Reinvented eateries keep dining scene fresh

We so often talk about and seek out the newest restaurant in town. And we do not have very far to look to find another new place opening its doors to tempt us. The reviewers and the bloggers join in the quest to be the first at the newest. But the real sustaining reason why Rhode Island is a great dining destination is that like established culinary meccas such as New York City, there are a number of well-established favorite spots in the neighborhoods as well as in the downtown dining districts.
These familiar eateries have stood the test of time as well as the onslaught of every restaurant-come-lately on the Restaurant Row.
There is another category of dependable eateries that are available to us. Longtime restaurateurs who have reinvented themselves, combining the best of their original concepts with modern contemporary touches, have opened new places. In some cases it marks a return to a familiar neighborhood, for others it is the fulfillment of a longtime desire to work nearer to home, particularly when home is a place long sought after. Two chef-restaurateurs are prime examples of how the familiar can be turned into a new experience with practically none of the uncertainty or missteps that hamper fledgling businesspeople.
Ralph Conte has enjoyed a well-deserved reputation as one of Providence’s best-respected chefs and restaurant owners. His landmark Italian bistro, Raphael, is still fondly remembered by foodies from throughout the state. He started out as some will remember in North Kingstown, then had a couple of locations in Providence and a location in East Greenwich.
I described Raphael Bar Risto as “one of the most perfect spots for romance” and when Ralph closed his doors in 2008, I wrote how “he showed us how cool and sophisticated with great food could be done” and called him a “pioneer in the Providence restaurant boom.”
In the summer of 2012, he re-emerged in North Kingstown, just across the bay from his beloved Jamestown home. He opened Plum Point Bistro along with his wife, Elisa, son, Raffi, and daughter, Zoe. The crowds and rave reviews followed.
Ralph and his family have established a menu highlighting ingredients and creations that are “fresh, all natural, organic and locally grown whenever possible” – that’s the message on the menu. While Ralph spends his time away from the restaurant out fishing, other specials reflect the new preferences in dining out. Plum Point Bistro has a daily Vegan Board with specials that are in keeping with the diet. Next to the cutting-edge choices, an “old-school” choice: escargot. “We tried the retirement thing and decided it wasn’t for us,” declared Terry Orlando from the hostess station at her and husband’s (chef Pat Orlando’s) reinvented La Rosa Italian Restaurant and Banquets in Cranston. Pat had opened the original La Rosa and it enjoyed a loyal following for his authentic southern Italian creations.
I have fond memories of in-depth talks with Pat about his food philosophy over a great pot of slow-simmering San Marzano tomato sauce in the kitchen of Pat Orlando’s Restaurant in Johnston. Together, Pat, Terry and Sergio Orlando have opened their latest Italian restaurant on busy Atwood Avenue, near the Johnston town line.
Pat’s 40-plus years in the restaurant business certainly qualify him as one of the state’s culinary icons. He has remained true to his roots with an extensive menu of made-from-scratch, southern Italian recipes, including house-made pastas. The neighborhood is an interesting evolution. From one of the original retail “strips” in the state, the four-lane state route has seen retailers, supermarkets and even Cranston police headquarters rise up, become landmarks, and then relocate to other sections of the city, only to be supplanted by other retailers, a school of cosmetology and a retirement condominium community on a steep hill overlooking the highway.
Just north of Atwood Avenue, the older neighborhoods of Knightsville and Dyer are still home to many residents of Cranston old and recently arrived. The Orlandos have found a strong demand for a gathering place for life’s celebrations and commemorations. La Rosa’s banquet facilities are busy nearly every day with functions for families, groups and businesses. Traditional menus for buffets as well as plated, served dinners are offered.
In virtually every neighborhood in the state there are examples of restaurants which have stood the test of time and are still crowd-pleasers.
But it takes a special type of restaurateur to reinvent himself, stay current with the trends, listen to guests who dine out often and continue to be successful. These culinary personalities are another secret of success of our dining-destination state. •


Bruce Newbury’s “Dining Out” food and wine talk radio show is heard on WADK-AM 1540, WHJJ-AM 920 and on line and mobile applications. He can be reached by email at bruce@brucenewbury.com.

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