Random Ravings and New Beginnings

By John S. Kelemen

We bid a welcome farewell to 2008 and a wary welcome to 2009. The autumn ‘shoulder season’ of 2008 brought with it some ominous occurrences and more than a few rumors regarding the future of Provincetown’s restaurant scene. George’s Pizza was seized for back taxes but now has a sign in the window promising to open again soon (as George’s Pizza?). Twisted Sisters jumped into the pizza vacuum left by George’s and has been opened for weekends. Hopefully they will learn to be kinder to their employees than the reports of verbal abuse would indicate. Some eateries are reported on the critical list for 2009 high season, These include Clem and Ursies, Landmark, and Level among others. Is it a sign of the times or merely the normal ebb and flow of our resort town, quien sabe? Time will tell.

Autumn found us off for a few quick sojourns up-cape and a quick over night to Nantucket. Michael the Blogger and friend Tony accompanied me to dinner at LoLa 41 on the island and a meal at Colombo’s in Hyannis on the way back. We experienced two very different kinds of dining experiences, both of which merit a few remarks.

For those who might find themselves on the that little island to our south and have some extra cash in their wallet, try LoLa41 on South Beach Street which is within walking distance of the harbor, main shopping streets, and many guest houses. LoLa’s is comfortably decorated in what might be called a warm Asian Modern. The menu is a combination of Asian and American with a full array of sushi, tempura, and local seafood favorites. This is complimented by a bar menu which includes many martini specials.

We began with the house special nachos (not so special) and tempura style fried calamari. Halibut was the choice of all three and we completed dinner by sharing two excellent desserts which included a custard concoction (tres leches with berries) and a great chocolate mouse. The food was good to excellent. The outstanding entrée and desserts more than made up for some lackluster starters. Service was excellent, atmosphere pleasant and presentation okay. Prices, as might be expected on Nantucket, were high; $88 a head sans any alcoholic beverages,

If you’re on Nantucket and want to splurge by all means try LoLa41. In Provincetown we would rate it a high three out of five monuments.

The next evening on our way home we stopped off in Hyannis at a Main Street cafe and pastries establishment known as Colombo’s. Colombo’s also serves as a popular local sports bar.

We shared a plate of the stuffed mushrooms as appetizers which were very very good. Tony selected the Veal Milanese, Michael tried the special Turkey Bolognese over “organic” linguini and I opted for the Eggplant Parmigiana. All of the entrees were great with the Bolognese getting very high praise from Michael. In addition to serving an excellent meal at down to earth recession prices, Colombo’s has an awesome selection of Italian pastries. 

On your next trip to Hyannis do stop at Colombo’s. It was definitely kinder to our wallets than any comparable eatery of its ilk. Give it a high four out of five monuments were it in the hometown.

Meanwhile, let’s get back to Provincetown 2009, where, to all appearances, Napi’s, The Mews, and Fanzinni’s are still going strong despite a cold and snowy holiday season. Jo Mama’s has taken up off season residence in the Art House Theater replacing Frappo’s (most of us wouldn’t mind if that became permanent) with a variety of lighter fare including some excellent panninis. Vegans will definitely go for the ‘Effin’. Chach’s is open five days a week on Shankpainter Road while Jimmy’s Hideaway is open on weekends. Lest we forget, Farland’s is open every day with great take home entrée dishes, sides and baked goods as well as sandwiches that can be enjoyed right in the comfortable seating area on the premises. It comes very close to an old fashioned small town General Store gathering from morning until early afternoon. The classic Farland’s egg, cheese, and linguica breakfast sandwich on any kind of bread has no equal.

A final vote of thanks to The Mews for the Monday Night Coffee House with Peter Donnelly which is now in its twentieth year. I had the pleasure of attending the January 5th show at which Peter performed along with several other fine local talents. Where else can you get great free entertainment and an excellent full course dinner on Monday night in the dead of winter at the tip of the cape? Forget the previous review. The Mews gets five out of five Provincetown Monuments (V).

The Mews
429 Commercial Street
508 487-1500

Colombo’s
544 Main Street
Hyannis,MA
508 790-5700

The Mews

By John S. Kelemen

On the first Friday of October we finally got around to making reservations at The Mews a popular restaurant in the heart of Provincetown’s art gallery district. The Mews has been in town for almost a half century and in its present location for about fifteen years. One of the few restaurants that remains open during winter, it is also the venue for the popular off season Monday night talent show. For that alone it merits high praise.

