Eat Local: Rooftop at the Providence G

It's been a while since one of these posts! I had to get this one up pretty promptly, though, so y'all can take advantage of the excellent deal and deliciousness of Providence Restaurant Week. There's a number of participating restaurants doing 3-course $16.95 for lunch or $29.95/$34.95 for dinner-some of them even two-for-one deals!

I went down to Providence for the day on Monday with the express goals of doing almost nothing and eating delicious food-mission accomplished, ha! Rici, Dad, and I decided to try out a new place for dinner, Rooftop at the Providence G. None of us had eaten there before, but the menu looked great and we could make a reservation online (a not infrequent deciding factor for me).

We all opted for cocktails-the Fig Fusion, St. Goose, and East Ghost RI, then made our selections from the Restaurant Week menu. They also had their full menu available.

Dad and I both started with the black truffle cauliflower soup, while Rici ordered the fried artichokes. The soup was probably my favorite thing all night-but was super rich. The artichokes were a pretty sizable serving, so we all tried-and enjoyed-them and Rici still had some to take home with her, ha.

We got three different main dishes. Naturally I got the vegetarian one, beet root gnocchi, while Rici got a wood oven roasted chicken and Dad went for the grilled rare tuna. They were all beautifully presented and delicious!

We finished with dessert-something I rarely order out, so it is a special treat during restaurant week. Again, we all made different selections and got to taste each others-I had the lavender creme brûlée, Rici had the flourless chocolate cake, and Dad enjoyed the berry mousse. While they were all tasty, we agreed that the chocolate cake could have been improved by heating it before serving and the creme brûlée was a little too sweet for my taste, though the flavors were great.

The space is quite lovely, though a little chilly-as it literally is a rooftop with a glass roof over it for the winter! They have some cafe tables, a bar, and lounge seating. There was also live music, which we definitely enjoyed! It seems this is a regular thing there, so it would also be a great location just for drinks.

I would highly recommend checking the Rooftop-and I know I can't wait to go back in the summer when you truly are outside!

xoxoxo
Emma

Eating Elsewhere: Denver (Part 2)

Our second day in Colorado was not much shorter, despite flying out that night (I believe our flight was at 11:59pm), but we didn't manage quite as many food stops. We still fit as much in around the christening and family party, though!

Of course we had to eat before heading to the Boulder area, but had to leave early enough that we didn't have time to take advantage of the many fantastic breakfast/brunch restaurants. Thankfully, Lucas knew of a great bagel place, Rosenberg's Bagels and Deli. I had a classic bagel sandwich, as did Lucas, but Dad amped it up with cream cheese and caviar on his. I was also pretty happy to take advantage of their nitro cold brew-so yummy! The combination of current and modern certainly created a fun atmosphere.

As we drove back into Denver after our (extended) family time, we had to make a stop at one of Dad and Lucas' favorite breweries, Black Shirt Brewing. I really enjoy beer, though don't drink it as often as they do, so was happy to take advantage of their flight-otherwise I certainly would have only been able to try one!

Their music theme is also super fun-they sell some awesome artwork, both prints and original, and the name of the brewery comes from Johnny Cash. Plus, their taps handles are microphones!
We finished the evening with dinner and drinks at the Rackhouse, a taproom that shares space with C Squared Ciders and Bierstadt Lagerhaüs Brewery. The restaurant is located above the cidery and brewery, so we were able to look down on their production.

I really enjoyed my cider flight-the lavender was particularly good! I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, but it was delicious. 

The food was also excellent. Dad immediately noticed the soft pretzel on the menu, so naturally we started with that. I then loved the banh mi (subbing in fried green tomatoes) and mac & cheese. 

By the time we left, Dad and I pretty much had to be rolled to the airport, but it was totally worth it! There's only about 98 more breweries (no exaggeration) and many more restaurants to explore!

xoxoxo

Emma

Eat Local: Metacom Kitchen

Oh my goodness, y'all-you need to try this restaurant.
Dad and I drove down to Metacom Kitchen for dinner a couple weeks ago-have I mentioned how grateful I am he's always up to try a new restaurant? It was totally worth it. Even the bread and butter they served at the start was excellent. Our server, too, was great-she was charming and chatty without being invasive, and knowledgeable about the food and atmosphere.

