Providence Monthly August 2010

Voted “Best Restaurant in Rhode Island” ‘08

“Best Italian Restaurant in Providence” ‘08 & ‘09

“Best Restaurant in West Bay” ‘09

RI Monthly’s Reader’s Poll

Reservations Accepted & Late Night Bistro Menu Available Nightly (Providence only) Complimentary Valet Parking in Providence & Ample Parking in East Greenwich Gift Certificates Available and Redeemable at Both Locations

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C o n d o m i n i u m s

East Side. Ease of Modern Living! Gorgeous Condo with every amenity - central air, master bed suite w/ large closets, cherry and granite kitchen, large living room, 2 car garage parking, fitness center. Walk to Wayland Square shops and restaurants. $349,000.

East Side. Stunning renovation with new kitchen and bath, 2 bedrooms, living, dining, and sunroom, hardwoods, laundry in unit, first floor. Pets allowed. Walk to Wayland Square. $299,000.

East Side. Special College Hill Townhouse. Integral garage, updated kitchen with granite & stainless, 2 large bedrooms, 2 full baths, large office, balcony, central air. Walk to universities, downtown & Whole Foods. $299,000.

Jewelry District. Two 1 bedroom, 1 bath units in great downcity location. Hip, urban spaces with soaring ceilings, large windows, exposed brick and beams. Walk to restaurants, shops, colleges. $199,000-$249,000.

Downcity. Prime location! Professionally decorated 1 bedroom, 1 bath unit. Kitchen features granite and stainless steel appliances. Den, hardwoods, central air, laundry in unit, deck. Amenities include concierge, pool, fitness center. Walk to the mall, easy highway access. $249,000.

Downcity. Spacious, light-filled Loft offers easy access to downtown, Federal Hill and Westminster. Converted 1800s loft building has a mix of historic character & modern finishes including hardwoods, granite counters and stainless appliances. $219,000.

East Side. Two 1000+sf units available in fabulous location only steps to Wayland Square, city parks, highways, schools. Each unit features 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, hardwoods, in-unit laundry, and on-site parking. $149,900-$164,800.

East Side. Spacious 2/3 BR Condo in great location--walk to colleges, shopping, restaurants! Original pine floors, deck, replacement windows.

3rd room can be another bedroom or den. Dining room, office, storage space in basement. $149,000.

East Side. New conversion of historic property. 2 bedroom, 1 bath unit with 100% new systems, wiring, plumbing. Granite kitchen, pergo floors, central air, replacement windows, deck. $119,900.

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Contents AUGUST 2010

Photography: Kate Kelley

31 This Month 27 The Power of Steel

53 41 City Style Decorate with hometown pride 43 The Look 44 Beauty 47 Shop Talk

A nonprofit industrial arts organization gets a makeover

31 The Dish on Dining What’s new and what’s hot in dining and drinking

Every Month 8 From the Editor

15 Providence Pulse

49 Feast How ‘bout a burger and a beer?

51 In the Kitchen 53 Review 54 In the Drink 57 On the Menu 58 Behind the Bar 59 Dining Guide

65 Get Out AS220 keeps the block hot 66 Calendar 69 Music 70 Theatre 73 Movies 74 Art

76 The Last Detail He is, and ever shall be, Providence

Music is in the air around the city 17 City 20 Malcontent 23 Scene in PVD

On the Cover: Photography by Kate Kelley. Food courtesy of Tini, Farmstead and Loie Fuller’s.

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

7

Editor’s Note Good Taste in Providence

Providence MONTHLY

Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell Publishing Director Jeanette St. Pierre Editor Julie Tremaine

If there’s one thing we know at Providence Monthly, it’s drinking well. If there are two, they’re drinking well and dining well. We spend a lot of time eating in, talking about and writing about restaurants – so it’s no wonder that, when new and exciting ideas about food started cooking in the city, we noticed.

This month, we take a look at dining and drinking trends in Providence, from underappreciated restaurants that have surprisingly gourmet food to cocktails that count as a serving of fruits and vegetables to, of course, the latest in cupcake fashion. If you don’t read this story and rush out for a new kind of dining experience, well, you might be crazy (or on a diet… which is pretty much the same thing).

Also this month, Alyssa Smith reintroduces you to The Steel Yard, the art and learning collaborative on the West Side, where a major renovation and reinven-

tion have been underway. With it being August, there are also plenty of things to do outside, like free concerts all over the city, and festivals happening around the rest of the state all month that are perfect for a stop after the beach. We’ve also got the scoop on the newest music venue in Providence, and some local artists who collaborated on a music video for Andrew W.K. There’s so much to do this month that you’re surely going to get hungry. Take a bite.

51

Go In the Kitchen with the most sustainable chef around

Contributor Alyssa Smith Writer Alyssa Smith is a recent URI grad with a major in journalism and minor in English – and one of our former interns. In addition to her monthly music column here, she also writes a wellness column in our sister publication, SO Rhode Island. She’s also done freelance work for the South County Independent, Newport Mercury, URI’s Good 5 Cent Cigar and the student-run literary publication, The Independent Scribe. This month, she explores the Steel Yard in our feature story. Alyssa loves Providence for its hidden and often overlooked allure. Though she’s lived in Lincoln, a mere ten minutes away from the city, most of her life, she’s just starting to see why Providence is so great. “It’s finding out about places like the Steel Yard or attending events like Sound Session that makes me realize how lucky I am to be a Rhode Islander,” she says. “Sometimes you have to look a little harder to see what’s happening, but once you do, you’ll never get bored in Providence.”

8

Providence Monthly | August 2010

Assistant Editor John Taraborelli Art Director Allison Cole Assistant Art Director Alli Coate Advertising Design Director Scott Leta Graphic Designers Karli Hendrickson Layheang Meas Account Managers Danielle Currier Louann DiMuccio-Darwich Ann Gallagher Dan Schwartz Liz Sliney Jessica Webb Illustrators Alli Coate Ruth Chung Karli Hendrickson Emma Tripp Photographers Jonathan Beller K Harber Photography Laurel Mulherin Mike Braca Dan Schwartz Kate Kelley Contributing Writers Linda Beaulieu Mary K. Connor Emily Dietsch Scott Duhamel Kathleen Hilton Dawn Keable Molly Lederer Michael Madden

Andrea E. McHugh Stephanie Obodda Cristy Raposo Dan Schwartz Jen Senecal Alyssa Smith Rosanna Ortiz Sinel Vikki Warner

Interns Amanda D’Ambra Emily Nissenshon Christina Pazienza Abby Ringiewicz Julie Sickel

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER. PAPER CONTAINS 20-25% POST-CONSUMER CONTENT Providence Monthly, 167 Valley Street Providence, RI 02909 • Fax: 401-521-0024 www.providenceonline.com providencemonthly@providenceonline.com For advertising rates call: 401-521-0023 We welcome all contributions, but we assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. No portion of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission.

Copyright ©2010 by Providence Monthly, All rights reserved. Printed by Gannett Offset.

Distributed by Special Delivery.

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The PM List events / promotions / good deeds FOR WINE LOVERS

Revive Your Palate Release your inner connoisseur August 29 at the 6th Annual Renaissance Wine Festival. The festival will feature live music entertainment by the Mary Andrews Trio, artwork from Art on the Hill galleries, a silent auction to benefit Junior Achievement of Rhode Island and, of course, lots and lots of wine. The festival kicks off at 2pm with a special VIP reception and will go from 3- 6pm for open admission ticket holders. Visit BellaEventsRI.com for more information.

More Toys than the Devil has Sinners Open Tue-Thur 11-9 Fri-Sat 11-10, Sun 11-5

268 Wickenden Street Providence 421- 6969

DRINK DEALS

YOUR OPINION COUNTS

Margarita Your Day

Review and Win

Have you got a case of the Mondays? Well brush off the workday blues with Margarita Mondays. During August and September, Providence Monthly is teaming up with Cointreau and Milagro to bring you Monday restaurant specials. Visit Tortilla Flats, The Mews Tavern, Johnny’s Atlantic Beach Club and Perro Salado to enjoy restaurant giveaways, discounted bar menus and other specials. You just may make it through the rest of the week without that chip on your shoulder.

Have you enjoyed the summer weather recently by dining al fresco at your favorite restaurant? Now, when you visit TheProvidenceLife.com and review your favorite outdoor spot, you will be entered to win a $50 gift card to 1149. A winner will be chosen each week, so make sure you put in your two cents about your dining experiences. Visitors to TheProvidenceLife can even access Facebook and Twitter from the website.

BLOCK PARTY

The “Fun” in Fundraising DV JRRG DV RXU FXSFNHV

The Wayland Square block party sponsored by Whole Foods and our sister publication East Side Monthly was a huge success. Guests enjoyed fun games and activities while helping to raise over $1,500 for the Mt. Hope Learning Center. Thank you to our readers and all those who participated in the event.

REMEMBRANCE V VLJQDWXUH ZDIIOH PDGH IURP VFUDWFK 6HUYHG ZLWK ,FH FUHDP (YHU\ 6XQGD\ IURP DP SP

Farewell Friends We lost two dear friends this summer. Colin Foote, with whom we worked closely through his PR position at Regan Communications, was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident in May. Though we are profoundly saddened by his death, we at least comforted that Governor Carcieri signed the Colin B. Foote Act to keep repeat offenders off the road.

Michael Mercurio was also taken away way too soon. Michael, who owned M2 Salon on Federal Hill, passed away after a brief bout with illness. Michael was one of our go-to style experts and he graced our pages several times, including the cover of last February’s Most Eligible issue.

We will miss them both.

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August 2010 | Providence Monthly

11

Your Daycation Destination Day passes for weekday pool access • $50 for up to three guests includes $25 food/beverage credit • $15 for each additional guest includes $10 food/ beverage credit. Call 401-272-2400 for details.

Spa services by G. Salon & private cabana rental available

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Providence Marriott Downtown • 1 Orms Street, PVD aquaPrOViDence.cOM find us on facebook

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Aqua voted Best Outdoor Lounge in Rhode Island. Open 7 days a week.

Providence Pulse City / Malcontent / Scene in PVD

Sounds of Summer Photography: Dan Schwartz

By the time August

rolls around, most of us are feeling a bit bored with days at the beach, backyard cookouts and sitting by the pool. Liven up the seemingly endless dog days of summer with free concerts going on throughout Providence this month. Every Thursday night, Everyman Bistro hosts live concerts as a part of the restaurant’s third annual outdoor summer concert series.

In August, groups such as Pumpkin Head Ted and Boo City will perform from 7pm to sundown, rain or shine. Also, WBRU will hold its last show of the Free Summer Concert Series on August 6, and it’s a big one. Ok Go will perform their catchy, quirky tunes at Waterplace Park at 7:30pm – but their songs will be stuck in your head all night. everymanri.com, wbru.com –Amanda D’Ambra

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

15

2%66%+%27)88

Pulse | City

Creative Juices

PM Experiment

Laugh Your Way to Health The funniest thing to happen to yoga since downward facing dog

Illustration: Ruth Chung

Whether it’s mummifying your body to shed some extra pounds or digesting a weight-loss pill capable of causing involuntary anal leakage, many have engaged in bizarre, taboo and non-FDA approved activities to achieve an ideal weight. Enter Laugher Yoga, the hottest new workout to hit Rhode Island. I was flabbergasted when I heard of this workout. I mean, laughing? Can’t I do that by myself with a bad Lifetime movie and a box of Goobers, and not pay $15 bucks a pop?

Then I thought of the combination of yoga. Were we supposed to laugh at how absurd yogic poses can be? I decided it was something worth checking out; if anything, it was something I could quietly judge others for doing.

The teacher, Chris Belanger, instructed us to leave our inhibitions at the door (highly critical journalist leave inhibitions at the door during this? I don’t think so), maintain eye contact with one another during exercise and refrain from talking.

Belanger told us that we’d laugh on command. It didn’t matter if we faked it, because apparently while the mind recognizes faux laughs, the body does not – hence the concept of Laughter Yoga. Knowing that I could fake it alleviated some pressure. I wasn’t about to tell jokes on command.

Belanger gave us a 15-minute intro of the history and premise behind Laughter Yoga. My fellow laughers and I learned that there was actually some medicinal backing behind this workout. It was invented by Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria, who did extensive research on the physical and physiological benefits of laughter. He started

gathering groups of silly and willing participants to laugh for an hour or so, then incorporated his wife’s yoga expertise, creating this new form of exercise, which is now practiced in about 60 countries.

After some education, Belanger made us walk around the room to find several partners to engage in flirty laughter. As I tried my best to bat my eyelashes and coyly laugh at a woman pushing 70, we quickly moved on to laughing like a penguin, laughing at our credit card bills, and laughing maniacally after we pretended to flash one another.

About halfway in, as we laughed like sumo wrestlers, I started to see the possible appeal behind Laugher Yoga.

If you have any kind of sane mind, you realize that this kind of extensive laughter might cause alarm in others.

However, inside the four walls of the studio, we were able to be as insane as our hearts and lungs allowed us to be.

We ended our session of laughing with some deep breathing and relaxation, which I guess incorporated the yoga part and calmed some of those who were a little too into it. At the end, Belanger offered us a handout listing the ten good reasons to laugh for no reason. Benefits from laughing include alleviating bronchitis and asthma, strengthening the immune system and busting stress.

After the session, I realized that while I felt like I’d taken part in some kind of cult-like ritual, my body and mind did feel rejuvenated, and my abs were surprisingly sore, even days later. Belanger teaches laughter yoga every Tuesday evening in Lippitt Park. wholeofthemoonyoga. com –Alyssa Smith

So Close, Yet So Far Away Halfway between waiting forever in line for an iced mocha and battling rush hour traffic to get home from a long day at work, you decide you need a vacation. But do you really want to put up with a long car ride and tourists in lobster t-shirts talking about the benefits of fanny packs? Well now you can get away, without really getting away.

Hotel Providence is offering a weekend getaway package with their Discover Your Passion Workshops. On August 28 and 29, you can attend “And the Plot Thickens…”, a creative writing workshop featuring published author and Brown University lecturer Joanna Howard. Immerse yourself for the weekend with two days of expert instruction on how to develop your own novel and spend a night in one of Hotel Providence’s superior rooms.

Bask in a weekend alone or bring a pal along to join in the fun. The cost of this exciting package is $389, or $554 for double occupancy, with meals and valet parking included. Future Discover Your Passion Workshops are planned for September and October. So enjoy a weekend out of the house and meet people with similar interests, instead of camera-wielding sightseers. Visit hotelprovidencecourses.com or call 490-8144 for more information. –Julie Sickel

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

17

gourmet cupcakes & cakes

Pulse | City

Swirl, Sniff, Sip

Ye Olde Wine Festival www.thecupcakerie.net call us at (401) 467-2601 or email orders to Kristin@thecupcakerie.net 1860 Broad Street • Cranston

No, you don’t have to dress up for the sixth annual Renaissance Wine Festival. The Renaissance they’re talking about is more Providence than it is errant knights – though there are virtually guaranteed to be lords and ladies of all kinds in attendance.

What more could you want on a Sunday afternoon late in August than the opportunity to taste hundreds of fine wines from around the world while strolling among fine Italian art (from the galleries of Art on the Hill) and decor (Verity Design), and listening to live music from the Mary Andrews Trio and Mac Odom and Chill?

Air conditioning? Well, you’re going to have to settle for plenty of refresh-

ing whites at the Bank of America City Center on August 29.

There will also be a silent auction featuring the usual sorts of packages, the proceeds from which will benefit Junior Achievement of Rhode Island. The festival will open its doors to regular ticket holders at 3pm and runs until 6pm. While that only leaves you, oh, about 1.8 minutes per wine, if you’re really intent on trying them all you could opt for the $50 VIP package, giving you another hour before the crowds arrive and some nice premium wines and hors d’oeuvres. Regular tickets are $35 per person. 270-6169; bellaeventsri.com. –Michael Madden

Urban Luxury

This Summer, Rent a Pool by the Hour There comes a point every August where those of us without perfectly manicured backyards that include pristine in-ground swimming pools hit a wall. It’s hot. You’re too lazy and sticky to drive the hour to the beach.

Plus, if you have to deal with one more parentless child kicking sand on your stuff, it’s not going to be pretty. What you need is a cool, clean, local swimming pool… and, preferably, a cocktail to make things a little more luxurious.

What you need is a trip to Aqua.

Normally, this al fresco dining and drinking spot in the courtyard of the Marriott Downtown is a little bit of

18

Providence Monthly | August 2010

a tease. You’re next to the pool, you can see people swimming and working on their tans, but you can’t actually go in the water. Not anymore.

