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Rory’s Market and Kitchen Prepared Foods Assortment

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News Bites: Castle Hill Inn New Prix-Fixe Menu / Rory’s Market and Kitchen Coming to Providence / Beatnic’s Vegan Lobster Roll Available in Providence / Coppa Cocktails Arrive in the USA

by David Dadekian July 29, 2022

written by David Dadekian

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

The Dining Room At Castle Hill Inn Launches New Pre-Fixe Tasting Menu Experience

New menu offers a curated culinary adventure designed around coastal New England flavors

The Dining Room at Castle Hill Inn, the iconic Relais & Châteaux property in Newport, Rhode Island, today announced the release of its new Tasting Menu; a curated tasting experience inspired by both the flavors of coastal New England and influences around the globe.

Located inside the historic Agassiz Mansion, The Dining Room has long been the backdrop to memorial occasions and praised as one of the best restaurants in Newport. Led by Executive Chef Lou Rossi and Chef de Cuisine Dylan Cadrette, the new Tasting Menu focuses on dishes that utilize and showcase the bounty of Newport’s local produce, seafood, and artisanal producers to present a unique, memorable experience that is tailored to guest’s preferences.

“In creating this specialized, tailored menu we hope The Dining Room continues to surprise our guests and encourage them to rethink what New England cuisine is all about,” said Executive Chef Lou Rossi. “The menu takes all the bounty of Rhode Island and the surrounding region to highlight seasonal ingredients we plan to change on a regular basis to ensure each dining experience is different than the last.”

With the new Tasting Menu, avid foodies and gourmet-minded diners are treated to an incredible farm-to-table dining adventure. The prix fixe menu offers six courses, each of which features two to three dishes for guests to choose from. Each dish is tied to a key ingredient as its focus and offers guests an ever-changing and seasonally inspired array of both local and globally inspired flavors.

The six-course selection includes everything from local, Rhode Island Oysters and Foie Gras Terrine, to Lobster with squash and radish, Truffle Pasta, and Strawberry featuring cucumber and yuzu. The two desserts are focused on Melon, featuring biscotti and almond, and Chocolate tied together with fig and coffee.

To tie it all together, the restaurant’s exceptional and award-wining wine list features more than 800 selections to offer the perfect pairing with each curated meal. Specialty wine flights are designed to complement the flavors of the menus being served.

The new six-course Tasting Menu in The Dining Room is available for $135 per person. Wine Flights start from $50 per person. To view sample menus or to make a reservation for The Dining Room at Castle Hill Inn, guests can visit www.castlehillinn.com/dine/the-dining-room/.

Rory’s Market And Kitchen Opens September 2022 In Downtown Providence

Rory’s Market and Kitchen is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of their newest store located at 113 Washington Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. Rory’s is an independent, second generation owned, local, natural grocery store and kitchen. The store will open with over 6,000 square feet on the ground floor of the Nightingale Building in September 2022.

Rory’s first location was opened in Dennisport, MA in 1978 by Darby Ziruk with the mission to bring organic produce to Cape Cod residents. A second location was opened in Mashpee, MA in 2014, followed by Darby’s daughter Rory Eames stepping into ownership in 2019. Rory’s Providence location will carry on the mission to support communities by offering access to natural products and organic produce from local businesses. The Providence location will serve as the company’s third store and the first outside of Massachusetts.

“This is our first urban location, which gives us the opportunity to grow together in such a special city like Providence,” says Rory Eames, owner and namesake of Rory’s. “We are so excited to serve and be part of the community.”

The Rory’s team is dedicated to sourcing a variety of natural and specialty grocery staples, including local and organic produce, meats, cheeses, beverages, vitamins, and body and home care items. As a brand, Rory’s is always on the lookout for the latest and upcoming foods and products.

In addition to grocery offerings, Rory’s Kitchen provides customers with both made-to-order and grab-and-go breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. The Providence menu will include organic cold-pressed juices, smoothies, grain bowls, avocado toasts, salads, sandwiches and more. Customers can also look forward to gluten conscious-menu items.

The store and kitchen will be open seven days a week, for in-person shopping, online-shopping, pick-up, and delivery service. Shoppers will enjoy the convenience of delivery for all grocery items, prepared foods, coffee and juice bar menu items.

