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

Fanizzi’s Restaurant By The Sea

By John S. Kelemen

As the summer of ’08 reaches its mid point it has become clear that our slow weekly trajectory from west to east through the eateries of Provincetown will fail to provide any fair scrutiny of the restaurants on the east end before the guillotine of Labor Day falls. We will, therefore, flip flop like all good liberals when logic interferes with planning and switch between the establishments on the east end of town and those more in the center.

Sunday night found Table for Three at an old reliable of the east end, Fanizzi’s. For those of us who refuse to leave town when the snow flies Fannizi’s is a favorite because it stays open (lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch) when everything else is locked tight. Among the four diners in tow was Michael the Rubber (MR) one of the perpetrators of Tfor3, who finally made his debut halfway through the summer, also present was Michael the Blogger (MB), Meat and Potatoes Rich (MPR) and yours truly (JSK).

We were seated in the cozy dining room with its great view of the harbor. The atmosphere was enhanced by a spectacular lightning display from an approaching thunderstorm. The room was packed with a lively crowd, which is to be expected at this time of the year. Service was correspondingly somewhat slower than our spoiled townie group is used to with our waiter deftly handling more than his fair share of tables.

Appetizers were finally ordered and included two menu favorites, ‘Ultimate Nachos’ covered with chili and P.E.I. mussels. Both appetizers were excellent. The chosen entrees were Grilled Salmon (MB), ‘Secret Recipe’ Fried Chicken (MPR), Baked Cod with Puttanesca sauce (MR) and Seared Scallops Provencal (JSK). Everyone was okay with their meal except MPR who found his chicken quite dry. As for the side vegetable, MB enjoyed his asparagus while the rest of us left our green string beans largely untouched. For a restaurant which specializes in comfort food it is probably not wise to overdo the al dente craze. Mama always made sure the veggies were cooked. The beans tasted raw and just barely kissed by a tepid summer breeze. Three of us had wild rice with our entrees, which was quite good. Dinner was topped off with coffee and a dessert of apple/blueberry crisp and vanilla ice cream. Only MB chose a more sensibly dietetic desert of grape sorbet. The apple/blueberry crisp portions were huge and the taste excessively sweet. They made a nice take home gift for MB’s nephew. We love Fanizzi’s but all of us have had better meals there than this one. 

In summary: service was only fair through no fault of the waiter; food was good for the most part but not at its best; presentation okay; atmosphere pleasant as usual; and prices still decent in comparison to many places. This time around it’s three out of five monuments for Fanizzi’s (III).

Fanizzi’s by the Sea
539 Commercial Street
508 487-7964

The Caribbean Corner Café

By John S. Kelemen

Provincetown is fortunate to have several sidewalk eateries on Commercial Street and the streets leading to the wharfs. The quick and affordable take out meal, elsewhere symbolized by the big worldwide franchises, remain for the most part, local small business enterprises. Speaking only for myself, I hope it will remain that way during my lifetime

The Caribbean Corner Café has survived for several competitive summer seasons indicating new diversity in tastes and demographics. There is no indoor dining space provided, however, a pleasant outdoor courtyard faces the street and former Aquarium Plaza across the way. Tables and benches are provided and shaded by umbrellas. Additional seating is provided on the porch level where meals are ordered. The CCC is now open for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner. Orders are taken at the counter which is open to the food prep area. Selections are made from the menu posted on the blackboard. Each item is freshly prepared including the freshly squeezed tropical juice drinks. It’s not Burger King so don’t expect instant gratification.

Table for three at the CCC ended up as table for two with only Michael the Blogger joining me to sample the fare. Meat and Potatoes Rich and Nephew Mark ran across the street for Big Daddy’s Burritos. Michael ordered a chicken taco meal with black beans and rice while I went for the pork on saffron rice. Both meals were served with salad and plantains all neatly compartmentalized in a practical styrofoam container. Both of us found our meals and juice drinks quite good at the price and wouldn’t hesitate to visit the CCC again.

