Matt Jennings - Chef - Recommendations - Find. Eat. Drink.
Restaurants, Recommendations, Purveyors, Drinks, Cocktails, Wine, Travel, Places. Chef Recommendations, Insider Recommendations, Places to Eat, Places, Where to Eat in Providence, Rhode Island, RI, cheese, pizza, coffee, hot dogs, italian, Boston, MA, New York, San Francisco, French Laundry, Chicago, Austin, California, Montreal, Illinois, Tuscany, Italy, Cook Books, cookbooks
THE CHEESE PLATE
CHARCUTERIE
The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing
Great.
THE RED FEZ
9 Peck Street, Providence, RI 02903 (view map)
T: 401.272.1212
For a drink or six after service, as well as their kick-ass country-fried menu. Standout food like headcheese tacos, their glorious grilled cheese, and Scotch eggs are all a cook's best friend. They've got cheese puffs on the bar and stiff drinks. Plus, I have a hotdog named after me there, so I have to make frequent stops to support the cause! The chef and owner is my friend, Ed Reposa and while he claims that he just owns ‘a dive bar with some good food,’ it's fun as hell. Loud music, all the RISD wannabe freaks you can shake a paintbrush at and you never know when the place will erupt into a dance party or a fist fight. Good times.
Downtown
American
For a seat at the bar and a grilled pizza.
Fox Point, Providence
Italian
BACARO
For cicchetti - small bites and treats.
Downtown
Wine Bar, Italian
BLUE GROTTO
For an experience you'll never forget - but just don't eat there. The experience - ambiance, classic old school Italian flare - are great, but the food is god awful.
Providence
Italian
CASERTA PIZZA
For anchovy pizza and spinach pies - but that's it.
Federal Hill
Pizza, Italian
HEWTIN’S DOGS
Matt Gennuso's street food. He just bought an old linen truck and renovated it to sell his house-made sausages and other fantastic finger foods. My last bite there was a house-made meatloaf sandwich with a soft fried egg on top, with bacon and Peppadew pepper relish. It was insane.
Providence
Hot Dogs, Sausages
JEANETTE’S PASTRY
348 Branch Avenue, Providence, RI 02904 (view map)
T: 401.521.1440
Only open a few days a week, and makes be the best calzones, ever. Housemade dough, stuffed with salami, cheese, banana peppers... it's awesome. And when she sells out, it's gone. The ‘Open’ sign in the window is turned around and the door is locked.
North End
Italian, Bakery
NEW RIVERS
French bistro meets contemporary Americana cuisine. Fresh, local, seasonal, well sourced and delicious. I'd go for the beef tongue pastrami, the clams with chorizo, any of Beau's house-made charcuterie, and they are always the first to get shad roe this time of year- one of my favorite things.
College Hill
American Bistro
Toro continues to surprise and delight. Spanish tapas style cuisine, expertly pushed to the edge with bold flavor, locally sourced ingredients and a killer wine list. Favorites? Where to start? The Uni sandwich is a must. The beef tongue with lentils and salsa verde is sublime, Jamie's Morcilla (blood sausage) is fantastic and they do a version of classic spanish street corn- grilled, drizzled with aioli, lime and Idiazabal cheese- a smoked sheep's milk cheese. Perfect in summer with a glass of sparkling cava.
South End
Tapas, Spanish
RESTAURANT DANIEL
Restaurant Daniel epitomizes what big city, high-end dining can be about. In the height of the season, you'll be hard-pressed to find vegetables treated with as much care, or prepared with more love than at Daniel. The last time I was there, I was temped to just get the vegetarian tasting menu. But then I snapped out of it.
Upper East Side
French
BLUE HILL at STONE BARNS
www.bluehillfarm.com/food/blue-hill-stone-barns
630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills, NY 10591
T: 914.366.9600
Dan Barber crafts elegant but grounded cuisine, drawing on inspirations of the growing region and the farm right there, on property. I totally dig his ethos and think that he's one of the few ‘celebrity’ chefs who really gets it. Dining at Stone Barns is an experience, not just a meal. He's a hero for sure.
Pocantico Hills
American / Contemporary
CRAFT
A perennial favorite. Tom Colicchio is the man. If you just think about the way Tom changed dining in New York, you realize how significant and still current his concept is. Eating like this was such a new idea, and still when I go there, I love the work it takes as a diner- the involvement the menu provides the guest. Awesome. Oh yeah, and the pull out wine holder in each table? Brilliant.
Flatiron District
American
THE SPOTTED PIG
THE BRESLIN
I'm a big fan of April Bloomfield of Spotted Pig fame. She just opened The Breslin, which is setting the bar for contemporary, American, gastro-pubbery. Her stuffed trotter gets me going and not too long ago they had a poussin dish with pumpkin and mint. Stellar. Simple food, but so well executed. Awesome cocktails, too.
West Village / Murray Hill
Gastro-pub / American / English
Chicago has some great spots, but The Publican is where it's at for me. Part beer hall, part gastronomic adventure, this is the food I like to eat. Hay smoked ham chop. Fried sweetbread schnitzel. Are you kidding me? All the time. But my wallet can't afford a plane flight to Chicago every week.