Aqua now offers a package that lets you rent pool access: $50 gets you an afternoon by the pool for you and two friends, and that cost includes a $25 food and beverage credit on your tab. Add additional friends for $15 each. It’s only available during the week, but at least there won’t be any angry parents chasing you down the beach after you threaten to brain their sand-kicking kids. marriottprovidence.com –Julie Tremaine

MargariTa Mondays

Pulse | The Malcontent

by John Taraborelli

Join Providence Monthly every Monday during August & September from 5-7pm for Signature Cointreau & Milagro Margaritas, Bar Food Specials and Promotional Prizes at these Featured Locations: Perro salado 19 Charles St. Newport, RI (401) 619-4777 www.perrosalado.com

The Mews 456 Main St. Wakefield, RI (401) 783-9370 www.mewstavern.com

The Wedding Blues

Why should your happiness cost so much for so many?

TorTilla FlaTs 355 Hope St. Providence, RI (401) 751-6777 www.tortillaflatsri.com

Johnny’s aTlanTiC BeaCh CluB 53 Purgatory Rd. Middletown, RI (401) 847-2750 www.atlanticbeachclub.com

FeaTured MargariTa

By TorTilla FlaTs’ Jesse donnelley

Oh, hey,

congratulations. You’re getting married. Yay… No, really, I’m very happy for you. I’m glad you’ve found that special someone and you’re going to live happily ever after. I’m excited… just not as excited as you are.

You need to know something.

As you’re celebrating and planning and registering for gifts and picking out invitations and getting rates from photographers, a good number of your friends and family are simply thinking, “Christ, how much is this going to cost me?” Understand: it’s not that we’re cheap or unwilling to loosen the purse strings to help you celebrate this occasion, but y’all done took this a little too far.

Once upon a simpler, happier time, the wedding formula went something like this: two people decide to get married, invitations go out, there’s a bachelor party for the groom, a wedding shower for the bride, a wedding, and that’s that. Everybody goes home and thinks about how if they hadn’t had that last drink, maybe they wouldn’t have done the Electric Slide with Aunt Karen. Simple. Affordable. Easy.

Now, well, things have gotten a lot more grandiose. Your best man has already contacted me about where to have the bachelor party. Unfortunately, he wasn’t looking into whether that dingy VFW or that dingy

insert-ethnicity-here-American club had a better price on hotel pans of chicken parm. No. It was more, Dude, Vegas? Montreal? A.C.? Since when does going to a party involve getting on a plane and booking a hotel?

That’s not a party – that’s a vacation.

What kind of party lasts three days?

What are you, a Roman emperor?

have his pants pulled down and be whipped across the ass with a belt in front of friends and strangers alike.

Has the “buy local” movement not translated to strippers?

I guess that’s just the way things are done now; I’m going to have to suck it up and take one for the team.

But what about all these extra obligations – the ones that didn’t exist until very recently, but now are considered standard operating procedure.

The bachelorette party in addition to the bridal shower. The post-wedding brunch. The engagement party – dear lord, the engagement party. Did you seriously go pose for engagement photos and then expect us to show up to some tacky cocktail party and coo over them like a newborn baby? Look at the groom in those photos. Look at how deadeyed and defeated he is – as if he’s thinking to himself, Why am I on this beach with this woman in matching button-up shirts, and where did this puppy come from?

Look, I don’t mean to rain on your parade here, but can you just dial it down a bit? Wait, no. Why’s she crying? I didn’t mean it that… Ugh. Fine.

I’ll come look at your damn engagement pictures. Just don’t even bother inviting me to some post-wedding party to look at those pictures. I’ll be in Vegas that weekend.

Now, I have to take a weekend trip to a city

I would never other-

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20

Providence Monthly | August 2010

Now, I – having not been on vacation in nigh on five years – have to take what little disposable income I do have to take a weekend trip to a city I would never otherwise visit so that the groom can work out his mommy issues in the champagne room (through the largesse of his “guests,” no doubt). I’m sure there are places much closer to home where the groom can be dragged on stage,

v e o r c s i d e R the

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Providence Monthly | August 2010

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Scene in PVD

| Pulse

Providence Monthly welcomed the summer sun with an outdoor soiree in the beautiful courtyard of Aspire at the Hotel Providence. With appropriately summery cocktails by Sailor Jerry Rum, there was no better way to heat up the season.

Photography by Mike Braca.

Kristen Minsky, Karen Beebe

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Dina Santos, Brandi Gerrish

Joelle Kanter, Onega Astaltsova

Constance Giblin, James Patrick O’Connor, Kerri Boardman

Cristy Raposo, Stephanie Tavares, Jennifer Robbins, Lucy Ruivo

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

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Providence Monthly | August 2010

Summer

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HeavyMetal The Steel Yard is all cleaned up and ready for new beginnings

By Alyssa Smith | Photography by Jonathan Beller

It started

with two guys’ love for metal. Not the head-banging, raise your fists kind. Actual malleable, elemental metal.

Clay Rockefeller and Nicholas Bauta got together back in 2002 to create the Providence Steel Yard. The two bought what was once a historical industrial relic located on the Woonasquatucket River, the Providence Steel and Iron Site, hoping to maintain its authenticity and use it as a functioning place for industrial work and arts. As the surrounding areas were being turned into strip malls and other chains, Rockefeller and his team wanted to try to save this piece of property. With the establishment of their nonprofit through private investment, the Woonasquatucket Community Build (better known simply as

the Steel Yard), the founders were able to raise the necessary funds to establish and begin building on the site.

They had the vision, but who could rein in these two young dreamers and make the Steel Yard a reality? The boys looked for some womanly power and found their Executive Director in Drake Patten, a former archaeologist and leader of the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities from 1999-2004. Also an artist, Patten believed in the Steel Yard’s mission, deciding she wanted to take on the endeavor of turning the space into an industrial arts oasis. Patten says she thought she could make the site happen because, “If a belief isn’t legitimate, it will fail.”

From its humble beginnings and meager budget of under $100,000, the

Steel Yard has grown and became a place for artists, hobbyists and working youth to learn, create and collaborate.

The team grew to include five additional staff members, and the site began to attract more and more artists and their projects. Under Patten’s leadership, the site and the organization have taught classes, rented studio space to artists, hosted events like the art carnival Wooly Fair, provided a home for the nonprofit bike advocacy project Recycle-A-Bike, and of course put out tangible work of their own. The Steel Yard has received national attention, garnering requests from places as far away as California to commission projects by its team of artists and craftspeople.

As the popularity grew, Patten says

she and the team made a decision to work locally. The Steel Yard created a Public Projects department overseen by coordinator Howie Sneider, in which local artists looking for work created oneof-a-kind street amenities such as bike racks, trashcans and tree guards that can now be seen all over the city. (Just look for the Steel Yard’s pincers logo on a public trashcan on your street.) The project has given major support to local artists while also creating something unique for southern New England.

From the get-go, the Steel Yard also maintained a great interest in teaching young people the skills they can use for a future career. Many students from area high schools like The Met and the Paul Cuffee School have been taking part in

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

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regular work-force development programs that teach different mediums of the industrial arts. The organization also hosts a competitive camp called Camp Metalhead, in which students are taught metalworking skills, work with a client, and create a piece of work.

In 2010, the U.S. was short 200,000 welders, and because many students have looked to white-collar and hightech jobs, this kind of skilled manual labor has been overlooked, leaving highpaying welding jobs in the area for the taking. The mission of the Steel Yard has been to revitalize the industrial arts while also remaining locally run. Patten explains the trade as a lost art, and that like language, “If you don’t keep teaching it, it will be gone.”

As the Steel Yard is on a site that’s been identified as a brown field, the team had to decide how to deal with the issue in a way that fit their mission. Patten said they didn’t want to just build over the site or move the contaminated soil to another area, but from the time they bought Providence Steel and Iron, they knew they had to do something to clean up the land. “It wasn’t just about doing a construction project, it was about rising to the challenge,” Patten says.

The organization was resourceful and aggressive, receiving a $200,000 grant from the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, and $400,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The remaining money was from donors and fellow believers in the Steel Yard’s mission. “We had a sense of agility, a willingness, and a capacity to adapt to Rhode Island and the economic climate,” Patten declares.

With those funds, the Steel Yard sought out the help of Klopfer Martin Design Group to create the master plan, and Catalano Construction group to set up the landscape. It was when they began to design and evaluate what exactly the organization did that Patten and the team realized: the Steel Yard did everything.

They had big plans, wanting open space for markets, a semi-public park, and collaboration with the one-acre, for-profit plot of adjacent land at 1 Sims Avenue owned by Rockefeller and Bauta, which the two plan to turn into a restaurant.

The team chose a layout that fit with the mission but also the desired scale of

their site. Permeable pavement was put down, creating a means for storm water to be absorbed while also keeping it from the nearby wastewater treatment plant. The team also wanted a good deal of green space, and with the help of volunteers, the Steel Yard planted a variety of wild grass in the center of the yard and trees friendly to birds around the outskirts of the site, which would double as a way to handle rain and act as a gathering point for the public. Finally, the plans had to deal with sustaining large truck traffic. After all, many of the installations created by artists who maintain studios at the site were large, heavy and needed to be handled with care. A large portion of the area was capped with foundation, making sure the design was still in mind. The team is now on its last leg of the project, and will be creating a flat pad made out of shipping containers, a resourceful solution that keeps the space open and available for the building of more artist’s studios.

Patten and her staff have a lot they’d like to see happen at the Steel Yard, and now that this project is near completion, they will be able to make the space more available for not just artists, but also the public. Patten says they want to host events that make sense with what goes on at the Steel Yard. If it’s artistically driven, it will happen. Patten hopes this space will provide a chance for artists to showcase their work, and eventually become a kind of marketplace, similar to a farmer’s market. The Steel Yard will also be reintroducing the outdoor movies they used to host.

While the site is in full operation, this is a kind of soft opening. The next Iron Chef Build-Off – an annual event modeled on the TV cooking competition of the same name, in which sculptors compete in building a sculpture using a “secret ingredient” and theme – will most likely serve as the grand opening for the new Steel Yard – complete with a steel ribbon cutting.

In the past nine months, great transition and development has allowed the site to evolve into a space that the executive director and her team are quite proud of, proving that you can keep your vision while remaining local. Patten summarizes, “I’m excited to see what will blossom, and I’m not talking about the plants.”

15 Hottest Al Fresco Spots B Breakfast Br Brunch L Lunch D Dinner $ under 10 $$ 10-20 $$$ 20+

Aqua

1 Orms Street, Providence; 272-5852. aquaprovidence.com. Discover a Providence oasis at Aqua.

This casual fine dining restaurant offers inventive cuisine, an outdoor bar and cabanas with fire pits.

LD $$-$$$

Camille’s 71 Bradford Street, Providence; 751-

4812. camillesonthehill.com. Camille’s offers upscale Italian cuisine. Indulge in the extensive wine list and crudo menu in their elegant outdoor patio. LD $$-

Aspire

311 Westminster Street, Providence; 401-521-3333. aspirerestaurant.com. Fresh local cuisine; park breezes; quick bites; cool drinks; relaxing brunch; romantic late night dinners; live music events BBrLD $-$$$

Costantino’s Venda Ravioli & Ristorante 265 Atwells Ave, Providence;

$$$

421-9105. vendaravioli.com. You’ll think you’re in Italy when you dine on authentic Italian food in the flowerfilled DePasquale Plaza, day or night. LD $$

Haruki East

India

172 Wayland Ave, Providence; 223-0332. harukisushi.com. Haruki East provides delicious sushi and Japanese-inspired cuisine in an upscale, yet comfortable atmosphere. You’ll be going back for more after sampling their unique dishes. LD $-$$

Parkside Rotisserie and Bar

76 South Main Street, Providence; 331-0003. parksideprovidence. com. Parkside is a Manhattan-style bistro that offers a wide array of upbeat foods with innovative pasta dishes and rotisserie meat items.A fantastic choice anytime. LD $-$$$

Vintage

2 South Main Street, Woonsocket; 7651234. vintageri.com. Vintage’s unique menu combines long time favorites with a creative twist. They have an extensive wine and cocktail list with a sushi menu available weekdays. LD $-$$

Café Nuovo

1 Citizens Plaza, Providence; 421-2525. cafenuovo.com. World-class contemporary American cuisine on the Providence Riverwalk. Enjoy generous cocktails, heavenly appetizers and desserts while the river rolls by. LD $$-$$$

Eleven Forty Nine

Locations in Warwick and Seekonk. elevenfortyninerestaurant.com. This stylish, metropolitan-chic restaurant has its own raw bar and a menu specializing in brick oven pizza, unique salads, chicken and beef entrees and delicious cocktails. LD $-$$$

Luxe Burger

1060 Hope Street, Providence; 421-2600. indiarestaurant.com. Enjoy eclectic Indian cuisine while sipping on jumbo margaritas on the Garden Patio with swings, fountains and belly dancers. Let India add a little spice to your life this summer. BrLD $$

5 Memorial Boulevard, Providence; 621-LUXE. luxeburgerbar.com. Luxe offers Providence’s most outrageous menu of build-your-own burgers, specialty sandwiches, and shakes, all at less-than-outrageous prices. Live DJ Thursday through Saturday nights. LD $-$$

Sunnyside

Thornton’s Grille

Walter’s Ristorante D’Italia

Zooma Trattoria

267 Water Street, Warren; 247-1200. thesunnysideri.com. Never has breakfast looked or tasted so good. Overlooking the Warren River, The Sunnyside provides deliciously sophisticated daytime cuisine in a relaxing and airy atmosphere. BBrL $-$$

286 Atwells Ave, Providence; 273-2652. waltersonfederalhill. com. Dine, drink and escape at the Garden Patio at Walter’s, Providence’s best-kept secret. enjoy dinner or just relax with a cocktail under the stars. D $$-$$$ Visit TheProvidenceLife.com for menus and more

145 Spruce Street, Providence; 270-5444. Thornton’s cuisine is all-American cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Enjoy a vast assortment of appetizers and cocktails with their diverse menu. Outdoor seating is available. BLD $-$$

245 Atwells Ave, Providence; 383-2002. trattoriazooma.com. Zooma is contemporary fine dining. Their menu includes wood fired pizzas and handmade pastas with steak, chicken and seafood entrees. Call for reservations. LD $$-$$$

30

Providence Monthly | August 2010

Take a bite

By Julie Tremaine and John Taraborelli | Photography by Kate Kelley

H

ere is your delicious snapshot of the dining scene in Providence as it stands right now: what’s new, what’s exciting and what comes next. We

examine the current trends in food and drink, survey the new additions to the culinary landscape and present you with some humble suggestions for broadening your palate. We’re pretty sure you’ll find something to get excited about (like these cupcakes....)

Mini cupcakes from Duck & Bunny

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

31

FOOD TRENDS

Gourmet bar food at Tini

Great Food in Unlikely Places We had driven past El Tiburon on Valley Street a hundred times, always figuring it was some sketchy dive bar We would do well to avoid, until, on the recommendation of a friend, we discovered that their friendly staff offers heaping plates of excellent Peruvian food.

In a nondescript Rite Aid plaza on Broad Street in South Providence sits Elea’s, where if you can navigate the gauntlet of a cafeteria-style menu board that is bewilderingly uninformative and soft-spoken ladies you can barely hear behind the thick glass, you can enjoy decadent and delicious Liberian food. A little further down, you’ll find Ada’s Creations, a neighborhood institution where the Dominican mofongo – mashed and fried plantains served with your meat of choice and a garlicky dipping sauce – is more than worth the risk of a heart attack.

In Central Falls – yes, Central Falls – chef/owner of Dakar Restaurant Pape Ndouye is introducing American palates to the rich flavors of his native Senegal, one of Africa’s most prominent food cultures. Over the past few years, more adventurous foodies have realized that a whole world of culinary experience exists in some of the unlikeliest – and admittedly, often intimidating – places. So next time you

32

Providence Monthly | August 2010

drive by some curious looking momand-pop in a less than inviting neighborhood, don’t just fly past. Step outside your comfort zone. Walk in. Grab a table. And be sure to ask the staff what they recommend. El Tiburon, 370 Valley St.; 273-9568. Elea’s, 771 Broad St.; 383-9404. Ada’s Creations, 1137 Broad St.; 941-5020. Dakar Restaurant, 502 Roosevelt Ave., Central Falls; 347-9493.

The Cure for the Common Meat It would be fair, perhaps even charitable, to say that America’s is a meatcentric dining culture. The problem is, our desire to eat meat – always, and in great quantities – has led us to be far too lenient about the provenance and quality of it. Some industrious young chefs, however, care deeply about what goes on their plates, and invest the extra time, money and energy into ensuring a better product. For a few, this means not only buying humanely raised, hormone free and locally sourced meat, but learning the skills to prepare it themselves: butchery, curing, smoking, etc.

