Tomato Soup

Waterplace

Last weekend I went out with a friend, Kelly, for her birthday. The restaurant was her choice, and she had been raving about a salad she had at Waterplace- so she saw this as the perfect opportunity to go back to have it again. As plentiful as they are, I had never been to a Pinelli Marra restaurant before, and Waterplace is their newest endeavor, which opened last summer.

It is a huge place, and when we mentioned that the place looked quite empty, the host confirmed that Waterplace is really a summer destination for diners- they have an impressive three-tiered patio area and a "rooftop" bar/dining area. It's quite impressive that a restaurant group in Providence can afford to have this large of a restaurant situated downtown when most of their revenue is from the summer months.

We started with the Honey Chipotle Calamari with an amazing Scallion Pesto dipping sauce. It was unique and fantastic. Kelly said she's sick of "RI Style" calamari with hot pepper rings, and so she is thrilled when an RI restaurant offers something different. I really enjoy the hot pepper rings, but would order this Honey Chipotle Calamari over RI Style any day.

For our main meal, we both had the salad that Kelly had been talking about. It was a grilled hearts of romaine salad with crumbled goat cheese, slow roasted tomatoes, kalamata olives, toasted soy nuts, and a warm applewood bacon vinaigrette:

The presentation certainly could have been better. While there are a lot of colors on the plate, this looks like a mess with rotted greens. Grilled romaine lettuce is not the most attractive thing, but I'm sure there is a way Waterplace could work with this salad to make it a little more pleasing to the eye- instead of like a heap of whatever is in the kitchen. The scallops also were a little paltry, and were even more dwarfed by the rest of the stuff on the plate. However, it was good. The soy nuts were an interesting addition, but I loved the crunch they added and the subtle nutty flavor. The goat cheese went well with the scallops and the dressing made the whole thing taste like a bacon wrapped scallop.

For dessert we had the espresso chocolate creme bruleé:

It was tasty, and I really enjoyed the strong espresso flavor and the more subtle chocolate. I don't think I would return to Waterplace for the food, but I may be one of their summer patrons to take advantage of their massive patio space for a drink.

Chez Pascal

I hope you're all as excited to read this post as I am to write it, because...I finally went to Chez Pascal! Shortly after moving to Providence, and seeing this unassuming little restaurant nestled off Hope Street, people started telling me how great it was. But, time and money are always of the essence (especially when you are a food writer- why couldn't I pick something cheaper to blog about!?) and there are so many restaurants to try, and so I couldn't find the opportunity. I did make it to the hot dog cart over the summer, and that trip just served to peak my interest.

But, finally, last night Andy and I went for it. I called, made the reservation, and checked the clock all day long until it was time to go. The place inside is adorable- comfortable and warm, but classy. All of the staff are friendly and relaxed. There are no pretensions anywhere at this restaurant.

Andy and I started with the Warm Salad of Red Cabbage, Walnuts and Apples with a Blue Cheese Flan & Pumpkin Seed Oil:

They actually split the salad for us in the kitchen, and Andy doesn't like blue cheese, so I got this beautiful round of blue cheese flan all to myself. I am always surprised when a salad overwhelms me with its deliciousness. I usually like to try other appetizers, and only turn to a salad when I'm afraid of being too full, or nothing particularly strikes me. I chose this salad for the latter reason (I did want the escargots, but Andy would not go for that), and also because the flan and the pumpkin seed oil interested me. And I am very glad I did. For such a simple salad, it packed a lot of wonderfully subtle tastes that worked perfectly together- the light dressing, the creamy (but not too strong or pungent) flan, the sweet apples, and the crunchy walnuts.

After munching on some French bread, our mains arrived. I had the Bomster Scallops with red chili oil, celery root puree, celery salad, and a warm crepe with gruyere and potatoes:

Again, the simplicity of this dish, yet the wonder of the flavors, delighted me. The beautiful, rich flavor of the celery root thrived in the butter sauce, and the crepe added a nice texture and cheesy flavor dimension to the scallops. The scallops were absolute perfection with their crispy seared outsides, and warm buttery insides.

