Newport RI Restaurants

[RB2]

Lunch: eat fried clams at Flo's Clam Shack (click). Dinner at Spiced Pear -- or drive up to Bristol and hit Persimmon, which is excellent.

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I would not reccomend Spiced Pear at this time. Many changes have come forth over the last few months, making it much different than it once was. Flo's is a must!

[Chris Amirault]

Well, then, it's settled: go to Flo's for lunch, get a clam roll, hit the Mansions, Second Beach, and Ocean Drive, then head up to Champe Speidel's Persimmon in Bristol. You will be happy, my Jersey friend.

[fatcatbrew]

I would not reccomend Spiced Pear at this time.  Many changes have come forth over the last few months, making it much different than it once was.  Flo's is a must!

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How dissapointing Can you be more specific about the changes? Did the hotel change as well?

[RB2]

I would not reccomend Spiced Pear at this time.  Many changes have come forth over the last few months, making it much different than it once was.  Flo's is a must!

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How dissapointing Can you be more specific about the changes? Did the hotel change as well?

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Entire Culinary team is gone. Hotel under contract with management company. Essentially everything is different other than the building.

[Devotay]

Sorry if I'm too late, but you said you wanted to catch a game.

Try the Mudville Pub, across Thames from the Marriott. It actually has a beer garden IN RIGHT FIELD of a large ballpark.

Good burgers, too.

[I_call_the_duck]

Bumping up this thread, since Mr. Duck and I will be in Newport during the last weekend in August.

I definitely want to try Flo's for a clam roll, but are there any other places that are worth a visit?

Edited August 7, 2006 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[WHS]

Franklin Spa--great diner breakfast with a Portugese twist.

Mama Luisa--very good Italian

Brunch at Castle Hill Inn

[dinwiddie]

Bump again. My wife and I will be celebrating our anniversary by going to Newport October 8-11. I'd appreciate any current info on great places to eat. We will probably breakfast at our B&B, but lunch and dinner are on our own. What I'd like is one great, price is no object, great wine list, great food place, with atmosphere a definite plus. Otherwise, good places to have a good meal for a foodie/wine geek and his wife. We will have a car and be exploring so anywhere in RI except Providence (just too much there for recommendations here) are appreciated. Especially if it is something unique or really cool. Thanks

[I_call_the_duck]

We never did make it up there last month, but are definitely going this weekend. Usually, we do a light breakfast, followed by a quick lunch and a nice dinner. I already plan on Flo's for a clam roll, but besides seafood, is there anything else we "must have" in the Newport area? We're not picky eaters.

I also noticed that there are a couple of vineyards in the area. I'm always curious by wine that is produced in the U.S., and would like to know if we should go there.

Edited October 3, 2006 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[fatcatbrew]

Sakonnet Vineyards in Little Compton is quite good. A beautiful drive too.

http://www.sakonnetwine.com/

[dinwiddie]

Sakonnet Vineyards in Little Compton is quite good.  A beautiful drive too.

http://www.sakonnetwine.com/

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Actually I had already planned to visit some of the wineries on this trip. I'm not expecting much but hoping to be suprised.

[I_call_the_duck]

Mr. Duck is nixing the idea of the vineyard , but I'm sure he'll change his mind if we drive past a big "WINE TASTING" sign.

A friend recommended the Spiced Pear, but someone mentioned upthread that it wasn't good anymore. Since it's been a year since that post, have things changed?

[dinwiddie]

Mr. Duck is nixing the idea of the vineyard  , but I'm sure he'll change his mind if we drive past a big "WINE TASTING" sign. 

A friend recommended the Spiced Pear, but someone mentioned upthread that it wasn't good anymore.  Since it's been a year since that post, have things changed?

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Actually, it was a very pretty place and a nice drive to get there from Newport. The wines on the other hand, but for $3 you get to taste 6 wines. I found their Pinot Noir to be thin and lacking in all ways, and their Cab Franc was OK but not worth buying. The whites on the other hand were better. I actually liked the Vidal and the Reserve Chard was pretty good. The dessert wines were much too sweet for my taste however. I don't regret going, like I said it was a very pretty place and you can even walk along among the vines.

[dinwiddie]

We had a great time, the weather was great, and since this was the first vacation I had taken with the wife sans kid, it was a lot of fun. But I thought I'd report back on the dining.

Our big dinner to celebrate our anniversary was Sunday night at 22 Bowens Wine Bar and Restaurant. They have a WS rated wine list, heavy in the Chards and Cabs, not so great for Pinot Noir. They are a classic steak house, read sides are extra unless you order one of their signature dishes, but the service was excellent and the food great for the steak, not so great for the rest. I had the Grilled Filet Mignon over Roasted Shallot Mashed Potatoes with Wild Mushroom Demi-Glace and Whipped Maytag Blue Cheese. The filet was an 8 oz., I declined upping it to 12 and I'm glad I did as I was full by the time I finished the potatoes and mushrooms along with the steak. Perfectly cooked (med-rare) and very tender and flavorful. My wife had the Sesame Crusted Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Crisp Snow Peas, Jasmine Rice, Sweet Soy Sauce, Fried Rice Noodles, Pickled Ginger and Wasabi. Since she doesn't particularly want her fish to be rare, she asked for it medium. However, it came way overcooked. I would have sent it back, but she just ate it the way it was. She did like the accompanyments. For dessert I ordered the bread pudding (one of my all time favorites) with chocolate sauce. It was only fair, dry and not that flavorful.

