FOO(D) at AS220

FOO(D) at AS220
115 Empire Street
Providence, RI
401-831-FOOD (3663)


I must admit I sometimes forget that food can be art, but I was reminded by a recent visit to FOO(d), the restaurant at AS220, a non-profit community art space, here in Providence, dedicated to supporting local artists.  In line with the mission of AS220, FOO(d) supports local New England farmers, using locally grown ingredients to create a variety of delicious and affordable dishes.  (I'd say this is a site for Erin to visit, too.  Who knew? Cheap and locally sourced!)  Money spent in the restaurant goes into AS220's programming, supporting the creative community.  I spoke with Guy Michaud, the manager and head chef, who described the restaurant as a conduit between food artists and the artists working and presenting at AS220.



Struck by the delightfully diverse menu, I wanted to know how Guy chooses which dishes to offer.  Guy explained that the menu is seasonal and determined by what produce is available from local farmers that season.  After conversing with farmers and learning about the available ingredients, Guy creates his dishes, and chef Justin Earsing creates a "mirror menu," making all the options (except the pork empanadas) vegan-friendly.  It is very important to Guy and Justin that everyone entering FOO(d) feels comfortable and has no trouble finding something to eat, regardless of food allergies or restrictions. And with so many dishes under $10, my friends and I were excited to dig into the wide variety of options!



{Of course, I had the mac and cheese with broccoli and bread crumbs - yum!}



{A more health-conscious friend had the spinach salad with goat cheese, radish and almonds}



{I plan to try this one next: grilled cheddar cheese with garlic spinach on olive bread}


And though not photographed here, I must mention the always delicious empanada with pulled pork, roasted sweet potato and carmelized onion, which I just had to split with a friend despite being rather full from the large portion of mac and cheese. Having tried the empanada before, I now have trouble going to FOO(d) and not ordering it.


Between the fun and funky atmosphere and the yummy, locally sourced and CHEAP food, I find myself returning to FOO(d) at AS220 again and again.


Many thanks to Lucia for the fabulous photographs!

Stanley's Famous Hamburgers

Stanley's

371 Richmond Street

Providence, RI

(401) 270-9292

There's always room for milkshakes and fries! So after samples and stories with Rhody Food Tours at the Providence Athanaeum (check out Erin's post) we headed to Stanley's in Providence's Jewelry District for their famous stanleyburgers and some Quebec fries (what they call "poutine" in Quebec or "disco fries" in New Jersey, my home state).  

{Stanley's Quebec Fries}

Stanley's menu tells us that "in 1932, a Polish immigrant named Stanley F. Kryla had a dream: to make an honest, affordable hamburger." Stanley opened his restaurant in Central Falls during the Great Depression, offering fine and affordable comfort food. Stanley's dream lives on with a new owner since 1987, Gregory Raheb, and has expanded to include more selection on the menu and this second location in Providence.

{Stanley's Chocolate Milkshake}

Though we couldn't speak with Stanley himself, our server sometimes tells the late-night drunk crowd that he is Stanley. We were happy to learn about some of his experiences having worked there for almost a year.  He shared with us the favorite item on the menu - the famous stanleyburgers served with grilled onions and pickles, which people often order in 2's or 3's as they are small, tasty and cheap (only $1.99).  The chili cheese fries are the favorite among the late-night drunk crowd. (Stanley's in Providence stays open until 2am Thursday-Saturday.)  Our server had recently stopped eating beef and pork, so the menu of edible options was shortened. Luckily, Stanley's serves a "bomb" veggie burger that he enjoys.  

{Stanleyburger and fries}

Having sampled many disco fries in New Jersey, discovering these gravy drenched fries covered in melted mozzarella here at Stanley's in Providence was a perfect way to kick off my search for delicious and cheap Rhode Island diners and dives.

Adrian

Adrian's appreciation for fried food and mac and cheese make her the perfect girl to seek out Providence's best cheap spots and dives. A picky eater since she was a child, Adrian prefers diners and cafes with plenty of choice on the menu. Even so, Adrian's palette is growing everyday as she continually discovers new foods from asparagus to hummus to empanadas, and she looks forward to more (cheap!) discoveries.

Contact Adrian.