Broadway Bistro

     We're living in an amazing time period, food wise. Currently, local and sustainable sourcing are on the forefront of the local restaurant industry, and Chefs, as well as customers, are taking more time to learn about their food and where it comes from. Diners are paying a huge amount of attention to the sourcing of the ingredients in their food, and restaurants are doing everything they can to source locally grown, high quality food. These days, Chefs are working hard to get to know the farmers and artisans who raise, grow, and create their ingredients. In Rhode Island, the sustainability movement has rooted itself deep into local food culture, with dozens of farmers markets, Farm Fresh RI, and endless efforts by local Chefs to scratch make all of their food from local ingredients. One restaurant in Providence that is doing its part to promote sustainability is Broadway Bistro.
     If you've ever walked down Broadway from downtown Providence, then you've seen Broadway Bistro. You know, that quaint looking little restaurant with the giant black dog painted on the side? Yeah, that's it. From the outside, this European-style bistro looks like a pretty average Federal Hill restaurant, but inside is a team of culinary artists, using fresh, local ingredients to craft some unbelievably delicious, scratch-made, gourmet dishes.

     We visited Broadway Bistro on a Saturday night, and were lucky enough to be seated right away. We must have showed up at the perfect time, because once we were seated, the entire restaurant filled up in a matter of fifteen minutes. The interior is pretty small and seating is limited, so I would suggest coming early if you want to avoid a wait. Our waitress was very attentive, and seemed to appear almost instantaneously to refill our water glasses every time they neared empty. The menu was pretty small, which is good, because it was hard enough trying to decide between the small amount of available menu items. It was obvious that the Chef at Broadway Bistro had taken the necessary time to perfect every single dish on this menu.
     For an appetizer, we ordered The Crepe($8), which came out surprisingly fast, considering how full the restaurant was. The Crepe is a crepe with duck confit, and a side of mixed local greens. The crepe was thin, soft, fluffy, and slightly chewy. The crepe was cooked through perfectly with just a touch of browning on the outside. Our crepe was stuffed full of a surprisingly hearty amount of duck confit. If you've never had confit, it is duck leg meat that is salt-cured overnight, then poached in duck fat until it is crispy and so tender that it is falling apart. The confit at Broadway Bistro is delicious in every way a confit can be. It is salty and crispy, yet so tender that it melts in your mouth. The fatty confit was balanced well by the mixed greens were served on the side. The mixed greens were refreshing, with bitter notes and dressed lightly with a bright, acidic, white balsamic reduction.
     The House Gnocchi($18) which I had exceeded all of my expectations. The gnocchi are scratch made in-house and while it may be a time-consuming task to make fresh gnocchi, the flavors in this dish proved that it is more than worth the time and effort. The outside was seared to crispy brown perfection, while the inside was smooth, cheesy, and creamy. Some gnocchi can be doughy and dense, but that wasn't the case at Broadway Bistro. Their gnocchi were light with an almost fluffy texture. They were tossed in a butter sauce with crunchy broccoli rabe and tender, sliced chicken breast from Baffoni's Poultry Farm.
     Equally delicious was the roasted, halved Cornish hen($19), also from Baffoni's. The skin was seasoned with paprika and oven-seared until it was dark brown and crunchy. The meat was tender, juicy, and evenly cooked through, which is an impressive feat considering the amount of heat needed to get the skin so crispy. Served with a sweet onion jam, roasted cauliflower, and a creamy, rich root vegetable mash, this was an excellent gourmet take on classic roasted chicken. The kitchen staff at Broadway Bistro has true passion for food, and it shows through in every dish that they put out.


House Gnocchi



Crusted Hen



     After our meal, our waitress brought two delightful, complimentary dark chocolate truffles as a palate cleanser. When our check came, it was tucked into a blank page of a small journal with a pen, which I thought was a brilliant way to get customer feed back, and to make the guest feel personally appreciated. Everything about my visit to Broadway Bistro- from the attentive service, to the incredible food, and even the method used to deliver the check- impressed me. Broadway Bistro serves locally-grown, gourmet food in a casual environment at a reasonable price. What else could you ask for?