West Loop, Fulton Market
American, Pub
OLIVIA
Olivia is a cool little restaurant - totally green and focusing on sustainability. Their brunch was outstanding - the most memorable eggs benedict I've had ever. Two eggs poached on griddle corn cakes with braised beef cheeks underneath. Top it off with a great Bloody Mary and you're in heaven.
South Austin
Italian, American
QUINCE
Michael Tusk is a master. His pastas are the best I've ever had in this country. The last time I was there, he did this quail dish with raisins, hominy- it was gorgeous. Another impeccable wine list here, too. Worth a visit.
Financial District
Italian
FRENCH LAUNDRY
I'd be lying if I didn't say the French Laundry wasn't on my list. I mean, what is there to say. Eating there is a study in food and service. There is a reason why Thomas is the father of fine american cuisine.
Yountville, Napa
American, French
Chef Martin Picard is larger than life: The Wild Chef is a forager, butcher, and all around bon vivant. Last time I was there, we were showered with great food. Soft poached eggs with red wine syrup and brioche, skillet baked lasagne with beef cheek and spinach, and our meal was finished off with a sixth pitcher of beer and a roasted pig's head with a knife stuck in it. Anyone who can pull that off, has my adoration.
Plateau Mont-Royal
French Brasserie
RISTORANTE IL ROSSELLINO
I had one of the best meals in my life at this tiny mom & pop restaurant in the hilltop town of Pienza. Run by a husband and wife team, he is the chef and she the only server. The food was classic, traditional, but with country charm (mismatched plates and glasses), the best vitello I've ever had- stewed in milk, over pecorino polenta. If you are in Tuscany, just go.
Tuscany, Italy
Italian
LE QUARTIER FRANCAIS
iCi
TASTING ROOM
16 Huguenot Road, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa (view map)
T: +27/21.876.2151
A memory maker. Kate and I honeymooned there, and had an unforgettable meal under the stars. Dinner for us in the tasting room was awesome. All tasting menu- 9 courses, paired with wine. Intense.
Western Cape
Contemporary Continental
Allan Benton has been crafting smoked hams, the most insane bacon ever, country hams and even prosciutto since 1973.
Tennessee
Food Purveyor
We love opening our shipments from Mikuni- it's like Christmas every week. Some of the most gorgeous wild, foraged and specialty produce and unique edibles available in the marketplace today. Mikuni is always the first to have fresh spring morels, exquisite American caviars, intensely aromatic and flavorful oils and vinegars. As a Chef, sometimes there is no replacement for items like these- no matter how much you love ‘keeping it local.’
Wild Food Purveyor
PLUM POINT OYSTERS
30 Earle Drive, North Kingstown, RI 02852
Owner and Oysterman, Mark Boucher is the real deal. Mark's oysters are special. I hate dropping the “T” word- but these oysters are the perfect example of terroir. They are briny, buttery, plump and silken.
Rhode Island
Fish Purveyor
TWIG FARM
Honestly, this is some of the best American artisan cheese being produced right now, in the country. They have 25 milking goats of various breed, and milk and craft cheese, daily. Michael makes all the cheese by hand using traditional techniques and equipment. They are small on production, but big on flavor.
Vermont
Cheese Producer
Purchase at: Amazon.com
Authors: Michael Ruhlman, Brian Polcyn
Foreword by Thomas Keller
CHEESE ESSENTIALS
An Insiders Guide to Buying and Serving Cheese
Laura Werlin really covers all bases in this book, and it is easy to read, provides accessible basic knowledge and is fun. I'm down with it. She's great.
Purchase at: Amazon.com
Author: Laura Werlin
Photographer: Maren Caruso
COOKING BY HAND
Purchase at: Amazon.com
Authors: Paul Bertolli
MASTERING CHEESE
Lessons for Connoisseurship from a Maitre Fromager
Sometimes I think he makes cheese more intimidating than it has to be - and trust me, it is intimidating to people already.
Purchase at: Amazon.com
Author: Max McCalman
Purchase at: Amazon.com
Author: Max McCalman
RIVER COTTAGE MEAT BOOK
PORK & SONS
I’m a huge Stephane Reynaud freak. His book Pork & Sons is gorgeous. I thumb through his books weekly. They drive me. Inspire.
Purchase at: Amazon.com
Author: Stephane Reynaud
Means everything to me. Will instantly make you a better cook and charcutier, if you read closely...very, very, closely.
Purchase at: Amazon.com
Author: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
FARMSTEAD / FARMSTEAD DOWNTOWN / LA LAITERIE BISTRO - PROVIDENCE, RI
WHO
Executive Chef / Master Cheesemonger and co-owner of Farmstead, Farmstead Downtown, La Laiterie Bistro in Providence, RI.
WHY
Chef Jennings has created a following for his exemplary artisan cheese selection and own house-made charcuterie.
Chef / Master Cheesemonger Matt Jennings
March 15, 2010
RECOMMENDED BY
- Chef Erik Desjarlais, Portland, Maine
- Chef Nick Curtin, Compose, New York, NY
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt Jennings’ recommendations on where to eat in Providence, RI and around the world, what purveyors he likes, and which cookbooks to use.
