting menu, but a Twitter DM to Matt or Ben would probably get you your answer.

[janeer]

I am headed back to the East Coast for the holidays tomorrow and will be in RI for the first week. Maybe see some of you

[Chris Amirault]

Would love to see you at Cook & Brown Sunday -- doing a cocktail workshop, in fact!

[janeer]

Have arrived in RI. Would love to come, BUT have a dinner party in LC. Are you open Monday?

[Chris Amirault]

Alas, no. But I can recommend lots of good places. What are you up for?

[janeer]

Alas, no. But I can recommend lots of good places. What are you up for?

Someplace like La Laiterie, but something new to try. Anything open in the past year or so that I might not have tried since moving away? A bar, with good food.

[Chris Amirault]

Have you been to Nick's on Broadway? Gracie's just changed executive chefs. It's been a tough year for openings, of course....

[janeer]

no, been meaning to try Nick's, thanks for the reminder. Had a very good lunch at Farmstead today.

[vice]

Nick's is a great suggestion. Even if you've been a while back, they've really stepped up their game lately. You know who else has? The Red Fez. Haven't been in at least 4 years, stopped by tonight. I can't think of a place serving better bar food (I'm probably underselling it a bit here) in Providence, or anywhere for that matter.

[Chris Amirault]

What did you have, Dave? We have been regulars at the Red Fez for years....

[vice]

Crab dip, poutine, pulled pork. I really wanted the crispy headcheese with a fried egg and pickled veg, but they were out. In fact, practically the whole menu called out to me, which I can't say it did in the past. Absence making the stomach grow fonder (I was a regular at the Fez for a few years starting way back in '02)? Perhaps. But I'm pretty sure it's a more ambitious and varied menu than it was some years back. I'm tempted to say the execution has improved as well, but take that with a grain of salt given my limited sampling.

[Chris Amirault]

It's definitely more adventurous. Ed Raposa has stepped up big time over there. Not just (excellent) grilled cheese....

[janeer]

Good heavens, the Red Fez, had completely forgotten...I leave for NYC tomorrow a.m. but will try both Nick's and Red Fez when I come back, hopefully before the New Year...