Al Forno
7 Steeple Street,
Providence, RI., USA.
When we purchased Johanne Kileen and George Germon's then new book "Cucina Simpatica" (Harper Collins, 1991, ISBN 0-06-016119-1), we were suspicious of two chefs whose names did not end in a vowel who claimed to make authentic Italian Trattoria food. Furthermore their claim to have developed grilled pizza in America seemed outrageous.
Nevertheless it was clear that these two chefs cooked well, especially given the awards and kudos they have received over the years.
During our last trip to Connecticut, we decided that we would travel to neighboring Rhode Island to eat at Al Forno, and find out what the big deal was all about. We called, spoke to Johanne, and made the necessary arrangements. She was very helpful and suggested a good hotel in Providence.
In sum, the meal was excellent. The grilled pizza was delicious, if not very hot. The rigatoni pasta with a pureed squash sauce, topped with curled raw scallions was excellent as was the second pasta dish. This consisted of pureed seasonal vegetables, and was topped with same curly scallions.
Simple dishes, but very well thought out, and carefully prepared.
The service was quite good. Our waitress was knowledgeable, not only about the restaurant but also the local environs. She was able to wait on us, hold an intelligent conversation, and attend to her other guests simultaneously. Additionally, she suggested a very good salad to round out the meal.
The only serious criticism we have of the restaurant is its incredibly small bar and waiting area. Al Forno has a 300 plus seat capacity, but does not take reservations. Consequently we stood for 30 minutes trying to drink a glass of a very fine Prosecco without spilling it. We strongly recommend one of two courses of action: Either enlarge the waiting area for clients or take reservations!
Overall we recommend Al Forno, but with some reservations.
The cost of dinner for two, including a bottle of wine, tax and tip was approximately $110.00.