Beatnic’s Vegan Lobster Roll Available in Providence

Beatnic's "Rock Lobstah Roll," Lobstah bib and Beatnic beach towels — Beatnic’s “Rock Lobstah Roll,” Lobstah bib and Beatnic beach towels

Vegans unite! Until now, lobster rolls were just a seaside treat reserved for meat-eaters and proclaimed pescatarians, but not anymore.

Following the successful launch of Beatnic’s Vegan Lobster Roll at the Montauk Beach House in the Hamptons, Beatnic is happy to bring the beach to the city, extending their “Rock Lobstah Roll” to all store locations in NYC, Boston, and Providence. The product will be available August 1 – August 26 (4 weeks) at $10.95.

What’s a Vegan Lobster Roll you ask?

Simple, it’s a vegan take on the East Coast favorite, subbing out lobster for hearts of palm and seasoning it with lemon juice, celery, red onion, a vegan remoulade, dill and Old Bay seasoning. To top it off, this delicious delight will be served on a vegan pretzel bun, serving up all the flavor with none of the fish!

But wait, there’s more! Beatnic will be giving away FREE Beatnic beach towels and FREE Lobstah bib with any purchase.

Disclaimer: In store only, limited stock available, one per person.

Coppa Cocktails® & M.S. Walker Brands Launch “World’s Best Cocktails” in the U.S.

Consumers Are Encouraged to “Just Add Ice!” for a World Class Cocktail Experience

M.S. Walker Brands has partnered with Coppa Cocktails® to bring its robust line of award-winning classic to contemporary premium pre-mixed cocktails to U.S. shores. Developed by Toorank International Spirits, a Dutch distilling and bottling company founded in 1978, Coppa Cocktails are currently available in more than 30 countries. With natural flavors and premium spirits, 15% ABV, a SRP of $17.99/750mL, and disruptive packaging, Coppa Cocktails appeal to the modern consumer who seeks high quality, convenience, and aesthetic appeal. The brand is currently distributed in more than 27 states with an aggressive nationwide rollout underway.

The core flavors are:

Margarita, made with tequila, orange liqueur, lime, and natural flavors, its distinct yet smooth agave aroma is followed by a tart, refreshing palate
Mojito, made with premium Caribbean white rum, lime, and mint, with prominent initial aromas of fresh and sweet mint leaves, followed by a palate led by refreshing sour lime
Strawberry Daquiri, again made with premium Caribbean white rum and lime juice, this time with the addition of fresh strawberries; the sweet and sour flavors of freshly muddled strawberries are very evident on the palate
Piña Colada, made with premium Caribbean white rum, vodka, rich cream, coconut, and the sweet flavor of pineapple juice, this Gold Medal winner from the Denver International Spirits Competition speaks for itself: no blender, no problem; just add ice!

Coppa Cocktails’ Cosmopolitan, Long Island Iced Tea, Mai Tai, Rum & Ginger, Sex on the Beach, and Tequila Sunrise are also currently for sale in the U.S. All Coppa Cocktails are non-GMO.

José B. Chao, President of Coppa Cocktails USA, says, “We pride ourselves on offering the world’s best cocktails. Whether making life easy at home, or increasing speed and consistency on-premise, every Coppa Cocktail delivers a delicious, premium, and effortless cocktail experience.”

“As the ready-to-drink category continues to grow, we see a tremendous opportunity for a brand of Coppa Cocktails’ quality and visual appeal,” says Gary Shaw, Executive VP of Sales for M.S. Walker Brands. “Our strategy includes a vigorous in-store tasting and retail activation program, and we are confident consumers will experience the outstanding quality of these cocktails.”

Please enjoy responsibly.

For more information, please visit www.coppacocktails.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

July 29, 2022 0 comment

chefs & restaurants news

News Bites: The Mooring Specials / Newport Restaurant Group New Director of Restaurants / Red Stripe Announces Management Team

by David Dadekian December 11, 2015

written by David Dadekian

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

The Mooring Celebrates All Things Seafood with Paella Thursdays For Two and Half-Price Raw Bar Wednesdays

Spice Up the Week with Delicious, Succulent Seafood and Spectacular Views at Newport’s Award-Winning Dining Destination

WHO: The Mooring, an award-winning Seafood Kitchen & Bar offering the freshest local seafood, expansive harbor views, and warm hospitality, has created weekly specials to warm up the cooler months.

