Chez Moi; Pop up

Later this month, I am hosting my first pop-up. It will be a four course meal, celebrating the bounty of Rhode Island and featuring local meats, seafood and produce. There will be a wine pairing with the main course, and diners are also encouraged to BYOB for the rest of the meal. This dinner is by reservation only, and seats are extremely limited. If you are a lover of great food and a supporter of local businesses and artisans, reserve a seat now! You can reserve your spot by email at abaff410@gmail.com or by phone at 401-954-7321. I hope to see both new and familiar faces!

Loie Fuller's

A review I wrote for the JWU Campus Herald:

   With the world of culinary arts so quickly becoming engulfed by modernist techniques, it's nice to escape the compressed beets, gelatinized vegetable purees and anything that's been dehydrated and rehydrated. Sometimes in order to really appreciate food, we need to take a step back from impressive techniques and treat our ingredients with respect. After all, when you're in Rhode Island and surrounded by hundreds of passionate local farmers, consistently delivering the absolute highest quality ingredients, why would you want to mask those natural flavors? Thomas Keller has said that the reason he opened Bouchon - his bistro style restaurant - is so that he would have a place to eat after a day of cooking at the French Laundry. Even the greatest chefs cannot deny that simple bistro style food - when prepared well - is a staple cuisine which is both comforting and exciting; something for every person to indulge in. Whether you're a food snob or an anti-foodie, bistro food is something that anyone with an appetite can appreciate. There are a few wonderful bistro style restaurants in Providence, and with classic dishes such as roasted Cornish hen and steak with pommes frites, Loie Fullers is one of the best.
   In 2007, Loie Fuller's opened it's doors on Westminster Street, and they've been delighting Providence diners ever since. On the inside, the décor is best described as elegant. With hand painted murals on every wall and a beautiful mosaic tile floor, the craftsmanship here is excellent. The dining room is pretty small, yet not quite as tiny as many of the newer restaurants that are popping up downtown (north, birch, Figidini, ect.), and the space is very comfortable. One other perk to this restaurant is that because it's out of the way of downtown, in an area where there is more space available, they do have their own parking lot, so those of us with cars don't have to worry about finding parking on the street.



Vegetables and Grits



   Our latest visit to Loie Fuller's was on a Sunday evening, and it was somewhat empty. On a busier night such as a Friday or Saturday, this place gets packed, and the wait for food can get pretty long, so I would suggest coming on a slower night. Our waitress was pleasant and happy to explain everything on the menu to us. She knew the menu pretty well, and the very few things that she didn't know offhand, she promptly went to the kitchen to find the answer. As well as having regular specials, the menu is always changing to suit the season based on what is available from local farms. Many of the ingredients used here come from local farms, and some even come from a farm which is owned by the head chef. To start, we ordered a bounty of appetizers, including the confit duck wings, which were both crispy and tender, tossed in a spicy, sweet sauce making them blissfully sticky and delicious. We also ordered the Loie Fuller plate which is a selection of artisan cheeses, cured meats, and olives; all of which were excellent, especially a particularly strong bleu cheese which had us in awe of it's sharp, full flavor. The polenta fries are another must-try appetizer, fried and crunchy with a smooth house made aioli, although the seasoning was a little uneven, and some fries were perfectly salted, while others lacked some seasoning.


Roasted Pork Loin

   For my entrée, I had the special, which was a roasted pork loin served atop fresh cornbread with a green chile salsa. As unusual as it was to have this type of meal offered in a bistro setting, I thought that having an occasional non-French dishes on special is a nice way for the chef to keep the menu interesting and show that his talent extends far past French bistro cooking. The portion was surprisingly large, and the pork was juicy and fresh. The salsa was quite spicy, and the cornbread, which was warm and fragrant, was made even more delicious by the pork drippings that soaked into it from sitting underneath the pork loin. Other entrees that we ordered included the roasted local Cornish hen, steak frites, and the grilled veggies with grits, all of which were very well executed in classical-French style.
   Overall, our meal at Loie Fuller's was excellent. With elegant décor, friendly service, and well executed bistro food, this is a lovely choice of restaurant for any occasion, whether you're taking out a date or just looking for comforting, tasty food.