We started with the burrata for 2-the accoutrements with which it was served just made it even better. My only slight critique there would be to allow the cheese to come to room temperature, which is tricky in a restaurant setting.

They didn't have any vegetarian entrees listed on the menu, but that didn't stop the chef creating a delicious pasta dish for me. I could have put together a satisfying and yummy meal from the small plates, but I was excited to see what they would come up with-and it was definitely the right choice. Black pepper fettucine (made in-house) with mushrooms, peas, pea shoots, and shallots...mmmmmm. Dad's lamb pasta dish hit the spot for him, and we both enjoyed our drinks-an IPA from Woburn, MA for him and a French rose for me.

We don't often get dessert, but I'm so glad we did this time! He couldn't pass up the espresso martini (especially since we had a going-away party to attend after) and the coffee panna cotta lived up to my very high expectations.

Now, just let me know if you need a dinner date! 

xoxoxo

Emma

Holiday Weekend Recap

My oh my, what a weekend! Going back to work today was a real struggle...not least because of staying up a little too late after the fireworks, enjoying the beautiful summer night.

On Friday night, I got to experience a gorgeous space-the Liberty Hotel. I felt a little weird about the whole concept of it being a converted prison, but I will admit it was gorgeous-and the cocktails were delicious. They have several bars and restaurants there, and I would definitely enjoy experiencing some more of them. It's also the kind of place that seems like it would be perfect in the winter for a staycation...making note of that for the future!

On Saturday, Michelle and I finally made it to Five Horses Tavern so she could get her sour beer. I opted for another tasty cocktail to go with my falafel sandwich and jalapeno cheddar mashed potatoes (yeah, some eclectic combinations happening there), while Michelle had a special with her beer-a hot dog with mac&cheese! If I ate meat, you know I would have been all over that...
We attempted to go to Spoke, but didn't feel like waiting, so opted for ice cream at J.P. Licks instead. We're grown-ass ladies and can do what we want! :)

Sunday I made it to yet another new restaurant for dinner, Machu Picchu, after a productive morning of barre, church, and errands. It is an excellent Peruvian establishment-I had never had that cuisine before and definitely enjoyed it. We then meandered over to Brass Union for another beer...I hadn't been since my girls' night before I moved to Boston, and their patio was a lovely place to enjoy the evening!

Monday I was dead tired, so Michelle's and my plan to lay by the pool, drink some wine, and make empanadas was absolutely perfect. I may have swung by Blackbird Doughnuts on my way back from my friend Molly's for some patriotic treats...

And finally, the actual 4th of July! Naturally I went to barre in the morning before another day of eating and drinking. Dad had a flight out of Boston in the evening, so he came in early and we went to lunch at City Tap House, where they were having a BeerBQ competition-both the brews and BBQ were in it. Of course I could only partake in half, but I think it's safe to say Dad enjoyed 100% of it! The salad and tapenade I ordered off the standard menu were excellent as well.

I also had to make a point to embrace the upgrade to a childhood treat-a bomb pop frozen cocktail! A little sweet for my taste (which I think I could have guessed) but oh so fun. It's so nice to have Dad so close by that we can have a (fairly) spontaneous lunch like that-thanks, Dad!

I made plans with some friends to watch the fireworks from a restaurant in Charlestown, Blackmoor, which boasted views from their patio and dining room. I wouldn't say it was the best view, but the food and drinks were good and the service was fantastic-they were so very kind as I changed the reservation 3 times within a few hours! Suffice to say if I ever want to go back, I don't think the reservation can be under my name...whoops. I did make sure to leave a solid tip at least-I hate to be that person! Plus, we didn't have to deal with crowds at all which I definitely appreciated.

All in all, a fantastic long weekend...but thank goodness the upcoming weekend is only 2 days away! Hope you all had as much fun (and maybe more rest) than I did!

xoxoxo
Emma

Eat Local: Kitchen

If you find yourself in Providence on a Thursday-Sunday with an open morning ahead of you, I highly recommend you make your way over to Kitchen. A tiny, cash-only, no-call-ahead, no-frills breakfast spot, it is truly fantastic.

Dad, Georgina, and I lucked out when we went, as we only had a few groups ahead of us in line-and I ate a granola bar on my drive down from Providence, ha. We spent some of the time waiting planning out everything we wanted to eat...and building up our appetites!

