Providence Coal Fired Pizza

One of the things that happens when you have kids is you get to eat PIZZA. A lot of pizza. Tons. Like college remember? I had heard about this new place downtown where the brick oven is hot and the pizza excellent and managed to get my family there for a taste ("Pizza? Really?" says Martha as we're driving there.). With my brother and his family we inhaled several of the pizzas along with a fantastic plate of coal fired chicken wings (Zing!). One pizza had duck, frisse, and brie, one was arugla and one was sausage all of them SO SO GOOD. It's the COAL. It's the smokey flavor OF WOOD that comes through all of their foods. Go NOW. 

Providence Coal Fired Pizza

El Coyuco

One of the things we have been doing in our visits to Caracas is to take in the more traditional eating places. These types of restaurants are some of the oldest in the city and they're simple and wonderful for getting authentic Venezuelan food. Pollo en brasa is grilled chicken and it's a treat in these places. The chicken is soft, juicy on the inside, crispy outside and barbecue flavorful - no frozen foods here - everything fresh. With fried yucca, guacamole sauce and a beer to wash it down. Sooooo good.


http://www.lonelyplanet.com/venezuela/caracas/restaurants/south-american/restaurant-el-coyuco

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the things

Mama Kim's Korean BBQ

This little food truck has been getting raves from all sorts of web sites and has been tough for me to track down. But today I was successful in getting out of the office for lunch and finding myself eating an awesome lunch at a great price.

The photo above is of Beef Bulgogi, served with rice and Kimchi. Lots of beef simmered and juicy packed with a fragrant rice and a side of the spicy cabbage I've become addicted to. The price is right too. Six dollars for the Bulgogi. I had to get a selection of their dumplings as well which are hand made and crispy light and delicious.

I will have to control my lunchtime spending if they stay parked in their downtown location - a few blocks from where I work. Twitter and Facebook tells you where they are and what specials of the day they're serving.

Website

Minh Hai | Cranston

Pho and more. Drove by this the other day - Googled it - and went the following week. Oh Yeh! Charming no frills atmosphere for my lunch trip there - the place was overwhelmed with hungry customers - slow (but polite) service - but authentic awesome-ness on the menu and coming out of the kitchen - food, coffee, soups, drinks. Lots more to eat here. I had Ginseng tea and the BUN CHA GIO (Beef with Imperial rolls over Vermicelli - see photo above ) and my friend had the pork chop lunch special with a Vietnamese coffee that accelerated my heartbeat by just looking at it.

Tables of happy Pho soup eaters were slurping and noodling nearby making me dream of a trip back real soon.


Yelp | Directions | Website | Lunch Menu

Chez Pascal | Providence

If you've been reading about the Hewtin's truck in Providence you might want to know that the chef that runs that is the owner of Chez Pascal on Hope Street. This great French restaurant is filled with hearty and thoughtfully prepared foods and drink. We opened the night with a selection of pate's and charcuterie made by Matt Gennaro - rabbit and duck and pork and fennel etc etc etc. My wife had a braised veal on a potato cake, green cabbage, served with a reduction sauce that was wonderful. I opt for my favorite French meal - a cassoulet with beans, duck and Chez Pascal made sausage. Not a light meal but a warmly satisfying one on a wintery windy cold providence night.

Directions | Yelp | Website

La Arepa | Pawtucket

Arepas are wonderful white cornmeal sandwiches served with a variety of fillings and are native to Venezuela and Colombia. I am a big fan and lucky enough to have had them in Caracas (slideshow of Venezuelan food here). But when I have a craving locally - and that's often - this little restaurant is my destination.

Photo above shows three arepas: one with shrimps (camarones) and one with shredded roast pork (pernil), and lastly one with chicken salad with avocado called "Reina Pepiada" - considered the best after a late night - you know - after dancing your feet off and drinking whiskey all night. :-)

But u can eat them fine without all that. I recommend them. Go and be fed.

Map | Website

Phoenix Dragon | Providence

Dim Sum Dim Sum. Fun to say. Fun to eat. In RI it's hard to find it but Phoenix Dragon on Broadway is a great destination locally for this Chinese treat. For those of you who haven't had Dim Sum - think Tapas but Chinese style. Nearly everything is served in a small dish - in a bun or a dumpling or rice noodle wrapping. You dip in soy sauce and later compete with your fellow dinners for the last pieces. When in Boston, I will detour to Chow Chau City - but in RI the Phoenix Dragon fills the gap nicely. Order some baby bok choy (off menu item) stir fried in garlic to round out your feast.

