Mediterraneo Caffe

Mediterraneo, which is owned by the same people who own Café Dolce Vida, Amici, and Wise Guys Deli, is located at the beginning of federal hill. The sales team decided to go out to dinner on the hill before an event at the Hilton and I, never passing up a chance to try out a new restaurant, went along.

 

We started out with drinks of course, and a couple of us ordered a pitcher of their white sangria. It was very sweet and didn't have much fruit in it, but was still a great choice and I would order it again.

 

 

Most of the people in our group ordered off of the pre fix three course menu, something they offer seven days a week, not just during restaurant week. Trying to be healthier I decided to just order an entrée, skipping the appetizer and desert that comes along with the three course meal.

 

I decided on the pork tenderloin marinated in honey, Dijon mustard and fresh herbs, encrusted with seasoned bread crumbs and oven roasted. It is served with grilled asparagus, Italian style roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a side of apple brandy cream sauce. I chose to get extra vegetables instead of the side of mashed potatoes. I have had them before however, and they are simply amazing.

 

 

 

The pork was tender, and very flavorful. The best part of this dish was definitely the Dijon rub on the outside. It added so much flavor to the dish that you didn't even need the apple brandy sauce.

 

The sauce however was delicious, and I loved that it came in its own server.


Our waiter Giovanni was very nice, and ended our dinner perfectly with a round of complimentary lemoncello shots. Belissimo.

 

 

 

 

 

Siena

In the midst of Providence Restaurant week I decided to take this opportunity to try out a restaurant on the hill that I haven't been to yet. With 48 different restaurants to choose from it can be a hard decision, but there was one spot that I knew I had to try. Siena has two locations, one in Providence and one in East Greenwich. Both are said to excel in flavorful Tuscan soul food, and a superb wine list.

The restaurant was crowded, understandably since it is restaurant week, but we were seated right away. We started off the night with cocktails. I got the white sangria which was garnished with sliced orange and pear. It was delicious, and one of the best sangria's that I have had.

 

We then ordered off the three course pre-fix menu. I started off with figs wrapped in prosciutto- one of my favorites, which was placed on top of a bed of mixed greens. The figs were perfectly ripe and the saltiness of the prosciutto balanced the sweetness perfectly.

 

 

For my main course I got the Pollo alla Sophia. This was a wood grilled sage & garlic marinated chicken breast with grilled asparagus and fresh mozzarella cheese topped with a red tomato and basil salsa. The chicken was tender and juicy and the green beans and polenta were perfect accompaniments.

 

I paired my entrée with a glass of Riesling, my personal favorite.
 

 

For my desert I decided on the Torta di Romana, a rich double chocolate tart served warm with vanilla bean gelato and a fresh raspberry Chambord sauce.

 

It tasted like a warm brownie taken right out of the oven. Amazing.

 

I paired my desert with an espresso and a glass of  Frangelico on the rocks.


Delicious food, great drinks, and fabulous company all made for an amazing dinner. I will definitely be returning to Siena, and would highly recommend it the next time you are on the hill.

  

Jacky's Galaxie

A little while back on my quest to find amazing sushi restaurants in Providence I made my way to Jacky's Galaxie on Exchange Street. When you walk inside, Jacky's emits a cool vibe with bright colors and a laid back atmosphere. Located right next to the Water-fire basins, this is the perfect spot for dinner on one of those beautiful nights. 

We were seated at a table right by the window in the main dining area. Funky orange lanterns hang from the ceilings and a mix of comfy booths and tables are scattered about the restaurant.

 

  

I went for lunch and opted for one of their two course lunch specials. 

I started out with the Miso Soup, which was very flavorful,  and
was presented beautifully.

For my main course I got the choice of two sushi rolls. I decided on the
tempura shrimp roll and the classic California roll. Both were fresh and
the house sauce on the shrimp roll was delicious. And again, the presentation
was beautiful. 

Along with a glass of Riesling, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at Jacky's and I will definitely be returning to this spot on one of those days I have a craving for some sushi... which happens more often then it should. But with a great value like this Sushi Lunch Combo, I just might be able to give into my cravings more often. 

XO Cafe

On my quest to find amazing new brunch spots, I decided to check out XO Cafe located right on North Maine street next to one of my favorite restaurants, Harry's Burger Bar. I have passed by it a million times and have never gone in, so I figured it was about time I tried it out. And boy was I glad I did! I called ahead inquiring about the availability, seeing as how it was mothers day and everywhere in Providence would be packed. They told us that there would be open seating at the bar, so we decided to go for it and head on over. We walked in and they said it would be about a five to ten minute wait for the bar. Perfect. We waited about twenty minutes, and then the hostess came over and seated us at a table next to the window. We ordered our food, which took about a half hour to get to us, and then chowed down. 

The Brunch Menu at XO Cafe is on point. They have a variety of different items to choose from on their menu from Creme Brule French Toast, to Omelets filled with pecan smoked bacon and cabot cheddar cheese. 

I ordered the XO Benedict which consists of  local short ribs,
chive potato pancake, and chipotle hollandaise on an english muffin

The boy ordered the steak and eggs and a side order of the
pecan smoked bacon

We also split an order of the pork belly and asparagus
hash. yum. 

Although the wait for the food was a little long, though understandable because it was mothers day after all, it was totally worth it. I would 100% recommend Xo Cafe for brunch and I am excited to go back and try their dinner menu. 

Hello My Name Is Casey,

...and I am addicted to Chipotle. 

I think it is about time I talk to you all about my one true love. It is more then just a quick service Mexican Restaurant, it is a way of life. Chipotle Mexican Grill is a company that not only serves amazing food, but takes a stand in a time when serving fresh, local ingredients isn't the first thing on a companies priority list when choosing ingredients. 

Chipotle recently came out with a video called "Back to the Start" featuring Willie Nelson's version of The Scientist. The video gives you an idea of their stance on genetically modified ingredients and their "eat fresh" initiative. 

This video gives a closer look into their "Food with Integrity" philosophy

Okay enough about the company, lets get to the reason why you are all here.. the food. When you enter a Chipotle you see the assembly line full of fillings for your burrito, taco, or salad. My personal favorite is the burrito bowl. You start off with the rice. You may choose either white rice or brown rice, and then you choose either black or pinto beans. Then comes the meat. You have a choice between chicken, ground beef, steak, carnitas, and barbacoa. I always choose either the chicken or the barbacoa. All of the meats are marinated to perfection, and have amazing flavor. Then you choose between mild, medium, hot, or corn salsa. Lastly, you have the choice of adding cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and guacamole. Now I could probably sit here and talk about my love for Chipotle's guacamole for hours, but I will just let you find out for yourself. 

Every ingredient that goes into that burrito bowl tastes incredibly fresh, and you can tell how much effort they put into each and every recipe. Just talking about it makes me want to go there right now, but unfortunately for me it is 1 in the morning. So there you have it, my addiction is out in the open. My name is Casey and I am a Chipotle addict. And I have no plans of giving it up.