It is unfair to try and rate The Caribbean Corner Café by the usual standards since there is no waiter service, presentation, or indoor ambiance; however, in this time of financial crunch this type of quality food provided without frills but at a fair price is a good break for the non affluent. The Caribbean Corner Café deserves an A+ for effort and three and one half Provincetown Monuments (III ½).

The Caribbean Corner Cafe
206 Commercial Street
508 487-2023
Tfor3#9

Note:

For those who may be venturing outside of our hometown sanctuary.
If your going to Hyannis, by all means try Embargo on Main Street which specializes in Spanish and American tapas. Prior to the Linda Eder concert, we decided to give it a try and definitely had no regrets. Dinner for two including Kobe beef sliders, sautéed wild mushrooms with truffle oil and goat cheese, garlic shrimp and P.E.I. mussels in curry sauce was consumed for under $50. Embargo also touts a good martini selection, affordable wines, and homemade sangria. The food was fantastic, décor beautiful, service excellent and presentation okay (who cares?). If this restaurant were in Provincetown it would be closing in on that five monument mark.

Embargo
453 Main Street, Hyannis
508 771-9700

Café Heaven

By John S. Kelemen

Café Heaven occupies one of those prime Commercial Street restaurant spots that has survived over the decades through several name transformations. I first remember it as Alice’s Restaurant when it still evoked the laid back 60’s era of free loving and living and Arlo Guthrie’s quasi-folk song lyrics. This was my first trip to Café Heaven in several seasons. Our Tfor3 group of four included Michael the Blogger (MtheB) with nephew Mark and friend Luis.

Our preconceived notion of Café Heaven as a tourist only eatery was quickly belied as we entered and found representatives of the all-year community already enjoying dinner. The op-pop free spirited wall paintings and no nonsense spare décor recalls a less polished but more happy-go-lucky era in Provincetown. Café Heaven does not accept reservations but we were early enough to be seated immediately and quickly served our drinks. For those who may choose to forgo alcohol, for a change, try the Italian style sodas which are different and quite good.

Our lovely young waitress from Moldova was attentive and charming. She definitely enhanced Mark’s appreciation of the meal. The experience was the exact opposite of Enzo’s where special requests were treated unfavorably. At Café Heaven the creative opportunity is presented of combining ingredients for burgers and pasta dishes, which are featured prominently on the menu, there are additional choices for appetizers, soups, entrees and desserts featured daily on the blackboard.

After an excellent house salad I chose the cod fish special which was served with steamed spinach and a Tuscan bean stew with Italian sausage. It was excellent and affordable (but definitely not cheap). MtheB couldn’t get enough pasta; first enjoying a gnocchi appetizer and then creating his own pasta dish with feta cheese, spinach and caramelized onions. Mark started off with the cream of broccoli soup and then had a pasta dish with salmon and spinach. Luis kept to his diet with only a salad but was well pleased. No one was disappointed with their choice and we all expect to make return visits.

As usual dinner was topped off with an excellent cup of coffee. We chose two of the blackboard featured desserts, a chocolate cake and a lemon cheesecake, both were okay. Café Heaven is fine for a good unpretentious meal at affordable prices. In summation, food was very good, service was very good, atmosphere is good and enjoyable and a little loud and a little funky, don’t look for a fancy nouvelle presentation. Good quick summertime food is what this place is about and for that it deserves four out of a five big Ptown (IIII) monuments.

Café Heaven
199 Commercial Street
508 487-9639

Enzo

By John S. Kelemen

On the eve of the Fourth we headed out on Commercial Street for an early dinner combined with people watching at Enzo. Enzo occupies a large Victorian structure on the corner of Court St. across from its more modest, but always busy, sister restaurant known as Bubala’s by the Bay. There are very comfortable and nicely appointed interior dining rooms away from the maddening crowd, however, nosy parkers that we be, outdoor dining in the dust and wind while sitting on stackable plastic chairs was our choice for the holiday eve. Our primary aim was to sample the cooking of new chef, Jeremiah Reardon. Enzo has been advertising the chef’s classical training. The rotating weekly menus reflect selections and prices with a definite aura of fine dining several steps above ordinary tourist fare.

