February 14, 2002 - From The Providence Journal

CAFÉ FRESCO
Cafe Fresco has promise in East Greenwich
By MERIDITH FORD, Journal Restaurant Reviewer

EAST GREENWICH -- Lately I feel that the dining scene in Rhode Island is a skewed take on Dorothy's line in The Wizard of Oz: Restaurants come and go so quickly here.

Jimmy's Italian Kitchen in East Greenwich closed last year; now in its place is the new Cafe Fresco, opened by chef Tony Morales and Jack Walrond of Grappa in Providence and Newport. Morales is a talented chef, having spent a lot of time in Rhode Island restaurants (including Al Forno, where, among other things, he absorbed the ability to grill a mean pizza).

The menu has all the ingredients to entice, and the large dining room's ambiance is comfortable and relaxed (aside from the large plate-glass windows that give the effect of a furniture showroom. Curtains, anyone?). A wood grill to the left of the entrance softens the mood and sends savory smells wafting through the dining room.

It felt on my first visit like this restaurant needed more time to get comfortable. Don't get me wrong -- the service, while very informal, was fast and efficient, and many dishes were top-notch. But there were almost as many misses as hits. A second visit proved that the kitchen is more sure-footed than I'd originally thought: This time there were many more hits than misses.

Coconut-encrusted shrimp
An appetizer that fell into the hit column on my first visit was the coconut-encrusted shrimp -- large and tender, with a delicately crispy edge flecked with sweet coconut. It's tempting to overdo the sweetness in this dish, but Cafe Fresco's version never came close to that. The natural sweetness of the coconut paired well with the shrimp, and even better with the spicy mayonnaise that accompanied the dish.
Another good bet was the grilled pizza -- the thin crust is slightly chewy, yet crispy-edged and smoky-flavored from the fire of the wood grill. A mixture of goat cheese, kalamata olives, tomatoes and capers danced flavor around the top of the pizza, giving it a flavorful contrast of tart, sweet, pungent and salty. (The golden raisins described as an ingredient on the menu never materialized, or there would have been a sweet and chewy element, too.)

An entree of clams was served with a spicy sausage, onions, tomatoes and garlic, encircling a mound of tasty mashed potatoes. Again, all the elements were there, but the dish was too dry -- I longed for a broth from the clams -- and everything was cold.

A sesame-encrusted tuna steak had a buttery texture, with a dark, salty flavor from a soy marinade and a delightful nuttiness from the sesame seeds. But the steak was so alone on the plate -- just a small mound of more of the mashed potatoes and a meager serving of seaweed salad to help it along.

Desserts came to save that first evening: A molten chocolate cake -- with its oozing, melting center -- was sinfully luscious, with an ooey-gooey texture and the flavor of hot chocolate, made even more devilish by chocolate sauce and creme Anglaise. A slice of moist, dense carrot cake reminded me more of a spiced, steamed pudding, but I wasn't complaining.

Overwhelmed
We arrived much earlier on a second visit, trying to avoid a crowd. Tough luck. By the time our first course got to the table, the restaurant was packed. I mention this only because it slowed service considerbly toward the end of the evening. It looked like our poor waiter was simply overwhelmed.

Along with grilled pizzas, Morales brings other Grappa-insired dishes to Cafe Fresco's menu, one of which is a selection of bruschetta. And why wouldn't he? The Black Angus bruschetta, with strips of tender, sauteed beef, sweet shallots and cream sauce draped over two oversized slices of Italian bread, was an inspiration in itself -- truly a winning dish.

Fried calamari fared well, too -- the light rings needed to be crispier, but what they lacked in texture they made up for in the bright, bold flavor of a tomato-and-pepper number that bordered on tasting like the heat of a puttanesca sauce. Tossed lightly to the side, it was just flavorful, never crossing the line into becoming too hot.

An entree of grilled, marinated pork chops was full of the smoky flavor of the wood grill and topped with diced pears and onions. Its maple flavor proved a fine accompaniment to the grilled pepper, summer and zucchini squashes, as well as the smashed potatoes, that came with it.
Another entree of rigatoni in Bolognese sauce was so rich with the flavor of veal and beef, it tasted more like a really good Alsatian hunter's stew.

Dying for tiramisu
It was at dessert time that our waiter, who had brought things with what seemed the speed of light earlier in the evening began to slow. It took over 30 minutes for us to get our tiramisu (light and fluffy, with more chocolate than coffee flavor), homemade ice cream (too icy) and creme brulee (too runny) to the table.
The wine list is short but sweet, with mostly Californian selections. Bottles are $16 to $52.
Appetizers include a raw bar with items from $1 to $2.25 a piece; other items are $3.99 to $11.99. Wood-grilled pizzas and bruschetta selections are $9.99 to $12.99. Entrees, including pasta dishes, are $11.99 to $18.99. Desserts are $3.99 to $7.99. There is a children's menu with all items at $3.99.
So there are a few chinks in the armor at Cafe Fresco. So what? With the experience that Morales brings to this restaurant, I'm sure they'll get worked out.