GreenGal's Profile
Cheese curds near Providence?
Reporting back: I still have not made it to the farmer's market to check out Simmons Farm, but we were at Wrights Dairy and noticed some cheese curds in the case.
Middle Eastern Providence, 2012 Updates?
I have been having some serious cravings for Middle Eastern food lately. Perusing the boards I noticed that there have not been updates to some of these threads for a few years. Yet I know there have been lots of changes lately (openings, closings, relocations, an influx of hookah bars). Was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on the current scene.
I would also love to hear anything about some of the older places. I have been living in the area for about 7 years now, but we don't eat out a lot and have some catching up to do (too many choices!!). Are these places still around? Tasty?
I am looking for sit down restaurants, take out, markets with prepared food. Anything that is tasty. I am willing to drive!
My current top location is North Side Pockets on Mineral Spring. (Though East Side Pockets is my go to for falafel near Brown). A more sit down sort of place might be nice...
Also, I have no interest in hookahs (or overly 'college-y crowds'), but will tolerate a hookah bar if the food is worth it.
Links to older threads:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/490006
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/670632
Xanthan gum: uses besides gluten free baking?
Xanthan gum is used as a gelatin substitute when making vegetarian/vegan marshmallows. You might check out other gelatin-based foods adapted for the veg. world.
Sulfer Smell
Some yeasts produce a very sulfurous smell when they are fermenting. If this is a bottle conditioned beer, it could be that that bottle had a higher concentration of yeast (was there yeast residue in the bottom of the bottle at all). Maybe that yeast was either still fermenting out, or had produced more of that sulfurous gas than the other bottles. Just a thought. Of course if we are talking about some big time beer lim Sam Adams, then something else is going on.
Cheese curds near Providence?
Thanks, Frobisher, I will check ou Simmons Farm next chance I get.
I have had the A&W cheese curds, though honestly could not really tell the difference between their product and breaded mozzarella stick bites (if that is a thing), which is not necessarily a complaint. Also, would not really work for poutine. Though now I am have a rather silly image of myself showing up at A&W with a thermos of gravy to assemble pseudo-poutine at the picnic tables...I'll check out Simmons first, but the novelty of travel gravy is intriguing...
Cheese curds near Providence?
Hi folks,
Was wondering if anyone knew of a place to get cheese curds in the Providence area, or within reasonable driving distance. I am looking to make some poutine.
Thanks!
Wine juice in Providence area?
I do not know for sure since we brew beer, but... You should check out the local home brew shops. Our main spot is Blackstone Valley Brewing Supplies. www.blackstonevalleybrewing.com/ in Woonsocket. They sell winemaking supplies. Also, there is Basement Brewhaus off Smith St in Providence www.basementbrewhaus.com, which also sells winemaking supplies. There is also Brew Horizons, I think that is the name, which has multiple locations, one of which is in a hardware store on 44 in Chepachet. apple Valley Hardware I think. They have a website too, if you google it. And finally there is Silver Lake Wine and Brewing supplies, or something like that, in Silver Lake area of PVD. There is a place in Attleboro that I have not been to, and know nothing about. Hope that gets you started. Sorry I don't know for a fact that any of these places have exactly what you need.
Dinner Tonight? Near PVD, but keep me away from Waterfire!
Reporting back for the record: we ended up going to Los Andes after all. I know it is a far far cry from Mike's, but we did have a really great meal. I cannot remember what anything was called, off the top of my head, but it was all rather good. BF got the massive mixed grill skewer and the beef heart appetizer, both of which showed us that the grill was really the place to be - you could taste the seasoned grill itself in a very good way. The skewer was really just basic grilled meat, but there was something special about it, and we think it was just a really great grill. Also the marinade for the beef heart was veery good. My dinner was some sort of shredded chicken in a walnut cream sauce over fingerling potatoes. Pretty decent but nothing life changing. Serving size was large, an apetizer could reasonably be a meal (lunch definitely) and the prices were great. Overall, it was one of those meals where you spend the whole time excited about the fact that you can come back again and try more. Definitely looking forward to another trip.
Thanks everyone for the advice, will be trying out some of your suggestions when I get the opportunity. Have been wondering about Reali's for a while now...
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Los Andes
903 Chalkstone Ave, Providence, RI 02908
Dinner Tonight? Near PVD, but keep me away from Waterfire!
Ah, okay, I was thinking the crazy was a little more extensive than it actually is - good to know. We tend to just stay on the edges of the city from about 5pm on! (can you tell that I really don't like crowds).
Dinner Tonight? Near PVD, but keep me away from Waterfire!
I'm thinking maybe Los Andes, presumably they are still top notch? Any favorites there?
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Los Andes
903 Chalkstone Ave, Providence, RI 02908
Dinner Tonight? Near PVD, but keep me away from Waterfire!
Thanks, have been meaning to get to Red Fez for a while but parking is definitely an issue.
