& FOOD DRINK

Cocktails by the Campfire

S’mores and hot toddies make this cozy bar the hottest place to be this winter

There’s a West End bar off the beaten path – easily spotted by the swanky fish lady strutting her stuff on the front of the building –that’s been curating cozy vibes all winter long. During its first summer, neighbors flocked to Kimi’s when the garage door was open, string lights aglow, and energy high, but these blustery days have far from diminished anyone’s spirit. Now – in addition to seasonal cocktails – it’s all about s’mores and campfires.

“The fire pit will be lit until it’s too hot to enjoy!” says owner Kimi Rich, who had the idea to load up on fire wood and start offering s’mores to keep the outdoor fun going all year. “The vibe I envision is this super friendly inviting neighborhood bar that’s got an upscale feel.” Think game nights and snacks like English muffin pizzas but also craft cocktails, bottle-green custom tile behind the bar, and the occasional charcuterie board. “It’s inviting but also very aesthetically pleasing.”

For March, there will be plenty of spiked cocoa varieties to enjoy around the fire, along with hot toddies. “I like a traditional green tea with lemon, honey, and Irish whiskey, but we have other options, too,” says Rich of the warming bevvie. Along with St. Patrick’s Day revelry, this month brings a Harry Potter cocktail party (date to be announced), food truck pop-ups, and more, whether you’re bundling up around the fire pit or bellying up to the bar inside. 373 Washington Street, @kimis_bar | By

Abbie Lahmers

Expect the Unexpected

Hope Street eatery o

Yet Accessible Dishes

On the corner of Hope and John streets beneath a striped awning is a snug eatery poised to impress and surprise. When my friend and I visited Persimmon, we were immediately enticed by the light jazzy tunes playing, the dimly lit atmosphere, and warmth of the rustic-meets-modern interior.

The cozy wood-floored dining room is filled with seating arrangements for parties big and small. We passed by intimate booths, long tables, and a private closed-o alcove as we made our way to our seats, where we had a nice view of the brightly lit open-concept kitchen serving as the centerpiece of the experience. A few guests were perched at a counter overlooking the space, immersed in watching the skilled chefs at work – we later learned this was the popular Chef’s Corner.

Once we settled in, our waiter Bob arrived. He was funny and knowledgeable, sharing historic trivia about the establishment – owned by James Beard semifinalist for six years running Champe Speidel, and wife Lisa – and offering details on every dish. I appreciated that he not only inquired about allergies but also asked if we had any foods we simply did not like before making helpful recommendations. Any given visit to Persimmon can be catered to your preferences, and most choices are also shareable. The menu changes slightly each day, so no two experiences are the same.

Though we were tempted by an extensive list of imported wines from all over the world, separated by country, region, and type (red, white, and dessert wines), I couldn’t resist ordering the

CUISINE: New American small plates and fine dining

PRICES: $10-$40

ATMOSPHERE: Creative and communal

Passionfruit Margarita. It was deliciously fruity and a little tart, the way I like it, mixed with Chinola, passion fruit puree, and a not-too-strong tequila. Choosing from a menu of mocktails or “Neutral Cocktails,” my friend enjoyed the

Must-Try Items

Neutral Nor’eastah ($9):

Apple cider, ginger beer, honey ginger syrup, lemon

Salmon Tartare ($15):

Cured Ora king salmon belly tartare, Meyer lemon, sesame, osetra caviar, crispy rice

Truffle Beignets ($11):

Black tru e and taleggio cheese beignets, tru e aioli alcohol-free Nor’eastah, which was flavored with ginger beer and o ered a hint of lemon and sweet notes from the ginger honey syrup.

As we sipped, a smorgasbord of starters arrived: Tru e Beignets, Braised Green Croquettes, and the House Falafel. Each exquisite hors d’oeuvre delighted our taste buds. The dainty crispy-coated beignets o ered a savory twist on the traditionally sweet snack, with a soft and creamy center filled with taleggio cheese, and served with rich tru e aioli. The Mediterranean breaded falafel was perfectly complemented by a cool cucumber raita dip, while the croquettes arrived with dijonnaise sauce. Though similar in construction, each starter shined with their distinct flavor profiles.

An easy favorite for both of us was the Culurgiones, a type of Sardinian stuffed pasta. Filled with sweet potatoes and served in a warm soup with scallops, Persimmon’s unexpected take on the dish was like a warm embrace on a chilly day.

Equally comforting was dessert: a heavenly slice of Date Cake, plated prettily atop apple butter, served with vegan vanilla ice cream, and garnished beautifully with tiny round apples and small edible purple flowers. We rounded o the meal with a cool creamy yogurt topped with passion fruit gelatin, a delightful final note to the evening.

