Wednesday, March 26, 2014

BROWN FACULTY CLUB AUTHOR SERIES: KAREN COVEY

Karen Covey, food writer, cook and author of The Coastal Table, will be the next guest of the Brown Faculty Club and the Brown Bookstore in its Author Series. These events, held at the club (1 Magee Street, Providence) are always free and open to the public but reservations are recommended - 401-863-3023

Wednesday, April 2    5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Brown Faculty Club    1 Magee Street

GREGG'S: RHODE ISLAND INSTITUTION

If you live in Rhode Island you know about GREGG'S (www.greggsusa.com).

Persons you like, persons who appear to have reasonable food tastes, will say: Gregg's has a great lobster roll,  or Did you know Gregg's has pastry chefs from Johnson & Wales? or, Gregg's is a price performer. Since opening it's first place in Warwick in 1972 Gregg's has expanded its business, adding restaurants in East Providence, Providence and North Kingstown. They look like big Friendly's or Newport Creameries, landscaped with parked cars, appealing in that way that says to you, come in, forget your diet, drink a chocolate shake, eat a BLT, nobody has to know.

So, the lobster roll was ordered and a slice of giant weirdly-colored layer cake selected and neither was particularly good. A second lobster roll on a second visit, just to make sure, was not impressive - a not-good bun was filled with over-cooked claw meat and accompanied by not-good fries. Does $16.95 make a lobster roll a price performer if it isn't good? Hardly. There are so many good lobster rolls nearby; you do not need this. Regarding the cake, if you have ever frequented NYC diners and tried a dessert from the rotating circular glass case of seven-inch cakes and fat lemon meringue pies piled with whipped cream you'll get the picture - all promise, no taste delivery. Roasted chicken was cooked about two hours too long and served on squishy stuffing. Pasta with fried calamari was poor (okay, so maybe not a wise choice in the first place). Bare, naked steamed broccoli was the best item on the table.

I don't think Gregg's is a price-performer. It doesn't perform. I can live with Walmart decor and a lousy waitress if the fare satisfies my inner urge for comfort food but Gregg's doesn't satisfy.