Author Archives: Fork in the Rhode

Oak St. B&B

Posted on by

Scott’s Review

The Oak Burger

The Oak Burger

Hey Westerly, we packed a change of clothes and made the journey south! We know…it’s about  time.

Oak St. B & B – “Not Bed and Breakfast…Burgers and Breakfast” was originally a participant in our Top 10 New York System Weiner Challenge, and we knew at the time that a return visit was a necessity.

We had to sample at least one of their specialties, and today it was their burgers and fresh-cut “Oak Chips,” which are already lovingly known in the Westerly Community.  It appears that Oak St. B & B  burgers have already won some “Best Of” accolades in the past. This converted Gambrel Cape sits modestly on the corner of Oak and Tower Streets – just off the tourist radar.

We ordered the classic Oak Burger (American cheese, pickles and Oak Sauce) and it was delicious. The sweet Portuguese roll, the Oak sauce and the grilled onions really put some distance between this burger as compared to many other so-called “best burger” joints around the Northeast.

It wasn’t an enormous burger, and I liked the manageability from first to last bite. There was no need to hose down my hands afterwards! If we had one minor suggestion, I would be a grilled roll. The originality of the burger menu is one that encourages repeat visits because of the curiosity factor; The Buffalo Bleu, The Popper, The HCL Burger (with ghost chili sauce),  The Fun Guy, and The Elvis (yes, peanut butter and bacon!) to name a few.

We applaud the side of fresh-cut potato chips.  Fabulous, and with names like Naked, Dressed, Smoked and S’oaked, we felt like the meal should be eaten in private!  The Buckhead Diner in Atlanta serves house-made chips with a Maytag Blue Cheese Dressing. We would love to see that show up on the menu because Oak St. B & B chips were better! You can even call them “Singing the Blues!”

And the pièce de résistance, the staff is friendly, attentive, and very accommodating.  It made the whole experience a true “Fork in the Rhode“.  Stop by early and eat breakfast, walk it off, and get back there for in time for lunch – let us know if there is a Swift sighting…..

Oak St. B & B | 87 Oak St | Westerly, RI 02891| 401-315-2520

English Muffin

Posted on by

Tag’s Review

The English Muffin - Fork in the Rhode

The English Muffin – Fork in the Rhode

The latest find that deserves accolades is the English Muffin in Johnston.  This little gem is an open-spaced breakfast restaurant with 10+ booths and tables, as well as a u-shaped counter that seats about 10 eaters.

As I sat at the counter with my significant other Jo-Ann, my knees got weak when I read the daily Special’s board – “White Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Pancakes”!  I didn’t have to read any further.

I ordered two pancakes as described above, and Jo-Ann ordered a plain Provolone Omelet with pumpernickel toast and home fries. The omelet was prepared exactly as requested – no brown spots! Jo-Ann made the yummy sounds. All good things….

Cranberry & White Chocolate Pancakes - The English Muffin

Cranberry & White Chocolate Pancakes – The English Muffin

I’m not confident the owners understand the concept of “appropriate portion size “because at The English Muffin, the dishes were more than generous.  My white chocolate chip and cranberry pancakes were in the neighborhood of 10-12 inches in diameter, and covered the entire dinner-sized plate.  Jo-Ann’s omelet stretched from one side of the plate to the other!

The pancakes were perfectly griddled in both color and consistency, and her omelet was fluffy and generously filled with Provolone.  The hash browns were grilled “extra crisp” as ordered.

Provy Omelet - The English Muffin

Provy Omelet – The English Muffin

Do not; I repeat, do not ruin the perfectly balanced flavors of the White Chocolate Chips and Cranberries Pancakes with syrup of any kind.  Let the smoothness of the white chocolate chips blend with the tartness of the cranberries, which have both been encapsulated with a beautifully rich pancake batter.

Additionally, an over-sized coffee cup (with endless refills) was a perfect accompaniment to our over-sized and satisfying breakfast plates.

Excellent breakfasts for very reasonable prices. Wear your big pants with the elastic waist!

Tags Toilet Talk:

There is nothing like a clean, large bathroom with tiled floors and walls to “powder your nose.”  The automatic paper towel holder and liquid soap dispenser were both full. Additionally it was not only handicapped accessible, but equipped with a step stool under the sink for the kids to reach the soap & water (no excuses here kids!). This wash room would have rated over 4+ TP rolls, but the large waste basket was full of paper towels and needed attention.

 

English Muffin | 1989 Plainfield Pike | Johnston, RI 02919 | (401) 943-6100

Kitchen

Posted on by

Tag and Scott Review

Kitchen Restaurant

Kitchen Restaurant

Breakfast just makes us happy! Finding an out-of-the-way place serving scratch cooked morning meals is like discovering our own private eggland oasis!  It’s not surprising that Tag found “Kitchen” – a nondescript one-story building attached to a tenement-type house humbly operating just off Dean Street between Broadway and Westminster. Tag is a culinary wanderer who basks in the glory of his own discoveries.  We hope he never finds the breakfast holy grail because we like to say, it’s not only about the destination, but about the journey too.

Kitchen's Scratch Baked Muffins

Kitchen’s Scratch Baked Muffins

After a brief consultation with owner and chief cook Howard, I anxiously awaited the delivery of the Mexican farm favorite Huevos Rancheros.  In the meantime we decided on a starter sampling of freshly baked muffins. The smell was wafting throughout the rustically furnished, 18-seat dining room where the daily menu board rules each morning.

Kitchen's Daily Menu Board

Kitchen’s Daily Menu Board

When we inquired about the morning muffin choices, Howard replied “only one; ginger orange”.

Thick Cut Bacon

Thick Cut Bacon

He said that he bakes one kind of muffin each day with the freshest ingredients.  Well let me tell you, Kitchen’s one daily muffin was moist, fresh and delicious.  We asked Howard to grill it and he refused – no kidding, he refused!  He said the muffins recently came out of the oven and were too fresh to cut & grill, and would ruin the flavor. This was one of the best muffins I have ever eaten, un-grilled, and naked (no butter).  It was crispy crunchy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside, and the muffin top… well when you see this muffin top, you’ll swear this is where the term was coined.

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

El Huevos rancheros se excellently preparado!  The fried eggs on top were thankfully not overcooked. Our saying is that “if the yoke don’t flow, it ain’t a go”!  The tortilla was soft and tasty, and the ingredient deck inside was delicious.

When in Providence, give this cozy and unpretentious place a sample, but be prepared to wait a short time if you don’t get there by 8:00 AM.  Order a muffin while you wait – it’ll be worth the trip!

Tags Toilet Talk:  All I want to say about this unisex “powder room” is you need not be frightened ladies!  Big, roomy, well-appointed with all the “necessities” one needs; and ergonomically comfortable.  One of the selling features of this bathroom was an empty trash can first thing in the morning. If I were a betting man, I would have guessed it would not have been emptied from the day before, “butt” to my surprise, as clean as a whistle with new trash can liner to boot.  I rate this one 4 TP rolls out of 5.

Kitchen |94 Carpenter Street | Providence, RI | Wed-Fri 7:30 am – 1 pm | Sat-Sun 7:30 am – 4 pm