I am taking a page from the supermarket tabloids and following up on my beginning year forecast [“For 2010, Renovations, Makeovers … and Madonna?” PBN, Dec. 21, 2009]. We are only halfway through this year but already things are moving and shaking in the Ocean State’s restaurant community.
“In 2010, we are likely to see a new location of an established Rhode Island restaurant group in South County,” I wrote in December. The restaurant group is the Newport Harbor Corp., the proprietors of Castle Hill Inn, 22 Bowens and Hemenway’s, among others. The new restaurant: Hemenway’s Dockside Dining. As for the South County part, how about East Greenwich, which some residents like to think of as South County. Hemenway’s Dockside Dining will open in mid-June at the former Table 28 on the East Greenwich waterfront.
The company calls this, its ninth eatery, part of a lineup stretching from coast-to-coast in Rhode Island, which is my new favorite expression. “East Greenwich is a natural location for our company’s expansion,” said Ken Cusson, Newport Restaurant Group’s new business-development director.
“Many of our restaurants are situated along the waterfront in the state, and one area we haven’t explored is in Kent County,” he said. “We’re hoping residents who might not have tried our other properties will make this location their year-round favorite.”
The company has also leased space in the 85-slip East Greenwich Cove marina. “Similar to The Mooring in Newport, we’ll have the ability to offer our boating guests a great meal just steps from their dock,” continued Cusson. “And, we’ll also offer on-board service for those who wish to order from the convenience of their boat.”
This is a move that is sure to be popular and a throwback for East Greenwich. Just up the bay was a restaurant known by several names but best remembered as Folly Landing, which catered to the dockside crowd back in the 1980s. There may be one or two spots in town which may serve on board if requested, but this marks a new strategy that is sure to send some waves among the waterfront’s Restaurant Row.
Also forecast for East Greenwich was “a fine-dining restaurant with a reality TV show attached to it.”
The restaurant on Main Street that was known as Trattoria d’Corso underwent a complete makeover last year. It reopened as an upscale Italian bistro called La Masseria, after its namesake in Manhattan. La Masseria shares an executive chef with its New York sibling. Speculation persisted in town that a reality TV production company was behind the facelift and the restaurant, even though nary a camera was in sight for the project. It turns out that a spouse of one of the principals in the company had done publicity for a national cable channel that does a lot of makeover-type shows, which fueled the rumors. It certainly makes for good table talk, of which there is plenty at La Masseria, which has become the place to dine in a town full of “must-dine” options.
Another predicted trend was for classic foods such as the popular, upscale burger movement that seems to be taking hold. At least one national chain in this category is making inroads into the state. I said to look for Five Guys to make its Rhode Island debut in 2010. They came as close as Seekonk, although some restaurateurs in the area report inquiries have been made along Route 2 in Warwick for a possible future Five Guys.
The restaurant within Vanderbilt Hall in Newport has indeed become an authentic British pub. Monty’s Bar and Dining Room has a menu of what is described as “gastro-pub inspired” dishes and “eccentric British favorites.” Monty’s serves breakfast and lunch daily.
This is the first step in what will be a complete renovation of Vanderbilt, purchased at the end of 2009 by Peter de Savery, developer of the Carnegie Abbey club resort. DeSavery’s resorts around the world cater to a select clientele, including Madonna, although there have been no sightings of the Material Girl in the City by the Sea thus far.
But the season is just starting, so stay tuned. •
Bruce Newbury’s “Dining Out” food and wine talk radio show is heard Saturdays and Sundays on WPRV-AM 790 and stations throughout New England. He can be reached by e-mail at Bruce@BruceNewbury.com.
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