The Chowdah Head Rules: Picking the best made our expert feel a little clammy
When my editor asked me to write an article about the best clam cakes and New England clam chowder in Rhode Island, my first question was, “Will you provide me with a group of security guards to protect me from the violent mobs when the article comes out?”
To put it gently, Rhode Islanders are rabid about their chowder. Each individual feels like whatever the chowder they grew up on is the best chowder in the state, hands down, without question. And you’d be an idiot to feel differently.
This became an issue for me.
“I know chowder,” I stupidly thought to myself as I accepted the assignment. “I love going to seafood restaurants. I get chowder wherever it’s available. I am a creamy, clammy connoisseur. This will be nice and easy.” I was so, so, so wrong.
After jotting down my thoughts, I decided get other peoples’ opinions from some RI restaurant Facebook groups hoping to hear about some places I never tried. A few hours later, I found myself making an extensive, intimidating spreadsheet to catalog the 700-plus unexpected responses. It shocked me that there were so many places I hadn’t tried — some I hadn’t even heard of — and it hit me like a ton of clams; I was in trouble.
I couldn’t comfortably write the article with only my casual knowledge. These people cared too much about the title for me to treat it so informally. I recorded all of the restaurants suggested and how many times each was suggested. Based on this and my existing local seafood knowledge, I made a list of all the places that must be considered, then planned to gain an intimate knowledge of the chowder and clam cakes from every spot on the list — no matter how much fried, creamy food I need to consume.
To be safe, I consulted with my doctor. He dropped me as a patient.
Free from those annoying health warnings, I spent a week driving across the entire state no fewer than four times. I’ve been eating clam cake after clam cake, and slurping chowder after chowder. My seafood tour resulted in this: My personal opinions on the best clam cakes and New England clam chowder in the state. I understand that everybody has different priorities and feelings about what exactly makes these staples perfect. These are the opinions of but one man.
Best Clam Cake: Aunt Carrie’s, Narragansett Among the dozens of clam cakes I ate during my seafood tour, Aunt Carrie’s grabbed my attention the most. The dough is perfect, the clams are plentiful, the fry is exactly as thick as it should be, with a nice crunch and a complete lack of grease.
Other top clam cakes include: Anthony’s Seafood in Middletown, Blount Clam Shack in Warren, Flo’s Clam Shack in Middletown, and Quito’s in Bristol.
Best New England Clam Chowder: Crossroads Pub, Warren The offering of this surprising contender has exactly the right blend of clamminess and creaminess. The potatoes are the perfect consistency. It has just the right amount of pepper.
Other top contenders are Anthony’s Seafood in Middletown, Quito’s in Bristol (if you like it a little bit clammier), and Weekapaug Inn in Westerly (with a little bit of an alternative, smoky taste).
The real takeaway for me was that locally there are a ton of great places serving up their own takes on these Rhode Island favorites. I love that the chowder and clam cakes vary from place to place, and picking a favorite was extremely difficult. I’m not sure I’ll accept the burden of choosing “the best” of Rhode Island seafood ever again.
Until I’m forced to judge the best lobster roll.
Silver Screen Scene: These film screening sites leave traditional theaters behind
Rhode Island is no stranger to big film events. But if you do a little digging, there are several off-the- beaten-path options where local cinephiles can celebrate celluloid on a consistent basis. From Hollywood to Hope Street, mainstream movies and local films alike can be found screening around the state on the regular with these organizations and venues:
Cocktails & Screens Short Film Showcase: AS220, PVD; First Thursday of the month (with occasional exceptions); facebook.com/cocktailsnscreens
“Cocktails & Screens is a monthly local film showcase where we screen local filmmakers’ short films, trailers or music videos,” says Briana Gonsalves, host and producer of C&S. “After screening each piece, we open up the floor for the audience to ask questions or provide feedback to the creators. Typically we will screen six short films, but sometimes we have more or less, depending on how long each film is. It’s a great night for people to network and market themselves. The event is free, there is free popcorn, there are no submission fees and AS220 has a full bar that adults may go to to purchase drinks.”
Courtland Club Cinema: Courtland Club, PVD; Every Monday night; facebook.com/courtlandclub
Courtland Club Cinema hosts a movie night every Monday, with mysterious event pages that offer hints at the planned movies without explicitly naming them. Throughout February they hosted double features for movies from directors Gus Van Sant and Todd Solondz. But on March 2, the “mystery” movie description was “Starring Pee-Wee Herman and Directed by Tim Burton.” Okay, maybe the listings aren’t ALL mysterious… newportFILM Screenings: Various venues across Aquidneck Island; Every Thursday night from Jun 18 to Sep 3; newportfilm.com Kathryn Sheehan, marketing director for newportFILM, tells us, “newportFILM is a year-round, non- profit documentary film series that features established and emerging filmmakers and their current films. Founders Andrea van Beuren and Nancy Donahoe wanted to keep film alive in Newport and felt documentaries specifically help drive meaningful dialogue and inspire, motivate and entertain people on issues that matter in our community.” Bonus Event: newportFILM is hosting an intimate screening of The Booksellers at the Redwood Library and Athenæum on Thursday, March 26.
