Restaurant Insider: Where the Culinary Students Go to Eat
Thursday, May 19, 2011
With the end of the academic year upon us, we thought it wise to ask some culinary up-and-comers where they like to eat in and around Providence. Before they packed their bags for home, we checked in with a dozen Johnson and Wales culinary, hospitality, and baking/pastry majors and asked, Where do future chefs eat, anyway?
Foo(d) at AS220, Providence
AS220 (right) prides itself on being a local home where artists can grow and experiment. And since chefs are artists, too (consider the whimsical style with which David Burke presents a lobster dish, or the fantastic heights to which Jacques Torres has designed chocolate), they feel right at home here. Foo(d) at AS220 is the organization's restaurant, and students here love that they offer lots of vegetarian and vegan options and utilize local, top-notch ingredients. "The 'Classy Grilled Cheese' is fantastically epic with Narragansett Creamery mozzarella and bacon," says Kayla, a third-year pastry student. Roommate Chelsea loves their African Peanut soup, only $4. "It has ginger and carrots and tofu and is even good on a warm day," she says. Most dishes on this long menu are in the $4-$7 range; the most expensive, grilled Arcadian redfish with couscous, is $11. As you might imagine, the vibe here, like at AS220, is super-casual and relaxed. Witness a note on the menu: "For max hippie cred, bring your own reusable to-go container." Cool, man. 115 Empire St., 831-3663.
The Abbey, Providence
"On the outside this place looks like a crappy beer bar," admits fourth-year culinary student Matthew. "And they do have an impressive microbrew selection. But their food is really damn good." Matthew's friend Peter, also a third-year culinary student who recently completed a stage for Chef Rick Moonen, agrees. "They have your better-than-average selection of burgers, and everything else is typical bar food like chicken fingers and quesadillas, but done really well," he says. In fact, the Abbey's menu is fairly extensive and includes good-sized entrees as well as burgers, and most everything is in the $10 range. Under each menu item is the beer
that the bartenders feel go best with the selection, a detail the students like. "Part of the joy of eating is finding a drink that brings out the pleasant nuances of what you are tasting," says Peter. We'll drink to that. 686 Admiral St., 351-4346.GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Geoff's, Providence
Most Rhode Islanders think the rich and powerful here have low-numbered license plates. Nah. Since 1967, the true test of Rhode Island fame is having a sandwich named after you at Geoff's. Some 50 famous and infamous people are immortalized in sandwich and boy is fame tasty. Geoff's has remained popular for two main reasons: fresh, delicious sandwiches and low prices. Packed tall in seemingly dozens of combinations of ham, turkey, pastrami, cheeses, all kinds of sauces, steamed so they are hot and moist, “These sandwiches could feed you for the whole day,” says Melanie, a freshman culinary student. “Come on Tuesday when you can get two for about eight bucks,” says her boyfriend Spencer, also in culinary. Our favorite? The Wyatt, named long ago for one of the original owner-operators. It’s got hot pastrami, corned beef, Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard and Tiger Sauce, on rye. It’s not the Carnegie Deli, says one Manhattan culinary student. “But it is close.” 163 Benefit St. Providence, 751-2252.
The Red Fez, Providence
Just a red fez hanging on a wooden sign outside the door of this Downcity haunt--that's the only clue to what's housed here. Dark booths, funky art, a decidedly artsy/hipster vibe, cheap prices (nothing more than $12 or so) and good food is what JWU's chef-students like about this place. "They have $2 beers and $4 quesadillas," says Joy, who frequents the Fez with roommate Pixie, both culinary students. "If you want something more special, the fish is really good -- crabcakes, salmon -- for those of us who don't eat meat." Baking and pastry student Mike says the mac and cheese here is great. "Get it with kielbasa...it is the best in the city." 49 Peck St., 272-1212.
Namaste Gourmet, Pawtucket
This weather sapping your soul? Well it’s killing us too. Just imagine having final exams upon you during all this grayness, too. “The soup guy gets me through it!” says Ken, a hospitality student who lives in Pawtucket. Indeed, Namaste Gourmet has taken the eastern philosophy of Zen and applied it to food and we are eternally grateful. Namaste Gourmet claims to infuse their soup with positive energy. “We are positive that they're soup-o-licious!” laughs the student-friends who accompany Ken on a weekly pilgrimage here. A recent visit sent us away with a sinfully silky carrot and ginger bisque that was creamy and sweet and spicy and all that a good soup should aspire to. We also enjoyed the odd-sounding stuffed pepper soup. We were thrilled when the soup hit our taste buds and we realized that all the flavors of the best stuffed peppers you've ever had is now in soup for. Cash only, closed Mondays…we don’t care. Soup for us! 877 Central Ave., Pawtucket, 724-0274.
The Ocean Mist, Matunuck
“When I’m broke and hungry, I’ll make the drive!” says Christopher, an East Greenwich native and third-year culinary major. Located literally on Matunuck Beach, the Mist is our go-to breakfast place in the summertime for fast, affordable and delish food. So we’re delighted it’s on the list of the top spots for culinary cool kids. The Mist is renowned for two things: Monday night taco night and Wednesday wings. First the taco night...every Monday they feature $3.00 baskets of tacos (3 per basket) with your choice of hard or soft shell. They offer beef, veggie or Cajun chicken tacos with all the fixings to make those long Mondays slowly drift out to sea. Wednesday is wing night. Two dollar baskets of wings are served all night long in barbecue, honey mustard or Jamaican jerk. Chris reminds us that the Mist’s "wing specialist" Brian offers weekly special wing flavors. 895 Matunuck Beach Rd. South Kingstown, 782-3740.
Related Articles
- Food Find: Fried Calzones at Warren’s Federal Hill Pizza
- The Best Pizza in Rhode Island: Gourmet Pizzas
- The Best Pizza in Rhode Island: Traditional Pizzas
- Local Food Find: Empanadas from La Sorpresa
- RI’s Best Gourmet Burgers
- RI’s Best Burgers Part 2: The Classics
