The Blue Fin Grille
The Marriott
One Orms Street
Providence
by Bob Mariani
Although the atmosphere and décor at the Providence Marriot’s Blue Fin Grille has an unmistakably formulaic hotel feeling, the menu reads much more like a smart new seafood bistro, thanks to Executive Chef Franco Paterno and his Chef de Cuisin, Rebecca Lentrichia. For each season, there are actually two separate menus: The "Spring Thyme" one in place now is captioned "fresh and simple" and contains about a dozen items plus a stripped down wine list. It has entrée’s like sautéed soft shell crab stir fry ($19); fennel crusted rack of lamb ($21); and a "Miso Grilled Flat Iron Steak" with gingered shitake mushrooms and a soy mustard sauce ($19). The larger menu covers all the bases from appetizers, soups and salads to "Seafood Treasures" and "Entree’ Specialties" and desserts.
From the Spring Thyme menu I chose the Tempura Fried Soft Shell Crab Spring Rolls appetizer ($9). The petit crab was lightly battered with an excellent deep fried crispiness. It was accompanied by some succulent asparagus spears that had been cooked in the same way. The crab went down extra easy with two delightful dipping sauces—a tangy orange wasabi and a sweet chili sauce. Our other starter was from the main menu and I was happy to see that the all-too-ubiquitous calamari had been spiffed up considerably here. The platter of deep fried squid rings also contained several deep fried tentacles, which some people, like myself, really enjoy, while others find them a little too "octopussy". The calamari rings were tender and light without a trace of grease from the fryer and they were doused with a tart, soy wasabi vinaigrette. There was a sweet dipping sauce on the side, as well.
For my entrée I ordered the night’s special— farm raised salmon with a peppery Cajun crust served over a bed of what I believe were flat Thai noodles. To the side of the dish was a small pool of the chili-laced dipping sauce, which out of context, tasted a lot like maple syrup. The salmon’s flavor seemed overpowered by the Cajun sauce and I felt that the sweet chili sauce just didn’t fit with the salmon’s peppery crust. It was a case of "fusion" that did not quite fuse as well as it might have.
Our other entrée from the smaller menu was the Sautéed Shrimp with Whole Wheat Pasta ($17). The batter-fried shrimp were plump and juicy but they sat atop a nest of pasta, roasted artichokes, crimini mushrooms, and a chervil peas sauce. Again, I felt the flavors did not quite blend and compliment each other as well as they might have.
Other Blue Fin Grille main menu items include a Fresh Northern Oyster Sampler ($9.50); Fire Grilled Pizza with poblano and smoked chicken ($9); Little Neck Clams agli olio with capellini ($9); and a pan-seared Maine Jonah Crab Cake ($10).
The "Seafood Treasure" section of the menu features Jumbo Pan-Seared Scallops on a crispy white polenta, with baby tat soi, and a sweet ginger beurre blanc and shoyu syrup ($19); Horseradish and Herb Crusted Halibut with sweet potato frites ($17); an open faced Seafood Ravioli in a spicy pink vodka sauce ($21); and a market priced Lobster Bake with little necks, churizo, corn and potato.
For meat lovers, The Blue Fin has things like Maple Cashew Chicken Breast ($17); Slow-Braised Barbecue Beef Short Ribs ($18); Smoke-Rubbed Twin Pork Chops in a burnt orange-apricot chutney ($19); a Filet Mignon with a cognac peppercorn cream sauce ($25); and a 12oz. N.Y. Steak and Ketchup dish grilled with two onions ($23).
Because it serves its hotel customers as well as the outside public, the Blue Fin Grille is open daily for lunch and dinner. For reservations call 272-2400.
Bob Mariani is a Southeastern New England freelance author. Besides his "Table for Two" restaurant reviews found here, he also writes jazz articles on allaboutjazz.com.
