Dec. 2005
Diner's update

Katrina relief: On September 4, the Rue de L’Espoir wait staff donated their tips, which were then matched by the Rue’s owner, Deborah Norman, for a grand total of $1,550 to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Effort. The Rue also held a Katrina fundraiser on October 17, complete with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. The Waterfront Irish Festival raised more than $10,000 for Katrina victims, thanks to the Newport Harbor Corporation and its restaurant employees. They joined Dine for America, donating $1 for every guest served on October 5. Participants included the Mooring Restaurant, Castle Hill Inn and Resort, 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar and Grille and the Smokehouse Cafe.

A belated congratulations to Caylily’s in Wakefield for winning “Best Restaurant, Country” in New England Travel and Life.

McCormick and Schmick’s has hired Antonio Hernandez Jr. as their new executive chef as well as Fred Pahl as general manager. Hernandez was executive chef at Providence Oyster Bar and ran Days of Taste, which promotes healthy nutrition for Rhode Island’s children. Under Hernandez and Pahl, the Providence restaurant is now serving breakfast from 6:30 to 11 a.m. as well as lunch, dinner and a late night menu.

Now that Rachel Klein has moved on to Boston, Providence’s Lot 401 is in the talented hands of sous chefs Kate Nealis and Chad Townsend, whose updated menu includes an expanded brunch selection.

Looking for a fine glass of wine? 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar and Grille and Castle Hill Inn and Resort received the Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence, 2005, while the Mooring Restaurant took the Best of Award of Excellence, 2005. Boasting at least 500 labels each (and with the Mooring topping an astounding 900!), each restaurant offers some of Rhode Island’s finest wines as well as countless international options.

Got an opinion or some restaurant news to share? Send your thoughts via e-mail to Foodnotes@rimonthly.com.

A real deal

Awsome Sweets

Now here’s a pastry shop with a difference. Mixed in with the canolli, cookies and birthday cakes of Awsome Sweets (yes, that’s how Melissa spells it) are each day’s assortment of home-made meat pies. And a savory assortment it is. Within the flowery interior of this former Cumberland deli, deep inside the refrigerated cases of Portuguese passion fruit puddings (“just like eating a tropical fruit cup but without the chewing”), the chicken pies (individual $1.60, ten-inch $9.95) are soothing as a lullaby, while the combination beef-pork pies (a dollar less for the nine-inch) taste like nothing so much as a benign knish. What’s the secret? The all-natural ingredients (no preservatives anywhere), plus the fact that Melissa uses the same dough she uses for her fruit pies. C’mon, what’s the real secret? Melissa puts her hand to her blouse and utters one word. “Heart.” —Daniel Asa Rose

802 High Street, Cumberland, 723-4080. Open Mon., Wed.–Sat. 8:30–6, Sun 10–2, closed Tuesday.