Dreadphile Cinema: The Columbus Theatre, Rustic Drive-In, Revival Brewing, Avon Cinema, and more!; check facebook.com/dreadfile for screening dates
“Dreadphile Cinema is a film retrospective with focus on cult horror films,” Beau Ouellette, cult curator for Dreadphile says. “Some bad, some great, all good. We range from B-movie schlock like Brain Damage and Re-Animator to classics of the genre like Night of the Living Dead and The Thing. Dreadphile got started because I moved to Rhode Island and away from most of my friends who watched weird movies with me. These movies are better with friends and best with a crowd, so I figured I’d try and make some new friends. We grew from 60 people in attendance to nearly 400 for our last show at the Avon.”
Galactic Theatre: Nightly Screenings in Warren; facebook.com/galactictheatre
David Podsnap, owner of the Galactic Theatre is a straight-up weirdo. We were messaging at 3:30am after one of his nightly runs to Cumberland Farms for unhealthy snacks when he feverishly told me, “The selection of films we have on nightly (constantly) is an unorganized collection of silent films from the years 1896 to 1921, mostly. Many are from the amazing Georges Méliès from France, Segundo de Chomón from Spain, Edison, Fatty Arbuckle, Buster Keaton, Chaplin and many other unknowns. We show them on constant loop. Galactic Theatre is a time machine where yesteryear is somewhat preserved with almost no trace of modern society. It’s just for you to spiritually escape when you feel the need to.”
Acoustic Java’s films also are worth checking out when you find yourself in PVD. Unfortunately, they weren’t available for an interview by press time.
Rhode Island Animators Unite!: Rhode Island Independent Animators Shorts to be screened in Jamestown
On February 6, the first screening of Rhode Island Independent Animators Shorts will take place at the Jamestown Arts Center, and according to curator Brian O’Malley, it’s “going to be epic!”
“The screen is of a cinematic scale — big!” exclaims O’Malley. “The focus of this series of screenings is to bring short animated films made by Rhode Island animators to a broader audience in the state. This isn’t a film festival. I see it as a gathering of artists who happen to work with the medium of animation. All the filmmakers live and work in Rhode Island.”
At its inaugural event, the RIIA Shorts will screen animated films from six animators, with the length of the films ranging from one minute to 10 minutes. The theme of RIIA Shorts’ first event? “Transcendence.”
An animator himself, O’Malley admits, “Sometimes I need a good kick to get going.” O’Malley was unsatisfied with the landscape of independent film festivals as an avenue to showcase film work. “I decided to start this up because it’s tedious and expensive to find festivals to show your work. Some festivals are between $25 and $50 dollars [to submit your film]. This series brings it home for people, and if you miss one venue; no worries — it’s coming around again in another part of the state.”
The Rhode Island Independent Animators Shorts already have two more events in the books for the future — one screening at the Hera Gallery in Wakefield on March 27, as well as one at the Bristol Art Museum on April 30. But right now, O’Malley’s focus is solely on the RIIA’s first event at the Jamestown Arts Center.
“They have a great space to showcase films with state-of-the-art sound and projection equipment.” Excited for the prospect of bringing together the animator community in the state, O’Malley plans on performing a short introduction at the top of the evening, and then jumping right into 47 minutes of short films. “There are eight films in the timeline. When the lights come back up we will have a casual Q&A with the attending animators and collaborators (including writers, sound people, etc) — whoever is there, and it should be most of us.”
O’Malley passionately continues, “We have such an eclectic lineup of animators that range in age from early 20s to early 60s.” He happily described the animators screening their work.
Steven Subotnick: “A professor at RISD in the film/animation/video department who’s been at this for over 30 years; he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2017.”
Daniel Sousa: “He was nominated for an Academy Award in 2015 for his animated short, Feral.”
Emily London: “An emerging talent, the youngest of all the animators. Her film, Whole, is making its debut.”
Riley Thompson and Joel Orloff: “Co-animated the film, When Planets Mate. The film has wonderful movement and is bursting with color.”
Mara Trachtenberg: “A professor at URI and CCRI, Mara is well-known for her photography. She has won two RISCA Fellowships (2016 and 2020), but is now producing these hypnotic stop-motion animations that are an extension of her still work.”
