Cassarino's Ristorante - Providence, Rhode Island

One of the last places I dined on my trip to the East Coast was Cassarino's Ristorante. Cassarino's is an old school Italian-American restaurant located on Federal Hill in Providence, Rhode Island. For those who don't know, Federal Hill is Providence's little Italy. There you'll find lots of great dining, shopping and depending on the time of year a great Italian festival. 

I love a good red-sauce, Italian-American restaurant and Cassarino's delivered. We started out with a drink at the bar...

A vodka martini? Yes, please!

Once we were seated we ordered a few appetizers to share. All of them were good but the the Burrata Salad was outstanding. Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream. All I can say is if you see it on a menu somewhere, order it.

Burrata Salad - Creamy fresh mozzarella with Prosciutto di Parma & sliced tomato, finished with olive oil, sweet balsamic vinegar & black sea salt

We also had the stuffed mushrooms and the bruschetta.

Mushroom Caps - Mushrooms stuffed with a Ritz cracker & vegetable stuffing

Traditional Bruschetta - Toasted Italian bread layered with sliced fresh mozzarella & marinated diced plum tomato

For our main courses we decided on the filet mignon and, what I believe were two specials, the papardelle arrabiata and a fillet and stuffed shrimp dish.

Filet Mignon - Grilled filet, portabella mushroom demi glace, with a sprinkle of gorgonzola cheese. Served with asparagus & potato

Papardelle Arrabiata

Grilled filet with mixed veg, potatoes and stuffed jumbo shrimp

Dinner was great. Just what you'd expect from a joint that's been serving local diners since 1988. Great company and good food. No better combination for a fabulous evening.
After dinner we walked over to Pastiche Fine Desserts for a couple of cannolis and a few other treats. A wonderful end to a great evening.

A box of goodness - Cannolis!

If you plan to visit Providence you have to make Federal Hill one of your stops. So many great restaurants, places to get traditional Italian pastries and other yummy goodies.I can't recommend it highly enough. It's touristy but in the best possible way. It'll be a highlight of your trip.

Happy dining!

Colt State Park - Bristol, Rhode Island

During my recent trip to New England I had the chance to revisit Colt State Park in Rhode Island. The park is located in Bristol along the shores of Narragansett Bay. It's a beautiful location.

There are walking and biking trails that pass along the bay...

...as well as picnic areas, an historical museum and an open air chapel.

It would be very easy to spend a day in the park strolling along the trails, admiring the views and just enjoying the natural beauty. There is also a lot more to see in the area. The park is about a 25 minute drive away from Newport with its great beaches and lovely mansions. And there is also downtown Bristol. 

Bristol, Rhode Island is home to a charming downtown that features shops, restaurants and historical homes. You can enjoy the beauty of the park as well as some shopping and grab a bite to eat. 

For those of you who enjoy bike riding, Bristol, nearby Barrington and Warren, share the East Bay Bike Path. The path starts in Providence and winds its way 14.5 miles past many state and local parks. The path is paved and runs along an old railroad line.

You can visit the park any time of year. While some parking areas are closed during the winter, Colt State Park is open year round. There's something so peaceful about the beach in winter.

There are lots of places to enjoy all that Rhode Island has to offer. Beautiful beaches, charming historical cities and fantastic state parks are just a few.


If your travel plans take you to New England be sure and take some time to visit Rhode Island. The miles of coastline, charming historic cities and breathe taking natural beauty make it a must see for everyone.

Happy travels!

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Harry's Bar & Burger - Providence, Rhode Island

Harry's Bar & Burger was another stop I made with my lovely sister and my awesome BIL during my visit to the Northeast. I'd read about Harry's and wanted to stop in when I was visiting. 

After reading in several places that Harry's served one of the best burgers in Providence how could I not give it a try?

Harry's is a small, hip place located near Brown and RISD that specializes in small burgers and beers. They also have an interesting cocktail menu, hard-shakes and a few Bloody Mary's.

My awesome BIL had a Smuttynose Brewing Company's Finestkind IPA.

I had a beer, it was a good beer, but I can't recall its name. I know I should take better notes, or any notes, but you know how it goes.

Which brings us to the food. We ordered the M.O.A.B. (mother of All Burgers) with a side of Sweet Potato fries. Harry's has a veggie burger option and also turkey burgers. Everyone should be able to find something they like.

M.O.A.B - harry's classic cheese, bacon, mushroom and fried onion stings

The burgers are small sliders cooked using the "smash them on the grill" method. While not my favorite style of burger, these were not at all dry and very tasty. A happy surprise.

Sweet Potato fries with Kryptonite Aoili

The fries were good but made better with the addition of the kryptonite aoili.
I have no idea, not a clue, what kryptonite aoili is. It tastes good and it's green. That's all I got.


Harry's is a fun place, serving creative, small burgers and a good selection of beer. No surprise that it's a favorite with the local college crowd. Due to it's small size the place fills up quickly and can have a wait. Would I stand a wait for this place? Probably not. But if you hit it at the right time Harry's is certainly worth a visit.

