Newport Restaurant Week is back and better than ever! For those of us who enjoy dining out but are on a budget, there’s really nothing that tops three-course dinners at some of the area’s finest eateries for $30 a person.
I admit, I rarely leave Aquidneck Island. But when I do, it is well worth the trip over the Mount Hope Bridge. I recently had the opportunity to dine at DeWolf Tavern, located on the Thames Street Landing in the heart of historic Bristol. Housed in a picturesque stone warehouse with a gorgeous view of the water, the ambience is cozy, warmly lit and all the while maintains the essence of the historic building.
Seated next to the fireplace, which felt divine on a chilly evening, my dining partner and I perused DeWolf’s menu – a veritable feast of contemporary American cuisine with an Indian flare.
For our first course, I chose the soup de jour – a harvest bisque. Smooth and savory, it was like experiencing all my favorite things about autumn in a spoonful. Butternut squash, apples, spices and more, perfectly blended into a sweet and savory bowl. My partner opted for the other soup of the evening - the seafood chowder, that she described as perfectly creamy and a must for any seafood lover.
I’m a firm believer that there are few things in life that are better than a perfectly cooked steak. For that reason, I chose the petite filet mignon for my main course.
Cooked to an impeccable medium temperature, the filet was topped with a mouthwatering sauce of beef short ribs that were braised in cumin and coke, and topped with a subtle hint of blue cheese and frisee. The steak was accompanied by fluffy mashed potatoes and a yummy seasonal vegetable.
My dining partner opted for seafood again, and chose the tandoori marinated swordfish. Cooked in a tandoor--a cylindrical clay oven often used in south Asia, the swordfish was wonderfully complimented with the accompanying cranberry couscous.
To end the evening, we shared our desserts: a creamy espresso crème brule topped with chocolate covered espresso beans and a Sticky Toffee Pudding with
warm caramel rum sauce and vanilla ice cream. Just the right amounts of sweetness, the desserts were the perfect end to an incredible meal.
Suffice it to say, our memorable dining experience at DeWolf Tavern will have us crossing over the bridge again and will keep us coming back for more.
Read more of Meg's reporting in Newport This Week, on newsstands every Thursday throughout Newport and Middletown, and on Newport-Now.com.