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| My view for dinner |
My second trip to Newport this summer came courtesy of one of my favorite ladies saying goodbye to her single days and celebrating taking the big leap with her girlfriends. We journeyed down to Newport and spent our day sitting on the beach, soaking up the sun and girl talk, and then we headed out for a dinner among friends.
Now the thing about Newport is that there aren't many places that will take reservations, and even fewer who will take them for parties of 12. So we found one who said they would be able to seat us, and headed on over. When we arrived however, they decided that their kitchen wasn't able to "handle" a party of 12 and so we set off to find another spot. We made our way down Thames Street and to the main drag and were guided unknowingly to the Landing, seafood restaurant located on Bowens Wharf, with gorgeous views of the harbor. Miraculously they cut the hour and half wait down to 5 minutes, and went out of their way to make us comfortable and create an enjoyable atmosphere for us.
Though I was tempted by the lobster roll, perusing the menu further found me face to face with grilled swordfish, served with grilled pineapple and a peach salsa and complimented with sauteed mushrooms and mashed potatoes. I skipped the mashed potatoes and settled on just the vegetables and the swordfish for my dinner, and it was a decision I did not regret.
The swordfish was perfectly cooked, tender to the fork, melt in your mouth texture and full of its natural buttery flavor. On it's own it was perfection but with the addition of the fruit accompaniments- it was beyond. The pineapple was presented in two perfect slices, grilled and then stacked on top of the thick slab of fish. The peaches, diced and paired with herbs and seasonings artfully fell off to the side of the fish, and both added bursts of fresh sweetness to the robust fish. The sauteed vegetables were anticipated to be an afterthought, but as they sat in their julienned state, bright with the colors of zucchini and carrot, their flavor was fresh and showed the butter they had obviously been cooked in. I cleaned my plate. Every last morsel was savored.
I walked into Landing assuming I'd be underwhelmed. I decided ahead of time that it was a tourist trap and as such, it couldn't possibly have tasty food. I was proven wrong with my dish, and others felt similarly with their meals. That isn't to say there weren't missteps however. The majority of us had only one course, and yet our dinner took a full two and a half hours. While we all enjoyed the atmosphere and the company, we were anxious to proceed with our plans by the end of the meal. That said- I would return in a heart beat.
Newport is one of the spots around New England that truly signifies summer to me. Full of vacationing families and couples, its main streets are packed with tanned people dashing away from the surrounding beaches and in to the variety of ice cream shops, fudge stands, restaurants and shops along the way. The din of happy chatter replaces the roar of cars as everything seems to move a little slower, just as it should in a vacation spot. I
Ive had the opportunity to head down a couple times already this summer, during the first I had the chance to visit Perro Salado, a family operated traditional Mexican restaurant in the heart of the downtown area. The charm of Perro Salado emits as soon as you arrive at their establishment - an antique home whose very floor boards creak with history. Inside the restaurant bustles with happy patrons, a full kitchen and a friendly staff.
I was there to eat for sure, and started my meal with their guacamole, a staple for me in Mexican restaurants, and their sticky pork ribs, a highly recommended dish. I dug into the guacamole first and foremost and found it to be a smooth avocado puree flavored with a healthy dose of lime juice, spiced with a gentle heat, and then mixed with chopped onions, tomatoes and pipians (or pepitas). I loved the addition of the pipians- they added a unique, earthy textural contrast that highlighted the smoothness of the avocado and the brightness from the acidic lime juice. The guacamole was served with fresh, thick corn chips that served as the perfect vehicle for the dip.
I then poked my fork into the sticky pork ribs. I soon found that once that initial poke had occurred it became increasingly difficult to stop poking at them. The meat easily fell off the bone, the result of obvious hours of gently cooking the meat in its sauce of bursting of rich flavors of orange, cherry, molasses and cinnamon. The ribs had a slight char to them as well- and together they presented a delightful smokey and sweet combination. Served with pickled onions, the tangy flavor complimented the ribs perfectly. They were fantastic.
I decided on the fish tacos for my main course. The menu billed them as beer battered mahi mahi, but after a brief conversation I found that grilled was also offered and so I later dug into my double corn tortilla encased grilled fish tacos, topped with a cabbage slaw, fresh cilantro, a chipotle flavored mayo and served with fresh jalapenos, lime wedges, more pickled onions and fresh pico de gallo on the side, it was a beautiful dish to view, and a fun one to enjoy. The fish itself had been marinated in a slightly spicy marinade, which was immediately cooled with the creamy mayonnaise based sauce. I appreciated the options to add as many jalapenos as I wanted, and loved piling on the pickled onions to my hearts content. The flavors were fresh and full bodied and created a wonderful harmony as I plowed through them.
I ended my visit to Perro Salado with their Chocolate Volcano Cake- a moist cake which easily gave way to a melted center with a simple fork puncture. The flavor was deeply chocolate and spiced with chipotles adding to the intrigue of the dish. This was served with a mango cream and a traditional whipped cream, both of which allowed for a little relief to ones taste buds in between bites of cake.
Perro Salado was a treat to visit. Every room offered the beauty and the charm of historic Newport, while the food was a welcome deviation from the normal fare of the vacation community. The chef puts his heart into each dish and creates a wonderful harmony of flavors and textures with every bite.