Happy dining!
 

Trafford - Warren, Rhode Island

I was recently in New England visiting family. It's a beautiful time of year to be in that part of the country. While I was there I had lunch at Trafford in Warren with my lovely sister and my awesome BIL.

Trafford is located by the water in Warren and takes advantage of that fact with great outdoor seating and pretty views. It was a gorgeous day.

 

  

 

While we looked over the menu our server told us about the daily drink special. It did have a name, I think. Wonderful Peach something or other. I remember that it involved fresh peaches and other things and was very tasty.

We selected a couple of starters to share while we sipped our peach drinks and admired the view.

Trafford Crab Cakes - Roasted corn salsa, Chipotle aioli and micro cilantro

Fried Oysters - Fruit salsa, Chipotle remoulade

The crab cakes were very nice; more crab than filler. You'd be surprised at how many disappointing crab cakes I've had that tasted more like cracker cakes. Not so here. The fried oysters were small but flavorful. The fruit salsa really set off the flavors. I wouldn't have thought the combination of fruit and oysters would work but it did here.

After another round of peach drinks we ordered our mains. My BIL and I had the Fish & Chips and my lovely sister had the Chicken Panini.

Fish & Chips - Fresh cod, tartar sauce, coleslaw and fries

Chicken Panini - Balsamic glaze, mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto

The fish wasn't dipped in the type of batter I've come to expect with fish and chips. This was a lighter, less greasy coating that let the flavor of the fish stand out. I enjoyed it. A surprising but overall better option than the heavier, traditional batter. 

The panini looked great and I was told tasted great as well. Both the panini and the fish and chips came with the same hand-cut fries. 

The food at Trafford was just different enough to be interesting while still keeping enough traditional elements to be familiar.

Trafford is a lovely restaurant both inside and out. The food is good and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. A nice place to enjoy a summer day and catch up with friends and family.

Happy dining!


 

 

Shorter Days/Cooler Nights - It's almost that time again

Not too much happening around here right now.

Family will take me to New England later this summer. Such a beautiful part of the country. I love visiting there.

Fall is right around the corner. Hard as that is to believe. Hopefully we'll be able to get back to the Smoky Mountains this fall. It's been a while since we last visited and fall is the perfect time to be there.

Speaking of fall. There is a town in Georgia (Helen) that has been hosting an Oktoberfest celebration for at least the last 45 years. It claims to be the longest running Oktoberfest in the US. I really want to check it out. The promise of beer and brats amid cries of Prost! What's not to love. Next best thing to being there.

So that's it for now. There'll be a few more patios to visit yet, a road trip here and there and another good burger to go in search of.

Before we know it the air will be filled with the scent of woodsmoke and apples, pumpkin spice lattes will be back at your local coffee shop and the clocks will swing back an hour.

Enjoy the rest of the summer. Grab a drink on your favorite patio and toast to the adventures ahead.

Happy travels!

Providence, Rhode Island

Earlier this summer we spent some time on the East Coast. We visited Newport and spent some time there but we stayed in Providence. Our visit was cut short by some annoying travel delays so we were in the city for less than 48 hours. No matter, we managed to fit a lot of fun into a small amount of time.

Sidewalk dining at Mediterraneo

We got together with family to have dinner at the Mediterraneo Cafe on Federal Hill. Federal Hill, long a gathering place and home to Italian immigrants, is still the place for fabulous Italian restaurants. The area now also boasts a very diversified and lively dining scene made up of many different cultures and cuisines.

The gateway arch over Atwells Ave.- The LaPigna (the pinecone) sculpture hanging from its center is a traditional Italian symbol of abundance and quality and has become the symbol of Federal Hill (not the pineapple, which is what I always call it)

Outdoor dining piazza style

Many of the area restaurants have outdoor dining options. Some are set up around a central courtyard made to mimic a piazza in Italy. A place to meet up with family and friends, grab a nightcap and take an after dinner stroll. 

There are many things to bring visitors to Providence, everything from the nearby beaches, art museums (the RISD museum to name one) to the spectacle that is WaterFire. We've never managed to make our schedule work so that we can get to the WaterFire display. Definitely on our list of things to do next time we're in town. It looks amazing.

Providence has history, interesting architecture, world class dining, shopping, sun and sand; just about anything you might be looking for in a vacation getaway.

Lastly, but not least by any stretch, I want to mention some of my favorite local foods. Be sure to look for these on your visit. Can't leave town without a stop at Del's for some frozen lemonade, no trip to the beach is complete without a stop for stuffies and clam cakes, of course chowder too, snail salad, pizza strips, Italian pastry, and New York System hot weinies. Which have always been from Rhode Island, go figure. All worth seeking out.

There you have it, the many reasons to put Rhode Island and Providence on your must visit list. A little something for everyone. 

Happy travels!