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Rhode Island
The Kitchen at The Shack brings a taste of French Polynesia to South County – The Boston Globe
The supermarket became a place of both inspiration and solace for Camara. âComing into a new country where you donât speak the language, the weather is different, the food is different, people dress different; everything was just different, and trying to assimilate to this new culture, finding ways to fit in, was quite challenging,â he said, âand I found a lot of comfort staying home and cooking.â
Camaraâs commitment to cooking was solidified when he went to Johnson & Wales University in Providence. He went on to cook in New York, Miami, Connecticut, and beyond before finding his way to The Surf Shack, a bed and breakfast with a full service restaurant, The Kitchen at The Shack, which opened in Narragansett in July.
Owners Lindsay and Christina Holmes, who meticulously renovated the property they describe as a âturn of the century shacky Victorian,â had a vision for not just the accommodations, but the restaurant and its menu.
âWe really dug in and asked, âWhat does the town need from a culinary perspective?ââ explained Lindsay Holmes. âAs we started to develop the concept, my wife and I both had this kind of eureka moment.â The couple had spent their honeymoon in Bora Bora and Tahiti, where they fell in love with the cuisine. âObviously itâs very seafood heavy, very fresh, veggie heavy, very citrus heavy, but also very attainable to do in New England.â
Narragansett already does great clam cakes and chowder, she explained, so it didnât make any sense to compete with eateries that already do that, and do it well, she added. Instead, the couple developed a concept that embraced the coastal lifestyle but with a French Polynesian point of view. âIf Iâm being totally honest, we worked just as hard on that menu very early on than we did on the building itself,â said Holmes.
Finding the right person to lead their culinary program was daunting, even for this ambitious duo. âWhen we started the chef search, it was the first time that I had this loud, doubting voice in my head, because I just knew that no matter how beautiful of a building and concept we created, without someone to bring it home, we were just dead in the water,â said Holmes.
When they met Camara, it was kismet. âBefore I even had my first bite. I was like, âI like this guy. I like his temperament. I like how level headed he is,ââ she said. âThen he started cooking, and that was it for me.â
While The Kitchen at The Shack restaurant touts âFrench Polynesian-inspiredâ food, its offerings reach far outside those boundaries. âYouâre going to get some Vietnamese flavor profiles, some Thai, some Chinese, some Japanese, some French,â described Camara. âItâs almost trying to bring all these cultures together, but still keeping some Rhode Island flair.â
The Kitchen at The Shack seats 60 on the inside and has a wraparound porch with seating during the warmer months. The decor is sophisticated coastal, punctuated by surfboard-shaped tables and a custom resin bar resembling the sea. While the restaurant touts âFrench Polynesian-inspiredâ food, its offerings reach far outside those boundaries.
Although guided by cuisine from half a world away, Camara sources many of his ingredients locally, and often lets the seasonality of local seafood and produce dictate the menu. Much like when he was a newly-arrived teen in the US, Camara has sought out markets, including farmerâs markets, as places to not only support local growers, but to learn more about native foods. âItâs a great way to see whatâs available and whatâs in season, especially if youâre not from here,â said Camara, who points to the Fishermanâs Memorial Park Farmers Market in Narragansett as a favorite. As his personal passion for markets intertwines with his professional life, itâs not uncommon for his market finds to be the inspiration for new dishes.
Other menu items, including the steamed buns, have become a staple.
âThe steamed buns are kind of a play on the Momofuku pork belly buns,â said Camara, referencing the iconic dish synonymous with famed chef David Changâs New York City noodle bar. âBut over there, they steam their buns. I decided to add a little texture to ours and fry them, so you get that fried crispy coating on the outside, but inside is still nice and soft; almost pillowy.â
The beauty of Camaraâs bun duo camouflages the dishâs complexity. The pork belly is cured for 24 hours in brown sugar, Chinese Five Spice (a well-known spice blend which typically consists of cinnamon, anise seed, cloves, ginger, and fennel), and, added Camana, âa bunch of other aromatics and seasonings.â
After, the cure is rinsed off the meat, which is then air-dried in the walk-in for another 24 hours at a minimum. âThen it gets cooked in duck fat at 200 degrees for three and a half hours, then it gets pressed overnight, so the belly can be nice and flat and uniform, and then the following day, we slice it into portions, then weâre frying on order. It takes forever,â Camara laughed. The crispy pork belly gets a barbecue glaze before being topped with cucumber kimchi, daikon carrot slaw, scallions, and micro cilantro, creating a handsomely composed dish thatâs a labor of love.