At Chez Pascal, Chef Matt Gennuso proudly boasts, “all pâtés, charcuterie, sausages, cured meats, condiments, etc. are passionately house made.” His menu also notes that the daily local pork selection is butchered in house. Over at La Laiterie at Farm-

stead, Chef Matt Jennings cures many of the meats in his charcuterie plates (a perfect accompaniment to the stellar cheese plates on which he made his name), and those he doesn’t do himself are thoughtfully sourced from only the very best purveyors, like Armandino Batali (father of celeb chef Mario).

While Bacaro, which boasts an authentic Italian salumeria, doesn’t cure meats in house, they offer a wide selection of carefully sourced artisanal meats imported from Italy, where you can be sure they know a thing or two about the subject. In a state so fond of cured meats and sausages, the only shame is that these are the exception and not the rule. Chez Pascal, 960 Hope St.; 421-4422. La Laiterie at Farmstead, 188 Wayland Ave.; 274-7177.

Bacaro, 262 South Water St.; 751-3700.

Bountiful Bacon and Benedict If there are two certain truths about brunch, they are: 1) The simple combination of poached eggs and hollandaise sauce over an English muffin is versatile and almost always delicious.

2) Bacon makes everything better. (Of course, the second is true of any meal, any time of day – even dessert.) These days, walk into any popular brunch spot, look to the specials board and you’re likely to find some new take on the classic Eggs Benedict. From the

Nova Scotia (smoked salmon) Benedict at West Side favorite Julian’s, to Salmon and Dill Benedict at OV’s to indulgent Lobster Benedict at Pawtucket’s Modern Diner, the daily specials are a dizzying and ever-changing array of things that taste great bathed in hollandaise and egg yolk.

As for bacon, it keeps popping up in wonderfully surprising places: wrapped around dates or on cupcakes at the Duck and Bunny, crumbled on top of banana bread and ice cream or mixed into a dark chocolate bar at La Laiterie, or – good heavens – in a Bloody Mary at Harry’s Bar and Burger, further enhancing that cocktail’s status as breakfast in a cup. Julian’s, 318 Broadway; 861-1770. OV’s, 489 Allens Ave.; 941-9474. Modern Diner, 364 East Ave., Pawtucket; 726-8390. The Duck and Bunny, 312 Wickenden St.; 270-3300.

La Laiterie at Farmstead, 188 Wayland Ave.; 274-7177. Harry’s Bar and Burger, 121 North Main St.; 228-7437.

Eating Well on Saturday Afternoon If you want an excellent brunch on Saturday in Providence, you go to Nicks on Broadway or Julian’s and expect to wait an hour for a table. Right? Well, not anymore. For some reason, it has long been restaurant practice to serve brunch exclusively on Sunday, relegating Saturday to sandwiches for a mid-

CULINARY WISH LIST

day meal. However, more and more fine dining establishments have started offering Saturday brunch.

Loie Fuller’s now offers lunch on weekdays and brunch all weekend, with a French-inspired menu that changes often but always has their irresistible beignets. Since it opened in the spring, Cook & Brown Public House has also offered brunch all weekend.

Downtown, Bravo offers a full weekend brunch, boasting classic breakfast fare and favorites from their dinner menu, like Yellowfin Tuna Tartar, Nicoise Salad and French Onion Soup, along with lunch-friendly options like the Croque Monsieur and the Bravo Lobster Club.

The Duck & Bunny, which recently opened its new garden patio, cooks up a daily brunch heavy on crepes like the Miss Harriet (brie, pear and scallion) and the Rachel & Monica (spinach, goat cheese and sun dried tomato), plus other fare like tea sandwiches and, of course, house-made cupcakes.

Loie Fuller’s, 1455 Westminster St.; 273-4375. Cook & Brown Public House, 959 Hope St.; 273-7274. Bravo, 123 Empire St.; 490-5112. The Duck and Bunny, 312 Wickenden St.; 270-3300.

A Course (or Several) in Fine Dining So it turns out that foodies aren’t born, they’re made – and the new wave of

educational gourmand evenings happening all over the city is helping them along. Gracie’s has a Star Chefs Series, bringing in a guest chef who collaborates with Executive Chef Michael Vargas to create a one-night-only dining experience, complete with wine pairings and explanations of each course.

August’s dinner will feature Ciril Hitz, head of the International Baking and Pastry Institute at JWU. If you’re looking to learn a thing or two about sake (and you should be after reading on), try one of Ebisu’s monthly Sake Tastings, which pair three kinds of sake with different Japanese appetizers.

If you’d rather get a lesson in the kitchen than at the table, Walter’s Ristorante offers Tuesday night cooking classes, each themed on the cuisine of a different region of Italy, that end with dinner and wine. Also on the Hill, Gasbarro’s Wines offers Table for Ten, which is a private liquor tasting for ten people, centered on any topic you choose (Want to learn the wines of France by region? Want to learn the differences between Bordeaux, Zinfandel and Chianti?) and complemented by food from a neighboring restaurant on Atwells. Gracie’s, 194 Washington St.; 272-7811. Ebisu, 38 Pontiac Ave.; 270-7500. Walter’s Ristorante, 286 Atwells Ave.; 273-2652. Gasbarro’s Wines, 391 Atwells Ave.; 421-4170.

Salumi at Bacaro

We wouldn’t dream of taking for granted the culinary wealth of Providence, but a city of our size can be admittedly slow to adapt to the latest developments in the larger culinary world. While trendiness is generally a bad word in most creative fields, in food, what is today’s obnoxious trend (for example, foams) might just be overuse of yesterday’s bold innovation (i.e. molecular gastronomy) – and we certainly wouldn’t want to miss out on any new and exciting flavors, even if they’ll quickly become yesterday’s news. Here is a brief list of current food trends we’d like to see come to Providence: AsianLatin fusion (can we convince one of LA’s Kogi BBQ trucks to make a road trip?), contemporary tapas bars, gourmet breakfast sandwiches, Ethiopian and/or Indonesian food (though we know a certain Providence chef who has designs on the latter – ahem, ahem), Vietnamese pork buns, Japenese kaiseki. Any enterprising young restaurateurs care to do us all a favor?

Gourmet Bar Food It used to be that you either spent the night at a nice restaurant having dinner, or you spent the night at a bar drinking and either eating greasy bar food or nothing at all. Smart watering holes have started offering smaller plates of less expensive food meant to be enjoyed at the bar with your favorite cocktail.

Siena offers a late-night bistro menu featuring pizzas (try the Alla Vodka, with spicy pink vodka sauce, chicken, fresh mozzarella, gorgonzola and eggplant), salads, pasta and popular appetizers like the Polpette Grande, which is a giant, delicious meatball with San Marzano tomato sauce.

Hemenway’s offers an inexpensive Bar Bites menu from 3-6pm, Sunday through Thursday, with inventive twists on classic seafood, like crab cakes as sliders and tropical fruit calamari.

At AS220 Foo(d), the bar and restaurant are technically separate entities, but they’re in the same room and they encourage you to enjoy both. AS220 Foo(d)’s entire menu is designed to be affordable and delicious, with most offerings available for carnivores and vegans – the Spicy Chorizo sandwich either comes with the traditional sausage,

hard boiled egg and cheddar or housemade vegan “chorizo” with crumbled tofu and vegan cheddar. For lighter bites, try the Roasted Garlic Hummus with Grilled Pita or Crispy Chickpeas with Garlic, Basil and Smoked Paprika (at only $2 each, try both).

State Lounge, a chic watering hole, serves a surprisingly sophisticated menu for a bar, with offerings like the Prosciutto and Fig Pizza and the State House Salad, which includes items like hickory smoked bacon and crumbled chevre with a Thai peanut dressing. But hands down, the mother of all bar menus is at McCormick and Schmick’s, where the four tiered menu has items for $1.95 like Crispy Potato Croquettes and Spicy Rice Balls; $2.95 for a half-pound cheeseburger; $3.95 for House Potato Chips with blue cheese or a Tempura Sushi Roll; and $4.95 for Whitewater Mussels or Bay Shrimp Nachos. Their happy hour menu is available from 3:30-6pm and after 10pm nightly, and it’s definitely worth a visit. Siena, 23 Atwells Ave.; 521-3311. AS220 FOO(d),115 Empire St.; 831-3663.

State Lounge, 1 Throop Alley; 4533333. McCormick and Schmick’s, 11 Dorrance St.; 351-4500.

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

33

DRINK TRENDS

A wine flight at Blush

Inspired Infusions Sometimes, simple science can make for great cocktails. By simply placing a flavoring agent – say fresh herbs or fruit – in a liquid and letting it steep, one can infuse said liquid with any number of flavors. While this is, of course, nothing new (that old warhorse gin is simply neutral spirits – no different than vodka – infused with juniper berries), today’s thoughtful bartender is using this technique to experiment with unique and exciting cocktails.

Rick’s Roadhouse uses jalapeño infused vodka (by far the most common spirit to infuse due to its neutral character) to put the appropriate bite into its signature Snake Bite Margarita.

The fine folks at AS220 were ahead of this trend by several years, using ginger and strawberry infused vodkas for their Ginger Drop and Suzy Q respectively, since well before most bars decided to dispense with the endless Stoli iterations and start tinkering on their own. Hope Street stalwart Rue De L’Espoir uses Earl Grey tea to imbue vodka with the subtle flavor of bergamot orange, making for an intriguing cocktails. Rick’s Roadhouse, 370 Richmond St.; 272-7675. AS220, 115 Empire St.; 831-9327. Rue De L’Espoir, 99 Hope St.; 751-8890.

Harvesting Wheat (Beers) When Budweiser, the colossal Death Star of the beer industry, co-opts something

34

Providence Monthly | August 2010

from its exponentially smaller competitors, you know a critical mass has been reached. Thus with the introduction of Bud Light Golden Wheat did the wheat beer officially enter the mainstream’s warm embrace. What was an intriguing oddity among beer drinkers (“You put an orange slice in your beer?”) just a scant few years ago, is now nearly ubiquitous on taps and beer menus – out of the alehouses and into the sports bars.

The two most common varieties – Belgian witbier (“white beer”) and German hefeweizen (unfiltered wheat beers) – have sprouted up in bars everywhere like... well, like so many stalks of wheat.

Almost every respectable watering hole now carries some version (Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat and UFO Hefeweizen are two of the most common), and some, like Doherty’s East Ave in Pawtucket, the recently relocated Snookers and the new English Cellar Alehouse on College Hill, have sections of their beer menus specifically dedicated to wheat beers.

It’s amazing what a few years – and Budweiser’s titanic marketing budget – can do. Doherty’s East Ave, 342 East Ave., Pawtucket; 725-9520. Snookers, 53 Ashburton St.; 351-7665. English Cellar Alehouse, 165 Angell St.; 454-3434.

New Old Man Drinks Several years back, the pre-Prohibition Era cocktail craze kicked off in New York City, wherein suddenly, every ornately mustachioed bartender in Brooklyn was looking to Jazz Age speakeasies

for inspiration and whipping raw eggs into his “potations.” While it’s easy to scoff at such hipper-than-thou faddishness (see above sentence), the benefit of this increased interest in drinks of yore was that bartenders were learning how to tend bar again, instead of just churning out the next hideous “martini” concoction.

While the more obnoxious aspects of this trend have thankfully not migrated to Providence, the broader spirit of it has, in the form of the revamped “old man drinks” now offered at many local watering holes. Tini attempted to rescue the once-noble daiquiri, preferred drink of luminaries like Hemingway and JFK, by hearkening back to the old style – all but unrecognizable to those who think the word implies a frozen, slushy treat adorned with a little umbrella – with its Hemingway Daiquiri. Meanwhile, the new Cook & Brown Public House, with its oft-changing selection, is spinning off new iterations of the sloe gin fizz (“Loretta Lynn Fizz”), tequila sunset (“Mezcal Sunset”) and New Orleans’ sainted Sazerac. If you’re feeling truly old school, head to Tazza, where they’ll fix you two cocktails that predate Prohibition: the Bee’s Knees, which gets its flavor from gin, honey and lemon; or the Pisco Sour, made from pisco (a Peruvian grape liquor) and featuring, you guessed it, egg whites. Tini, 200 Washington St.; 383-2400. Cook & Brown Public House, 959 Hope St.; 273-7274.

Tazza, 250 Westminster St.; 421-3300.

Expensive Wines by the Glass Call it the oenophile’s dilemma. You love fine wine. You’ve got a few bottles at home that you’re saving because they won’t peak for a couple of years.

You know how to judge a pour’s legs.

You can wax poetic about the nuances of the terroir in the growing regions of France. And yet, if you’re sitting at the bar for just one happy hour libation, you’re stuck with yet another underwhelming glass of Kendall Jackson.

Not anymore, my swirling and sipping friends. Restaurateurs in Providence have finally figured out that expensive wine shouldn’t only come from a whole bottle during dinner service.

Take, for example, the $13 glass of Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc at Hemenway’s, or the J.J. Vincent MarieAntoinette Pouilly-Fuisse for $13.50 at Waterman Grille. The by-the-glass offerings at Fleming’s are so extensive that the list is called “The New Fleming’s 100” – and only 30 of them are offered under $10 for a glass. The newest kid on the wine lover’s block is Blush, the wine bar that recently opened on Federal Hill, which boasts the distinction of offering the largest selection of wines by the glass in the city. While most of them are perfectly respectable (read: wallet-friendly) pours, a handful of Blush’s wines go beyond anything else you’re likely to find, like the Damilano Barolo at $22 for a glass, or their flight

of three “Complicated Red Heads” for $18. The list tops out at a $35 glass of Veuve Cliquot Rose, but wouldn’t you rather try one glass of the coveted bubbly than buy a whole bottle only to realize that you’re actually drinking pink champagne? Hemenway’s, 121 South Main St.; 351-8570. Waterman Grille, 4 Richmond Sq.; 521-9229. Fleming’s, 1 West Exchange St.; 533-9000. Blush Wine Bar, 332 Atwells Ave.; 270-0050.

Farm to Bar Cocktails Once upon a time, we were impressed when a bartender used something as rare and exotic as white cranberry juice to make his own twist on the Cosmopolitan. Now, bartenders across the city are experimenting with fresh fruits and vegetables (you heard us) with delicious results. At Local 121, their summer cocktail list includes the Watermelon Margarita, which pairs fresh watermelon puree with tequila, elderflower liqueur and fresh citrus for a cocktail that practically counts as one serving of fruit for the day. Waterman Grille’s Cucumber Martini mixes Hendrick’s Gin with fresh muddled cucumber and simple syrup. At Tini, you can sip a Native Berry Mash, which features seasonal berries, Hornitos and marmalade. Chez Pascal offers a selection of Chez Sorbet Drinks that pair housemade sorbets with top shelf booze for a sophisticated reinvention of the mixed drink. With offerings like this, the argument that drinking is bad for your health is officially invalidated. Local 121, 121 Washington St.; 274-2121.

Waterman Grille, 4 Richmond Sq.; 5219229. Tini, 200 Washington St.; 3832400. Chez Pascal, 960 Hope St.; 4214422.

THE NASTY BITS

Cocktail Specials While our beloved (read: Puritanical… in a bad way) blue laws prevent restaurants and bars from offering happy hour specials – or any kind of recognized happy hour – in Rhode Island, some clever watering holes have found ways around the restrictions. The rule is that you can’t advertise a drink special at a certain time on a certain day of the week, but you can offer food and drink specials.

Twist on Angell and Waterplace offer half-price bottles of wine with dinner on Tuesday nights (at Twist) and Wednesday nights (at Waterplace). On the Hill, dinner guests at Walter’s can enjoy a drink special for every night of the week: Mojitos on Mondays, Italian Margaritas on Tuesdays, Sangria on Wednesdays, Martinis on Thursdays and Wine Flights on Fridays.

Gracie’s has devised still a boozier solution: at their bar, happy hour is every hour. Every cocktail on their list – including old favorites like the Pimm’s Cup and Mint Julep, and modern inventions like the Cool Mule (vodka, ginger beer, cucumber) and the Soju Collins (soju, basil, lemon, soda) – is $5 at the bar all night, every night. Once upon a time $5 would barely get you a mixed drink made with well booze. Welcome to the new world, friends. Twist on Angell, 500 Angell St.; 831-4500. Waterplace, 1 Finance Way; 272-1040.

