This weekend our friend from California came to visit. My partner and I always take her out to dinner and we usually like to bring her to someplace new, different and amazing and its really not that difficult having so much right here in Providence.
Saturday night, we grazed at The Grange. We didn’t make reservations and were lucky enough to sit down without a wait. Not only was this our guest’s first time dining there, but it was mine as well. The Grange serves a 100% vegetarian menu with a full bar and some amazing desserts. The atmosphere took me back to an old farm house with a laid back feel. The canopy over the bar was an old tin roof and the hanging lights looked like vintage jars. The old tables, mismatched wooden chairs and the porch swings really made me feel at home.
Now, on to the food. When you hear there’s going to be a vegetarian option at a regular restaurant, I imagine the vegetable of the day and a pile of sticks and twigs. This was not the case. We started off with jalapeno hushpuppies. They were so light and crispy and just the perfect amount of heat! For our entrees, I enjoyed the General Tso tacos. They came with a small side of guacamole and a HUGE flavor profile. This wasn’t your normal General Tso. The seitan reminded me of shaved steak and the crispy shell of the taco made my taste buds dance. For all of you non-vegheads, seitan is derived from the protein portion of wheat. It stands in for meat in many recipes and works so well that a number of vegetarians avoid it because the texture is too “meaty.”
My partner had sesame udon, filled with soy beans, seaweed, shitake mushrooms and the most out-of-this-world miso I’ve ever had. (Oh yeah, I always try what he’s having.) Our friend from Cali had the kale Caesar salad. It was a Caesar salad made with kale instead of romaine. No bells and whistles but exactly what she wanted.
We also enjoyed some amazing beverages from the bar. I had a Manhattan, my go to cocktail, but I made sure I had the bar make it with Sons of Liberty Spirits’ Battle Cry. If you don’t know what this is, Google it and then support our local distilleries.
It was time for dessert and we chose the chocolate plate and Tia’s candies. All of their desserts are vegan and an excellent way to finish off an evening with great food and great friends. Homemade jellies, truffles and peppermint patties would have been plenty but I wanted to make sure all of our readers knew how good the chocolate plate was too! The highlight was the chocolate mousse, and the mint ice cream. The chocolate mousse melted in my mouth and the refreshing taste of the mint ice cream was a perfect combo. I’m not a huge fan of mint because it reminds me of the artificial taste of mouthwash. This scoop of heaven rocked my world. You can taste the fresh mint it was made with. I felt like I picked a sprig out of my garden and muddled the leaves myself. SO GOOD.
I would highly recommend The Grange for anyone who is looking to try new things and enjoys eating fresh and clean! The Grange open for Dinner Nightly, starting at 5pm, Weekday Lunch at 11am, Weekend Brunch 9am-2:45pm and their café is open daily at 8am. The Grange also offers live, local music on Wednesday nights! For a full schedule of performances, and their menu, check out their website, providencegrange.com
Photos by George Evans Marley