Other menu items merge international flavor with Rhode Island roots, including âDan Dan clams,â a reimagined pasta dish. âItâs kind of my take on a traditional New England linguini and clams, but instead of white wine and garlic butter, we have soy and miso.â Udon noodles replace traditional pasta, and Manila clams, which share some similarities to quahogs, are plump and firm. The umami-forward dish is prepared with house-made chili oil, lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves (also known as Thai lime leaves), oyster mushrooms, toasted peanuts, and clam dashi (stock).
A selection of small plates, salads, sandwiches, and main dishes can be found on the menu in addition to Sunday brunch. As they look ahead to the restaurantâs one-year milestone, Camara credits his small but mighty team, which he likens to a âclose-knit family,â to The Kitchenâs success. âItâs a team effort from the moment we step in the kitchen,â he said. âYou canât cook if youâre not passionate. You canât grow if youâre not passionate. I feel like passion drives me, drives my team, itâs really important.â
As if the aftermath of her explosion at the Studio 54 party wasn’t enough to deal with, Liz also now has to figure out what to do with the six bunches of bananas that Gary accidentally ordered when he meant to order six individual bananas. But until they’re ripe enough to make banana bread, she’ll focus on the other issue. “I came across as a bitter, drunken, witch,” she tells Dolores — three words that I have to imagine also appear on the show’s casting notice.
Meanwhile, Ashley takes some of the other women to her favorite beach, and Alicia, who is used to her country club, is terrified. “This is not my vibe, I’m freaking out,” she whispers as she’s forced to carry her chair, bag, and snacks. The snacks in question are something called “pizza chips,” which appears to just be bread with sauce on it? Alicia, being the brain behind Pizza Mamma, tries to break down the science to us, saying that cheese can’t sit out in the sun, but she need not explain. She had me at pizza chips.
She also had me when she revealed that Rulla apparently met Brian while he was married to Alicia’s high school Spanish teacher. “I don’t know if this is true, Brian cheated on his first wife, my Spanish teacher,” she says with her hands over her heart, “with Rulla. I hope that’s not true because I really did like my Spanish teacher.” Yet again, I’m obsessed with how deep the ties between these women go. A game of six degrees of separation hates to see them coming. I also love Alicia starting a declarative sentence with, “I don’t know if this is true,” but she should say it in Spanish next time.
And speaking of those deep ties, we already know that there was some connection between Jo-Ellen’s sister and Jo-Ellen’s husband while they were in high school, before Jo-Ellen swooped in. But now we’re finally getting to meet Jen, who is basically subbing for Jo-Ellen at the house while she’s on a work trip. “She perpetuates this fun little game of flirting with my husband,” Jo-Ellen explains, but assures us that nothing is going on. That being said, Jen does joke that they’re like an old married couple and Jo-Ellen tells us that Jen wants his sperm to have a baby…but apart from that I guess everything is totally normal! I’m putting together a list of side characters who should be in the running to hold clams in future seasons, and so far Jen and Alicia’s Spanish teacher are leading the pack.
But when it comes to side characters, the real stars are of course Alicia’s aunts, who are thankfully back on our screens for a backyard barbecue with some of the ladies. And what better group to speak frankly to Rulla about her situation with Brian? The second Rulla alludes to bumps in the road, this beautiful coven of scorned divorcées pounce, encouraging Rulla to leave him. “Do you want to spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder?” one of them asks her, and later in her confessional Rulla even admits that those words stayed with her. I feel like we’re seeing something real with Rulla and she’s finally letting the glossy veneer slip. But the best commentary comes from Alicia’s mother, who says, “I just hope and pray that you somehow hurt him…I’m gonna pray you get him back.” Forget the usual Bravo aftershows, I want a show that’s just all of Alicia’s aunts watching and commentating on each week’s episode. The ratings will be higher than the MASH finale.