Walter’s Ristorante, 286 Atwells

Fergus Henderson, London’s patron saint of nose-to-tail dining

Though we don’t often like to think about it, our meat comes from animals, and those animals aren’t made entirely of tenderloin, filet mignon or short rib. What is left when the prime cuts go are the unlovely bits, the grizzly parts, the organs – and almost every food culture except ours has a long and noble history of turning them into great eats. Most self-respecting taquerias offer lengua (beef tongue) as an option, but at Don Gallo on Chalkstone they sometimes feature tacos de cabeza – yes, it’s literally meat from the cow’s head. At Los Andes, their outrageously delicious anticuchos are skewers of marinated, thinly sliced and seared beef heart, served with a luxuriously minty dipping sauce. Some higher end restaurants like Gracie’s have been known to serve sweetbreads, a deceptively innocuous name for the thymus gland of a calf or lamb. While their spongy texture is off-putting to many, their flavor is surprisingly delicate. These might sound horrifying to most diners, but Providence is actually behind the times when it comes to this sort of “nose-to-tail” dining, which has undergone a resurgence in recent years, led by forward-thinking but backwards-looking chefs like London’s Fergus Henderson and Montreal’s Martin Picard. Of course, a handful of chefs like Chez Pascal’s Matt Gennuso, La Laiterie’s Matt Jennings and Chef de Cuisine at New Rivers Beau Vestal have been slowly introducing our palates to things like kidneys, jowls, ears and other nasty bits. Keep up the good work, gents.

Ave.; 273-2652. Gracie’s, 194 Washington St.; 272-7811.

Esoteric Libations

Bacon Bloody Mary at Harry’s

Once, there were clearly defined rules for mixology: vodka was for mixing, whiskey was for drinking on the rocks, and gin was for, well, nothing. In the last couple of years, local bartenders have embraced the idea of using those once out-of-fashion liquors on cocktail menus. Now, they’re taking it another step further by stocking bars with bottles that nobody has heard of before – not, at least, in this century.

This is especially true at Cook & Brown Public House, where I once spent an evening dining at the bar and asking the bartender about every bottle I didn’t recognize, like an artichoke liqueur from Italy.

The bar also stocks six kinds of bitters – when you thought angostura bitters was the only kind out there, didn’t you?

The carefully curated selection will definitely keep you from ordering a plain old

gin and tonic. Their most recent cocktail menu uses mescal (a smoky Mexican liquor made from a plant in the agave family), green Chartreuse (a French herbal liqueur), bonal quina (a French apertif that’s an alternative to red vermouth), Luxardo Maraschino (an Italian cherryinfused liqueur) and Bols Genever (a distilled botanical liquor from Holland).

At Pot au Feu, they carry an eau de vie de poir, a fruit brandy that has a whole pear inside the narrow-necked bottle. The secret is that they place the bottle over the tiny budding pear and let it grow inside to full size. At The Avery, they’re pouring drinks that feature crème de violette (a violet-flavored liqueur popular in the first half of the 20th century) and crème de mescal (mescal blended with sweet agave nectar) which owner J.R. calls “dangerously drinkable.” Cook & Brown Public House, 959 Hope St.; 273-7274. Pot Au Feu, 44 Custom House St.; 273-8953. The Avery, 18 Luongo Sq.

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

35

THE NEW FLAVORS

The new look of Zooma

The past year and a half has seen many newcomers to the local dining scene – and some older favorites reinvented themselves. Here’s your quick reference guide to the lastest and tastiest.

What: Ama’s Where: 3 Luongo Sq.; 421-1100 The Story: Mike Sears’ newest venture – he owns Lili Marlene’s and launched Loie Fuller’s before selling it to its current owners – serves Japanese-style short plates and bento boxes that are appealing to veggies and meat-eaters alike.

Why We’re Excited: Sears and interior designer Kyla Coburn (who has done all of his places) consistently give us new things we didn’t know we needed, but then can’t live without. Before Lili’s and Loie, who knew we needed a crazy dark bar with great burgers or an ornately designed but casually friendly neighborhood bistro on the West Side.

Now you can enjoy fresh oysters on your way into or out of The Avery for a cocktail. Who knew?

What: Asian Bistro/Asian Palace Where: 123 Dorrance St.; 383-3551/1184 North Main St.; 228-7805 The Story: When Asian Palace opened on North Main Street last year, its combination of Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisine was an instant hit – so much so that the owners opened Asian Bistro on Dorrance Street in the long-empty spot that once housed Beyond India.

Why We’re Excited: With the opening of Asian Bistro, sushi is once again available downtown, something that’s

36

Providence Monthly | August 2010

been missing since New Japan closed a few years ago.

What: AS220 FOO(d) Where: 115 Empire St.; 831-9327 The Story: Operating in the space that formerly housed the much-loved Taqueria Pacifica, AS220’s new operation serves small plates, salads, sandwiches and dinner entrees, many of which are available in a meat version or a housemade vegan protein option.

Why We’re Excited: It’s fresh, seasonal, local food with gourmet aspirations, but diner prices.

What: Blush Wine Bar Where: 332 Atwells Ave.; 270-0050 The Story: As the name implies, this place specializes in vino of all sorts, but also recently started serving food.

Why We’re Excited: Wine lovers, rejoice. You’ll be poring over this wine list for quite a while.

The Story: Earlier this year, Capriccio lured Chef Gustavo Granado away from his position as Chef de Cuisine at Boston’s highly regarded Sorrelina.

Why We’re Excited: Sometimes even a classic needs a little update, and a chef with this pedigree – stints at top-notch restaurants in Boston, New York City and Barcelona – can do it without sacrificing everything we’ve grown to love about Capriccio.

What: The Chowder House Where: 525 South Water St.; 369-7000 The Story: This traditional New England seafood restaurant recently opened on the waterfront between Hot Club and Fish Co. Why We’re Excited: Finally, finally, there’s a place to get classic clam shack fare without leaving the city limits.

What: Café Longo Where: 154 Atwells Ave.; 228-6550 The Story: Since it opened last year, Café Longo’s Rome-by-way-of-SouthPhilly home cooking has been packing guests into the small space.

Why We’re Excited: The crowd here is friendly and chatty, often shouting favorite quotes along with the classic mob movies playing on the TV. Even though it’s relatively new, it’s already like the Cheers of Federal Hill.

What: City Girl Cupcakes Where: 99 Weybosset St.; 580-1271 The Story: After peddling their gourmet cupcakes with a cause (profits go to charities that fight hunger) out of Tony’s Colonial on Federal Hill, high schoolers Isabella Veader and Catherine Corrente opened a proper storefront in the former home of Petit Mange.

Why We’re Excited: If you’re a regular reader, you may be vaguely aware of our overwhelming love of cupcakes. If not, stop by and try their Grovestand Lemon or Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla and get on board.

What: Capriccio Where: 2 Pine St.; 421-1320

What: Cook and Brown Public House Where: 959 Hope St.; 273-7274

The Story: Earlier this year, Hope Street mainstay Oak was sold to husband/ wife team Nemo and Jenny Bolin, who turned it into a daring, hyper-seasonal gourmet bistro.

Why We’re Excited: Plenty of restaurants change their menus with the season, but how many change every day?

This is the only one we can think of.

What: The Cupcakerie Where: 1860 Broad St., Cranston; 467-2601 The Story: After becoming a farmer’s market favorite with her inspired creations, cupcake genius Kristin Brennan finally opened a bakery in charming Pawtuxet Village.

Why We’re Excited: Her cupcakes are consistently creative, often daring – and now available all week long.

What: Cup n Rol Where: 262 Atwells Ave.; 228-6866 The Story: This cupcake bakery that serves only all-natural confections opened in June. They’ve just celebrated their grand opening and are expanding into waffle brunch offerings.

Why We’re Excited: With City Girl moving downtown, we’re still going to need a place on the Hill to get fancy cupcakes.

What: Dakar Restaurant Where: 502 Roosevelt Ave., Central Falls; 347-9493 The Story: Chef/owner Pape Ndouye opened this restaurant so that he can share the rich culinary heritage of his native Senegal with Rhode Island

Why We’re Excited: Because African cuisine in general is sorely lacking in our otherwise rather diverse state – and Senegalese food, with its French influences, is one of the best examples.

What: The Duck and Bunny Where: 312 Wickenden St.; 270-3300 The Story: This self-proclaimed “snuggery” serves coffee, house-made cupcakes, wine and beer cocktails (we have to give them points for making a creative cocktail list with only beer and wine) and brunch, lunch and dinner fare.

Why We’re Excited: The interior of this place is so romantic, it’s a perfect date spot, but the staff is so friendly, it also makes for a great neighborhood pub (and has a recently opened patio out back). Plus, in the cold weather they offer patrons blankets.

What: English Cellar Alehouse Where: 165 Angell St.; 454-3434 The Story: This below-the-sidewalk pub brings savory British food and an enormous selection of beers to the spot that once housed the Liquid Lounge.

Why We’re Excited: They offer over 150 beers from around the world. If you can’t find something new to try here, it probably doesn’t exist.

What: Garden Grille Where: 727 East Ave., Pawtucket; 726-2826 The Story: After 15 years, this vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurant remodeled, installing a new bar with six beers on tap, and revamped its menu to include more raw food and glutenfree options.

Why We’re Excited: Vegetarians, vegans, raw foodies, and other with dietary restrictions now have more options than ever.

What: Gourmet House Where: 787 Hope St.; 621-9818 The Story: The owners of Hope Street’s Apsara have taken over the defunct Gourmet House, completely remodeled the space and made it a second outpost of their restaurant to handle the throngs of customers next door.

Why We’re Excited: The owners promise authentic Cambodian cuisine on the new menu. While we have our share Chinese, Japanese, Thai and even Vietnamese, Cambodian has been scarce.

(Previously, only Wickenden Street’s Angkor specialized in it.)

What: Harry’s Bar and Burger Where: 121 North Main St.; 2287437 The Story: Always changing with the times, John Elkhay’s Chow Fun Food Group converted the shortlived Chinese Laundry into a casual burger joint with a great bar.

Why We’re Excited: The bar menu features tons of great beer, some of the most interesting cocktails around, and booze-spiked milkshakes.

What: The Hourglass Brasserie Where: 382 Thames St., Bristol; 396-9811 The Story: This new upscale bistro offers contemporary European cuisine, with a mostly French flare.

Why We’re Excited: Chef/owner Rizwan Ahmed cut his teeth with Gordon Ramsay and two other Michelin-starred restaurants, and the experience shows in his incredible food.

MACARONS ARE THE NEW CUPCAKES

While nothing will ever diminish our love for cupcakes, we can all agree that the gourmet cupcake craze has peaked. When Dunkin’ Donuts gets in on a trend, it’s no longer new or exciting. The food world is always on the hunt for the next big thing, and right now, when it comes to desserts, that thing is macarons – not macaroons, those cloyingly sweet almond or coconut cookies for which they are often mistaken. Macarons, which are, of course, French in origin, are egg white-based (just like macaroons) sandwich cookies, usually filled with buttercream or ganache. The “macarons are the new cupcakes” craze is just gaining ground in New York, land of the perpetual new craze, so it’s only a matter of time before it sweeps the land like a great buttercream tsunami. Locally, Gracie’s has long been offering an assortment of the tiny sweets as part of its dessert menu, and Moondust Macarons, a company that deals exclusively in the confections, was recently featured on Fox Providence’s Rhode Show. It’s already starting to catch on, so don’t be surprised when a brand new macaron shop opens up in your neighborhood. moondustmacarons.com

What: Hudson Street Deli Where: 68 Hudson St.; 228-8555 The Story: A neighborhood institution was reborn when this deli and market opened in the former home of Hudson Market, a location that’s been a daily stop for West Side residents since 1922.

Why We’re Excited: Their large Italian grinder – served on an entire loaf of crusty Italian bread – is the stuff of legend.

What: Tip-C Cupcakes Where: 1270 Mineral Spring Ave., North Providence; 305-3503 The Story: How can you possibly add something new to the gourmet cupcake craze? By specializing in boozy cupcakes like the Strawberry Margarita and Jack’s Mistress, made with bourbon and peach schnapps.

Why We’re Excited: How can you not love a place where the motto is “Baked with lots of love and alcohol”?

The view from The Chowder House

What: Trattoria Zooma Where: Atwells Ave.; 383-2002

The Story: Big changes were afoot at Zooma this summer – namely, a completely remodeled interior and a completely revamped menu featuring house-made pasta and grilled pizzas.

Why We’re Excited: You can actually watch the pasta being made as you wait to enjoy it – that’s how fresh it is.

What’s Next?

Nick Rabar, the longtime executive chef of John Elkhay’s Chow Fun food group, is opening his own restaurant.

Rabar’s Avenue N is set to open in Rumford sometime in the next couple of months. Fat Belly’s, the popular Irish pub with locations in Warwick and East Greenwich, is bringing bangers and mash to Providence next month with the opening of a third location. In Wayland Square, construction is almost complete on L’Artisan Bakery Café, which is taking over the spot once held

by Deli on the Square. Souper Bowls, a – you guessed it – soup café, is set to open on Weybosset Street any day now.

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

37

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» Cold Sake at Ebisu

Most people’s first and only experience with sake has been shooting back some warmed over, substandard rice wine, resulting in an unpleasant experience that caused one coworker to speculate that sake is Japanese for “dirty sock water.”

Contrary to popular belief, sake is more commonly drunk cold, and only low grade hooch is warmed up to disguise its inferior quality. From a wide selection of premium cold sakes, one can experience the refreshingly clean taste of cedar cask aged Taru Sake, or the unfiltered Momokawa Pearl Sake, with notes of vanilla and banana. These are for sipping with pleasure, not banging back like a Jäger shot and making a stupid face. 38 Pontiac Ave.; 270-7500.

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Providence Monthly | August 2010

» Banh Mi at Pho Paradise

This Vietnamese sandwich bears the unmistakable stamp of French colonial influence. A crusty baguette is filled with meat (often roast pork) and pâté (though Pho Paradise’s version leaves out the latter), pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro and jalapeño, and peanut sauce. It’s a fantastic flavor combination that’s become an increasingly popular among young American chefs, who are now offering their own takes on it. (The Red Fez and Hudson Street Deli have both been known to offer banh mi as a special.) 337 Broad St.; 369-7990.

» Korean Barbecue at Sura

Tableside cooking can make dinner as much of a show as a culinary pleasure.

While Korean barbecue, cooked using grills built right into that table, might not have the visual panache of that stack of onion rings shooting steam into the air, the rich, savory flavor more than makes up for the lack of entertainment.

The marinated short rib (kalbi) or the pork bulgogi sizzling in your table’s grill will then be folded into cool lettuce wraps and loaded with lavishly salty bean paste, kimchi, rice or any number of other accoutrement. Best of all, Korean cuisine encourages sharing, so go with friends and try a little bit of everything.

300 George Waterman Rd., Johnston; 233-7888.

»

Kobe Beef Jamon Ibérico at Farmstead or Otoro Tuna at Haruki As a staunch advocate of “lesser” cuts of meat (pork shoulder, chicken thighs, hanger steak), I am hesitant to encourage another premium meat fetish – but sometimes you just have to treat yourself. Jamon Ibérico de Bellota is made from pigs that are at least 75% black Iberian heritage and raised in forest on a diet of acorns. The resulting reddish color, waxy texture and complex, nutty flavor are like nothing you associate with typical hams. Generally considered to be the finest ham in the world, Ibérico wasn’t even allowed in the United States until about 2008, and its availability is still limited – so expect to pay almost $100 per pound. Otoro meanwhile is cut from the fattiest part of the belly of bluefin tuna. It is prized as the best cut for sashimi, due to its incredible marbling and richness. Once again, availability is limited, and prices are subject to the whims of the market. But hey, you’re splurging tonight, right? Farmstead, 186 Wayland Ave.; 274-7177. Haruki East, 176 Wayland Ave.; 223-0332.

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hope

(noun) 1. To believe, desire, or trust. 2. The RI state motto.

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A Bucket of Rhody Love Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the Union, but that certainly doesn’t mean we’re lacking in character. If you lovingly call Pawtucket “the Bucket,” or simply, “Exits 25 through 30,” stop by Frog & Toad on Hope Street to pick up one of their repurposed Rhode Island prints.

Owner Asher Schofield uses vintage tourism prints and alters the slogans to fit areas in Rhode Island.

Schofield says the prints started as a way to be play-

ful with the state he loves.

“Somehow it works,” he says. “The response we’ve gotten has been mindblowing.” This Pawtucket print has become so popular that the Hope Street shop now sells t-shirts with the same slogan.

Pick up a framed print featuring your favorite Rhode Island area today and take pride in being from the small state with lots of personality. $28.

795 Hope Street, 831-3434.

–Julie Sickel

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

41

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Providence Monthly | August 2010

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City Style | The Look Raphael Rawlins Hair Stylist/Makeup Artist at G. Salon Describe your personal style.

My fashion sense comes from what I feel is right.

I’m very much of a rebel. I do not do what’s in season; I do not do what everyone else is wearing. I like to create new styles and lines. I tend to go very stylized – in other words, I tend to find little pieces that go well together. I also like a little bit of gender bending. Each person has masculine and feminine entities in them. I’ve worn pants under a wrap skirt, with a flowing shirt and a nice piece of ornate jewelry.

Tell me about this outfit.

