Mediterraneo

Generous portions from a mixed grill on the Hill

by Dawn Keable

134 Atwells Avenue, Providence
331-7760
Open Mon.-Sat., 12-11 p.m.
Sun., 5-9 p.m.
Major credit cards
Handicapped accessible

Our day at the beach was good. The lunch from the cooler was not. (Okay, I take full responsibility for forgetting to spread honey mustard on the bread and not on the ham, as my boyfriend Andre prefers.) So as we moved from the shore to the mainland, we were ready for some real food -- although we weren't ready to come inside. Lucky for us, Mediterraneo seems to have reinvented the sidewalk cafe.

The architect of this building must have been thinking summer. The front and side walls literally fold out onto the street. As an added bonus, tables were set up on the sidewalk, and since it was a Monday night, we waited a mere 20 minutes for a curbside table

I love the openness of Mediterraneo, which has a definite European feel. Andre was mesmerized by the light glowing from behind the bottles of liquor at the bar. Even neater were the hanging star sculptures that lit up after dark.

We each started with a glass of wine, and already we were impressed. Big glasses with a generous amount of liquid inside. Unfortunately, my glass was so big, a fruit fly mistook it for his home. Ah, the perils of alfresco dining.

We started our feast with calamari fruti in Padella ($7.95). The baby squid had been pan-fried in extra virgin oil, so it was firm and not greasy. Hot cherry pepper rings gave the dish a spicy kick. Don't worry, though, if you're wimpy like me and afraid of the heat. The accompanying rémoulade, a garlic tartar-like sauce, was a cool and tasty dipping alternative.

What's more, the serving was ideal for two -- even if one had the appetite of a professional football player. And if we still needed something to munch on, a basket of crusty fresh bread, with olive oil for the spread, was only an arm's length away.

In between courses, we admired the growing collection of very expensive cars parked a few feet away. A Mercedes, a Rolls, a chauffeur-driven Lincoln with city plates . . . hey, it's Buddy! Sorry, can't tell you what he had for dinner -- he headed upstairs to the smoking section. Probably to avoid watching his driver impatiently tapping his watch.

For the main course, Andre ordered grigliata mista della terra Mediterrenea ($19.95). Typically, it was the most expensive item on the menu. (He wasn't paying.) The dish was a mixed grill of the Mediterranean land. The featured items were a grilled pork chop, veal sausage, AND a chicken breast.

The pork chop was Andre's favorite -- very lean with a tasty grilled flavor. The potatoes that came with it were a close second with their garlic flavor and no lumps. And the chicken and sausage? Still only good things to say. The chicken was very moist; the sausage, very tender. Yes, Andre even had to have a few things wrapped to take home. Good thing. I was getting worried.

My meal, while on a much smaller scale than Andre's vast production, was also excellent. I chose rigatoni al basilico e pomodoro ($12.95). Translation for non-Italian speakers: tube pasta with plum tomatoes. The pasta was cooked to a perfect firmness and was tossed with the tomatoes in a light red sauce seasoned with basil and topped with shredded mozzarella cheese. I cleaned my plate.

Oddly enough, we both had room for dessert. Good thing -- it would have been awful to have missed such an incredible experience! Andre picked the white chocolate mousse ($4.75). Lightly whipped with a delicate chocolate flavor, its sweetness was balanced by a tart strawberry sauce lightly drizzled across the plate.

Could it be? My selection, strawberry shortcake ($4.95), was even better. Fresh whipped cream sandwiched between two layers of a biscuit-like cake, topped with sliced strawberries and confectionery sugar. Yum! Life couldn't have gotten much better at that point.

Next time we're headed off to the beach, maybe we should stop at Mediterraneo first. I'll bet they could pack a grand picnic. Hmm . . . I wonder if we should invest in a larger cooler.