Table for three was again a party of three with my house guest Steve joining us for dinner. Steve is a budding artist from Pennsylvania who enjoyed being the pupil and then the apprentice to one of Provincetown’s most successful artists this past season. We requested the upstairs dining room where the lighter bistro menu is available in addition the more formal menu of the lower level dining room. Both dining rooms have a terrific view of the bay and harbor.

All three of us had later commitments and needed to be out before 9PM. The restaurant manager was extremely gracious and we were seated before 7PM in the dining room of our choice despite a crowded reservation list. We began dinner with a shared appetizer special of proscuitto and fresh figs that was superb. For entrees Michael chose the scallop special while Steve opted for the pasta putanesca with chicken from the Bistro menu. I ordered a dish that I had enjoyed at the Mews in the past, roasted duck breast and pan fried shrimp over black sesame seed crusted sushi rice cake. While the duck dishes at the Mews are not quite of the same caliber as the Front Street specialty they are usually quite good. The duck did not disappoint this time either, however, the rice cake served with it had the consistency of a hockey puck. When this was pointed out to the waitress she offered substituting mashed potatoes which was politely declined. Michael and Steve were quite satisfied with their meals.

After dinner Michael and I ordered coffee. Michael was served immediately while I had to chase down the waitress to get mine. Unfortunately we did not have time to enjoy a dessert from the Mews dessert menu which I can testify is excellent from previous experiences. Come to think of it, our harried and discombobulated waitress never offered us the option anyway.

Without belaboring further a somewhat off night for the Mews, the food was between excellent and inedible, presentation okay, atmosphere good, service poor, and prices fair. This time around it’s only two and one half out of five monuments for the Mews. (II ½)


The Mews
429 Commercial Street
508 487-1500

Bistro 404

By John S. Kelemen

Bistro 404 opened up this past season after a long hiatus since Chester Restaurant shut its doors and left the location empty and forlorn for approximately two years. Since the restaurant opened we have been hearing both high praise and also some less than glowing comments about Provincetown’s latest member in the class of fine dining. The restaurant occupies the ground floor and front patio of one of the more elegant and stately buildings on Commercial Street. T for 3 actually was a party of three this time as I joined Michael the Blogger and his nephew Mark for our 7:30 PM reservation in a dining room that is definitely one of most comfortable and warm eating venues in town.

The atmosphere remained picture perfect as we ordered our drinks. Our waiter was professionally efficient throughout. We were not particularly taken aback by the prices on the menu which were in keeping with the old Chester Restaurant and the level of food preparation and attention. Starters included lobster bisque for Mark, and shared pate’ de foie gras and shrimp & crab cake for two of us. All were delicious and definitely not common fare. We had hoped to try the signature Bistro 404 roasted oysters but they were not available.

Entrees included filet mignon for Mark, lobster for Michael, who had to forgo his usual salmon which was not available, and the Halibut for yours truly. The seafood dishes were served with Tuscan bean and a roast asparagus combination that complimented them extremely well. Coffee was accompanied by desserts including a chocolate cake, NY type cheesecake, and a custard tart with blueberries. The presentation was highly artistic in the best nouvelle cuisine fashion.

There is no doubt in my mind that Bistro 404 is off to a really good start. A few minor criticisms include the small size of the portions for both appetizers and entrees. I respect the artistry and effort that goes into the preparation of a very elegant meal but with our financial world collapsing around us we also want the quantity with the quality. Three little pieces of bread served to three diners smacks of skimpy even when served with nice warm butter.

In summation Tfor3 found Bistro 404 to be a welcome new addition to our family of restaurants. Whatever kinks remain will surely be worked out by good management and an excellent chef. The food is outstanding, presentation excellent, service very good, atmosphere elegant and prices not too brutal. Compliments and welcome to Bistro 404 with four full Provincetown monuments from Table for 3. (IIII)

Ciro & Sal's

By John S. Kelemen

Now that we are well into the so-called ‘shoulder season’ I’d like to take the opportunity to follow up on a couple dinners during the summer outside of the Tfor3 schedule. During the visit of my nephew Drew (first time in Provincetown) we went to Ciro & Sal’s for an early 5:30 PM meal to accommodate my duties at a nearby gallery which began at 7. Drew is an excellent cook and the owner of Woodland Bakery in Chatham, New Jersey, so I knew he would not be easily impressed even by one of our landmarks.

