RI Swampyankee's Profile
Keene, NH vs. Brattleboro, VT: How would food scene factor in to moving decision?
Brat. You definitely want to be in Brat. The Co-op has great food, local produce, and a killer bulk department. I always stock up on their bulk honey and maple syrup when I'm in the area.
Seafood in RI
You didn't mention if you're East Bay or West Bay. If you're West Bay, contact Smiling Sole in Coventry. They know what you need and with a phone call they'll be sure to put aside an order.
Fried Calamari in R.I.
Calamari is what I consider to be a "barometer" dish. If the kitchen can do right by the calamari, the rest of the meal should be good. If a plate full of deep fried O-rings come out, then I know to order a burger cooked somewhere between medium well and hockey puck.
Are jonny cakes only legend?
Over the years two varieties of jonnycakes have evolved. East bay is more like a pancake often served at breakfast. West bay is more like a fritter and more likely to be served with baked beans at dinner. There is no stigma attached to putting maple syrup on an east bay jonnycake but a west bay purist would never put maple syrup on theirs.
I'm a 13th generation Rhode Islander with ties to both sides of the bay so I love them both. Jiggers for west bay and Commons Lunch in Little Compton for east bay and Kenyons cornmeal when I make 'em at home.
Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus (or just allergy friendly)
Hungry Mother in Cambridge gets my vote. It's a soul food/classic french restaurant which doesn't sound GF friendly, but it is. EVERYTHING is made in-house all orders are made ala minute which means a lot of things can be made without the wheat. The staff are helpful and knowledgable. They serve New Grist GF beer. The prices are more than reasonable for the quality you get.
Favorite restaurants in South County, RI?
Let's not forget Iggy's for chowder and clamcakes. There's also Carpenter's farm stand when the RI sweet corn comes in and Schartner's for berry picking.
A Rhode Island Moment
I'm with you LTD. Having spent waayy to many years in Milwaukee, may I add an amen to your post. After a month in Thailand, the smell of DD was incredibly powerful. My SO didn't get it, but I did.
I love good coffee and I start every morning with a nice shade-grown-organic Sumatran. When that caffo-buzz wears off I make a bee line, crossing three lanes of traffic, for my DD in Apponaug. It is possible to like both.
Fried Calamari: Rhode Island's Official Appetizer
Calamari is one of those dishes that I call "indicator dishes". If the restaurant does a good job with the squid, the rest of the seafood should be good. If you order calamari and you get a plate of greasy O-rings then ask them to slap a frozen burger on the grill.
I'm kinda partial to the cornmeal dredged calamari at Legal Seafood. Too much batter takes away from the delicate flavor of the squid.
A Rhode Island Moment
Not only Bankok but Phuket has a DD in the lobby--and it DID smell the same. Maybe it's because I've been drinking the stuff since I was 12, but I don't mind the flavor profile. I do mind the weakness.
On second thought, given how much DD cawfee Vo Dilunduhs drink, maybe it's all for the good that it's not stronger.
Top 5 Best restaurants in Rhode Island, Not fancy
Rasoi is owned by the same folks who own Kabob and Curry on Thayer. I agree with you on the buffet, Joey.
Liver: Still Good?
Point taken, Tom. I should know better. If my meatcutting teacher were to see my post, he'd change my grade ;-)
Now that that's settled, a question. Is there a hyphen in anal retentive?
cheers!
Duck Fat - Portland, ME
Duckfat Rules! Made a pilgrimage from Providence and it was well worth the drive. The fries were sublime. The salads are great,too.
Allergies and Restaurants
A good rule of thumb for the allergic is this--The more a restaurant relies on Sysco, the less you can rely on the restaurant. When most of the food comes frozen from suppliers like Sysco, the staff won't know which allergen extras are in the fries, the soups, the breadings, the sauces, the salad dressings, etc, etc.
Even a good restaurant can have its lapses as some posters have found and therein lies the dangerous break. In far too many restaurants the FOH and the BOH are separate planets in separate orbits with their own bodies of knowledge and their own priorities. Your allergy can easily fall into a culinary black hole between those two worlds. Your cook will know what went into your entree but your server will not--and how could they?
Diners in Vermont/New Hampshire
I love the idea of a CBH Hall 'o Fame and Shame! CBH is a lot like calamari, a culinary barometer. If the restaurant does those things well, the rest of meal is likely to be good.
And Bri--if you were at the Royal around 2pm, then we were there at same time.
Diners in Vermont/New Hampshire
I was at the Chelsea Royal today and I was pretty disappointed. I ordered the "homemade hash" and I've gotta say that it tasted suspiciously like canned. Mush-like, browned on just one side and cold in the middle, it was nasty. Has anyone else had a similar encounter?
What's The One Thing You Can't Eat, even for money.
Tofurkey. The nastiest thing next to Jell-O.
Beef Tongue...Love it or hate it?
OnkleWillie, you need a smoker. Smoking tongue is super easy. We would also lightly pickle the tongue. We sliced it superthin, served on baguette slices with warm beet salad, ummmmm.
Liver: Still Good?
If it's cryovac'd you have a week at 35-40F. Now that's a conservative figure, erring on the side of every caution. And yes, would you please post the recipe?
Anyone else use alcohol as cough syrup?
Grandma Hope would make a New England hot toddy for colds and flu. Dark rum, lots of honey and lemon, a stick of cinnamon and then--sleepytime! I've yet to find a better remedy.
Pre-show Drinks near Lupos Heartbreak Hotel
Red Stripe is too far to walk. Local121 or Trinity Brewhouse would be my pick.
Heritage turkey tips?
I second DiveFan here. Brine, brine, brine!!! Also watch the interior temp like a hawk; there is a fine line between done to perfection and tough bird.
authentic Thai or Vietnamese in Vermont or New Hapshire?
I like Thai Garden, too. My only complaint is they don't have sticky rice.
Food with Dark & Stormy?
I know Barritt's is the brand if you want to keep it pure, but I prefer Regatta. The taste is cleaner and they use cane sugar, not HFCS.
South County, Rhode Island / Mystic, CT
If you're you can't have gluten, you can't have the Crazy Burger; they mix bread crumbs into the beef. Bummer. I don't know why.
Breakfast/Lunch in Providence
Aw Mike, does it have to be Monday? There's a Dale Chihuly exhibit at the RISD Museum but they're closed on Monday.
Gillies (W. Brattleboro, VT)
Bri, Thanks for posting the second review. I'm spending a fair amount of time in the Brattleboro area these days and I've wondered about Gillies. It's really hard to get a sense of the place from Rt. 9. The clambake signs outside seemed to suggest a blatant troll for turistas but on weeknights the place looked to have a local clientele.
Where to buy Chemex in RI
My mom needs to replace her Chemex coffee maker. Where in RI could she find a selection of these coffee making gems? Thanks CHers.