Hayley Morris: “Has her own studio in Providence – Shape and Shadow – where she creates incredible stop motion animations for bands like Explosions in the Sky.
Ru Kuwahata and Max Porter: “Max is a Professor at RISD and runs an animation studio with Ru (his wife) called Tiny Inventions. I was ecstatic to pick up their film, Negative Space.” O’Malley finishes up humbly, with the addition, “And me. I teach Foundations at CCRI and Roxbury Community College. The film that’s part of the RIIA lineup is written and narrated in Spanish by Daniel Penengo, who is from Uruguay but lives in RI. The film takes you on a poetic journey of rebirth.
“In this world of how many ‘likes’ and ‘plays’ you get, I think all the animators and their collaborators would agree that nothing’s better than a gathering of people in a room to watch film and be transported to a different place,” O’Malley says. “I’m hoping that these screenings will bring people out that wouldn’t normally attend a film festival, and make them more aware of the unique and fascinating animation scene in Rhode Island.”
The first Rhode Island Independent Animators Shorts screening will take place February 6 at the Jamestown Arts Center. All ticketing information available at jamestownartcenter.org.
Do You Hear What I Hear? A list of the best Christmas podcasts of all time
Everyone who celebrates Christmas can point to a movie, a TV special or a song that instantly makes them feel like Ebenezer Scrooge at the end of A Christmas Carol — goddamn psyched up for Christmas.
If you care about Christmas like I do — you have something that hits you right in the heart each year. It might be a tune that puts some holiday pep in your step, it might be a film you watch every year in pajamas with your family, it might even just be a yuletide-themed episode of a television show that brings a few hopeful tears to your normally dead eyes.
But as time goes on, our media landscape continues to expand like Santa’s ill-fated midriff. It’s no longer just movies, television and music. There are new mediums presenting spectacular, modern Christmas projects that reach new audiences and create new Christmas traditions. As much as I’d love to talk about all of the contemporary mediums embracing the holiday (Dead Rising 4, anyone?) today I’m shining a green and red spotlight on Christmas podcasts.
Not only are podcasts an excellent way to ease the pain of holiday travel and shopping, they’re also the perfect way to bring you the warmth of the season — like a mediocre peppermint mocha latte in your lap while you pull away from the drive-thru of Dunkin Donuts (mediocre — at best).
All of the best Christmas projects revolve around friendship, family and the harmony that can exist between people who care about each other. Podcasts are so often based on the relationships between the people on mic, and the chemistry they share, that “Christmas” and “podcasts” are a match made in reindeer heaven. So I stand up and present to you — here on a metaphorical stage, with a red-striped shirt, and my favorite blue blanket — my Christmas podcast recommendations:
This American Life’s Christmas and Commerce episode is legendary. David Sedaris’ “Santaland Diaries” (about working as an elf in Macy’s around Christmas) make up the meat of this episode. But for me, the true stand-out moments are the opening of the episode (recorded in a Toys R’ Us on Christmas eve), and the closing moments, which were recorded over 50 years ago in a Chicago home on Christmas morning.
How Did This Get Made (HDTGM) is a podcast where Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael and Jason Mantzoukas watch a terrible movie and hilariously poke holes in every single second of it. They’ve covered many Christmas movies, including the Star Wars Holiday Special, Reindeer Games, and (my favorite) Jingle All the Way. Want to find a new way to revisit some holiday classics? HDTGM has got you covered.
Stuff You Should Know (SYSK) is exactly what it sounds like. With extremely low-key, well-spoken, sort-of-funny hosts, SYSK’s Christmas episodes revolve around the history of Yuletide-related topics like the history of Black Friday, poinsettas’ relationship to Christmas, and the great episode,“What Makes a Must-Have Christmas Toy?” Essential listening for those who want to have a casual, informative listen filled with holiday cheer.
My favorite Christmas podcast episodes come from Tell ‘Em Steve Dave. TESD is made up of Walt and Bryan from AMC’s Comic Book Men and Brian Quinn from TruTV’s Impractical Jokers, but this podcast existed way before any of the three hosts had TV shows.
