RI Super Bowl Special: Where The Pro Athletes Love to Eat
Thursday, February 02, 2012
More than two decades ago, Patriot players began to discover how close Providence was to Foxboro and what a cool city this was to call home. When the large, luxury residences began to go up Downcity, Providence began to collect pro football players as residents. One of the big draws was our incredible restaurant scene, so we set out to find the favorite spots of our beloved Pats…
Ten Prime Steak and Sushi, Providence
One thing you can count on is that a professional athlete consumes a ton of protein to fuel all those incredible athletic feats. Well, in Providence, local athletes an get two of their favorites in one stop…prime beef and fresh fish at Ten. This place is one of the Patriots—and our—favorite hangouts. When you walk in to Ten, you get the sleek, big-city feel that owner John Elkhay wanted in this restaurant. You also get the creative food of Chef Dave Jackson. If you walk past the bar, and Carlo’s famous mojitos, and belly up to the sushi bar you will notice that each stool is emblazoned with the name of a different Pats player. We don’t even think Norm had his name on his stool at Cheers. Pats players have fallen in love with the large steaks and the creative sushi coming from Ten’s kitchen. One of our favorites is the “Crunchy Munchy.” Imagine coconut-crusted shrimp wrapped in sushi rice and topped with tempura crab and a heavenly truffle aioli. It’s a great beginner sushi as everything is cooked but it still has all those great flavors. 55 Pine St. 453-2333, www.tenprimesteakandsushi.com
South Street Café, Providence
The folks at South Street Café are very tight-lipped when it comes to Patriot love for their wings but we have it on good authority these wings have traveled on the road with the team this year. Could it be that the championship is riding on an order South Street’s Buffalo wings? If so, we should be in good shape for the big game, because these wings are the best around. Patriots players who live in Providence found this spot several years ago and began bringing all that tasty goodness to their teammates in Foxboro and a legend was born. We love the traditional Buffalo but also go for the BBQ. The wings are large and plump and we have yet to have a greasy one. They have found the perfect temperature to fry the wings at so they retain the crispiness while they’re tossed in the sauce. Everyone has had a bad, soggy wing and knows how awful they are. You can drop those words from you’re vocabulary when you go to South Street and sit back and enjoy the finger licking goodness. 54 South St. Providence, 454-5360
Temple at the Renaissance Hotel, Providence
The NFL hates the same things that we do about Boston: traffic in and out of the city is horrendous, accommodations aren’t always the best, and let’s just say the Paparazzi don’t always make it down here. Well, Boston’s loss is our gain. The laid back nature of Providence towards celebs makes it ideal for people coming in and out of Foxboro. The recent championship game brought not only the visiting Baltimore Ravens but also the game announcers and a lot of the NFL executives in town for the weekend. What they found at the Hotel Renaissance and Temple restaurant was a beautiful setting and bright, creative, Mediterranean cuisine. We were glad that the hospitality didn’t lead to a Pats loss because we would hate to have one of our favorite spots for apps and cocktails sullied in any way. We love sitting at the beautiful bar while enjoying the charcuteria and cheese plate. Fabulous, Spanish flavors here. 5 Avenue of the Arts, 919-5050, www.templedowntown.com
Jacky’s Waterplace, Providence
Jacky’s Waterplace has it all: incredible view, terrific cocktails and a varied menu of Asian treats. It’s location downcity doesn’t hurt either. When the Waterplace Luxury Residences were built in downcity, we knew the view alone would attract a lot of high profile residents. One thing this type of person wants is a hip, cosmopolitan restaurant, close to home. Jacky’s Waterplace fills all those needs and does so “tastefully”, if you catch our drift. Bright colors and flavors are the hallmark of Jacky’s décor and food. The menu runs the gamut of Asian cuisines and has something for just about everyone. Being Martinis, we love the giant martini menu and, in particular, the Lotus Blossom martini. Plum wine and lychee give this cocktail a great balance of sweet and perfumy aromas. You also can’t beat the roasted Peking style duck. The crispy skin and tender meat make a great wrap with the pancakes and the freshly cut vegetables. 200 Exchange St. 383-5000, www.jackyswaterplace.com
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Providence
With a great downcity location, Ruth’s Chris Steak House is big and comfortable; both things that a large human is looking for in a restaurant. They also look for big steaks that are fresh and expertly prepared. The warm dark woods in the dining room make a perfect setting for a relaxing meal before or after a big game. One can be assured of an interruption free meal while tables of politicians and business leaders eat nearby. Start with one of the killer apps like New Orleans style barbecued shrimp. The flavors of Bourbon Street come through with incredibly fresh shrimp providing the canvas. Don’t fill up on this stuff though because they know how to do beef right. The smells and sounds of sizzling steaks fill the dining room and make it impossible to resist. One of the secrets here is the thickness of the steaks. Because they’re thick, they can get that signature crust on the outside while ensuring the inside is not overcooked. They baste they’re steaks in butter to add just a little more flavor to the steak. We hear they have delicious desserts also, but we’ve never made it that far. 10 Memorial Blvd. 272-2271, www.ruthschris.com
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