Food & Drink EXPERIENCE

By Kou Tukala Nyan

Bring Home the Bowl

An East Providence cafe serves up good vibes and multicultural entrees

With signs declaring “A little weird is good” and other a rmations filling the walls while new jack swing music plays overhead, it’s immediately clear that Incred-A-Bowl is an empowering and encouraging space. From the owners’ two young daughters enthusiastically helping out at every turn to the joyful patrons surrounding us, it was hard not to feel like we were entering the home of friends rather than an East Providence cafe.

Community is a big part of the mission at Incred-A-Bowl. Owners Sterling Clinton-Spellman and Russell Spellman originally rolled onto the food truck scene as The Salad Man & Juice Bar in 2013 before changing their name to Incred-A-Bowl, and then, this past October, planted their roots in the new brick and mortar. Now with a solid homebase, the Spellmans can do more of what they’ve always done: bring people together with multicultural food.

Once we were welcomed into the joyful throng, my friend and I scanned a QR code on the front counter to view the menu. Their easy-to-use website also allows for online orders if you’re in a hurry, but I would recommend staying for a while to enjoy the communal atmosphere.

CUISINE: Multicultural health bowls and fruit drinks

PRICES: $8-$15

ATMOSPHERE: Positive, upbeat family-run cafe

We ordered our drinks and bowls at the counter, starting with the Sanas Sorrel. This floral and fruity drink was tart and sweet with hibiscus tea, ginger, apple, and peach. My friend was a fan of the Pink Paradise Smoothie, a vibrant strawberry blend with coconut water. She described it as “light and refreshing with hints of banana.”

The invigorating bevvies were a nice complement to our main courses. I indulged in the Spicy Kim Noodle Bowl without seeds. This healthy bowl was a mix of crispy onions, chicken, and sauteed vegetables with thick and chewy udon noodles. Seasoned with Asian-inspired sauces and topped with kimchi, it o ered a nice spicy kick.

My friend raved about the Mac n Cheese

Bowl with tender shredded jerk chicken –the sauce paired wonderfully with the three cheeses, creating a warming union of spicy and creamy. With entrees showcasing flavors from across the world, the next stop on our culinary map was the Korean BBQ Bowl. The rich salty-sweet umami flavors shined in this dish. The marinated beef and soft rice soaked up the teriyaki sauce, making each bite spectacular. To top it off, veggie slaw and an oozing fried egg added a myriad of pleasing tastes and textures.

We left Incred-A-Bowl satisfied and in high spirits, riding the energy of the staff and patrons around us. The cafe more than lives up to its name – it was definitely an incredible experience.

Must-Try Items

Pink Paradise Smoothie ($8)

Strawberry, banana, and coconut water

Korean BBQ ($15)

Choice of sliced chicken, beef, or tofu marinated in Korean spices, served over rice, veggie slaw, and fried egg

Spicy Kim Noodle Bowl ($15)

Sauteed udon noodles, kimchi, and chopped veggies with choice of chicken or tofu, topped with sesame seeds

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IncredABowlFood.com

By Abbie Lahmers

The Chef Wears Combat Boots

For an Asian-fusion cuisine catering chef and USAF veteran, food is her love language

“Not a lot of people realize that rice paper comes dry and all you do is rehydrate it to soften it,” says Pin Minyvong of Pins Kytchen in Warren. She’s describing one step in the process of making Nime Chow, also known as spring rolls – the clear-wrapped veggie-filled delicacy she’s become known for. “We used to roll them fresh at farmers markets. It was like a show – customers would see us taking the rice paper, dipping it in water, airing it out a little bit, and putting the toppings inside. That’s absolutely my favorite thing to make because it really sparks an interest and conversation.”

Like many small food business owners, Pin Minyvong’s journey from home cook to catering chef began with Instagram. Documenting her fitness journey in 2014, she started devising low-carb Asian-inspired recipes and posting them on her page, piquing the interest of many followers and friends who started requesting meal prep dishes. “When I got to 100 meals I was prepping in one day for a week, that’s when I realized, I need to get into a commercial space because this is going somewhere,” she says.

Unlike other chefs launching a business, though, Minyvong’s meal prep service (then called Minymeals) sometimes has to come second to her military career. When she was deployed during the holidays in 2020 to Kuwait, instead of cooking from a commercial kitchen space at Hope & Main in Warren, she relied on rice papers sent from home – and veggies and meats from the DFAC – to make spring rolls for friends. She had the idea to give Rhode Island food businesses some international exposure while also making care packages for the troops, so she called Hope & Main founder and president Lisa Raiola. “When you ask Lisa to do anything, she will do about 20 times what you ask her,” says Minyvong with a laugh. Dubbed Operation RI Made, the initiative brought in not one but 40 boxes of local goods.

