New faces and new places continue to appear on the dining scene as summer turns to fall. Many local restaurants are choosing this so-called “second new year” to make changes and tell their stories.
In Warwick, the new NYLO Providence/Warwick Hotel’s restaurant opens this week. The Loft features a full-service restaurant and bar serving a regional menu at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The dining area includes a 3,000-square-foot terrace directly on the banks of the Pawtuxet River with an outdoor stage for live entertainment. The terrace will be offered for private functions such as rehearsal dinners and corporate outings. Raymond Fiske of Warwick is chef de cuisine at The Loft. He was banquet chef at Quidnessett Country Club. The Loft’s staff uniforms were designed by Daniel Vosovic of cable network Bravo’s Emmy-nominated “Project Runway.”
Albert Bouchard, whose Restaurant Bouchard has won hearts and palates in Newport and beyond, is expanding off Aquidneck Island. Plans are in the works for a new restaurant and market to be located in Bristol. The restaurant will be called Stars and Stripes and will have a menu of modern American items and French fare.
A familiar name from the past in Providence and a Florida casual mainstay are among the restaurants opening in Patriot Place, the new shopping, dining and entertainment complex at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. Davio’s – which was never able to duplicate its Boston success in Providence even with a first-class chef in the kitchen – has launched a steakhouse operation; burger specialist Red Robin has set up shop.
Savvy restaurateurs invest in key personnel. One person in the right slot can make the difference between a successful restaurant and an also-ran. The Napa Valley Grille in Providence Place has brought in Guy Michaud as sous-chef. Among his initial tasks is to establish a business relationship with local farmers to use their just-picked produce. Rhode Island farms such as Barden Family Orchards and Collins Farms are already participating. Michaud has also been bringing in local cheeses and meats from Farmstead cheese shop and Aquidneck Farms. The chef’s goal behind all this is to move the Napa Valley Grille’s menu in the direction of seasonal, local, sustainable items to reflect today’s culinary “farm-to-plate” culture – enjoy good food but know where it comes from.
Suburban restaurants are competing with city eateries for talent. Well-known Providence maitre d’ Richard Ruff recently joined the Cowesett Inn in West Warwick as manager, setting off industry speculation about more changes in the menu and approach by the Kent County favorite that has been popular since the heyday of the Warwick Musical Theater.
There is a new maitre d’ at the Spiced Pear at The Chanler Hotel in Newport. Jason Authier hails from the Centennial luxury hotel in Concord, N.H.
Newport’s Castle Hill Inn & Resort has named Newport resident Jonathan Marston as pastry chef at the Relais & Chateaux-approved inn and restaurant. Marston will be responsible for the creation and implementation of seasonal desserts.
Fall desserts are on the mind of Executive Chef Christin Hale, of McCormick and Schmick’s in the Providence Biltmore, who is planning a new seasonal dessert menu to be unveiled as the fall produce becomes available. •
Dining Out with Bruce Newbury can be heard on TalkRadio 920 WHJJ-AM Fridays at 6 p.m. and Saturdays at noon. He can be reached at bruce@ brucenewbury.com.