Website | Map

Sura Korean BBQ | Johnston

Saturday night I picked up my cousin who was visiting for the weekend and we wanted to get supper and so I was looking for something close to Smithfield RI when I remembered passing Sura Korean restaurant - which was close by.

Worried that it would be stranded in the middle of RI with no patrons I was pleased to see a full dining room and people happily eating very yummy looking foods.

We opted for dolsot bibimbap which is a mixture of vegetables and meat (wiki), a Korean barbecue chicken (there's a hot plate in the center of each table!) and a potato noodle dish. Everything was fantastic and the service was cheerful and helpful. It's on my short list to return here as soon as possible. Kim chee for all!

Website

Pho Horn | Pawtucket

This week my wife caught a cold and one of our comfort food tactics is to eat a bowl of Vietnamese soup (Pho). Usually our chosen variety is a chicken broth based soup with seafood (fish balls, shrimp and squid) and rice noodles. Served with a side of bean sprouts, sliced limes, hot peppers, and a stem of Thai Basil for mixing in at your own discretion

Pho Horn is located in a dismal post-apocalyptic shopping plaza and decor is tacky Asian + christmas lights with big screen TVs tuned to the food channel but the food is fresh, delicious and the service is attentive and friendly.

Asian customers are always here which speaks to its authenticity. We will be back - even without being sick with colds. :-)

Website | Map

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Thai Star | Providence

When I rented an apartment back in 1992 off Chalkstone Ave - Thai Star was a part of my life. And it's been a pretty good experience ever since. Even though there's been several different owners, it's still a solidly fantastic Thai restaurant.

I usually eat: Nim Chow, Tod Mun Pla, Massaman Curry with shrimp and sticky rice, Papaya salad (hot), and Beef lap (hot). The spicy items are hot so be warned. If you wash it down with Thai Ice coffee you can feel your heart rate increase - it's strong and made with sweet condensed milk. Eating sticky rice is fun; you make little balls with your hands and dunk them into the curry. :-)

Lunch is great too. Overall I've yet to have anything that was not fresh, tasty and thoughtful in preparation or presentation. No liquor but bringing your own is always a good idea. I recommend u try it.


Yelp | Map

United BBQ | Providence

Whoa. Warm comfy BBQ in a no-frills chrome plated small eatery. Just what us cold New Englanders need on a regular basis to get through our lousy long winters. I had beef brisket sandwich with side of beans - the beef - super juicy bone-licking good and served with their homemade sweet potato chips which I dipped into the beans and washed down with a swig of Dr. Pepper. Wow. I'm hooked and bringing a to-go menu home.

http://www.unitedbbq.com | Map

Luxe Burger Bar | Providence

Burgers burgers burgers. What's more simpler than a burger for lunch? At Luxe though it ain't so easy. They've got a do-it-yourself selection menu and a few innovative predetermined combinations for u to sink your teeth into. I had "the Pepe" (photo) - beef, cheese, jalapenos, pastrami, lettuce, tomato...oh my. Open wide. They're big, messy and tasty. Good lunch destination. You'll need a nap after though. :-)

Website | Map
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Location:Exchange Terrace,Providence,United States

The Red Stripe | Providence

Brunch on a weekend morning is a special time under most circumstances and at this Providence bistro it's even better. The Red Stripe is like New York's Balthazar's but RI style - a touch of bohemia thrown in courtesy of renown restaurant owner Jamie D'Olivera. This morning I opted for poached eggs over pulled barbecue pork hash - eggness perfectly prepared and tasty as hell.

Another great dish we tried was codfish cakes with poached eggs - all accompanied with awesome breakfast toast and some of the finest bloody marys in town.

Funky menu with an inviting attitude makes Sunday morning fun at this cozy bistro.


Map (Providence and South County) | Website

Ebisu | Providence

Shabu Shabu - fun to say and even better to eat. Hot broth with vegetables you soak yourself - swish around super thin sliced beef to cook in that broth and you've got the idea. It's great. Simple and warm and tasty. We had appetizers too that were mighty fine; grilled octopus (yakitori) and spicy (crunchy) tuna tostadas. Accompanied by a coconut juice saki cocktail that was truly great.

