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!

Persimmon (7-course tasting)

     Since its opening in 2005, Persimmon has been receiving praise from both local and national press. After making reservations for a seven-course tasting on a Saturday night, I decided to ask some of my friends and fellow members of the local food community about Persimmon, and anyone who had been told me with certainty that, a tasting at Persimmon was simply the best meal in Rhode Island. Ever since the first time I spoke with Chef Champe Speidel about Persimmon, for an interview with The Bay magazine, I had been wanting to try the highly revered tasting menu at Persimmon, and was ecstatic to finally have a chance to do so. The drive to Persimmon is scenic and tranquil, especially in the winter when the trees along the quaint streets of Bristol are whimsically decorated with Christmas lights, and the relaxing thirty minute trip felt like the calm before an inevitable, edible storm.
     When we arrived, we were pleased with the chic-yet-comfortable atmosphere inside. The room was small and cozy, but felt appropriate for a high end meal with low lighting and ample room between tables. Throughout the meal, our service was impeccable, never allowing our water glasses to become less than half full and clearing each course nearly the moment we finished, and we even received a visit from Lisa Speidel, Co-owner and wife of Chef Speidel, to introduce herself and check on our meal. At Persimmon's sister location, Persimmon Provisions, Chef Speidel breaks down whole animals and sells high end meat and poultry, so I was expecting to have a meal heavy in animal protein, but received the opposite. Throughout the entire meal, there were only a few bites of meat, and each one had been very carefully thought out and meticulously prepared, showcasing an endless respect for the ingredients used.
     The first course of the menu was a series of canapes, starting with a deviled quail egg with sturgeon caviar.

 This was an excellent bite to start the meal, encompassing a large part of Chef Speidel's cooking style: start with amazing ingredients; prepare them with careful and concise technique and allow the natural flavors to shine. The contrast between creamy egg and salty caviar was wonderful.

The deviled egg was followed by a bucatini cracker with salmon roe and dashi mousse. I love the concept of using pasta to make a cracker, and the execution was flawless. The cracker was crispy and light, and the dashi and salmon roe added both moisture and flavor. I also liked the stone slab that it was plated on

The third bite of our first course was a kombu-cured scallop with yuzu zest. I love uncooked scallops, and this was one of the best I've had. The addition of the yuzu was just enough for a citrusy fragrance, but not enough to make the scallop acidic and the cure was equally light, which I thought was perfect. With such beautiful scallops coming fresh out of the water here, it would have been a shame for any flavor to over power them, but this preparation was true to the delicate nature of the scallop.

  Next to arrive was a small quinelle of beef tartare with anchovy mayo. Tartare tends to be either extremely delicious, when prepared well, or totally off-putting, when prepared with poor technique or poor quality meat. As expected from a chef such as Speidel, who has had extensive experience working with beef as a butcher, this particular tartare was amazing. The beef had a nice sharp bite from shallots and garlic, and the anchovy mayo was salty and smooth. This was my favorite course of the evening, and I just barely resisted the urge to ask for a second portion. I don't eat a lot of red meat, and it is rare that a beef course is my favorite, but this small bite was absolutely sublime.

Our next bite was a small, spongey cake of green olives with a sunchoke purée and dehydrated olives. This dish was a nice display of both technique and flavor. The cake was light, yet moist and briney with the flavor of olives and the sunchoke puree was warm and creamy. I loved the tiny bits of dehydrated olives, which tasted like the savory version of a raisin.

The next bite to arrive was also one of the best of the evening. It was a crispy fried oyster with sauce ravigote and celery. The dredge was crunchy and the oyster inside was warm and buttery-tender. The sauce ravigote was executed perfectly and the small cubes of celery were, surprisingly, refreshing enough to balance out the richness of the oyster and the sauce. I found the addition of celery to be brilliant, and it is impressive to see that they managed to turn such a humble ingredient into something elegant.

The final course of our first course was a poached mussel with an edible shell. I've seen many modern chefs do things such as root vegetables in edible dirt, but this is the first time I've ever heard of a shellfish with an edible shell. The creativity here was great, and the flavors were as well. The shell was crunchy and sweet a great contrast to the salty poached mussel.

Our second course was a salad of roasted and smoked beets with house cured bacon, oranges, and goats' milk yogurt. The beets were still crunchy and they had a smokey-sweet flavor that set a good base for the rest of the dish. Although the ingredients all sound so different, everything came together well. The smokey flavor of the beets helped to tie the bacon in and the sweetness paired well with the oranges. The yogurt was a nice touch to mellow out all of the flavors and round off the dish.