Roasted Cornish Hen

On Gnocchi

     Ah, gnocchi (pronounced nyaw-kee): what fond memories I have of thee. If you are not familiar with gnocchi, you're missing out. These adorable little dumplings are a traditional Italian treat, made with either potato or ricotta cheese, boiled, and often seared in butter or tossed with an herby sauce. But, of course, my love for gnocchi goes far beyond their unique taste and texture. As with any true human-food-romance, I share a sort of emotional connection with this dish, and with the fact that each dumpling is completely different and tells its own story.

Exhibit A (Photograph is from http://www.sallypasleyvargas.com, an absolutely wonderful food blog):

   Notice the shape of these dumplings, and the fork on the bottom right. Gnocchi have a unique ridged shape that, when home-made, must be done by hand with either a fork or a nifty little tool called a gnocchi board - but I prefer using a fork for a more rustic outcome, as well as a much more nostalgic experience. Now those ridges means that each and every single dumpling is handled individually, crimped by hand with a fork, and inspected by the gnocchi-artist for quality assurance. A plate of homemade gnocchi is special in a way that not many foods are, and that is that each single gnocchi on that plate is a little different, and that they were each made and shaped with a huge amount of time and love. Fresh gnocchi isn't a plate that can just be slapped together on your lunch break, but with a little time and a lot of care, you can create something truly amazing that will not only taste great, but it will make you feel great knowing that you crafted your dinner from scratch.
   For a long time, gnocchi was almost unheard of in the states, even on the east coast where "Italian" culture is pretty popular. I have vivid memories of going to "Italian" restaurants of the late 90's and asking for gnocchi, only to be met with a blank, confused stare by a waiter who had obviously never heard the word in his life. Also, I remember quite well one particularly amusing classroom moments during my first year of culinary school, involving a student who was assigned a recipe for gnocchi, and - having never heard the word - sounded it out as ga-noh-chee. He spent the first 30 minutes of class asking if anyone had ever heard of ga-noh-chee before someone finally explained what they were and how to pronounce them. He had changed majors by the end of the trimester. Now does that mean that they was impossible to find until recently? Of course not! It was just a bit of a scavenger hunt. Although that has changed, and gnocchi can be found at the tables of many rustic Italian restaurants and bistros today, but the obvious truth is that no restaurant gnocchi will ever compare to what you can make at home. For me, gnocchi are a great go-to item when I'm planning dinner for my family or friends. Not only does the flavor and craftsmanship impress, but many Italian friends have never seen or heard of this authentic dish, and there's no better feeling than introducing a friend to their new favorite food.

As previously stated, gnocchi can be made from either potato or ricotta cheese, so here are the recipes that I use for each dough.

Ricotta Gnocchi

2 cups ricotta
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
all-purpose flour as needed
1/2 stick unsalted butter

salt to taste

Potato Gnocchi

6 russet potatoes, baked, skinned and mashed (or some of last night's leftover mashed potatoes)

4 egg yolks

all-purpose flour as needed,

salt to taste

   For both dough recipes, start by combining all ingredients except flour in a bowl. Slowly add flour while mixing until a soft, somewhat sticky dough is formed. Once your dough is formed, you do not need to let it rest before forming your gnocchi. To form your gnocchi, simply take a handful of dough, and roll it out into a log, about 1/2 in or larger if you want bigger gnocchi. Using a knife, cut your dough log into pieces, depending on how large you want them to be. Now comes the fun part.

   

   Take one of your gnocchi and roll it into a ball between your hands. Then, roll it gently over the back of a well floured fork. You should end up with small oval dumplings with even ridges. Don't get discouraged if your first few gnocchi don't come out well. It takes some practice to learn the technique, but it's well worth the practice, and rolling gnocchi with your family or friends can be a fun social event before dinner. Once your gnocchi are formed, lay them out in a single layer on a floured surface. When you're ready to cook them, just drop them into a pot of salted boiling water. Unlike homemade pasta, fresh gnocchi will take a couple of minutes to fully cook through, and they can be doughy when not fully cooked.

   As for sauce, I like to keep it simple. Gnocchi go great with three things: butter, herbs and vegetables. I like to saute some herbs and garlic in a little butter while my gnocchi are cooking. When they're finished, I toss my gnocchi in the pan with the butter and let them get brown on one side. Be sure to do this in small batches to avoid over-crowding your pan. If you want to add vegetables, add them before the gnocchi to let them cook, or precook them and toss them in with your finished gnocchi.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Rosemary and Oven Roasted Beets

Potato Gnocchi with Basil, Chives and Pickled Radishes

birch

This is a short piece that I wrote for the JWU Campus Herald. Enjoy!