We ordered a bottle of the 2001 Charles Melton "Nine Popes", Grenache/Shiraz, Barossa. It was quite good, but then I like GSMs. Lots of red berrys, a little menthol, and very easy to drink.

On Columbus Day, we ate Italian (hey how can you not) at a place called Puerini's. In a word, excellent. The wine list, while not huge, was very good, and well priced. I ordered a 2004 Banfi Rosso that went very well with the Pasta Bolegnaisse (I didn't spell that right but you know what I mean) and the Pasta sur la mer my wife had. Service was excellent and friendly and it was well priced considering it is in Newport. The desserts were huge and I loved strawberry ice cream. Great coffee too.

Tuesday was something of a disappointment. We ate at a French place on Bowens wharf called La Bistro. The wine list was heavy in Chards and Cabs, but had nothing that was exciting or interesting in any category. What it did have going for it was that it was relatively cheap (lots of wines in the mid $20s to 40s) but considering that there were three white zins, and BV Coastal on the list, what do you expect. However, I would call it a "resort list" that caters to folks who don't normally order wine but will when on vacation. I had the signature boullebaise that was heavy on mussels, but weak in the flavor department (thin and bland). My wife's chicken was so uninspired that I can't even recall what it was. The bread pudding Creole (I did say bread pudding was my favorite) was really good however, and the Bourbon sauce was really strong. Service was friendly, but slow, but to be fair, it was a Tuesday night, they only had two servers as they did not expect much business (season is over) and they were having to turn folks away because they couldn't handle the huge number of walk-ins that showed up. If I lived there I might give them another chance, but I don't and if I go back, I will try other places first.

Lunches were a different matter. All were good. Annies the first day, where the clam and crab chowder was to die for. The lobster roll was perfect, not too much mayo, and lots of flavor. Nothing was cheap, but we were in Newport. The next day we drove down to Watch Hill where we ordered Clam Chowder and lobster rolls from a small place called the Bay Street Deli to eat while sitting on the seawall watching the boats in the harbor. The chowder was great, lots of clams in it, and lots of flavor. Again, a great lobster roll.

Finally, we ate at Poor Richards on Thames St. I had chowder again and a very good club sandwich, and my wife the corn and crab chowder (turns out they are the same owners and menu as Annie's) and fried clams. It was the first time I ever say her not be able to finish her fried clams. What a pile, and they were soooo good.

All in all, not bad, we had a great time, weather was great, and the B and B (Newport Blues on Pelham St.) we stayed in was very nice and it was fun.

[little ms foodie]

We'll be in Newport next week for a few days, staying at Castle Hill Inn and plan to have one dinner there. Where else should we eat- not necissarily high end- just good and local! What to seek out in Newport? lobster? clams?

Thanks!!

[Chris Amirault]

Go to Flo's Clam Shack and get fried clams.

[johnnyd]

Go to Flo's Clam Shack and get fried clams.

...which totally reminded me that our famous The Best: Fried Clams thread in the New England forum needs a bump. (It's that time of year again folks! )

Deep within the Fried Clam thread is this post, a report on several fried clam places on the New England coast. Towards the bottom is a mention for Flo's Clam Shack and Scales & Shells which I haven't been to but seems to have a bunch of awards and good reviews on their website.

[little ms foodie]

excellent! duley noted- thank you!!

[kkeym]

A great newish place in downtown Newport is Spark, at 12 Broadway. Make a reservation (401-842-0023) -- it's a tiny BYOB place that has some really good, innovative food. Loved the KimSue, which is sort of their signature dish. Very warm, friendly, and good.

[little ms foodie]

Loved our time in Newport! What a charming town! We were staying at the Castlehill Inn so we ate a very nice dinner there one night and had a great lobster meal at Scales and Shells (or is it Shells and Scales??) the next.

Had a huge selection of fried goodies at Flo's and some not very inspired lunch items at Rhode Island Quohog.

Thanks for the recommendations!

[richl2214]

Anyone been recently? Is it worth a visit?

[richl2214]

No one has been lately?

[Chris Amirault]

Sounds like you need to give it a try and make a report!

[RichardA]

I was there maybe 1 1/2 years ago and at that time had an incredible meal. We had the tasting menu and there was one excellent dish after another. Service was impeccable. We had the wine pairings which were very good too. I don't know if it has changed at all since then.

[Shalmanese]

Going to be in Newport for 5 days next week. Any new places to keep an eye out about?