Burning Love Nab a table by the fireplace and sparks are guaranteed to fly on your next dinner date. Here are a few of our favorite places to dine fireside.
 The White Horse Tavern This circa-1651 tavern boasts all of four working fireplaces. They are no longer used to heat the structure, but are such a hit with customers that the restaurant burns through a whole cord of wood a week to keep them going. Hint: Ask for the coveted table thirty-one, which is near a fireplace and the bar and was frequently requested by Nick Cage before he put his Middletown mansion on the market. 26 Marlborough St., Newport, 849-3600, whitehorsetavern.us.
Brick Alley Pub Great for a first date, Brick Alley's funky decor and casual atmosphere quickly dispel nice-to-meet-you-awkwardness (those triple-shot martinis don't hurt either). Request a table in the front dining room near the fireplace, and you'll warm to each other even more quickly. 140 Thames St., Newport, 849-6334, brickalley.com.
Pastiche Fine Desserts Sometimes cramped quarters do have benefits. Case in point: Pastiche is so tiny that all of the cafe's dozen or so tables are warmed by its crackling fire. Match the romantic mood by putting in an order for the strawberry-filled heart tart. 92 Spruce St., Providence, 861-5190, pastichefinedesserts.com.
DeWolf Tavern Forgo the casual tavern room to take advantage of the fireplace in the more formal upstairs dining room. The contemporary American restaurant's low post-and-beam ceilings, crisp white linens and dim lighting add to the romantic vibe. 259 Thames St., Bristol, 254-2005, dewolftavern.com.
Pop Kitchen + Cocktails Pop's energizing bright red decor and comfy fireside couches are enough to make us forget -- at least for as long as it takes to down a glass or two of pinot -- that it really is only five degrees outside. 162 Broadway, Newport, 846-8456. |
Best in Bubbly
Don't let a sub-par bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine flatten the mood. Savory Grape owner Jessica Granatiero dishes on great buys at every price point.  $20 or less: A steal at $12.99, Zardetto Private Cuvee Prosecco is a dry blend of prosecco and chardonnay, with just a touch of moscato. The straw-yellow-colored wine offers fruity pear, apple and peach flavors and floral notes.
$50 or less: One of an increasing number of Champagne producers dedicated to organic growing and minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery, Thierry Triolet produces an excellent brut ($36.99) fermented with indigenous yeasts. It has the mouth feel of a golden delicious apple and yeasty notes on the nose and palate.
$100 or less: Okay, so it's a little more than $100, but Granatiero says Laurent-Perrier's Cuvee Rose Brut ($107.99) is worth it because it's one of the best rose Champagnes available. The dry sparkler is filled with cranberry and raspberry flavors and hints of toasty cream.
Sky's the limit: The tough-to-find Krug Rose Brut ($333.99) is "the Champagne of all Champagnes," Granatiero asserts. It boasts fine bubbles, a lingering finish, and dry, nutty and citrusy flavors.
Note: Wine costs can vary widely, so shop around. Listed prices reflect the current price of each bottle at The Savory Grape in East Greenwich.
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New Local Product Alert:
Frankie's Fruit and Chocolate
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 Like wine and cheese, fruit and chocolate is one of those flavor combinations that seems to have been made in heaven. It recently inspired East Greenwich resident Claudia Frankenberg to launch a new company called Frankie's Fruit and Chocolate. Frankenberg, whose career has included stints as a chef, cookbook writer and food marketer, is working with Wakefield-based Sweenor's Chocolates to produce the line. It's composed of dark-chocolate-enrobed dried mangoes, apricots, pineapple and banana chips, as well as white and dark chocolate disks studded with nuts and small pieces of dried fruit. Our favorite? The dipped mango, which is sweet, but not overly so, thanks to a generous covering of slightly bitter dark chocolate. Frankie's Fruit and Chocolate can be found at Dave's Marketplace in East Greenwich, Wickford and Cumberland, Belmont Market in Wakefield, Eastside Marketplace in Providence, Felicia's Coffee in East Greenwich and Venda Ravioli in Providence.
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Sweet Treats
Indulge your valentine with local chocolates.
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 They say the way to a person's heart is through his or her stomach. What better food for testing this theory than chocolate? Find out where to get Rhode Island's best bonbons and filled chocolates in this month's Local Flavor.
Photo by Madeline Polss
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| Diner's Update
The latest food news.
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India Restaurant in downtown Warren has closed. The Providence location is still open.
Former Pearl Restaurant & Lounge sous chef Nick Miele was recently promoted to executive chef. He is working on a new prix fixe menu.
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Would you like us to consider your restaurant's news and events for inclusion in The Dish? Email thedish@rimonthly.com.
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| Hungry for more of our food coverage? Check out:
Best of Rhode Island Editors' Picks, Food - A full plate of the year's best culinary finds. Read about everything from foot-tall cocktails to the world's most incredible peanut butter sandwich. Cheap Eats - We scoured the state in search of the best frugal foodie finds. From burgers to burritos (and everything in between), here are fifty-eight raved-about spots and little-known haunts where you can feed your face without forking over more than ten bucks. Steak 101 - Everything you need to know about steak. How to grill it, what to drink with it and where to find it locally. Recipes - A searchable database of the best recipes featured in Rhode Island Monthly. | |
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2/13-22
Newport's annual celebration of the season includes several food and drink-related events. Highlights include a chili cook-off, martini and margarita making contests, wine tastings at local vineyards and shops, a Sam Adams beer dinner at The Mooring and lots of restaurant discounts and freebies with a festival button. Click here for the full schedule
2/18
Taste of the Flower Show This benefit for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank serves up a sneak peek of the flower show along with samples from more than twenty restaurants. Participants include 3 Steeple Street, Mills Tavern, Blackstone Caterers and Eleven Forty Nine. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. $75. Click here or call 942-635 for more information.
2/21-22
Mardi Gras at Sakonnet Vineyards
Sakonnet Vineyards offers free tastings of its newest wines: petite red and petite white. As part of the celebration, they're also taking 25 percent off a full case, 20 percent off a mixed case and 15 percent off individual bottles of the two petites. Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here or call 800-91-WINES for more information.
3/8
Federal Hill House Benefit Dinner
Members of the U.S. chapter of the Association of Italian Professional Chefs cook a five-course dinner to benefit the Federal Hill House. Michele Calise from Mediterraneo, Nino D'Urso from Capriccio and Walter's Ristorante D'Italia chef-owner Walter Potenza are slated to participate. James Beard Award winner Tony Mantuano of Chicago's Spiaggia is also expected to make an appearance. $95. Call 273-2652 for reservations.
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