WHAT: The Mooring invites guests to spice up their week and experience a taste of traditional New England life. Elevating the Newport seafood tradition to a new level since 1981, The Mooring provides casual elegance while maintaining the relaxed Newport charm.

Celebrate the best of New England with Half-Price Raw Bar Wednesdays. Guests are able to sample the freshest local seafood every Wednesday with half-off an ever-changing assortment of raw bar offerings, including “top-of-catch” oysters, littlenecks, shrimp, lobster, and more.

Bring a friend, family member, or loved one and enjoy dinner for two during Paella Thursdays. This beloved seafood comfort dish is prepared old world-style with whole lobster, clams, mussels, chicken, shrimp, calamari, rice, sausage, and garlic sofrito. Paella for two is offered all day for only $49, with the option to add a pitcher of flavorful sangria for $65.

WHEN: Half-Price Raw Bar Wednesdays
Every Wednesday
11:30AM – 9:00PM

Paella for Two Thursdays
Every Thursday
11:30AM – 9:00PM

WHERE: The Mooring
1 Sayers Wharf
Newport, RI 02840
401.846.2260
www.mooringrestaurant.com

Newport Restaurant Group Appoints Celebrated Chef Karsten Hart to Director of Restaurants

Former Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef is now visionary overseer of strategy at award-winning collection of restaurants in Rhode Island

Chef Karsten Hart

Newport Restaurant Group, a collection of award-winning restaurants throughout Rhode Island, is pleased to announce the appointment of celebrated Chef Karsten Hart to Director of Restaurants. In his new role, Hart is now the visionary overseer of culinary strategy for Castle Hill Inn, The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar, 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, the Boat House, Hemenway’s, Waterman Grille, Trio, and Smoke House.

Chef Hart was most recently the esteemed executive chef of Castle Hill Inn, Newport Restaurant Group’s Relais & Châteaux property. Through five years and six seasons, he was pivotal in bestowing guests with a world class culinary experience showcasing international culinary techniques and local ingredients from the New England bounty. Prior to joining Newport Restaurant Group, Chef Hart held the position of Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef from The Estate by the Elderberries in Oakhurst, California and is one of only 20 chefs in the United States with the ‘Grand Chef’ designation.

“To see my time with Newport Restaurant Group culminate in being appointed to director of restaurants is both personally and professionally rewarding,” says Hart. “Through the years, we have celebrated a love of food that not only transcends the guest experience but also fosters a meaningful culture for our team. Those are two of the key ingredients to Newport Restaurant Group’s success and I look forward to continuing to move the needle for our patrons and staff.”

In his new role as director of restaurants, Chef Hart is poised to execute a culinary strategy that dually enhances the guest and staff experience. A student of various cultures, he applies an international understanding of techniques to a new caliber of authentic cuisine that tells a story and has a distinct sense of time and place. Having traveled extensively with Relais & Châteaux, Hart can recall specific dishes from around the world that serve as inspiration for new dishes on each and every one of the menus at Newport Restaurant Group venues. Additionally, mentorship and development for the Newport Restaurant Group staff remain of the utmost importance. Chef Hart shapes his own leadership philosophy, believing that the best way to repay all of his mentors is to provide endless and integral development opportunities to his team. Chef Hart will continue to incorporate the Newport Restaurant Group’s longstanding core values, which are rooted in sound principals and integrity, into his culinary strategy for continued success and advancement of the company.

Red Stripe Announces Management Team at East Greenwich and Providence Locations

Alex Broadbent and Julie Shumate deliver exceptional hospitality for the fine casual restaurant concept.

Alex Broadbent

Encore Hospitality Group, which owns and operates the Red Stripe and Mill’s Tavern restaurants, announces that Alex Broadbent has been appointed the Assistant General Manager of Red Stripe in East Greenwich, R.I., and Julie Shumate has been promoted to Restaurant Manager of Red Stripe in Providence, R.I.

In their managerial capacities, Mr. Broadbent and Ms. Shumate are responsible for delivering exceptional service and hospitality to guests dining in their restaurants. Both report to General Manager Stephane Ost who oversees the two locations.

Mr. Broadbent, a resident of Providence, brings a decade of wide-ranging restaurant experience. While attending college from 2009 to 2010, Mr. Broadbent worked as a server at the former Red Stripe location in Narragansett. After graduation, he moved to RI’s capital city where he worked locally in Providence and Boston for a fine dining restaurant chain. Originally from Concord, N.H., he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Rhode Island (2011).

