Category Archives: Pub

1150 Oak Bar & Grill

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Review by Jay Costigan –  Special contributor to Fork in the Rhode

1150 Oak Bar & GrillDue to limited time, planning and a desire for a beer, I luckily found myself at the 1150 Oak Bar & Grill Wednesday evening. Being familiar with the group that formerly owned and operated the Rock Junction in Coventry, I assumed the quality of the food would stand the test of relocation.

 

1150 OB&G  maintains a respectable beer selection of about 12 on tap, as well as some varied bottle choices. I ordered my “go-to” Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA to help me think better as I perused their pub menu.

When narrowing down my burger selection to two, I made the only rational decision a foodie could make – by ordering them both! It made complete sense because why deprivation is not in my DNA. The first selection was the Oak  Burger;  a perfectly prepared medium, well seasoned  ground beef burger with bacon, Cajun mayo, onion rings and jack cheese. The other was their 50/50 Burger which combined ground beef and chorizo with red peppers and jalapeño mayo. The Portuguese gods were smiling down on me with this one! Both burgers were full flavored, juicy and grilled to the correct temperature. It is surprising that the issue of internal temperature  presents such a challenge to many chefs/cooks, but I’m happy to report that 1150 OB&G got it right!

 

All burgers are accompanied with a choice of fries or onion rings. Notably, the fries were freshly cut Idaho potatoes and well seasoned. The onion rings were even better; fried crispy, not greasy and tasty.

 

1150 Oak Bar & Grill has become my “go-to” place for affordable, quick and well prepared dinner on those crazy  Wednesday nights that I play chauffer to my kids while shuffling them through the city of Cranston.

 

Oh, did  I also mention that they book some pretty solid music acts? Check this venue out and bring friends!

 

 

1150 Oak Bar & Grill |1150 Oak lawn Ave|Cranston, Rhode Island|(401) 654-4466

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GPub

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Gastronomy literally means “the art or law of regulating the stomach.”

Gpub SIgnageThe term “gastropub” is a mash-up of the terms gastronomy and pub, coined by David Eyre and Mike Belben when they took over The Eagle pub in Clerkenwell, London. At that time British pubs were primarily drinking establishments and little emphasis placed on the serving of food. The idea of elevating the quality of the beer and food menus in order to secure existing customers, as well as attract new ones, reinvigorated the dining culture.

The gastropub phenomenon took off in the United States in the early 1990s as an artful alternative to the gut filling, alcohol absorbing cold Ploughman’s lunch (cheese, chutney, bread and pickled onions). The appeal of the gastropub is its ability to provide a comfortable, casual and welcoming atmosphere where socializing, laughing, eating great food, drinking micro-brews, shooting pool, throwing darts, and game day cheering is standard!

GPub Smokerd BBQ Wings

GPub Smokerd BBQ Wings

Providence’s exciting down-city dining scene has been further enhanced by its newest ultra-fun, ultra-cool gastropub – GPub. The restaurant occupies the basement of the former Providence Gas Company and designed around the buildings original 1920′s framework. The speak-easy type atmosphere adds an exclusiveness you’ll feel while walking into the mysterious underground abyss. Take heed however, because that solemnness is quickly eliminated by the wicked party going on below street level!

GPub maintains an impressive beer selection broken down by taps, bottles and tins! I appreciated the fact that each beer had a corresponding brewing location and an ABV% (alcohol by volume). It makes sense to know which state is determined to wreck me by round three!

The menu pays homage to traditional pub food through its inclusion of snacks, starters, burgers and hot dogs, but in a completely artistic way.  The Chips & Spread are house made, with smoked paprika and cheddar ale spread.  The Slider Trio include a pulled- pork, lobster roll and a burger.  The Pigs in a Blanket is wild boar sausage, Kansas City mustard, pickled shallots, camembert cheese, and black pepper on a biscuit. Take that Cheers!

GPub Smoked Turkey Sandwich

GPub Smoked Turkey Sandwich

The Eiffel Tower Burger would make Parisians weep with pride. A double patty burger with mushrooms, caramelized onions, truffle mayo, gruyere cheese, and topped with a fried egg that delivers a win for the French! By contrast, the generally ordinary Smoked Turkey Sandwich turned out to be a shining example of what an excellent chef can create with simple ingredients. The fresh roasted turkey with smoked bacon mayo and camembert cheese was an excellent combination within a perfectly buttered -grilled sandwich.

From the location, to the celebratory atmosphere, to the outstanding food and beverage menu, GPub is the reason why people get excited about going out for the evening! I’m not sure if the “G” in GPub stands for Gastro Pub or for the Gas Company building in which it operates, but to me, the “G” stands for “GO!”

61 Orange St. | Providence, Rhode Island 02903 | Tel. 401-632-4782 | Speak Easy + Eat Well

Oak St. B&B

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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