The next course was a squid ink tagliatelle withParmesan cheese. With the exception of the canapés that made up the first course, this was the simplest, most straightforward dish we received all night. Serving something as simple as house made pasta with a light cream sauce and cheese as part of a tasting menu takes guts, because it is something so identifiable and transparent. In order for a dish like this to meet up to the standards of such a high-end meal, everything about it needs to be perfect, and it was. The pasta was made by very skilled, meticulous hands and was soft and silky. The Parmesan was rich and creamy, but the portion was tiny which worked to the advantage of the dish, because it was so rich. I grew up eating hand made pasta and have high standards for a good pasta dish, and this did not disappoint.

Next to arrive was octopus with scallops, chorizo and petit vegetables. Saying that both the scallops and the octopus were fork tender would be an understatement. The raw root vegetables had a nice crunch, rounding off the softness of the seafood and the chorizo gave the vinegary broth a nice spice. The broth that the seafood was in was acidic and powerful in flavor and was one of the single best components of the meal. This was a close second for my favorite course, and It would be worth making a trip to Persimmon just to order this dish when it's available on the a la carte menu.

The first of two meat courses was a veal sweetbread with apple, quince and date. A few minutes before this course came out of the kitchen, the entire dining room filled with the hearty scent of searing meat, and even after eating four courses, it made our mouths water. The sweetbread was velvety and savory, and the pairing of fruit was delicious and interesting. Each fruit was sweet, making them all pair with the sweetbread in the same manor, but each one had its' own nuances as well, making it fun to try first a bite of sweetbread and apple, then sweetbread and quince and finally sweetbread and date. This was a fun course to eat and portioned perfectly for something so sweet and savory.

Our last savory course was venison with roasted carrot purée and crispy potatoes. Had I not been told that this was venison, I wouldn't have known. While it had the flavor nuances of venison, it was not gamy or tough like venison in any way. The venison had a beautiful sear on it, and the tenderness suggested that it had been cooked sous vide before being seared. I loved the pairing of crispy, fried potatoes with the seared venison, and thought that it made the dish a very modern, elegant version of the classic steak frites found on French bistro menus.

Before our dessert course, we received a small amuse of mango sorbet with lemon grass broth. The sorbet was smooth and bright, and the milky, citrusy broth added some richness.

For the final course , I had a white chocolate semi-freddo that had a silky, luxurious texture. It was served with poached fruit including apples and tart cranberries which cut through the sweetness of the white chocolate. I was, however, already very full from the meal and would have been happy with a smaller portion. Our meal ended with some delicious petit-fours, including a house made peanut butter cup that was nothing like its store-bought counterpart.
     After hearing so much about Persimmon and talking to Champe Speidel about his unique cuisine, I had very high expectations for both the food and the service, and I was met by a meal that impressed. The blend of classical techniques and modern style made my meal at Persimmon an exciting dining experience.

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.

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.

Farm Fresh Rhode Island Winter Time Farmers Market

     During the summer, Rhode Island becomes riddled with farmers markets. No matter what day it is, there's always at least one farmers market happening. During the spring and summer, the sustainability movement in Rhode Island is a roaring culture of diverse individuals working together for a good cause. Seeing the amount of people that frequent all of the farmers markets is a great and hopeful sight. Most of them are out doors at parks or other public areas. Unfortunately, once winter rolls around, all of the out door markets go into hibernation until spring, and farmers markets become a much rarer sight. However, there is one market that operates in Rhode Island, and being the only market that operates during the off season, it draws huge crowds of farm fresh food lovers from around the state every week. The winter time market is put on by an organization called Farm Fresh Rhode Island. Farm Fresh Rhode Island puts on many events throughout Rhode Island, including farmers markets, film screenings, community classes, art shows, and more. They are the glue that hold the incredible sustainability movement of Rhode Island together.
     The winter time market operates twice a week indoors at Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket, RI. On Wednesdays, the market is open from 4:00pm-7:00pm, and on Saturdays, the market is open from 9:00am-1:00pm. I got a chance to go to the market this week, and it was absolutely wonderful. Whether you're shopping for produce, meats, eggs, baked goods, or just looking to strike up an interesting conversation with local farmers and business owners, this market is always a fun time.
     The whole market smells of warm, fresh baked bread, and earthy, locally roasted coffee which gives it a warm, comforting, homey feel, which is absolutely perfect during the cold, bitter winter season. There are over 50 vendors at this huge market, and some of my favorites include:
Seven Stars Bakery, Aquidneck Honey, Barden Family Orchard, New Harvest Coffee Roasters, Matunuck Vegetable Farm, Virginia & Spanish Peanut Co., Baffoni's Poultry Farm, Melville Grille, Taza Chocolate, Narragansett Creamery, New Urban Farmers, The Local Catch, and many more. I managed to get pictures of some of the vendors and their amazing products while I was there as well:

Wishing Stone Farm

Aquidneck Honey

Olga's Cup & Saucer

Narragansett Creamery

Baffoni's Poultry Farm

Virginia & Spanish Peanut Co.

Seven Stars Bakery

The Stirring Spoon

 

     I absolutely love Rhode Island's farmers markets, and this is one of my favorites. I've never been to the winter time farmers market without having at least one delightfully interesting and inspiring conversation with one of the vendors. You'll never find employees that are this passionate about their products at any super market. If you like fresh food, and friendly people, then take a trip to one of your local farmers markets. You'll see just how lovely of an experience it can be, and you'll be sure to walk away with some amazing food, whether it be fresh veggies, Warm pastries, or locally made organic peanut butter. You can't go wrong at this farmers market.

The Locals (Neighborhood Eats)

     Just out of the way of Providence, nestled in a corner of the suburban labyrinth known as North Providence, stands one of my favorite restaurants in our foodie-heaven of a state: The Locals. The Locals is a cozy little restaurant which serves up some seriously tasty food made from the best ingredients in Rhode Island. At The Locals, all of the food is made from scratch using ingredients sourced from local farms in Rhode Island and the surrounding area. I've been to this restaurant many times, and I've never had a disappointing experience. The Locals serves mostly lunch, dinner, and on Sunday, brunch. This is definitely one of my all time favorite spots for Sunday brunch. What better could you do on a Sunday than eat an amazing veggie omelet while listening to the awesome tunes of whichever local musician happens to be performing that day? Simply put: The Locals is good, clean eating.

The Veggie Omelet

     The Locals is a pretty new establishment, opened in 2010 by owner/chef Andrea Cipolla. Just like the seasonal weather of New England, the menu at The Locals is constantly changing based on what ingredients are locally available at the time, which makes for a delicious new experience with every visit. The menu has everything from sweet potato mac 'n' cheese in the fall, to grilled summer squash pizza in summer. However, no matter what season you choose to visit The Locals, I doubt you'll ever have a less-than-delicious meal (I certainly haven't). As expected with any food that is sourced sustainably, it can't always be as cheap as your average Sysco-slop-house, but The Locals manages to keep their prices relatively low in comparison to other local eateries. The appetizers rang in price from $5-$7; breakfast food such as omelets range $6-$8, and main courses range $10-$15. A small price to pay for food of such high quality.
     The décor at The Locals could best be described as artsy. With mismatched chairs and tables, and couches along the wall, the décor has a very modern hipster coffee shop feel which I personally find very comfortable and homey. On the wall, there hangs a plethora of art pieces and chalkboards on which various things are written. These include food specials, drink specials, and other pleasant sayings and messages. One particularly interesting sentence on one of the chalkboards reads "Welcome to the slow food movement babies!" And they hold true to that. While all of the food is absolutely delightful, this is no place to eat when you're in a rush. The extremely small kitchen is usually staffed by only Andrea and one other employee, preparing all of the food, with enough time taken to truly make each dish with care and love. Though the wait is long, the finished product has proven over and over to be worth the wait, and the wonderful wait staff makes sure that your wait is nothing but pleasant.
     The service at The Locals feels very personal. After just a couple visits, the waitresses all remembered who I was and recognize me when I walk in. But even if you're a first-timer here, all of the wait staff want to make you feel at home.

     Having spent most of my childhood on my family farm (Baffoni's Poultry Farm in Johnston, RI), you could say that I was literally born into Rhode Island's sustainability movement. To me, eating local food has always been very important because it supports your local farmers; it keeps more money in your economy; sustainable food is better for both you and the environment; and most importantly, it tastes better! The only thing I love more than food, is great tasting, fresh, scratch-made food, and that's exactly what The Locals delivers! Amazing food; amazing coffee; amazing people; amazing place. Next time you're in the mood for  comfort food, I would highly recommend trying out this awesome local eatery! For more information on The Locals, you can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Eat.At.The.Locals