Alsatian dinner at New Rivers

It's been nearly two months since we've eaten at New Rivers; and in fact, our last outing there was for New Year's Eve, a dinner that the four of us had somewhat mixed feelings about, if you must know.

That aside, we were looking forward to a return engagement and when I discovered on Tuesday last, quite by accident, that they were hosting an Alsatian dinner the next day, we had to snap up that opportunity.

 The party kicked off at 6:30 in the upstairs private dining room. We had no sooner gotten our coats off than we were handed a glass of tasty Cremant d'Alsace. (A "cremant" being any non-Champagne sparkling wine made in the Champagne style, so we were told.) It was a lively and friendly group of about 17 people seated around a u-shaped table. The wines for the evening were all white Alsatian (naturally) from Gerard Metz and presented by the wine rep, Steve Wynn of The Wine Bros. One of the most fascinating aspects of the dinner was the fact that such robust food was matched with white wines, and quite nicely matched, too, I might add.

For starters, matched with a gewurztraminer 2010 (quite dry):

bouchee a la suppepaschete, puff pastry cups with pork, vegetables and cream

bibeleskas, fresh ripened cheese with bacon, potatoes, herbs on toast

Next up, with a pinot blanc 2011 (nearly everyone was amazed at what an incredible wine this was):

flammekueche, thin rich "pizza", topped with bacon, onions and cream

presskopf & spaetzle, crispy lamb shoulder rillettes and spaetzle

For the "entre," and matched with a delicious riesling (lots of residual sugar but very dry nonetheless):

charcroute garni, saurkraut with sausages, smoked pork, potatoes, onions and mustards

For the dessert course, kougelhopf paired with a late-harvest gewurztraminer done in a dry style:

Every now and then Beau Vestal, chef-owner, would drop by and chat about the food. And speaking of the food, it was well-presented, scrumptious and, with the exception of the dessert course, superb. (We thought it odd to offer a traditional breakfast bread for a dessert course, but then the wine served with it  was a bit on the odd side as well, far too dry for a "dessert" wine, in my humble opinion.)

The company was congenial, and, as I said lively. It was a most pleasing couple of hours sharing experiences and ideas about such wonderful food and wines.

Saturday night at New Rivers

Susie (aka the French Tarte) and I paid a long-overdue return visit to one of our favorite eateries in a city that loves its food: New Rivers. Located in the shadow of the very first Baptist Church in the United States, in a building that has seen it's share of ups and downs in the past couple of centuries, you couldn't find better food or a warmer place to hang your hat for a couple of hours or so.

We both settled into a pair of Pilgrim '21 cocktails (Prosecco, gin, cranberry juice and Canton).

For starters Susie chose a simple (and simply delicious) Romaine salad and I tucked into Narragansett Bay scallops with Beau Vestal's own smokey bacon -- needless to say the evening was off to a great start.

I couldn't resist the steak with a root vegetable barley and incredibly scrumptious fresh mushrooms, while Susie settled on the Rhode Island fluke with fingerling potatoes and pickled peppers, which she thought tassty in the extreme (and Susie hates anything pickled).

yep, those are homemade onion rings

We closed out the evening relaxing over a 20-year Tawny for me and Marie Brizzard over ice for the French Tarte.

Before we scooted out we stuck our heads in the kitchen to say hi and thanks to Beau and asked about their plans for New Year's -- last year we spent a delightful evening at New Rivers, savoring a multi-course special menu along with Dick and Dorothy and we wondering what they had in store for this year. The word we got from Elizabeth and Beau is that it will be even more of a special evening this year.

We can't wait. . .

New Year's Eve Dinner at New Rivers

Although the menu was limited, what struck me -- and I think everyone at the table agreed -- this was one of those very rare times that everything on the menu seemed appealing.

After the first course, which we all shared, I started with the duck pastrami; everyone else had the tartlet.



Along with the starters, we shared a bottle of pinot gris from Willamette Valley. For the third course Dorothy had the lamb rack, Dick had the chop, and Susie had the scallops:



I had the 3-grain cassoulet:



The main course was accompanied by a bottle of Brouilly. We all shared the cheese course (scrumptious). For dessert I had the ice cream with caramel sauce, Susie had tarragon pound cake and Dick and Dorothy both had the molten chocolate cake.

We all thought the food universally delicious, the portions right and the pacing spot on as well. Bruce, Beau and the crew at New River's did a spectacular job of making a special evening truly enjoyable -- well worth the $65 per person.

Leaving the restaurant I felt the evening air was only slightly crisp and smacked more of late fall than winter. As we walked leisurely back to the car we were amazed at how quiet the city was, wondering what was really happening with the Providence Bright Night (i.e., "First Night") program. Oddly typical in a city noted for being typically odd.

