I spent last weekend dining out on Clement Street: curry eggplant from Burma Superstar, and the special of the night, pork spare ribs from Q.

We hit Burma Superstar as soon as it opened at 5pm to avoid the dreaded long line, but the strict time planning was soo worth it. The eggplant was spicy, but not too hot. I took home the extras, but nibbled on the leftovers all night long. Lance had the sesame chicken, which was slightly too sweet for me, but perfectly lightly battered and not oily or sticky.

I had planned to have the mac & cheese at Q, but when I saw pork spareribs as the special for the night, I couldn’t resist–I’ve been on a pork kick lately. While the ribs were good, they weren’t the very best I’ve ever had–they were tender, but not quite as soft as I’d like. But I did like the fact that the bbq sauce was tangy & smoky and not overly sweet.  The garlic fries are tasty too, and quite filling.

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Having recently arrived in SF from the land of Dunkin Donuts (1) I have to admit that I suffered from mediocre (at best) doughnut fatigue. But I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the large number of independent doughnuts shops in the city that bake on the premises.

As a result I’m eating (and very much enjoying) more sweet, fried pastries than my 5’2” frame can probably handle. Then again, if I eat them while walking through the city the calories don’t count, right?

Here’s my snack today: chocolate cake w/chocolate icing from All Star Donuts on Clement St. I’d rate about an 8 out of 10. The icing was fresh, but the doughnut was slightly too dry for my liking, not stale, just not overly moist. From what I’ve read these are good, but not the best in the city–keep in mind, I’m working my way up from tasteless, shortening-laden, stale bricks.

I plan on sampling at least one doughnut each week from varying locations. I’ll try to keep it to one a week, but that’s a promise I simply can’t make.

(1) I find it fitting and amusing that the DD, with their crappy ‘dounuts’ chose Rachael Ray as their spokesperson.

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For those who consider cheese a food group of its own there’s a new destination in Providence–Farmstead Lunch in Downcity. It’s from the same folks who own Farmstead and La Laiterie in Wayland Square.

(Photo: Farmstead Lunch)

They offer a selection of sandwiches, salads, tortas, cured meats, cheeses and baked goods and the entire menu is 100% American made artisanal food. It’s located down the block from last year’s Craftland. Alas, I left Providence for San Francisco before they opened, but it’s on the itinerary the next time I’m back in town.

Farmstead Lunch
225A Westminster Street
Providence, Rhode Island, 02903
www.farmsteadinc.com

hours: Tuesday-Saturday, from 10am-7pm

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I love my new neighborhood in the inner richmond. It’s full of restaurants, shops and plenty of produce stands. There is also a crepe shop — Genki Crepes & Mini Mart. They offer everything from Nutella crepes (above) to beef and cheese crepes. I’m afraid this might become a habit, they are quite tasty, though crisper than the crepes you’d find on the streets of Paris. Besides the crepes there are also two aisles of mostly Japanese candy. Now if only I craved bok choy as much as chocolate I might not develop a weight problem!

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Dinner at the Cherokee restaurant and trading post in Clinton, Oklahoma. A little too much breading for my taste.

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By far the best in Providence come from the Seven Stars Bakery on Hope St. They are perfectly flaky and crisp - not greasy or soggy.

Finished my breakfast with a giant cup of English Breakfast tea I as packed the last of the studio.

Btw, the posts will be sporadic until I’m settled on the west coast.

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We tried Juniper frozen yogurt on Thayer St. in Providence. I’m told it’s similar to Pinkberry, but since I’ve never been to Pinkberry, I can’t make that comparison.

They were giving out free samples this afternoon and there was a bit of a crowd. The general consensus among a bunch of college students milling about was that it “tasted like yogurt.” I agree, it’s a frozen version of tangy plain yogurt. I had mine topped with raspberries. I plan on going back and trying a few other toppings, next time a drizzle of honey with some fresh fruit.

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Had a tasty dinner with co-workers last week at Rocca. The menu is full of lots of small plates and smaller-sized entrees, which made it easy to sample about half the menu. My only complaint was that that the wild mushroom toasts are served cold–I was expecting a warm, tangy mushroom. The pastas were light and the pesto on the  handrolled trofie was delicate and fresh tasting.

A co-worker had the whole fish–always a fun picture at the table.

I would definitely go back, though it seems to be a bit too popular on the weekends right now and a reservation is a must.

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I really enjoy diner food when we take road trips. Unfortunately most of the diners along the New York State thruway  have disappeared given all the rest stops along the way. So we made it to Lee, MA last night without finding any tasty stops so decided to stop and see what this Main St. town had to offer.

Instead of fries or meatloaf we found Salmon Run Fish House. I had the tasty baby clams in white wine, garlic and butter sauce and a lobster salad. Lance had the fried whole belly clams which were the perfect blend of sweet and salty. My only complaint was that we were so hungry that we ate our warm bread instantly and I didn’t have any left to dip into the delicious clam sauce.

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A quick day trip to NY for a meeting meant I only had time for one meal. I decided to finally stop at Pomme Frites. Just frites sauce on mine. They were quite tasty and perfect, I only wish I was hungrier. But I had a super-early meeting and my body never really woke up. I could barely eat half the cone!

On my next NY trip I’ll bring my appetite and get through the entire cone.

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