Elevated yet unpretentious, Persimmon is a place perfect for a quick bite before a show or an elegant date, a celebration with friends or a solo outing at the Chef’s Corner while watching the magic happen. Persimmon

99 Hope Street • 432-7422 PersimmonRI.com

Yes, Chef

When chef Eric Brown moved back to the area last fall, he had no idea he’d be hosting a pop-up dinner in Providence just four days later. But with his mattress still on the floor, a call for guest chefs had him unpacking his knives and plates sooner than expected. Now, under the moniker of Thick Neck, you can get a taste of his fine coastal New England fare every week at The Dean Hotel. Brown is no stranger to Providence. While attending Johnson & Wales, he gained some of his early experience in fine dining here. Looking for a fresh scene after college and searching for more fine dining opportunities, he moved to Chicago to work in Michelin star kitchens.

After three or four years in a few di erent restaurants, Brown started doing his own pop-up dinners. Soon after, he got a call from the owners of Saint Emeric, a “secret restaurant” in Chicago’s Logan Square. The building was once a church, built in 1880, but had been converted to a residential property. In hopes of keeping the space accessible to the community, the owners opened a speakeasy-style dining venue in the basement.

After one impressive meal, Brown was brought on to help run the operation. “Once we really caught our stride,” Brown says, “the format was three serves a week – Thursday, Friday, and Saturday – with only 12 guests per night. It was BYOB with a blind, eight to 10-course chef’s tasting menu. Customers didn’t know the address or what they were having until three days before.”

Three years later, after a sold-out summer at Saint Emeric, Brown and his fiance decided to move back to New England to be near family. While Brown was on the lookout for his next fine dining venture, he didn’t expect to plug back into the Providence culinary scene so quickly. At The Dean, Brown and colleague Justin Friedman work together to run Thick Neck, which you can find every Friday, Saturday, and Monday at The Dean Hotel. Their dinner is offered alongside The Dean Bar team who curate the beverage list.

Thick Neck’s menu stays around 10 items, with three to five new items incorporated every week. While they serve an occasional meat dish, more often than not, the menu is pescatarian. Ingredients are sourced locally as much as possible. “One really fortunate thing about cooking in Providence,” Brown says, “is the accessibility to farms and farmers that are willing to deliver to your doorstep. We work a lot with Wishing Stone Farm and White Barn Farm. We’re still working to build connections with fishermen and fish purveyors. We source coastal and Point Judith seafood.” Thick Neck also features a rave-worthy cheese selection from Sweet and Salty Farm in Little Compton, which Brown calls a “tiny farm making perfect cheese.”

Brown’s goal is to serve high-quality, integrity-driven food in an approachable, sharable way. “Right now we’re taking the intent and the creative elements that go into a fine dining meal and dressing it down into nice, shareable, approachable dishes,” he says. One favorite is the Creamed Beans, a light bean stew with muscles, kohlrabi, and Japanese chili paste. Another is the Spaghetti Squash Salad, which Brown says is by leaps and bounds one of his favorites from his time at Saint Emeric. The dish features lightly roasted spaghetti squash dressed in a creamy vinaigrette made from burnt pumpkin seeds. It’s topped with dried parsley and fermented squash powder.

With beloved restaurants like Chez Pascal, big king, and north closed, Brown says the Providence food scene is in a transitional period, with a lot of room for upcoming chefs, talents, and concepts. For him, it’s an exciting time to be cooking in Providence on his own terms. He looks forward to seeing what buds in the city in the next couple of years, and hopes a permanent home for Thick Neck will be part of that future. Follow @eat_thickneck on Instagram for menus.

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

Champa is the latest addition to the burgeoning Hope Street dining scene on the East Side of Providence. The restaurant specializes in authentic Lao and Thai cuisine, prepared by chefs and co-owners Peter and Sing Viphakone, who has been cooking her whole life. In 2016, the team opened their first restaurant, Nam Khong in Westerly. “After many successful years serving many loyal customers, we decided to move closer to home, opening Champa in Providence, but still keeping Nam Khong in the family, under new management,” says Peter.

Menu favorites include flavorful coconut rice, spicy soups and salads, stir-fry combinations, and a variety of noodle dishes, including Peter’s favorite Khao Soi noodles. The pair are excited to create new connections with the local community, introducing their culture through culinary experiences. Their goal in Providence is to build strong relationships. “We are both very hopeful to continue improving and serving both new and loyal customers.” Providence, RIChampa.com

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