Kabob-N-Curry.
The name may elicit fear in some because of the unusual odor that emits from this establishment found on Thayer Street. I admit to having passed it by for that reason. Many times I mocked the name and would jokingly suggest this restaurant when friends and I couldn’t think of a place to eat. One dandy day, my friend and I decided that we should venture forth to Kabob n Curry because after viewing the menu, I decided it seemed safe enough for me to dine there. (I can be quite like a toddler when it comes to trying new food items, very picky.)
Marchetti's is a dandy Italian restaurant in Cranston (located on Park Avenue)! Derek, Jaime, and I were starved one fine day after strolling along Thayer Street and decided upon this excellent establishment. I hadn't been in years and didn't remember my experience here; but since I've only heard good things, I was game to try it. It serves up Huge portions of your favorite Italian dishes for excellent prices. A $10 meal can fill two hungry bellies or more! Veal, chicken, seafood, beef and of course, pasta are your options. Everything smells delicious and looks scrumptious. Hungry for Italian ... EAT at Marchetti's; not at Olive Garden because there you won't get the authentic Italian meal and atmosphere they promise. Plus, who wants soggy salad when you can have fresh, crisp salad at Marchetti's?
One fine Friday afternoon, some pals and I decided to fare on down to good ole Newport to shop and dine. As we walked along Thames Street in search of some good eats, we happened upon a bright restaurant with a long line. While gasping at the pricey items, the town drunk approached us and suggested we dine at Salas': a reasonably priced restaurant with big portions. Of course, we did not follow the man's advice and continued to trek along Thames Street looking at menus from other restaurants and bars. Little did we know, he was like an angel sent from heaven with a pearl of wisdom because Salas' was indeed the most reasonably priced. We enjoyed pasta, fish, breadsticks, veggies and a few good laughs all at a good price! So, the next time you're in the mood for a restaurant with a casual atmosphere while in Newport, try this one, it's across the street from The Red Parrot.
Cafe Nuovo: A choice restaurant in the heart of our bustling little city! I loved this place and would suggest it to anyone who has saved a few bucks to splurge at a "nice" restaurant. The dinner was excellent, as well as the dessert (Make sure to order dessert and coffee!!). The ambiance was just as appealing as the presentation of the food! Cafe Nuovo is full of little quirks that I won't share with you because I don't want to spoil the fun. If you have the opportunity, dress up and go but be sure to call ahead to make a reservation. It's in the Citizens Bank building, located at One Citizens Plaza.
Pa'karang--a Thai restaurant on South Main Street behind the Barnsider. The cuisine was very tasty. I had chicken and my fellow swabbie (friend, Sue) had duck. For dessert, we had fried ice cream with berry sauce and whipped cream. There were many meat dishes to pick from, as well as varying veggie dishes, and let us not forget about the curry dishes. If you're looking for a different place to eat, try this one. It is moderately priced.
The Red Parrot, on Thames Street in Newport, was great fun on a sunny end-of-summer day at 11am. Hey,
we were starved by the time we found a cheap parking space. Moving on, the exterior of the building is black, you can't miss it. Since the weather was nice, my fellow restaurant adventurer and I opted to sit next to the windows, where the sunshine
gleamed in. Plus, we could check out the passerbys. The menu was some 20 pages long and filled with everything imaginable. We had plantain Nachos and
Cajun Blackened Chicken Salad, both had zest and zip. It was priced accordingly for a restaurant in Newport, mind you, we were only eating lunch. I
fancied the variety and the atmosphere, and I would certainly eat there again.
The Cactus Bar & Grille, on Richmond Street in Providence. Where do I begin....The coral stucco building
sticks out on this little ghetto block with a Merit station on the corner. When we found our way inside, we marveled at the neato Mexican momentos covering the walls. I
was reminded of a restaurant I ate at while in Cancun; although, this restaurant was much cleaner than any restaurant I ate at in Mexico. Ok, the cooks
were singing rowdily while preparing the food and that was weird. No one else seemed to notice the commotion in the kitchen. Anyway, we weren't
very hungry since we had been chomping on Jelly Bellys jellybeans that we bought while in Newport, so we sampled what we could. Our appetizer was a
delicious basket of Nachos with 3 different kinds of salsa. The hottest one was a tongue scorcher--the waterboy brought water after we finished the
nachos. Not that it would have helped. I ordered a cup of chili con queso and my bold friend had a cup of crab bisque with a cheese quesadilla. Ay caramba, que
picante fue el chili!! It was the spiciest chili, ever. But, muy excelente! And a refreshing glass of Sangria to wash it all down. All I can say is that I
can't wait to go back. By the way, the food might burn a hole through your gut, but not your wallet. Que delicioso!
Federal Hill. Who doesn't like the restaurants, the people, and the atmosphere of the Hill?? Let me give
you a sample of the fine eateries on this hill, one of the 7 hills of Providence. Angelo's-quick Italian food at excellent prices. Caserta
Pizzeria-home of the Wimpy Skippy and the best pizza. Caffe Dolce Vita-frothy cappuccinos and the best Gelato this side of the
Atlantic Ocean. Pastiche-superb desserts, you must try each one at least once! This place has the absolute best Chocolate-Cheesecake
brownies in the 'hood.
Chi Chi's Italian Deli, my absolute favorite deli. It's located on Douglas Ave, right around the corner from the
infamous Mineral Spring Ave in North Providence. I love everything I have ever eaten from this deli: Steak Teriyaki, Lemon Chicken, Chicken Cutlets, Tuna Salads,
Pasta Salads, Frittatas, Roasted Peppers, Soup, even Pudding. They'll heat up your sandwich, if you so desire. Oh, and the bread,
Crugnale rolls.. my favorite, mmmm. There is a Crugnale bakery conveniently located next door, too. Yum, Yum, Yum. Where would I be without
Chi Chi's Rotini pasta salad with black olives....
We went recently and here’s the lowdown: We were seated in what appeared to once have been a greenhouse, so we had a lovely view of the closed Cafe la France and best of all, Esta’s Bike Rental shop. Not entirely interesting, but nevertheless the people-watching fared well, for we had a few good hearty laughs at the expense of some funkily dressed passerbys. The food was great! There was a variety of items on the menu ranging from vegetable dishes to Lamb dishes, each with many options. Some ingredients included hot, spicy sauces, cashews, spinach, and garlic. There was a plethora of appetizers and breads to choose from for accompaniment. Also, they had some authentic Indian beer, as well as some well-known varieties. But, most fun was that they had Milkshakes and Yogurt Smoothies. We had Lamb Vindaloo (pieces of lamb in a hot, spicy sauce), Roti (grilled wheat bread), a cup of Coconut soup and Mango Yogurt Smoothies. Alas, we were too stuffed to sample the desserts.
The waiters (they were all men that evening, so there’s no need to be PC) were friendly and not annoying. Overall, I was impressed by the atmosphere, my good eats, and the pleasant waiter. The prices were good, I don’t recall too many dishes over $10. So, if your palette would like something different that your wallet won’t cry about, try Kabob n Curry. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Located on Thayer Street across from Cafe la France, in Providence.
Advice: Don't eat anything without having a yogurt item on hand, otherwise your mouth will feel like it's blazing.