The sweater is a women’s sweater. That was the first fashion purchase I ever made when I moved to New York City. It’s by one of my favorite Icelandic designers. The collar is actually a sailor collar, which you can see in the back. The pants are Dolce & Gabbana. They took the cuffs from a man’s shirt that he would wear with a suit, put a snap on it and put a zipper that runs halfway up the calf. I like to wear it a little unpinched so it falls beautifully over the shoe. I would call this look the “conservative but clever look.” I love purchasing clever, which are pieces with those little details that appear conservative at first, but make you do a double take.

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Where do you shop?

My mentor in makeup always said, “It doesn’t have to be expensive as long as it looks expensive.” Those were my words to live by. I do not like paying full price; it’s absolutely unnecessary.

I’m a thrifty bargain shopper and I love vintage.

You don’t have to spend an outrageous amount of money on clothing – all you have to be is smart.

Who’s your fashion idol?

The late Alexander McQueen. I was terribly upset when that marvel of creative genius chose to leave this world, but the ones who are the most creative are always tortured. I loved his collections, his lines. He broke the mold. He was a rebel in fashion. No one designed like he did. No one brought concepts together like he did. He took the eye and the consciousness out of the mainstream into areas of art and fashion thought to be impossible.

What role does hair play in fashion?

The role of hair in fashion is one of crowning achievements; it finishes the look. Hair and makeup finish the look. A model can go down the runway, but it won’t have half the impact without hair and makeup, which are synonymous. You need both to look polished and clean, and that’s what they do for the fashion industry: pull everything together and finish cleanly.

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August 2010 | Providence Monthly

43

yard sale Sunday August 29th 12-5pm No Early Birds!

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44

Providence Monthly | August 2010

City Style | Beauty

by Julie Tremaine

Take it Off This Summer A lesson in seasonal makeup from a local pro

Right around the middle of June, something happened to me: I started sweating. And when I would try to blot that moisture from my delicate brow, I would come away with a muddy-looking mess of what used to be powder, blush, primer, highlighter, base shadow, contour shadow, brow pencil, eyeliner and mascara. It was pretty unsightly, and left my face looking less than pristine. I realized that while summer had inspired me to shed my layers of clothing, it hadn’t done the same for my layers of makeup.

So I turned to an expert: Kristen Marrah, makeup artist and co-owner of Gloss and Glamour in North Providence. “I’m a firm believer in less is more,” she says. “It’s too hot. It’s not worth putting all that stuff on your face to have it melt off.”

When creating a look for summer, the first thing you need is a tan.

It doesn’t have to be real, (though I would argue that you’re wasting your summer if you don’t spend some of it by the pool) but you do need some color if you’re going to pull off a less cosmetic look. The ghostly pallor of the last few sun-phobic years is over.

Now it’s about getting a little bit of safe color and supplementing with tan in a bottle. Kristen swears by the spray tans they have at Gloss and Glamour, which are done with Fake Bake products. “It gives you really good color,” Kristen says. “It works with your skin tone. If you’re very fair you’re not going to be too dark.”

What I’ve learned from my faciocosmetic striptease this season is that there are very few elements you need for a successful summer look: bronzer, blush, shimmery (not glittery) shadow, mascara and lip gloss. Kristen uses a tinted moisturizer first, for hydration and color, but I prefer a powder, even in the hot months. A swipe of

bronzer on the forehead, the cheeks and across the nose gives you a look that’s more beach bunny than beach bum, as long as you find the right one for your face. I find that most bronzers only come in one shade, which is too dark for me and is out of the question anyway because of the big, garish glitter in it. I finally found the perfect one in Bobbi Brown’s Bronzing Powder, which is a fine matte powder that comes in several shades. It compliments both natural sun and fake sun perfectly and is sheer enough to not melt off much.

After your skin is the proper shade, add a touch of blush. I like Benefit’s Coralista, which is bright, summery and has a nice subtle shimmer to it.

Swipe something sheer on your lids, but only one shade, and something that’s close to your skin tone, which for me is a shimmery champagne color.

Finish with a bit of mascara.

To eliminate yet another step in your summer makeup routine, Kristen recommends ditching the mascara in favor of lash tinting. It’s a quick process that darkens your lashes for four to six weeks. “It’s definitely more of a summer thing,” she says. “It’s great

for going away on a trip or going to the beach. Waterproof mascara can ruin your lashes because it’s so hard to get off.”

Finish off the look with some lip gloss. I recently rediscovered Lancome’s Juicy Tubes, which I loved as a teenager but then grew out of when glittery gloss became less age-appropriate for me. They’re long-wearing and have more toned-down, grown-up options than they used to. I’m also really loving Smashbox’s Naked Beauty glosses right now. They have creamy, moisturizing color that’s more pigment than shine. It’s perfect for work and isn’t too sticky.

The best part about easy summer makeup is that it’s simple to switch to an evening look. Add a bit of liquid liner (you can never go wrong with a sultry cat’s eye) in a shade softer than black, like gray, plum or green. Then add a bright lipstick like MAC’s hot pink, head-turning Girl About Town. Or, for a little less flash, just choose a bolder gloss like a Juicy Tube. Why should your lips get all the attention, anyway? To get Glossed and Glamoured by Kristen, visit gloss-glamour.com.

Illustration: Karli Hendrickson

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Providence Monthly | August 2010

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City Style | Shop Talk

by Rosanna Ortiz Sinel

Chic & Cheap

Photography: Laurel Mulherin

Check out this month’s best-looking deals

What Are You Clad In? A Wayland Square boutique celebrates one fashionable year Perfectly situated on a busy corner in Wayland Square, you could say that Clad In is probably one of the most unique boutiques in Providence. Carrying interesting and modern clothing for women, Clad In didn’t originate in Providence, but is making a splash in the creative capital in a big way. “We are doing amazing in this location; it really is going well,” says manager Micki Whelan.

The first Clad In opened in Mystic, CT in 2005 and has expanded to three more locations: Stonington, CT, Providence and Westerly. The Providence location is approaching its one-year anniversary and something tells me it will be here to stay. “We cater to a clientele professionals who travel or who are recently retired – and to individuals who know their style,” says Whelan. “All our stores carry different items that cater to that type of client.” The Wayland Square store has a more urban feel and is considered edgier than the other Clad In locations.

“This location definitely caters to the adventurous customer,” Whelan notes.

Clad In carries dozens of brands ranging from San Francisco label Babette to high-modern label Crea Concepts. And they don’t only carry clothing – they also have shoes, accessories and even art. Amazing pieces by local artist Naomi Cohan and sturdy glass vases by another local, Dan Reeds, line the walls of this fresh feeling-boutique. The local art comple-

ments the store perfectly and adds a museum feel to the already perfectly merchandised sales floor.

Another favorite local designer, Andrea Valentini, sells her wonderful handbags here as well. When I looked at the price points of some of the items, I realized that this store is where you want to buy your clothes that will last for years. You can easily get an accessory for $45, but you could also spend around $300 for a well-made jacket.

“We have a careful editing process for what we place in the store,” Whelan boasts. “The owner [Elizabeth Day Lawrence], who used to be a designer, still does all the buying for all locations.” The style that characterizes Clad In is not something you would see anywhere else. Most of the materials are made for travel and easy packing. You won’t find a lot of black in this store – muted pastels, grays, charcoals and slates take precedence. The woman who shops here doesn’t think too much about trends, but more about classic, flattering styles.

Also, don’t miss this shop by if you are looking for something for that special occasion – you may be pleasantly surprised. They have sold many ensembles to mothers of the bride as well as the occasional prom dress to the person who wants to stand out and not look like everyone else. Clad In and that individual have a lot in common. 497 Angell Street. 494-8442; cladin.com

Feminine Fancies, the chic high-end boutique in Barrington, is having a yard sale on Sunday, August 26 from 12-5pm. Everything is priced at $1-$100, cash and carry. Come by and find amazing deals such as high-end jeans, which are normally close to $200, at a fraction of that price. All items are a mix of seasons so you may score those winter boots early and be prepared. This event brings out the crowds; make sure you get there with some girlfriends and have your cash ready. 290 Country Rd, Barrington.

247-1087.

Salon Bianco is offering 15% off any facial when you book a 90-minute aromatherapy massage. It’s the perfect opportunity to get that spa day that you have always wanted. 423 Atwells Ave. 331-8099.??

Hope Street has a new addition: Pippa’s Papers has opened their doors. Come in and get some personalized stationery or a gift for someone special. 780 Hope St. 3310990.

Bryce Organics Skin Care is having a 10% sale on all online orders. Rhode Island residents get free shipping. www.bryceorganics.com

Facing Thayer is having a “girls night out” on August 26. Enjoy spa services, a jewelry trunk show, teeth whitening and a fitness/ body analysis by CORE. Don’t miss it! 297 Thayer St. 331-4777.

Flaunt boutique is now carrying baby items. Come in for gifts, clothing and even something for mommy – the highly coveted Petunia Pickle Bottom baby bag. 19 Sanderson Rd, Smithfield. 949-4849.

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

47

Feast

IN THE KITCHEN / on the menu / behind the bar / review / in the drink

Photography: Kate Kelley

53

REVIEW Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar and Burger

Coney Island Dog with sweet pepper relish, maggi onions & mustard

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

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Providence Monthly | August 2010

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Feast | In the Kitchen

by Stephanie Obodda

A Chef with Many Hats Chef Twillia Glover multitasks in search of the freshest foods

Photography: Mike Braca

What’s your background?

I went to school for accounting. When I was in school, I had to get a part time job and ended up working in a restaurant. I totally fell in love with it. I moved from Jackson, Mississippi up the East Coast, worked at the former Gourmet Pantry in Barrington and then Rue de L’Espoir.

Tell me about your catering company.

Little Farm Catering is a sustainable catering company. Unlike some catering companies, I don’t have a set menu. I sit down with the client, talk about food preferences, and design a menu based on what’s available locally. That’s exactly what the clients who seek me out are looking for, so it works out really well.

How did you get involved with Ledge Ends?

Erik, the owner, approached me because he was looking for a chef who knows what other chefs want, to do

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You’re a busy woman in the Rhode Island food scene. What are you up to these days, and how do you do it all?

I’m the chef at the Liberty Elm, I have my own catering company called Little Farm Catering (littlefarmcatering.com), I’m the Harvest Manager for Ledge Ends Produce, (ledgeendsproduce.com) and I’m on the board for Slow Food Rhode Island.

On most days, I get to the diner at 6am to do the specials, go to Ledge Ends farm until 6pm, and I also fit meetings with catering clients into my schedule.

I’m able to balance all of this because I’m very organized, and I have the energy to do so because these are my passions. Also, all my ventures all are closely related to my interest in local and sustainable agriculture, so they fit together naturally.

Have you always been interested in keeping things local and sustainable?

People think I’m into it because it’s trendy, but I’ve always thought this way. It’s a way of life. I’ve always respected my food, and after I started at Ledge Ends and saw all of the work that goes into sustainable farming, I appreciate it even more. I want people to learn to respect their food and know where it comes from.

INTERNS & samples of work to julie@providenceonline.com

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Chef Twilla at Ledge Ends Produce quality control. I go to the packing house every day and oversee the produce. We have 230 CSA members and also wholesale to restaurants and Whole Foods. There’s limited space in the walk-in, so harvesting and delivery has to be very well coordinated.

And the Liberty Elm? About a year ago. Before that, I was the chef and general manager at Rue De L’Espoir. I had been there for ten years. To stay in a restaurant for ten years, you really have to love it, and I did. Deb Norman (the owner) is absolutely amazing. But I was working 5060 hours a week, managing the front and back of the house, so I eventually got a bit burned out. When I met Carol, the owner of the Liberty Elm, our philosophies matched so well and it seemed like a great opportunity.

Leaving for the Liberty Elm also gave me more time for my other ventures and more of a chance to get out of the kitchen into the world.

How have you put your own touch on the Liberty Elm menu?

Since I came from high-end dining, it was a challenge to adjust to diner food. I kept the same menu items but changed the way that the dishes are prepared. My style has been described as really clean. Since we’re using such good produce, I create recipes that let the vegetables shine instead of relying on heavy spices for flavor.

I create the specials every day. I also bake scones and muffins. It’s taken me years to develop my scone recipe and I won’t give it to anyone, but you can come try one at the diner.

I believe that even at a diner, the food doesn’t have to be greasy. It doesn’t matter where your kitchen is or how big it is, you can serve the best fresh local ingredients.

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August 2010 | Providence Monthly

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Providence Monthly | August 2010

Feast | Review

by Linda Beaulieu

Small Wonder Big flavors comes in small packages at Harry’s This is one

Photography: Kate Kelley

restaurant that does not take itself too seriously. Maybe it’s the lifesize fake cow out on the sidewalk. Maybe it’s the black-and-white cowhide walls.

For sure it’s the wise-cracking menu, from the Fungus Among Us Burger to the Irish Car Bomb Brownie Bites. Harry’s Bar and Burger is a whole lot of fun, with some of the lowest prices around.

Harry’s also proves that size doesn’t matter. By most standards, this is a small restaurant with a tiny footprint.

Fortunately, with the second floor, there’s seating for 55 customers at tables and another six (cowhide) stools at the bar.

In keeping with its petite persona, the wacky menu offers a creative assortment of sliders, those cute mini burgers that are once again a hot trend. The famous White Castle fast-food chain served up the first mini hamburger in 1921. I once heard that sailors started calling the small burgers “sliders” because they slid down so easily. At Harry’s, the sliders are made with certified Hereford beef, freshly ground and never frozen.

Whether you order Harry’s Classic or the Mother of All Burgers (MOAB), you get two sliders per serving. The burgers are served on Martin’s Famous potato rolls from Pennsylvania Dutch country.

All the burgers are built upon Harry’s Classic ($3.99), with the ground beef topped with special sauce, grilled onions, lettuce and pickle. As I work my way through the menu, right now my favorite burger is the Pastrami Burger ($5.99) – that’s Harry’s Classic plus American cheese and black pastrami. I love this taste combination, and the high quality of the pastrami is quite evident. One of the more interesting burgers is the Frita Cubano ($4.79). When I ordered it, I thought I was getting a classic Cubano, or Cuban sandwich, but nooooo…. I learned this is Harry’s Classic plus cheese, plus ketchup, plus crispy potato sticks.

That aforementioned Fungus Among Us ($5.49) is a cheeseburger with portabello mushrooms and truffle aioli. The MOAB (Mother of All Burgers, $5.69) is a cheeseburger topped with bacon, mushrooms and fried onion strings. The most expensive burger is the Double Wide ($6.49), and that gets you double meat and double cheese.

The menu also offers three sandwiches (a sloppy joe, a chicken BLT, and a meatball “sangwich” that I will definitely try on my next visit), five bold hot dogs, and side dishes. The dogs are jumbo Nathan’s World Famous beef hot dogs, which were recently deemed by

The Mother of All Burgers with cheese, bacon, mushrooms and fried onion rings impartial food experts to be the very best hot dog in the world. The Coney Island Dog ($3.49) is a purist’s thing of beauty, grilled and topped with mustard, sweet relish and cooked onions.

Other dogs (all under $4) feature varying combinations of hickory-smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, cooked and raw onions, spicy cooked beef, sauerkraut and mustard.

We had the Buffalo Chicken Wings ($7.49) while we awaited our sliders and dogs. It seemed strange that our appetizer cost more than our entrees, but with prices like this, no one was complaining. The extra crispy wings were tossed in a blend of Frank’s bottled Buffalo sauce, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and spices. I thought the sauce was super hot, but my dining companion thought just the opposite. I think she has a much higher pain tolerance than me. On the side were the much-appreciated cool blue cheese dressing and celery sticks that are an essential component of any Buffalostyle dish.

Two other sides were a hit and a miss.

We loved, loved, loved the delicate Haystack Onion Strings ($3.49), served with chipotle ketchup. The Salt & Pepper Fries ($1.69) were fine, but on two separate visits I failed to detect any pepper on my fries, which are made from Prince Edward Island potatoes. This was a major disappointment because I had heard that Harry’s fries were sprinkled with sea salt and a Worcestershire-flavored black pepper that had a hint of tamarind, which I found intriguing. I guess I’ll just have to keep going back until I get a taste of that special pepper.

There are only two desserts on the menu – those brownie bites and housemade Chocolate Chip Cookies (both

desserts are priced at $2.99). The chocolate brownies are the more interesting choice since they are made with Guinness, Bailey’s Irish Cream and whiskey.

Harry’s menu devotes one page to food and another full page to booze (that’s how the page is labeled). There are cool cocktails, a limited choice of wines, and all types of beer: local craft beers on draft and small brewery bottled beers. Three kinds of Bloody Mary are listed, including one made with bacon-infused vodka. The floats and shakes, made with hard liquor, could also serve as dessert, especially the Caramel Twinkie, a blend of vanilla vodka and vanilla bean ice cream with a caramel drizzle – and, oh yes, a Twinkie.