It all started with “Hello!;” the first tweet from @birchPVD, the Twitter moniker of soon-to-be restaurant, birch. Ben Sukle, nationally acclaimed chef, chef at Providence’s The Dorrance and Johnson & Wales University graduate, with his wife, Heidi, are opening a brilliant new restaurant at 200 Washington street (The space formerly occupied by Tini) which already has the whole food scene buzzing with anticipation. birch is set to open in mid June. 

Sukle is known for his unique approach to food, in which, not a single ingredient goes unnoticed. Ben puts time and passion into selecting the finest produce, meat and seafood from small, local farms and distributors. The menu at birch will focus on exactly that, with a small, a la carte menu which will be constantly changing with the seasons, and with ingredient availability. So far, 2013 has brought amazing restaurants to Providence, such as The Grange, and everyone is expecting to welcome birch as a perfect new member of the cities incredible, vibrant food scene. For more information, check out www.birchrestaurant.com or follow @birchPVD on Twitter.

The Duck & Bunny Restaurant Review

Hello all! Sorry that I haven't posted anything on here in so long. I've been incredibly busy with final exams and a new job. Here is an adaption of a restaurant review which I wrote on The Duck & Bunny for the JWU Campus Herald this spring. Enjoy!

Snuggery: (snŭg'ə-rē) n. a cosy and comfortable place

     In America, we've adopted a pretty stressful lifestyle. Between the time we spend trying to balance work, school, family and a social life, we all need some time to relax and enjoy life, and that's why there are places like The Duck & Bunny. The Duck & Bunny is a cozy, quaint little restaurant built in a house on the east side which offers an elegant, yet laid back environment with friendly, approachable staff, and creative French comfort food.
     From the minute we stepped foot in The Duck & Bunny, we felt the hominess which emanates throughout every aspect of the restaurant. Everything about the décor- from the elegant, white cushion which lined the walls, to the fireplace which was left from the house in which The Duck & Bunny was built- gives it a very comfortable vibe, making it a perfect place for a casual brunch, a delicious meal, or afternoon tea and cupcakes. Since it was a Tuesday night, there were plenty of open tables, and we were seated as soon as we walked in. The wait staff were all very welcoming, and are thoroughly trained. Our waiter managed to take our order- for five people- without writing down a single thing, which shows a thorough knowledge of everything on the menu. When I commented on being impressed by remembering an order for five, he told me that his current record is a table of twelve, with no mistakes.
     The chef at The Duck & Bunny manages to match the creativity and comfort of the décor in the menu, which is based mostly on one of my all time favorite foods: the crepe. Among our order was The Miss Harriet, a crepe with brie, pear, and scallion; the crepeccini, a bowl of crepe-noodles tossed in pomodoro beurre blanc; the roast beef and gorgonzola crepeccini, a bowl of crepe-noodles with roast beef and a mushroom and gorgonzola cream sauce; The strawberry and grilled pear salad with goat cheese; and the PB&B, a massive toasted sandwich of peanut butter and banana on nearly-inch-thick sweet bread. the relaxed, comfortable nature of the seating and atmosphere makes waiting for food anything but an unenjoyable experience, and after about fifteen minutes, our food had arrived.
The Miss Harriet was the first item on my to-taste list. The crepe was thin and fluffy with a slight buttery crispiness on the outside. The pears were sweet and slightly acidic, making a perfect flavor base for the crepe, and the creaminess of the brie was the perfect way to counter the flavors and prevent the pears from adding too much sweetness to the crepe. Next, was the crepeccini, which was a blissfully inventive use of crepes. The beurre blanc was perfectly executed, making a tangy, acidic sauce with enough fat to coat the crepe-noodles well. The crepeccini with roast beef was another delicious take on the concept of crepe noodles, with rare beef, and a creamy, salty gorgonzola and mushroom sauce. One of the most unexpected delights amongst our order, however, was the PB&B. Expecting a small, simple sandwich of peanut butter and banana, we were all shocked by the monstrous, sugar-coated, toasty, gooey sandwich which arrived at our table.
     Over all, our experience at The Duck & Bunny was absolutely delightful. It's obvious that the staff here puts a lot of thought and passion into making every aspect of the customer experience enjoyable and comfortable. If you're searching for a sanctuary from all of the worries and stress of life, then I highly suggest clearing some time if your schedule and making a visit to The Duck & Bunny on Wickenden St. For a full menu, as well as hours, head to www.theduckandbunny.com

