Providence Dining Experiences and Reviews

[Cotuit]

what is red stripe? the only thing i can picture is the jamaican beer.

That's what I think too everytime someone mentions it.

[brick]

excellent steak can also be had at the longhorn steak house... there's one in warwick next to the warwick mall.

what is red stripe? the only thing i can picture is the jamaican beer.

Red Stripe is a brasserie style restaurant in Wayland Square, across Angell from the Starbucks. I say brasserie style because it is a little more expensive than a typical brasserie, and the food is a little more upscale, although it does have a cafe atmosphere.

We asked why it was called Red Stripe as there is really nothing Jamaican about the place and in turn, there's nothing about a red stripe that recalls any great Parisian brasseries. Turns out the owner was on vacation in the Caribbean shortly before his investor presentation and hadn't come up with a name yet, and because he was drinking so much Red Stripe, that's what he came up with. They have a Red Stripe bottle sculpture there (not huge, about the size of one of the tabletop christmas trees) so I'm inclined to believe the story.

I agree on Longhorn, I forgot about the one in Warwick. I used to go there when I lived in Philly and it was the best of the downscale steak chains.

[spanishboy]

i wish we had a Longhorn in downtown, i know its a chain but their food is great and the prices arent badd either.

[matt]

How expensive was XO?

I payed about $150 for 2 salads, 2 entrees (plus you pay for sides seperately), and 3 or 4 glasses of (not too fancy) wine. The service was outstanding. The atmosphere was reasonably initmate. If I could afford it, I'd defintely go back, but I'm interested in trying the other restaurants along North/South Main from that point south.

Anyone have a review of Barnsiders, Fahrenheit, or any other restaurant/bar along there?

[Jenkins]

I payed about $150 for 2 salads, 2 entrees (plus you pay for sides seperately), and 3 or 4 glasses of (not too fancy) wine. The service was outstanding. The atmosphere was reasonably initmate. If I could afford it, I'd defintely go back, but I'm interested in trying the other restaurants along North/South Main from that point south.

Anyone have a review of Barnsiders, Fahrenheit, or any other restaurant/bar along there?

I highly recommend Parkside. Excellent food at reasonable prices (entrees from $15-$28), with a lively atmosphere, very good service, and free valet parking. Barnsiders I went to once and was not all that thrilled with. Kind of an old school atmosphere and menu, fine for what it is I suppose. Mills Tavern I have only been to for drinks. 3 Steeple Street, just off S. Main, is also very good food at reasonable prices, although I prefer Parkside overall. For a small intimate atmosphere and excellent food try New Rivers, just around the corner from 3 Steeple.

[Garris]

Jenkin's post is spot on. To his list of outstanding restaurants in that area, I'd add Neath's, which is a French Asian fusion... Ambiance is somewhat bland, but food quality is outstanding.

- Garris

[Cotuit]

Anyone have a review of Barnsiders, Fahrenheit, or any other restaurant/bar along there?

Barnsiders is good for a large group. My family was here over the summer, I think we had 12 of us at Barnsiders. The food was good, typical 'american' fair. The portions were huge, and the price was right.

I too would like a review of Farenheit if anyone can offer one.

I highly recommend Parkside.

Me too. I had an anniversary dinner there a couple years ago. We sat outside and it was just a very nice atmosphere. Much better street dining than Federal Hill I must say. Food was great, staff was great. We didn't eat inside but I ventured in, and the atmosphere inside was very nice, calm and intimate.

[brick]

Barnsiders is good for a large group. My family was here over the summer, I think we had 12 of us at Barnsiders. The food was good, typical 'american' fair. The portions were huge, and the price was right.

I too would like a review of Farenheit if anyone can offer one.

Fahrenheit is really hard to review because of their turnover. When it opened, part of the deal was the chef they opened with. He was originally going to have a stake in the business and then the financier's kind of screwed him. I never really got the details. He made fantastic tapas and desserts (and sweet potato fries - I know not really a delicacy but man were they good) and his entrees were also very good if not at the level of the tapas. He also brought with him Providence's best martini bartender (IMO). He has since moved on and actually gotten out of being a chef and they have gone through two more chefs in the interim, changing the menu each time. Also, the bartender who is a friend of mine got her nursing degree and stopped bartending. I haven't been since she left so I can't speak to the current chef.

A couple of warnings. Do not go there late at night expecting a quiet dinner as it becomes quite loud and full of those same boorish types ya'll complain about being around Federal Hill. That transformation happens around 10 PM or so on Fridays and Saturdays. I'm not sure about Thursdays. They used to be really cool with Becky Chase and her lead guitarist Brian doing acoustic sets, but now they perform at the Barnsider and I'm not sure what happens at Fahrenheit.