So just who is Harry? It’s none other than Harrison Elkhay, son of John Elkhay, the man behind the curtain at Harry’s and four other restaurants in the Chow Fun Restaurant Group. Harrison is back home after a cooking stint on the West Coast, just in time to take charge at Harry’s, which used to be Chinese Laundry. Father and son Elkhay believe that life is too short to eat lousy food, a theory that’s set forth and proven every day at Harry’s Bar and Burger.

Linda Beaulieu is the author of The Providence and Rhode Island Cookbook, available at stores throughout the state.

Harry’s Bar and Burger 121 North Main Street 228-7437 harrysbarburger.com

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

53

THE BEST & Feast | In the Drink

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Providence Monthly | August 2010

a Pimm’s No 1. So goes the classic slogan for Britain’s veritable national beverage, Pimm’s Cup #1, a peculiarity second only to tea for gallons upon gallons consumed annually. Eccentrically refined, Pimm’s is perfectly suited to my countrymen’s tastes – and before a recent corporate sale, manufactured a stone’s throw from my family flat on London’s Marylebone Street. Stars aligned at my birth practically dictate that I should adore the stuff, and even stash a flask in my purse for patriotic, all-purpose spiking. And yet, until this summer, Pimm’s and I failed to meet on friendly terms.

Pimm’s, Pimm’s #1, Pimm’s Cup, and the like, refer to both a highly idiosyncratic liqueur bottled and sold commercially, and an equally idiosyncratic cocktail based on the liqueur. Pimm’s liqueur itself is a mysterious concoction, an utterly singular mash-up of gin, bitters, quinine and herbs that somehow turn a burntearth color once trickled together. Bar legend has it that in the 1840s one James Pimm, landlord of an oyster bar in London, devised the liqueur and its cocktail – billed as the “house cup” – as a means of boosting dining tabs.

Well-heeled financial backers brought the liqueur to market in 1859 as Pimm’s #1, and it became a national obsession by the century’s close. Since then, numerations 2 through 6 made with other liquors (whisky, brandy, rum, rye and vodka) have enjoyed limited production stints, but the #1 remains Pimm’s bread and butter. Precisely six breathing souls know the exact formula behind Pimm’s #1, the secrecy and inimitability of which might compare to Coca-Cola on this side of the Atlantic. Rafts of imitators have tried for decades to find something quite like its bitter tang but, having failed, the crown-stamped original reigns supreme.

When ordering the cocktail, a basic formula holds despite variations by decade and personal taste: in a tall glass teeming with ice, a robust dose of Pimm’s liqueur mingles with something fizzy and citrusy – sparkling lemonade, Seven-Up, lime and soda, pick your poison – and a veritable salad of herbs and fruits or vegetables. Mint leaves and cucumber slices are standard, as are bright-blue borage flowers, a oncecommon herb in Britain that adds a rather redundant cucumber-ish flavor.

Sound delicious? You’re not alone.

Synonymous with summertime in England, Pimm’s Cups are more ubiquitous than iced coffees on Manhattan’s melting streets. Famously Pimm’s also serves as the official drink at Wimbledon, where thirsty crowds sip between ten- and 16,000 cups per day. “Cups” are of course much larger than the modern eight-ounce designation, about the size of a pint glass and then some. (Ah, my kin.) Tradition has something to do with Pimm’s popularity at the London-based tournament, having acquired iconic association akin to that of the Mint Julep at the Kentucky Derby. Strategic crowd

Pimm’s Cup Redux

control also factors given the hard-drinking tendencies of British sports enthusiasts, blue-blooded and blue-collared alike: “It’s only half-proof,” a concession man once explained to me. “Keeps ’em quieter than the lager.” Quite right.

Beyond Wimbledon, Pimm’s irrepressible Britishness may be the key to its unflagging dominance of the summer drink category in Merry Olde. The quirky Pimm’s Cup remains indelibly tethered to its birth country. Among the English, a people for whom cultural oddities equal distinctive heritage – think crooked teeth and Absolutely Fabulous – that counts for something.

Serves 2

Ice cubes One 3” piece English cucumber, cut into slices 3/4 cup Pimm’s #1 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 sprigs each fresh rosemary, thyme, and mint 2 lemon slices Strawberries, halved Ginger beer, chilled 2 rhubarb stalks

Fill two pint or Collins glasses with ice and set aside. Place cucumber in a cocktail shaker and mash well with a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon. Add Pimm’s, lemon juice, and sugar. Add ice to Pimm’s mixture, cover, and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds; strain into glasses. Push down into each glass the sprigs of rosemary, thyme and mint, as well as the fruits. Fill glasses with ginger beer, stir lightly and enjoy.

Illustration: Emma Tripp

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August 2010 | Providence Monthly

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56

Providence Monthly | August 2010

Kid Think is a program at Providence College devoted to understanding how children develop.

Feast | On The Menu

by Linda Beaulieu

Celebrating Success A restaurant toasts its anniversary

We Buy, Sell & Trade New + Used Commercial Restaurant Equipment Custom Metal Fabrication Exhaust Hood Design & Installation From ranges to smallwares, we have it all!

221 Admiral Street Providence, RI • 421-7030 (open to the public)

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Short Rib at 1149 East

Looking for a little fun? The original Eleven Forty Nine restaurant in Warwick and Eleven Forty Nine East in Seekonk will celebrate their joint anniversaries throughout August with special low prices, complementary food and beverages, and live music.

“As a way of saying thank you to all our customers, we will offer a month of block party fun and activities,” says Thomas L. Wright, co-owner of the contemporary American restaurants.

The special prix-fixe menu offered during Providence Restaurant Weeks in July will continue throughout August. A three-course lunch priced at $12.95 will be available Monday through Saturday. A three-course dinner priced at $29.95 will be offered Sunday through Thursday.

In addition, lunch guests ordering off the regular menu will be given a complementary cup of coffee with a trio of house-made miniature cookies. A free appetizer will be served to everyone ordering a dinner entree in the dining room. Complementary appetizers will be served in the bar at both locations Monday through Friday from 4-6pm.

Live music will be on tap every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, with a Tommy Bahama party slated for every Sunday from 4-8pm. For the complete band schedule, visit the web site, www.eleven49.com.

The Warwick location, at 1149 Division Street, opened three years ago.

The Seekonk site opened one year ago at 965 Fall River Avenue. Both restaurants have won numerous awards and accolades since they opened, including best new restaurant, best neighborhood restaurant, best dessert from Yankee Magazine, and the prestigious Platinum

Plate from The TV Diner television show in Boston.

More important than all the awards is the restaurants’ continued support of local charities. In recognition of its work with Families First, Eleven Forty Nine was a winner of Rhode Island’s Restaurant Neighbor Award, sponsored by the Rhode Island Hospitality Association.

Specifically, Eleven Forty Nine was honored for its own charitable organization, Our Family for Families First, which supports Army families in pursuit of higher education. In 2008, Our Family for Families First awarded nearly $500,000 in scholarships to the children of active-duty soldiers, including $40,000 in scholarships to more than 40 high school seniors. For additional information about the Eleven Forty Nine restaurants, call Amanda Marcello at 884-1149.

JAMES BEARD HOUSE >> Rhode Island has been making itself known as an exciting dining destination, thanks to local chefs who are involved with the James Beard House in New York City. Only the very best restaurants are invited to visit the Beard House, where chefs and their crews prepare lunch or dinner for a paying audience.

In June, at a luncheon well attended by national media, the locally-sourced food was created and served by Chefs Matthew Varga of Gracie’s, Matt Gennuso of Chez Pascal, both in Providence; Michael Conetta of the Mooring Seafood Kitchen, and Kevin Thiele of One Bellevue at Hotel Viking, both in Newport.

Their main course was pan-seared Bomster scallops, Hill Farm bacon and English pea ragout and Narragansett Creamery ricotta agnolotti.

On Monday, August 16, the folks from Farmstead and La Laiterie at Wayland Square will be cooking dinner at the Beard House. Matt and Kate Jennings and their staff will create a special menu for an American Artisan Evening. For details and ticket info, visit www.jamesbeard.org.

Farmstead continues to hold roof deck tastings this summer on the roof of the Peerless Building in Downcity Providence. The “Summer Tastings Under the Stars” series offers foodies the chance to nosh on cheese and savory appetizers paired with boutique beverages. As the sun sets and the stars come out, it’s a casual evening of fun combined with education. The next tasting event is set for Sunday, August 22, from 6-8pm, focusing on bubbly beverages such as beer, champagne and sparkling wines.

The cost is $50 per person. Call Katie at 274-7177 to reserve your spot.

Udi’s Cinnamon Buns • Pizza Crusts and Plain Bagels • Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cooking GF Oats and Bob’s Red Mill GF Oat Flour • Speas Farm Apple Pie Filling • Maranatha No Salt Cashew Butter and PB2 (original and chocolate)

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DOWN IN NEWPORT >> Farm Fresh Rhode Island will hold its annual fundraiser, “The Local Food Fest,” on August 3rd from 5-8pm at the Castle Hill Inn in Newport. The event celebrates local farmers, fishermen and food artisans. Two dozen farmers and producers will team up with chefs to create a night full of flavor.

Guests will also enjoy local wines, beers, a raw bar, live music and a silent auction.

Ticket sales are capped and anticipated to sell out. For more info, visit www.farmfreshri.org. Proceeds will go toward the construction of a new warehouse space for the Farm Fresh nonprofit distribution effort.

Got food news? Feed it to Linda at Lindab2720@aol.com.

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

57

Feast | Behind the Bar Authentic Indian Cuisine

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58

Providence Monthly | August 2010

Bartender With a Cause View Lounge’s Kayla Ranieri raises the bar

How did you get into bartending?

I went to bartending school and then I started working at Sikar when I was 18. I did it for the extra money while I attended Rhode Island College.

Tell me about Skyline and View.

Skyline and View are located at Waterplace Restaurant. It’s the busiest club in the city. Skyline is our outdoor patio, overlooking the Providence River and skyline. I’m there every Saturday night.

View is located on the second floor of Waterplace – it’s a very sexy, chic space.

Waterplace is the only place in Providence you can enjoy a delicious waterfront dinner, then head upstairs to View and Skyline for some cool cocktails and live DJs. It’s the best place I’ve ever worked because the staff is like family.

Usually bartenders are very territorial, but at View, everyone is so nice.

What’s your biggest challenge behind the bar?

Keeping my cool when people get out of hand. It was past last call and a customer ordered another drink, as I was wiping down the bar. I politely said no.

He then picked up the bottle of Windex and sprayed me in the face. I couldn’t help but yell at him.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen happen at work?

This middle-aged soccer mom came into the bar and she had two shots. Next thing I know, her shirt is hanging over the chandelier.

You also own a business called Shake It Off. Tell me about that.

It’s a nutrition club you can visit us online at shakeitoff.net. I help people set meal plans, help with weight loss goals, nutrition, improve their energy levels and more. I help change people mentally and physically. After I had my son, I couldn’t lose the extra weight I had gained to save my life. While I was pregnant, my husband went to a nutrition club to help him lose weight. When I saw his results, I wanted to try it as well.

Within four months, I lost 40 pounds.

After achieving my goal, I was so excited and wanted the world to know that they too could change their minds and bodies. I am very passionate about this.

It’s not just helping people lose weight – it’s changing their minds and inspiring them to think more positively.

Being a bartender, what drinks do you suggest for those who are trying to lose weight, but still want to enjoy a cocktail?

I suggest Bacardi and Diet Coke, red wine spritzers and light beer. It’s all about limiting your consumption.

You also do a lot of fundraising. What is your cause?

My main fundraising focus is breast cancer research, in particular for the Susan G. Komen foundation. This foundation is the second largest source of funding for breast cancer research, second only to the US Government. Also, the Susan G. Komen Foundation gives locally to go patient support programs. Most recently, I signed up to do the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure – it’s a three-

day, t60-mile walk in Boston. I had to raise $2,300 to participate in the walk.

How did you get involved in fundraising for breast cancer research?

My mom is a 12-year breast cancer survivor. Because of all the research and development they had at that point, made available by foundations such as Susan G. Komen and the American Cancer Society, my mother is still here.

Skyline / View Lounge at Waterplace One Finance Way 272-1040 waterplaceri.com

Photography: Mike Braca

Taste of India

by Cristy Raposo

Feast | Dining Guide

Delighting palettes with award winning cuisine for over 20 years

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NEW RIVERS 751-0350 7 Steeple St., Providence

lower than the chic décor would have you believe. The adjoining Viva lounge is perfect for after-dinner drinks and private parties. BrLD $-$$ CASERTA’S PIZZERIA 121 Spruce St.; 621-9190. This Rhode Island tradition serves big pizzas with generous toppings and thick, rich tomato sauce.

The Wimpy Skippy, a spinach pie with cheese and pepperoni, is not to be missed. LD $-$$

Kartabar 284 Thayer St.; 331-8111 This European-style restaurant and lounge offers a full menu of unique dishes such as Champagne Sea Bass and Gorgonzola-stuffed Filet Mignon. They also offer a gourmet wine list and martini menu. LD $-$$

Providence

Photography: Kate Kelley

Andreas 268 Thayer St.; 331-7879.

For a taste of Greece, head to Andreas. Their menu includes souvlaki, moussaka and a variety of kabobs, along with specialties like Lemon Oregano Lamb Chops and Spanakopita, an appetizer of spinach and feta in flaky phyllo dough. BrLD $-$$ ASPIRE RESTAURANT 311 Westminster St.; 521-3333. Aspire offers an exquisite fine dining experience with a number of delicious small and large plates, numerous fine wines and full bar – with an emphasis on local ingredients. BBrLD $-$$$ BRAVO BRASSERIE 123 Empire St.; 490-5112. This downtown favorite oc-

Key

cupies one of the best locations in the city: on the corner across from Trinity Rep. Their bistro-style fare is perfect pre-theater, and valet parking is complimentary. LD $$ BLUE GROTTO 210 Atwells Ave.; 2729030. “An old friend with a new attitude,” the Blue Grotto is an icon of Federal Hill, and one taste of their old world classics and contemporary Italian will remind you why. LD $$-$$$ BYBLOS 235 Meeting St.; 453-9727.

Providence’s original hookah lounge offers more than just a relaxing smoke and chic atmosphere. You can also enjoy classic Lebanese dishes and light cuisine with your cocktail. LD $ CAFÉ PARAGON 234 Thayer St.; 3316200. This hip eatery serves sandwiches, pasta, and entrees at prices

CAV 14 Imperial Pl.; 751-9164. The New York Times’ choice as one of Providence’s five best restaurants, CAV’s contemporary upscale cuisine is available al fresco for lunch and dinner daily. They also feature weekend brunch.

BrLD $$-$$$ DON JOSE TEQUILAS 351 Atwells Ave.; 454-8951. Don Jose’s digs a little deeper than your average Mexican restaurant, with all the basics you love alongside more artfully composed entrees and a wonderful selection of house-made tequilas. LD $$ EBISU 38 Pontiac Ave.; 270-7500.

Ebisu serves Japanese classics like Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and Shabu-Shabu (hot pot style meats and vegetables) in a fun, relaxing atmosphere. Their full bar features many Asian specialty drinks. LD $-$$

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GOURMET HOUSE 787 Hope St.; 8314722. Beautiful murals and decor set the mood for delicious Cambodian and Southeast Asian cuisine, spicy curries and noodle dishes. The tamarind duck is a must. LD $-$$ HARUKI EAST 172 Wayland Ave.; 2230332. For authentic Japanese dining, try Haruki’s large variety of sushi, sashimi, bento boxes, soba noodles and delicious specialty entrees. Enjoy

Br Brunch B breakfast L lunch D dinner $ under 10 $$ 10–20 $$$ 20+

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

59

Have You Experienced the New Providence Byblos?

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Andrea Hotel • Aunt Carrie’s • Bay Voyage Inn Beach Rose Café • Bistro by the Sea • Cheeky Monkey Chelo’s Waterfront Bar & Grille • George’s of Galilee Harbourside Lobstermania • Johnny Angel’s Clam Shack Sergio’s Italian Ristorante • Tavern by the Sea The Narragansett Grill • Trattoria Simpatico • Twin Willows

60

Providence Monthly | August 2010

Feast | Dining Guide Tomasso Auto the chic atmosphere and the freshest sushi around. LD $-$$$ HEMENWAY’S 121 South Main St.; 3518570. A true Providence classic, Hemenway’s has been serving top-notch seafood for 20 years. Their oyster bar features everything from the famed Prince Edward Island variety to the local favorite, Poppasquash Point. LD $$-$$$ HUDSON STREET DELICATESSEN 68 Hudson St.; 228-8555. For a true neighborhood deli, head to the West Side. Try one of their delicious specialty sandwiches, using only quality Boar’s Head meats, including the biggest and best grinder in town. BLD $ McFADDEN’S RESTAURANT AND SALOON 52 Pine St.; 861-1782. Looking for a great sports bar that also offers top-notch dining? Look no further. For game night, a quality lunch or dinner, or a great after-work cocktail, stop by McFadden’s. LD $-$$ MILLS TAVERN 101 North Main St., 272-3331. The only restaurant in RI to receive The Mobile Four Star Award for five consecutive years, Mills Tavern provides traditional American cuisine in a warm, friendly setting. LD $$-$$$ NEW RIVERS 7 Steeple St.; 751-0350.

