Garris's Profile
Replicating/replacing "Near East" Seasoning Packets
I love the Near East brand of rices, couscous, etc. In fact, I bet they make their flavor packets with some kind of controlled substance they're so addictive and yummy.
Well, for cooking for our kids, my wife wants everything to be as freshly made at home as possible and has vetoed using the Near East products and flavor packets in favor of buying the grains in bulk and flavoring them ourselves. Similarly, when having people over, we don't want to "stoop so low" as to making side dishes for people from a recognizable brand.
The problem, in my view, is that we have yet to find recipes in cookbooks or online for such things as couscous, Israeli couscous, quinoa, etc that hold a candle in flavor and desirability to what Near East has seemingly nearly perfected. In fact, I would say our efforts so far have been so poor that I'd rather not have, say, quinoa at all then stomach some of our creations so far. I actually believe there are so few good recipes online because, secretly, everyone is just eating Near East products.
Thus, my question for all is:
Has anyone at home perfected recipes for their own "flavor packets" for couscous and rices that are a good facsimile of the commercial products or ones that you like more?
I'm especially looking for good flavorings for recipes for Israeli couscous. Thanks all!
PVD/RI * May '12 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
Did I forget an April one? Possibly... No worries, but put any new opening, closing, or coming soon news here!
Downtown Providence and Federal Hill area
Wow, that was quite an opus summary of the Providence scene. Very complete. I have essentially nothing to add.
It's funny you mention NYC in your post. My family just returned from the Upper West Side of Manhattan this past weekend (we try to go one or two weekends per month) and it's always fun to compare. I find the big Providence area dining deficits vs the UWS of NYC to be in sushi (we have no really ethereal higher end places and, for places of equal cost, most of the NYC restaurants blow PVD away) and especially Chinese. Even the UWS, not strong with Chinese restaurants at all, destroys what we have here.
For a city of its size, I still find restaurants in the PVD area amazingly satisfying. I'd still like to see a bit more creativity here and fewer Italian and New American options but, overall, aside from sushi and Chinese I rarely feel deprived.
Suggestions for best Chinese food in Southern New England?
Interesting. While I live in PVD, I work in the South Shore of MA and have asked a number of people (who are very plugged into the dining scene) about local Chinese dining and never heard Sichuan Gourmet mentioned. A quick Google search shows this to be the local Chinese outpost of 3 others in the area (Brookline being the original?) and it seems to be highly regarded. It's off 95, so I'll have to give it a try during my commute (out of range of the OP, though).
Artisanal, Hidden Gems, Hole in the wall Providence, RI
Pretty much top advice, with some of my own modifications:
- Agree on Pastiche, Broadway Bistro, Nicks, La Laiterie, New Rivers, Red Fez, Julian's, Cook and Brown. I'd add Avenue N in East Providence as well. None of those will disappoint at all...
- Agree to skip Al Forno. Pizza is great, but you've done it and the scene has moved on...
- Personally, I wouldn't do 7 Stars. It's VERY good, don't get me wrong, but for one local bakery to visit I'd go to LaSalle near Providence College. I've had some stuff they've done that's blown me away, which 7 Stars has never done...
- Also, I'd bypass Liberty Elm unless you're really into the historic diner car thing. Don't get me wrong again, I respect what they do, how they do it, and the food, but I've had several lunches and brunches there and never had a dish I'd rank better than "average" and several that have missed the mark. Their mission and vibe buy them a lot of good will, including with me, but for a food trip, there are so many good brunch options around (including the superior Modern Diner in Pawtucket, IMHO) that I'd save Liberty Elm for another trip.
That's it. Let us know what you do!
Suggestions for best Chinese food in Southern New England?
In RI, the most authentic I've seen in the state (and quite possibly between New Haven and Boston) might be accessible to you. Golden Chopsticks in Westerly, RI (Southwestern RI/CT border) had a menu filled with authentic items, including menu-order dim sum. I haven't been in a few years now but previously it was my favorite in the region.
Otherwise, RI has little to offer in the authentic category. Red Ginger in Johnston, RI had an authentic menu you could request, but I've now had a few disappointing meals in a row there and haven't been back in a while. Lucky Garden in North Providence, RI is easily the most authenic in the Providence area. MuMu in Providence has a more authentic bent and flavor palate but is very hit and miss...
PLEASE let us know what you find!
New England not well represented on 101 best restaurant list.
