Loie Fuller’s, photos by George Evans Marley

I’ve been told over and over and over and over and over again that I should try brunch at Loie Fuller’s. I was not disappointed by all of the recommendations! In fact I was lucky enough to sit next to my dear friend Dustin who has worked with the staff of Loie Fuller’s for years now both in the restaurant and on their farm. I was so honored to be able to sit next to him and have him be my guide through the best breakfast I’ve had in a very long time!

It wouldn’t be brunch if I didn’t start off with a coffee, a mimosa, a water and a variety of other beverages to rehydrate myself from all the gallivanting I had done the night before.

The menu was written in chalk on beautiful slabs of slate and filled with all sorts of magical items.

Dustin suggested the scones to start with. They were (I hate using this word) moist, buttery and not too heavy! You can tell they took the time to make sure they kneaded in ice cold butter and milk to make them just right.

Our server asked me how I wanted my bacon done, which was a good sign. I like mine well done, not burnt and not floppy. I do NOT like floppy bacon. I want my bacon to shatter upon impact.

For the main course, eggs Benedict with tender duck breast and hollandaise that actually tasted like tarragon! What more could you ask for!? The hash browns were weird!!! Not like anything I’ve ever had before. They were small cakes of shredded potato that was cooked perfectly, all the way through, not like a pre frozen hash brown that winds up either under cooked or worse, still frozen in the middle. I would definitely order those again, and more of them!

For breakfast dessert, yes, breakfast dessert, the mini waffles with cinnamon sugar butter and REAL maple syrup were amazing and a perfect ending to an amazing meal!

I’ve joined the cult, TRY THEM! GO THERE! BRUNCH! BRUNCH! BRUNCH!

To learn more about Loie Fuller’s and their farm and dedication to using fresh and local products, check out their documentary on WGBH

Loie Fuller’s is located at 1455 Westminster St, Providence, RI 02909 and is open for Dinner 7 days 5-10pm & Brunch Sundays 10am-2pm

See you there!

Loie Fuller's, photos by George Evans Marley

One of the pastry display cases at Sin Desserts new shop

Sin, an award-winning dessert bakery based in Providence, owned and operated by pastry chef Jennifer Luxmoore, has expanded into a storefront café and retail operation on the ground floor of their 200 Allens Avenue location. The shop is now open with a grand opening celebration planned for Saturday, April 14. In addition to cakes, the store sells an assortment of cookies, cupcakes, muffins, scones and what Luxmoore calls “cupcake shots”—mini versions of her cupcakes for 75¢. There is hot coffee and cold-brewed iced coffee for sale as well.

I’ve had the opportunity to sample many of Luxmoore’s desserts at various culinary events and a couple of weddings over the last few years. Her work has often jumped out at me as very flavorful and always a great dessert, while not being overly sweet. This past November I was a judge for the City of Providence‘s 375th birthday cake competition, which Luxmoore won, a decision I was happy to take part in. Her cake was beautiful and was also my favorite bite of the evening (the competitors served the judges cupcake samples of their larger creations to evaluate taste). That cake is on display in the retail space and you can find some photos of it on Facebook.

Sin Desserts menu board

I stopped in to the store on it’s second day of being open. Luxmoore treated me to a Cheddar Bacon Scone and iced coffee while we talked about her opening this new part of her business. “We’d been having a bunch of people stop in over the course of the last year, thinking that we were a traditional bakery,” Luxmoore said. “Since we were only custom order, we didn’t have anything to give them. I hate to send people away without treats! So we started looking for a retail space, but didn’t find the right space. Everything was too big, too small or too expensive. Then late in [2011], I learned that the gallery space next to me was going to be open.”

After a remodel—which included the display cases, coffee preparation stand, a bookshelf of great pastry cookbooks and other reading materials, and seating for sixteen—the store was ready to open. “We’re starting out small—a few items and a few flavors of each item—and we’ll expand as we get busier. We have a great Cheddar and Bacon Scone and Blueberry Muffin, Chocolate Chip Cookies baked fresh every morning, plus a different cookie every week. We started out with our favorite Chipotle Peanut Butter! Plus we have Whoopie Pies, cupcakes and brownies, and of course Coffee and Iced Coffee,” Luxmoore said.

The Sin Desserts shop will be open Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 200 Allens Avenue in Providence. You can find Sin on Facebook and at eatwicked.com.

Sin Desserts new space

scone

The Blogetarian’s Review: Loie Fuller’s

Sin Desserts in Providence opens retail store and café