Andy had the Arctic Char with chickpeas:

I honestly wish I had more details to provide about this dish, but Andy can't remember, and Chez Pascal is closed on both Sunday's and Monday's. But, on Tuesday, I plan on calling to gather the details and I will re-post them here! Details aside, this was fantastic. The sweetness of the chickpea salad contrasted with the saltiness of the glaze and the fish brought to mind a Moroccan flavor, and it was very well executed.

And then, dessert. There were two items on the menu that we really wanted to try, and we couldn't bare to get just one. We asked the waiter if it would be an obscene amount of dessert, and he said no- so we trusted him. In reality, it was a lot of dessert. But, admittedly, we ate it all!

We had the Chocolate in 3's which consisted of a  macadamia nut and caramel tart with chocolate chantilly cream, a chocolate molten cake with chestnut ganache, and a chocolate and peanut butter mousse with a feulletine cookie crunch:

And we tried the Pedro Ximénez  poached apple bread and butter pudding with caramelized apple compote and maple ice cream:

Oh my. There are not words enough to describe this wonderful ending to our meal. Everything was delicious. The chocolate and peanut butter mousse, I think, was the winner of the Chocolate in 3's- but I am hopeless in the face of anything with peanut butter and chocolate. I am also an avid fan of chocolate desserts, and rarely order fruit type desserts- but this bread pudding will make me think twice before skipping right to the chocolate desserts. It was moist and perfectly sweet. It wasn't too dense (as some bread puddings can be) and a bite of the pudding, drenched in apple compote and with a spoonful of maple ice cream was perfect harmony.

Throughout the whole meal, I kept asking myself why I waited so long to go to Chez Pascal. Dear readers, you were right in your insistence that I must go. It was one of the best meals I have had in recent memory- it truly trumped some of my more recent fine dining experiences in Providence. As we left, I met one of the owners, Kristin- and I could not stop smiling as I told her how wonderful the meal was. And her reaction made me love Chez Pascal even more- she acted like a brand new restaurant owner, who had heard her first compliment. She was genuinely overjoyed that I enjoyed my meal, and seemed flattered that I would take the time to tell her. I will, absolutely, be returning.

Locally Harvested Food and Drink

I really like that Local 121's sign includes the phrase "Locally Harvested Food and Drink". It makes me happy that the sustainable movement has really taken flight, especially in a small city like Providence that can really mobilize its population. Not too long ago I made my first visit to Local 121, but just for drinks. We were really charmed with the place, so were excited to go back with Andy's mom before the theater on a Saturday night. The dining room is gorgeous (it has a slightly more upscale feel than the bar area, but both feel grand).

Since I loved my hot toddy so much, I had to start with a cocktail again this time around. This time, I chose the Dark and Stormy because I was eager to try the ginger beer:

The ginger beer was fabulous, and the drink was strong- a great combination in my book! For appetizers, Andy and his mom split the Root Crisps with herbed creme fraiche, and I had the Salad of Local Greens with red wine vinaigrette:

This was the perfect starter. It was lightly dressed so the  freshness of the greens really shined. And it was a good thing it was light, because for my main I had the North East Family Farms Grilled Strip Steak:

The steak was covered in a smoked paprika butter, and served with a twice baked potato and wilted swiss chard. It was all good, but not memorable. I thought the greens were over-salted and there was nothing particularly special about the potato, except that a twice baked potato is almost always tasty as long as there is cheese and fluffy potatoes. The steak was done a little rarer than I asked, but Andy didn't mind so he finished the rest of it for me.

Andy has The Local 121 Burger with aged Vermont cheddar:

I had a small bite, and felt the same way Andy did- that it tasted different. That was the best way to describe the meat. I personally didn't care for it, and thought maybe it needed a little more spice, and Andy said there were many other burgers he prefers more.