north

     Just off of Broadway, nestled comfortably in a residential street, there is a tiny restaurant with a small neon blue sign in the window which reads "north." It doesn't look like much from the outside, and you're likely to drive right past without even noticing that it's there, but take a step inside, and you can be sure that you won't ever forget about this unique little restaurant. There are only a few tables and a small bar, which can make getting a seat on a busy night difficult, but the limited seating means that the staff will never be completely swamped with a sudden influx of customers, ensuring that the quality of both service and food will remain consistent. A fair trade-off if you ask me.  At 7:30 on a Saturday, we walked into a completely full north, but luckily for us, there was a table that was paying and getting ready to leave. The décor here resembles the inside of an old wooden ship and was very quaint and comfortable.
     When we sat down, we were handed small slips of paper with that day's menu. At north, the menu is constantly changing based partially on what's in season, and partially on what the extremely inventive kitchen staff wants to create. No doubt, the most difficult part of our visit to north was refraining from ordering one of everything. After placing our first order, for Tiny Ham Biscuits, Hot Flavor Sesame Noodles, and Rabbit & Carrot, our waitress- who was very attentive and extremely nice throughout the entire meal- assured us that we could always order more if we were still hungry.





     First to arrive were the Tiny Ham Biscuits, which were sandwiches made with fresh, warm biscuits, country ham, and beer mustard. Surprisingly, they managed to pack an entire symphony of flavors into such a simple dish. the biscuits were crunchy on the top, and buttery and moist on the inside. The ham was sweet and salty, and the beer mustard was acidic and tangy. It took all of three minutes to devour our tasty little biscuits, and just as we were contemplating ordering a second helping, the sesame noodles arrived at our table.

     This dish was delightful. The rice noodles were thin and slightly chewy, which was complimented well by the crunch from the sour pickled kale and fried tofu. The chili oil added a lot of spice to the dish which was a surprisingly nice way of bringing the separate flavors from all of the ingredients together into one cohesive dish.

     Next to come was the rabbit and carrot. I loved the presentation of this dish, mostly because of the vibrant colors added by the paper-thin slices of watermelon radish and the elegant looking rack of rabbit-ribs. The rabbit was very tender, and seasoned well, and the carrots were thin and stringy with an excellent acidic-yet-sweet glaze. I never would have thought to pair rabbit with ranch, but the combination worked surprisingly well. The watermelon radishes- an ingredient that is completely under-utilized on most menus- added a refreshing crunch to the dish.
     After we finished the rabbit and carrot, we were starting to get pretty full, but after seeing how creative and unique the food at north is, we knew that we had to try more, and we decided to take up our waitresses previous offer to order more food. For our second order, we got the Burmese Style Chickpea And Pomelo Salad, and the thrice Fried Rice.

     First to come was the chickpea and pomelo salad. The chickpeas were fried, making them cruncy and salty. Another under-utilized ingredient which has found a home on the menu at north is pomelo. Pomelo is similar to a grapefruit, with a slight sweetness added to the bitter flavor. My favorite part of this salad was the dressing, which tasted almost like a citrusy peanut-sauce, making the salad slightly reminiscent of a deconstructed nim-chow.

     Just as we were starting to get full, the thrice fried rice arrived. These tasty little morsels were deep fried chunks of fried rice, with a spicy mayo sauce, cilantro and juliennes, pickled carrots. The rice had a hard, crunchy exterior, with a smooth, velvety interior. The house-made pickles added a delicious sour touch to the dish, and despite our already quenched appetites, we managed to finish every bite.
     After a huge meal, our check came to only $50 which brought our already impressive meal to a perfect end. If you're looking for a delightfully creative meal made with local, fresh ingredients, look no further. north (Yes, it's supposed to be lowercase) delivered one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in a while. I would highly recommend this restaurant to any foodies looking for a truly unique experience.

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.

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.

