XO Steak House
125 North Main Street
Providence
by Bob Mariani
The ambiance at XO is a charming combination of a cozy, neighborhood pub and a tastefully upscale bistro. Soft lights, old brick walls, comfy banquettes and sexy, sophisticated artwork create a welcoming atmosphere that’s hard to resist. And the menu is just as seductive. It starts with the hedonistic statement that "Life is short. Order dessert first." And they mean it, and we obeyed— but more about that later.
We began with the soup of the day, a luscious autumnal creamy mushroom broth with woodsy tasting chanterelles served in a charming dish that looked just like a small white inverted derby. Our other appetizer was the "Peekytoe Crab,"($12) beautiful fresh slivers of sweet crab meat molded into a rich cake of remoulade and avocado relish.
My wife’s entrée was one of the house specials— scallops wrapped in Tasso ham with a fall risotto ($23). I took a taste and was absolutely bold over by the marvelous mingling of sweet-fresh scallop meat and the smoky-hot Tasso ham. It was the best scallop dish I’ve had since I can’t remember when. My entrée was the braised lamb shank ($26). It arrived with the 6-inch shank bone standing at attention on the dish. A touch from the fork and the meat dropped away from the bone and melted in my mouth. The shank, which was more dark meat than I could eat, sat on a bed of delicate celeriac potato puree and baby vegetables. From an enticing list of sides, I ordered some red pepper parmesan spatzle, a perfect compliment to the dark and juicy braised lamb.
Of course, XO does bill itself as a Steak House and its choices of steaks and chops is nothing short of terrific. Their certified black angus steaks are aged 21-28 days for maximum flavor and tenderness and the variety of cuts include: a 20-ounce Delmonico Rib-eye ($32); a 10-ounce filet mignon ($31); a 14-ounce New York Sirloin ($32); a 22-ounce porterhouse; an 18-ounce Kansas City sirloin ($35); and a 16-ounce milk-fed veal porterhouse ($32). Other entrees I’d love to go back for are XO’s yucca-crusted Norwegian salmon; their Hoisin roasted duck ($26); or their grilled tuna steak with lobster orzotto ($26).
But now it was time for the much anticipated desserts. By-passing such tempting dishes as XO’s molten chocolate cake with coconut ice cream and white chocolate, and their dried cherry challah bread pudding with a coconut crème anglaise, my wife ordered the artisan cheese course ($12.50) and was delighted with a beautifully focused array of flavors ranging from smoky and dense to crusty and sharp. I can’t imagine a better ending to a superb meal. My choice for dessert was the strawberry-rhubarb cobbler which, I felt, was a bit one-dimensional in flavor compared to the richness of other tastes we’d experienced this night. Our server, Johnny, was alert and attentive and made sure everything arrived at the table fresh from the kitchen.
There is a splendid wine list with wines by the bottle and by the glass, and an array of "eXtraordinary cocktails" with names like "prickly pear margarita" and "Love Potion # 9".
XO continues to be a really first rate addition to the Rhode Island dining scene and a place you can recommend to out-of-town friends without hesitation. They’re open for dinner and their phone number is 273-9090. You can also visit the XO Cafe
website.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.