Ciro & Sal’s on a Tuesday evening after carnival week was very quiet indeed. It wasn’t until we were leaving that the tables began filling up. Ciro & Sal’s has a celebrated history that makes for interesting reading on line or at the library. My first visit was in 1982. By then it was already an ongoing enterprise for over thirty years. I remember that meal as definitely living up to the legend. Subsequent meals over the following decades were less remarkable and I recall complaints over service and price topping the list of peeves. The current owners took over in 2002 and are worthy historical heirs of the restaurant’s place in the culinary and art history of Provincetown. There is plenty of information available for anyone interested in either topic.

Entrance was from the garden courtyard and we were promptly shown to our seats in one of the nooks in the old rustic brick cellar. The ambiance of this area is cozy with low ceilings and a plethora of old chianti bottles. This atmosphere seems little changed over the years with the more elegant dining rooms known for art display on the wall, picture windows, and high ceilings to be found upstairs. 

We started with the Caesar Salad which had a great anchovy dressing and also tried the special seafood ‘meatballs’ which we found to be unique and very good. Both of us selected veal entrees. Drew ordered the Vitello Scaloppine al Marsala while I tried the special Vitello Philomena. The entrees were both outstanding with the veal marsala eliciting bravos from Drew. By the time we finished our entrees there was no doubt in my mind that Ciro & Sal’s remains Provincetown’s one true source of authentic Italian cuisine.

As usual, dinner was followed by coffee and desserts. We tried the Chocolate Fondant Cake (a chocolate torte) and Cuore Di Panni (cream cheese sweetended with whipped cream and vanilla topped with strawberries). The desserts were fantastic. From starters to veal dishes to desserts the meal was of a class I have not found elsewhere on the cape. Ciro and Sal’s definitely comes closest to date in achieving a five for five Ptown monuments. JSK and nephew Drew award Ciro & Sal’s a big four and three quarter monuments. I’ll just keep where the quarter point was lost to myself. (.IV 3/4).

Ciro & Sal’s
4 Kiley Court
508 487-6444

Front Street

By John S. Kelemen

Here we are at the end of high season and it does seem to have been an abbreviated one, or is that only because time accelerates with the advancing years. It has been many years since I dined at Front Street and hard to recall when or why I stopped going there. Was it intimidation generated by the aura of high Zagat ratings and the difficulty of making reservations too far in advance or the handful of detractors that claimed it was overrated, too expensive, and that they were subject to rude treatment by the staff? As I recall it was more a matter of a huge bill generated by my bar tab in days of olde. No matter, on this eve of Labor Day 2008, Tfor3 proclaims a tabularasa as we go forward to experience the real Front Street.

Michael the Blogger (MB) called several days in advance seeking reservations for 7:30 PM on Sunday evening and was told that the best they could do was 5:30. Using his silver tongue real estate techniques to best advantage he was able to get the time moved to 6:15 PM thus allowing 45 more precious minutes at tea dance. The group included three more people in addition to MB and JSK; meat and potatoes Rich (MPR), skinflint Mark (SM), and the return of MB’s long lost friend, crazy Tony (CT). We were all seated promptly and courteously at precisely 6:15 PM.

We had a corner booth in the rustic ground level dining room of a stately old Victorian house which is well hidden by the tourist shops along the street. The restaurant was crowded with early diners, however, the layout and structural separation between tables allows a good degree of privacy. Our waiter was fast and professional with quick delivery of beverages and warm bread and a rather skimpy little dipping dish of olive oil which was quickly sopped up by our table of five. Unfortunately the much praised Foccia bread was not available. Starters included the special Zucchini Florets for SM, Bruschetta with melted feta cheese for MPR, Pasta e Fageoli for CT, and Mussels Fra Diablo shared by MB and JSK. All of the starters were very good except for the mussels which were somewhat dry.

Service of entrees was timely but definitely not rushed. House salad was served with most meals. The feta cheese dressing was tasty but not enough to add interest to a basically uninteresting salad. Entrees included Salmon for MB, Veal Parmigiana for MPR, Sirloin Steak for CT, and the Tea Smoked Duck for SM and JSK. Everyone thought their entrée excellent. The duck was easily one of the best dishes I have ever had in Provincetown or anywhere else.

Dinner was topped off with coffee and two shared desserts. The Pear and White Chocolate Bread Pudding was very good and Front Street’s signature Coffee Toffee Pie is heaven for anyone with a sweet tooth. The dinner bill was similar to any of the restaurants in town of comparable genre. 

In summation: the food was good to outstanding, service excellent, presentation good, prices in keeping with a restaurant of its class and the atmosphere comfortable and warm. Tfor3 rates Front Street four and one half Provincetown Monuments out of a possible five. (IV ½).