Ebisu

     Let's be honest, is the Unites States, ramen gets a pretty bad rep. There are two kinds of ramen: good ramen, and bad ramen. If you're American, then I'm willing to bet that you're very well acquainted with bad ramen. You know, that cellophane-wrapped noodle brick and sodium packet that you get for 40 cents at your local super market. Well here's something to think about: the amount of blandness and cheapness you'll find in the flavor of bad ramen is about equal to the amount of deliciousness and complexity which you will find in the flavors of a well prepared ramen dish. They say that when ramen is good, it is one of the best things you'll ever taste, and that's a statement that I certainly can't argue with. Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish, made with wheat-noodles which are boiled in either meat or fish broth, sometimes flavored with dashi or miso, garnished with all kinds of delicious goodies, often including vegetables, pork, chicken, seafood, seaweed, and much more.
     In New England, restaurants that serve real ramen are few and far between, but it seems that there is no such thing as a cuisine which can't be found somewhere in Rhode Island, and ramen is no exception. In Providence, Ebisu serves Japanese food and noodle dishes that exceeded all of my expectations. Named after an ancient mythological Japanese god, thought to bring luck and good fortune to fishermen, Ebisu features high quality Japanese cuisine at fair prices.

     The décor is modern and simplistic. The lighting was pretty low, which gave it a nice sense of intimacy. Inside, it looked very clean, which is always a good sign. It was pretty late when Adriana and I arrived at Ebisu, about 10pm, so it was relatively empty. Although, throughout our meal, business did pick up which is a good sign. A restaurant that still draws customers late at night usually has a well established following. A following which I am now a part of.

 

     Our server was soft spoken and seemed a bit shy, but that fit the gentle feeling of the décor, and he definitely wasn't intrusive to our experience, like some overly spunky servers can be. He was also the only server on this shift, so he was pretty busy, but he still managed to do a good job while managing four tables alone.

     The menu at Ebisu was nicely sized. There was an entire section for noodle dishes, which was pretty extensive and covered just about every style of ramen from every region of Japan. I'll be returning regularly until I've tried them all. But ramen wasn't the only thing on the menu. They also had many rice dishes, and a traditional Japanese dish called Shabu-Shabu. According to the menu description, "Shabu Shabu is a Japanese variety of hot pot. The dish is prepared by submerging a very thin slice of meat or a piece of vegetable in a pot of boiling dashi (broth) and swishing it back and forth several times. (The familiar swishing sound is where the dish gets its name. Shabu-shabu roughly translates to “swish-swish”.) Cooked meat and vegetables are usually dipped in ponzu or “goma” (sesame seeds) sauce."

     As delicious as all of the noodle dishes sounded on this menu, I was faced with the unfortunate reality that I could not order every single one, and so after a long and arduous decision-making process, we placed our order. For an appetizer, we got the Spicy Tuna Tostada which was a fried cracker made from layers of seaweed and rice, topped with spicy tuna and a spicy mayo. As my entrée, I got the Tokyo Miso Ramen, which was thin noodles in pork broth, flavored with miso, topped with roasted pork, seaweed, a soft boiled egg, and Kamaboko (fish cake). Adriana had already eaten dinner, and just had a bowl of miso soup as her entrée.

     When our spicy tuna arrived, it was presented very well. The contrast between the warm, crunchy, fried seaweed-rice cracker and the cold, fresh tuna was absolutely delightful. The spicy mayo added a tang to the smoothness of the tuna as well which completed the flavor perfectly.

     After we finished our appetizer, our entrees came, and my ramen looked mesmerizing. A soft, fluffy bed of noodles, piled with a cornucopia of tasty morsels, all bathing leisurely in a savory, rich pork broth, billowing warm steam. Just the smell had my mouth watering.

      The flavors in this ramen were absolutely incredible. The broth was salty and umami; the pork was almost impossibly tender and robust; the noodles had a soft-yet-firm texture; but my favorite part was the soft boiled egg. The egg was soft, smooth, and had absorbed the flavors of the broth. The flavor of the runny yolk combined with the rich broth was unique and delicious.

     So how exactly can you tell if a ramen is good or bad? A good ramen should look something like this when you're finished:

 

      As far as ramen goes, Ebisu is some of the best you'll find in Rhode Island. The selection of noodle dishes is big enough to try something new every time you visit. Although this was my first experience with real ramen, I'll be returning regularly until I'm well acquainted. With modern décor, friendly service, awesome food, and fair prices, this would be a great place to take a date, or just to hang out with friends.

 

Update: Since my first visit to Ebisu, I've been back and also tried the Nagasaki Chanpon, and the Okinawa Soba. They were both equally delicious to the Tokyo Miso Ramen. I would highly suggest any of the three.

