Last nights in Rhody were festive. First, there was a pre-birthday (HG will be 89 November 9) dinner at Chonqing House, the excellent Szechuan restaurant in Providence. HG became an ardent Chonqing fan when it was located in quite bleak premises in a Seekonk, Mass., strip mall. Now it’s located in spacious, attractive space on Providence’s Wickenden Street. Thankfully, the cuisine hasn’t changed. HG/BSK; Lesley, Massimo and Arianna R. feasted on delicate wontons in a fiery chili oil; cumin lamb; braised eggplant, pea shoots, fried string beans, Mapo tofu and more, much more. The Chonqing tradition remains healthy. For the Rhody farewell dinner, Gifted Daughter Lesley R. prepared a pork loin braised in milk (a la Marcella Hazan) with oven roasted potatoes. Great dish on a cool night. Profesore Massimo R. didn’t join the group. He was off to play in a tennis doubles match and prefers not to have a big meal before a game. The Profesore, an aging Federer, won, of course.
