At Home Dining: Potato + Leek

An Evening at Gracie's

The expectation was set for Gracie's in Providence. This, however, does not necessarily mean that it was high. I was mindful that the previous chef had left earlier in the year, and his sous chef, who begun working garde manger at the restaurant years ago (cold appetizers, or the "beginner" station on the line) was now the chef. Gacie's menu is influenced by the season, generally, and uses local ingredients, when possible, to create what I describe as contemporary American cuisine. The menu reads similar to many restaurants including some I have worked at in San Francisco. In these types of restaurants, execution is key; quality ingredients speak for themselves, but how you prepare these ingredients is what elevates dishes from 'good' to 'superb'. At Gracie's what begun as a five course dinner chosen as a pre-fixe menu, turned into nine long courses, and ended as an admirable culinary effort.

Before sitting down we had cocktails from their $5 specials' list. I chose a drink (vodka, ginger beer and cucumber), which was extremely sweet, and more of a summer beverage, not necessarily what one craves on a chilly fall night. We waited a bit before sitting at our table, partly because the hostess was busy on the floor. The restaurant was not full, probably six tables, but throughout the night the service was terribly slow. We did not mind since we were there to dine and enjoy a night out, but the frustration was evident in fellow diners.

The first amuse bouche was peaches, with Shy Brothers Farm Cloumage (creamy cheese made from cow's milk), honey, and a plush of chervil. Peaches are not in season; they were bland which makes me believe the honey was used to overcompensate for the lack of flavor.Next an oyster with a sweet marmalade and radish sliver showed potential, but the oyster was not cold. Temperature, I realize, affects the brininess that is characteristic of oysters.

The first dish was a beet salad with mache, pea greens, endive, candied pecans and celery seed creme fraiche. The beets were beautifully cooked (sous vide we assume). The salad was fresh and light, but the candied pecans were unnececessary. The beets provided sweetness, which made the presence of another sweet element uneccessary. I would have preferred some other ingredient for texture.

Second course was their hand rolled gnocchi with braised short ribs, mushrooms, and mirepoix. The dish overall worked very well. The braised meat had good flavor. The gnocchi were cooked to the point that a second longer would have turned them into mush. The diced carrots and celery did have a bite, and while I understand that they added to the rustic concept of the dish, their only purpose was to add color to the monotone dish. The dish however was on the verge of being too salty.

Next we had seared Hudson Valley foie gras, with nougatine, and apples- a familiar combination. The foie gras was nicely cooked, but on its own was very salty. When eaten with the cake like nougatine, and the sweet gastrique, the saltiness was less evident, but each component should be able to stand on its own.

Veal sweetbreads ensued with cauliflower puree, lentils and a sunny side quail egg. I love sweetbreads and was hoping it was a dish the chef would select for us when choosing our tasting. The sweetbreads were deep fried. The end product is tender (to my relief) but the taste of fryer oil cheapened the normally delicate flavor. The lentils, which were nicely cooked, were over salted, and their richness made the quail egg irrelevant to the dish.

Scallops were served with Marcona almond puree, greens, blood orange and blood orange vinaigrette. The richness and creaminess of the scallops and the purees made me desire more acidity; the dish could have used more of the blood orange vinaigrette and less puree.

"Mid course" we were brought a raspberry sorbet, since sorbets are served to cleanse the palate. The rabbit with butternut squash puree, chestnuts, poached cranberries, and turnip was our last savory course. The rabbit was meant to be a roullade with forcemeat stuffed into the breast. The meat was cooked tender (sous vide), but there was little distinction between the layers (like I have seen in similar preparations using this technique). The chestnuts had a mealy texture. The dish had nice flavors, but could have used more of the poached cranberries since they brought brightness and acidity to the dish.

A tasting of cheese, which I can never resist, was a bit unmemorable. The set that stood out was Shy Brothers Farm Hannahbells (thimble shaped, hand made cheese) with a spicy pepper preserve made in house, which was a bit overpowering for the cheese, but unique nonetheless.

Dessert was a sneak peek to Thanksgiving dinner- pumpkin cheesecake with cherry "marmalade". The cheesecake was not overly sweet; the pumpkin flavor was subtle.

The chef went above and beyond with all the courses. The dinner was good, and a stand out in Rhode Island standards. But outside of this small state, Gracie's falls behind the excellent restaurants. The concept of the cuisine and construction of dishes does show knowledge of flavor combinations and some technique, but some weakness lies in execution. The tasting experience was well rounded and proved that the chef has potential.

Johnny's Peking Tokyo

That there would be a local sushi spot with good tasting sushi, reminiscent of any of the restaurants one can easily find in cities like New York and San Francisco, I thought was an impossibility...until Johnny's Peking Tokyo in Mystic. The unassuming location in a small shopping center, let alone the name of the restaurant itself, would have never drawn me to the restaurant. Peking Tokyo came as a recommendation; the best one I have received since my move to Rhode Island. The seafood is fresh. The raw fish has a delicate taste. The daily specials bring unique fish to the menu like Madai (red bream) and Otoro (fatty tuna), and a selection of composed rolls like the Rainbow Caviar (spicy salmon and tempura flakes topped with colorful tobiko) and the Black Dragon (shrimp tempura topped with eel, avocado, and eel sauce). Peking's is a wonderful surprise, and after my second visit, I can't wait to return.