Okinawa Soba

 

Harry's Bar & Burger

     It is a Monday afternoon; Izzy and I are trudging, ankle-deep, through the leftover snow-slush from Winter Storm Nemo which covers the sidewalks throughout the city. The only thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that in just a few more steps, I'll be comfortable and warm inside where I can rest my legs and thaw my toes which have long-since frozen solid. Nice try Nemo, but you won't come between me and my one true love: Food

For those of you that have never been to Harry's, it's pretty simple to find in two easy steps:
1. Walk down North Main Street
2. Look for the giant plastic cow

     If you think it's a bit odd for this burger bar to have a life-sized plastic cow standing outside, then you'll love the interior. The sections of wall which aren't covered in cow print and riddled with graphic tiles of various sizes which contain different words and pictures. However, the décor isn't the only change that Harry's has made to the traditional burger bar concept. With a well-sized selection of gourmet burgers made with certified Hereford Beef, and an even bigger selection of craft beers from around the world, including even some great local New England brews, Harry's Bar and Burger definitely sets itself apart from the other burger bars in the area.

     When we walked in, the man behind the bar was pretty nice and told us to just sit anywhere. Once we had seated ourselves, it wasn't long before we were greeted by our waitress. Throughout our meal our service was certainly not rushed, but not too slow either. I'd describe it as very casual service, which fits the laid-back atmosphere well. Our waitress was friendly and attended to everything we needed. Later on in the meal, there was a slight mistake in Izzy's order, and our waitress tended to it immediately by having his order promptly re-made.
     Since the central menu item at Harry's is burgers, I decided to try some burgers for lunch. I got the Fungus Among Us, which is a classic Harry's cheeseburger with portobello mushroom and truffle aioli. Izzy went with the classic Harry's cheeseburger, ad we got an order of fries to split. Our food came pretty quickly, and it showed up nice and hot, due to the open kitchen being so close to the tables in the dining room, which was nice because we were so cold. The burgers there greasy and juicy, as any good burger should be. The Portobello mushrooms were a nice touch and went well with the sharp cheese, but between the flavors of the cheese and the beef, the truffle aioli got lost in the mix, and didn't impart too much flavor on the finished product. Regardless, these burgers were absolutely delicious. Seeing as Harry's prides themselves on serving fresh food made with high quality ingredients, it was a little disappointing that the fries did not appear to be hand cut, but the seasoning used on them was excellent.

 

     With a huge selection of craft beer and gourmet burgers at very reasonable prices, Harry's makes a great hang-out for the college kids in the area. While I'm usually not that big on greasy, unhealthy food, I believe that everyone should splurge on some comfort food every once in a while, and Harry's Bar & Burger is an excellent place to do so. In essence, Harry's is fast food slow.

Small Point Café

       Established in 2010, Small Point is one of the newest additions to the Providence coffee shop scene. However, seeing all of the hard work that must have gone into creating such a well thought out, sustainable eatery, it's obvious that this café has been in conception for a long time. This is the type of place which makes you wonder why anyone would walk into the Dunkin' just a few blocks away.

     Small Point Café is a caffeine oasis, bustling with busy college students, typing away on their laptops, buried in a book, or just enjoying some delicious local food with their friends. With an Ipad-cash-register, Chemex filter-drip coffee pots, and robots drawn on the walls of the restroom, the décor screams post-modern in the best way. Upon walking in, you will be greeted by a plethora of chalkboards behind the counter which have all of the menu items hand written with care. Immediately to your right, there are booths lining a wall which doubles as a chalkboard. There are containers of chalk at each booth for anyone and everyone to leave their mark on the wall. Small Point has a pretty large amount of seating compared to some other coffee shops in the area, which is great, because no one likes the cut-throat competition between customers racing to acquire seats the instant they are cleared which seem to be the norm at other downtown cafes.

      The staff at Small Point are incredibly nice, and you'll often see even the owners, Anne and Adam, working behind the counter, personally preparing food and drink for their loyal customers. Everything that comes out of their tiny kitchen is made fresh, with hand-picked, local, organic(when possible) ingredients. Even the coffee and is all fair trade. The coffee beans here come from a few different roasters, including New Harvest, which operates out of Rhode Island, and Equal Exchange, which uses only fairly traded coffee beans in their roasts. However, coffee isn't the only beverage that Small Point serves. They also have excellent espresso drinks (made with beans roasted by New Harvest), various fair trade and organic teas, locally made soda from Yacht Club, and even fresh squeezed orange juice, made to order. Anne and Adam make sure that everything on their menu is as fresh and sustainable as it can be, and they won't serve anything that doesn't meet their high standards.

