Food & Drink Experience In The Kitchen Food News

from The Bay June 2023

TREASURED ISLAND

Enchantment on the Water

Nautical sights and savory seafood beckon the best of summer dining in Barrington

I knew we had arrived at Bluewater Bar + Grill when the sound of pavement beneath the car tires turned into a rolling crunch of crushed shells and the treetops were replaced with boat sails. From the parking lot, I caught a glimpse of stunning sunset hues across the bay, and a view of Warren’s Tourister Mill from our Tyler Point peninsula location. Lined up in the dock, bobbing boats and captains prepping their vessels seemed as eager as me to kick o yet another New England summer.

With bay breezes ﬁlling our lungs, my boyfriend and I made our way up to the restaurant, one noisy footstep at a time. At the front door, freshly painted Adirondack chairs huddled around a much-appreciated ﬁreplace on a slightly chilly late-spring evening. The dining room was bustling for a Tuesday, a good sign that this spot has earned the locals’ seal of approval. We opted to sit on their fully covered patio to take in the surroundings. Our waitress Courtney turned on the heaters for us and brought our attention to their specials menu, which rotates daily.

By Gina Mastrostefano

We started with two cocktails off the specials menu: for my boyfriend, a take on an espresso martini called Espresso Manhattan, which is exactly what it sounds like – a coffee-forward drink with vodka substituted for whiskey. And for myself, a Cucumber Basil Smash, which tasted like a vodka soda’s much cooler older cousin, garnished with fresh muddled basil and a skinny sliver of cucumber. Drinks were followed by an unexpected basket of plush sourdough bread accompanied by whipped butter. Our first course was as colorful as it was tasty: Fried Yellow Tomatoes. It was stacked with fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, roasted red pepper, and topped generously with shaved parmesan, basil, and balsamic. We also shared a Golden Beet Salad that shined with the earthy flavor of classic and golden beets, topped with goat cheese, candied walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. The sweet and savory contrast was the perfect starter. had the Mini Rigatoni, which boasted maximum flavor with fresh rigatoni, veal sausage, chicken, tangy diced tomato, and a marsala cream sauce. The kitchen sent out a third

Must-Try Items

Fried Yellow Tomato ($13)

Fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, roasted peppers, basil, and balsamic glaze

CUISINE: Approachable seafood and apps

ATMOSPHERE: Lively coastal eatery

For the main course, I ordered the Sea Scallops, seared to perfection and served over a satisfying apple cider and thyme risotto and sweet potato puree. My boyfriend

Sea Scallops ($28)

Apple cider and thyme risotto, sweet potato puree, and pomegranate gremolata entree: the towering Surf and Turf with fresh-caught lobster piled atop a juicy sirloin. It was as delectable as it sounds.

From the coastal atmosphere to the delicious entrees, Bluewater Bar + Grill is the perfect place to leave your troubles behind, and the visit had me excited for summer. If you’re looking for high-quality ingredients prepared and served in a unique nautical setting, this hidden gem o a side road in Barrington will certainly ﬂoat your boat.

By Abbie Lahmers

More Than One Fish in the Sea

Expert butchering, fresh catches, and sustainability are a local ﬁshmonger’s secrets to success

Though the seas aren’t swimming with the same populations Mike Lapierre’s father sourced from in the ‘80s, the second-generation ﬁshmonger brings a fresh perspective to our local waters.

“I grew up learning about quality, freshness, and how to be an adventurous eater and cook. I worked with my dad and in a few restaurants before I joined the United States Air Force. I remember a conversation my dad had with me before I joined about how I needed to choose a different career for myself because seafood was a dying industry,” says Lapierre, who laments that this is true to an extent. “We will never have the catch limits or the stocks of certain species that they had in the ‘80s, but it’s not a bad thing. There are other fish in the sea, truly.”

When Lapierre returned, he decided to forge his own path, working on boats and at fish markets along the way, “my goal being to break the cod, salmon, and scallop trend of old and butcher everything I could that came from our waters,” he explains. Taking a uniquely sustainable and opportunistic approach to the industry, it’s only fitting that he named his own business Brightside Seafood.

A frequent sight at farmers markets around the East Bay, Brightside operates out of a retail space at the Town Made shared commercial kitchen in Wakefield. Lapierre sells only seafood sourced from Rhode Island waters, and butchers everything by hand to ensure quality. Spring brought species like black sea bass, skate, razor clams, and many more fresh off the boat and sold fresh. “Not many fishmongers buy on demand, less buy the variety I do, and even less cut what they buy themselves,” says Lapierre. “For the fish, my knife is swift and careful, and for my customers, you can taste the difference.”

Grill Local

Level up your summer cookout game by adding fresh filets and whole fish from Brightside Market to the menu. Lapierre shares a couple of favorite recipes for scup and butterfish.

Grilled Scup With Chimichurri Sauce

• Whole, cleaned scup or 4-6 oz ﬁlets

• 1 bunch of ﬂat leaf parsley, stemmed and minced

• ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, minced

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• ½ tsp pepper

• ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar or sherry

• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the grill to 375ºF.

2. Mix together the minced oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice in a bowl for the chimichurri and set aside.