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Red Fez
49 Peck St, Providence, RI 02903
August Opening, Closing, and Coming Soon in PVD/RI
Just want to chime in about North Side Pockets. Absolutely amazing! Possibly the best falafel I have ever had (its the spice combo)! The meat samosa are also fantastic, along with the gyros & shawarma. For me it is the falafel and the samosas that keep me coming back. They also have a bunch of great specials and combo deals if you are buying for more than one person. Very nice group of folks too!
Also last time I was there they had really added on to their grocery section. (And I just saw in a quick web search that they are all halal, fyi).
Wow, just realized I have not had lunch yet...wish I was not trapped on the other side of PVD right now...want falafel...
Dinner Tonight? Near PVD, but keep me away from Waterfire!
So I am a lunch girl, and despite living in Providence for years I still do not know where to have dinner. Nevertheless, we have decided that dinner out must happen tonight and I just don't know where to start, I have been out of the loop for a few years dinner-wise. An added difficulty is that tonight is Waterfire and I just cannot deal with all the crazy happening downtown.
So I was hoping you hounds can help.
We (2 of us) are looking for a casual-ish place for dinner that is on the nice side, but not too expensive. Like I said, we rarely go out to dinner so this is a bit of a treat, but we are used to our standard lunch budget (obviously dinner costs more). To give you a clue, we really wanted to go to Mike's Kitchen in Cranston, but they are closed Saturday nights. So really, the food is what matters, not the experience.
We are in Providence near the N. Providence line and are willing to drive a bit, just want to avoid Waterfire.
Thanks so much!
(would still love suggestions even if it is after tonight)
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Mike's Kitchen
170 Randall St, Cranston, RI 02920
Trader Joe's Lemon curd in a jar
Crepes with lemon curd and maybe a sprinkle of sugar. So yummy! Ooo, I bet pancakes are great too. Or just eat it straight out of the jar...
Ground sumac
I saw some a few hours ago at the little convenience store at the corner of Mount Pleasant ave and Chalkstone in Providence. Cannot think of the name but it is bright yellow and red exterior. They even have a little parking lot.
There is also a Middle Eastern grocery on Mineral Spring in the area of Paulie Penta's deli. You could also try the Indian spice shop on Hope Street across from Not Just Snacks. I think it is called Not Just Spices.
Good luck!
Looking for Great Snickerdoodle Recipe
What is your best snickerdoodle recipe?
I would like to bake some but since they have never been a personal favorite of mine and I just do not know what to look for in a recipe. Likewise I don't really know when they taste right. So any recipe recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Providence Seafood Restaurant Recs for tomorrow (10-8-09)
Just to report back (and for posterity): We went to Hemenway's and had a lovely time. They started us off each with a complimentary crab rangoon with some sort of honey mustard sauce with mustard seeds which was excellent (I normally have a hard time swallowing honey mustard). There was some sort of bread which I never saw (we never opened the basket). The dinner salad itself was just your average dinner salad, but I had the honey curry dressing which for me was the highlight of the night (it was that good). BF had the Caesar and was thrilled that it was actually topped with anchovies. One of our party did not want salad and they (Frank our server) were very concerned that he substitute it with something, and he ended up substituting some clam chowder.
I had the seafood casserole - shrimp, scallops, lobster and scrod in sherry, cheese, cream sauce, topped with breadcrumbs. Honestly, it was a dish of rich cheesy seafood, it was good, the sauce was seasoned well, it was guilt-provoking in its creaminess, no complaints. I don't really know enough about seafood to be more critical. BF enjoyed it too. He had the grilled trout, which did not have much in the way of seasoning (he says maybe butter and salt), which seemed a little too plain for me. BF was falling all over himself about the amazing flavor of the trout, perfectly grilled, and it needed nothing. Our visitors each had straight up boiled lobsters, which were pre-cracked and disarticulated. The general consensus between everyone else (I was the only one who did not try the lobster) was that it was a particularly good boiled lobster.
For desert the table split a mixed berries and ice cream (which seemed to be exactly that, not very exciting) and a lovely Key Lime Pie.
We had a great time. Service was excellent. We never had to wait long, and our drinks were readily refilled. Frank was friendly and extremely helpful. Between our table and what I heard at the table next to us, they seemed very concerned with accommodating their customers. The table next to us basically created their own entrees as per Frank's various suggestions, and he arranged to stagger serving so they would not have food sitting and getting cold. I was actually surprised at the quality of service as I had read some horror stories.
Overall, an excellent evening.
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Hemenway's Sea Food
121 N Main St, Providence, RI 02903
Providence Seafood Restaurant Recs for tomorrow (10-8-09)
Well, I will say that I am somewhat pleased that I have not been missing out on an amazing seafood scene in PVD for all these years - so there is that.
It looks like we will be heading to Hemenway's and hopefully we will have a lucky night. (I also did not realize until today that it is Hemenway's not Hemingway's. I thought it was kind of an awesome name for a seafood restaurant referencing 'The Old Man and the Sea' and 'A Moveable Feast.' Ah well...)
