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Three current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

Temple Downtown

NEW LOOK, NEW TASTES AT TEMPLE DOWNTOWN

Completely new menus and a revamped interior have been unveiled at Temple Downtown Restaurant & Lounge, 120 Francis Street, Providence, according to General Manager Vincent LoBuono.

Some of the new items on the lunch menu from Executive Chef David Cardell are an antipasto platter of house-cured meats and imported cheese, panzanella salad with focaccia croutons and pesto vinaigrette, brick oven pizzas featuring meatballs, Maine lobster and charred mortadella, and eight entrees including Vermont cheddar sliders and a skirt steak sandwich with gremolata fries. If desired, customers can order a three-course lunch priced at $14.95.

The expanded dinner menu now offers raw foods such as shellfish, ceviche, beef carpaccio and tuna tartare, appetizers for sharing such as mussels marinere with garlic crostini, eight different brick oven pizzas, pasta dishes including capellini puttanesca, small plates ranging from gazpacho and zucchini flowers to arancini and Maine lobster corn dogs, and eight large plates including Greek-style chicken, grilled steak frites, and Block Island swordfish.

The updated drink menu features new martinis and craft cocktails, including the award-winning Smoking Monkey made with Cachaca rum, grapefruit juice, lime and smoked sugar.

Desserts have also been revised, from the lemon crème brulee to the summer berry cobbler.

The interior of this stylish restaurant has been refreshed with a new color scheme and the return of the graffiti street art that the Masonic Temple was known for before it was converted into the Renaissance Hotel which houses Temple Downtown Restaurant & Lounge. For reservations, call 401-919-5050.

The Grande

Autumn Arrives at The Grande

Federal Hill’s newest restaurant rolls out fall menu as executed by Chef Antonio Santino Franco

The Grande, the latest dining experience to hit Federal Hill, will soon welcome fall with a new menu as created by Executive Chef Antonio Santino Franco. The Grande’s revamped menu will highlight the season’s bounty with farm-fresh autumnal tastes in French classics with modern twists.

Opened in June, The Grande is a boutique French restaurant and champagne lounge that dishes out an array of sophisticated – yet approachable – première and deuxième creations. With its kitchen helmed by veteran culinarian Antonio Santino Franco, The Grande’s inaugural seasonal menu change will bring its Parisian-chic atmosphere savory new selections to whet one’s palette – sans passport.

To start one’s truly grand culinary adventure, première options include: Lump Crab Cakes (Maryland lump crab and Yukon potato cakes, summer corn relish, jalapeño remoulade – $11); P.E.I. Mussels (Prince Edward Island mussels, saffron-sea broth, parsley oil, butter baguette – $10); Romaine (grilled Romaine heart, parmesan-peppercorn dressing, niçoise olives, baguette croutons – $9); Baked Brie (puff pastry-wrapped brie, warm peach chutney, artisanal crackers, Betty’s Bee Farm honey – $8); Heirloom Tomato (garden fresh tomatoes, Shy Brothers Farm artisanal cheese, duck prosciutto chips, blackberry balsamic, wild arugula – $11); Duck Wings (crispy duck wings, chili garlic sauce, lime zest, aioli – $10); and, Pommes Frites (hand-cut russet fries, parmesan, white truffle essence – $7).

For the deuxième portion of the menu, Chef Franco will dish out an array of selections featuring the best from land, sea and farm including: Steak Frites (hanger steak haché, olive oil braised red onion, frisée and mache, russet pommes – $25); Kobe Burger (grilled 8oz burger, sliced tomato, crispy onion, field greens, house-made Boursin cheese, buttered brioche, russet fries – $11); Turkey Baguette (smoked turkey breast, house-cured bacon, avocado, brie cheese, tomato jam, toasted French bread, russet fries – $11); Duck (crispy Crescent Valley duck leg confit, house-pressed waffles, peach chutney, Betty’s Bee Farm honey – $24); Chicken (grilled Baffoni’s Poultry Farm statler, roasted parsnip and carrot, whipped Yukon gold potatoes, herb jus – $19); and, Sole Français (butter-poached sole filet, preserved lemon, capers, zucchini ribbons, thyme roasted Yukon potatoes – $23).

