Roadtrip time in Rhode Island
Good day dear readers. I'm Gail Ciampa, Journal food and dining editor.
In the past month, I've made several trips down to lovely Jamestown to explore the restaurant scene there. Five new spots have opened, or will open, this week. That's a lot for a small town with less than 6,000 residents.
Now it's time for you to go and explore Jamestown.
Roadtrip to paradise
I know we all have our fav neighborhood spots, but these restaurants are perfect for a ride. It's summer and the sun doesn't set 'til late.
Jamestown isn't that far, but it's still another world. You get off Route 138, or maybe the ferry from Newport, and this pretty little town is right in front of you. I promise it will elevate your mood.
You can enjoy lunchtime at several of the restaurants here. They include dining that starts at noon at The Pavilion at Curiosity Store.It's where Jamestown Fish used to be.
The Pavilion is all outside dining, so consider the weather And it's only open Thursday to Sunday. But it's charming. Before or after eating, you can buy a book at the store.
What I love best is that the Pavilion is a collaboration between two new businesses. The owners of the new Curiosity & Co. welcomed in the new owners of the Village Hearth and Bakery and asked Chef Lindsay to cook.
I interviewed Lindsay and her wife Stephanie right after they moved to Rhode Island. They left their life in Georgia for a new adventure. Though they planned to buy a B&B, they found the Jamestown bakery instead. How cool that they became so much a part of the community that you can now find them at two businesses.
Another new restaurant, Our Table, starts serving at 4 in the afternoon. And, it has a parking lot because the space used to be a pharmacy. You can dine on apps or entrees, all wonderful.
Those owners, Marla Romash and Marc Alexander, are also new to Jamestown but not quite as new. They too upended their life, in the Washington D.C. area, when they fell in love with Jamestown after visiting friends.
Kevin Gaudreau is set to open Beech tonight in the space that has been either Simpatico or Trattoria Simpatico for decades. He is a native and happy to finally open a restaurant in his hometown.
I'd guess everyone wants to see John Brito succeed with his JB's on the Water which could also open this week. He's renovated inside and out at the Wyndam Bay Voyage to bring water views to every seat. It will be open all year.
The Bay Voyage has had a lot of restaurants and a lot of chefs over the years. It's due a success.
Your can read my story for more details.
More: Four new restaurants make Jamestown a dining destination you have to check out this summer
Remember that any visit to Jamestown should include a ride up to Beavertail State Park which is simply one of the most beautiful spots anywhere.
The good kind of blues
Yes, that photo of blueberries means good news. I just saw a social media post from Rocky Point Farm in Warwick. They will open for pick your own blueberries on Monday, July 4 from 7 .am. to noon. You can follow them on Facebook for updates.
Open Air Saturday is back
Pedestrians take over again this week in downtown Providence including the offerings of two food trucks Nanu Burmese Fusion and Incred-A-Bowl.
All the programming is family-friendly. It runs from noon to 6 p.m. in multiple locations throughout downtown:
At Grant’s Block park (on the corner of Union and Westminster streets), Long Live Beerworks’ beer garden has 80 seats, their canned beer, regional cider and wine offerings. You can also listen to live music.
On Aborn Street (between Washington Street and Westminster Street) Rosalina will be pouring Peroni and Aperol Spritz to accompany their sausage and peppers. There will also be an outdoor bocce court.
On the same block, Durk’s Bar-B-Q welcomes The Quahogs with live music from 12:30-4:30 p.m.
On Union Street, at the corner of Washington Street, Kin Southern Table + Bar will curate the “Kin Marketplace” with the wares of Distant Relatives and Omoge Cosmetics. Sit outside and eat her soul food and rum-based cocktails. Throughout the day, listen to a mix of R&B, Hip Hop, Reggae, and Afro Beats by local DJ Gibran PVD. Bring the pups for treats, too!
At Biltmore Park, Trinity Beer Garden is both family-friendly and dog-friendly. They serve local craft beer and select cocktails and mocktails. You can order from Reiner's across the street in the Graduate Providence. BankNewport City Center will be open from 12 -8 p.m. for roller skating.
Thanks for the Red Rooster Tavern
I got an email on the Friday before Memorial Day from a friend of Normand Leclair, co-founder of the iconic Red Rooster Tavern in North Kingstown. She said he was ill, and at home under hospice care. But he was welcoming friends for their good-byes.
I am so lucky to have made so many nice connections in the community that keep me informed.
That alert gave me time to go into the Journal archives and read my stories and those of other reporters. It's a rich resource for tracing the life of someone who has lived their life in a public way. When he died Sunday, I was ready to write a remembrance. Through his friend I was also able to conduct a last interview and you can read it all here.
More: Remembering the Red Rooster and its founder Normand Leclair who passed away on Sunday
I think many felt similar to my friends Peter and Ron Cardi who emailed me this morning. They said they enjoyed many great meals - some dressy nights out - and some very casual - at the Rooster. They were always meals of the best ever Baked Stuffed Lobster, they said.
I never went to the Red Rooster before it closed after a long run that began in 1969. But I had written about Normand and interviewed him over the past two decades. He was always generous about sharing recipes and his time.
The last time I heard from him was when I wrote a timeline of Rhode Island dining in January 2021. (I never delete emails but don't tell the IT people at Gannett.) The story listed the openings and closings of hundreds of iconic restaurants that have made the Rhode Island dining scene.
He wrote, "I really enjoyed with joy and sadness your article in this mornings food section Take a trip down memory lane.It''s amazing how many restaurants and food places are gone and some still operating.
:"It was a small intimate group of foodies that left and are still leaving their mark on Rhode Island. Thank you for including me in the article."
It was vintage Normand Leclair as he ended telling me to take care and keep up the good work to keep Rhode Island informed.
RIP Normand.
Happy July 4th
Time to rest and eat and enjoy leisure time with family and friends.
If you are looking for some new summer recipes, check out the print edition of The Journal. You'll find out how to make floats, watermelon lavender lemonade, a citrus burrata and ice cream in a plastic bag. Really. All is in a new cookbook "Everyday Celebrations From Scratch" by Maria Provenzano.
It's a great book for a hostess gift, too.
Thank you for joining me here again this week. I appreciate you taking the time to join me.
If you enjoy our little talks, tell a friend to sign up here to receive my weekly newsletter, Gail's Food Feed
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Five new restaurants have opened in Jamestown
