Weekend Cooking- Great Food in Providence

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We visited my husband's youngest sister and her family this past week in Providence, Rhode Island. It was a lovely visit, we don't get to see the kids very often in their own home and we all had so much fun.

After a delicious Passover meal where Necole made a brisket that was so tender it melted in your mouth and a matzoh ball soup that was the best I have ever had, the ladies had an evening out.

Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, was in conversation at the Providence Performing Arts Center on Tuesday with Al Forno restaurant owner Johanne Kileen, so Necole, her sister Brigette (the best cook in the family) and I went to see her. (More on that in next week's Weekend Cooking.)

First we had one of the best meals I have ever had anywhere at Bacaro. From the appetizer to dessert, everything was amazing. We shared a Pizza with Prosciutto di Parma and Arugula that was had just the perfect crispy texture. It was delicious.

Pizza with Prosciutto & Argula

There were so many fabulous entrees from which to choose, and since Necole raved about the Pasta Con I Funghi, I took her suggestion and boy was I glad I did. This was one of the best pasta dishes I ever had anywhere, including our trip to Rome. It started with tagliatelle, topped with butter, parmiggiano- reggiano, mushrooms and a truflfed-scented egg. Once you break that egg and mix it in with the pasta, oh my goodness, it was heavenly.

Pasta Con I Funghi

From their extensive dessert menu filled with unique dishes,  I chose the Bella's Citrus Bombolini, a plate of mini-doughnuts filled with orange curd and topped with caramel. I reluctantly shared them with the ladies (if they weren't my sisters, I probably wouldn't have), but man I am still dreaming about them. We also shared the Salted Chocolate Carmel Tart and the Olive Oil Cake with Rosemary Anglaise & Whipped Cream. The Olive Oil Cake was a close second in our humble opinions.

Bombolini

The next day we headed to Nick's On Broadway for breakfast. It's a popular restaurant, and I loved the design. You walk into the narrow bar area, where you can see the open kitchen from the bar. Behind the bar is the small restaurant, where you can see the chefs cooking your meal from every seat. I loved the clean, open lines and stainless steel.

Nick's kitchen

We ordered lots of dishes to share, but there were two big winners. Nick's prides itself on using local fresh ingredients, and the Baked Geer Farm corn + Vermont cheddar polenta with two eggs, baby spinach and Parmesan cheese was fabulous. The polenta was served as two rectangles, seasoned perfectly and the texture was just right. 

Eggs on polenta

They also served a special that day with eggs and a pork hash, along with two crispy biscuits that was very tasty, as was French toast, sausage, chicken sausage and rosemary ham. You really can't go wrong with anything you get there, and it all tasted so fresh.

So if you find yourself in Providence, I highly recommend Baccaro for drinks and dinner and Nick's On Broadway for breakfast or lunch. You will not be disappointed. 

Bacaro's website is here.

Nick's On Broadway is here.

If you've been to Providence, I'd love to hear about your favorite restaurants in the comments section.