Ellie's Bakery

     Among the many things that the French are known to excel at, you'll find just about any food related art, including wine making, cooking, cheese making, and of course, baking. For decades, tourists and locals alike have flocked to Parisian bakeries to enjoy decadent, sweet French pastries. Tarts, Petits Fours, Eclairs, madeleines, and so many more pastries can be found at small, artisan bakeries throughout Paris. But for Rhode Islanders, enjoying the delicious flavors and bright atmosphere of a French bakery no longer requires a trip to Europe, thanks to Ellie's Bakery, a new Parisian-style bakery that has recently opened its doors downtown.

     Ellie's was opened by the same people that brought us the adored Providence restaurant, Gracie's, so before I ever even stepped foot inside, I had high expectations for the food here. Our first visit to Ellie's was on a Tuesday afternoon for lunch. When we arrived, it was relatively empty, and we got served quickly. The staff members that have been working when I've been to Ellie's have always seemed pretty nice and been more than happy to assist customers. The selection of scrumptious looking treats was almost overwhelming, with elegant, bright glass cases packed with sweet and savory French foods. Various breads, fresh sandwiches, and a huge selection of pastries. The menu at Ellie's also features excellent coffee from local coffee roaster New Harvest.

     The sandwich with fresh mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, olive tapenade, greens, and balsamic vinaigrette was a perfect lunch. The mozzarella was soft and tender, with a lightly spongy texture, cut in thick slabs, and was balanced perfectly with acidity from the vinaigrette, and brininess from the olive tapenade. The bread was reminiscent of a focaccia, and tasted buttery and salty. The ham, swiss cheese, baby spinach, mescaline mix, and red pepper jelly sandwich was equally delicious, served on a baguette. The sweet red pepper jelly was an excellent contrast so the savory, salty ham, and the spinach and mescaline mix added a very fresh element to the flavor of this sandwich. I also tried a lemon madeleine which was fluffy, spongy, moist, and sweet, with an almost floral hint of lemon. At only $1 each, a couple of these madeleines and a cup of New Harvest coffee or espresso would make a delicious small breakfast or early snack.

Ham, swiss, baby spinach, mescaline mix, and red pepper jelly sandwich 

Fresh mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, greens, olive tapenade, balsamic vinaigrette sandwich

     The food and décor at Ellie's Bakery do a fabulous job at capturing the laid back, elegant Parisian lifestyle. Everything about this bakery was delightful and welcoming. If you're downtown for lunch or a quick snack, I would definitely recommend trying this wonderful new addition to the Providence food scene.

Cream Of Asparagus Soup

     After a very long and unexpected winter in Rhode Island, it looks like spring in finally beginning to wake up from hibernation, and this is good news for anyone who's getting sick of out-of-season produce flown halfway across the world to American supermarkets. Spring is the prime harvesting season for all sorts of delicious fruits and veggies, including Kiwi, Leeks, Artichokes, and one of my absolute favorite vegetables: asparagus. Asparagus can add flavor to so many different dishes. Everything from an omelet to a stir-fry can be enhanced by the full, crisp flavor of fresh asparagus, but I like to let the flavor of asparagus really shine through by combining it with as few ingredients as possible. Cream of asparagus soup is easy and simple to make, using only a few ingredients, yet it's still healthy and extremely flavorful. If you can find locally grown asparagus at a farmers market or at a local farm, that would be preferred and give you the best tasting soup, but if not, supermarket asparagus will work. Just try to purchase it between February and June, because that is the time of year during which it will be freshest.

Ingredients

1lb asparagus (Feeds two hungry people)

2-4 cups chicken stock (If you have home made stock, use that. If you would like to make this recipe vegetarian, vegetable stock can be used instead.)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3-4 tbsp butter

1.5 Oz all-purpose flour

1 French baguette

 

 

     First, you want to put your stock on to boil. You should use just enough stock to fully submerge your asparagus. While your stock is heating up, cut your asparagus into pieces about one to two inches in length. Once your stock begins to boil, add your asparagus, and leave it to boil until the asparagus is very tender. I like to leave one or two stalks of asparagus out and slice it thin as a garnish for the soup, but that's optional.

 

 

      While my asparagus boils, I like to make some croutons to use as an auxiliary ingredient which will add a crunch element to the finished soup. To do this, simply slice a French baguette into 1/4-1/3 inch slices. Lay your slices out onto a baking sheet, and top with butter, salt, pepper, garlic, and a sprinkling or Parmesan cheese. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (I like to use my toaster oven, but if you're making a large batch of soup, you can use a full oven). These cook in a few minutes, so don't put them in the oven until you're soup is almost ready to be served.