As for Liz and Kelsey’s simmering conflict, the pair finally meet up to clear the air by the water where Liz’s boat is docked. I’ve seen similar meetings play out just like this on The Sopranos, so I had to keep reminding myself that Kelsey was safe because surely Bravo would never broadcast a woman being murdered. Then again, this would be the show to break that glass ceiling. As it turns out, I had no reason to fear because the sit-down goes incredibly smoothly. Liz explains that it felt like Kelsey was co-signing the rumors by bringing them up, and Kelsey says her instinct for Liz to keep her distance from Dino actually had more to do with her own history. She explains that ten years ago she and Dino hooked up but it didn’t go well, and now his presence is a reminder of a time in her life that she’s trying to forget. She even says she has PTSD over it and now avoids him like the plague, but respects that Liz has a meaningful friendship with him. I still have a lot of questions about this, but ultimately Liz and Kelsey clear the air and reconcile.
And thank god, because then they’re able to go rail biking in peace. All of the women split up into groups to cycle their way three miles down an old railroad track, with drinks in hand of course. “Rullala, how you doing back there?” Alicia asks as they ride, which made me scream out in delight upon once again getting to hear my new favorite word: “Rullala.” It’s my mantra. I say it no fewer than 50 times a day. It’s a greeting, it’s a prayer, it’s a way of life. Better yet, when the camera cuts to Rulla, she finally wins me over. Mid-cycle she’s shaking a cocktail shaker and pouring her tequila into a wine glass. Leave Brian and his bullshit at home, this is the woman that I want to see on my screen.
I’m even more enamored with her once they get to their location and she’s horrified to discover Alicia’s financial situation. She’s telling the ladies about not feeling valued given that her husband won’t put her name on the house or business, and Rulla, being a financial planner, springs into action. Seeing this smart, powerful side of her, especially as she’s trying to empower Alicia, is a great look and is far more compelling than watching her meekly defend her cheating husband. It gives a glimpse at what an independent Rulla might look like on this show in a couple of seasons.
But she’s not the only one supporting Alicia — Kelsey steps up to play Billy in a role-play so Alicia can practice airing her grievances. Sidebar: everyone talks about these women looking alike, but the real problem is that all of their partners have such similar names. Alicia’s is Billy, Kelsey’s boyfriend’s is Bill, Rulla’s is Brian, Jo-Ellen’s is Gary, Liz’s is Gerry, Ashley’s is Jared, and thankfully Rosie’s is just Rich. But oh my god, how am I supposed to keep that all straight? Anyway, the little role-play Alicia does ends up being heartbreaking, as she gets emotional saying that he makes her feel worthless in their relationship. But the fact that we’re talking about this so much feels promising, and I hope we get to see Alicia ultimately bring all of these feelings to Billy. And if he doesn’t listen, I hope her aunts attack him.
The conversation then turns to how Liz has been gelling with newbie Ashley, and they joke about how Ashley is a little scared of her. When the Studio 54 party comes up, Liz says that that wasn’t her finest moment and wasn’t a good representation of what she’s really like. “Alicia, you said she’s always like that,” Rosie says, throwing Alicia right under the bus. “Don’t flip that shit, don’t do that to me, don’t put shit in my mouth,” Alicia fires back, as Dolores looks on like a proud mother. “She twisted my words, you’re a fucking troll,” Alicia yells, saying that Rosie fucked her. It’s a line-o-rama of iconic outbursts, one after another: “Welcome to Rhode Island, bitch, this is how we roll,” then, “Fucking thirsty bitch, so thirsty its scary,” and finally, “I need to get out of here cause I’m gonna end up killing her.” Our first death threat!
But the craziest part of this comes when Alicia and Rosie step away from the group for a moment. It’s allegedly to sidebar, but I was convinced it was so Alicia could murder her with fewer witnesses. Alicia tells her that if she apologizes everything will be good, Rosie apologies, and then things are good. “Did she just hug her?” someone asks from the circle, shocked. The series has had a lot of incredible moments thus far, but this one is what is most promising about its longevity as a Housewives show. The secret sauce of these shows is resilience — the ability to be as angry at someone as humanly possible, and move on like nothing happened so they can do it all over again. Long, drawn-out grudges make for bad television (as RHOBH proves), so this cast’s ability to reconcile and move on will be the thing that makes it great.
New East Bay Bike Path bridges are open and ready for bikes
What’s it like to ride over the new East Bay Bike Path bridges? We sent a reporter to try them out.
I’ve long thought bike paths are among Rhode Island’s premier attractions, up there with the beaches, the mansions and the bay.
We like to knock government, but credit where it’s due, the state has done an amazing job building out an incredible pedaling network.
It’s clearly a priority.
At least I thought it was.