Since 2011, TESD has been serving up a yearly Christmas episode that is absolutely bizarre. Early on it was just friends discussing their specific Christmases through the years — including a heartbreaking story from friend-of-TESD Ming Chen, where his parents refused to even celebrate Christmas when he was a child (and he received a roomful of laughter in response). Eventually their yearly episodes grew to include Christmas games, unavoidable Yuletide arguments, and even a half-scripted / half-improv four hour “radio play” episode where they need to save Christmas with the help of most of the Impractical Jokers, Joey Fatone from N*Sync, and entire cast of surrounding characters from the history of the show. TESD perfectly executes my favorite type of podcast — the kind where it feels like friends sitting around and joking about whatever they want. And their Christmas episodes — no matter how much they attempt to structure them — feel no different, except with a little extra warmth and care. And finally, for anyone out there saying, “These podcasts are super popular! I already knew about these, I wanted to find something new — something underground,” I got something for you. With Ray and Derek’s Christmas special — the “Podmas Castacular” — is an incredible combination of improvisational comedy and vintage Christmas special magic. WRAD is made up of RI-based comedians Ray Harrington and Derek Furtado, but they unfortunately no longer produce new episodes. Their 2015 Christmas episode is modeled after a 1970s variety show, switching between the show as it’s performed live and backstage as things go awry. This is an excellent, modern take on the classic format, repackaged with hilarious banter and commentary from the hosts.
So this year, if you’re tearing out your hair as you’re making your gift list and wrapping presents, or if you’re angrily driving the hour-and-a-half to your racist uncle’s house to see your family — throw on some of these podcasts to cope with the frustration. Take a breath, press play and bask in the spirit of the season.
Find links to all of these podcast episodes at motifri.com/christmaspodcasts
How Many More Shopping Days? Your guide to last-minute shopping for loved ones
‘Tis the season … for an overwhelming sense of terror when it comes to gift-giving.
What does my brother-in-law even like?! I guess I saw him play basketball one time three years ago…
Did we give my dad wireless headphones last year?
Is Aunt Margaret even still alive??
The pressure and those questions are all too familiar — it’s hard to come up with gifts for everybody in the family. So I present to you, dear readers, a Rhode Island gift guide sure to help you find that perfect gift. Many of the places I suggest also offer gift cards, which is a simple and thoughtful way to make someone happy.
Giraffes + Robots: Giraffes + Robots is “pop art that makes you smile.” They offer big, colorful prints, often revolving around RI landmarks and staples, like the Superman building and Autocrat Coffee Milk. It’s super cheery, original artwork that you can purchase in the retail hallway of the Hope Artiste Village open every Saturday from 9am until 2pm during the indoor farmers market, or on Etsy at etsy.com/shop/giraffesandrobots
Made In Warren: As soon as I learned about Made In Warren, I stopped buying any type of greeting card from bigger chains. I love their one-of-a-kind of greeting cards from local artists that revolve around much more personal connections to the area. But on top of that, Made in Warren sells art that’s made by local artists – including amazing seasonal pieces. Check them out at 476 Main Street, Warren
Frog and Toad: Frog and Toad is a brick-and-mortar that provides roughly a million amazing potential gifts, including clothing, tote bags, stationery, stickers, pins and more. Looking for a Del’s Truck Ornament? An RI coloring book? A planet Hoth pennant from Star Wars? This place rocks. 795 Hope St and 713 Westminster St, both locations in PVD
Swamp Yankee Rock and Roll Art: Got a friend who’s into punk rock or rock and roll? Pete McPhee is the artist behind Swamp Yankee, and he’s created tons of amazing prints for The Dropkick Murphys, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Social Distortion, The Toasters and The Pilfers, as well as events like the Made On Honor market, Record Store Day and various Narragansett Beer events. Great for the rock and roller in your life! Grab ‘em at swampyankee.weebly.com
The Comedy Connection: This comedy club is historic. Marc Maron, Pete Holmes, Tracy Morgan and more have come through the East Providence club, and in just the past year or so, Aziz Ansari, Anthony Jeselnik and Kevin James have all dropped in. With a constant slew of great comedians in an excellent, supportive room, give the gift of laughter with several options for great upcoming shows including Big Jay Oakerson, Dan Soder and Robert Kelly. Purchase gift cards at ricomedyconnection.com
I can’t make this list without highlighting the amazing Rhode Island food scene in our Tiny Tim-sized state. Introduce a loved one to their new favorite place with a gift card to one of these super tasty options! Rhody Roots: Super high-quality, upscale diner food. New American meets an incredibly thoughtful and unique take on the classics — the poutine, the bolognese, the grilled peaches! 511 Main St, Warren
Tallulah’s Taqueria: You can grab someone a $15 gift card to Tallulah’s and give them the gift of the best three tacos they’ve ever had. Be THAT kind of Santa Claus. 146 Ives Street, PVD
Hometown Poké: Do you know that there are some poor bastards out there who don’t know about poké? Find the sushi lover in your life and expand their horizons. 185 Camp St, PVD
Borealis: If you know someone who loves good coffee, this is the option for you. The oatmilk latte. ‘Nuff said. 250 Bullocks Point Ave, Riverside.
