Need info on Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, RI, and Providence

Andrew P. wrote:
>
>> Cape Cod is a place to avoid at all costs.  Unless of course you like
>> traffic jams, crowds, silly touron attractions, and bad food.
>Oy!  The Cape is gorgeous, especially once the tourists are gone.  If you
>make it all the way out to Provincetown, and it's still open (I don't know
>if it's seasonal or not) try Sal's Place for terrific Italian/seafood.

I'd certainly agree that Cape Cod is especially wonderful this time of year. You still get reasonable temperatures, there are almost no crowds, and the water's about as warm as it gets (it's actually warmer now than it is in June!!!).

Provincetown has a large number of good restaurants..... I'd recommend:

Ciro & Sals:  very good Italian, many dishes with fresh seafood in them
            Note that this is NOT the same as the Sal's Place mentioned
            above; that's good too, but I find this one much better.

Nappi's:      WIDE variety of fresh seafoods and some Portuguese specialties.
            They have such a large menu that pretty much everyone can
            find something that they'll like.... there's even a page of
            vegetarian things.

Lobster Pot:  basic fresh seafood in rather plain surroundings,  but
            unbelievably wonderful clam chowder.

Andrew P. wrote:

   Kiran W. wrote:

   > In Providence, the place to be is Al Forno (or Lucky's.)  The grilled
   > pizza at Al Forno is exquisite, worth the drive from TN (or IN or
   anyplace else
   > within 1000 miles or so.  They also have desserts made to order, which
   > must be ordered with the meal.  I hope to get back there for a full meal
   > sometime.  Not cheap but worth it I think.

   I disagree; I found the food at Al Forno's very nice but not exquisite, the
   wait absurd (ca. 2 hours) and the atmosphere stuffy.  Not to mention
   higher-than-average prices.  The Boston area has better to offer, and if
   you must do Providence I'd stick with Indian food, which the Brown Univ.
   area has plenty of.

Al Forno/Lucky's grilled pizza and dessert (apple tarte, let's say) practically make a meal and are very wonderful.  You normally don't have to wait 2 hours, and there are usually many more people out of suits than in.  I actually always thought of it as a relative bargain (emphasis on the relative!); you'd pay more for the same meal in New York or San Francisco.  You must have caught Al Forno on an off night.

Having said that, it's not Chez Panisse, and personally, I have
*enjoyed* the Blue Point much more as far as Providence goes.  I have always marveled at their skill in cooking seafood.  Their wine list also seems to elicit raves.

Angels is also pretty good (ex-chef from Al Forno).  In the town of Seekonk, Mass., just over the border from Rhode Island, there is a nice seafood restaurant called Phoebe's.  It's not like Gourmet magazine material or anything -- but it's nice, in the owner's house, simple seafood, great home made pies (which you should ask to have set aside because they often run out!).  It's also far less expensive than the other restaurants mentioned.  Personally, I think you'd get the best $15-$20 dinner around Providence here.  Be forewarned that there is no atmosphere whatsoever to its neighborhood.  It's fine once you step in.

Providence Indian and Cambodian are adequate when you live there, but otherwise, you can take it or leave it.