The Grande is open for dinner service Tuesday through Thursday from 5:00pm until 10:00pm and Friday and Saturday from 5:00pm until 11:00pm. The Grande is located at 224 Atwells Avenue in Providence’s Federal Hill neighborhood. For reservations, please call (401) 432-7676 or visit OpenTable.

ABOUT THE GRANDE:

Opened in the summer of 2012 by business partners and industry veterans Tyrone Di Stasi, Jairo Dominguez, Justin Wyman and Patrick Madden, The Grande is the latest dining, lounge and nightlife experience to hit Federal Hill. The Grande’s posh renovations have brought the city of Providence an unparalleled boutique French restaurant and champagne bar. With its kitchen helmed by seasoned culinarian Antonio Santino Franco, The Grande’s farm-fresh fare yields French classics with modern twists in sophisticated – yet approachable – première and deuxième selections. The Grande’s dining room and lounge are open Tuesday through Thursday from 5:00pm to 1:00am and Friday and Saturday from 5:00pm to 2:00am. The Grande is also open for brunch on Sundays from 2:00pm to 7:00pm. The Grande is located at 224 Atwells Avenue in Federal Hill (Providence, RI). For more information, please call (401) 432-7676 or visit www.TheGrandeRI.com. Follow The Grande on Facebook and Twitter.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Celebrates “Month of Discovery” in September

Highlights Include “Bottle Wars” with Tastings of Rival Wines from the New Fleming’s 100

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is synonymous with its award-winning list of 100 wines by the glass, the Fleming’s 100.® Each September, as the restaurant’s newest wine collection is unveiled, Fleming’s celebrates a “Month of Discovery,” featuring a series of unique wine events and food offerings that will appeal to both wine novice and true connoisseur.

The New Fleming’s 100 – An Unrivaled Program of 100 Wines by the Glass
Fleming’s proprietary collection of 100 wines by the glass is a unique approach to discovering and celebrating wine without having to order an entire bottle. “Wine is an intensely personal choice, and wine by the glass is the perfect way to celebrate it,” says Maeve Pesquera, Fleming’s Director of Wine. The new collection for 2012/2013 features many iconic wineries from California as well as top-rated European wineries. The international roster also includes a number of remarkable wines from Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

“Bottle Wars” Wine Tastings – Featuring Rival Wines from the New Fleming’s 100
“Bottle Wars” is a series of four unique wine tastings to be held on successive Friday evenings in September (7th, 14th, 21st and 28th). Guests will taste premium wines from rival regions and wineries around the world in a spirit of friendly competition. Each event will offer 8 to 10 well-matched wines for just $25* and Fleming’s professionally trained wine managers will guide guests through the experience:

“Pinot Smackdown” (September 7th) — Pinot Noirs from California’s Central Coast compete against Pinot Noirs from Sonoma, Oregon and the Anderson Valley.

“Battle of the Hemispheres” (September 14th) — California takes on South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

“Old World vs. New World” (September 21st) — European masters from France, Italy, Germany and Spain go against the best and brightest winemakers from California.

“Glass Warfare” (September 28th) — Premium wines and value-priced wines made from similar grapes are put to the taste test.

Fleming’s New Memorable Meal for Two — $99 for 3 Courses
Fleming’s celebrates its new wine collection with a prix-fixe menu for two, available from September 1st through September 30th. Each guest will enjoy a triple entrée of broiled filet mignon, herb baked shrimp and braised short rib, with shrimp bisque and a dessert of frozen almond soufflé. The 3-course menu is priced at $99 for two, and $49.50 for one. For an additional $25, each guest may order a specially priced flight of three wines — The Prisoner, Primus Cabernet and Quintessa 2006 — all from the Huneeus Vintners Portfolio.

For more information about Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and the Fleming’s 100, please visit FlemingsSteakhouse.com.

• Excluding wine, tax and gratuity.