QUICKVIEW: Jennifer's Chocolates- +++ / $$

If there is one thing of which Rhode Island could likely never have enough, it's chocolate. And boy howdy, do we have a lot of chocolate. We have the multi-generation/location institution that is Sweenor's, Sweet Twist, Garrison Confections, Ocean State Chocolates, and Hauser rounding out the southern part of the state. Phew! I'm getting fatter just listing them.

We also have an itty-bitty one person operation chugging away down in Wakefield called Jennifer's Chocolates run by, I assume, Jennifer. A quaint, well-appointed retail area gives you full few of the magical workings and the selection. Everything is decorated with care, and the inside is clean with a few tables sitting by the window so you can enjoy your chocolates immediately, if you're actually that desperate.

You have two, primary areas with goodies lined up. Jennifer produces a wide array of things aside from just the chocolate. She has some delicious-looking baked goods, chocolate covered things, biscotti, and cookies. Next to those is a remarkably colorful array of candies. Nothing incredible, but everything looked good enough and makes a decent addition to the overall offerings. I mean, what kind of candy shop would it be without Swedish Fish? She also acts as a sort of mini-cafe, making cappuccino, latte, and coffee. This whole direction seemed a bit half-baked. The machine wasn't commercial-grade and the latte I got wasn't all that good.

Chocolate is the star and her selection is good. Everything is hand-made, I know because I saw the hands making it, and looks good. She sources good chocolate, from Callebaut and Merckens. Merckens is cool because it's local, but I prefer Guittard for commercial-scale chocolate blocks. And if she really wants to wow some people with dark, open up a can of Michel Cluizel Noir Infini on their ass. All-in-all, I can't really criticize her choices of chocolate, since it's how refined her skills are that really make the product, and she does not fail.

I was impressed with her variety. Nothing to blow my mind, but she nails all the requisites. A variety of caramels are gooey, rich, and well-cooked. She's good at tempering the chocolate, which is very hard, so we can at least rest-assured we're not dealing with some amateur. A variety of simple, yet delicious recipes gives JenChoc a real reason for existing. I especially liked the delectable almond toffee chocolates, where the toffee was light, crisp, and easy to chew. Jennifer's Chocolates is reasonably priced. A pound of chocolate hovers around the $20 mark, which is competitive.

Jennifer's Chocolates does a good job of serving up tasty treats to the local area. She has nothing to make herself world-class, but that doesn't stop what she does have from tasting very good. I liked her selection of well-made baked goods, her espresso adds a semi-compelling reason to go, even if it's not that good, and her candy selection will more than satisfy. Sweenor's may be nearby, but that wouldn't prevent me from making an extra stop for some of her recipes that really can't be found elsewhere. The chocolate market in Rhode Island is getting a bit crowded, but I think Jennifer has the chops to remain.

Jennifer's Chocolates: +++
Price range: ~$20 for a pound, which is good, so $$ seems right.

http://www.jenschocolates.com


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254 Robinson St
Wakefield, RI 02879
401-783-1673

Hours
UNKNOWN... I'm checking on that.

QUICKVIEW: Brewed Awakenings- ++ / $$

Great atmosphere and a wide selection are the highlights of this decent URI haunt. Located in a relatively new economic development that's otherwise in the middle of nowhere, Brew-Awk, as I shall call it, has the distinct advantage of being right off of Route 1. Early hours and quick access to a main road make Brew-Awk a good choice for the morning routine. It's an excellent option for URI students to come and just hang out, soaking up the free Wi-Fi. I was impressed with the size and openness of the dining area. Very airy, very comfortable, with good acoustics for holding conversations. Lots of comfy chairs are littered about, with most of them usually taken up with said URI students. It's very busy, so be prepared to either leave or wait for seating. I was also impressed with the wide selection of food. The snacks were numerous, and the small menu of sandwiches ensures that those looking for a evening spot to relax will be fully accommodated. I got an egg sandwich and it was good. Prices were all competitive.

Espresso was acceptable. Better than Bagelz, but inferior to many of the other nearby options. The barista didn't foam the milk very well and they chose a strange roast for their espresso shots. It was weak, a little bit earthy, with sour tones that didn't go well with the latte. The mocha wasn't. Very little chocolate flavor at all. Sweet, but where's the chocolate? Chai was, as it seems everywhere, Big Train. I've encountered this a few times, but somehow, some places actually screw up Big Train chai. I don't know how. You follow the directions, and bamf!, chai. Jitters did that once. It tasted like chai-flavored water. This place isn't as bad as that day at Jitters, but it wasn't acceptable. Considering how easy it is to make chai, it should be perfect 100% of the time.

