Back to New Rivers

It's been a few months since we ate at New Rivers, that wonderful, warm "American bistro" tucked into the base of the hill overlooking what used to be a cove at the head of Narragansett Bay and is now the heart of downtown (or "Downcity}" as the locals flavor it) Providence. Bruce Tillinghast, founder and for many years chef-owner of New Rivers, retired recently and sold the operation to his longtime executive chef Beau Vestal and his wife-to-be, Elizabeth LaMantia.

More to the point, though, the food at New Rivers, like Persimmon, focuses on local ingredients superbly prepared, often in unique and different ways from their competitors. Moreover, it's the lack of pretension in producing such finely crafted meals that sets both restaurants apart, a quality that keeps us coming back to Broadway Bistro, Nick's on Broadway and Ama's as well. These chefs don't ride trends they create them, and if they don't create them they massage trends into something uniquely their own and then lay the results out on a plate for the rest of us to enjoy. And enjoy we did at New Rivers. 


 
While sipping a glass of prosecco with a splash of Campari we ordered a couple of nibbles: RI codfish fritters and local asparagus, both cooked to perfection and the asparagus tasting so sweet and delicate with shaved piave on top -- you really should have been there! And while they're listed as nibbles they are filling for two to be sure.

For our main course Susie ordered the caramel pasta stuffed with cheese and goodies and I had the soft polenta with Beau's own smoked pork sausage, washed down with a half bottle of Sancerre. New Rivers still has one of the best wine lists in town, handpicked at a price point that won't break the bank.
 
We also got to try Beau's own smoked, raw arctic char -- slightly warm with a pleasant hint of sea salt this was an incredible treat, not fishy or off-putting but almost sweet and so flavorful topped by capers and red onions.
 

 
We're going back. And so should you. . . 

John White Alexander's Blue Bowl - RISD Museum

The Blue Bowl (1898) by John White Alexander:

The French Tarte opens with a quiet bang

By now most of you know that he French Tarte (AKA Susie Q) has opened the door of her brand-new commercial kitchen and is up and running. The last two Saturdays were the final days of this year's Winter's Farmers Market at Hope Artiste Village and she drew nice crowds both days. She has also posted a schedule of classes through June and they're filing up quickly -- a nice way to launch a new business to be sure.

She also had her first special order in the new space, a croquembouche (tower of puff pastries) from one of her former students. Well, it just so happened the woman who ordered the piece montee (as it's also called) for her daughter's graduation is  French and when she came to pick the order up this past Saturday her sister and brother-in-law joined her to help (it's a bit tricky to maneuver alone). It turned out that her brother-in-law grew up in a patisserie in eastern France. The consensus of the whole family was the croquembouche was delicious, better, so they said, than some they had in France!

Speaking of food, we've been back to a couple of our favorite haunts recently: Ama's and Broadway Bistro -- extraordinary food at a price.

I also want to mention our favorite wineshop in Providence, "Bottles," located on the east side of the city next to Eastside Market and in the shadow of the Great Railroad Bridge Hanging in Midair. They have great prices, wonderful service and an outstanding selection -- on our last trip we found a scrumptious white wine we discovered on our swing through Sicily in the spring of 2005:  a Grillo from Altadonna just west of Palermo; inexpensive and with a smooth balance, we've only seen it once before in this country.

Finally, if you're in Newport you should stop by the Pan Handlers kitchen shop -- recommended by the peripatetic Joe Hafner, we went there several weekends back when Susie was in the market for a tabletop burner. She ended up walking out with a Fissler -- very nice, very handy and works like a charm. The staff knows their kitchen equipment to be sure and are eager to answer questions and even demo a unit if necessary.

Arabs Traveling by Eugene Delacroix

OK, so the Arabs were traveling by horse, not Delacroix himself. Anyway, this is in the RISD Museum, painted circa 1855:

Grand Gallery

. . .  or from the cold of the medieval to the warmth of the Renaissance and beyond: