RI Food Trucks Are UnBOOlievable

It’s well known that Providence likes its food, and when that food can come to you — all the better!

Providence’s Food Trucks give a whole new meaning to meals on wheels. You won’t find boring burgers or sad at these windows. Rather a myriad of gourmet experiences that span the globe, are packed with flavor and boast an impressive ingredient provenance. Most importantly they rock up in the best of lunchtime, weekend and late night locations.

Never truer is that last statement than this coming Halloween. FoodsTrucksIn.com, the premier site for all things related in RI (and indeed across the country), has teamed up with Roger Williams Park to bring us their spookily brilliant, ‘UnBOOlieveable Festival.’ With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, I certainly know where I’ll be trick or treating.

To celebrate their stormingly successful summer of Food Truck Friday events at Roger Williams’ Carousel Village, a veritable hoard of trucks will be descending on the park once more to close out the season in style.

This all-day event has something for all the family and is free to attend. Gates open at 11am to Roger Williams Park’s first ever Halloween party in the park, and the trucks start serving shortly after at 11:30am. In addition to the foodie spectacle, a fete of arts and crafts vendors, farmers, live musicians and many more treats will be filling the park with fall color right on through till 5pm. The soundtrack of the day will be kept upbeat by Keith Munslow and the SuperChief Trio who will be playing from 11am-2pm, and rumor has it that Extraordinary Rendition Band will be making an appearance!

There is no fear of going hungry at this event with between 15 and 20 trucks on the docket! Some favorites include: Championship Melt, Fancheezical, Gotta “Q” BBQ, Mijo’s and O’Crepe.

Trinity Brewhouse will also be in attendance serving beer and wine for the grown-up trick or treaters.

Those with little ghouls and ghosts in tow can be sure to keep sugar fueled minds occupied with rides on the beautiful 1890s carousel and a free food truck trick or treat session from 2 – 4pm for costumed monsters 12 years old and younger.

For those looking to up their Halloween game this year, why not treat yourselves with a tricked out VIP experience? Eric Weiner of FoodTricksIn.com gave me the low down on the VIP package: “Each VIP Experience comes with a 2-hour reserved picnic table (outside) or banquet table (inside) for up to 8 people, soda or water for each person, and up to 8 carousel rides.” Availability is limited so be sure to email [email protected] for more details and to book your spot.

Anyone looking to round off the day in especially spooky style should stick around for the penultimate night of the park’s Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular. Made up of 5,000 carved pumpkins, 100 of which can only be described as works of art, they cast an eerily beautiful glow across the park as the sun goes down and the sprits come out!

So whether you’re looking to consume a scary amount of dangerously delicious food, let your costumed kiddies run riot or just have a freaky fright night full of fun, be sure to put this unBOOlievable date in your diary!

You can find more information at FoodTrucksIn.com, over at facebook.com/foodtrucksin, or on rwpzoo.org. The Unboolievable Festival takes place on October 31 from 11am – 5pm.

Who Let the Dogs Out? Downcity Dog Days at Aurora

It’s Tuesday, which is pretty much just Monday dressed a bit fancier, and you’re sitting at your desk, entirely not on Facebook trying to waste those last few minutes before the clock strikes five and you can blow this popsicle stand and find your first after-work libation. But, you have to ask, where the heck are we going to go?

Forgo the post 5pm road rage that comes with fighting your way to a parking spot at an out-of-town watering hole. Instead, claim one of the street-side seats out front of 276 Westminster St, and watch those not in the know beating a path elsewhere while you already have a cold one in hand.

This old dog has a whole host of new tricks — the space that was once Root’s Café and previously Providence Black Repertory Company is now the stellar downtown events venue and bar, Aurora. After establishing themselves as a primo downtown music venue, Aurora is now asking Providence to join them in an after work tipple, hot dogs and some awesome giveaways.

2014 © Cat Laine.

Every dog has its day — for Aurora those days are every Tues beginning June 9 and continuing bi- weekly through Aug as they host InDowncity’s Dog Days.

InDowncity (indowncity.com) is one of the groups that shout the loudest when it comes to the community atmosphere of the downtown neighborhood. Representing the independent businesses that line Westminster St and beyond, InDowncity is known for creating a party in the city; they produce the annual Cinco De Mayo Block Party as well as the summer open air cinema, Movies on the Block (moviesontheblock.com), which enters its ninth season this year.

Together Aurora and InDowncity are inviting weary 9-5ers to take a load off, grab a free and order something at the bar. Known for their grown-up Slurpee-style cocktails, Aurora’s frozen drinks machine will be churning away in readiness filled with, among others, my favorite: the Painkiller. A much tastier hair-of-the-dog alternative to Advil, it’s made with Wings of Steel rum, orange, pineapple, rum, lime, coconut, rum and … er, more rum.

The mirror backed, neon chalk adorned bar menu also has a respectable collection of drafts including Downeast Cider, Baxter Coconut Porter, Founders Nitro Stout and Berkshire Steel Rail Pale. There is something for every dog-tired palate.

Sweet treats from Ellie’s Bakery’s Millie the macaron cart will be available for those who crave a little ice cream with their grown-up drinks.

There’s also something for every level of physical enthusiasm for post work bevvies; the lounge banquettes and mellow soundtrack are perfect for those for whom a walk to the bar is quite enough exertion, thanks very much. For those who prefer their after work drinks a little more dynamic, ping pong and corn hole will be on hand to cause someone to get a little over-competitive and buy the next round.

Make sure you’re not barking up the wrong tree and keep up-to-date with all the Aurora happenings via their Twitter (@auroraprov), Instagram (@auroraprov) and website (auroraprovidence.com).

InDowncity’s Dog Days at Aurora; Tues in June, July and August from 5 – 7pm

Food Trucks Are Rolling in the Summer Streets

Food trucks are a huge part of PVD’s food scene. A summer event is not complete without a line of colorful vehicles hugging the curb, and a melee of piquant, sweet and savory aromas seasoning the air.

Eric Weiner of FoodTrucksIn.com, an online database listing over 5,400 food trucks in over 1,100 cities, is excited to see the new wave of food trucks this summer.

“Summer is the season of the food truck. May to October, when you have so many outdoor events, graduations, weddings and parties is the time you’ll see new trucks on the street, which is great. I love the mixture of stories behind the trucks — there’s lots of opportunities for unique concepts,” said Weiner.

With the new city administration under Mayor Elorza showing willingness to adjust city ordinances to be much more food truck friendly, Weiner hopes that a new large scale, regular food truck meet up will be in PVD’s future. Right now you can find a great collection of trucks, between eight and 10, every Friday through June at the Carousel Village in Roger Williams Park Zoo.

Though there are some stalwart favorites among the Providence food truck roster, the exciting newcomers to the mobile muchery game this year have got Rhody tummies rumbling:

Buddah Belly

Who’s behind the wheel?: Paul Gervais

Launch Date: September 2014

Menu Ethos: Bringing truly authentic Chinese food to the streets of Providence

Favourite dish on the menu? “My favorite is the Chinese Style Crepe or Jian Bing in Chinese. It is arguably THE number 1 Chinese . People actually get excited when they order it from me! Or, maybe the Beijing Soup …. or maybe it’s the Buddha Wings because the sauce is AMAZING!! This is hard … I can’t pick just one!”

What’s your background, food or otherwise? “In the winter of 2008 I took my first class at JWU; just one! In 2009 I made the commitment to go full time while working a full time job. I graduated in May 2013. It was, a long, hard five years of my life, but totally worth it!”

Where to find the truck: Check out their Facebook (facebook.com/BuddhaBellyRI), Twitter (twitter.com/buddhabellyri), Foodtrucksin.com, BuddhaBellyFoodTruck.com or call 401.529.7425 for up-to-date details on where to get your Jian Bing on!

Citizen Wing

Who’s driving the truck?: Nick Lefebvre and Amy Lavoie

Launch Date: April 2014

Menu Ethos: Citizen Wing serves up gourmet wings and comfort food with a twist. Their motto is “Local, Fresh, Goodness.” CW source many of their ingredients locally and seasonally, from places like Antonelli’s Poultry on Federal Hill, Yacht club soda, Wrights dairy farm in North Smithfield and from local farmers through Farm Fresh RI. Partnering with Foolproof Brewery, their specialty Backyahd IPA beer-brined wings and Raincloud Porter BBQ Sauce are unique to the truck. Plus, everything is made from scratch!

Favourite dish on the menu? “My personal favorite creations are the VOLCANIC ASH wings, which [are flavoured with] New Harvest roasters Honduran coffee, fig jam, cardamom and habaneros. I would have to say my other favorite dish is our chicken and ! We top a jalapeno-cumin Belgian with buttermilk- and a scoop of our house made cheddar ice cream, which is our play on a pat of butter. We serve it with a side of maple syrup or chicken gravy. The end result is a sweet and savory dish that is messy but delicious.” – Nick

What’s your background, food or otherwise? “I am a Johnson & Wales graduate and have been cooking since 1998. I first started as a sous chef for the Alves family who owned the original Portofino’s in Warwick. I own the truck with my girlfriend Amy [Lavoie] who handles the event planning and logistics.” Where to find the truck: You can usually find Citizen Wing serving lunch at Kennedy Plaza on Mon and Tues, and at Street Eats and Oldies in East Providence on Thurs. They are also a regular feature of city and statewide events such as The Providence Flea, Farmer’s Markets and Beer Festivals.

For more details check them out at foodtrucksin.com/citizen-wing, their facebook (facebook.com/CitizenWing), twitter (twitter.com/citizenwings), or their website: Citizenwing.com.

Ice Cream Tricycle

Who’s peddling the tricycle?: David Cass and Gio Salvador

Launch Date: May 2014

Menu Ethos: “We aim to use as many fresh local ingredients to create an ice cream that is delicious and unique. Often we get inspiration for flavors from our friends and customers or from our ice cream memories from childhood.”

Favorite dish on the menu? “That’s a tough question. Usually it’s the Callebatt Ice Cream on a Salty Shortbread .”

What’s your background, food or otherwise? David was born in Westerly but has called PVD home for the last 10 years. A graduate of Providence College, he teaches during the non-ice cream season at The Met School. He’s also the owner of another RI staple, Pirate Pedicab in Newport!

Gio, originally from San Diego, moved to PVD to pursue his culinary dreams. A recent graduate of Johnson and Wales University, he has always dreamed of owning an ice cream business.

Where to find the tricycle: During the summer the ice cream tricycle will be peddling up to many of Providence’s essential warm weather events such as The Providence Flea, Armory Farmer’s Market and Hope Street Farmer’s Market.

Keep up to date with everything ice cream via the Tricycle’s facebook page (facebook.com/tricycleicecreamri), twitter (twitter.com/tricycleri) or instagram (instagram.com/tricycles.ri), and salivate over past and present flavors on their website: tricycleicecream.com.

The Man

Who’s driving the truck?: Russell Spellman

Launch Date: Fall 2013

Menu Ethos: The Salad Man keeps it fresh, light and healthy with juices, smoothies, rice bowls, , , sandwiches and tacos.

Favorite dish on the menu? “I love all the items on the menu. But our customers enjoy our smoothies, our Asian rice bowl and burritos.”

What’s your background, food or otherwise? “I have always loved to cook. I started cooking when I was 5 years old! I went to culinary school in New York [then] started a catering company [there]. In 2010 we moved to RI with the passion to open a restaurant. We opened our food truck, which is serving as a stepping stone to opening our restaurant.”

Where to find the truck: Find The Salad Man all over Rhode Island! To tie him down check out his facebook page (facebook.com/ItsSaladMan), twitter (twitter.com/itssaladman) or the website itssaladman.com. If you fancy seeing what you’ll be able to order, hop on YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/Saladmanjuicebar) for some play-by-play rice bowl action!

O’Crepe

Who’s driving the truck?: Brian Sousa

Launch Date: August 14, 2014

Menu Ethos: “Our menu is really centered around the crepe itself. We wanted to make sure that the actual crepe was delicious on its own. Then we just thought of things we would like to eat ourselves … in a crepe! Simple ingredients are key, [and] we are slowly stepping into the locally sourced realm by introducing local honey and, soon, locally sourced maple syrup.”

Favorite dish on the menu? “My favorite crepe on the menu is what we call the EP, Short for East Providence. I’m Portuguese so this crepe is [a] nod to my culture and to the neighborhood of East Providence. It has slices of Sao Jorge , prosciutto, quince marmalade and [is] brushed with some butter to finish. [It’s] my crepe version of a Portuguese breakfast.”

What’s your background, food or otherwise? “I’m a graduate of Johnson & Wales (‘08) in Food Service Management and have worked in the industry in sales and management roles. This is my first go at operating my own business.”

Where to find the truck: Find the truck daily through Facebook (facebook.com/ocreperi), on twitter (twitter.com/ocreperi), or the website: ocreperi.com.

Eat Local: There Are Still Plenty of Treats to Be Enjoyed

With the nights drawing in and the first snow having fallen (albeit a very light dusting!) Winter is well and truly on its way.

That doesn’t mean that seasonal treats are lacking, though; now is the time for hearty winter squashes, robust leafed greens, warm spices and sweet roasted nuts and dried berries.

Roasting is your friend when the days get colder; it brings out the rich flavors of vegetables, intensifies sweetness and creates delicious texture. Loaded Squash- Serves 4

Spaghetti squash is an incredible vehicle for all kinds of saucy goodness. Unlike the mashed potato texture of many other cooked squashes, the flesh of the appropriately named spaghetti variety dissolves into delicate strands when steamed to tenderness.

3lb Spaghetti Squash

1lb Sweet Italian

6oz Leeks (with the very tough dark green tops removed)

1/4 pint Heavy Cream

4oz Cheddar Cheese 1 tablespoon Butter

Salt and Pepper

Cut the squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds and straggly innards and discard. Lay the squash cut side down on a baking dish, splash over a little water (a couple of tablespoons), and cover with foil.

Bake at 400F for half an hour. Check that the squash is cooked by giving it a jab with a fork. The tines should slide through the flesh easily. Turn the squash halves over and allow to steam, uncovered, while you prepare the rest of the filling. This will allow a lot of the excess water to evaporate from the squash and result in a lovely rich, baked finished dish.

Slice the lengthways, peel away the casings and discard. Slice the leeks finely and fry in the butter. When the leeks have softened a little add in the sausage meat. Mash the sausage with a spatial or wooden spoon to break it into bite-sized pieces, fry until the meat is cooked through and starting to crisp and brown in places.

Use a fork to scrape the flesh of the squash into a large bowl; don’t break or tear the squash skins as you will be stuffing them to be baked again.

The fork will separate the strands. Give the squash a bit of a mix to completely loosen up the spaghetti- ness, but don’t mash it. The strands are delicate but will retain their shape when mixed gently.

Add the leeks and sausage to the bowl along with the cream and combine. Season to taste, then divide into the squash shells equally and top generously with grated cheese.

Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.

Each squash side should satisfy two people; serve with some sautéed kale or chard for a hearty winter supper.

Spiced Whole Cauliflower Roast– Serves 4 with sides

Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable; it can be mashed and enriched with cream and butter for a comfort food feat, finely diced and steamed as a skinny rice substitute or, like this recipe, roasted whole for a show-stopping center piece to a vegetarian dinner.

1 whole head of cauliflower

2 tablespoons greek yogurt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried chili flakes

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 teaspoon dried parsley

3 or 4 cardamom pods – split with the seeds removed salt and pepper olive oil for roasting

Mix the yogurt with the spices, salt and pepper until they make a thick burnt umber paste.

Peel back the green leaves of the cauliflower and cut away the stalk that protrudes from the bottom of the cauliflower head. You want it to remain as one whole piece, but with as much stalk removed as you can without it breaking into hemispheres.

Place the cauliflower, stalk side down, in a baking tray and slather it with the paste. Use the back of a spoon to coat every part of the milky white surface.

Pop the cauliflower in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour; if you can leave it overnight, all the better.

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400F. Drizzle a little olive oil over the cauliflower, this will help the surface crisp, then roast for about 35-40 minutes until the yogurt crust is golden brown.

Serve in great wedges with rice, minted yogurt dressing and a fresh simple salad of red onion and fragrant flat leaf parsley.

Bacon and Chestnut Sprouts– serves 4 as a side dish

Brussels sprouts are a subject of much division, especially back home in England where the tendency is to over cook them and leave them bitter and mushy.

Sprouts can be successfully boiled or steamed until just tender, tossed in herbed butter and be delicious, but they are particularly good when shredded, sautéed and mixed with !

12oz Fresh Brussels Sprouts

6 oz Bacon

1 lb Whole Chestnuts (if you can get then pre-peeled then only 6oz)

If, like me, you are unable to find prepared chestnuts, it’s best to get these sorted before you start on anything else. Cut a small nick into each of the chestnut shells and tumble into a pan of boiling water. Simmer on a high heat for 15 minutes before draining and leaving to cool. Once cooled, you will need to peel back the tough outer layer and as much of the softer, thinner layer inside as you can. The softer inner layer is a bit like the skin of a peanut. Ideally you don’t want to eat it, but a little bit isn’t going to be a terrible disaster.

While the chestnuts are cooking, you can slice up the sprouts, if you want to have a very fine texture you can use a mandolin to shave them into thin ribbons, but I like a bit of bite so I aim to cut each sprout into about four slices.

Slice the bacon into small pieces and fry in a large sauté pan with a little touch of oil to get the bacon crisping. When the bacon is browned and crispy, tumble in the sprouts to sauté in the bacon fat. The sprouts will take about 10 minus on a medium high heat if you go for my chunkier style slicing; if you’ve gone super thin they’ll be done in about 5.

Keep moving the sprouts around the pan so that they cook evenly; some will catch a little more color than others because of the bacon fat, but this will add to the flavor.

When the sprout are cooked, tender and a little browned here and there, turn out the heat under the pan and crumble in the chestnuts. The chestnuts will add sweetness and further texture, keep some in larger chunks (about a quarter of the whole nut) and some a lovely little crumbles that will coat the sprouts.

These are great served warm alongside a traditional Thanksgiving dinner or as a fine accompaniment to roasted chicken.

Locale Profile: The Village

Located in the Jewelry District on Richmond Street, The Village is the newest incarnation for the building that has most recently been home to the Southern-style brunch spot, Succotash.

Heading out on a bright and beautiful autumnal day to catch breakfast at this new haunt, I was keen to see if The Village’s menu would live up to the great brunch sessions I enjoyed at its predecessor.

First, it’s only fair to say that The Village is not exclusively a brunch spot, offering itself as “a café, bruncheonette, bar, and live music and dance club.” The Village is keen to impress a wide demographic.

The first thing that’s immediately noticeable upon entering The Village is the atmosphere; while everyone is polite and welcoming, the decor is clearly geared more to their nighttime set-up. No doubt enhanced by the incredibly bright day we were entering from, the space, with its dark walls, stage and dance floor area, was certainly a stark contrast to the sunny day we stepped in from. With a little help from a pretty votive candle and the incredibly sunny disposition of our server, we found our table and got stuck into the menu.

One of the first things I noticed (possibly as a non-American to whom mental sales tax arithmetic still causes a major mind-melting moment at the end of the meal) was that tax is included in all the prices. Many a time I’ve seen a crowd of hungover students almost crying with the effort of splitting the bill between 20 of them after a booze-absorbing breakfast. This seems like an incredibly simple and elegant way of making the place incredibly seductive for large groups, the lure for hungover youngsters starting to make sense of the low lighting.

The second thing, also related to price, is how entirely reasonable it was. It’s often tricky to find a happy middle ground between cheap and cheerful diner style dining and upscale fancy brunching; while the menu was concise, it had all the key brunch players in place and didn’t appear to be charging for the privilege of having a votive candle and ice water at the table.

My Bloody Mary (c’mon, it’s brunch — of course I ordered a Bloody Mary) was rich and mellowly spiced, while the coffee was hot, fresh and kept on coming.

We ordered up a bunch of brunch, partly because we were hungry and partly because the prices made it seem rude not to.

Looking around the space while we waited for our orders, there were more signs that The Village is keen to impress its late night crowd. While not to the detriment of the exclusively daytime visitors, it feels a bit like brunch might be geared more toward those who were leaning over the neon-pink-bubble- tube-backed bar the night before, rather than the organic crowd on their way back from the farmers market.

We didn’t have long to take in the surroundings as our food arrived in incredible time. While speed of service is always hoped for, when it comes to breakfast I feel the quicker you can get hungry people fed the far happier they will be. Suffice to say we were delighted.

A basket of warm crumbly biscuits with a pot of sweet butter were up first. Generous in size, rich in texture and delicious with a savory hint of cheddar alongside the sweet butter, these biscuits confirmed we were in for a darn good brunch.

I went for the staple chicken and waffles and my brunch buddy plumped for the hash brown skillet with cheese and egg, which might be my new ‘the morning after the night before’ go-to.

Served up in an individual hot skillet, the base of hash brown was generously topped with egg, cheese, and (in his case) a serious portion of steak. With the option to build your own, the skillet opens up the options for brunch to -like levels, with various available toppings listed according to price to choose from with gay abandon.

Baked in the skillet, the hash soaks up the juices from the toppings, has the egg and cheese melt into it, and crisps around the edges like a stone-cooked Korean bibimbap. Simple in its essence, this all-in-one style cooking was honest, plentiful and delicious.

My chicken and waffles, while not the largest portion of protein I’ve ever been served, was spot-on flavor wise. Again, the emphasis seems to be doing classic or simple cooking well, getting it to the customers quickly, and making the entire transaction easy.

Rather than gargantuan, greedy and somewhat bloated serving sizes that are rife throughout many brunch spots in the city, the portion sizes at The Village are very astute. Though I must admit to at first being a little disappointed with the amount of chicken on my waffles, I finished my meal with waffles to spare, feeling completely replete and rather thankful there hadn’t been another tender daring me to consume it.

Service was attentive, swift and incredibly friendly, with calls of farewell from behind the bar as we left after settling the bill.

The Village is more than ‘cheap and cheerful,’ it is good value with great service. The whole experience is simple, easy and totally geared toward dining with friends, which really is the best way to enjoy brunch. While I’m yet to hit their new dance floor, belt out a karaoke classic or catch the game there, I’m certain that if I do I’ll be back the following morning ordering a skillet.

The Village, 373 Richmond St, Providence, 401-228-7222, thevillageri.com

Locale Profile: The Salted Slate

The new kid on the Wayland Square block, The Salted Slate, opened its doors in July. Occupying the former Farmstead location on Wayland Avenue and with Chef Ben Lloyd at its helm (a 10-year veteran of the Providence culinary scene), The Salted Slate’s menu reads like a who’s who of fabulous local producers and a what’s what of homemade delights.

I’ve been lucky enough to sample their brunch menu previously (FYI: it’s all about that chubby duckling), but heading out for dinner I couldn’t wait to try the evening offering.

The space is beautiful; I hadn’t been to the space in it’s former incarnation so couldn’t directly comment on the changes, but the final result is wonderful. The warm wooden floors and neutral walls are a natural-toned backdrop to the soapstone bar, chunky high tops on industrial metal stands and (surprisingly comfortable!) high-backed vintage-style barstools.

Awash with candlelight and adorned with eclectic seasonal flowers, the space feels honest, warm and incredibly welcoming.

We sat to the left of the bar, which, having sat at the section to the right of the bar for brunch, I have to say I prefer. Rather than the vintage, industrial-style high tops and stools, the area to the right of the open-shelved bar backdrop hosts traditional style tables and chairs. Should I have been visiting with family this would be ideal, but as a young couple our bar side location was spot on for us!

Having glanced over the menu prior to arriving, because obviously, I was really excited to try some of the sharing dishes. Normally the idea of sharing food brings me out in a rash. I’m fiercely protective of my portions and have only just started letting my husband nibble things from my plate. We’ve been together eight years. Sharing dishes, to me, should in fact be dishes you can actually share. There’s nothing worse than a menu extorting the virtues of its sharing menu, only to have some tiny little thing arrive. My hunter-gather instincts kick in and the red mist of food claiming frenzy descend.

Sharing dishes are supposed to evoke feelings of comfort food piled plentifully high and apportioned with gay abandon. The Mac and Cheese and Waygu Meat Balls did just that, with options on portions size depending on your appetite and ability to share, these two were the first dishes we knew would end up in our tummies.

Wanting to test the slate for its integrity when it comes to local ingredients and homemade produce, we also ordered the Blackbird Farm Tartar and their [Our] Own Ricotta.

The comfortable atmosphere made the wait for the food zip by, a gentle hum of good conversation wafting from tables packed with friends, couples and families, the dusk outside turning the space into a glowing hub on Wayland Avenue.

The space is one that I would happily bring anyone to, be it an easy afterwork drink with colleagues, showing off the city to visiting family or, as we were that evening, on a date with someone you really, really fancy.

Our starters arrived, quite aptly, on great organic rectangles of natural slate, seasoned with cloudy crystalline flakes of sea salt. Rather than a nod at its moniker, this was out and out whiplash; however, far from feeling gimmicky, the simplicity of the components and of the restaurant’s name itself made its presence subtly whimsical and raised a smile from us both.

Topped with a plump, bright quail egg, the Blackbird Farm Tartar looked incredibly impressive, the soft, tender beef delivering a buttery, rich flavor, pricked here and there with tastebud-waking pinches of sharp caper. The accompanying giant potato crisps, cooked to a dark brown, were earthy with a satisfying and substantial crunch.

As a contrast to the richness of the tartar, the Our Own Ricotta was light and sweet, creamy but not heavy. Its artichoke pesto partner was zingy and fresh, the pair sitting atop the home-baked sun-dried ciabatta slices beautifully. The portions were generous, something I find can be lacking when the ingredients are of such high quality and the craftsmanship so invested, but not so that we had that stab of regret over the imminent arrival of our entrees.

We didn’t have to wait long for the heaping pile of Waygu Meatballs, sat in a rich puddle of taleggio polenta, and the piping hot plate of Mac and Cheese in the form of bacon and four-cheese-stuffed jumbo shells to arrive.

We opted for the smaller versions of each so as to allow for maximum taste testing. I did it all for you dear readers, honest. The presentation of the meatballs atop a handled wooden board made for easy sharing; the taste, however, did not. The minute that Waygu passed my lips I knew I would struggle to share.

Rich and meaty, with a wholesome texture, those meatballs certainly lived up to the standard their Japanese provenance set. You could be forgiven for worrying that a meatball was not the place for such a cut of meat, but their form did nothing but make me want to make balls a much bigger part of my life.

The Mac and Cheese was what mac and cheese for grown-ups should look like. Bold with its four cheese stuffing and seasoned perfectly by the crisp bacon, this was not your average mac.

Whilst the clean, fresh flavors of our two incredible appetizers were delicious, I find myself more impressed by the skill it takes to elevate the time old classics of meatballs and mac and cheese to a level of excellence Chef Lloyd has. To so do while retaining the comfort food style and not deconstructing it to oblivion is even more impressive.

Our meal was topped off with a battle of forks over Nanny’s Pineapple Cake, served alongside a not overly sweet burnt sugar ice cream, and seasonal pear and ginger chutney.

The Salted Slate has done a storming job of shooting up my list of ‘must visits’ in Providence. With its easy atmosphere, honest menu filled with ingredients of exceptional provenance and quality, plus a check so reasonable I feared we were doing a dine and dash, I’m steadfastly the slate’s newest and biggest fan.

186 Wayland Avenue, Providence. 401-270 3737, saltedslate.com

Seasonal Recipes for October Fall is certainly in the offing, with chilly nights and crisp days fast becoming a meteorological norm.

October heralds the full force of the apple and pear season plus the readiness of beautiful shelling beans such as borlotti (also known as cranberry) and butter (also known as lima). Beautiful roots such as the sweet, aromatic parsnip also make their debut, doing so well as a sweet or savory ingredient.

My recipes in October start to have have touches of warming spices and chili heat, some rich sweet hints nestling well with a lovely cup of tea or warm cider! To find more seasonal recipes and bakes, pop on over to hollylikestocook.com.

Apple and Pear Chips

I love playing with the perceptions of sweet and savory. These fruit chips are the perfect example of my love of playful flavors. Doused with a little crunch of sea salt, these fruity chips are lovely alongside cheese — the apples with some sharp, crumbly cheddar and the pears crying out for a strong blue.

Apple

Pear

Sea salt

Each fruit yields about 10 chips. You can make a large batch and store them (once completely cooled) in an airtight container for future autumnal evening nibbles.

Use a mandolin or sharp knife to finely slice the fruits into slices about a tenth of an inch thick. You can core the fruit before slicing but, honestly, at this thickness you won’t notice the core, just pop out the pips.

Lay out on baking tray lined with waxed paper and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Bake at 300F for about an hour, turning half way through to get an even bake. When golden brown, remove from the oven and pull from the baking sheet to cool so that they don’t steam against the paper and go soggy. Parsnip and Chai Spice Cake

Chai is well known among the seasonal latte drinkers, its sweet spiced aroma evoking undeniably comforting feelings.

A twist on the traditional carrot cake, the parsnip substitute in this recipe adds another aromatic dimension.

Cake

1 cup margarine/shortening

1 & 1/4 cup light brown sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1 & 2/3 cup all purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup finely grated parsnip

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup sultanas

1 orange, juice and zest

1 chai spice tea bag

Syrup

1 cup water

1 chai spice tea bag

1/2 cup white sugar

Icing

3/4 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature

1 & 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Zest of 1 orange

Handful walnut halves

Pre-heat the oven to 365F.

Zest the orange, and roll the orange around on a hard surface to release the juice within before cutting and squeezing the juice into a mug with the zest.

Pop the chai spice tea bag into the juice and warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds, or on the hob very gently, until the juice is warm but not too hot to touch. Leave the tea to steep in the juice and flavor it with the spices.

Cream together the margarine/shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, then add in the remaining ingredients. Fold together gently until well combined.

Line two round 9-inch baking tins and pour in the batter. Bake in the pre-heated oven until golden brown atop and set within. Check with a thin by piercing the thickest part of the cake. If the skewer comes out of the cake clean, it is done.

Set aside to cool.

In a small sauce pan, combine the water and white sugar, add the chai spice tea bag and bring to a boil. Once boiled, turn down the heat, remove the tea bag (give it a good squeeze first) and allow it to simmer until the syrup has reduced by half. Turn off the heat and leave to cool.

When the cakes have cooled and the syrup is not hot but just warm, return the cakes to their tins, pierce each cake with a thin skewer 10 to 12 times and pour over half of the syrup. Leave to soak in and cool completely.

Make the icing by creaming together the butter and confectioners sugar until fluffy and pale, drizzle in the completely cold remaining syrup little by little, whipping until combined.

Once the cakes are completely cooled, dollop half of the icing into the top of one cake and spread over, place the second cake atop, then cover with the remaining icing. To finish, crush a handful of walnut halves by hand over the top.

Smashed Shelling Bean Dip

There is no denying that hummus is among dip royalty. This dip uses lovely season shelling beans for its body and has an herby, spicy zing.

Beans are an incredibly tasty, affordable source of protein, which makes this dip a fab standby recipe for autumnal entertaining.

1 & 2/3 cup cooked and cooled (or tinned) borlotti/cranberry beans

1 & 2/3 cup cooked and cooled (or tinned) butter/lima beans

Small bunch fresh cilantro

Dried chili flakes, to taste

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 cloves garlic 3 tablespoons lemon juice

A few generous glugs of olive oil

Salt and pepper

If you are using fresh beans, they will need to be cooked and cooled first. Fresh beans straight from their pods take about 40 minutes to an hour of simmering to become tender. This will entirely depend on your bean, the time of the season, the amount of beans, your star sign… It’s best to prepare your beans ahead of time. Otherwise this simple dish will take a rather lot longer than a simple whizzing.

If you are using dried beans, they will need an overnight soaking before cooking. Allow more time!

The other option is to use tinned beans. I know this somewhat defeats the idea of this being a seasonal recipe, however tinned beans are always available and give the opportunity to simply and quickly try out this recipe before committing the time to make the more involved version.

Once your beans are prepared and cooled (or your tin has been opened and your beans drained) pile into a shallow dish with chopped cilantro and chili flakes (start with a quarter of a teaspoon then add more to taste when it’s been smashed together).

Finely chop the garlic and fry in a little oil on a low heat, just to take the very sharp edge out of it. When the garlic has soften a is slightly golden, add the sesame seeds and turn off the heat. Turn the seeds in the residual heat of the pan for a few moments then pour into a pestle and mortar. The heat of the pan will have softened the seeds enough to make then easier to smash them into a paste in the pestle with the garlic.

Add the sesame garlic paste to the beans, a couple of glugs of olive oil and the lemon juice. Use a potato masher to smash the beans into a lumpy paste, keep some whole beans and half beans amongst the smash to add some lovely chunky texture. Add a little more oil if you prefer a looser dip, though this is meant to be a really meaty, chunky recipe so don’t blitz it into oblivion!

Season with salt, pepper and chili to taste, then serve up with some lovely crispy flat crackers or mini crostini.

Flavors of Fall It might not quite feel like fall, but the beginning of September heralds our autumnal arrival. I love September. Whether it’s the geeky girl in me who loves those ‘back to school’ trips to Staples or the redhead who’s totally over sunburn, September has always been my favorite month.

Each new page on the cook’s calendar brings new ripening vegetables and fruits, and September also marks the start of a new season. That’s when the newly available produce gets really exciting. The sweet, light flavors of summer are starting to peter out and the earthy, wholesome ones of fall are beginning to sneak their way onto menus. While not completely in comfort food mode yet, it’s lovely to be able to start including some rich, warm flavors in my cooking. Here are some of my favorite early autumn, September recipes:

Celeriac Mash Will generously serve 2 or modestly serve 4

This ugly root might not scream tasty when you see its gnarled, hairy sprouts tangling at the bottom of the muddy white bulb, but it’s a seriously tasty little chap.

1 celeriac – an average 1-1½ lb. root yields about 1 cup when peeled and chopped drizzle of olive oil 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup half and half 1 teaspoon of horseradish – either fresh grated or the creamed condiment variety salt and pepper Use a sharp knife to cut away the tangle of fiddly roots at the bottom of the celeriac, then again to peel away the rough skin.

Cut into rough chunks about a inch cubed, toss in olive oil in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, shaking the pan after about 10 minutes to free them from sticking to the pan and re-coating them in the oil.

At the end of the cooking time, check to see that they are very tender to the touch with lightly browned edges. Tumble the cooked cubes into a food processor and add in the butter, half and half, and horseradish.

Blend into a smooth paste then season with more salt and pepper to taste.

This sweet, creamy mash goes really well with simple roasted chicken thighs, rubbed with a little garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Endive, Grape, Goat Cheese and Honey Salad Ingredients listed are per person, multiply as needed

The slightly bitter, crunchy endive is a great base for the salty goat cheese with the sweet honey and grapes. This is a great salad that uses seasonal produce in a light, late-summer way.

1 belgian endive 1 oz. goat cheese 6 red grapes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon honey salt and pepper

Prepare the endive by chopping off the stalk end and clicking the leaves away from the center. Though relatively ridged, they will crack, so try and keep the leaves intact as they create lovely natural bowls for the cheese crumbles and dressing.

Slice the grapes length-ways and arrange over the endive. Crumble over the goat cheese then drizzle over the honey.

Dress the salad with a simple dressing of the mixed oil and vinegar, then season with salt and pepper.

A great start to a heavier meal, the endive gives a robust base to the salad while the grapes keep the salad light and fresh.

Sunchoke and Cashew Soup Serves 4

Also called Jerusalem artichokes, this sunchoke soup is made deliciously creamy by the addition of raw cashew nuts. 3 cups sunchokes 4 cloves garlic 1 medium white onion 1½ cups raw cashew nuts 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock olive oil salt and pepper

Scrub the chokes with a medium bristled brush to remove any dirt and rough patches of skin, then chop them in half. Cut any especially large chokes into quarters so that they are all equally about an inch cubed.

Toss the chokes in olive oil, salt and pepper, and tumble into a baking dish along with the peeled garlic cloves.

Roast at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes or until tender.

Dice the onion and fry in a little oil in a large stock pot for about 10 minutes on a low heat until the onion is meltingly soft and unctuous. Use a low heat to keep the onion from browning; this will keep the flavor mellow and sweet.

When the sunchokes are tender, pour them, the roasted garlic and any pan oils into the stock pot with the onions. Add the stock and raw cashews, then bring to a high simmer for 10 minutes.

Use a stick blender to puree everything into a thick creamy soup.

Serve with a blob of creme fraiche or sour cream, a drizzle of oil and some fresh parsley as a tasty autumn lunch.

Locale Profiles: The Port Heading out for lunch in Newport evokes all kinds of wonderful sunny images. Sun-bleached boardwalks bordered by clinking, moored yachts. The odd blinding glimmer of sun from the calm harbor waters, and a lot of people who look as if they’ve just stepped from the pages of a Tommy Hilfiger catalog.

My Newport lunch date, however, was awash with grey skies, the odd downpour and a lot of people clad in disposable, see-through windbreakers.

Not deterred by the unseasonably mizzly weather, our date with The Port Grill and Raw Bar was calling.

After struggling to actually find the place, which is tucked into Anne Street Pier and sheltered on each side by weather-boarded wooden buildings, the calm reprieve from the stormy summer weather was most welcome.

The Port offers live entertainment Thursday to Sunday and, as such, on the afternoon we dined a very talented chap with a guitar was playing in the bar area. It could have been that the volume felt a little excessive because there were fewer people than on a normal sunny day, but having to shout to the host felt a little like being in a busy bar on a Friday night rather than a marina side restaurant on Sunday afternoon.

We were seated on the covered patio, which gave us a great view of the framed portion of marina The Port commands. Had the weather been better, the bistro tables on the brick path out front would have been the prime spot to soak up this calm little corner of Newport.

The one great thing about a damp, windy day is that it gives you carte blanche to order a pie. Creamy, puff pastry topped pies are usually not a summer staple, but today I thanked the rain gods as my eyes skimmed the menu and locked immediately on the Lobster Pie entrée.

Wanting to enjoy the full Port experience (and being incredibly greedy) we ordered up a storm of appetizers and washed it down with some chilled white wine. The wine list had a good selection of red, white and sparkling wines. Most red and white were available by the glass at a reasonable price, our glasses of Chateau St. Michelle Chardonnay were crisp, light and not overly sweet. Beer-wise there was a good selection of local drafts plus imported and domestic bottles. My only gripe was that water was served in disposable plastic cups, which, when sitting within the confines of the restaurant rather than dockside and enjoying (what would be) a $100 lunch, felt a little disappointing.

We shared a delicious Lobster Bisque, which though more of a chowder than bisque, was flavorful, creamy, piping hot and completely welcome as the rain started thundering down again. Half a dozen Prince Edward Island Oysters arrived on a platter of ice and were quickly topped with horseradish and slid from their shells. The meaty Maryland Style Crab Cake, that was impressively crabby rather than

potatoey, lighted up the appetizer rou nd with its ginger sesame seaweed and sweet chili garnish.

Service was quick and attentive from the team of plentiful staff who were all very friendly and well informed about the locality of the regional oysters and draft beers.

A short lull between courses gave time for some sneaky people watching. Though its numbers were clearly affected by the weather, the clientele included young families, a table of ladies at lunch and a number of couples in the informally divided ‘restaurant ‘ side of The Port. The bar side, with the live music, was busier with groups of friends drinking and snacking on apps or perched on stools looking out over the choppy waters of the harbor.

My people watching was cut short by the arrival of our entrees; a Port Burger, a 8oz Angus patty topped with cheddar and fried onion strings, in a Portuguese bolo. And, my pie.

My pie.

From the first moment of Googling up the menu (yes I am one of those), I knew this pie and I were going to be having a moment. Beautiful coral red hunks of lobster tail, claw and knuckle meat, tucked up in a mushroom and sherry cream sauce and topped with a golden crisp puff pastry lid. Go get in the car now. Go order the pie.

Though the burger held its own in the grill stakes, the Lobster Pie and seafood appetizers were the stars of the show, and what with the harbor side location this should not have come as a surprise.

While not located on the busier stretch of America’s Cup Ave. or its connecting piers and wharfs, The Port’s location is not a detriment to enjoying a ‘Jack Wills catalog photo’ shoot day out in Newport. With a menu bursting with fresh seafood, friendly staff and a beautiful view of the harbor waters lapping at the rocky shoreline beneath your feet, The Port should certainly be a contender for your appetite when visiting Newport.

359 Thames St, Newport, 401-619-5892, www.theportnewport.com