 

 

     Once your asparagus is fully cooked and very tender, it's time to puree your soup. If you have an immersion blender, use that to puree your soup right in the pan, but if not, transfer your soup to a blender and puree until you have a smooth creamy mixture. Return your soup to the stove, add your Parmesan cheese, and stir until it melts in. Now, for to finish off this soup, we'll need to thicken it slightly with a rue. In a separate pan, melt your butter and add your flour. Whisk this mixture constantly as it cooks for about five or six minutes, just until it starts to turn light brown.

     Once your rue is cooked, whisk it in to your soup and boil for about two minutes until your soup reaches your desired thickness. Now, you can season with salt and pepper if needed. Finally, garnish with your croutons and sliced asparagus, and enjoy! Delicious, simple, and fresh. Let's nosh!

 



Abyssinia

     The east side of Providence has always been seen as one of the top food destinations in the state of Rhode Island. With a cornucopia of well known college campuses located right in the heart of the east side, including Brown University, RISD, and others, this area of Providence has an extremely diverse population of students, and young graduates from all over the world. With such a diverse group of citizens living in such a small area, the east side is packed with an endless expanse of hip restaurants, aimed at artsy college students of every background, serving up unique food from just about every corner of the globe. Abyssinia, on Wickenden Street, is a popular east side restaurant which serves traditional Ethiopian cuisine in a comfortable atmosphere.
     It was a Wednesday night on my first visit to Abyssinia, and the restaurant was full. Not many restaurants can manage to fill up on a cold, rainy Wednesday in the middle of February, and I knew right away that this food was going to be good. The air inside was laced with the pungent scents of berbere and other African spices. A fragrance which literally made me feel like I could taste all of the delicious exotic flavors of every dish as I read through the menu. The exotic scents, however, were not the only unique aspect of the atmosphere at Abyssinia. The walls were lined with African art pieces that were both beautiful and interesting.

 

      Our server was very nice, and helped us navigate the menu, as well as learn how to pronounce the names of the dishes. Although it isn't too extensive, the menu can be slightly intimidating if you're completely unfamiliar with African food. All of the entrées come on a large piece of injera. Injera is a traditional Ethiopian flat bread with a tangy, sour, almost citrusy taste, and a spongy texture. As an appetizer, we ordered the Sikwar Dinich Tibs, which are deep fried yam cakes based on an east African snack called Ojojo. For my entrée, I ordered the Doro Wot, a traditional Ethiopian dish of chicken, marinated in lemon, stewed in berbere, and seasoned with an Ethiopian spice blend. According to the menu, this is the 'signature dish' of Ethiopian cuisine. Adriana ordered the Tikle Gomen, a vegetarian dish consisting mostly of cabbage and carrots.

     When the Sikwar Dinich Tibs came out, they were delightful. The outside was crunchy, and the inside was soft and savory. A mix of roughly mashed yams with diced red onion, tomato, and cilantro. For such a simple dish with only a few ingredients, the flavor was excellent..

      It took a little while for our entrées to come out, which was completely understandable. We had obviously shown up during a very unexpected Wednesday night rush. Our server was very gracious and apologized for the wait. The dishes were served with no utensils, though they were offered. At Abyssinia, you eat the traditional Ethiopian way: with your hands. The injera bread which the food is served over is your utensil. We were ripping off pieces of injera, and using them to scoop up bites of food. The Doro Wot was exquisite. The chicken was tender enough to melt in your mouth, and was stewed in a pungent, spicy blend of peppers and fragrant spices which are scarcely used in American cooking. The injera also added complexity to the flavor, complimenting the spices of the Doro Wot with a sour tang. One of my favorite ingredients in this dish was the ayib, an Ethiopian cottage cheese which was creamy and salty, yet almost refreshing in comparison to the spice of the dish. The Tikle Gomen was delicious as well, with crunchy vegetables cooked lightly and seasoned with spiced that were reminiscent of an Indian curry.

Doro Wot 

Tikle Gomen



     After paying our check of only $30, we both left Abyssinia incredibly full. The portions here were huge in comparison to the prices. The exotic atmosphere and food make this place worth trying, and the low price point makes it worth frequenting. Taking a trip to Abyssinia is about more than just eating Ethiopian food, it's about experiencing Ethiopian cuisine.