Broadway Bistro opened up on (you guessed it) Broadway in Providence a week or 2 ago. It’s where La Prima Caffe used to be. I heard some good reviews; so Susan and I decided to try it tonight (after passing on Loie Fuller and Nicks on Broadway because they both had waits and we were hungry). I’m glad we did. We were seated right away because it wasn’t full (though I don’t imagine that will last much longer once word gets out). It’s a small space and a little cramped, but very quaint. They had an eclectic mix of music playing (I heard some Ryan Adams, Dylan, Flaming Lips, Kinks, and a bunch of other stuff I didn’t recognize).
We decided to split a salad. It was an artichoke salad with fried artichoke hearts on a bed of salad greens, some bleu or Gorgonzola cheese, and pancetta. It was excellent. I ordered the Crusty Hen and Susan ordered the Hangar Steak. I only had a bite of hers, but it was excellent. It was served with spinach and risotto (which was different, but still very good). Mine was a Cornish game hen on a bed of sautéed onions with a small piece of sweet potato bread pudding. The hen was coated with a crust (go figure) and a mixture of spices and herbs. It was cooked perfectly and was nice and moist. The only complaint about that was that they could have done with fewer spices on it. It was a little overwhelming, but not too bad. The sweet potato bread pudding was excellent, though quite different. I was very impressed with the meal and the prices were fairly reasonable. The entrees range from $14 to $23. They don’t have a dessert menu (though I expect they’ll have one at some point), but they brought out a small complimentary cup of chocolate mousse.
Since I love beer, I can’t leave that out. They had the usual suspects (nothing on tap) - Sam Adams and Light, Heineken Light, Amstel Light, Guinness (in a can), Harpoon (I assume IPA, she didn’t specify), Newport Storm (the bottle looked like the blueberry ale), Newcastle, Rolling Rock, and Peroni. OK, I guess it’s not exactly the usual suspects, but nothing spectacular. However, they also have Brooklyn Lager, which is something you almost never see around here (in Sam Adams and Harpoon country). I ordered that because it’s awesome and because I never see it in restaurants around here. The waitress brought it out with a glass and it was at the perfect temperature. I figured it’d be pretty cold, but it was perfect. They also have a pretty nice wine menu (though I know nothing about wine, but Susan’s Pinot Noir was decent, not my favorite).
All-in-all, this was a great night and a great restaurant. I’ll definitely be going back. If you live in the Providence area or are visiting, I would suggesting checking it out. It’s at 205 Broadway.
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