STOPOVER: PROVIDENCE, RI

On the way to an assignment on Cape Cod today, I stopped in Providence at Nick’s on Broadway. (A girl still needs her brunch even if she’s working on a Sunday!) My thanks to foodandwine.com (a fave resource when travelling) for  pointing me to this delicious spot. I was lucky enough to sit at the counter alongside the galley kitchen which, although pretty darn hot, was more entertaining and intriguing than hours of Gordon Ramsey and Hell’s Kitchen. (I mean, these guys actually know how to cook!) I was entranced watching the magical dance that happens in the kitchen and the way that chef/owner Derek Wagner politely calls out each order with ‘pleases’ and ‘thank-you’s’ while managing such a serious slew of information AND maintaining great attention to detail as he plates. At this time of year, the local farmers, growers and producers who supply the restaurant treated me to sweet cherry tomatoes and tender baby spinach in my Baked Polenta with Two Eggs and Parmesan. The polenta was good enough to make my grandmother jealous–pleasantly redolent of garlic, formed into square cakes with a thin crispness (almost like the skin of fried tofu) and a super creamy inside. It was like no polenta I’ve ever had and at $9 I was very satisfied–the portions are more than generous here and this dish took me through to 7pm and the lobster I had to shoot in Orleans, MA. Added bonus: record shopping during the 30 minute wait at Analog Underground where I scored some relatively pristine items: Van Morrison’s Tupelo Honey, Springsteen’s The River, and Suzanne Vega’s Solitude Standing for old time’s sake.