City eateries shrinking

IN VOGUE: Chef Nick Rabar, who appeared on the reality TV series
IN VOGUE: Chef Nick Rabar, who appeared on the reality TV series "Throwdown" with chef Bobby Flay, is the owner of Avenue N in East Providence, a restaurant that reflects the trend of smaller eateries in Providence. / COURTESY AVENUE N

A significant change in the city’s restaurant landscape was discovered recently. It happened while consulting with Providence Business News to put together the 2016 Book of Lists’ ranking of Providence restaurants by seating capacity.

The city’s restaurants are shrinking.

But not in the way you may think. The actual number of eateries has remained more or less the same over the past 10 years. Statistics are kept on a statewide basis so city numbers are difficult to pin down even for our number crunchers.

According to the National Restaurant Association, as of 2014, the most recent year statistics are available, there were just under 3,000 “eating and drinking establishments” in the state. That number increased approximately 5 percent since 2010. The figure does not include food trucks. But many of the newer restaurants, particularly new restaurant concepts that have opened within the past five years or so, are much smaller in seating.

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We noticed the shrinkage near the top of the Providence list. Three of the largest Providence restaurants closed their doors in 2015. The No. 3 spot in last year’s rankings – Ruth’s Chris – was no longer operating. Of course, everyone on restaurant row knew what had happened. The space on the basin at Waterplace Park had recently reopened as the new address of one of the original large-capacity places in the city – Capital Grille. The iconic steakhouse had moved from Union Station late in the year and its patrons settled in happily to their customary prime steaks, choice wines and liquors, with larger private dining spaces and a striking, new outdoor patio.

The steakhouse has its side of the basin-front to itself for now. The ever-changing restaurant/nightclub most recently known as Waterplace remains shuttered. And on Federal Hill, the popular Mediterraneo turned out its lights. And the new places getting attention all over the city, such as James Mark’s North, Ben Sukle’s birch, Figidini and Red Fin Crudo, could fit inside those older spots multiple times over.

The idea of “small and mighty” is nothing new. Back in April 2008, I wrote, “Small kitchens seem to be the trend in new Providence restaurants. The new Tini restaurant, [now occupied by birch] takes up about as much room as just the kitchen of its next-door neighbor Gracie’s. … Meanwhile, at the new Chinese Laundry [now Harry’s Burger Bar], executive chef Nick Rabar and sous chef Lou Cruz cook for a three-level dining room from a kitchen measuring only 60 square feet. Rabar notes that in some restaurants that is the size of the coat closet.”

Rabar moved on to open his own restaurant, Avenue N in East Providence, itself on the diminutive side seating under 75 guests.

In the now-nostalgic days of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, large was in charge in Providence and everywhere else. From Twin Oaks – still going strong after 80-plus years, to Johnson’s Hummocks, Winkler’s, the Great House and Red Coach Grill, to Spaghetti Warehouse and Federal Reserve, with a nod toward the Shore Dinner Hall at Rocky Point, Rhode Island took a back seat to no one.

Then came the foodie craze. Dining became the evening’s entertainment, instead of something that was just done before or after the show.

But there are still new places opening that are large enough to draw a crowd. The new Primecut and its attached Mezzo Ultralounge recently opened on Charles Street can fit over 100 patrons. That may be the new giant economy size. •

Bruce Newbury’s Dining Out talk radio show is heard on 920 WHJJ-AM, 1540 WADK-AM and on mobile applications. He can be reached by email at bruce@brucenewbury.com.

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