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

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.

Sakura Restaurant

     Providence is filled with "hidden gems." Small, independently owned operations that aren't quite as popular as the competition, yet more enjoyable, and more affordable. I've lived in Rhode Island all my life, so I've heard about and tried many of these hidden gems, and they're usually pretty good. Most recently, I was told about a unique sushi and Japanese restaurant on Wickenden street called Sakura Restaurant, and after trying it, I can't believe I've never been before. The experience I had at Sakura was like no other restaurant I've ever been to.
     It was a Thursday night when Adriana and I went to Sakura, which was a good choice. On Thursdays, restaurants in the city are busy enough to be operating at full speed because Thursday night marks the beginning of the college weekend, though they're not busy enough to be slowed down by an overwhelming amount of customers like some Friday nights. Upon walking in, we were immediately tended to and seated. We were seated in their traditional tatami room (a room in which you take off your shoes, sit comfortably on tatami mats, and eat on a table which stands about a foot and a half high) which was very unique, and equally relaxing. Due to the location and affordable prices, a pretty big portion of the customers here are college kids, which makes for a very comfortable atmosphere. The wait staff here manages to always be available when needed, yet never be overly present during your meal. It can be really difficult to tend to all of a customers needs without being pestering by checking up on them every few minutes, and they've found a perfect balance of presence and absence.

      The menu at Sakura was nicely sized. They have a good selection of both sushi and Japanese cuisine, but the menu isn't so large that a glance through becomes overwhelming. After looking over the menu for a while, we placed our perfectly planned order: two miso soups, one order of spicy salmon sandwich sushi, chicken maki, and yaki udon. The food started coming surprisingly fast. In just a few minutes, our soup came out. Miso soup is made from a traditional Japanese seafood stock called dashi, mixed with miso paste, which is made from fermented soybeans. The miso soup at Sakura was one of the best that I've ever had. The broth was rich and flavorful, and the soft cubes of tofu were completely saturated with flavor from the broth, each one bursting with a mouthful of robust, salty goodness. When we were about half way through the soup, our sushi came. It was made with thick layers of sticky rice, nori, and spicy salmon blend.

     The presentation of the sushi was quite a bit nicer than what you'd expect for only $8.25, and so was the quality. The salmon tasted very fresh and was just spicy enough without being overpowering. The rice was cooked perfectly, and absorbed all of the delicious flavor from the wasabi and soy sauce. After having miso soup to get our appetites going, it took all of five minutes to chow down these delicious morsels. Five perfect, blissful minutes of sushi-induced euphoria. Having the cold sushi between the two hot courses was a perfect way to cleanse our palates and break up the meal. Almost as soon as we finished our sushi, it was taken away, and the next course was on its way.

     When our entrée course showed up, and it looked amazing. The chicken maki was filleted chicken breast rolled with seaweed, breaded, and fried. It was sliced and laid out on the plate at if it were a sushi roll, surrounded by piles of cold bean sprouts, cabbage, and noodles. On the side, was a sauce which looked like soy sauce, but tasted much sweeter, with a hint of sesame oil. The sauce complimented the chicken perfectly, and the cabbage and bean sprouts on the side were crisp and refreshing which contrasted the deep fried maki excellently. The yaki udon was a traditional Japanese udon noodle stir-fried with vegetables and chicken. The noodles were a bit dense and heavy, which filled me up pretty quickly, but the flavor was delightful.

     After a pretty big three course meal which left us both unable to eat another bite, our bill came to only $40 which was impressive considering the high quality of both the food, and the atmosphere. Everything about our experience at Sakura left me pleasantly surprised, and I would absolutely go back (many times). If you're looking for a cool place to take a date, or a friend, with fresh sushi, great food, and affordable prices, you should seriously consider giving Sakura a visit. It's like a little slice of Japan right in the heart of the east side. You can check out their full menu at http://sakuraprovidence.com/