Despite some mix-up in our reservations we were quickly accommodated on the porch level with a great view of the street and Bubala’s patio. There were five for dinner including Michael the Blogger, Rich, Mark, Bill and myself plus two other guests who stayed just long enough to share a salad and shrimp appetizer before running off to see a show. By all indications the salad and shrimp were excellent. In addition to those opting for salads the rest of us shared two appetizers, Sea Scallops with Seared Foie Gras and Wellfleet Oyster Tartare with American Osetra Caviar, both of which were quite good despite their pretentious names.

My favorite fish was on the menu and I couldn’t resist ordering the ‘Sundried Tomato Crusted Halibut’. This entrée turned out to be beautiful in presentation, big in price, and small in portion, although it was quite tasty. Our meat and potatoes man, Rich, wanted the Kobe Steak but inquired as to whether he could substitute potatoes for the featured asparagus. The wonderfully accommodating waitress reported that Chef Reardon’s reply was an emphatic no and Rich settled for the Guinea Hen with caramelized onion potatoes, thus saving $14 on his entree. Bill ordered the Kobe Beef with Michael and Mark opting for the Grilled Dayboat Scallops. The presentation of all entrees were picture book examples of appetizing nouvelle cuisine art. Food satisfaction level was good but in no way extraordinary.

Dinner was topped off with coffee and two shared desserts, ‘Barnstable Strawberry Shortcake’ and ‘Milk Chocolate Pots de crème with fresh berries and stone fruit’. I found the shortcake somewhat dry but the milk chocolate pots de crème was delicious.

In summation, we found Enzo a somewhat mixed bag as far as rating is concerned. Service was excellent and food presentation wonderful. Food level and atmosphere fall somewhat short of fine dining while prices are, as can be expected, high. Apparently special requests are not appreciated and will not be accommodated by the chef even at an early hour when the restaurant is almost empty. We give Enzo three monuments out of a possible five (III).

Enzo
186 Commercial Street
508 487-7555

Tips for Tops’n

By John S. Kelemen

Table for Three resumes its west to east restaurant advance across Provincetown with a turn toward a faithful old standby known as Tips for Tops’n, which supposedly signifies the tip of the cape for tops in service, and does not have some esoteric nautical significance as I always believed. Last Thursday evening, as the annual Portuguese Festival got under way, five of us gathered for dinner at a place we best knew heretofore as a breakfast favorite. This time the group actually included a Michael (the blogger one) along with his nephew Mark, and Gino and Chris, two guests from St. Louis.

Tips for Tops’n is a diner type eatery that has been run by three generations of the same family and, unfortunately, recently experienced the loss of its founder, Edward C. Carreiro, who bought the restaurant in 1966. The standard menu, as well as nightly specials, provides a variety of Portuguese dishes. The décor has a spare no nonsense nautical motif. Those looking for a fancy presentation of nouvelle cuisine are in the wrong place and better continue their search on Commercial Street. 

Most dinners come with soup or salad. You can’t go wrong with either the clam chowder or the kale soup with linguica which are both excellent. Warm bread already prepared in butter was quickly consumed only to be replenished immediately by another basketful. Our entrees included the special marinated pork filet with two starches (potatoes and rice), fried pork with potatoes and littleneck clams, baked filet of sole, stuffed sole, and stuffed scrod. We were all more than pleased with our choices. Stuffed was the optimum word. That did not deter anyone from ordering dessert. Desserts included bread pudding, grapenut custard pudding, rice pudding, and hot apple crisp all of which were topped with soft serve vanilla ice cream. 