Long considered one of Providence’s finest restaurants, the James Beard Award-nominated New Rivers serves creative New American cuisine with an emphasis on local, seasonal ingredients in an intimate setting. D $$-$$$ PARKSIDE 76 South Main St.; 3310003. Chef/owner Steven Davenport’s Parkside offers innovative foods ranging from spicy crab cakes to grilled tenderloin and Portobello salad. The menu also includes creative pasta dishes and Parkside’s signature rotisserie meat. LD $-$$ Pizza Gourmet 357 Hope St.; 7510355. Toppings like sirloin steak and shallots justify this pizza shop’s name. Also available are specialty pasta entrees and sandwiches. Their delicious white and wheat pizzas are also available in take-and-bake versions. LD $-$$

Key

Pizzico Ristorante 762 Hope St.; 421-4114. Pizzico sets the standard for Italian cuisine on the East Side, with award-winning food, a wide variety of wine and a rustic yet eclectic atmosphere. LD $$-$$$ Red Stripe 465 Angell St.; 437-6950.

It’s classic comfort food with French influences. From their Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup to ten styles of Moules & Frites, Red Stripe’s menu is reasonably priced and made with passion. LD $-$$$ Rue De L’espoir 99 Hope St.; 7518890. In business for over 30 years, the Rue has only gotten better. Beautifully prepared with the freshest ingredients, the innovative, constantly changing menu keeps diners on their toes. Superb brunch. BBrLD $$-$$$ SHULA’S 347 GRILL 21 Atwells Ave.; 709-0347. This upscale steakhouse and bar boasts an array of hi-def TVs and walls covered with the legendary coach’s football memorabilia. Oh, and there are steaks, and delicious ones at that. BLD $$$ Siena 238 Atwells Ave.; 521-3311.

Federal Hill’s Siena features authentic Tuscan cuisine in a warm and lively atmosphere. The extensive menu includes wood-grilled veal, steak and seafood entrees along with signature pasta and sauté dishes. D $$-$$$

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DeWolf Tavern at Thames Street Landing 259 Thames Street, Bristol www.DeWolftavern.com • 254-2005 www.bristolharborinn.com • 254-1444

Summer Styling

TASTE OF INDIA 230 Wickenden St.; 421-4355. “Where the taste says it all.”

Taste the authentic spices of India with delicious items like Tandoori specialties, Biryani and Thali (typical Indian style combination plate). LD $-$$ Tazza Caffe 250 Westminster St.; 421-3300. One of downtown’s hottest spots for lunch, dinner, coffee or drinks, Tazza’s outstanding panini and burgers are the perfect accompaniment to their outdoor seating and live entertainment. LD $-$$ TRATTORIA ZOOMA 245 Atwells Ave.; 383-2002. Zooma offers awardwinning Neapolitan cuisine in an exciting and sophisticated setting, featuring house made pasta and a wood

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Br Brunch B breakfast L lunch D dinner $ under 10 $$ 10–20 $$$ 20+

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

61

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Feast | Dining Guide

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Stop by and try our

Seasonal Features

Boneyard Barbecue and Saloon 540 Central Ave., Seekonk; 508-761-6855. From tender, juicy pulled pork to full and half racks of ribs to chicken wings with over 30 sauces to choose from, Boneyard will satisfy your appetite for food and fun.

LD $-$$

52 Pine St. Providence 401.861.1782 www.mcfaddenSProvidence.com

Live in the Square!

Studios,One, Two & Three Bedroom Apartments

Cafes & Boutiques right outside your door

62

24 Hour Fitness Center 24 Hour Concierge 24 Hour Emergency Service Twist on Angell Restaurant Tailor Shop on Site Femme Fatale Salon

500 Angell Street, Providence • 751-7700 www.waylandmanor.com

Providence Monthly | August 2010

Waterplace Restaurant & Lounge One Financial Way; 2721040. With its gorgeous views of Waterplace Park, this stylish eatery is guaranteed to please. The chic and sensible menu offers award-winning cuisine that is always fresh and seasonal. LD $$-$$$

East Bay

Featuring Rhode Island Stuffies, Lobster Roll, Lobster Ravioli, & Crab Stuffed Flounder

All Utilities & Parking Included

United BBQ 146 Ives Street, 7519000. Barbecue is an art form here.

Feed the inner man with a classic rack of ribs (sold in half or whole racks) or make it light with a “Tofurkey” kielbasa sandwich from the menu’s Weird Stuff section. They deliver. LD $-$$ WATERMAN GRILLE 4 Richmond Square; 521-9229. An exquisite waterfront dining experience, Waterman Grille offers a plethora of delectable dishes including grille and seafood plates with a focus on seasonal flavors and local offerings. BrD $-$$$

Dr. David A. Vito Dr. John D. Corrow Dr. Carl D. Corrow

l ia ree ec F Sp ent Fee n R e i h’s ion ov ont icat M M pl rst Ap Fi No

fired pizza oven. Available for private functions. Complimentary valet parking. LD $$-$$$

CHARDONNAY’S 393 Taunton Ave., Seekonk; 508-336-0967. The sister restaurant of Meritage in East Greenwich, Chardonnay’s features fresh, eclectic American cuisine. They also offer fire-grilled, take-and-bake pizzas, and, as the name suggests, excellent wine. D $-$$$ DEWOLF TAVERN 259 Thames St., Bristol; 254-2005. Set in a historic stone warehouse, DeWolf Tavern offers casual dining and drinks on its outdoor patio. An elegant upstairs dining area serves contemporary American cuisine by acclaimed Chef Sai. D $$-$$$ Ichigo Ichie 5 Catamore Blvd., East Providence; 435-5511.

The name

roughly translates as “one encounter in a lifetime,” but you’ll want to visit again and again for the enchanting Japanese décor, and of course, the sushi and hibachi menus. LD $$ JACKIE’S GALAXIE 338 Metacom Ave., Bristol; 253-8818. Jackie’s offers an eclectic taste of Asia, including Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese. Enjoy traditional recipes combined with modern technique and flair for a unique dining experience. LD $-$$$

West Bay BISTRO 9 1646 Division St., East Greenwich; 884-5656. Overlooking the East Greenwich Golf Course, Bistro 9 serves up American and Italian cuisine seven days a week, year round. Enjoy steak, seafood, pasta and a full service bar. LD $-$$ CAP’N JACKS 706 Succotash Rd., Wakefield; 789-4556. Cap’n Jacks is a family friendly eatery serving traditional New England favorites since 1972. Just 1/4 mile from East Matunuck Beach, it’s a must-stop for clam cakes, chowder, fish and chips, etc.

LD $-$$$ CHELO’S WATERFRONT 1 Masthead Dr., Warwick; 884-3000. Everybody’s favorite chain of Rhode Island family restaurants also provides great waterfront dining overlooking Greenwich Bay. Enjoy all the classics, plus deck and lawn seating, fire pits and live entertainment. LD $-$$ COAST GUARD HOUSE 40 Ocean Rd., Narragansett; 789-0700. This beachfront institution serves classic New England seafood, plus pasta, steak and a raw bar, all in the shadow of the iconic Narragansett Towers.

Outdoor bars offer more casual fare.

LD $-$$$ ELEVEN FORTY NINE RESTAURANT 1149 Division St, (Warwick/East Greenwich line), 884-1149. 965 Fall River Ave., Seekonk; 508-336-1149.

Metropolitan chic comes to the suburbs at this super stylish restaurant with a raw bar, outstanding menu, and

Feast | Dining Guide Yakitori • Shabu Shabu • Noodles

some of the best cocktails around. LD $$-$$$ FAT BELLY’S 254 Old Forge Rd., Warwick; 884-2112. 241 Main St., East Greenwich; 884-3434. Fat Belly’s is an Irish pub with an emphasis on serving high quality food in a comfortable atmosphere. Savor sandwiches, salads, grilled pizzas and creative takes on traditional pub fare. LD $ FLARE BRICK OVEN BISTRO 577 Tiogue Ave., Coventry; 615-8577. Flare serves a wide variety of pizzas fresh from their brick oven, including a “build your own” option. Also, choose from sophisticated steak, pasta, seafood and chicken dishes. LD $-$$ Iggy’s Doughboys 889 Oakland Beach Ave., Warwick; 737-9459.

1157 Point Judith Rd., Narragansett; 783-5608. Clam cakes and a cup of chowder: it’s not summer without ‘em and Iggy’s has the best around.

Enjoy it all al fresco, and don’t forget the doughboys. LD $-$$ KABUKI 91 Old Tower Hill Rd., Wakefield; 788-0777. Kabuki presents a blend of modern and traditional Japanese techniques for a refreshing, modern take on Japanese cuisine, sushi and cocktails. They also feature premium sakes and sake martinis. LD $-$$$ KON ASIAN BISTRO 553 Main St., East Greenwich; 886-9200. This innovative bistro sets the standard for Asian food in southern RI, featuring a variety of sushi and sashimi, classic rolls, hibachi combos, and delicious sushi entrées. LD $-$$$ LILIANA’S 3009 Tower Hill Rd., South Kingstown; 789-4200. Serving authentic Italian at affordable prices, Liliana’s offers great service in a family atmosphere. Owner Dino Passeretta brings over 15 years of experience Boston, New York and Miami to South County. LD $$-$$$ MERITAGE 5454 Post Rd., East Greenwich; 884-1255. A standard bearer for great food, great wine and

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Waterfront Grand Cru Tasting Wine enthusiasts of all levels will have the opportunity to taste an incredible assortment of select and reserve wines from wineries around the world at our exclusive Waterfront Grand Cru event on Saturday. Attendees of this separately ticketed event will have two hours to swirl, swish, and savor each of the wines while interacting with expert representatives from the winery one-on-one. Your Saturday Waterfront Grand Cru ticket includes Saturday’s Grand Tasting and a complimentary Vino Grande Bordeaux Glass.

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Get Out

Events / art / music / MOVIES / theatre

Photography: Thonmas Payne

A Providence Classic August 14 and 28: Turn back the time machine to 1994: January brought Nancy Kerrigan getting the club on an orchestrated hit by rival Tonya Hardingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s camp. In April, Kurt Cobain offed himself in his Seattle home. OJ picked a sunny day in June to take the white Bronco for a cruise down the LA freeway with pal Al Cowlings. Texans elected Governor George Bush in November. And on New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve, Barnaby Evans decided that a

couple of fires on the Providence River seemed like an okay idea. Hooray!

Sixteen years later, WaterFire is old enough to drive and donate blood, just not at the same time. It has surpassed the 43 percent of marriages that break up within 15 years, outlasted the TV series ER, and would make the perfect aged Johnnie Walker Gold Label whiskey. This longevity deserves an in person tribute. Waterplace Park and vicinity, downtown. www.waterfire.org.

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

65

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Get Out | Calendar

This Month August 6-8 Stockpile Omega-3’s at the Charlestown Seafood Festival at Ninigret Park. charlestownrichamber.com/seafoodfestival.html.

August 7 Remark over the tiny size of someone jumping from 1500 feet at the Rhode Island National Guard Leapfest in West Kingston. leapfest.com.

August 10 Keep your rivals closer as the Patriots and New Orleans Saints work out in a joint session at Gillette Stadium. patriots.com.

August 11-15 Leave the rat race behind for the bunny race during the Washington County Fair in Richmond. washingtoncountyfair-ri.com.

August 14 Lose sense of reality with mentalist Matt the Knife at Local 121 in Providence. matttheknifecom.

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by Dawn Keable

August 15 Pimp up your ride with inspiration from the So Fresh and So Clean Car Show at the Convention Center. ricarshow.com.

August 15 March from Broad Street to the Temple to Music in Roger Willams Park during the Puerto Rican Parade and Festival. preservation. ri.gov/heritage/events.php.

August 20-22 Swirl, sniff and sip your way through Newport’s Winefest at the Newport Yachting Center. newportwinefest.com.

12 Hour Party People August 14: Don’t sleep on AS220. They might look like a harmless group of bohemian artistic types, but that creative shtick is only to throw you off.

They are indeed going to take over the world. Seriously, 25 years ago, AS220 was way under the radar, like somewhere in a broom closet above PPAC. Then there was that whole slow steady growth act, moving from Richmond Street to their own building at 95-121 Empire Street, where that communal living concept really developed. Now, they’re owners of both The Dreyfus and the Mercantile Block. Whoa! Keep them under surveillance at Foo Fest. It’s billed as a 12-hour birthday party, running from 1pm-1am, with music, artist installations and the awarding of the Free Culture Award. But it’s probably just some sort of guise.

Is anything that Shepard Fairey attends ever that cut and dried? AS220, 115 Empire Street and surrounding block. 831-9327, as220.org.

August 28 Feel sympathy pain in your biceps during Pawtucket’s Chinese Dragon Boat Races and Taiwan Day Festival. dragonboatri.com.

August 28 Savor Providence with a downtown restaurant tasting tour to benefit Trinity Rep. savorprovidence.com.

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Get Out | Music

by Alyssa Smith

Concerts A performance at The Spot

Answering the Last Call The Spot Underground brings live music back to a Jewelry District hotspot

Photography: Bob Karambelas

The newest venue from the artsy folks at The Spot on Thayer, The Spot Underground has a great new vibe, more live music, and a whole slew of artists ready to shake up the Providence music scene. While The Spot’s original studio – a venue that hosts musical performances, dance classes, comedy shows and more – has been beneficial in providing a forum for artists to showcase and hone their talent, artistic director Josh Willis says The Spot Underground is more conducive for artists looking to produce live, full service performances. A musician himself, Willis and his team realized that while The Spot on Thayer was ideal for the creative classes and private events, the musical endeavors he and his fellow artists wished to embark on needed a larger space.

When it came to this new location, Willis and his team looked towards the Jewelry District. That was when Willis and his team came across John Dion, owner of what was once the Last Call (later simply The Call) at 15 Elbow Street. Dion was reluctantly considering turning the venue into office space, but after Willis discussed their plans to keep the building a haven for artists and music, Dion agreed that The Spot Underground would be the best fit. “Dion was at his wits end,” Willis explains. “He never wanted to turn it into office space. He practically had tears in his eyes about

it. He was really supportive about what we were going to do.”

The next hurdle was dealing with the Brown Neighborhood Association and gaining a liquor license.

Willis and his team again pitched their dream of creating the Spot Underground, noting that this would not detract from the excellent work being done at the Spot on Thayer, but rather create more resources for musicians.

Once the Brown Neighborhood Association gave The Spot Underground their blessing, Willis went on to the Jewelry District Association. Many residents and members of the Association were concerned about the nightlife and seedy crowd the clubs and venues brought in.

They needed to be sure The Spot Underground would not contribute to this unsavory element. Willis reached out to the Association and told them of his plans for the space, explaining that The Spot Underground’s intention was to attract creative minds looking to enjoy and make music, not to provide a site for late night debauchery. “We invited them in to see what we were planning on doing and said, ‘We want to recreate this in your neighborhood.’

They didn’t oppose,” Willis says.

With the okay from all necessary parties, The Spot Underground opened in late June with a performance from the “house” band, The Spot Collaborative, a group consist-

ing of several all-star artists from local groups conducted by The Spot’s musical director, Spogga.

Since its opening, The Spot Underground has gotten quite a response, presenting music four nights a week in the early-evening, hosting after-work shows with food and hors d’oeuvres, and offering classes similar to The Spot on Thayer. Willis hopes to keep the music mostly local, but says they’ll also be bringing in well-known touring acts.

The Spot on Thayer will continue to be a place for musicians to develop themselves well. Events like Creation Tuesdays, a weekly event that allows musicians, producers and managers to network, form or recreate bands will still take place; there will also be rentable recording space and music classes.

For Willis, being able to stay in Providence and build a space dedicated to music has been a powerful experience that has anchored him to the state, and more specifically, Providence. “I’m a Providence native and I had a chance to go to L.A. and work out there,” he recounts, “but after I got the opportunity to see the early incarnation of The Spot on Thayer and be a part of building a new place, I thought it was an amazing experience. It was The Spot that kept me in Rhode Island.” The Spot Underground, 15 Elbow Street. thespotonthayer.com/ the_spot_underground.html

Check out August’s awesome shows

by Dawn Keable

August 7-8 Don’t hate on the boaters at The Newport Jazz Festival, because if Chris Botti or Wynton Marsalis work their way into the crowd, they won’t have time to swim to shore to get in on it. Fort Adams State Park, Harrison Avenue, Newport. 848-5055, newportjazzfest.net.