The time overseas also gave Minyvong pause to reassess the trajectory of her business and strike a work-life balance. “I wanted to be home with family more,” she recalls. “I have a nine-year-old daughter and she doesn’t know anything else except myself and her father in the military, so she’s always used to one parent being there and one parent not being there.”

In its early years, Minymeals kept Minyvong busy doing farmers market pop-ups, meal prep, and events. The recent iteration, Pins Kytchen, is more streamlined and specializes in innovative Asian-fusion cuisine. “We call ourselves a boutique caterer,” says Minyvong. “We can’t take all the jobs we get.”

Pins Kytchen also gives back to the community through Hope & Main’s Nourish Our Neighbors program. “Think of it like a full circle,” Minyvong explains. Hope & Main pays small food businesses for chef-prepared meals each week, and for every purchase of a meal, one is donated to a food-insecure family. A portion of ingredients must also be from local suppliers. “Not only are we getting paid to do these meals, but it’s also going back into the economy. It’s a win-win.”

Minyvong has always led with a service-minded approach. “It’s not just about the food,” she says. “One of my goals is to be able to employ those in underserved communities.” Growing up a first-generation Southeast Asian-American to refugee parents from Laos, Minyvong can relate to others transitioning to a new country and trying to find work, and wants to employ those facing language or cultural barriers with fair wages. “We can bridge that gap for them and they’ll feel comfortable working at a place where we understand where they came from. That’s where I want to take this.”

Since returning from deployment, Minyvong has been able to carve out the balance she’s craved. She now works part time at the military base and her day job is in the nonprofit sphere as a programs manager for small businesses. When not catering, she’s putting on a steaming pot of pho to share with her family. Minyvong notes that the “Y” in Pins Kytchen alludes to her own name and her daughter’s, and is a reminder of where she started: “It’s a memory of when my daughter was a baby and she would always find me in the kitchen. It was where love was expressed through cooking.” Pins Kytchen services all of RI; follow on @pins_kytchen or visit PinsKytchen.com.

By Ken Abrams

A favorite ghost kitchen returns to Newport

Green Dragon Chinese is back at Newport’s Midtown Oyster Bar. The pop-up will be serving classic Chinese favorites and new dishes Thursdays through Sundays until April 30. “The original inspiration behind the opening of Green Dragon was based on the ghost kitchen concept,” explains executive chef Jeremy Boudreau. “It allows us to operate a di erent themed restaurant out of our main restaurant, but keep them entirely separate.”

Green Dragon first opened during the pandemic, focusing on delivery and take out. “This time around, we were again inspired by the ghost kitchen trend and the desire to keep more of our staff full time during the slow season,” says Boudreau. “Admittedly, I do love cooking different types of food so the fun factor is also a huge bonus.” Committed to providing the highest quality products available, Boudreau recommends the Spicy Beef and Noodles and the Szechuan Hot Shrimp. “You really can’t go wrong with the General Thames Chicken or General Thames Shrimp,” he adds. “Our fried rice isn’t anything to sleep on either.” Newport, @greendragonchinese

Bold and beautiful chocolates in Wakefield

The folks at Allumé Chocolate create some of the prettiest candy you’ll ever see. “We’ve been making chocolates as gifts for friends and family for years and this past summer we decided it was the right time to turn that passion into a business,” says Marissa Kervin, owner of Allumé. “It has been a great way to showcase our love for creative food and bold, interesting flavors.” The new business on Main Street in Wakefield specializes in handcrafted chocolate bonbons that feature layered pâte de fruit and chocolate ganache fillings. “We plan to expand into other confections over the next year,” explains Kervin.

The confectionery uses fresh local products along with “the finest ethically sourced ingredients from around the world to create unforgettable experiences of taste and texture.” The store specializes in small batches, intended to be devoured quickly. Look for tasty treats from the upcoming spring collection and holiday favorites throughout the year. Kervin is also working on a collection of dairy-free vegan chocolates that should be available soon. Wakefield, AllumeChocolate.com

RI Spirits set to open new location in Pawtucket

Popular distillery Rhode Island Spirits is gearing up to open in a new space later this month in Pawtucket, alongside some friends. “We had the chance to join The Guild at their campus, the Isle Brewers Guild,” says Cathy Plourde, co-founder and co-owner of the distillery. “The location brings us more visibility, and it’s slightly larger, with much better freight access in a neighborhood that has complementary businesses and a new train station. It was kind of a no-brainer.”

The move meant closing their old Pawtucket location while transferring equipment, with production resuming in February. The distillery will be located at 40 Bailey Street, about a block from the new Pawtucket/Central Falls train station. “The tasting room should be ready by the end of March,” says Plourde. RI Spirits is women-owned and New England’s only LGBTQIA+ spirits brand. The owners are committed to using products that are “fresh, farmed, or foraged. We’re sourcing a lot of our ingredients locally, from farms, as well as vendors; we like to keep our money local as much as possible,” explains Plourde. Pawtucket, RhodeIslandSpirits.com