Agree, as a Providence resident, that kind of torpedoed any respectability such a list could have for me. And, having lived previously in New Haven, Pepe's certainly has history and some good pies, but one of best 101 restaurants in the NATION?? Really!?!? No... Way...
That said, I also spend a lot of time in NYC (and Boston) and have lived elsewhere around the country and, let's all be honest here, it wouldn't shock me really if the majority of the best restaurants in the nation were in our 4-5 "world class" cities (add Chicago and Philly to SF, LA, and NYC). I mean, I can't think of a single genre of food I wouldn't rather be eating in restaurants I know in NYC or Minneapolis or SF than here (PVD or Boston).
From a RI standpoint, I believe places like Gracies, Farmstead, Persimmon, Spiced Pear, etc would be considered excellent restaurants no matter where they were, the above big cities included. I also think Providence is an amazing restaurant city for one of its size. Boston can hold its own, but I've generally been disappointed by beantown offerings and think, like many things about Boston, locals tend to overrate their food quality compared to other big cities.
But, again, being honest, there's really some amazing food to be had outside New England.
PVD/RI * March '12 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
What's coming in like a lion and out like a lamb? Post what you know...
As I stated at the end of the February thread, I don't know if this means anything, but the former Edge cafe site in Wayland Square had the "For Rent" sign come down and the blinds go up and it looks like they might be doing some work, so perhaps something is coming soon there... I can't imagine that central site staying vacant for long (unless the rents are outrageous)...
PVD/RI * February '12 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
Sounds nice. Did anything ever go in the Cac-tuz space nearby?
PVD/RI * February '12 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
But, wait... We *DO* have another pizza place opening on Thayer, so does this mean we do need another mundane pan asian place? ;-).
I haven't been to eat yet, but I ran in to grab a takeout menu and the interior redo, considering how bland the exterior and building are, is fairly impressive. Seriously, is that Wayland Square's worst commerical landlord? Now that Lim's is open, can they take the HUGE defunct "Public Sound" sign down? Maybe someone would know LIm's is there and open if they, you know, had their own sign or something. While they're at it can they replace the awning which looks like it broke off sometime during 1962?
Here is the restaurant's website: http://limsri.com.
Also in Wayland Square news, I don't know if it means anything, but the "For Rent" sign in the space where the Edge used to be came down and the blinds were lowered. I predicted this cafe site in the heart of the Square would fill quickly. We'll see!
Kitchenbar - Providence
We went back for our third time recently. After three times ordering it, I *still* think they need to add some flavoring to my preferred dish (the fish and chips). My wife really liked her caprese salad but at, if I recall, $9, she felt it was hugely overpriced. And, as others have brought up, they need to find a different music balance (Frank Sinata and Brat Pack theme seemingly the night we were last there... Yuck!). It feels off balance. Overall, the food feels underdeveloped, like someone forgot an ingredient to everything.
The role it could play in the local culinary world is as neighborhood meeting spot. In fact, that's what were were doing there 2 of the 3 times, just meeting up with folks who live nearby. I never do that at the Ivy (which is crowded and you can't know you'll get a table just dropping in) and the other spots are either too pricy (Braze and Pizzico) or too, um, grimey (Hope St Pizza) to fill that role.
As someone once said on Top Chef, it's OK to do comfort food, but if you're going to go simple like that, you really need to absolutely nail the dishes and flavors. They're not there yet, they just need to refine the thinks a bit and they'll probably be fine.
PVD/RI * February '12 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
The new Thai and Sushi restaurant on South Angell in Wayland Square is now open.
PVD/RI * February '12 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
That pizza cone place was one of of a few in my years living in Providence that had very public aspirations of branching into national franchises that saw the founding stores flounder on the tough Thayer Street.
PVD/RI * February '12 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
According to my wife, Mad Ernie's ice cream and sandwich shop has closed in Wayland Square, Providence... Sad, because the people working there were very nice, but...
If true, it kinda goes to show that Providence is becoming a bit like NYC. The dining scene is so good, you can't be mediocre or just "show up" and thrive because there's a half dozen interesting places within a few minutes of you competing at a high level. In Mad Ernie's case, they were selling some pretty simple sandwiches when you could walk 30 feet away to L'Artisan (or previously to the Edge before it closed) and get some pretty sophisticated ofterings for nearly the same cost. The ice cream, too, was nothing special.
