Society of Wine Educators Annual conference comes to Providence - need reccs

[Mark C.]

There will be around 300 to 400 food and wine professionals descending on the area and we need to eat. We are being hosted by Johnson and Wales. One of our board members is department chairman of the College of Culinary Arts.

Pre-conference begins Monday August 1st and the runs through the week closing on Saturday August 6th. We have a night on the town, so to speak, on Tuesday where we have a choice of 4 restaurants - Nick’s on Broadway, Gracie's, Hemenways and Al Forno's (we will only have 20 going to each restaurant). So we know about these 4 places.

I wanted to know about where else you would recccommend for food and wine - not chain restaurants, steak houses, etc. ( I checked Zagat's FWIW and only these types of places were rated).

The conference hotel is at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick so would like add'l ideas outside of Providence.

Mark

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Crowne Plaza
RR 372, Cromwell, CT 06416

Hemenway's
121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903

[lgemma]

Mark,

I would recommend La Masseria on Main St. in East Greenwich. This restaurant is not in Providence but it is only 10 minutes away from the Crowne Plaza. The food is excellent. All
of the pasta is homemade. You definitely will not be disappointed.

I have eaten at all of the restaurants you mentioned. Definitely try to eat at Nick's and Al Forno.

Have a great time!

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Crowne Plaza
RR 372, Cromwell, CT 06416

[Mark C.]

Thanks for the comments.
Did not want to plug Swe or the conference but it will be good.
Let the restaurant community know we are coming.
We are good for business we eat, drink and spend.

[invinotheresverde]

Pane e Vino has a dope, all-Italian list. All bottles and glasses are 50% off on Mondays, if you happen to sneak away. Acceptable stems and service, too. B+ grub. Bread pudding a must.

Love Loie Fuller, but be aware it's teensy and closed Tuesdays (if you didn't go to one of the selected four spots). Small, fun list. Service meh.

Caffe Itri is about ten minutes outside PVD (Cranston), but has a large, global, fair list. Not vertical/First Growth style, but pretty good for RI. Grub B, mediocre stems, good service.

Best list in the city is Capriccio, but bring your wallet. The food is nothing to write home about, but the ambiance is pure old school RI. Probably best list in the state. Deep cellar.

Is there room in the Society for one more somm?

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Caffe Itri
1686 Cranston St, Cranston, RI 02920

[Frank Terranova]

There is plenty of room in the society web site is societyofwineeducators.org. They have about 2,300 members I am joining this year. Check the site.

good luck

[invinotheresverde]

Thanks, Frank.

[Mark C.]

Frank, I was signed up for your Italian class. Hope there are no issues. Will probably take the Bartending intensive . Will you still be attending the conference?

[Frank Terranova]

Hi Mark,

The restaurants on here are very good. But if they are having any type of lunchs or dinners at the University for the conference You will have foods you cant get in places.
Wait until you see this grand Cuisinart Center for Culinary Education Its on the water a totally green state of the art biulding in RI.

[Mark C.]

Frank, Ed Korry is a buddy, he wanted me to come up and see it under construtcion (my main field of endeavor) but it did not work out, he's been talking about it to me for several years. He is the reason we are coming to Providence.
We have the all day food day at J & W on Tuesday then return on Thusrday for our wines of the world tasting where I'll be pouring wines from the winery I work at in PA. There will be light bites and more possibly at this event. Looking forward to coming to Providence and J & W.

[Frank Terranova]

Wait until you see this place 21 kitchens all state of the art, a bit of advice best bet is Newport for dinner if you get away I will be in school to tape and I can chat and hopefully give you a heads up on where to go and at least in Newport you can hop around, excellent food The WIne class that Ed teaches will blow you away each student sits and evaluates wines and cant swallow lol most restaurants wish they could have a bar this nice.

[Mark C.]

Bump
Food and wine, Interesting off beat wine lists. I have read/searched the board and see a handful of places. Which are the best for Chacuterie/Salumi. I have smoe very demading friends and I did very well picking places to eat at last years conference in DC and have my rep to uphold ;-)
Chez Pascal and Loie Fullers seem t be the best spots for what we are looking fo anywhere else. I have 4 nights.

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Chez Pascal Restaurant
960 Hope St, Providence, RI 02906

[Gin n Tonic]

Recommend New Rivers and La Laiterie. I know Beau Vestal at New Rivers makes his own charcuterie, and there is enough variety that you can eat well from the charcuterie-only menu. If I'm not mistaken, Matthew Jennings at La Laiterie also makes his own. Call ahead, say who you are, and I'm sure they'll treat you to the good stuff.

[Mark C.]

G&T thanks for the reccs.

[LMWW]

I second New Rivers and La Laiterie. I'd also add Bacaro and Broadway Bistro. If you do venture to Newport, check out Tallulah's. Another drive, but worth it, would be Persimmon in Bristol.

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La Laiterie
184-188 Wayland Avenue, Providence, RI 02906

Bacaro Restaurant
262 S Water St, Providence, RI 02903

Broadway Bistro
205 Broadway, Providence, RI 02903

[Brian_Hodge]

Second the nod to Bacaro. Top notch.

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Bacaro Restaurant
262 S Water St, Providence, RI 02903

[JaneRI]

Third Bacaro. Don't bother w/Al Forno.

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Bacaro Restaurant
262 S Water St, Providence, RI 02903

[Frank Terranova]

Mark,
Reat a car and go to Newport you wont be sorry your rep will be in tact. Plus after dinner you and your friends can take in some nice places to walk.