What's cooking: New restaurants shake up 2022 Greater Fall River dining scene

These past two years have been a rollercoaster for many area restaurants dealing with the impacts of COVID.

But 2022 ushered in a hopeful new era for area foodies, as the Greater Fall River dining scene slowly came back to life.

The year was highlighted by many changes — including new ownership taking the helm at a couple of well-known establishments — and new beginnings, with the addition of an array of restaurants and bistros with diverse menus, as well as quick-service options.

Each brings to the table their own unique concepts, fresh vision — and, most importantly, good food and drink.

There is no shortage of places to turn in the city and beyond, no matter what you're craving. Here's a look back at what's been cooking on the local food scene these past 12 months:

Spicing things up on the SouthCoast

In Fall River, the Path Restaurant and Lounge is the latest to open in recent weeks, bringing a taste of the Caribbean to the city and offering local diners something new and unique. Owner Gainer Forrester, a native of British Guyana whose husband hails from Jamaica, welcomed her first customers Nov. 11, reviving a popular King Philip Street dining spot once home to Lusitano, a decades-old Portuguese restaurant that closed in 2019. The Path, which also features American food, offers a banquet facility for hosting events.

Caribbean and fusion cuisineThe Path restaurant slated to open its doors in Fall River

Also adding to Spindle City's culinary diversity this year was the opening of Puerto and Ecua on Stafford Road and Ket’s Empire Restaurant on Plymouth Avenue.

Puerto and Ecua, which popped up in the city's South End this past March, is a small eatery that’s big on flavor, dishing out authentic Latin American fare. The menu features a variety of cuisines from owner Gina Estrella's native Puerto Rico as well as her husband's native Ecuador in a cozy cafe-style dining room. Highlights include queso frito (fried cheese) with guava sauce, a sweet and savory Latin appetizer gem, alcapurria, pasteles, and various types of traditional Puerto Rican mofongo. For a taste of Ecuador, sample the ceviche.

Those seeking to spice up their palate can also head to Ket’s Empire Restaurant, featuring a blend of Haitian and Jamaican food. The Caribbean-style eatery opened its doors at 10 Plymouth Ave. in January at the site of the former D’Angelo sandwich shop. Dishes include jerk chicken as well as seasoned lamb chops; Haitian-style fried turkey and Tasso goat; a choice of meats with rice and beans; and oxtail with rice.

If you're in the mood for Portuguese food, the choice as to where to dine can be a difficult one in a city with an abundance of options. Twins Restaurant made that decision even more difficult. Sister duo Connie Ferreira and Rosa Barbosa, from whom Twins gets it name, kicked off 2022 with the launch of their first restaurant in January, and crowds were eager to welcome them to the Maplewood neighborhood. Natives of Sao Miguel, Azores, the pair made a name for themselves at the city's popular St. John's Restaurant before pursuing dreams of opening their own place. At the Miller Street eatery, they specialize in all the tried and true Portuguese staples - from grilled cod fish to shrimp or chicken Mozambique to pork and littlenecks, to their house steak.

A whole lot of buzz

Just over the Braga Bridge, another sibling team is bringing fresh ideas and a fresh look to a longtime Swansea fixture. Tania Novo and Joshua Conceicao, veteran staffers at Mesa 21 in Fall River, are hoping to make their mark on the SouthCoast food scene with Black Salt, which quietly began welcoming customers in mid-November. For months, locals were left wondering what would become of the 481 Wilbur Ave. building and home of Simply Simons, which closed at end of 2021. Since the spring, the brother-sister pair embarked on a top-to-bottom renovation of the space and turned it into an eatery serving up an "American-style bistro type of menu." The menu offers something for everyone, with options for those seeking vegan, keto and gluten-free dining.