For those with a hankering to try some local Portuguese flavor or just eat humongous amounts, Tips for Tops’n offers good portions of comfort food at a reasonable price with fast friendly service. Ambience remains just fine for what it is. We give Tips for Tops’n four out of a possible five Provincetown monuments, (IV) or (IIII), whichever you like better.

Tips for Tops’n
31 Bradford St.
508 487-1811

Café Edwige

By John S. Kelemen

Table for Three will once again deviate from its west to east Provincetown progression to discuss a dinner at Café Edwige (At night *) that took place on a recent Saturday evening. Table for Three became table for six with two weekend visitors from NYC, two from the old sod (New Jersey), and as an ex-Jerseyite I do mean sod, and two townies one of which was sober. The original perpetrating Michaels of Tfor3 were, of course, nowhere to be found.

Café Edwige has been at its 2nd floor location on central/east Commercial Street for more than a quarter of a century and has remained successful in pleasing the more discerning of the tourist crowd palates. Outdoor dining is available on the entry deck. The interior is nicely appointed but tables are crowded together so don’t expect a quiet intimate restaurant experience at Edwige. Indeed, the main dining room was filled with tables of small to large groups all of which seemed to thrive in a party-like loud atmosphere. My favorite seating at Café Edwige has always been along the Commercial Street side that is a little quieter and offers a great people watching view of the street and the Patio restaurant across the way as well as a full view of the dining room crowd for those who like to both see and be seen.

Service was remarkably excellent given how busy the tables were. Our server was adept at handling our one semi-inebriate who raved about his ginger martini. Café Edwige offers a good selection of special martinis. The wine drinkers were also well pleased with their choice and the server made sure the wine was properly chilled at the taster’s request. Cubes of a very good warm bread were brought to the table which started us off on an olive oil dipping frenzy. We shared a variety of appetizers and salads all which were very good. I ordered the mushroom/bay scallop soup which was outstanding. For entrees everyone stayed with a variety of seafood including a halibut special, cod, and red snapper. Portions were generous and the presentations all very appetizing. Red snapper, my favorite, was particularly well prepared. We ended the meal with several shared desserts all of which were fine but not given their proper due by the members of our very stuffed group.

In summation: service was excellent, atmosphere was very good, pricing was fair and very much in keeping with the level of dining, presentation was excellent, and the food ranged from very good to exceptional. Just an opinion, but Café Edwige at Night is off to a great seasonal start and rates four and a half monuments out of a possible five (IV ½).

Café Edwige
333 Commercial St.
508 487-2008

* Note: This is a review of the Café Edwige at Night only; the brunch menu is handled by a different entity.

Sal's Place

By John S. Kelemen

This past week Table for Three became a table for two as the original two Michaels of our townie trio did a disappearing act and left yours truly holding the proverbial bag. A good friend was in town from Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey and we decided to dine at an old west end favorite, Sal’s Place. As we approached the entry court on the first steamy Friday of the new season a deep feeling of déjà vu took hold. It was the summer of 1982 once more and we were being seated on the outdoor deck of a bayside restaurant while experiencing the great odors of homemade Italian cooking and being treated to a magnificent view of Long Point and the west side of the Provincetown Harbor. 

As I shook myself free from romantic nostalgia it became apparent that, indeed, nothing much had changed in over a quarter of a century. A quick peek at the indoor dining rooms revealed that they were also very much as first remembered. Oh well, I guess the tightly packed old wood tables and plywood floor boards all lend themselves to a certain old fishing village charm that we may be losing too rapidly. My friend and I were both feeling the warmth and friendliness of an old Italian neighborhood restaurant somewhere in Union County, New Jersey.

