Dorrance

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GottaQ Smokehouse BBQ Expands the Rhode Island BBQ Scene with Their Second Location

GottaQ Smokehouse BBQ opened their second Cumberland location in the Shell Fuel Stop at 4120 Mendon Road. Their main location is located at 2000 Mendon Road. In addition to dining-in and take-out at both locations, GottaQ’s nationally recognized BBQ also offers catering, has a food truck & BBQ trailer and plans to put a second food truck on the road in the Spring. In 2016 they were awarded third place in the national Best Food Truck BBQ contest.

The GottaQ Fuel Stop is the ultimate in gas station gourmet. Say goodbye to cardboard pizza, day-old sausages, and stale treats. This new location lends a feeling of nostalgia, with a nod to the past when quality food could be found in all sorts of interesting places: dive bars, off-the-road diners, food carts, and of course gas stations.

The Fuel Stop offers a full menu with plenty of great options for lunch and dinner. BBQ plates of ribs, brisket, and pulled pork served with your choice of hot and cold sides with cornbread, sandwiches such as sirloin tri-tip and pulled chicken, mac & cheese bowls topped with your choice of meat, and six different hot dogs with gourmet toppings.

“Putting GottaQ Smokehouse BBQ into the food court at the Shell fuel stop was an absolute no brainer,” said owner Michael Strout. “When I saw that the space was available, I knew it would be the perfect fit for us. It’s directly across from Highland Corporate Park, home to our largest corporate customer, CVS. Shell wanted the foot traffic and we certainly have the product to drive it!”

Follow GottaQ Smokehouse BBQ on Facebook @GottaQ, Twitter @IGottaQ, and Instagram @GottaQbbq.

Fortnight Wine Bar Opens in Downtown Providence on Dorrance Street

Fortnight is a casual, experimental wine bar driven by a love for all things delicious and well made. Focused on wines made by real people with minimal chemical or technological interference, Fortnight’s adventurous selections reflect its goal of exploring great wine and beer made by winemakers and brewers thoughtful about their trade. Selections change nearly every day, giving guests a great reason to come back again and again.

The 35-seat wine bar is located at the corner of Dorrance and Weybosset Streets in Providence, in the space formerly occupied by Aruba Steve’s. The space was designed and built by the owners using almost exclusively locally-found materials. The floor is made from repurposed slate roof shingles, while two large communal tables (one made from old growth pine floorboards, the other from an old mill fire door) fill the center of the bar.

Owners Elizabeth McDonnell, Mike da Cruz, and Chris Norris-LeBlanc have designed the project as a workers’ cooperative. Beyond fair compensation for their time, profits from Fortnight will be recycled back to the broader project of building sibling cooperatives in other areas. “Not all of us are chefs, and not all of us know where the negroamaro grape is grown; but, maybe we can teach, fix bikes, farm, practice law or play music,” said Mike da Cruz. “We believe that the co-op structure is a better way to organize work and it’s a model we want to give more and more people a chance to try. Fortnight’s success will allow the development of other local Providence cooperatives to continue building a network of people doing work that feels good for them.”

The ethos of thoughtfully-made wine and beer also extends to their food program, designed to eliminate waste. Fortnight is focused on foods that get better with time – pickles and brines, braises, rillettes, smokes and cures. The menu highlights re-imagined versions of old New England-style recipes, like potted lobster and smoked bluefish chowder. Some preparations, like the duck rillettes, take their cue straight from traditional preservation techniques – the way food used to be made to prevent waste, before refrigeration was commonplace (don’t worry, they refrigerate). But like their wine and beer, the only menu you’ll find is on butcher paper taped to the wall, where they can cross off and add new items at a moment’s notice. “Fortnight will serve inventive, creative, delicious food without having to throw mountains of it away when it spoils,” said Chris Norris-LeBlanc. “The best part? We’re dedicated to keeping prices low, even for the good stuff.”

“We can’t wait to see you all at Fortnight,” said Liz McDonnell, “and don’t get dressed up to come out and drink – our wine, beer, and food is sourced from folks who spend most of their time in a field somewhere covered in dirt, juice and sweat. You know, the way we all want to live.”

Preppy Pig BBQ Announces Closure of Warren & Jamestown Locations for Relocation

Preppy Pig BBQ, named Rhode Island’s best BBQ by Thrillist, is closing its doors today at both the Warren and Jamestown restaurant in search of a bigger and better spot for their acclaimed barbecue cuisine. Both locations will be open under different ownership, and although they may look similar, they are not Preppy Pig BBQ. Owner Patrick DeSocio looks forward to sharing some very exciting news about the new location soon.

“Please keep watch on all social media as we can’t wait to fill you in on our next move and can’t thank you enough for helping put RI on the BBQ map,” said Patrick, “We look forward to seeing you in our new digs soon! In the meantime, our catering schedule is filling up quickly for 2017, so if you’re looking to book an event, please get in touch via info@preppypigbbq.com. Thank you again and Happy Holidays!”

Disclosure: GottaQ Smokehouse BBQ, Fortnight Wine Bar and Preppy Pig BBQ are clients of Eat Drink RI Marketing Services