[ArtInRuins]

OAK: Went to brunch at Oak and had a great omelette quesidilla with homemade black beans and salsa and guac... my companion had a special fritatta loaded with sausage, goat cheese and peppers and onions, plus a bloody mary. All for about $25. We didn't eat for the rest of the day. I'm going back soon.

[Garris]

OAK: Went to brunch at Oak and had a great omelette quesidilla with homemade black beans and salsa and guac... my companion had a special fritatta loaded with sausage, goat cheese and peppers and onions, plus a bloody mary. All for about $25. We didn't eat for the rest of the day. I'm going back soon.

Did you have to wait at all? Everyone I've known who has gone for brunch or dinner has had something of a wait, and they had a blistering review (the only one I've seen) in the ProJo that also blasted the waiting time.

My usual limit is 25 minutes...

- Garris

[Garris]

He made fantastic tapas and desserts (and sweet potato fries - I know not really a delicacy but man were they good) and his entrees were also very good if not at the level of the tapas.

This brings up an interesting question... Where are the best tapas in Providence right now? I've had a craving of late, and I'm not sure where to go. I've heard Tapeo in Boston is great, but I don't want to take a trip for it...

- Garris

[matt]

I went to Paragon on Thayer last night for dinner. I was quite pleasantly surprised. I had the Honey Dijon Chicken and it was fantastic. The mashed potatoes were delicious and the butternut squash was quite possibly the best I've ever had. My girlfriend very much enjoyed the tortellini with veal. Six dollars for a mixed drink seemed reasonable, too. It was a pleasant atmosphere inside, but a little loud for a conversation.

After, we went to Moda for a drink. Here, I wasn't impressed. It looked great... The bar had fancy lighting, the furniture looked like it had just been delivered from Ikea, and there was a coat check (yay!), but we payed $8 for a mixed drink, the service was less than friendly, and it seemed to take forever to close the tab.

[Garris]

Thanks for the report Matt. My sister gives Paragon two thumbs waaay up as well. It's her favorite Providence restaurant.

I went to Restaurant Oak today with my sister and visiting parents. It was OK. We had no wait. The decor inside is simple and attractive. We parked about 20 ft away easily.

I wasn't quite as impressed at the brunch menu as I thought I would be. It's very basic, with all of the expected items and not much more. Certainly nothing close to the voluminous menu at Brickway on Wickenden or the sparkling, imaginative menu at Julian's on Broadway (my favorite brunch place in Providence).

My eggs and pancakes were both fine, nothing amazing, nothing bad. The potatoes were good as well and had a little kick, although I wish they gave us more of them. I ordered a cinnamon toast side, which was very good.

Our server was, at best, indifferent throughout the entire meal. On the upside, the meal was very inexpensive, less than 30 dollars for a brunch at which four people left full.

It's a great option for those in the neighborhood, but as a "destination" brunch, I'd rather head to Brickway, Julian's, Rue, or Downcity.

- Garris

PS: Okay, everyone, again, where are the best tapas??

[brick]

It's a great option for those in the neighborhood, but as a "destination" brunch, I'd rather head to Brickway, Julian's, Rue, or Downcity.

Not a destination place per se, but brunch at the Garden Grille is excellent even if you aren't trying to restrict your diet to vegan. I recommend it to as many people as I can.

as for Paragon, I am also a fan.

PS: Okay, everyone, again, where are the best tapas??

I don't know that anyone really does them anymore. They were kind of a fad in Providence about 3 years ago. Aquaviva on Federal Hill says they still do them. I haven't been there forever. What would be nice is if all of the bars on Federal Hill actually added tapas. Then you could really tapeo and go from bar to bar sampling different stuff and meeting up with different people, etc. Even if they only did like a tapeo night once a month during the summer, that would be pretty cool. But I sometimes have a much different idea of what is cool than other people

The problem with American style tapas is that like all American restaurants, the idea of encouraging people to move from place to place is completely foreign, and therefore they generally don't serve tapas, they serve appetizers and full entrees, charge you $20 and call it tapas.

[basachs]

We went to Oak a few weeks ago for dinner and it was at best okay. Indifferent service and bland food. The decor was cutesy, playing on the oak theme and got annoying halfway through the meal. Nice for the fall I guess.

Went to Mill's Tavern before seeing the Lion King saturday night. Excellent all around. Food was good, service was very attentive without being overbearing and they were sensitive to our time issues. The coat check was appreciated as well! Dined with my wife and sister-in law and we ran the gamut of the menu. Salads, seafood, poultry and steak. All were excellent.

It was getting loud and crowded by the time we left for our 8pm showing which was nice to see.

[Sin5Cents]

Where are the best tapas in Providence right now?

