Most any restaurant has its own personality. Call it the “vibe” in the dining room, on the menu and among the staff. We know it almost as soon as we walk in. It can be an extension of the chef or proprietor’s personality, especially in Rhode Island where chef-owned restaurants abound.
There are many owner-operated eateries, some eponymous such as Sardella’s, others whose name is linked with its owner – Pot au Feu and Nick’s come to mind. In those spaces, the conviviality conveyed by the owner comes through from the minute the door is opened.
This atmosphere transcends food, service, even location.
This is a leading reason for the longevity of some of our favorite spots. It may also explain how some places quickly become favorites, while others seem to lag behind, sometimes capturing the public’s fancy after a time and sometimes never quite catching on.
At these places, decisions must be made, sometimes resulting in a change of course or a complete makeover. Restaurant consultants may be called in at substantial investment on the part of the owner.
At other places, the core of the management team puts its expertise to work to create, brainstorm and develop new ideas, and often is the secret of success.
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RESTAURANT REVAMP: This rendering shows what the spacious and airy interior of Newport Restaurant Group’s new coastal European cuisine concept Celeste in Narragansett will look like when completed.
COURTESY NEWPORT RESTAURANT GROUP[/caption]
Newport Restaurant Group, a collection of successful, unique culinary concepts, found itself facing such an undertaking at the close of 2023.
The employee-owned company is made up of an award-winning portfolio of restaurants in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Some are long-standing icons, including Castle Hill Inn, The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar, 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, and Hemenway’s. More recent standouts are the Boat House in Tiverton, Iron Works in Warwick, and Avvio Ristorante at Garden City Center in Cranston – which was previously Papa Razzi, a concept the company took over and is running successfully in Wellesley, Mass.
The group opened TRIO in Narragansett 15 years ago, which it plans to replace with its new concept Celeste.
“We are proud of the loyal following that TRIO has achieved within the Narragansett community over the years,” said Jeff Tenner, NRG director of concept development. “After 15 years, it’s time for a change and we’re ready to bring something unique to the pier once again with Celeste, an experience that we’re excited to introduce to local residents and visitors.”
Tenner said Celeste’s menu is inspired by coastal European cuisine. It will feature raw bar offerings highlighted by a selection of crudo, pizza, shareable small plates, and entrees inspired by the flavors of coastal Italy, France and Spain.
This is not a decision made on the spur of the moment. The company conducted market research among residents in Narragansett and South County, as well as surveying visitors during the summer tourist season. In addition, Newport Restaurant Group deployed a reconnaissance mission with Tenner, chef Kevin DiLibero, and Shawn Westhoven, NRG corporate beverage director, to learn what the state of the culinary art is these days in dining destinations such as Boston, New York and Providence.
As they dined around and analyzed some of the best-regarded meals in the culinary world, they came up with the idea of European coastal cuisine.
“It was really the menu that drove the whole project,” Tenner said. “As we thought through the food and the inspiration and the origin of these dishes, how they are all linked together [even though from different countries], these bright flavors, especially in seafood dishes, it led to other discussions about design.”
The doors of TRIO are open through the end of January. Dinner will continue to be served seven days a week, with lunch on weekends.
Tenner said the target for Celeste’s opening is mid-March.
There have been some preliminary hints about Celeste’s new concept and menu on the social media channels now occupied by TRIO. Design renderings by ZDS Architecture & Interior Design for Newport Restaurant Group reveal the idea of a coastal casual space with an expanded outdoor patio area on the side nearest the beach and a spacious and airy interior.
“Dining Out With Bruce Newbury,” syndicated weekly on radio, is heard in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont and Indiana. Contact Bruce at bruce@brucenewbury.com.
