We are delighted to welcome guest blogger David Dadekian today, founder of eatdrinkRI.com, and an accomplished writer and photographer, who shares his experience at Warren’s own Trafford Restaurant in advance of Newport Restaurant Week. The 10-day event kicks off Friday and runs through November 13. Read more of David’s gourmet gallivanting at eatdrinkRI.com
Newport Restaurant Week (NRW) begins anew this Friday, November 4, at over 55 restaurants in Newport & Bristol Counties. Diners at participating restaurants get to enjoy three-course lunches for $16, and three-course dinners for $30 through November 13. In talking with the NBCCVB about this year's NRW, we decided to do something a little more interesting than just writing about the events and listing restaurants. Here we have a sneak preview of some items on the NRW menu at Trafford, a restaurant at 285 Water Street in Warren that's not only a NRW first-timer, but also almost brand new, having opened a little over four months ago.
This is not a full review by any means, but some first impressions and descriptions of Trafford's three-course dinner items. My wife and I were guests of the CVB for this meal, but this visit was an excellent overall experience and we agreed we would gladly return to sample other dishes.
Trafford is housed in beautiful building on the river in Warren. They have a deck overlooking the river and I would imagine it's a perfect place to sit during the summer. Parking shouldn't be a problem, even in the busy season, as they offer complimentary valet. The interior is nicely designed in lots of light wood with really cool flooring—very tastefully appropriate. The menu has a good number of choices on it and does change often to keep it fresh and refle
ct what is seasonal. We didn't see a kid’s menu, however the restaurant had several tables full of families with children on a Friday evening so it was clear the restaurant is family-friendly. It's also very adult-friendly with a full bar upstairs serving some great cocktails and a nice list of wines-by-the-glass.
So what about the food? We were served dishes that will be on the NRW menu, and are also regular menu items. The starters we tried included the Mussels Frites which may have been my favorite. The fries were perfectly cooked and the aioli drizzled on top was a perfect complement, not only to the fries themselves, but also to the mussels and the really great cooking liquid in the bowl. Make sure you ask for some extra bread to sop up all the good bits in the bowl. Speaking of bread, the rolls given as bread service are very good and served with olive oil.
We also were served cups of New England Clam Chowder and Butternut Squash Soup. Both were excellent, with a special nod from me toward the Butternut Squash Soup, not only because you can't get it year round, but also because Trafford's version was so flavorful and silky smooth. The entrées we had were the Chicken Marsala with apples, mushrooms and mashed potatoes and the Veal Zurichoise which was served with a cognac cream sauce, roasted potatoes and mushrooms. The apples and mushrooms sautéed with the chicken were evocative of fall and added a nice sweet-tart flavor to the chicken and the perfectly cooked mashed potatoes. The veal was a wonderful overall dish with a hint of the cognac flavor and richness of the cream working beautifully with the roasted vegetables.
Desserts included strawberry shortcake and a coffee crème brûlée. I'll admit to not paying attention when I cracked my spoon into the crème brûlée and
was very pleasantly surprised to find what I had thought was a berry on top was actually a chocolate covered espresso bean. That was a very nice touch and a great treat. The strawberry shortcake had a light, delicious shortcake with great whipped cream and lots of strawberries, what can be wrong with any of that?
One last note about our Trafford experience, the service was fantastic. Our server Jane was very attentive and helpful. I always appreciate any server who thinks ahead that we'll want more bread with a bowl of mussels. In general the room looked very well covered by all the staff. In addition to Trafford and the other participating restaurants, there are events taking place throughout NRW, click here for a listing.
The week wraps with an unforgettable grand finale: the Taste of Newport, a culinary extravaganza benefiting Child & Family, the largest and most comprehensive social service provider in Newport County. Check GoNewportRestaurantWeek.com for complete information.
To stay on top on happenings throughout Rhode Island's food community, visit eatdrinkRI.com.