PVDonuts: I think the move is to show up at Christmas with an armful of seasonal donuts to put a smile on any frosty face. I don’t know their December menu yet, but their November menu included a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip, a Baked Apple Pie and a Brown Sugar Sweet Potato donut. Pick up a dozen or two, and be the star of the party. 79 Ives St, PVD
Rhode Island Red Food Tours: Pick up a gift certificate for a warm-weather food tour for the foodie in your life. Or if patience isn’t their strong suit, hook them up with a Flicks and Fare on Washington Square winter experience. They’ll check out three different cozy taverns in Newport and then settle in for a flick at the Jane Pickens theater.
PVD Vegan Restaurant Week Is Here
This year, for the very first time, PVD will experience Vegan Restaurant Week — a weeklong celebration of the best vegan cuisine in the area. With tons of participating restaurants and eateries, PVD Vegan Restaurant Week is being kicked off with a bang.
I caught up with the creator and organizer of PVD Vegan Restaurant Week (VRW), Chris Belanger, and he gave me the rundown. Husband and wife duo Belanger and Karen Krinsky own the vegan ice cream truck/shop Like No Udder.
“PVD VRW is a week-long celebration of vegan dining here in PVD and RI,” Belanger explained. “We have 30 restaurants committed to a variety of special offerings for the week of November 1 – 7. November 1 is World Vegan Day, a fitting day to start! Participating restaurants are offering combos, multi-course meals, discounts and specially crafted vegan dishes for the week.”
Belanger’s aim is to show restaurants in the area that there’s a serious demand for creative vegan options, but also to give the local vegan (and vegan-friendly) community more options.
“There are a handful of VRW’s around the country. Earlier this summer, I was at the Vegan Summerfest in Johnstown, Penn, where I met with organizers of similar events. Having owned Like No Udder for 10 years, we’ve created a loyal following and have found that we are one of a handful of unofficial leaders in the local community — we use this position and our following to help other vegan businesses grow.” Belanger is insistent on inclusion and welcomes all parts of the culinary scene. “I’ve made it fairly easy for places to become involved. As far as the restaurants go, I’ve let this grow organically, by word of mouth. Lots of places have jumped in with gusto — it’s amazing the creativity our local chefs have! As with virtually anything else, time is the challenge. Diners can expect menus, at all price points, across the spectrum — from grab and go to snacks, pub food, casual dining and high-end gourmet experiences. A variety of cultures are also represented — Japanese, Indian, Jamaican, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Italian, Mexican, Greek, American and more.”
Local vegan and vegetarian mainstays like Plant City, Garden Grille and The Grange will be taking part. But you’ll also see Kabob and Curry, Rebelle Artisan Bagels, Wara Wara, AS220 and many more restaurants you may not expect jumping onboard.
Belanger could not be more excited about this new step for plant-based eating, and insists that the rising culture of veganism in PVD is in it for the long haul. “Veganism is here to stay, and Providence is firmly pinned on the vegan map. Like No Udder was the world’s first vegan ice cream truck, attracting people to the city. The recently opened Plant City is the world’s first vegan food hall — again, attracting people to the city. Yes, veganism is kind of having its day, but basic healthy and compassionate living and eating is not a fad.”
More information about PVD Vegan Restaurant Week can be found at vegrestaurantweek.com
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Veganism is here to stay
Tomatoes Gonna’ Tomate
If you consistently take part in RI’s vibrant and eclectic culinary scene, you’ve probably noticed that over the years there has been a steady increase in plant-based food and eateries populating the landscape.
I talked to a few of the area’s most notable vegan and vegetarian restauranteurs about the push toward a meatless existence. Karen Krinsky is the owner of Like No Udder, RI’s first vegan ice cream shop (and truck!). Kim Anderson is a co-founder (along with Matthew Kenney Cuisine Group) of Plant City, Providence’s brand new multi-concept plant-based food hall. Rob Yaffe is the co-owner (along with his wife Uschi Yaffe) of RI vegan institutions The Grange, Garden Grille and Wildflour Vegan Bakery and Juice Bar.
Chuck Staton (Motif): What was your introduction to veganism?
Kim Anderson (Plant City): Our son asked us to watch two movies, Forks Over Knives and Cowspiracy, almost four years ago.
Rob Yaffe (The Grange): I was first introduced to vegetarianism by my grandmother Reggie Jaffe who in 1941 became vegan for the rest of her life.
Karen Krinsky (Like No Udder): At the age of 10, I turned vegetarian and then transitioned to vegan in 1993 when I graduated high school. I recall meeting someone a few years older than me at a holiday party who questioned my eating meat. This started my path, where I was awoken to animal suffering AND the impact on the environment. For anyone who lives a vegetarian life and does it for any reasons except strictly health, it’s natural for that person to become vegan. In fact, if they don’t become vegan, they are missing the point.
CS: Why did you decide to start a vegan business?
