Its Restaurant Week in Providence, a couple of days left of it anyway. And during this year's event, the private dining room at the Agawam Hunt Club is open to the public. You really owe it to yourself to come in and have a meal here if you can. Its a unique experience.
Enjoy the quiet calm of the dining room, set with formal linens, fresh flowers, cut glassware, the whole nine; and fully staffed with a pair of hostesses, dining steward, waiter, and sommelier. There is a new chef here in the dining room, a room that they've named Nasturtium. In truth, he's actually been here nearly a year now (having come over from The Inn at Castle Hill IIRC) and I was lucky enough to have eaten from his menu at an earlier event, I didn't want to miss a second chance.
I was not disappointed. Every dish, though based on a classic approach, has a little something extra. They're not always successful mind you, but each has been interesting, as my wife says, we were fully entertained. With the restaurant week menu we had 7 courses, three on the menu, and 4 extra treats (some small and some complete dishes) that the chef though we might enjoy.
My favorite was a preparation of Hake. The Hake fillet, which in a less formal environment may also have been labelled Whiting (or even Fish Sticks) was cooked to a fine crust on a single side. Big, mild, firm flakes of fish, and that crispy roasted corn flavored crust, resting in a brandy and seafood shell based sauce américaine. Some of the fanciest fish sticks you have ever had my friends. The greens were hearts and tender leaves of whole steamed Bok Choi. The whole thing, Delicious.
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