Retail spots fill slowly in Providence, and Wayland Sq. is no exception. I wonder how long it'll take for something else to move in... (By the way, why is retail filling so slow here? In the Mass communities where I work, a storefront becomes vacant and it's filled within a month or two, even during these economic times)
PVD/RI * February '12 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
A bit late to start the threat, but here it is. Have at it...
My news: It looks like the Vietnamese restaurant on Angell near Thayer closed and is going to be replaced by... Guess it now... A pizza place! And tapas too... Because if there's one thing you can't find at all near Thayer, it's pizza . Is that pizza place number 5 or 6 for that little strip? People can't get financing for any businesses lately, but someone's bankrolling pizza joint number 6 within a 4 block radius? Ooook...
PVD/RI * January 2012 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
Does JWU own that space? You'd think they would want some stability there in their backyard...
Providence quick reviews...
With all of the disappointing talk regarding the new Chapel Grill, I thought I'd pass on some (mostly) happier quick reports:
Duck and Bunny:
My wife had been happily several times and liked it. I went with her for the first time with low expectations for some reason (the name?), but I really enjoyed myself. VERY good crepes, with suprisingly subtle flavors, good drinks, a hip environment, and super-accommodating staff. The cupcakes were really excellent, with moist cake components and delicious cream-cheese based frostings. I'll be back there for sure.
Ebisu:
I don't know why we don't go more often, because this visit, like all of our previous, was really outstanding. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and fun. For a consistent sense of specialness in going out to eat it's right up there for us with places like Gracies, Rasoi, Loie Fuller, and La Laiterie.
Angkor:
I hadn't been in some time, and others have been raving about it. The much discussed Nam Yaa soup is definitely worth the trip. Rich, deep, hot, and flavorful. Everything else, though, I felt was just average, with nothing bad, but nothing cravable. The street noodles, a favorite of many, didn't appeal to me at all, tasting flat and doughy.
Sura:
This downtown location has a nice look about it, but boy does it close early. We were there at the end of their evening and it certainly felt like we were being rushed out of there by the staff. All of the flavors of what we had were strong and deep, but in both of our dishes there were ingredients in our meals not listed on the menu. If you have allergies, make sure to ask in advance. Also, does anyone else feel it's a bit pricey?
Tazza:
Their interior redo has been polarizing. Some love it, some hate it. Count us as thumbs down votes. It's slick but cool, almost cold. Definitely less warm and welcoming than the prior edition. And the bar is VERY prominent here. Tazza was very much the hip cafe before, but what exactly is it now? Is it a bar that also serves food? A restaurant with a big bar? A cafe bar? I don't know. Our desserts and drinks there were average, nothing memorable.
Dinner in Providence
A comment on the above options: Definitely consider Rasoi. It might not impress on the outside with its strip plaza location, but it's great upscale Indian-fusion food and service. Abyssinia Ethiopian is worth considering as well, but I don't think it's better than the two Boston-area options, and these individuals are coming from Boston. Mosaic is worth considering but is, as you point out, inconsistent. It's not the best location at night for someone who might not know the area as well. I would also think twice about Angkor. The food is great, but their new location off Wickenden is very small and more take-out than eat in. Ten Prime is very slick and "downtown" in style, a bit overpriced, but is upscale and may fit the OP's critieria very well. Same for the Red Fez, but I don't consider it "upscale."
Others to consider:
For sushi, consider Haruki East in Wayland Square. While not quite Fugakyu (which itself I don't think is as good as the hype), it's very solid and a decent upscale atmosphere. For Pan-Asian, very strongly consider Jackie's in downtown Providence. With its amazing skyline views and slick interior furnishings, it's one of the best atmospheres in town and its Asian cuisine is very solid, if a bit overpriced. It'll definitely appeal to all ages.
So, to summarize: Strongly consider Jackie's and Ten Prime Steak and Sushi downtown, as well as Haruki East in Wayland Square and Rasoi in Pawtucket.
PVD/RI * January 2012 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
Just drove by... Ick, not a fan of that facade at all. Couldn't be more different from ModMomma next to it, and it almost looks residential.
PVD/RI * January 2012 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
They've been working on that site for some time, but I don't recall a sign. Did they just put that up?
L'Elizabeth's in Providence
Having not been myself in ages, I can't comment, but I do know people somewhat loyal to it, more for atmosphere and people watching than anything else...
