Chez Pascal

It's been sometime since I last updated this blog but with my semester drawing to a close I will be updating a few more times in the next few days in order to fulfill my blog obligations to the class that I started this blog for. PHEW, now that that's out of the way. During the past Providence restaurant week (which was actually two weeks from July 8th-21st) I made my regular outings as a good foodie should. That aside, one of my favorite places to go, no matter the occasion, is Chez Pascal on Hope Street. In a city that prides itself on it's local culinary mastery, Chez Pascal is a proverbial crown jewel. Unlike many Providence culinary food gems (ehem Al Forno's) I don't see the usual self obsession at Chez Pascal. The best indication of this is the fact that the Chef/Owner Matt Gennuso spends his daytime hours going around the city in a food truck serving up his meaty concoctions. No instead, Chez Pascal is a clean and enjoyable culinary experience with which to set as a backdrop. The food is excellent, and the portions are neither grandiose nor are they miniscule. Even during restaurant week, which is primarily why my girlfriend and I were there last week, the portions were the same size as usual. There is a great deal to be said for this as many participating restaurants will keep the cost of running the weekly deals down by skimping. Not so at the Chezzy.

I started out with a fantastic pork terrine, rounded out with the short rib you see above, and finished with a tasty raspberry cobbler. The polenta under the short rib was excellent even by the Italianate standards that we have in providence. But of course the star I should say was the pork, something that Chef Gennuso is an expert in. I loved the experience, and I loved sharing it with someone I love. As a foodie it is often easy to be overwhelmed by the experience and forget the occasion or who is with you. The lack of pomposity or overbearing waiters is what sets Chez Pascal apart from it's upper tier competitors. This is perhaps the perfect date location. Aside from restaurant week, Chez Pascal can be on the relative cheap from Tuesday-Thursday when they offer a great $35/Person Bistro Menu that samples the best of the weekly menu.