Andy's mom had the Prima Pasta special of the day which was fettucini with broccolini in a light cream sauce:

She liked it, and thought it was the perfect portion and that it was perfectly sauced- with a hint of red pepper flakes. But while she finished the bowl, she didn't seem 'wowed'- much like Andy and I's reactions.

For dessert we had the Chocolate Tart with house made ginger ice cream:

The ginger ice cream was the best part, and the tart was certainly made with a wonderful quality bittersweet chocolate. But the crust was too dry and flavorless and it made the dessert feel a little less balanced.

There was nothing in the particular flavors, presentations, or offerings that blew me away. In fact, I felt everything was fairly standard and could be easily re-created in my home kitchen for a better price. But that can be true of many dining out experiences, and that isn't to take away from the beautiful decor and my admiration for Local 121's mission. However, I don't think I will be going back for dinner anytime soon. For drinks in the cozy bar, certainly, but there are other restaurants I'd really like to try, or try again, before returning to Local 121.

 

Shallot Tarragon Shrimp

You can't go to Anthony's Seafood in Middletown and not grab some fish to go. After Andy, his mom and I had lunch there then toured The Breakers, we headed back home with some fresh fish from Anthony's so I could cook up some dinner.

Andy's mom lives in St. Louis, so fresh seafood is a little more rare than it is here in the Ocean State, so I wanted to make a flavorful dish that celebrated the large succulent shrimp I picked up at Anthony's. I searched one of my favorite recipe databases, epicurious.com, and found this recipe for Shrimp with Shallot-Tarragon Sauce:

I made a few adjustments- I couldn't find fresh tarragon at my grocer, so I used dried, and instead of serving the dish over wilted spinach, I served it over a Trader Joe's pasta mix that Andy and I really love with Israeli cous cous, spinach orzo, dried garbanzo beans, and red quinoa. I also doubled the amount of sauce recommended in the recipe, because each serving deserves more than a tablespoon of its greatness. I served it with a tomato and edamame salad with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette.

The shrimp were phenomenal- and not just the fresh shrimp themselves, but the sauce as well! It was rich, but not too over-indulgent because the parsley and tarragon helped to brighten the flavors, and I really think using dried tarragon did not sacrifice too much. I will absolutely make this dish again!

Anthony's Seafood

Last time I was in Newport, my parents were in town and we made the mistake of eating lunch at The Candy Store  because The Black Pearl was closed. This weekend, Andy's mom was in town so we made another trip to Newport and vowed to have a better meal. At first, we were geared up to go to The Black Pearl. But after Andy and his mom did a little more research, they decided they were in the mood for something a little more hole-in-the-wall, a little more authentic- so Anthony's Seafood in Middletown it was! It is a step above a hole, certainly, but it maintains a no-frills approach to seafood plates which I think appealed to all of us. Yes, we were missing out on the view of The Black Pearl, but we were getting some pretty great seafood at some pretty great prices. You order at the counter, and the food comes out fast. Andy's mom had the flounder and chips:

She was wowed by the large portion, the light batter, and the fresh flounder.

Andy had the salmon burger:

Which consisted of freshly ground salmon and lots of spices. I didn't try it, because I was much too involved in my dish, but he thinks it was "very good". If that was all he had to say, he should have followed my lead and ordered the lobster roll because I was thrilled with this:

Strangely, this picture makes the lobster roll look very drenched in mayonnaise and lacking in chunks of lobster. In reality, it was very light on the dressing and almost every single bite was a huge piece of lobster (including almost an entire claw!). It was one of the best lobster rolls I've had in awhile- and for only $16.95, certainly the best priced.

Even better, as we left, we were able to pick up some great fresh fish to go. I got some large shrimp to cook that night (that post tomorrow!), and Andy's mom got some scallops and cod to bring back to St. Louis (they will pack it up in ice and a cooler for you). Unfortunately for Andy's mom, she forgot the fish in our fridge! Fortunately for Andy and I, we now get to enjoy it this week! At least it won't go to waste...!