All in all, a very good local hangout and a decent cafe. I'm giving it two checks, but that's a bit of an understatement. The atmosphere, menu, and overall good design compensate for otherwise unimpressive coffee. Seeing that I'm only ten to fifteen minutes away, I'll probably go back.

NOTE: There are multiple Brewed Awakenings locations. This review covers the newest, Route 1 location exclusively. I have never been to the Johnston or Providence locations. Considering their size, it's surprising they don't have a web site.

Brewed Awakenings: ++
Price range for two: $6-$10


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60 S County Commons Way
South Kingstown, RI 02879
401-783-0496

Hours
Monday through Thursday 6:00am to 11:00pm
Friday through Sunday 6:00am to 12:00am

REVIEW: Bagelz- ** / $$

Bagelz has been serving up coffee and bagels to needy URI students for years. Their combination of free Wi-Fi, good selection, nice lounging area, and long hours have made them a favorite. I have to admit, they've certainly hit on something since, against my best judgement, I continue to go. I'm not sure why.

Both Bagelz locations scream "college hangout." Their doors are covered in local happenings, band fliers, and calls for roommates. The inside is stuffed with coolers, counters, tables, and girls in lots of denim and Ugg boots. At the Kingston location there's an upstairs lounge-like place from where you can look down on the first floor. Smelly chairs with unidentified stains are strewn about with a few tables. Sporting a laptop, I can't think of a better place to blow an afternoon. There is an undeniable and ineffable charm that comes from a college hangout. A charm that cannot be bought.

After the small, flier-covered portway, you're immediately presented with your choice of reading for the day and a display case full of muffins, biscuits, and goodies. Their general selection is very good, and they have a wide variety of brewed coffee flavors. Their variety of espresso drinks is... not so good. They have a cappuccino, latte, and mocha. That's it. Nothing inventive, but that's fine as long as the espresso is good. Well, slight problem there, but we'll get back to it later.

They have a wide selection of bagels which are reduced to a decent selection of bagels after a short time on any given day. Twelve varieties can be brought down to six pretty easily. They also have a dynamite variety of spreads for the bagels, from ordinary butter, all the way to red-pepper hummus. Almost expected, Bagelz has very good bagels and are the saving grace of the entire establishment. Nearly the entire menu is anchored with bagels, and bagels are an option with all selections.

Their baked goods are all decent. A few kinds of cookies, biscotti, cakes, and buns all act as suitable back-up to a cup of coffee or a cappuccino as you browse the web on their free internet and listen to employee-chosen CD's skip every minute and a half. But as I hinted at, for a cafe to provide decent backup to a cup of coffee, the coffee really needs to be good. And good it ain't.

I have had weaker coffee, though I really can't remember when. It had zero body, was watery, and had a faint bitterness. It had great aroma, which was weird considering how terribly weak it was. That was only my most recent visit. I've been other times and have never, I repeat, never had a very good cup of coffee. I've had decent. I've even had good, but never very good. I don't get it. It's not hard to make a great cup of coffee. The instructions are simple and available in books, on websites, and from every secretary on Earth.

The espresso is worse. I have had the third worst cappuccino of my life at Bagelz. The first was one from a vending machine, and the second was the very first one I ever made. They apparently foamed the milk by blowing through a straw, pulled the espresso as fast as they could, didn't bother grinding the beans and just put them in whole, and used 1% milk that, as 1% usually does, tasted like water. It was a really, really bad cappuccino. The worst of the worst aside, I've never had a very good espresso drink, either. This single cappuccino was exceptionally bad, but I've had ones that came close. Every time, I tell myself it's impossible. That no business open for as long as Bagelz could actually be hawking such horrendous espresso. Every time, I'm disappointed. Tea-lovers, though, are in luck. Bagelz has recently started stocking Mighty Leaf, and in a wide variety. Mighty Leaf is some excellent tea and it's no different here.

The coffee notwithstanding, I keep going back. Now and then, I feel the urge to go hang out at a nice, collegiate place, watching scruffy professors wander in and out, watching scruffy non-conformist musicians look angst-ridden, and watching the seemingly endless array of girls in Ugg boots. I do like Bagelz, but for a reason that isn't entirely because of Bagelz. They provide the environment that invites the atmosphere. The small, cafe-like tables, the music, the upstairs lounge with stained chairs. Bagelz works in spite of itself. If only the coffee matched the atmosphere. Hell, if only the coffee was acceptable.

Bagelz is a perfect example of a place that succeeds for sheer lack of competition. There are a few cafes in nearby downtown Wakefield, but on URI campus, their competition until recently had pretty much consisted of places that offered "coffee" and a Tim Horton's which recently transmogrified into a Quizno's. They were the only place that offered the "morning routine" package of coffee and a bagel/muffin/sandwich, but if another place opened that offered better, I suspect Bagelz wouldn't be long for this world.

Bagelz: **
Price range for two: $7-$12

http://www.bagelzthebagelbakery.com


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99 Fortin Rd
Kingston, RI. 02881
401-782-2295


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90 Pershing Ave
Wakefield, RI. 02879
401-783-9700

Hours
Kingston:
Monday through Thursday 6:00am to 10:00pm
Friday & Saturday 6:00am to 7:00pm
Sunday 6:00am to 4:00pm

Wakefield:
Monday through Friday 6:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday & Sunday 6:00am to 5:00pm

REVIEW: The Pump House- *** / $$

The Pump House plays, for Rhode Island gourmets, something of a red-headed stepchild to founding chef Normand LeClairs more famous, and much better but now defunct, Red Rooster Tavern. The Old Rooster's house was recently sold to some development or another and will in all likelihood be turned into another God-forsaken office complex. For me this is truly a sad day. The Red Rooster was a first-class restaurant at a time when South County had no others. Things have changed, obviously. Providence got Al Forno and a slew of other high-end establishments, South County became a national vacation destination, and little Rhode Island is so full of good restaurants that it's hard to pick where to eat. But still, my heart falls back on the Red Rooster. But this review is not about The Rooster. It's about The Pump House. Does it carry on its rich heritage in the absence of its father?

The Pump House is quite obviously a different animal from The Rooster. It's much more relaxed, with a rustic charm to the decor that's warm and cozy and distinctly Rhode Island. The age of the building has not been hidden, with visible aged wooded creaking and bending in all directions. It's a really fabulous dining area precisely because of the lack of architecture. It's a trip into history to a much greater degree than the near-by Coast Guard House.

Service is always good, but it's usually busy, even on weekdays, so expect a fifteen minute wait. Sat, you can partake of the salad and soup bar, which always has baskets of house-made bread. It's a good selection and it's all-you-can-eat, so the price is right.

Appetizers and entrees are all very basic. This is a restaurant that's aiming to be nothing more than a neighborhood haunt. Prices are excellent, as would be expected of a haunt, so the lack of inventive dishes can be forgiven. Moreover, I have never considered mozzarella sticks to be a waste of space on a menu. In fact, I think any menu can be made better with their addition. The French onion soup is a standout. I thought it was excellent. The sandwich selection is decently large and everything is well done and very cheap. Good sandwiches, I guess, is all that can be said. Their Fish & Chips needs to be mentioned, since it's basically whatever they dragged in out of the ocean that morning, fried up and served. You don't get fresher.

For the entrees, the prices are excellent. Only two dishes crack the $20 level, and those are the filet mignon and a sirloin/stuffed shrimp surf 'n turf. This place is very, very affordable. There is a heavy emphasis on fish, and being so close to the ocean the ingredients are quite good. Some standouts are, obviously, the very cheap filet and the butter rum chicken. Especially the butter rum chicken. Lip-smacking tasty, that was. Still, it's a generally unimpressive selection. It has everything you'd expect, and it's all well-prepared, but not much more. Most importantly is how bland everything is. I can only assume The Pump House is catering to the over-175 crowd, since the entrees are not only unsurprising, but frequently bland as all get-out. This hypothesis is supported when the average age of the dining room at peak hours may very well hit the triple digits. Not bad, but bland. If I was either five or five-hundred, I'm sure I'd love it. Desserts are the expected standards. Cheesecake is always a safe bet, and here is no different.

So, I guess, The Pump House does not carry on the tradition of the grand old Rooster. It chooses to be something entirely different. It's not trying to be world-class. The elderly clientèle that packs the dining hall every night tells me that not only are they trying to be something else, they're succeeding with flying colors. In that sense, maybe they deserve five stars. Maybe they're smarter than me. Maybe their food is the result of a culinary master knowing his audience perfectly. Perhaps, but the Rooster wasn't that, and I think this place does nothing to rise above its status as neighborhood haunt. It's good, certainly better than most places with these prices, and if you're nearby it's worth a stop, but otherwise The Pump House is unremarkable.

The Pump House: ***
Price range for two: $40-$60

http://www.diningquest.com/client/The_Pump_House/?id=890;

The Pump House
1464 Kingstown Rd
Wakefield, RI 02879
401-789-4944

Hours
Dinner: Monday through Saturday 4:00pm to 10:00pm, Sunday 12:00pm to 9:00pm
Lunch: Tuesday through Friday 11:30am to 2:30pm
Pub open 2:00 p.m. to closing.