Black Salt is Swansea's newest eateryHere's what diners can expect

Mr. Chen really hit the ground running — sprinting actually — when the Rhode Island Avenue Chinese eatery finally opened its doors in July. It was "like New Year's Eve every day," said owner Dominic Chen, who runs the Fall River restaurant with the help of his wife. Its uniqueness — both in decor and in flavor — made it an instant hit among local foodies. There you'll find tried and true favorites, but the big draws are their inventive Chinese-Portuguese fusion offerings — cacoila egg rolls, chourico rangoon, cacoila fried wontons and chourico fried rice — and their bubble teas. And the decor is just as fun and unexpected, featuring an impressive Chen family Lego collection on display.

One eatery the community really rooted for was Lexi's Road Dogs in Westport, run by Fall River 17-year-old Lexi Williams. The Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School junior put her culinary skills to the test this summer — with the help of her family — opening up her own hot dog spot at 175 State Road in June with very encouraging results. Starting small with the hot dog joint staples, as well as clam chowder and quahogs, she has since experimented with menu offerings, adding various specials — such as white truffle Parmesan fries and tots and steak bomb subs — and events like a hot dog-eating contest and raffles to get folks in the doors.

BBQ competition heats up

When it comes to authentic barbecue joints, there's no such thing as too many. The competition is stacking up in the SouthCoast with the addition of Missing Link BBQ in Somerset and Bootleg BBQ in Westport.

Missing Link BBQ began serving up its flavor-packed fare, described as "contemporary New England approach to Texas-inspired classic American BBQ," out of its food trailer on Route 6 in Dartmouth in July as they awaited construction on an eat-in restaurant at the site of the former Stinky Pete's Pub. However, their Route 6 location "did not work out" and on Nov. 19 owners shifted their temporary trailer operations to Running Brook Vineyards in North Dartmouth. The Missing Link team — Somerset residents Doug Moniz, restaurant manager, and Tom Lyon, the chef, two former Barrett's Alehouse and Barrett's Waterfront employees — most recently took to Facebook and Instagram on Dec. 1 with some exciting news, stating that they would be continuing their barbecue journey in their hometown.

The pair announced they will be taking over the iconic train that formerly housed Railway Cafe, which announced just before Thanksgiving that it would be closing. They aim to open at their Somerset spot by February and in the meantime will be serving up barbecue out of their trailer "Rosie" set up on the property.

A new chapterWestport's Bootleg BBQ goes from food trailer to restaurant

At 778 Main Road in Westport, the owner of the Bootleg BBQ food trailer realized his dream of opening his first brick-and-mortar restaurant on Dec. 17. For years, former Little Compton firefighter Fred Melnyk has taken his barbecue talents on the road, popping up at local events and catering special occasions. Bootleg is now a permanent fixture in town at Village Commons plaza, the site of the recently closed Small Town Grill. Its focus is traditional, Southern barbecue style "all true wood-fueled, wood smoked, cooked low and slow," said Melnyk, who custom built the two smokers he uses to cook.

Fast food frenzy

2022 certainly saw a lot of action on the fast-food front. Perhaps Fall River's most highly anticipated arrival was Chick-Fil-A, which soared into the SouthCoast Marketplace at 700 William S. Canning Blvd. Cars wrapped around the building and the restaurant overflowed with customers when Chick-Fil-A's first Fall River location — within the busy shopping center anchored by Market Basket and Picture Show movie theater — opened in early July after months of construction and a ton of buzz from fans of the popular chicken chain. The next closest in-person locations are in Seekonk and Attleboro.

SouthCoast Marketplace additionFall River's first Chick-fil-A is finally open — and here's how the first day went

Those looking for a Taco Tuesday — or any day — fix got a few more options this year. Go-to spots for fast-casual Mexican-style fare have recently grown, with the addition of a new Taco Bell just down the Route 6 stretch at 572 GAR Highway, Swansea, as well as a Chipotle Mexican Grille in Fall River. Chiptole, located in the Ocean State Job Lot plaza in the city's South End, opened in early 2022 and features a drive-thru “Chipotlane," for those on the go.

