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.

MARDI GRAS AT THE DORRANCE; FARM & VINE AT OCEAN HOUSE

• The Dorrance (60 Dorrance St, Providence  401-521-6000) celebrates Mardi Gras on March 4 with a Fat Tuesday party. Drink Hurricanes and Sazeracs, dine on Cajun food (Po' Boys and Gumbo, etc.) and cut into a King cake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_cake) for dessert. Music begins at 8:00 with Travis Colby & Friends (http://traviscolbyband.com/shows.html) playing New Orleans jazz.  www.thedorrance.com

Call for details:  401-552-6000

• Apparently nobody is fasting on Ash Wednesday, March 5, at Ocean House (1 Bluff Avenue, Watch Hill  401-315-0579) which is hosting a Farm & Vine dinner at 7:00 p.m. The chef, Jean François Bruel, is working with Four Story Farm (PA) ingredients and pairing dinner with Frog's Leap (CA) wines. $95 before tax and tip.  oceanhouseevents.com

Reserve via the link or call 401-552-2588

FILLINI: PIZZA WE RETURN TO

After sampling a fair amount of Providence pizza including famous name slices on Federal Hill, I've settled on Fellini Pizzeria (166 Wickenden St, Providence  401-751-6737) as the go-to place. In the company of guests and friends I've made regular pilgrimages to Fellini's in the last couple months, too regular, enough that should I make a Lenten resolution it will be: No Fellini pizza.

It doesn't help that I pass Fellini's all the time - it's on my walking route, seconds from the gas station, adjacent to art supplies, across from Adler's Hardware and visible every single time I exit 195 for South Main. What's so great about it? For starters, the super thin whole wheat pizza crust, crust that nobody leaves uneaten on the plate. Plain old pepperoni pizza is excellent here but a slice of steak and scallion is my favorite. And there's Philly steak and white pizza which is garlic-infused and really good. You can order any combination you want but if you're a walk-in looking for a single slice it's fun to just try what's on the shelf.

Open every day   166 Wickenden Street    401-751-6737    fellinipizzeria.com

LADUREÉ'S SOHO SHOP IS OPEN

Ladurée believes in bigger, better, splashier. It's new SoHo shop opened this week at 396 West Broadway (at Spring Street, which makes it very close to Balthazar's take-out ginger tea - easily world's best). It's a macaron and pastry shop and  serves breakfast, lunch, teas and dinner - fully equipped so you can eat an omelet, nibble sweets and wash all down with scotch if you're so inclined. Even a garden. Perfect for SoHo, tourist mecca for all Europeans.

Ladurée    396 West Broadway   855-5238733     http://www.ladureeus.com/

GARRISON FACTORY STORE VALENTINES

Garrison Confections is opening its factory store in Central Falls (72 Ledge Street  401-725-0790) for Valentine sales, right now through February 14th (but not Sunday). The factory shop is

open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Fun to visit - funny how you don't realize chocolate-covered something or other (ginger, for example) is needed until the temptation is in front of you. Garrison Confections is also selling at Teas and Javas in Wayland Square and Garden City.

 http://www.garrisonconfections.com/

"BAKING BY HAND" AUTHORS AT BOOKS ON THE SQUARE

"Baking by Hand" authors Andy and Jackie King will be at Books on the Square (471 Angell Street, Providence  401-331-9097) Saturday, February 15 at 4:00 p.m. The Kings operate A&J King Artisan Bakers in Salem, MA (http://ajkingbakery.com/) and they believe you too can mix, knead and create organic breads, no machinery required.