Happy New Year!!

New Rivers it is for New Year's Eve

It was a hard choice for New Year's Eve -- Nemo at Cook and Brown, Matt Gennuso at Chez Pascal or Bruce and Beau at New Rivers.

We opted for New Rivers: Five courses for 65 bucks and we requested the cozy room -- hint, hint. OK the new space has lots of glass and a wonderful view (at night) of the church steeple (they are on Steeple Street, after all). But it's just not, you know, cozy, bistro-like.

The idea is to support the handing off of the baton, the transition of administrations, and we want to help make that change as smooth as possible, to do our part. To say good-bye to Bruce and hello (again) to Beau and his crew.

Stay tuned -- we'll have a full report plus photos on January 1 (or 1 January for the Europeans).

New Rivers is doing a semi-special for New Year's Eve

I just heard from Bruce Tillinghast at New Rivers on Steeple Street in Providence. They will be offering a special five-course meal from a limited menu for $65 -- NOT including drinks, tips, tax. That's not bad. . . not bad at all!

New Rivers in Providence for Susie's birthday

New Rivers - Restaurant Weeks stop 2

OK, so last week we hit Chez Pascal in the tony East side and this last Wednesday we stopped by another favorite haunt: New Rivers on Steeple Street almost in the river that finds its way into the Narragansett Bay.

Chef/Owner Bruce Tillinghast and Executive Chef Beau Vestal represent the very epitome of what has made the restaurant business in Providence so damn special. They are hard-working and incredibly passionate about food (particularly French food and charcuterie even more so, if that's possible). But more than that these two and their finely picked staff always make you feel right at home -- they make each diner feel cozy and comfortable, as if to say "sit back, have some wine, relax, enjoy the food, and stay awhile."

Susie and I each started off with a La Bicicletta ("bicycle" in Italian), a combination Prosecco and Campari -- right up our aperitif alley. The drinks were ten bucks apiece but generous portions; we found ourselves sipping them well into the first course.

And speaking of courses we always opted for the second-week special RW prixe fixe menu for 30 bucks apiece.

We both had pork belly over cornbread for the first course and cod loin for the second. (Do fish really have "loins"? And if so do little fish spring from them I wonder?)

For dessert Susie had the and I had the marinated peaches with amaretti cookies and Susie had the ice cream with lavender shortbread.

To carefully wash all this down we sprung for a half bottle of Chablis.

The food was, and I'm not exaggerating here, absolutely delicious. Generous but not obscene portions, and we walked back to feeling not only pleased with a night well spent but just happy to have had the opportunity to go and enjoy such hospitality.

I could go on and on about this -- and believe me I've been known to do just that.

The long and short of it is, go to New Rivers, park along the park on Main Street, walk the block or so in the warm summer evening to a special place just down the hill from Beige University. Drop in, sit down and spend the evening.

And take your time.

New Rivers in Providence

This place has been around for nearly 20 years and is still offering the same incredibly delicious food and outstanding service.

Located along Steeple Street, literally a stone's throw from the hubs of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design, New Rivers, run by Bruce Tillinghast and his phenomenal chef Beau Vestal, this place feels like a slice of rural France brought to the Ocean State.

If you think Susie and I liked this place you would be absolutely right. And obviously lots of other diners last Wednesday evening.

We had often heard how warm, cozy and inviting New Rivers is and no sooner had we walked inside that we learned just how perceptive those observations are. The restaurant is divided into three components: as you enter through the curtains you step from the hubbub of Downcity Providence into the quiet and warmth of a French country inn. The dining room is right ahead and to your right, to the left is a portal that leads you into a smaller dining space where the ceiling is festooned with grapevines carrying strands of small lights and stars -- a very nice touch -- and a small yet inviting bar. Back into the main dining room you have the kitchen -- small but extremely well laid out and clearly very efficient -- at the back of the restaurant.

OK, so Susie and I both ordered the three-course "bistro" menu ($28/person) -- which I believe is offered from Tues-Thurs. Susie had the spicy peanut soup and I had the pork rillete with baguette and pickled veggies. For the main course we both had the sirloin medium, over a bed of mashed Westport turnips and topped with shiitake mushrooms. Our wine was a 2001 Barbaresco from Carlo Giacosa. For the dessert portion we both had the almond cake and a couple of glasses of the muscat beaume de venise.

Simply put the food was superb: everything was delicious, well-presented and incredibly tasty. Service was friendly and attentive without being intrusive.

New Rivers is one place you must go when dining in Providence. I can't believe we've waited this long.

New Rivers
7 Steeple Street
Providence
401.751.0350