But they’ve just dropped the ball on what should have been a beautiful new stretch.
The plan was to finish a mile-long connector from the East Providence end of the Henderson Bridge all the way to the East Bay Bike Path.
There was even $25 million set aside to get it done.
Except WPRI recently reported that it’s now been canceled.
The main fault lies with the Trump administration, which is no friend of bike paths, and moved to kill that $25 million.
But it gets complicated, as government funding always does.
To try to rescue that money, the state DOT reportedly worked with the administration to refunnel it into a road project. Specifically, the $25 million will now be spent helping upgrade the mile-long highway between the Henderson Bridge and North Broadway in East Providence, turning it into a more pleasant boulevard.
That totally sounds worthy.
But it’s insane to throw away the bike path plan.
Especially for a particular reason in this case.
They’d already put a ton of money into starting it.
When state planners designed the new Henderson Bridge between the East Side and East Providence, they included a bike path.
It’s a beauty – well protected from traffic by a barrier, a great asset for safely riding over the Seekonk River.
The plan was to continue it another mile or so along East Providence’s Waterfront Drive, ultimately connecting with the East Bay Bike Path, which runs all the way to Bristol. Which, by the way, is one of the nicest bike paths you’ll find anywhere.
But alas, that connector plan has been canceled.
So the expensive stretch over the Henderson Bridge to East Providence is now a bike path to nowhere. Once the bridge ends, the path on it continues a few hundred yards or so and then, just … ends.
Too bad.
We were so close.
Most of the stories on the issue have been about the complex negotiation to rescue the $25 million by rerouting it to that nearby highway-to-boulevard project. But I don’t want to get lost in the weeds of that bureaucratic process here because it loses sight of the heart of this story.
Which is that an amazing new addition to one of the nation’s best state bike path systems has just been scrapped.
You can knock the Rhode Island government for blowing a lot of things.
The PawSox.
The Washington Bridge.
But they’ve done great with bike paths.
And especially, linking many of them together.
Example: not too many years ago, Providence bikers had to risk dicey traffic on the East Side to get to the more pleasant paths in India Point Park and on the 195 bridge to the East Bay Path.
But the state fixed that by adding an amazing connector that starts behind the Salvation Army building and beautifully winds along the water of the Seekonk River for a mile or so.
That makes a huge difference – and no doubt has avoided some bike-car accidents.
We were close to a comparable stretch on the other side of the river – that’s what the $25 million would have done.
But it’s now apparently dead.
Online commenters aren’t happy about it.
On a Reddit string, “Toadscoper” accused the state of being “complicit” with the feds in rerouting the money from bikes to cars.
And there was this fascinating post from FineLobster 5322, who apparently is a disappointed planner who worked on the project: “Mind you money has already been spent on phase one so rejecting it at this point is wasting money and also against the public interest … but what do I know? I only worked on the project as an engineer … I didn’t get into this to build more highways. I do it … to give back to communities and give them more access to their environment.”
Wow. One can imagine the state planning team is devastated. That’s not a small consideration. Good people go into government to make life better in Rhode Island, and it’s a bad play to take the spirit out of the job by first assigning a great human-scale project and then, after a ton of work, trashing it.
A poster named Homosapiens simply said, “We just accept this?”
Hopefully not.
The first stretch of the path over the Henderson Bridge is done, money already sunk.
What a shame to leave that as a path to nowhere.
It doesn’t have to happen.
Between Governor McKee and our Washington delegation, there’s got to be a way to get this done.
There’s got to be.
mpatinki@providencejournal.com
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — Two people are dead and another person seriously hurt after a crash involving two vehicles on the highway in Warwick Saturday.
Rhode Island State Police said the crash happened around 1:34 p.m. on the ramp from Route 113 West to I-95 South.
According to police, a Hyundai SUV that was driving in the middle lane of the highway started to drift to the right, crossed the first lane, and then crossed onto the on-ramp lane. The car struck the guardrail twice before driving through the grass median.
The Hyundai then struck the driver’s side of a Mercedes SUV that was on the ramp, causing the Mercedes to roll over and come to a rest. The impact sent the Hyundai over the guardrail and down an embankment.
The driver of the Hyundai, a 73-year-old man, and his passenger, a 69-year-old woman, were both pronounced dead at the hospital.
A woman who was in the Mercedes was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital in critical condition.
State police said all lanes of traffic were reopened by 4:30 p.m.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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