I think that would have to be La Moia in Silver Lake. It's specifically a Tapas restaurant, and they have an interesting variety of tasty dishes. It's on Poccasset Avenue..

While in Silver Lake, you might also want to check out, St. Bart's Club. It's a restaurant downstairs from an "italian social club".. but open to the general public. During the week, I believe they have a special two-person deal (something along the lines of 2 entrees, 2 salads, 2 glasses of house wine for $29.95)... it's your basic down-home good Italian food...

-michael

[markOne]

Not a destination place per se, but brunch at the Garden Grille is excellent even if you aren't trying to restrict your diet to vegan. I recommend it to as many people as I can.

as for Paragon, I am also a fan.

I don't know that anyone really does them anymore. They were kind of a fad in Providence about 3 years ago. Aquaviva on Federal Hill says they still do them. I haven't been there forever. What would be nice is if all of the bars on Federal Hill actually added tapas. Then you could really tapeo and go from bar to bar sampling different stuff and meeting up with different people, etc. Even if they only did like a tapeo night once a month during the summer, that would be pretty cool. But I sometimes have a much different idea of what is cool than other people

The problem with American style tapas is that like all American restaurants, the idea of encouraging people to move from place to place is completely foreign, and therefore they generally don't serve tapas, they serve appetizers and full entrees, charge you $20 and call it tapas.

One of these days I'll make it to the Garden Grill. I hear nothing but good things about it.

I ate dinner at Tazza last night (I saw the UP group in the corner but I was on a schedule so I could not join in. I hope you all had a good meeting.) They have Tapas items on their menu. Unfortunately I did not try them. I did have their crabmeat cheese dip appetizer and the BBQ chicken quesadilla. Both were good and managed to avoid the clich

[Cotuit]

Another foodie for Garris to talk to!

I got a ceasar salad last night at tazza and it was quite good (it's hard to screw up a ceasar salad though). I was reading the menu and saw they had tapas and thought to myself, 'oh, I should post that on the forum.' Of course I was sitting waiting for people from the forum to show up at the time and could have mentioned it in person, but it completely flew out of my mind and I forgot about it until now.

[Frankie811]

I'm ashamed to ask, but what is a Tapas? Is it greek?

[matt]

Speaking of good Caeser Salads... and true, hard to mess up, but the Caeser I had at Trinity Brewhouse recently was out of this world.

Speaking of Trinity's food, my other favorite there is the Backyard Burger. If you're ever in the mood for a burger and fries, this is it. Burger, bacon, cheese, and bbq sauce. mmmmmmm.

[runawayjim]

Speaking of good Caeser Salads... and true, hard to mess up, but the Caeser I had at Trinity Brewhouse recently was out of this world.

Speaking of Trinity's food, my other favorite there is the Backyard Burger. If you're ever in the mood for a burger and fries, this is it. Burger, bacon, cheese, and bbq sauce. mmmmmmm.

i had a burger at the trinity once before... i had heard their food was good. i usually order my burgers medium, but the burger came out pretty dry and way overcooked. not the slightest hint of pink on the inside and the outside was slightly charred. i have found this to be more common as people are afraid of bacteria, but if people want to take the risk of having their food cooked the way they like, why won't places cook it that way? i have since started ordering burgers medium-rare because of this (although some places won't do anything less than medium now).

i like their beer though... best IPA i've had...

[ruchele]

I'm ashamed to ask, but what is a Tapas? Is it greek?

Tapas is (are?) Spanish. They are little plates of delicious snacks that are supposed to be eaten very late at night with drinks, or as a late-night meal.

Here: "Tapas" at Wikipedia.

[Cotuit]

I'm ashamed to ask, but what is a Tapas? Is it greek?

I went all the way to Spain not knowing exactly what tapas were.

Luckily, a friend from Barcelona educated us.

[Griswald]

I spent a semester in Barcelona a few years ago, what an amazing city that is.

A lot of bars have tapas, they're displayed in a glass case kindof like desserts or pastries. Since people in Spain usually eat their biggest meal of the day at lunch, tapas are pretty polular for dinner. People usually order a few different tapas to make up a meal. There's actually a really good Spanish place with tapas on Newbury Street in Boston.

On another note, I went to Downcity Food & Cocktails a few weeks ago, and had an excellent dinner. Nice atmosphere, walking distance from my apt. (Wickenden&Brook), and creative, unique food. I would definitely recommend it to everyone.

[Frankie811]

Speaking of good Caeser Salads... and true, hard to mess up, but the Caeser I had at Trinity Brewhouse recently was out of this world.

Speaking of Trinity's food, my other favorite there is the Backyard Burger. If you're ever in the mood for a burger and fries, this is it. Burger, bacon, cheese, and bbq sauce. mmmmmmm.

Don't ever order the calamari there, unless they've improved it recently.