KA: [In response to watching the movies] we then created a fund to invest in plant-based foods to impact against climate crisis. A food hall and marketplace with hand-crafted, elevated plant-based food we knew and loved as fans of Matthews NYC and California restaurants was a natural progression to maximize impact from there. We wanted to offer beautiful, creative, delicious food in a welcoming and well-designed environment, served by kind and mission-aligned staff to all, regardless of protein preference. A large majority of our guests are not plant-based.
RY: In 1971 my mother Erna started the Golden Sheaf Natural Foods market and Juice Bar on North Main Street. Eventually I took that over, owned and operated it until 1990. I started the Garden Grille in 1996 because the Providence area had no vegetarian restaurants at that time and the community wanted and needed a healthier food option, and I grew up in a family where vegetarianism was a part of our history. With my wife Uschi, we opened Wildflour in 2010 and the Grange in 2013.
KK: Like anyone trying to figure out what to do with their lives, I searched for the right path. There have been major challenges along the way! In the early 2000s I saw a niche not being filled at all, and opened The Screaming Vegan, a wholesale vegan baking business. Years after I closed that business, I started Like No Udder. We started with a truck and added a storefront years later. I always wanted to do something great with veganism, and have a career where I could support myself, live my values and show others that being vegan is doable.
CS: How was your experience taking on this challenge?
KA: It’s been an amazing experience, and we have been overwhelmed by the support from Providence and beyond. The most beautiful benefit has been meeting so many wonderful guests, many who are already regulars. For challenges, it has taken several weeks, but we have been able to build a team of 190+ talented and caring staff. We are also building a full schedule of classes, events and speakers in our community Cellar. Of course Plant City, which houses four restaurants, a coffee bar, a retail market and cellar with 300+ seats and a full service patio, has many moving parts and requires diligence and hard work to manage. RY: The story of our businesses is one about nurturing community and creating spaces where people come together, gather and connect around a plant-based diet. From the very beginning, in 1971, we’ve listened to the needs of those seeking a healthier alternative and constantly grew and innovated to meet those needs. All businesses present challenges. For us, what sustained our growth was our mission and purpose, to serve the greater community. We have customers today, that I was serving fresh cold pressed juices to in 1971 in my mother’s store.
KK: There were times I wanted to give up. Finding customers, building a brand from scratch, dealing with technical problems (my ice cream truck broke down a lot)…but all of those challenges were met through support from my husband and family. I absolutely did not do this alone. And obviously, if I didn’t have the support of my customers, the business wouldn’t still be here.
CS: Why do you believe that veganism has become much more mainstream recently?
PC: We have been blessed with massive support, and have served more than 120,000 guests in our first 11 weeks. It has been thrilling. In January, the week we began construction on Plant City, we read an article by Economist magazine that 37% of Americans self identified as wanting to eat more plant- based. That’s a massive and encouraging number. Eating plant-based pulls four big levers — climate crisis and environmental issues, health care and health care cost issues, social justice issues and animal ethics issues — and most do seem concerned with one or more of these. We make it easy and enjoyable to eat sustainably.
RY: Veganism and vegetarianism have been around for a very long time — since the mid 1800s. Over the past 48 years that I’ve been involved (through our family businesses) it’s moved from alternative to where it is today because of a slow but growing awareness of the connection between health and our food choices, the inhumane treatment of animals with factory farming, and the effect of the meat industry on the environment.
KK: I have seen firsthand how times have changed and that the word ‘vegan’ is mainstream now. We’ve built friendships with customers and feel we’re not just a business, but part of the community. There are so many arguments for veganism being a lifestyle worth living. These have been highlighted in national news stories, meat substitutes have gone mainstream in chain restaurants and the quality of vegan options in the last 10 years has skyrocketed. It is undeniable that these foods can be delicious and as a byproduct, also will help reduce the unsustainable use of land and water to produce meat and dairy.
Although it’s difficult to sum up the progression of plant-based businesses with creative and caring owners and how that affects the culinary scene surrounding those businesses, Karen Krinsky said it best.
“We’ve grown because people want what we have to offer. Gone are the days of plain tofu and a can of beans. Times have changed.” Adult Swim’s David Liebe Hart brings his absurdist puppetry to AS220
David Liebe Hart is a puppeteer, comedian and vocalist. You might have seen him on Adult Swim’s “Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job!,” and he’s coming to AS220 on September 12.
His live performance is a variety show (that exists largely in the realm of comedy) and after watching his tour promotional video (and some live footage of his performances), I was intrigued and I knew I needed to get the info from Hart himself.
How did this odd show get put together? Hart’s explanation is direct. “Hard work, fans, creativity, enthusiasm and making my dreams come true for my fans to enjoy my music and my acting and my career.