Service was prompt and friendly. We started with salad; the Italian salad for my friend and mozzarella with tomato salad for myself. Both salads were good. We were told that they were out of our first selections for entrees, the baked eggplant and mussels in wine sauce and herbs. I had been told that Sal’s mussel dish was superb which added to the disappointment. Disappointment led to annoyance when I noticed a nice fat plate of mussels being served to a table that had been seated after ours. Hopefully, they had been ordered in advance and were not part of secret stash set aside for the privileged cognoscente.

I chose the salmon entrée with balsamic vinegar and capers which turned out to be okay. My friend received a copious portion of the spaghetti with mushrooms which is noted on the menu as being made with fresh mushrooms, however, he felt they tasted more like the processed canned fungi. Dinner was followed by desserts which included tiramisu and small biscotti type almond cookies served with wine. My friend did not care for the wine.

In summation: service was good, atmosphere was very good, pricing was very good, presentation was fair, and the food was fair. Just an opinion, but that old Provincetown favorite, Sal’s Place has seen better days and only rates two and a half monuments out of a possible five (II ½).

Sal’s Place
99 Commercial Street
508 487-1278

Karoo Kafe

By John S. Kelemen

This past week Table for Three broke its west to east sequence to take part in ‘Chefs Table 2008’ which many restaurants and patrons throughout the cape celebrated on behalf of the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod. Six of us had the pleasure of dining at the Karoo Kafe which generally promotes itself as an eating establishment specializing in fast casual South African fare. The evening of fine dining offered up by our hostess and host, Sanette and Michael, was of a caliber comparable to any of the fine dining establishments in Provincetown. The Karoo Kafe is located in the center east part of town just off Commercial Street and next door to the Pilgrim House.

Each course of our dinner was made up of selections taken from the Karoo’s everyday dinner fare. The South African flavors were explained to us by Sanette as a blend of the influences of Indian, Malay, and Portuguese cooking. The splendid mélange of spices and sauces included sesame, coconut, curry, banana, and ginger all prepared in a manner that enhanced but never overwhelmed the dish.

Dinner started with the West African Peanut Soup followed by two outstanding appetizers from the Karoo menu; grilled steak and sesame noodles and the salmon cakes.
This was followed by a palate cleansing watermelon and feta salad. Our entrée was the Cape Malay Seafood Stew which consisted of shrimp, mussels, bay scallops, and Tilapia
Cooked in a curry and coconut sauce and served with bananas and rice. Not that any of us needed more, but we were then treated to a dessert of Mr. Brown’s Ginger Cheese Cake topped off with an excellent cup of coffee.

A review of the Karoo Kafe’s menu indicated very reasonable pricing. It is hard to imagine a place other than Provincetown where one could enjoy this type of unique cuisine either as casual indoor/outdoor dining or takeout. In a time of financial crunch an establishment of this type is a delight to have available for vacationers and townies alike.

Sanette’s Karoo Kafe has been part of the Provincetown street scene for the better part of a decade and we all hope it sticks around for many more seasons. Our dining room was cozy and exuded a West African ambiance. Even though we did not experience Karoo Kafe as one of our regular Thursday night dining sojourns, Table for Three found this to be one of Provincetown’s incomparable dining experiences and awards Karoo Kafe four and one-half monuments out of a possible five. (IV ½)

Karoo Kafe
338 Commercial Street
(508) 487-6630.

Victor's

By John S. Kelemen

Last week Table for Three reviewed one of Provincetown’s oldest and most established landmarks of dining, The Red Inn. This week we went to the opposite end of the spectrum and dined at Victor’s, the newest kid in town. Victor’s is located in the West End on the Bradford Street Extension. Many of us remember this site as the old Dairy Queen which was along our trek to Herring Cove Beach.

We’ve all heard the expression about it being impossible to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Owner, Victor Depoalo has gone a long way in trying to disprove that old adage. Provincetown owes a debt of gratitude to Victor for an esthetic and tasteful new construction project.