Julie Shumate

Ms. Shumate, a resident of East Providence, grew up in Little Compton, R.I. Her hospitality career spans over 14 years. Prior to joining Red Stripe in 2013 as a floor manager, she worked in service and assistant management for upscale restaurants in Newport and Portsmouth, R.I. She is a graduate of the New England Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in interior design.

“The team at Red Stripe is passionate about taking casual dining to a whole new level. We’re offering big portions of scratch-made food using high quality ingredients at an affordable price. We want to be the neighborhood restaurant where guests can visit us two or three times a week because we’ve got a lot of great options on the menu, at prices that won’t keep them away,” said Mr. Broadbent.

December 11, 2015 0 comment

chefs & restaurants news

Castle Hill Inn Hosts Clambakes with their New Oceanside Pit

by David Dadekian July 16, 2019

written by David Dadekian

Castle Hill Inn Executive Chef Karsten Hart watches the pit

“My goal and my hope for the clambakes here is that this is the best clambake location in New England,” Castle Hill Inn’s Executive Chef Karsten Hart told me as we stood by a long, shallow pit of expertly lined stones—a pit that was getting hotter by the minute from the wood fire in it that was slowly turning to hot embers. Some boats passed by just yards away from us and the Newport Bridge was prominent in the background. The hot August day was slowly cooling down and there were very few clouds in the sky as the sun set across the way from us. If this wasn’t the most beautiful clambake location in New England, “the best” as Chef Hart hoped, then I’d very much like to see what tops it.

Last spring I was at an event at Castle Hill Inn and ran into Hart. We stopped to talk and he was like a giddy boy with a new toy. You have to come see our new clambake pit, he said, and if I hesitated I bet he would have dragged me down the lawn to see it. But of course I was as excited to see it as Hart was to show it off, and as soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to photograph it in action. Last week my wife and I were invited guests of Castle Hill to watch the clambake process and eat an amazing meal under the stars on the Chalet lawn.

The clambake process is relatively straightforward: dig a hole, line it with rocks, light a fire on the rocks and wait until it burns down to embers heating the rocks, place your food in a basket in the hole, cover the hole and wait until it’s ready to eat. It’s an almost ancient cooking procedure, shown to Europeans by Native Americans, and many food anthropologists think it may have been the actual meal at the first Thanksgiving. Naturally it’s been refined over the years, but the process is basically the same.

Hart explained how the clambake pit came to be at Castle Hill, “The inspiration started from a Relais & Chateaux conference that we hosted two years ago. It was my second week at Castle Hill. I just moved from California. I wasn’t sure what to think about the clambake. We did a traditional one right on the beach for about thirty people. We buried the lobster, seaweed, similar to how we’re doing right here. I admit I was pretty suspicious. I wasn’t sure how it was going to come out. I’d never seen it before in my life.

“But I was just so amazed at how incredible the flavor was from the smoke and seaweed flavor that it gave the lobster. It kept the juices in there. I thought it was going to overcook, but it didn’t. It just sealed it. It’s almost like a pressure cooker in there and it just seals everything in. I was so impressed with it and as an outsider coming into to New England I could not understand why Castle Hill did not have a clambake pit. So for the past two years we’ve been searching for the most beautiful spot on the property that we don’t utilize and this is it right here. So we found the location, and in my opinion it’s picture-perfect. It’s a beautiful location and an incredible product.”

The lobster is an incredible product, as Hart said, because, as expected at Castle Hill, Hart brings his exacting precision and dedication to cooking to the clambakes. Banquet Chef Joe McCarthy, who was assisting with the clambake, said they kept logs indicating cooking times, fire temperature, wind direction and other external factors to see what contributed to the best cooked lobster.

Hart explained the process, “The first few times that we did this, we timed it. It was a goal of mine to have a perfectly cooked lobster. I didn’t want to overcook. I did my research and the more I researched the more I realized most people are cooking the lobsters for up to two hours, which is too long. The first few times we did this it was a little nerve wracking because I wasn’t certain if they were going to be cooked perfect. We dropped the time to an hour and they came out delicious, just to die for. They were perfectly cooked. I remember saying to the guys, ‘We just set a standard.’

