slides: 5 Hidden Restaurant Gems in Providence
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Ann & Michael Martini, GoLocalProv Food Editors
Well, last week we left Providence out of the culinary equation and focused on restaurants along our beautiful coast. Hey, it's summer... Forgive us. This week we return to the capital city to seek out some hidden gems you may, or may not, have tried. Providence's restaurant scene changes constantly. Restaurants and chefs come and go pretty quickly in this difficult profession. Public tastes change too. This also helps change the dining landscape of the city as hospitality professionals race to keep up. This pace can get pretty dizzying but we love it. This frenetic energy is what makes the engine go and push these guys and gals to new heights. We set out to find 5 hidden spots for you to try...or re-try:
CORRECTION - see slides - we got one wrong
Related Slideshow: 5 Hidden Restaurant Gems in Providence
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The G Pub, Providence
The re-purposing of historic buildings in Providence has yielded many awesome dining spots. One place that immediately pops to mind is a new casual spot called the G Pub. Located in the basement of the old Providence Gas building, the G is hip and clean and full of tempting food and drink. They have a rooftop bar area but we stuck with the downstairs. We started with the warm pretzels, which were delish, and quickly moved on to the farmhouse fried chicken and the pastrami Gansett. The fried chicken was excellent--juicy and perfectly fried--and the Tabasco gravy had a nice zing. The pastrami was among the best we've had in the area--spicy, with Narragansett ale mustard, caramelized onions and house made pickles. 61 Orange St. 632-4782,www.providencegpub.com
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Broadway Bistro
Some places manage to stay on "hidden gem" lists for ever. We are not sure why that is. The Broadway Bistro is one of those rare places that flies under the radar even though they've been turning out excellent fare for a long time now. This quaint spot features really good local food with a seasonal focus. The menu changes often but look for their house made gnocchi. They are our favorite dish and we at least split them every time. The ribs and grits is another favorite. 205 Broadway, 331-2450,www.broadwaybistrori.com
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McBride's Pub, Providence
One of the newer Irish pubs in Providence, McBride's is still a hidden gem among the other shops and restaurants of Wayland Square. A serendipitous trip to Ireland led two brothers to turn this former garage into a cool Irish pub and we are grateful they did! We started with the lamb sliders. The fig glaze added a nice sweetness to the earthiness of the lamb and it was perfectly cooked. Although the burgers and pizzas looked good, we wanted a traditional dinner and chose the corned beef and cabbage. It was nice and tender and the cheddar/ale sauce was a delicious accompaniment. 161 Wayland Ave. 751-3000,www.mcbrides-pub.com
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Noodles 102, Providence
This cool little spot opened a short time ago and has been cranking out delicious and creative food ever since. Our visit found the restaurant fairly crowded but we got a table pretty quickly. We ordered some of the chicken lettuce wraps to start. They were well seasoned and the nice crisp lettuce added the right crunch. For dinner we got a noodle bowl with miso broth, Udon noodles and beef. It was a ton of flavor in a simple dish...always a winner in our books. The menu implored us to try the clay pot cooked rice. We chose the chicken with Szechuan BBQ sauce. It was delicious and the clay pot baking brings out a whole new nuttiness to the rice. 102 Ives St.383-5004, www.noodles102.com
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Succotash, Providence
CORRECTION:
Unfortunately, we got this one wrong. Michael and I frequent Rhode Island restaurants about four times a week for these columns. While we give each restaurant a call to confirm details right before we publish, we can't guarantee the folks on the other end of the phone are informed or honest. Succotash indeed closed--and we are sorry we misled our readers. But be sure to visit one of the other great restaurants on this week's list! -- Ann Martini
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