Front Street
230 Commercial Street
508 487-9715

Napi’s

By John S. Kelemen

This review will take us back to a Saturday evening in mid June when I was joined by four friends from New Jersey for dinner at what has been one of my favorite restaurants for twenty six years, Napi’s.

This two story restaurant was artfully crafted from salvaged materials including wood, brick, and stained glass garnered from several older buildings. Along with the antiques and artwork that have been used in the interior décor this has provided Provincetown with one of its most unique interiors and a worthwhile experience separate from merely dining. One town resident recently expressed the opinion that Napi’s has become primarily the destination of the blue haired tourist bus crowd. As far as I’m concerned more power to them. We’re all getting there anyway and Napi’s is still around for us in January and February when 99% of the Commercial Street restaurants are sealed up tight as a drum.

Among the many starters available from the menu we chose the always reliable Clam Chowder, Caesar’s Salad, Pear & Pecan Salad, and the Crisp Chinese Dumplings. All received thumps up from the group. Service of the first course was prompt but then the wait for entrées became somewhat excessive. Luckily a second basket of the excellent homemade bread kept our mouths too busy to do much complaining.

My favorite entrée has always been the Brazilian Shrimp and it did not disappoint this time either. The other entrees around the table included a special Lobster with Clam Stuffing, Chicken Stir Fry, Cod Provencal, and the vegetarianFelafel Plate. All of the entrees met with some approval with the Felafel Plate garnering the least favorable review.

Dinner was followed by coffee and three desserts shared by the group which included Tiramisu, Double Fudge Madness, and a special Raspberry Bread Pudding. The desserts were all excellent. Prices were generally in keeping with other restaurants in town.

In summation: the food was good: service okay; presentation good, prices reasonable; and the atmosphere, as always, nonpareil. It was not our best meal ever at Napi’s but still rates three and one half Provincetown Monuments out of a possible five. (III ½ )

Napi’s
7 Freeman St.
(800) 571-6274

Level Bistro

By John S. Kelemen

It has been a while since we have added a review to our collection. Mid August vacations and conflicting work schedules have wreaked havoc with any semblance of steady progress. Of the original Tfor3, Michael the Blogger has been running from pillar to post with his many obligations while Michael the Rubber can only be spotted on Commercial Street sporadically with his ubiquitous cell phone clamped firmly to the side of his head. As for me, I have been trying to sell some art before the end is upon us. As the high season draws to a rapid close we will try to regain our momentum and add an additional review from earlier in the season. But first let’s cover this week. 

On the eve of Carnival Parade Day a group gathered at artist Jack Zaner’s house and studio for his annual Carnival Cocktail Party. After that happy event I had the pleasure of joining four of our Vermont underwear boys to dinner at the Level Bistro. This dinner was definitely not preplanned or initiated by yours truly. I must confess to a certain preconceived negative opinion of the establishment generated largely by hearsay. I’m happy to say that I was wrong, wrong, wrong. Hearsay, especially dated hearsay really stinks.

Level Bistro at the Commons hotel complex surrounds a beautiful garden setting on multiple levels. Despite the busy night we were lucky to get seated on the bay view deck after only a ten minute wait. The space contains a bar and all of the tables refilled promptly as the early diners completed their dinners and left. The atmosphere was definitely enhanced by groups of people enjoying their food and drink on a beautiful Provincetown evening at summer’s peak.. 

Our young Russian waiter, Vlad, was both fast and efficient in taking our orders while at the same time good naturedly putting up with a lot of silly banter. Starters included clam chowder, warm beet salad, and coconut shrimp. Speaking for the clam chowder enthusiasts, I found the large number of tasty clams and lack of excessive thickening agent a welcome change from the clam chowder offered up in many establishments around town. Two of our party tried the coconut shrimp and said they could gladly order more and make an entire meal out of it. The warm beet salad also drew praise.

Our entrée courses included the swordfish, two orders of stuffed shrimp, lasagna, and the Maine crab cakes, which are on the menu as an appetizer but serve just fine as a smaller entrée. Everyone was well satisfied with their meals. Level Bistro also has individual pizzas, burgers and sandwiches for those wanting lighter fare. Prices of all items on the menu were very reasonable. Unfortunately after an evening of partying and drinks under our belts as well as dinner, none of us had room for dessert. The cakes we saw on display looked very appetizing.

In summary: we found the food very good; the service was excellent; the atmosphere was comfortably pleasant; the presentation was okay; and the prices quite reasonable. Level Bistro gets our congratulations and a full four Provincetown Monuments out of a possible five. (IIII)

Level Bistro at the Commons
386 Commercial Street
508 487-7800