At Home Dining: Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower + Onion+ Garlic + Water + Olive Oil + Lemon Juice

Matunuck Oyster Bar

Matunuck Oyster Bar is the epitome of what is casual, what is New England, and what is seafood. Set overlooking Potter Pond in East Matunuck, which is in fact a nursery where oysters are harvested for the restaurant and other markets, Matunuck's serves farm-raised and wild caught seafood, complemented by local ingredients sourced from nearby farmers. The deck allows guests to enjoy fresh seafood and cocktails- perfect for dining in the summer. Inside, the restaurant has a raw bar where oysters are shucked endlessly and patrons can stand around and taste the different varieties. A lobster tank in the back of the small restaurant allows guests to pick their own lobster. Dishes are simple and straight forward, the fare includes the classics (think lobster bisque, fish and chips, calamari) and portions are more than generous. The wait tends to be long (45 minutes when I dined) but made painless by the raw bar's constant action. Matunuck's is a Rhode Island must.

Too Much at Red Stripe

The Red Stripe American Brasserie in Narragansett, one of two in Rhode Island, is described in their website as:

Red Stripe is a traditional brasserie with an edge. Classic, and unique. Red Stripe has the distinction of being upscale yet relaxed, where you will find people from all walks of life enjoying their dining experience. Red Stripe serves comfort food with a French influence – simple in context, yet refined in taste. Food that is reasonably priced and made with passion!

This is far from the dinner experience I had. Inside the decor is a bit confusing. Like in other brasseries, they have wine bottle displayed, round white lamps above the tables, warm colored walls, and large art prints. In the dinning room, some tables have large red and black banquets, which made me feel like I was at a diner. The bar has a free floating display of liquor bottles inside of it; more fitting for a trendy city bar, not a restaurant that gives crayons to children to draw on the table.

The menu was extensive; comparable to the Cheesecake Factory, with somewhat diverse selections worth mentioning: burgers, pizzas, appetizers, salads, seafood,fried seafood, sandwiches pork, chicken, Jamaican selection, and Italian selection. I guess the large portions can be interpreted as comforting, but the French influence is weak and with dishes like taco fritos de la playa negra and veal parmesan they should not make such a distinct claim.

We ordered the Red Strip mussels cooked with shallots, Red Stripe beer, garlic, tomato, pesto and cream, while we took our time to read the entire menu. We decided to order several things to share. When the mussels arrived, in mini iron pans, we did not have plates, and our server was m.i.a. We started eating them, since we did not want them to get cold, and we realized that they were sandy. When our server finally came around, we told her, and she took them away and said she would put in a new order. I would have preferred to order something else, since if there was sand the whole batch is still sandy, but she rushed off.

The rest of our food all arrived soon after, although we had requested they get sent out when ready. A pizza does not take the same amount of time as a soup! The "New Heaven" clam pizza, with garlic, parmesan cheese, chopped clams, and green onion was disappointing. First, it did not have green onion and there was an excessive amount of cheese (a common denominator at Red Strip) which made the thin crust very soggy. The baked French onion soup was extremely weak, as if it had been made with vegetable or chicken stock, and it was very greasy. The Jamaican jerk chicken wings, served with banana guava ketchup, was probably the best part of our meal. They were sweet and a bit spicy, although traditional Jamaican jerk spice is more spicy than sweet. My beau suggested it needed acidity, so we ordered limes, and the squirt of juice did make an amazing difference. It masked the sweetness, which was so predominant, and brought out the spiciness. The banana guava ketchup was as unappealing as it sounds. It was a thick paste made of browned bananas and its sweetness made no sense with the already sweet wings. The second mussels arrived, and to no ones surprise, they still had sand, and we sent them back. Worked out well since the rest of the food was ample. We finished full with food left on the plate.

Red Stripe is a place of excess, which is to their detriment. If they limited their menu, they could be more successful with the execution of dishes. They should also assess the actual approach to the dishes in terms of ingredients and preparation. Narrowing down their focus could be beneficial to them. Too many ideas are in place but their is little harmony among the different concepts. I hope they take a step back and reflect; they have potential.

More Seafood at the Ancient Mariner

Like many of the other local restaurants I have visited since moving to the Rhode Island/ Connecticut area, the Ancient Mariner in Mystic is a casual restaurant that specializes in seafood, like the name implies. The menu, like in many of the other restaurants I have tried, does not stop with mussels, clams, and the daily catch; the Mariner also serves chop house style fare, New England classic dishes (think Yankee Post Roast) and burgers.

The space is made to look like a nautical museum with oars hanging from the ceiling, blue wooden panels lining the walls and booths, and prints of old Mystic steamboats hanging from the walls.

For old times sake, we ordered an onion soup, which made well can be delicious (and very different from the Campbell's version which has been desecrated to make casseroles and other "family" meals). The signs of a good onion soup: evident acidity, rich color, bubbling and browning of cheese. Their onion soup was all the above and more, so much that we ordered a seconds.

Since we were in the mood of sharing, we ordered the Mariners Treasure Chest- clams casino, oysters Rockefeller, Stuffies, and popcorn shrimp. This did not prove to be as amazing as the soup. The biggest let down were the clams, which instead of diced bacon and a heap of toasted breadcrumbs, there was a slice of bacon (the length of the clam) and a light sprinkle of breadcrumbs. It was slightly insulting. The oysters were an improvement, with a savory creamed spinach on top. The stuffies, quintessential Rhode Island, were decent. The quahogs are mixed with an excessive amount of breadcrumbs to make what seemed like a bread crumb Matzoh ball in the half shell. To my opinion, and this was my first stuffie, this preparation completely hides the clam's flavor. The popcorn shrimp was good; it was fried and had a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Easy.

From the specials' menu, we ordered a blackened salmon Caesar salad. This was disappointing. The salmon was under seasoned, and completely dry. Salmon can be blackened on the grill without drying; its all about timing.

For dessert, we ordered a brownie Sunday. Chocolate, ice cream, and fudge- ultimate indulgence.

The Ancient Mariner has a good selection of items, although not all might be hits, which makes the restaurant a good choice for a low key meal, in a laid back setting, with friendly service.