More Than Fare
Four new dining destinations we love.
Bondhu
Here, some of our new favorite restaurants throughout the RI region.
Geppetto Osteria e Bisteccheria
Torrington, CT
Husband-and-wife team Carlo and Michelle Pulixi created theirMediterranean hideaway catty-corner to Five Points Center for the Visual Arts in Torrington, and are providing a transportive regional Italian dining experience. The menu pays homage to Carlo’s Sardinian roots. Standout dishes include Ravioli di Mela, con Ragu di Anatra ($23)—housemade pasta filled with green apple and ricotta with just a note of cinnamon—and polenta with oyster mushrooms ($15). Meat and seafood eaters will enjoy the red snapper with capers and lemon ($28), a pine nut-crusted leg of lamb ($36) and a roasted bone-in ribeye ($98 for two). Leave room for the tiramisu, a classic interpretation of the dessert. The Pinocchio-themed art lining the walls and an antique workbench are a whimsical and appropriate nod to chef Carlo’s other talent, woodworking.
The Gnome Bistro
East Chatham, NY
The restaurant on Route 295 just outside of East Chatham occupies what used to be The Cottage, a beloved stop for locals and tourists. After The Cottage closed, several tenants moved in (and out), but it looks like The Gnome, owned by Chatham local chef Zak Russell, is going to have staying power. The menu is updated comfort food made to modern tastes with some whimsical twists from the gnomes in the kitchen. The lunch and dinner menu is a varied assortment of comfort food, offering a Cottage Rueben ($17) in homage to the restaurant’s predecessor, but also a West Coast chicken sandwich ($18), the Thanksgiving turkey club ($17), Alpine prime rib ($28), fish and chips ($17), meatloaf ($17), and a portobello parmesan ($23). The gnome influence is more pronounced on the all-day breakfast menu, with its Gnomecakes ($10.50), Gnomelet ($9.50), and the Hangry Gnome stacked breakfast plate ($14). The portions are large (you’ll have plenty to take home) and the servers are friendly. At the full, well-stocked bar, gnomes peek out from behind bottles and taps of local beer.
Kip’s Tavern
Rhinecliff, NY
Until Kip’s Tavern took over the former China Rose space overlooking the Hudson, Rhinecliff was without even a single eatery. Christopher Dorsey, a CIA grad who spent two decades managing restaurants in Manhattan, leased the space in March 2022 and gave it a complete makeover. Kip’s Tavern is that increasingly rare breed of eatery that combines cozy-chic digs, professional service, tasty food, and entrees priced under $25. The menu is small—just five entrees: ricotta cavatelli ($21), Atlantic salmon ($23), chicken paillard ($20), chicken pot pie ($22), cheeseburger ($20)—with an emphasis on elevated pub fare. In addition, there are one or two specials a night, like a melt-in-your-mouth wild boar stew over jasmine rice. Cocktails are $10 to $12; glasses of wine run $9 to $13, bottles $36 to $52. While not cheap, at its price point, Kip’s Tavern punches above its weight class in terms of service, food quality, and ambiance. And you can’t beat that view.
Bondhu
New Ashford, MA
Bondhu, which took over the beloved French restaurant Mill on the Floss between Lanesborough and Williamstown, is a “food experience business” that offers an encounter for every food lover. Bondhu is a new kind of club with changing themes and a deep dive into a specific culture’s cuisine. Farah Momen, the food maven behind the enterprise, plans family-style dinner “parties” that tell a story along with a multi-course fixed price menu. Themes have included an Earth Day Feast; Springtime, Southeast Asia; a Jewish Heritage Dinner; and Native American Culinary Landscapes. For the summer, Momen is offering the Bondhu Brunch every Sunday through Labor Day, with a creative, globally inspired menu that varies each week. Pick a date or a menu that works for you. You’ll leave full, happy, and inspired.
