Providence Dining Experiences and Reviews

[runawayjim]

Don't forget Rein's Deli in Vernon CT. http://www.reinsdeli.com/

It's just off exit 65 of I84, so it would be a little farther that Stoughton, but certainly day tripable if you're already headed to points west.

rein's is really good. i knew someone who worked there when i was in college at uconn. it's farther than stoughton (probably about an hour and 10 min from prov). but if you're going to hartford, it's pretty much on the way (since no one in their right mind would take 6 all the way to hartford from prov).

[jencoleslaw]

i will assume it is still up and running but the Crown Market in West Hartford is great for kosher. My now X brother in law was a chef there and every year we got a kosher capon for christmas. Yum.

[basachs]

Ah the Crown...Having gone to University of Hartford, I spent four years under their wonderful care. They are hands down the best kosher butcher/deli/grocery in the region.

When I moved to boston, I was so disgusted with the quality of kosher meat at the boston area kosher butchers that I still made the 1.5 hour trek every coupla months to stock up. Did that for 5 years. Since I have been in Providence, I still make the trip since there is hardly any kosher meat available to get disgusted by!

[Garris]

Ah the Crown...Having gone to University of Hartford, I spent four years under their wonderful care. They are hands down the best kosher butcher/deli/grocery in the region.

When I moved to boston, I was so disgusted with the quality of kosher meat at the boston area kosher butchers that I still made the 1.5 hour trek every coupla months to stock up. Did that for 5 years. Since I have been in Providence, I still make the trip since there is hardly any kosher meat available to get disgusted by!

I'll third that. Crown is by far the best kosher establishment in New England. Rein's Deli, as mentioned previously, is merely "OK." They deserve a ton of credit for doing what they do, and where they do it (kind of in the middle of nowhere for a NY style deli), but the quality taste is just OK...

To basachs:

Its a tough business and one that requires a lot of commitment, knowledge and passion. I dont think we will see one in PVD soon. Not being pessimistic, just knowing of what kind of commitment is needed.

Wow, you know your stuff! I'll post the two or three Jewish deli cookbooks I use...

You're right about the kind of commitment and knowledge needed. It's high... But I'd still love to try someday!

- Garris

PS: For those who find yourself in the Hudson Valley area of NY, the best Kosher Deli I've been to in the entire NY metro area (and I'm including the late and very much missed 2nd Ave Deli in this) is Bloom's Kosher Deli in Yorktown Heights, NY. Here's the link to their site:

http://www.bloomsdeli.com

[basachs]

Bloom's Deli! An excellent choice. I have been there 3 or 4 times, all have been excellent.

I would love to open up a kosher or jewish style deli in PVD as well. Everytime I think fully about the commitment and the effort I would need to put into it to make myself happy about it, I back away. I figure once I no longer do that, I am ready to take the plunge. I have been writing down recipes and tucking them away for such an occasion.

Rein's is just "okay" as you say. They have a devoted following, but I always go back to the Crown.

Rubin's in Brookline used to be excellent in the 80's. They have fallen so far downhill and their prices are ridiculous.

I would think a jewish style bakery/bagel place would do extremely well here now that Barney's and Kaplan's is gone.

[jencoleslaw]

i agree that kosher style, or even just a good kosher dairy restaruant would do great in Providence. I have often wondered why we didn't have one, but it does take a lot more work than a regular bagel joint.

[Garris]

Some quick, capsule updates:

Little Chopsticks, Smith Hill:

All last week, a "closed for renovation" sign was up, but I didn't see any activity at all driving by several times. This would be a sad loss of the best Americanized Chinese restaurant in Providence if the close is permanent... Does anyone know?

New Rivers, Downtown:

I went there recently. In summary, it's OK for its price. Nothing (food, service, decor, etc) blew me away. This was my third (and likely last) time there, as there are better restaurants for the price in my opinion. I don't get the continuity hyperventilation about the place.

India, Oak Park:

I was forced to go here against my will, having had a bad experience last time. In short, unimpressive, which is too bad. It's a great locale, great room, over-attentive service... The food is just soooo average and overpriced. Oddly, all of our entrees had condensation under the rice and veges on the plate, leaving everything "floating" in a thin layer of water. Unexceptable. This means that either, 1) The food was plated too hot, and water condensed while they made other items or, 2) Everything was microwaved. Either way, again, unexceptable, especially for the prices they charge (double that at least of the outstanding cafeteria style Not Just Snacks about 6 blocks down the street). In my opinion, avoid.

Cafe Nuovo, Downtown:

Finally, a hit here. I'd been there before and was impressed, and this was no exception. Great room, perhaps the best view of Providence through the windows, and outstanding food. Everything was perfectly cooked (my duck was excellent) and the deserts are really worth salivating over.

And finally, an interesting recent post from a user of Chowhound.com I had absolutely no idea about:

"i'm afraid to let the word out, but there's a really great korean place on benefit street, inside a convenience store. the sign says solomon market, but at night, the place turns into a restaurant. service isn't perfect, but the food is great. i've had the squid with rice, which is spicy and full of tender squid and mussels. my friend has had both the stone pot bi bim bap and an item on the menu that includes rice cake, chicken, sweet potatoes, and carrots (sadly, i can't recall the name). all have been great, and the portions are good-sized.

i was there one monday night and it was packed; the following monday it was quiet...

drooling,

awurrlu"

Anyone else know about this?