Table for Three included a fourth person in our small group in order to take full advantage of the small plate dining specials that are designed to be shared by each member at the dining party table. The dinner menu is quite varied and innovative; we chose a succession of plates that included the barbequed oysters, a quesadilla dish, a scallop special, and a ribbon pasta plate. The ribbon pasta was definitely everyone’s favorite with the scallop special a close second. Dinner was topped off by a great cup of free trade coffee and excellent desserts. Rhubarb and strawberry cobbler, coconut cream pie, chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and crème brulee. Two of our party happily sampled the specialty cocktails known as the Seven Sins of Summer. Enhancements include beautiful interior and handsome exterior as well as welcoming site landscaping.

The food was interesting and tasty. Presentation and Service were excellent. The atmosphere was comfortable and airy and enhanced by cathedral ceilings and high windows. Those looking for a more quiet or cozy dining experience probably won’t find it in Victor’s main dining room and should request a corner table or try locating in the more intimate bar lounge. Pricing was fair and reasonable.

By all indications, Victor’s can expect a very successful first season. It’s just our opinion but Table for Three awards Victor’s three and one-half monuments out of a possible five (III ½).

Victor’s
175 Bradford Street
(508) 487-1777
victorsptown.com

The Red Inn

By John S. Kelemen

On a clear crisp Thursday evening earlier this month I met with two friends at a popular Whaler’s Wharf restaurant for dinner. The discussion naturally turned to the impending season and the many gastronomic opportunities that Provincetown has to offer. Restaurants old and new, large and small, fancy and tacky were all dished (only a few were actually dissed).

Those of us who have lived and/or vacationed in town for many years develop our preferences for one eatery over another for a myriad of reasons and tend to frequent the same places over and over again. We three have decided to forget any pre-formed opinions and try a different restaurant a week over the next several months. We will eat our way from West to East and hopefully give some worthwhile tips for dining in our home town. To establish an impartial criterion we chose five guidelines which include food, presentation, service, atmosphere, and price. A perfect score earns five MONUMENTS (I I I I I).

Our first dinner of the new season was at the Red Inn on Thursday evening before Memorial Day Weekend. The Red Inn is a venerable West End flagship. In the 1980’s yours truly always packed the vacation suitcase with one necktie and pressed shirt for the requisite dining experience at The Red Inn. For reasons not worth going into The Red Inn’s gold star fame and fortune tarnished a bit for a while but shines brightly again since the start of the new millennium under its latest ownership.

Upon arrival we were shown to our table by a friendly hostess and introduced to our waiter. Our table was in the waterfront dining room with a full view of the beach, harbor, and Long Point. Many restaurants in town offer waterfront dining however few can offer the panorama experienced in this location.

We started with appetizers including the Crispy Panko Crusted Shrimp and Steamed Clams. The shrimp were excellent. The clams were just a little bit gritty however the clam broth was delicious and provided an outstanding bread dip. The bread and butter provided were not fine dining worthy and need to be improved to complement the menu.

Entrees included the Pork Chop and Halibut special. The Pork Chop was outstanding. The fish was good but not particularly special or uniquely prepared though served on a bed of orzo that was very tasty. Presentation was good to excellent. Service was good.

Dinner was topped off with coffee and a sampling of desserts which included a chocolate fudge pie, cheese cake, and bread pudding. The desserts were all wonderful with the bread pudding about the best that this old eater has ever tasted.

Pricing was reasonable for a restaurant with The Red Inn’s reputation and the ambiance it has to offer. The current sticker shock that many of us are experiencing from soup to nuts was not particularly glaring at this restaurant. The atmosphere was great. Keep in mind that some of the same attributes that lend the waterfront room its charm, such as low ceilings and hardwood floors can also lend themselves to a very loud and dissonant dining experience when the tables are all full. Those seeking a quiet romantic dining atmosphere might want to forego the view for one of the other lovely fireplace dining rooms. 

It’s just the opinion of three but kudos and four full monuments (IIII) to The Red Inn for what looks like another great season at 15 Commercial St. ( 508 487-7334)