I can definitely appreciate the other non-PVD suggestions though, as I can see that there will be increasing seafood in my future (I am trying ever so hard to get over a lifelong seafood aversion) and we are not normally stuck in Providence. And I am actually looking forward to stopping by Providence Oyster Bar sometime soon for their happy hour.
Providence Seafood Restaurant Recs for tomorrow (10-8-09)
Yeah, I know that trying to stay in or near Providence is a bit of a problem, but he's only driving down from Boston for dinner to see us. I was hoping to avoid driving all over the state. Thanks for the E. Greenwich suggestion, though, if we have to settle for heading south.
And I can unequivocally state that we will not be going to Al Forno.
Providence Seafood Restaurant Recs for tomorrow (10-8-09)
While I generally have a good idea of most of the restaurant scene in Providence, I am not really much of a seafood eater. When I was informed that we had a long lost family member visiting from waaaay out of town, and that he wants lobster at a nice restaurant, I found that I had no suggestions where to go. (He's never been to the coast and I kind of want to represent). Clam shacks, I can handle, but seafood places where you have to wear shoes...
So I appeal to the Chow community, please help!
I'm looking for a moderately priced restaurant that has good seafood and is preferably in Providence.
Thanks!
Non-ketchup meatloaf recipes needed
Just made this recipe earlier in the week: Turkey Meatloaf with Mushrooms and Herbs
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Turkey-Meatloaf-with-Mushrooms-and-Herbs-355229
It came out great - the crusty bread cubes in particular made it special for me. Incidentally, I didn't have fresh thyme and subbed 1 tsp dried, and I found it a slightly too thymey - maybe would prefer more of a scant tsp. BF, on the other hand, thought it was perfect.
SAUGY DOGS
Just a tip, I recently learned at my Shaw's (on the North Providence line) that they don't label the Saugy's at all. The other brands in the deli case are labeled, so to all appearances, there are no Saugy's. But there is an unmarked pile in there nevertheless. I asked the woman at the counter why and she said it was because "well everyone knows they're Saugy's."
RI - Confused.... Apsara, La Arepa, Aspara
Joe:
No, there is no "Aspara."
There are two different "Apsara"s in Providence.
Help identify the name of this Italian tomato water recipe
I just wanted to thank everyone for the input. With your help I think we have solved a mystery that has been driving me nuts for years. Thank you so much!
Help identify the name of this Italian tomato water recipe
Interesting - I had not thought of suco. Perhaps it is just 'suco del' as in 'juice of''. They definitely abbreviated a lot, so maybe they did not bother to mention what the juice was from because it was obvious (to them). I will investigate further. Hmm... Though I am curious if you think of anything else. Thanks!
Favorite Providence, RI Area Italian Deli?
That's the Italian Corner and they are really excellent (they have a website...). They are quite excellent - we drive across town through Federal Hill to get to Rumford, just to put it in perspective. They have this amazing salsa verde that is on most of the subs which is highly addictive. I recommend the Combo. They also do prepared foods and have all the other deli stuff, though we primarily go for the subs.
Help identify the name of this Italian tomato water recipe
My Italian grandmother used to make this tomato water that I used to absolutely love. I can essentially duplicate it now, but it has been driving me nuts for years that I cannot figure out the real name of this dish. We called it (phonetically) 'jug-a-dell' using some sort of Sicilian dialect. I have tried what seems like every possible spelling of this dish and it is never right. I know that we pronounced stuff rather oddly compared to actual spelling. For instance, I was in my 20s before I figured out that 'cug-a-zown' was actually calzone.
Anyway, here is the basic recipe. I would love any help with a spelling of this dish.
Fresh tomatoes (squeeze juice into bowl, then add some of the tomato flesh chopped up)
Add:
Sliced onion
chopped garlic
fresh mint (chopped)
water (to water down the ingredients until it was a water consistency - less is needed if more tomato juice is forthcoming)
olive oil
let sit overnight probably (if you can stand to wait that long)
The result is basically a bowl of fresh tomato juice with some tasty chunks in it
Eat by dipping Italian bread into the bowl, letting it soak up the juice and maybe scoop a little of the chunks.
Thanks for the help!
Pizza Providence - Newport
I used to be a Fellini fan, but found that they have recently (the last year or so) changed their dough. Its now much chewier - almost rubbery - and just does not have much in the way of flavor. I also decided that I just cannot stand their practice of putting the sauce on top of the cheese in stead of vice versa. It just seems wrong to me (in fact, I've encountered that a lot in the Providence area...)
That being said, I haven't really found a pizza in RI that I actually like. Gepetto's on Federal Hill has a great Mediterranean Pizza, but it's grilled pizza, not a nice NY slice by any means.
Cheap Eats/Great Deals in Reno
I will have a car, so location isn't really an issue (but I will be at the Grand Sierra). And I am open to pretty much any cuisine, especially any local specialties. Budget is as low as possible.
Thanks