“Art and music is like painting a beautiful sculpture of a person or a figure that people can relate to, and people can see. Same as painting and drawing.”
If you’ve seen Hart on Tim and Eric, you’re probably familiar with his use of awkward and (some might say) terrifying puppets in front of a green screen, to sing songs about mundane subject matter. “Staying focused,” “email” and “the lesson that we’re not alone in the universe” are just a few of those subjects. The absurdist beauty comes with the fact that Hart completely plays it straight — voicing the puppets with consistency, never breaking character, and singing with all he’s got. In fact, he plays it so straight, that you begin to question whether he’s playing at all.
I wanted to know what Hart is looking to accomplish with his upcoming tour. “Bringing people happiness, having them have the satisfaction of joy and enthusiasm and love for my music and my art, and painting life in what I’ve been through and am going through.
“I’ve had a lot of positive responses, I’ve had a lot of wonderful support, and I’m grateful my fans have called me on the phone to say how much they enjoy my shows and the hard work I do on my shows. They feel the shows have gotten improved. They’re better than they were when I first began. They see a lot of growth and progress and success in my career.”
As someone who’s seen band after band, comedian after comedian, and concert after concert, I found Hart’s performances … refreshing. It’s almost paradoxical. The comedy is so apparent — but the delivery is so earnest. It’s a combination of the end result (the laugh) along with Hart’s bizarrely genuine route to get you there as an audience that draws you in.
As for Hart’s plans after the tour? “Well, I did my own TV show. I did ‘I Love David.’ They can see it on Channel 5 on Adult Swim on the internet. The show has been liked so well by the public (that) Adult Swim has asked for six episodes of part two of ‘I Love David,’ and I’m excited about doing season two.”
Catch David Liebe Hart on Thu, Sep 12 at as220, 115 Empire St, PVD. For more info, artbyliebehart.com or as220.org RI FOOD FIGHTS Brings Competitive Cupcakes to the Creative Capital
“The Rhode Island cupcake community is competitive and very vocal. Everyone has a favorite and no one is afraid to talk about it. Loudly.” Jim Nellis does not mince words. Well, he didn’t in that sentence. He does occasionally mince words. Okay, he often minces words. After food-fighting, Nellis’ number one talent may actually be word- mincing.
Nellis is the founder and owner of RI FOOD FIGHTS, an incredibly successful marketing business that has ballooned in the Rhode Island culinary scene over the past eight years. He knows how to use social media and how to turn social media response into real life success in business. He also has so many ideas running around in his brain that, yes, once in a while, he’ll happily mince a word or two — but not when he’s talking about numbers.
“The RI FOOD FIGHTS brand is growing. We have 100,000 views per week on Facebook and over 32,200 followers on Instagram.” Nellis is not blowing smoke. RI FOOD FIGHTS has one of the largest social media followings in Rhode Island, and for good reason. RIFF has infiltrated New England food- fans like no other entity.
RI FOOD FIGHTS typically focuses on month-long eating events based around a single food item; January means chicken wings, May means burgers, October means tacos, November means pizza, etc. For one of these month-long events (usually accompanied by a punny name like “Lord of the Pies” or “Big Burger Blowout”) a consumer can expect to pay between $20 and $25 to get a “passport.” An RIFF passport will then provide you with a huge number of coupons from restaurants that offer one complimentary food item of the month (like a slice of pizza, or six wings). “How many restaurants?” you ask? It’s typically around 24 to 28, but I’ve personally seen the number go up to 34 restaurants for one of these events. Meaning the consumer pays $25 for around 25 burgers over the course of a month, and then gets to vote on what burger (or slice of pizza or taco) is the best in Rhode Island.
Does it sound crazy? It is. The value for the consumer is outrageous. To find out how it shakes out on the restaurants’ side of things, I talked to John Sepulveda from Feast Sandwich Company in East Greenwich.
“Participating in an RI Food Fight can propel a restaurant from relative obscurity to cult classic over the course of one month. We track analytics on all our activity, the RI Food Fight has created a surge of repeat business that would have taken us years to acquire. We have been able to successfully create a social media platform, a repeating customer base and a staggering customer conversion rate and we have never spent a dime on traditional advertising methods. We are the proof of concept that shows RI Food Fights works if you know how to work it.”
Nellis adds, “We are analytically driven. The return on investment for new customer acquisition using our platform is greater than any current form of marketing. It’s that simple.” Heavy hitters continue to take part in RI FOOD FIGHTS’ events; Boneheads’ Wing Bar, Knead Donuts, Troop, Tomaselli’s, El Rancho Grande, Warwick Ice Cream, The Sandwich Hut — the list goes on. But the month-long events are just part of the story.
