5 Great Rhode Island Restaurants For Father’s Day
Thursday, June 06, 2013
As we roll into June (and please, let it go slowly...) thoughts turn to Father's Day and the various ways we can celebrate Pop. We set out to find the best spots to enjoy a meal with Dad and came back with these 5...
Capital Grille, Providence--Power Loving Dad
Does your dad love a good suit? A thick glass with a heavy bottom? A nice chair of dark wood and leather? Oh yeah...and a big giant steak? Well then, the Capital Grille is the spot for your dad. Started by once-local restaurateur Ned Grace, this is, for lack of a better term, one of the manliest restaurants around. Power suits and black dresses mingle over the aromas of searing steaks and tall glasses of wine all in a classic setting. The Capital Grille was among the first spots in Providence to dry age beef in-house, and you can taste the savory difference. The high-heat sear on the steaks gives a nice caramelization to the outside while leaving the inside tender and juicy. Let Dad start with a giant shrimp cocktail and finish with the flourless chocolate espresso cake and he will be a happy man! 1 Union Station, 521-5600, www.thecapitalgrille.com
Pot au Feu, Providence--Continental Dad
We are here to dispel the rumor that French food is fancy and foo foo. Tell your dad that French food is truly meat and potatoes and local and seasonal and all that. One of the first spots to take a chance on downtown Providence, Pot au Feu and longtime owner Bob Burke made a fan of Julia Child back in her day. They have made a living perfecting centuries old recipes steeped in classical training. We love the Bourguignon. We love the crepes. We love the Pot au Feu. This dish is made all over france and every family has its own recipe. You used the freshest veggies of the season. You used the meats that were available locally. You got a crusty baguette and you had a nice broth. Sounds divine. And in Burke's hands...your dad will be well taken care of every time. 44 Custom House St. 273-8953, www.potaufeuri.com.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST22 Bowen's Wine Bar and Grille, Newport--Gatsby Dad
Get out Dad's Vineyard Vines tie with the whales on it and his blue Brooks Brothers sport coat and throw on your pink Lilly Pulitzer dress. It's time to head to Newport and the beautiful 22 Bowen's Wharf. Located on the water at historic Bowen's Wharf, this is one of our favorite seaside spots for good food, bucolic views and top notch service. Dad will love the location. The wharf is beautiful year round. Mostly though, he will love the food. Local seafood. Grass fed rib eye steaks. Sublime cocktails. 22 Bowen's hits home in most categories. Start him with some raw bar or the lobster and corn fritters. Move on to a cup of 22B clam chowder. Then Maine lobster? George's Bank scallops? Kobe beef? Grass fed rib eye? Whatever you do, try the 22B mashed potatoes. They're really good. We don't know your dad, but we bet he'd like some of that goodness! 22 Bowen's Wharf, 841-8884, www.22bowens.com
La Masseria, East Greenwich--Italian Dad
Does your dad have Goodfellas on a constant loop? Does he know all of Rhode Island's "dirty little secrets"? Yeah...that's most dads around these parts. Well, if you dad requests a nice Italian meal this month, take him to La Masseria. You can't get much more Italian than the three guys from Italy cooking terrific Italian food all in a warm, relaxed atmosphere. These guys have know each other for lifetime and all that friendship and love comes through in the entire experience. This is classic Italian done with care. Dad can expect to find everything from rigatoni with Sunday gravy to our favorite, the veal chop Milanese. Pounded thin and topped with a salad of peppery arugula, it is a nice light taste of what Italy is truly all about. 223 Main St. 398-0693, www.lamasserianyc.com
Your Back Yard with Persimmon Provisions or Armando and Sons, Casual Dad
Ok. We know some dads are resistant to dressing up and schlepping out for dinner. They don't need the pressure. The hype. They just want to eat and enjoy. Well for this dad, stay home and fire up the grill. We first suggest visiting one of our two favorite meat markets: Persimmon Provisions in the East Bay and Armando and Sons in the West Bay. Persimmon's Champe Speidel is know for high end, locally sourced meats and cool accompaniments to accent whatever you make. Armando and Sons is our favorite spot for tough-to-find cuts and general selection. Now once you've picked your steak we suggest the following code of ethics: Number 1: get a meat thermometer. If the pros use them and they cook hundreds of steaks to your one, how can you judge better than them without one? Number 2: fat equals flavor and forgiveness. If you choose grass fed beef, it has less fat than corn fed, so you need to cook it a little less that desired to allow it to come to where you want it without drying out. Number 3: 130 to 135 for medium rare. 140 to 145 for medium and don't go much higher. If you're going to well done, save some money and do a burger. Number 4: And if you forget 1,2 and 3, still do 4. It will help tremendously. ALWAYS REST YOUR STEAK! We can't emphasize this enough. When your steak reaches desired internal temperature remove it from the heat and allow it to rest--lightly covered--on a plate or cutting board. Let it rest there for 10 minutes--or longer if you have the patience. You know the sizzling sound on the grill? That's moisture leaving the meat. Resting allows those juices to redistribute throughout the steak. Ever cut a steak right off the grill and end up with a plate full of blood and a grey streak? That's where resting comes in to play. Follow the creed and you will make dad a happy man! Persimmon Provisions, 338 County Rd. Barrington, 337-5885, www.persimmonprovisions.com Armando and Sons, 895 Elmwood Ave. Providence, 841-2937, www.armandosmarket.com
