FOOD NEWS: New cafe in Westerly Northern RI fave comes to NK & URI

Will you be our Valentine?!?! A delicious

Valentine Dinner Menu for you and your sweetheart Fresh Local Seafood

Karaoke every Friday Night

3963 Old Post Road Charlestown RI 02813 401.364.9222 www.thecoveri.com

SCIENCE & EDUCATIONAL TOY STORE!

LOCATED WITHIN THE WAKEFIELD MALL

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The Café swaps out pasta dish specials daily

A toast to old Hollywood in Westerly

Dinner is served at The Café! The new restaurant, adjacent to The United Theatre in Westerly, is led by executive chef Todd Keister, a Charlestown local who worked with Tom Colicchio at Craftsteak. The Café features a seasonal menu of comfort foods and craft cocktails served up with a side of whimsy. “Everything we do has humor and wit,” explains managing partner Daniel King. “We wanted to transport diners to a golden era, where they can forget the troubles of their day.”

Under beverage director Stephen Corrigan, cheeky cocktails like The Rita Moreno and the Burl Ives infuse old Hollywood with a modern sensibility. The Café also elevates classic cocktails, like the gin martini. But ultimately, the experience comes down to the company. “We don’t want the food to outshine the time you are having,” explains King. “The Café is a place where the community can gather and be anywhere in the world.” Westerly, TheCafeRI.com –Karen Greco

Northern RI fave opens outpost in NK

The Thirsty Beaver is opening its fourth location on Frenchtown Road in North Kingstown. Co-owner Ed Brady anticipates finishing construction in the late summer or early fall. The popular restaurant, which serves elevated pub fare from its scratch kitchens, is a favorite in the northern part of the state, with spots in Cranston, Smithfield, and Wrentham, MA. Requests from customers at their sister restaurant, Huck’s Filling Station in East Greenwich, prompted their move to South County.

“South County is a great community worth investing in,” says Brady, noting that the North Kingstown menu will be similar to the other locations, but with a “seafood-centric flare.” He also anticipates a deeper focus on cocktails to match the area’s creative cocktail scene. “These have been the toughest times in American history,” he says, adding a note of gratitude towards the support of their current customers. “To be able to expand is a blessing.” North Kingstown, ThirstyBeaverPub.com –Karen Greco

URI Master Gardener leads home gardening workshops

If the chilly weather has you dreaming of sunnier days spent tending the garden, free virtual programming happening this month can help you get a head start. Hosted by Providence Community Library, Seedlings partners with experts in the field, including URI Master Gardener Sue Scotti, to bring workshops on seed starting and saving, as well as food system inequities. “Food justice is a central pillar of the series,” says PCL librarian Lee Smith. “Healthy food starts with healthy soil, yet soil contaminants such as lead are found disproportionately in communities of color.”

Alongside a lineup of sessions on African diasporic seeds, soil remediation, and other topics, “Interested gardeners – regardless of current level of experience – will learn the key skills needed to begin growing your own food from seeds,” says Smith. Scotti’s workshops – Indoor Seed Starting on February 17 and Outdoor Seed Starting & Transplanting on March 3 – are a great way to cultivate a green thumb. ProvComLib.org/seedlings –Abbie Lahmers

South County Bread Co.

Handmade Artrisan Breads Pastries • Local Goods