Best Seafood Dishes in RI?
Wow, it's been a long time since I've had any non-shellfish seafood dish that blew me away. Gracies has prepared some great fish dishes for us but, honestly, I think the best was a spicy and memorable prepared full fish at Sun and Moon Korean in East Providence, but that was years ago, and I can't speak for their recent quality.
Chapel Grill in Cranston, RI
VERY disappointing... My wife and I were thinking of heading there soon and maybe we'll wait a bit. The menu looks great, but we thought a bit to far ranging to all be done at a first rate level, almost like how diner menus are too big for uniform freshness and excellence.
I've heard the space is great and I love the menu ideas, but we'll wait for the quality to catch up.
PVD/RI * January 2012 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
Oh, one small piece of news, I read somewhere that Hibachi Asian Buffet opened on Pawtucket Ave in Pawtucket. This is one of those "only in RI" things as I think it's less than a football field away from the already established East Buffet there. In fact, looking at Google Maps, I think the two are visible from one another across a street. Amazing...
PVD/RI * January 2012 * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
Happy New Year! Post your news here.
A tasty 2012 to all!
Kitchenbar - Providence
I had a somewhat different experience. The music didn't bother us and wasn't noticable (unlike, say, the similar Avenue N in East Providence, with its loud gym-ready rock and huge TV screens that almost ruined our evening there).
We also (there for brunch) didn't think it was too bright (?) at all. In fact, at 12:30 PM, we felt it was a tad dark, and we were sitting by a window. The interior is attractive and well done, though, and our server was great.
We didn't have alcohol so I can't comment on their selection or quality.
Regarding the food, which we did have, the menu is clearly mainstream comfort food. No twists here, especially when comparing, again, to Avenue N, which has a delightful and imaginative New American menu. This is far more like Trinity Brewhouse, much less like the neighboring Blaze. Mac and cheese, cheese sticks, salads, portobella primavera, fish and chips, burger and wrap selections, etc. VERY straightforward. I had the fish and chips which were sizable and well done, although I wish the fish batter was a tad tastier (just falling short of my favorite Trinity Brewhouse fish and chips). My friend said his mac and cheese was "excellent" and the cheese sticks were as expected. Prices were reasonable and portions (especially the mac and cheese) were generous.
The exterior makes the place very easy to miss, with almost no identifying adornment at all (why do Providence restaurants do this?). With its dark windows, we weren't even sure they were open. When my friend and I asked, they afterwards went outside to put up a (low class looking) "open" flag. I recommend some classy "Kitchenbar" vertical banners or vertical signage at the entrance corner to be more visible.
It's a solid, affordable, attractive mid-range offering, almost more diner-ish. It feels, in its menu and setting, very family friendly and I'll probably head back with my wife and kids. There aren't actually many such offerings like this on the East Side, which generally seems to have higher priced dining or take out places with little in between.
This is a welcome entry to the middle ground.
PVD/RI * December * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
Yup...
Better:
- Wait times are down. They used to say 30 minutes but 40 or more wasn't unusual, which was crazy. Now, they're really down to 15-20.
- Ingredients seem better quality than the first go around
Still needing work:
- The slowest counter staff ever... 2 customers at a time paralyzes this group.
- They don't put plastic utensils in your takeout order bag and seem slightly taken aback when you ask for it (an increasingly common takeout malady)
Worse:
- I think they've dumbed down the flavors a tad. Their flavors used to have real bite and I think it was a bit too much for the average customer.
PVD/RI * December * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
Every time I'm on Federal Hill, it seems there are 2-3 new places I haven't heard of before and 2-3 others gone.
So, last night, I noticed that Mumu's Forbidden Tea Room bubble tea place/bar/lounge/breakfast place/club? thingy had the name down and papered over windows. I don't know when that happened as I recall them having big glossy ads in Providence Monthly not so long ago...
PVD/RI * December * Open/Closed/Coming Soon
They were a bit cursed by fate/the recession, though. That location, back when they were planning I'm sure, was about to become the hottest location downtown. A "W Hotel" across the street in the city's tallest residential tower,a Hampton Inn hotel on the way, the Arcade attached to the W Hotel that was to become a major market and destination...
Save for the Hampton Inn, none of those things happened. Oops... They weren't the only business to open there to get in on the ground floor of what was supposed to be a boom there... Too bad all around. Now all there is is a surface parking lot and skeleton of the historic facade...