     One of my favorite things about Small Point are the Chemex coffee pots which they use. Chemex is a family owned company which makes an extremely unique coffee brewing system which is as much a work of art as it is a means of brewing up your daily dose of caffeine. In addition to being quirky, interesting showpieces on the counter here, these coffee pots make a perfect brew every time.

 

Chemex coffee pots

      Although there are other coffee shops in the area that can boast slightly lower prices, or in-house roasted coffee, Small Point Café has a unique charm to it that keeps me coming back almost every day. Thanks to the friendly staff, the quirky décor, the board games on the shelves for all to enjoy, and the dedication to sustainability, Small Point Café has earned the number one slot on my list of favorite cafés in Providence.

I Heart Providence: East vs Weat

     A city divided by a river unites over food. Providence is split in two by the Providence river, which separates the east side from the west side. Each half of the city has it's idiosyncrasies in every aspect from Universities, to businesses, and even culture. However, the one thing that the east and west ends of Providence both pride themselves on is food. The east side boasts culinary hotspots such as College Hill, Thayer street, and Fox Point, while the west side keeps its citizens well fed with areas such as the Arts District, Broadway street, and Federal Hill. But which half of this food-loving city would win in an all-out battle for culinary supremacy? That's exactly what I Heart Providence and RI Food Fights set out to determine.
     It was a cold night in Providence, and the sidewalks were lightly dusted with fresh snow from the day's flurries. My fingers were chilled to the bone after walking across town. Adriana, Kevin, and I have finally reached city hall and are relieved to know that we're about to escape from the cold night-time air. We walk in, and are greeted by stands run by some local bakeries giving out cookies, brownies, and even fresh fruit for cascading with rich dark chocolate that's flowing from a small chocolate fountain. That sure warmed me up quick.
     After spending a few minutes devouring some delectable, sweet, chocolate dipped fruit, we decided to head upstairs, and were immediately confronted by "The Wall," a large graffiti covered board with "I Heat Providence" written along the top and "East vs West" written along the bottom. The middle section was blank, and there were a few markers close by for everyone to make their mark on this glorious event for all to see.

Taking a 'dip' in the chocolate fountain 

The Wall

 

      Once we reached the second and third floors, I was like a kid in a candy store- or a foodie in a room full of complimentary treats from some amazing restaurants. All around, there were restaurant stands giving out samples and business cards. Among these restaurants were: El Rancho Grande, Abyssinia, Los Andes, Olneyville New York System, and more. I can honestly say that I didn't eat a single thing which wasn't absolutely delicious, and by the time we got to the competitors on the third floor, my stomach was already about to burst with all of the amazing food.

Ceviche, courtesy of Los Andes

Some seriously tasty South American treats from Los Andes 

Abyssinia, serving up authentic Ethiopian and Eritrean comfort food 

 

Bored With Four, supplying some awesome jams for this lovely event

 

      Eventually, we reached the East vs West competing teams and just barely managed to fit all of their incredible food into our stomachs. The competing teams were:

 

The West- North, Julian's, and The Grange

 

The East- Cook & Brown Public House, The Duck & Bunny, and Vanity

 

      After eating all the food which both teams had to offer, I didn't consume a single bite that didn't impress me with unique and inventive flavors. The well qualified judges of the competition were David Dadekian of eatdrinkri.com, Chef Branden Lewis of Johnson & Wales University, and Chef Matt Varga of Gracie's. They named Brandy Schwalbe of The Duck & Bunny as the winning chef, and the East as the winning team, although the West won the vote for the people's choice. Do I sense a rematch in the future? I sure hope so! Personally, I thought that the West side team offered up the best food of the night, and they earned my vote as the winning team. My personal favorite competing restaurant was Julians with an excellent local ricotta and celery root puree.

 

Local Ricotta and Celery Root Puree from Julians

 

      This was one excellent event for the city of Providence, and it certainly proved that our city is an amazing culinary minefield filled with some of the best food you'll ever find. Although the judges and the people didn't quite agree on who won this competition, everyone agreed on one thing: we all 'Heart' Providence!