RI Food Fights’ 8th Annual Great Annual Cupcake Championship will hit the WaterFire Arts Center in PVD on Sunday June 23rd. The event is dedicated to finding out who makes the best cupcakes in Rhode Island. It’s one of many annual day-long events organized by RI FOOD FIGHTS, which also include the Spectacular Cookie Smackdown, the Incredible Ice Cream Throwdown, and Bacon and Beer Fest.
“The cupcake event was RI FOOD FIGHTS’ first ever throwdown, and it is the event of record for finding who has the best cupcakes in RI. This event has sold out seven years in a row.”
For $20, you get to sample cupcakes from more than a dozen different bakeries around RI and vote on your favorite. There will be over 7,000 cupcakes under one roof! This is accompanied by free beverages from New Harvest Coffee Roasters and Yacht Club Soda. Last year’s winners include Sweet Indulgence and Celebrated.
I can attest to the fact that these events are more than just a delightful and delicious afternoon. They are the most effective way to be introduced to, and involved in, the forever-changing Rhode Island foodie landscape. The amount of unbelievably impressive restaurants, bakeries and eateries that have come my way via RI FOOD FIGHTS is astounding. The Cupcake Championship is yet another shining example of a chest full of riches on RI FOOD FIGHTS’ treasure map through our culinary scene. The easiest way to participate is to follow their Instagram page at @rifoodfights. When gauging the reaction from Rhode Islanders, to the great events that RI FOOD FIGHTS has provided over the past eight years, Nellis’ unintentional catchphrase pretty much sums it up; “Dude. Epic.”
50 Years of Lobster Rolls: Evelyn’s Drive-In celebrates their 50th anniversary
Evelyn’s Drive-In is the real deal. There are a lot of excellent places to get New England seafood around Rhode Island. Restaurants serving clam cakes, clam chowder, lobster rolls and fish n’ chips are in solid supply in the Ocean State. But how many of those restaurants include these directions on their website? “Motor slowly under the bridge. Evelyn’s dock is inside on the left. If you’re coming in a sailboat, you can anchor outside the bridge, in the lee, out of the southwest wind and dinghy in?”
Yeah. Authenticity is not an issue for Evelyn’s Drive-In.
If I was writing a book about a picture-perfect New England summer that revolved around a familial cornerstone seafood restaurant, whatever I would come up would pale in comparison to the real life Evelyn’s Drive-In.
The humble clam shack appearance at Evelyn’s is ideal — and almost essential — for the atmosphere of sitting down to a perfect half-dozen clam cakes in the summer. Evelyn Dupont opened the drive-in in 1969. Jane and Dom Bitto bought it from her in 1987. Rumor has it that Dom took a wrong turn on his way to the Cape to look at purchasing a different restaurant, ended up in Tiverton at Evelyn’s and overheard a casual conversation about the restaurant going up for sale. I spoke with both Jane and Dom to find out the secret to keeping this charming seafood haven hustling and bustling after 50 years of business.
“Over the years, we added an outdoor waterfront patio, and added lots of grilled seafood and and New England favorites to the menu as well as many signature cocktails. In 2003, we founded a non-profit organization, Singing Out Against Hunger. We host our annual concert series raising funds and awareness for our hungry neighbors in need. Coming from contribution, we love supporting our community,” they explained via email.
“We are EXTREMELY grateful and fortunate to celebrate our 50th anniversary. Looking forward to many more years to come!”
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of a restaurant reaching such a milestone is the ever- changing culinary scene. Even just 15 years ago, I found our rich RI food scene to be a very different place. Over the course of 50 years, I had to assume that would bring on monstrous changes.
“There is [increased] variety, with more options tailored to all taste buds. We’ve found our community has a desire for twists on local classics. Our patrons, however, still seek out our original classics like our famous fish n’ chips, lobster rolls and fried clams.”
Evelyn’s is happy to put their own twist on classics, as evidenced by their lobster chow mein. You read that right. Evelyn’s lobster chow mein is five ounces of lobster atop a hot chow mein gravy and local crispy noodles (as seen on “Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives”). It’s must-try for those looking for a little bit of a new spin on a New England seafood classic.
My final question for the Bittos was the most obvious, but I needed to know. How does a restaurant owner achieve this kind of unbelievably impressive longevity?
“Serving the world through hospitality, kindness and gratitude. We have so many generations of loyal customers and employees who love Evelyn’s. Our commitment to outstanding customer service and hospitality to our patrons, along with serving the freshest seafood in the area, has solidified our commitment to quality and providing an exceptional experience for anyone walking through the doors.”
Evelyn’s Drive-In is located at 2335 Main Road Tiverton. For more information, go to evelynsdrivein.com