If you saw "Lost in Translation" you may remember a scene where Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson were mad at each other -- this is what they were eating in the restaurant of that scene. Convinced? Authentic Japanese cooking sans sushi. Worth a visit.

http://www.ebisuri.com/ | Map

El Rancho Grande | Providence

It was a cold rainy Saturday afternoon and we needed some warmth so we headed to this family owned restaurant which was recommended by many.

Carne asada tacos, barbacoa gorditas, stuffed chiles, tamales and mole paved the way to a brand new attitude and the sangria helped.

Beans and rice with tortilla chips were present within this no nonsense authentic atmosphere filled with soccer on tv and mariachi music in the background. Warm smiles and warm bellies all around. We will be back.

El Rancho Grande is located in the Silver Lake area of Providence.

www.elranchogranderestaurant.com | Map

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Apsara | Providence

As far as I know this was the first Thai restaurant in RI and back in 1990 it was novelty for me and my broke friends to get a great inexpensive meal. Not long ago, I went back to this old standard for lunch with my brother and his two kids - who love it as much as we did.

This visit we chomped on fresh spring rolls and had some Satay noodles with shrimp - crunchy asian veggies with a special sauce that none of us can figure out - awesome. I also recommend the Hai Kaing if you're up for it. Get a giant Thai ice coffee too and become wide awake for the next few hours. Yum.

note: there are now two locations of Apsara's
Review | Public Street | Hope Street (new location)

Ba Xuyen | Sunset Park, Brooklyn, NY

When Alyssa and I lived in Brooklyn on 10th Ave. in 98-99 the asian food scene was, well, either much smaller or somehow unknown to us (the latter is most likely). Fast-forward to 2009 and some of NYC's best asian dining has come south and east from Chinatown and Queens. Case in point- Bahn Mi sandwiches have been enjoying huge attention in the last year. Yesterday I got onboard the band wagon at Ba Xuyen in Sunset Park and I can't wait for my next Bahn Mi- crusty bread, spicy vietnamese "mayonnaise", paté, ham and bbq pork with carrots, dikon, cilantro and thai chilies.

(image credit: The Pufflist)

Map

Sol | Wellfleet MA

Small, casual and where local chefs eat - some of my favorite restaurant criteria. Martha and I feasted on Tuna Poke, cubes of sashimi with arugula. Next up green papaya salad with shrimp, and then finally sea bass - salt and pepper style with ginger infused sticky rice. A thoughtful menu, well executed with a small drink menu but all very interesting - we opted for St. Germaine margaritas.

Friendly and attentive sevice in this informal restaurant - it lived up to it's reputation as a casual but creative food destination.

Urbanspoon review
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Tina's Jamaican Caribbean Restaurant

Eric and I visited Tina's today for lunch and it was as close to the home cooking of my imaginary Jamaican mother as I have ever come. We started with a meat patty- moist and spicy filling on the inside, flaky and slightly salty crust on the outside. From there we both ordered the Jerk Chicken, a plate of leg and thigh meat alongside rice and beans, fried plantains and a side of warm cabbage. Washed it down with the tangy-sweet house ginger beer.

Website | Map

Iggy's | Warwick Neck

( photo caption - took this photo midway through the meal - this is a half eaten lobster roll with a friend dipping a clamcake into chowder)

Writing about Iggy's is strange for me - I feel as if I'm talking about a friend. I am here all year - ordering the same thing: lobster roll with white chowder and a half dozen clamcakes.

Instructions: Dip the clamcakes in the chowder as I do. Ignore the fries as best u can, eat the lobster roll and a few dipped clamcakes, then take the remaining chowder and clamcakes home for a second meal tomorrow.

Located on Warwick Neck and South County, lines are long year round and the "Best of" magazine covers decorate a no-nonsense interior.

In bad weather you will find me usually parked in the lot facing Narragansett bay - eating in the car and looking out at the water. Occassionally feeding hungry gulls with fries.

IMHO the best clamcakes in RI + best deal on lobster rolls in the state. I am addicted to this place plain and simple.

Website | Map