We started with the griddled muffin-they make one kind every day, and we were totally ok with not having a variety from which to choose. The corn-raspberry combo was perfect.

We then dove into our entrees-a breakfast quesadilla for dad (plus a side of bacon, of course), the huevos rancheros for me, and the Big Shot for Georgina, which came with bacon, eggs, home fries, and the Portugese sweet bread French toast. The salsa for dad's and my dishes was even housemade-too delicious!

Dad and I also definitely enjoyed the coffee milk-it went perfectly with our savory and slightly spicy meals!

Let me know if you're headed over-I'll join you and bring coffee for the wait! :)

xoxoxo
Emma

TACOPOCALYPSE IS HERE

Run for cover!

JK...but I am about to make you pretty upset you missed it. So maybe I should hide?

It had all my favorite things...tacos, rosé, cold brew, doughnuts, good beer, and lots more on a perfectly summery day. It was a good thing Elly had a time constraint, otherwise I could have eaten probably 4x what I should have! Regardless of that, we definitely lived our best lives for the hour we were there.

Fried cauliflower tacos from Compliments Food Co. were a hit with both of us-I definitely plan to recreate these for a Taco Tuesday!

Bon Me didn't disappoint with a tofu taco (and some meat one for Elly, ha)! Of course I had to add some sriracha, but that is no reflection on a lack of flavor-it was delicious.

There was a beer/bar tent set up with a good selection of brews, but I had to try out the wine in a can. It was a tough choice between rosé and sparkling, but I had to go pink here. Also excellent!

Elly and I, being who we are, had to make a stop at both Blackbird Doughnuts and the fun sign on our way out. Cold brew coconut for her, chocolate old-fashioned for me. Always so yummy!

Please, if you know of any taco-themed events-send them my way! I clearly have a slight obsession...

xoxoxo
Emma

Father's Day Festivities

I got to actually spend Father's Day with my dad for the first time in years-we were trying to figure it out, and I'm 99.9% certain it's been since high school! Dad requested that we go down to Newport, RI for the day as he has been wanting to explore it for years and somehow has never made it, ha.

I mean, of course we started the day with Providence Bagel-I had to get the rainbow bagel since they brought it back for Pride, and it was great with honey walnut cream cheese. Dad loved the Federal Hill sandwich, with egg, mozzarella, mushroom, roasted red pepper, and pesto-I definitely need to try it at some point.

It was a pretty dreary day (until we got back to Providence at the end of the day, of course), so we missed out on some views going into Newport (as well as along the coast full of mansions), but we found plenty to do! We started at the Museum of Newport History, which was small but informative!

We then made our way to the Touro Synagogue, the oldest one in the United States. Our guide was so knowledgeable, and I really appreciated that he acknowledged (once asked) the complexity of the affluent families who built and attended it and where their wealth came from-including slavery or profits linked to it.

After walking up to view the cemetery, we decided we needed a brunch break, so we decided on White Horse Tavern, America's oldest tavern (are you sensing a theme?). While the food was quite good-and the cocktail I had was fantastic-Dad and I decided the most accurate word for our dining experience was "confusing". Our server seemed nice enough, but wasn't exactly a good listener-thankfully Dad likes blue cheese far more than I do! I will also give him credit for taking a good photo, ha. We were seated on in the corner next to the server stand despite the room being empty almost the entire time we were dining. I will definitely recommend the cheese board and the Trading Post though!

Fortified by our omelets, we walked down to the water, but there wasn't much to see given all the fog. We decided on one last stop-possibly the one I was most looking forward to-the Redwood Library and Atheneum. It is-you guessed it-the oldest library building in the USA, and absolutely gorgeous. I love that it is still a functioning lending library while maintaining its history. I definitely could have hung out there for a while!

As I mentioned, we drove by the Newport Mansions-they are crazy! I can't imagine not only owning but caring for one of those. However, I wouldn't mind trying...anybody want to introduce me to some of the private owners? ;) We couldn't see much of the ocean but the waves crashing were gorgeous. I didn't even take a photo-I knew I couldn't do them justice. 

All in all, definitely a good day! There's still more to see, so I would certainly make the trip down again-though I'd like a little sunshine this time, please!

xoxoxo

Emma