August 17 Unleash your fabulousness, Adam Lambert, and free yourself of those conservative middle America restrictions that dictated your ride on American Idol. Oh wait. You did that and more. Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, 79 Washington Street. 331-5876, lupos.com.

August 19 Keep your tongue inside your mouth at all times – even if you happen to run into rocker Gene Simmons of KISS at the craps table after the concert. Some things just get a bit old. Mohegan Sun Arena, One Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 1-888-226-7711, mohegansun.com.

August 27 Come on, kid. Expand your musical tastes beyond the sanitized marketing machine that is Justin Bieber with opening act Sean Kingston. Girls will be screaming, all right.

Dunkin’ Donuts Center, One LaSalle Square.

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August 27 Joan Rivers beat out Brian McKnight on Celebrity Apprentice because smooth R&B crooning wasn’t part of the job description. Otherwise, busting out with 1999’s “Anytime” would’ve locked it up. Twin River Casino, 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln. 2338958, twinriver.com.

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

69

Get Out | Theatre

by Molly Lederer

On Stage

Steelworker Striptease?

Yes, Please!

Going The Full Monty at Theatre by the Sea A line of police officers can look intimidating. But if those officers start swiveling their hips and removing articles of clothing, they suddenly look a lot more fun. And if it turns out that they’re not cops at all — just Average Joe’s with charm, cheek and old-fashioned, entrepreneurial spirit — then you’re in for one heck of a good time. It’s all happening at Theatre By The Sea this month, in the last show of the season: The Full Monty.

On the outside, the historic barn theatre may still appear to be in Matunuck, especially with the salty breezes blowing and fragrant flowers blooming. But inside, the place is Buffalo, NY — and it’s no bed of roses. Times are tough for unemployed steelworkers, and hope is fading fast. Best buddies Jerry and Dave really feel the pinch, with the former behind on child support payments and the latter forced to become a house-husband.

When a Chippendales-style male revue comes to town, the guys can’t believe how the ladies line up — and shell out the dough — to see it. An idea dawns on Jerry. Why are the local boys singing the blues, when they could be bringing in big bucks? They need to develop their own striptease act! He manages to make Dave a believer and to assemble a ragtag group, but soon faces other challenges. The men have to hold auditions, learn choreography, book a club, and find their inner confidence — not to mention their sense of rhythm.

If the funny story sounds familiar, it’s because the play is based on a hit 1997 British film of the same name. With book by Terrence McNally and music and lyrics by David Yazbeck, the musical comedy made a big splash on Broadway back in 2000. Another show composed by Yazbeck, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, closed the season at Theatre By the Sea (TBTS) last year to great success. Yazbeck’s particular blend of rock, pop and funk creates an exciting, contemporary score that you can expect to end this summer with a bang (and maybe a wolf whistle).

Director Russell Garrett helms the production, with musical direction by Andrew Smithson. Joel Kipper takes the stage as Malcolm, a character who starts off friendless, repressed, and seriously depressed and ends up downright joyful. It’s a great role for the managing producer of TBTS, whose offstage duties include supervising and staffing the 70

Providence Monthly | August 2010

technical department, handling property management, aiding the producing artistic director Aimee Turner, and even plunging the occasional toilet. Luckily he’s had practice with on- and offstage multi-tasking, having starred in TBTS’ George M! in ’08.

Kipper considers The Full Monty “a guys’ guy kind of show,” but notes that it challenges preconceptions of what makes a man a man. “Is it material possessions? Is it providing for a family? Is it being macho? What is it, exactly?” The answers suggested by the play may surprise you. “Whether you’re a man or a woman, there’s a lot in there that you can relate to,” Kipper says. “By the time it gets to the climax of the musical, you’re really rooting for these guys. You’re on their side and you want to see them succeed.”

For Kipper and other key members of the production team, this summer marks the third full season at the revamped theatre. TBTS re-opened in ’07 under new ownership and leadership, and is widely considered one of the country’s oldest and finest regional theatres. For those Providence residents who have yet to see a show there, buckle up; TBTS is well worth the drive to South County. In addition to terrific performances, you’ll find lovely grounds, a bistro with a late night cabaret and, this month at least, men with their clothes off.

After chatting with Kipper, this humble columnist found that one burning question remained. Given the title, and the fact that the play is about a group of steelworkers-turnedstrippers, will the cast be taking it all off? Kipper chuckled in response. “Well, I can’t give that away, actually. You have to come see the show to find out.” So, um… what are we waiting for? When these men dance, they lose their pants!

It is our civic duty to head down to Matunuck and cheer them on.

The Full Monty

August 6 - August 29 Theatre by the Sea 364 Cards Pond Road, Matunuck 782-8587 www.theatrebythesea.com

See what’s going up this month

by Dawn Keable

August 11-September 5 It’s always the quiet ones you’ve gotta look out for. Like The Foreigner, a.k.a.

Charlie for instance, whose buddy Froggy created a perfect innocent ruse for his shyness – or maybe not. 2nd Story Theatre, 28 Market Street, Warren. 247-4200, www.2ndstorytheatre.com.

August 12-22 Get in. Get out. With the comedies featured during the One-Act Play Festival, you go straight to the action, and get rid of that waiting-for-intermission fidgeting. The Black Box Theatre at Artists’ Exchange, 50 Rolfe Square, Cranston. 4909475, www.artists-exchange.org.

August 14 If you’ve seen Pocahontas at this spot before, behind the bushes while you were at the light near the Old State House, keep it a secret, ‘kay? Roger Williams National Memorial, 282 North Main Street. 942-3637, www.kaleidoscopechildrenstheatre.com.

August 19-29 Watch Neil Simon’s comedy The Star Spangled Girl, before you lose all sense of societal reference when the magazine at the center of a love triangle, becomes lost to the world of Kindle. The Fire Barn, 340 Prospect Street, Fall River, MA. 508-675-1852, www.littletheatre.net.

August 20-21 Spend a Night with the TropiGals (well, two really) at both Cuban Revolution locations for an evening of showgirls and cocktails. 8/20: 50 Aborn Street. 3318829. 8/21: 60 Valley Street. 632-0649. www.thecubanrevolution.com.

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Get Out | Movies

by Scott Duhamel

Film Here’s what’s showing on the local big screen.

by Dawn Keable

Head Trip Inception is a journey to the center of the mind While Inception

ought to easily lay claim as the smartest, sharpest, most scintillating blockbuster entry of Popcorn Summer 2010, and further burnish director/writer Christopher Nolan’s growing reputation as the thinking cinephile’s Spielberg, it doesn’t quite generate the impact that would mark the film as an all-timer – although it is a crackling, mind-bending, whole-lotta-fun mainstream effort.

Inception is essentially a caper film, yet the heist itself is something altogether different. The movie largely takes place in a series of dreamscapes. Nolan, the rare director that actually melds his visual route into his thematic map proves himself an exemplary amusement park designer, and the movie’s pacing and bravura editing make it go by in a flash, despite its length.

Nolan’s methods and directorial preoccupations are easily evident in his praiseworthy catalogue, with all of his films, despite setting or time period, revolving around a morally compromised and obsessive male protagonist awash in a chaotic and often brutal society, pushing ever onward while wrapping himself deeper into his odyssey, plagued by doubt and a heightened past, forced to think quick and act quicker, with the end result a weirdly ambiguous goal-reaching. Nolan is a truly cerebral director of movie action, as the acute exposition and vividly memo-

rable landscapes of Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige and The Dark Knight have already proven.

Caper films always depict a team of types brought together for the high risk job, and although Inception’s centers around breaking into an individual’s unconscious, a specialized squad still lines up. Brought together by Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), an edgy, psychological tight-rope walker who needs to the job in order to be reunited with his kids, this dream team consists of a newbie architectural student (Ellen Page), a stiff-lipped right hand man (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a chemist (Dileep Rao), and all-around warrior with special skills as a “forger” (Thomas Hardy). Of course, there is also a mark, the son of a dying energy czar (Cillian Murphy), and a businessman client (Ken Watanabe) who insists on going along for the ride. Hovering in and above it all is the great love and late wife (Marion Cotillard) of Cobb, still hauntingly real in the world of dreams. The cast is first rate, and Nolan never allows them to get lost in his ongoing joy ride.

Although the movie abounds in the type of pseudo-scientific speak that’s often the bellwether of cheesy sci-fi movies, the actors chomp into the expositional dialogue. Page, who gets saddled with the familiar position of the character put there to anchor the potentially bewildered audience, should be acknowledged

for her ironic aplomb.

Nolan plays it all with a technical fluidity that refrains from the typical in-yer-face make up of the vast majority of big budget genre pictures. He also wears his potent influences on his conjurer’s sleeve: weaving together elements of 2001, Blade Runner, Bond movies, maybe even (gulp) The Matrix, also marking his big screen territory with the various master scents of MC Escher, Freud and Sir Alfred Hitchcock. Inception is a visceral experience, with Nolan attempting and pulling off some thrilling circus tricks with his loopy dream-within-dreams narrative, and hair-raising editing, ultimately generating some uncanny and wondrous imagery while neatly poking away at the audiences’ sensory perceptions.

To give Nolan credit, he does try to add some psychological heft to his film with DiCaprio’s haunted past bleeding into every corner of the plot, but the movie just doesn’t quite succeed as a full-bellied emotional churner. In the long run, Inception, despite its rumblings of emotional character depth, is essentially an impeccably plotted tumble through a movie funhouse, with perhaps a bit too much of juiced-up, bang-bang shoot-em-ups.

While it may lack a truly beating heart, the movie is a delightful head trip, a brainy thrill ride, and a technical tour de force. That’s hard to complain about.

August 3 Granted, in a few months, A Christmas Story will be playing on a nonstop loop on TBS, but during the most wonderful time of the year, can you actually ever sit down and see it?

Barrington Public Library, 281 County Road, Barrington. 247-1920, barringtonlibrary.org.

August 11 When was the last time you got offered a discount, Mr. Mom? Script Biz, a half-day workshop encourages you to Make Your Own Success as a Writer, so that you can afford to hire someone else to do carpool. Location TBD. film-festival.org/scriptbiz.php.

August 14 The Best of Providence 48 Hour Film Festival shows what was going down last month while you were weed whacking your yard.

Rhode Island Center for the Performing Arts at the Park Theatre, 848 Park Avenue, Cranston. 467-7275, 48hourfilm.com/providence/.

August 16, 23, 30 Was the book better than the movie? Debate amongst yourselves with A Tribute to Philip K. Dick, screening sci-fi novels like Paycheck.

Providence Public Library, Auditorium Theatre, 3rd fl, 150 Empire Street. 455-8057, provlib.org.

August 26 Pay less attention to the innocent snack that the Raptor Force is gunning down, and instead focus on the elite flying skills exhibited by birds of prey, from targeting to wing control. Environmental Education Center, 1401 Hope Street (Rte 114), Bristol.

245-7500, asri.org.

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

73

Get Out | Art

by Vikki Warner

Exhibits Get inspired at August’s artsy events

by Dawn Keable Andrew W. K. in the video for “I Want to See You Go Wild”

Embrace the Bedlam Two Providence artists who want to see you go wild A little free-flowing insanity is the key to productivity. Or it was for Peter Glantz and James Quigley (a.k.a.

Gunsho), two of the Providence artists whose weeks of work in a windowless, computer-filled room resulted in the blindingly fast, awesomely absurd music video for number one party advocate, musician and producer Andrew W.K.’s single, “I Want to See You Go Wild.” A combination of preparation and spontaneity, Glantz says, is what got them through. The end product is good-natured uproar, a state of blissful hysteria that was, come to think of it, produced in a similar state of mind.

When Glantz, a director, filmmaker and performer who has created art prints, documentaries, music videos, one-man shows, and other less classifiable artwork, was tapped to direct the video for “I Want to See You Go Wild,” he thought of Quigley, whose drawings he’d seen around town for years, to provide the art.

Glantz also invited Pittsburgh-based animator Thomas McConnell, with whom he’d worked on other projects, to make an extended trip to Providence to collaborate with them. Storyboards were created and preparations were made. But, as full-time work was about to get underway, this spring’s floods swept through, and Glantz’s Olneyville studio was suddenly under water. The group recouped, though, and found a local studio, Optic Sugar, where they established a proxy headquarters. Six weeks later, after 200-plus drawings and long hours of planning and animating, this fully Providence-produced video was born.

The video’s concept is that W.K. has been kidnapped and may not make it to his show that night. As we quickly learn, though, a buoyant W.K. is being escorted to the show in style – by a roving, raving band of mis74

Providence Monthly | August 2010

chievous neon-colored characters. He’s safely deposited onstage, and his companions proceed to perform with him. Quigley’s nonsensical art is spot-on; it would be difficult to picture anyone else’s characters being so funny, so maniacal and yet so friendly; they’re reminiscent of the lowbrow 1980s comic books I wasn’t allowed to read. There’s also a bit of subversive imagery in the video; Quigley says they talked about including it early on, integrating everyone’s ideas and interpreting classic pop-conspiracy topics in a modern style.

Glantz, who has made several videos for Providence’s Load Records, says he’s happy that viewers are examining music videos closely enough these days to notice such details. He says they’ve come back, taking the place of once-revered radio play, and are now getting respect as an art form, and not only as commercial vehicles. Glantz’s newly established, “legit” production company, The Imaginary Company, is poised to grab onto the possibilities of the genre. Of his vocation, he says, “It’s my dream coming true!”

The Imaginary Company can be found at imaginarycompany.org. Peter Glantz will be performing his live video show, “Being Impossible,” at AS220’s Foo Fest on August 14. He’s also collaborating with Becky Stark to create slogan-based posters; the second one will be available in August and will be sold at Foo Fest and Ada Books.

James Quigley, whose work is created under the name Gunsho, is halfway through his screenprint series of the 72 demons of the Goetia, a text that dates back to the 17th century. He’s also about to embark on a three-month artist-in-residence with RHD Rhode Island, a human services nonprofit. His blog is at scuzzdemon. blogspot.com.

Through August 4 Sure, colorful paintings, like Rebecca Jenness’ The Kaleidoscope Door, are a start.

But what would really be nice is if the creativity carried over to your checking account. BankRI, Turks Head Gallery, One Turks Head Place. 456-5015, bankri.com.

August 5-8 Always... Patsy Cline is not only the musical narrative of a legendary country singer, but a tribute to more innocent times, where fans became friends not stalkers. Rhode Island Center for the Performing Arts at the Park Theatre, 848 Park Avenue, Cranston.

467-7275, ricpa.net.

August 19-28 The 60s may be long gone, but when you see pop culture icon Peter Max’s exhibit showcased in Providence you’ll be transported back to when psychedelic art was born. Gallery 17 Peck, 303 Atwells Avenue.

888-513-8385.

August 28 See a combination even better than peas and carrots at COMEX or BECAMUS, a visual and literary collaboration between Alexander Barton and Adam Anagnostis that will have you hypnotized. Machines With Magnets, 400 Main Street, Pawtucket. machineswithmagnets.com.

Through September 4 Hang ten at Surf Island: A Ride with Newport’s Surf Community, as photographer/ surfer Jason Evans captures the vibe, and that wipe-out you thought no one saw. Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Avenue, Newport. 848-8200, newportartmuseum.org.

“…the best place in Rhode Island to see a musical done right.” ]

the sun chronicle

August 4–29 SPONSORED BY

The grin and bare-it-all hit musical SHOW CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE AND CONTENT

ALL SHOWS PRODUCED BY OCEAN STATE THEATRE COMPANY, INC., A NOT-FOR-PROFIT 501(c)(3) ORGANIZATION

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www.theatrebythesea.com

August 2010 | Providence Monthly

75

The Last Detail

New England has a

talent for breeding haunted minds, from the antebellum likes of Edgar Allan Poe to modern master Stephen King. In between them, Providence’s own H.P. Lovecraft built a “cosmic horror” pantheon out of his singularly weird imagination. Think Tolkien’s universe, with less hobbit and more gloom. Given a father plagued by syphilitic insanity, a mother committed to Butler’s ward for the hysterical, and a grandfather who spun ghost stories for bedtime

76

Providence Monthly | August 2010

reading, Lovecraft’s trade in spook was practically a birthright. Certainly, the inheritance paid off: Mr. King himself knighted Lovecraft the “20th century’s greatest practitioner of the classic horror tale,” and fans from Brown University to the blogosphere agree. On August 20, beneath a headstone in Swan Point cemetery proclaiming, “I AM PROVIDENCE,” the tortured genius celebrates his 120th year. Thanks for the nightmares, H. P. –Emily Dietsch

Photography: Will Hart

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