“We did about four of these before we even decided to open it to the public. We have the timing down [according] to how many lobsters and the staff is just doing an excellent job with it now. We’ve mostly been selling these clambakes to corporate groups—we can do up to about eighty lobsters. It’s nice to show them what specialties and gems we have here in New England. We had three dates this year so that the public can enjoys this and will probably have four or five [dates] next year.”

Hart’s not boasting when he said “perfectly cooked.” The lobster was a standout, all of the meat was almost sweet and I hardly used any melted butter. But of course, that’s not all we were served. The evening began with passed hors d’oeuvres on the lawn. When he became Executive Chef Hart began a charcuterie program at Castle Hill and his fried rabbit rillettes with mustard is a standout. I also had some rice croquettes which were perfectly fried. There was a third passed item, a stuffie, which all managed to disappear as I was making photos. My wife had two and told me they were some of the better stuffies she’s had.

After the unveiling of the clambake, we were seated at gorgeously designed tables on the lawn and dinner began with Clam Chowder with a black pepper biscuit. It seems kind of crazy to say, but if all I had all evening was that clam chowder I would’ve been happy. Several of the other guests indicated the same. But of course, we weren’t going to refuse the main course. In addition to the perfectly cooked lobster we were each served a bowl of steamed Littlenecks with smoked seaweed-vihno verde broth, another item I would’ve been happy to make a meal of.

The potatoes and corn that were cooked in the clambake pit were served family style, as was the house made chouriço with peppers. Hart’s chouriço is very well made, with a nice little spicy kick at the end. There was a big bowl of shaved Red Cabbage Slaw with apple cider vinaigrette which was excellent and, as odd as it may be, I want to give special mention to the abundant slices of toasted baguette. There was a lot of delicious sopping up to do so the bread was more than welcome by all the diners.

If I had to improve upon one thing, I would have liked to have had a broader selection of wine at the outdoor bar. For white wine we were only offered Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay or Fumé Blanc by the glass. I would have loved something that could have better complimented the amazing food. Perhaps a crisp German or Oregon Riesling, maybe with a hint of sweetness that would have gone great with that chouriço. Or a high acid Vermentino could have worked well with the richness of the lobster and clams. Maybe offering too many wines by the glass at a temporary outdoor bar is a slight logistics problem, but my feeling as I tasted the wine was that such a well-made meal deserved a more complimentary pairing.

Dessert was a house made Apple Crisp along with a Watermelon Aqua Fresca. Both were a great, light way to close the dinner. By the end of the meal, night had completely fallen and we lingered with friends we had made at the table until we were almost the last ones there. The Chalet area was well lit, but you could still make out the stars and the Newport Bridge was lit up in the distance. It was one of those perfect Rhode Island nights, made all the more special by the feeling that Hart had met his goal of best clambake location. Please take a look at the picture-perfect-process in the photos below.

The next and final clambake for 2012 is being held on Thursday, September 20th at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $95 per person plus tax and gratuity. For more information or to make reservations, please call 401-849-3800 or visit www.castlehillinn.com.

Corn, potatoes and house made chouriço with some seaweed in the steaming crate by the pit

Banquet Chef Joe McCarthy and Executive Chef Karsten Hart by the clambake pit

Close-up on corn, potatoes and house made chouriço with some seaweed in the steaming crate

Lobsters with seaweed in the steaming crate

Chef Hart happily poses by the clambake pit

Hart rakes the wood coals as McCarthy observes

McCarthy and Hart place the steaming crates on the coals

Hart gives a thumbs up as they place the last cage

Burlap soaked in water is placed over the crates first

Then water-soaked canvas tarps cover the burlap

Making sure everything is well covered to keep in the heat

McCarthy hoses down the tarps to keep the steam going

The tables are set on the Chalet lawn at Castle Hill Inn

Guests sample hors d'oeuvres on the lawn while watching the clambake pit — Guests sample hors d’oeuvres on the lawn while watching the clambake pit

The Castle Hill Inn Chalet tent and dinner seating on lawn

The bell that is rung to announce the unveiling at the clambake pit

McCarthy and Hart unwrap the crates as dinner guests watch

McCarthy wheels everyone's dinner back to the tent for plating — McCarthy wheels everyone’s dinner back to the tent for plating

Castle Hill Inn's Clam Chowder with black pepper biscuit — Castle Hill Inn’s Clam Chowder with black pepper biscuit

Lobster alongside steamed Littlenecks with smoked seaweed-vihno verde broth

July 16, 2019 0 comment