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