Signing off:

- Garris

[runawayjim]

Some quick, capsule updates:

Little Chopsticks, Smith Hill:

All last week, a "closed for renovation" sign was up, but I didn't see any activity at all driving by several times. This would be a sad loss of the best Americanized Chinese restaurant in Providence if the close is permanent... Does anyone know?

i'll drive by sometime... it's not far from me. however, is this place really that good? it got a great review a year or 2 ago in the cowl (the PC newspaper). but i have never seen more than 1 or 2 cars in the parking lot and it always looks empty (this is all times of the day and night every day of the week).

[Jerry2]

i'll drive by sometime... it's not far from me. however, is this place really that good? it got a great review a year or 2 ago in the cowl (the PC newspaper). but i have never seen more than 1 or 2 cars in the parking lot and it always looks empty (this is all times of the day and night every day of the week).

It's filthy. There is zero upkeep done inside and out. I wouldn't eat in a place that looked like they hadn't cleaned the windows or vaccuumed the floors in 3 years. Who cares how good the food is?

[pete11]

i'm afraid to let the word out, but there's a really great korean place on benefit street, inside a convenience store. the sign says solomon market, but at night, the place turns into a restaurant. service isn't perfect, but the food is great. i've had the squid with rice, which is spicy and full of tender squid and mussels. my friend has had both the stone pot bi bim bap and an item on the menu that includes rice cake, chicken, sweet potatoes, and carrots (sadly, i can't recall the name). all have been great, and the portions are good-sized.

i was there one monday night and it was packed; the following monday it was quiet...

umm.....where on Benefit? not like I'm interested or anything but I am going to need more info.

[jencoleslaw]

i'm afraid to let the word out, but there's a really great korean place on benefit street, inside a convenience store. the sign says solomon market, but at night, the place turns into a restaurant. service isn't perfect, but the food is great. i've had the squid with rice, which is spicy and full of tender squid and mussels. my friend has had both the stone pot bi bim bap and an item on the menu that includes rice cake, chicken, sweet potatoes, and carrots (sadly, i can't recall the name). all have been great, and the portions are good-sized.

i was there one monday night and it was packed; the following monday it was quiet...

umm.....where on Benefit? not like I'm interested or anything but I am going to need more info.

corner benefit and Transit, i suspect.

[Frankie811]

corner benefit and Transit, i suspect.

Correct. I grew up several houses away from that store that's been there for years.

[Garris]

Bloom's Deli! An excellent choice. I have been there 3 or 4 times, all have been excellent.

Wow, that's not exactly across the street. What brought you there? I grew up in Putnam County about 20 minutes North of Yorktown Heights...

I would love to open up a kosher or jewish style deli in PVD as well... I have been writing down recipes and tucking them away for such an occasion.

I've been doing exactly the same thing . I have a text file on my laptop logging the best recipes I've found so that one day, if I do want to make that plunge, I have a recipe list ready to go.

My favorite Jewish/NY Deli cookbooks (and maybe the only ones?) are:

2nd Avenue Deli Cookbook, by Sharon Lebewhol: A wonderful resource that just became more treasured now that the actual restaurant just closed...

Deli, by Sue Kreitzman: a small book from the 1980's with her own "best of" recipes, except these come from delis active at the time or those who were involved with long departed ones.

Secrets of a Jewish Baker, by George Greenstein: Despite the title, kind of a catch-all baking book. Very complicated, meant for extremely serious, commerical baking..

Everytime I think fully about the commitment and the effort I would need to put into it to make myself happy about it, I back away. I figure once I no longer do that, I am ready to take the plunge.

When you are ready to take that plunge and if you want a partner, let me know!

I think food is a key component of cultural continuity, and if generations to come don't have a source of authentic or even culturally inspired cuisine, something vital is lost...

- Garris

[basachs]

I had an Aunt that lived in YH. She liked going there...

I have the 2nd Ave deli book and the Secrets of a Jewish Baker (wife loves to bake). Another one I recommend is "America's Great Delis: Recipes And Traditions from Coast to Coast" by Sheryl Bellman. This book has over a hundred pics and about 70 or so recipes from old delis from all over the country. A really good resource in that it explores deli outside of the comfortable NYC cocoon.

I'll keep you in mind, you do the same!

Although I sometimes grow very tired the "deli mentality" of almost all kosher/jewish restaurants, it is an essential part of the cutural fabric.

[mr2448]

i agree that kosher style, or even just a good kosher dairy restaruant would do great in Providence. I have often wondered why we didn't have one, but it does take a lot more work than a regular bagel joint.