3. Lightly season ﬁsh with salt and olive oil.

4. Grill filets for 6-8 minutes or whole fish for 15-18 minutes. For the whole fish, flip half way; filets can be cooked on the skin side only.

5. When the ﬁsh is done, drizzle spoonfuls of chimichurri on the ﬂesh. Serve over rice.

PAN-FRIED BUTTERFISH

• 10-12 whole butterﬁsh that have been been gutted, gilled, and rinsed

• ½ cup seasoned ﬂour

• ½ cup bread crumbs

• Crushed nuts

• Equal parts olive oil and butter for frying

• 1 egg, beaten

• Orange slices

• Lemon wedges

1. Dip each ﬁsh in seasoned ﬂour, then in a beaten egg, and roll in a mix of bread crumbs and crushed nuts.

2. Preheat olive oil and butter in a pan, and quickly saute each whole ﬁsh. For additional ﬂavor, saute whole slices of orange with the peel on.

4. Serve on their own with a lemon wedge or add to a garden salad.

Follow @brightside_seafood or visit BrightsideSeafood.com to ﬁnd when fresh catches are popping up at the Tiverton Farmers Market, Mount Hope Farmers Market, and more.

By Ken Abrams

Popular farmstand to reopen in Little Compton

“It’s always fresh” at Walker’s Roadside stand in Little Compton, according to owner Ian Walker, who recently took over the popular farmstand from his father Coll. “When Coll decided it was time to call it quits, I figured I’d hang up my hoe as well. But after a summer of crappy corn and tasteless tomatoes, I knew what I had to do,” he explains.

Walker decided to reopen the stand after the business closed last summer, carrying on the 40-year family tradition of growing everything from corn to raspberries, with a selection of other high-quality, local food items at the stand, too. “The farm was like a ghost town, the plow was in the rain, and summer would never be the same without Walker’s,” says Walker. “So I ordered some seeds, saddled up my tractor, and here we are. We’ll continue to grow the same fruits, flowers, vegetables, herbs, and berries that Walker’s is famous for, while upholding the high standards set by my father and grandfather.” The farmstand is slated to return June 16.

Little

Compton,

Facebook: Walkers Stand

XO marks the spot on North Main

Where the former XO Café once served fine dining dishes, soon the new XO Bar moves into North Main Street shaking up creative cocktails. Chef Ben Lloyd (of Salted Slate and Providence Wine Bar) and business partner Scott Champagne are opening the new spot on the first floor of the historic John Updike House. The plan for the new establishment is “relaxed vibes, a lounge feel, smooth lighting, stellar beats, and over-the-top hospitality… comfortable and classic, the way it should be,” says general manager Alesandra Paolino Ottone. “We’re not reinventing the bar experience, just stripping it down and bringing it back to its roots.”

Ottone promises a “rotating original cocktail menu, classics made the right way, as well as those with some fun twists. Plus, a beer for everyone’s palate, from Bud Light to local brews, and an extensive, indulgent wine selection.” Although there won’t be a kitchen, XO expects to offer snack boxes with homemade potato chips, cheese, and charcuterie prepared by The Salted Slate. Providence, TheXOBar.com

Chowder company expands to seasonal restaurant in Newport

No doubt, chowder always tastes better with a gentle sea breeze overhead. This summer, you’ll have the chance to experience it ﬁrsthand at Newport Chowder’s new seasonal space on Thames Street. Owner Katie Potter carries on the legacy of her family’s secret recipe from the beloved Murial’s restaurant in Newport. “I started Newport Chowder in 2019 as a spice-packing company with my mother’s spices and the recipe on the back, so that people could make their chowder at home,” she says. When the pandemic hit, she turned to food incubator Hope & Main. “I went through their entrepreneur program and then I started making the chowder, doing farmers markets, selling two gallons at a time.”

That led to a food truck and now a seasonal restaurant opening Memorial Day weekend, adjacent to Kilwin’s Ice Cream. With well over 100 events already scheduled for this summer, Potter and her crew will be busy stirring the pots. In addition to her award-winning seafood recipe, Potter has introduced a gluten-free corn chowder. “I guess I’m the chowder lady now,” she jokes. NewportChowderCompany.com

Discover the ﬂavors of Rhode Island! From fresh seafood shacks to farm-totable eateries, little Rhody o ers a diverse culinary landscape that caters to all tastes. Indulge in delicious seafood, global cuisines, and locally-inspired dishes, and experience the culinary richness of the Ocean State with a dining experience that will leave you craving for more.

All Favorites Cafe

1678 Broad St, Cranston | 401-941-3550 allfavoritescafe.com |

A Breakfast/Lunch restaurant serving a mash up of Southern and French inspired ﬂavors. Everything from French Toast to Cubanos.

Chelo’s Hometown Bar & Grille

8 locations across RI! chelos.com |

A Rhode Island staple since 1955! Fresh, homemade deliciousness in every bite.

Mambo Sushi

380 Atwells Ave, Providence

401-642-8439 | mambosushiprovidence.com

Peruvian Flair to Asian Cuisine

BLU On The Water

20 Water St. East Greenwich | 401-885-3700 bluonthewater.com |