Pancheros Mexican Grill is the newest addition, opening its doors at Somerset's Fairfield Commons Plaza, 550 GAR Highway, this fall. Pancheros’ highlights include their innovative method of burrito building — a mixing mechanism blends fresh ingredients together to create the perfect taste in every bite — as well as their fresh-pressed tortillas. Rounding out that same Fairfield Commons plaza is Starbucks and Jersey Mike's Subs, the latter of which opened this past spring. Jersey Mike's also recently launched a Swansea location in early December, in the Route 6 plaza anchored by Target.

Same places, fresh faces and spaces

The new year brought new life back to Fall River’s landmark Belmont Club at 34 Franklin St. After a nearly two-year closure amid COVID, the 190-year-old, three-room bar located in an historic 1845 home opened its doors once again Feb. 7. Owner Priscilla Poirier used that time to come up with ways to offer patrons something new and different. Changes included renovations to the space and a more eclectic, contemporary menu, enlisting the advice of Gloria Cabral, Bristol Community College’s culinary program coordinator. Since reopening, they've also welcomed back a regular roster of live entertainment and special events.

2022 was a bittersweet year at LePage's Seafood and Grille, a city staple for over three decades. Patrons said goodbye to beloved, longtime owners Carol and Eric LePage who retired in March, passing the reins to a new pair looking to stay loyal to the popular Martine Street eatery's roots, while adding some fresh ideas. New owner Jon Paul Van Regenmorter, a longtime Tiverton dentist, and partner Kayla Botelho embarked on a new chapter for LePage's this spring, paying tribute to its SouthCoast setting with the restaurant's new slogan "A Farmcoast Affair," a theme that carries through its updated interior. The menu and all its classics remain largely the same, with tweaks that include the addition of daily specials and a focus on fresh local catch. Among their plans for the future is the addition of a rooftop bar overlooking Watuppa Pond.

Old Grist Mill owners want to retireA Fall River restaurateur wants to take over

A Fall River restaurateur added another well-known SouthCoast dining destination to his resume early this year. Karl Pelletier, owner of the city's Tipsy Toboggan, has taken over day-to-day operations at the iconic Old Grist Mill Tavern in Seekonk, with the intention of taking the helm in the future as owner. In January, Pelletier partnered with Grist Mill's current owner Greg Esmay, who in 2020 announced plans to retire and sell the 390 Fall River Ave. property that's hosted countless milestone moments and family gatherings over the decades. Efforts of Pelletier and his team have included revamping Grist Mill's indoor and outdoor dining spaces, merchandising of products such as breads, and bringing live music back to the Old Grist Mill after 20 years. They've also implemented some menu changes, but not to its much-loved offerings like baked stuffed shrimp, cinnamon bread, prime rib and seafood platter. Pelletier brings fresh eyes and new energy to a site with a rich history, remaining focused on keeping tradition alive while moving the place forward.

Also, in late September Mario's Kitchen Bifana announced that it would be moving from its plaza location at 207 Swansea Mall Drive to Fall River, at 250 Jefferson St., the site formerly occupied by Katrina’s Bakery.

Farewells

While Greater Fall River welcomed several new dining destinations in 2022, it also said goodbye to others. The Italian Kitchen was one of them. The city restaurant, run out of the  Don Carlos Club at 245 Plain St., opened in late 2021 and closed just eight months later in July. The owner said its off-the-beaten-path location and limitations on days of operation were some of the challenges that contributed to a lull in business.

Most recently, the Railway Cafe in Somerset, at 938 Lees River Ave., announced Nov. 23 on Facebook that it would no longer be in business in its landmark home, within a train from the Cape Cod Railroad. "The landowners have chosen to explore a new opportunity for the train and unfortunately we are not a part of their plans," the post reads. But this may not mean the end for the decade-old restaurant, as they indicated on Facebook that they are actively searching for a new location.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: 2022 a busy year for Fall River area restaurateurs