There hasn't been a real kosher Restaurant in Providence since Miller's closed a couple of decades ago. There were three, Hope Street, Garden City and very briefly in Barrington. Davis's used to have a restaurant when it was located on Douglas Avenus across from Sons of Jacobs Synagogue, but this was 35 years ago before they moved to Hope Street and displaced my favorite ice cream fountain. There has always been a large sized Jewish population in Providence but never many restaurants or deli's. You had to go to Dorchester for real Kosher food. The best bagel I ever had used to be made on Constitution Hill. It was an old time deli with pickles in barrels, corn beef and smoked salmon cut off the slab and the great smell of bagels every Sunday morning. To top it off there was sawdust on the floor!

Mark

[AriPVD]

a real kosher Restaurant in Providence

Someone should open one. There's certainly a market. Supposedly my great grandmother used to make the best pickles in South Providence, in a bathtub no less.

[LMWW]

There hasn't been a real kosher Restaurant in Providence since Miller's closed a couple of decades ago. There were three, Hope Street, Garden City and very briefly in Barrington. Davis's used to have a restaurant when it was located on Douglas Avenus across from Sons of Jacobs Synagogue, but this was 35 years ago before they moved to Hope Street and displaced my favorite ice cream fountain. There has always been a large sized Jewish population in Providence but never many restaurants or deli's. You had to go to Dorchester for real Kosher food. The best bagel I ever had used to be made on Constitution Hill. It was an old time deli with pickles in barrels, corn beef and smoked salmon cut off the slab and the great smell of bagels every Sunday morning. To top it off there was sawdust on the floor!

Mark

Oy - what I wouldn't do for a serious kosher restaurant around here! Garris - I grew up just south of you in Westchester.

My husband is a professor at URI, and we've discovered some great bagels down in Kingston. It's right across the street from the Spike's (but we don't know the name - we just call it the bagel place). Although they're not as good as those from home,they're the closest I've found in RI (I was largely unimpressed by Barney's). It's a bit of a drive from Providence, though.

[Frankie811]

http://channels.netscape.com/travel/packag.../bestrestaurant

[priscilla]

http://channels.netscape.com/travel/packag.../bestrestaurant

That's a great article, Frankie811. I hope that someday I'll get to eat in some of those restaurants... (So far I haven't been to a single one of them!)

[Dan]

It's filthy. There is zero upkeep done inside and out. I wouldn't eat in a place that looked like they hadn't cleaned the windows or vaccuumed the floors in 3 years. Who cares how good the food is?

I wonder if a new owner is taking over. Or maybe it's just time to clean since spring is here - and it might take awhile.

Young China used to be my favorite "joint" close to Providence, until the old lady sold the place. Good food, "atmosphere" unchanged since the 70s. One day after the sale, I ordered Chicken Chow Mein and I opened the box to find chow mein smothering my crunchy noodles (yes, they were all soggy under the mein, not on the side in a bag), with dry pieces of boneless chicken on the top. So, needless to say, I haven't been to East Providence for Chinese since.

Somebody on the board recommended China Jade in Johnston for General Tso's, but IMO it was average and the egg roll was soggy. My quest for the best GTC continues.

[Garris]

My quest for the best GTC continues.

GTC doesn't really exist in authentic Chinese cuisine, so you might want to define what "best" means to you.

Apparently, the Chinese traditionally make similar dishes "light." A minimum of sauces and the "breading" should be light. Most Americanized places do this the opposite of tradition, with heavy breading and everything swimming in a sickeningly sweet sauce.

In the "traditional" fashion, I recall my sister ordering GTC from Apsara, actually, that was closer than usual to the traditional ideal. This was interesting, as I usually find the Chinese at Apsara to be quite mediocre, far more so than their other SE Asian cuisines, which are excellent.

I don't usually order GTC, so I'm not much of a help on this topic... If I were you, I'd try the GTC at the three most authentic area chinese and see how they do it: Lemi's BBQ in Cranston, Red Ginger in Johnston, and Lucky Garden in North Providence.

- Garris

[runawayjim]

I wonder if a new owner is taking over. Or maybe it's just time to clean since spring is here - and it might take awhile.

Young China used to be my favorite "joint" close to Providence, until the old lady sold the place. Good food, "atmosphere" unchanged since the 70s. One day after the sale, I ordered Chicken Chow Mein and I opened the box to find chow mein smothering my crunchy noodles (yes, they were all soggy under the mein, not on the side in a bag), with dry pieces of boneless chicken on the top. So, needless to say, I haven't been to East Providence for Chinese since.

Somebody on the board recommended China Jade in Johnston for General Tso's, but IMO it was average and the egg roll was soggy. My quest for the best GTC continues.

try the plan on smith st... yun nan or something like that. all the food i've gotten from there has been excellent.

[JimmyGreaves]

Other than the Garden City restaurants, can anyone suggest some good lunch places near the zoo where I can take my relatives? Thanks.

[Garris]

try the plan on smith st... yun nan or something like that. all the food i've gotten from there has been excellent.

Just a second opinion on Yun Nan... I've been there several times, and I think it's completely forgettable. Very average.

But the only way to know will be to try yourself!

- Garris

[Jenkins]

Just wondering if anyone has recently been back to Bravo, say in the last month, and how was it? I know they had some mixed reviews in the beginning. I'm having some friends in from out of town Saturday night, and am trying to plan the night for both dinner and drinks. Thinking of doing Bravo because then we could easily walk to Tazza afterwards for dinner.